The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Main points of the chapters we have discussed so far...

Chapter 1

• Reader is introduced to Kit Tyler, 16-year old who is traveling to the American Colonies.

• Kit is traveling alone to the colonies from Barbados.

• There are several characters who are on the boat ride with Kit such as Mr. Holbrook, who is studying to be a minister

• The Cruff family is on the boat, and Kit sees them as surly.

• The name of the settlement Kit is traveling to is Wethersfield.

• The name of the boat she is traveling on is the Dolphin.

Chapter 2

• Kit describes Prudence Cruff, a sad and lonely child she is somehow drawn to.

• The reader learns that Kit's parents died when she was very young and that she was raised by her grandfather.

• Kit's grandfather was a wealthy plantation owner in Barbados.

• Kit is on her way to the colonies to meet her aunt, her only living relative after her grandfather dies.

• The reader learns that Kit can read and often does so for pleasure, not for work or study.

• When Kit finally arrives in Wethersfield, there is no one to meet her.

Chapter 3

• Wethersfield disappoints Kit with how small it is.

• When Kit meets her relatives for the first time, she notices how somber and plainly dressed they all are.

• Kit's family in the Colony is made up of her uncle Matthew, her aunt Rachel and her cousins Mercy and Judith.

• Her cousin Mercy is lame due to a fever she had as a child.

• Her aunt is happy to see her until she learns that Kit has come to live with them.

• Kit explains that when her grandfather was ill, he was also embezzled, and now Kit has nothing.

• Wethersfield is a Puritan community.

Chapter 4

• Kit gives some of her fancy and brightly colored clothes to her cousins as gifts.

• Matthew gets angry when he sees the gifts his daughters have been given and makes them return the dresses.

• Kit is warned that she must abide by their rules if she is to stay there.

• Kit has to work and do chores for the first time in her life and does not like it.

• Mercy is patient with Kit, but Judith is annoyed with her.

Chapter 5

• Kit must attend prayer meeting but is not used to religion playing a role in her life.

• Kit finds the prayer meeting very long and boring

• While at the prayer meeting Kit sees her acquaintance from her journey, John. Holbrook.

• After the prayer meeting Kit is introduced to William Ashby, who seems to be somewhat taken by her.

Chapter 6

• Dr. Bulkeley and John Holbrook come to the Woods' house for dinner.

• Matthew and Dr. Bulkeley get into a bit of a spat over political differences.

• The reverend prays for Mercy's affliction, and this irritates Kit, who does not see Mercy as weak or afflicted but strong and caring.

• Matthew informs his family that William Ashby wants to court Kit.

• Judith's previous hopes of marrying William are dashed.

Chapter 7

• William comes to the Woods' house to court Kit, but Kit is uncomfortable and really has nothing to say to him.

• William announces in a conversation with the Wood family that he is building a house and preparing to settle down.

• Matthew and William get into a disagreement about England's involvement in the Colonies.

• Kit wrestles with not knowing if she wants to marry William and is annoyed that she does not seem to have too much of a say in this matter.

Reminders: Journals due on Fridays. Must be a whole page to get full credit.

Welcome, to 8th grade ELA!!!!

Grading Policy:

Class work, homework, class participation, quizzes, projects, and weekly reading journal will be 75% of the six weeks grade.

Six Weeks or Novel Final Exam shall have the value of 25%.

A minimum of 2 grades per week will be given.

The semester grade will be the average of the three six-week grades.

Materials Needed:             

3 composition books

1 plastic folder with pockets

The assigned reading novel

(*Students are required to have a pen or pencil to write with. Students will have projects to do throughout the school year and will need materials such as colors, markers, scissors, and glue, but I will let students know ahead of time when they need to bring them to class*

                                               

Expectations:       

Throughout the course of the class you will be presented with various genres of literature. The material is designed to make you a more confident reader. Throughout the school year, you will gain the necessary skills and knowledge to excel, not only in middle school, but in high school and college as well. The class is designed to discussion based student participation is a priority.

Assignments:       

Students will be required to read a different novel every six weeks. The students will read one chapter to two chapters a night and be required to answer discussion questions for each chapter. Homework will be given every night with each reading assignment. At the end of the week the points will accumulate to 100pts and will be taken as an assignment grade. Class participation on chapters assigned and discussion questions, along with activities from the novel will also be graded.  

Every day the students are required to keep a journal, journal topics will be given by teacher, and be turned in on Fridays; this will also be a weekly grade.     

Projects:               

There will be several projects throughout the six weeks based on the novels we are reading. Students should be prepared to work on their own or in groups. Projects will consist of classroom activities as well as project that will be assigned to done at home. The students will be given the information for the projects ahead of time and will be given plenty of time to complete them.

Late Assignments:              

Being present in class every day is important. Every day will build on skills needed for completing assignments. Students are responsible for missed assignments/topics when they are absent. They may ask one of their classmates, or myself, for missed assignments. Missed assignments must be turned in within five days of the absence. NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCPETED AFTER THE FIVE DAY GRACE PERIOD.

