Mrs. Fish's Syllabus

Welcome to 8th grade English! I am so excited to have you all in my class, and I'm looking forward to the adventures in learning we will have together. This class might be different from other English classes you've taken before, but I guarantee that if you put in the effort, you will genuinely enjoy this class. Learning is an adventure, so it makes sense that you should go on an [[adventure]] of your own to learn about this class. Feel free to click around