If the student is not absent and did not turn in assignment or homework they have to the end of that week to turn it in, after that week the assignment or homework will NOT be accepted, therefor the student will have a zero for the assignment or homework in the grade book.

Attendance:        

It is imperative that you attend class on a daily basis, as failure to do so will result in you missing out on important information. *AFTER 3 ABSENCES, STUDENT WILL BE REFERRED TO AN ADMINISTRATOR*

Participation:       

Participation in all class activities is necessary to gain a better understanding of the material being covered. A grade will be issued for participation and on class discussions over topics and or chapter questions on novels.

Tardiness:

Be in (as opposed to near) your assigned seat when the bell rings and remain there until the teacher dismisses the class. In the event that another teacher or staff member detains you, a signed excuse should be brought to me as soon as possible.

The teacher will decide whether the tardy is excused or unexcused. Tardies accumulate all day and start over at the new six weeks. They will be referred to the office for the tardy.

                Tardies 1-4 Teacher records and warns to student

                Tardy 5 – Referral to administrator. Parent contact

                Tardy 6 – Referral to administrator. Parent, Teacher, Administrator Meeting

                Tardy 7 – Referral to administrator. ISS at home campus assigned

                Tardy 8+ - Referral to administrator. Student will be transferred to home campus 

Hall Privileges:

You will have adequate time to take care of business between classes. I will allow you to make restroom trips as you feel necessary UNTIL it becomes an abuse. I reserve the right to take away restroom privileges. If you have a medical condition that requires you to need to go to the bathroom frequently please bring me a medical excuse so that I can be aware of it.

School Wide Violations:

School wide rules are strictly enforced. Violators will receive a warning as a first offense, a call home will be the second offense, and a parent/teacher conference request would be the 3^rd offense. At this point, if you are not making an effort to correct the inappropriate behavior, a disciplinary referral will be issued.

Cheating Policy:

Anyone who participates in cheating on a test, project or other assignments will receive a zero for that grade. There is no reason why cheating is ever excusable. If you did not understand an assignment, then let me know and I will explain it to you and grant you an extension.

Class Rules:

•Be prepared to apply yourself

•Be respectful of yourself and others

•Be responsible for what you say and do

•Be Diligent with your time

•Be safe for yourself and others

Daily Arrival Procedures:

I expect you to abide by the following procedures without me having to call your attention before I make my way to the front of the room:

• Come into the classroom. If the door is unlocked and I am not inside, please make a line outside the door and wait until I arrive. This prevents accidents from occurring inside the room while it is unsupervised.

• Grab your Reading journals from the appropriate shelf.

• Turn in any homework to the indicated folder. Make sure it has your name on it. No name = trash.

• Take a seat.       

• Have a pencil to write with. Not having a pencil is no excuse to not be ready for class. If you need a pencil, find one BEFORE I start teaching.

•Make sure that all electronics are put away. Unless you have my permission electronics are not to be taken out during class time.

When We Have a Visitor:

- When we have someone come into our classroom that is not part of our class (teacher, administrator, student, parent) you are expected to follow the same classroom rules and procedures. You are expected to be polite to the visitor. Do not talk to the visitor unless he/she is talking to you directly. Continue working on your assignment as usual.

- If the visitor needs to speak to me privately, I expect you to remain in your seat without talking until I finish speaking with the visitor.

Three minute dismissal checklist:

To have things run more smoothly, I expect you to do the following when I say “3 minutes” & you hear the appropriate alarm:

• Put your unfinished homework away; Turn in any completed assignments.

• Put away your binder and journal in the appropriate shelf, neatly.

• Gather all of your belongings; Throw away any trash around your table and chair.

• Stand by your desk and wait to be dismissed. This does not mean to crowd the classroom door waiting for dismissal.

Cluster Planning: 

If you have any questions feel free to come in and see me during my 8^th and 9^th planning periods which are from 1:50p.m. to 3:35 p.m. You may call me at 488-6024.

Blog

This class will have a blog where I will be posting reminders, due dates, discussions questions, quotes to discussion, and other topics that pertain to the class. Sometimes it will be daily and sometimes it will be weekly depending on the information that needs to be given. Students should check the blog daily to make sure that no new information has been added. Students will be able to comment on blog and participate in discussions on blog. www.ac2emsp.garcia.blogspot.com.

 

Tentative Schedule for 8^th Grade ELA:

Required Novels:                1st Six Weeks- To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee

                                                2^nd Six Weeks- To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee

                                                3^rd Six Weeks- Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

4^th Six Weeks- Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

                                                5^th Six Weeks- Number the Stars by Lois Lowry                                          

6^th Six Weeks- The Maze Runner by James Dasher

*Novels are subject to change but students will be notified in advance.

*Students are required to purchase their own novels. They may purchase novel on electronic device. However, they may NOT purchase audio version of novel *

(If you have any questions or concerns please let me know)

“Today a READER, Tomorrow a LEADER”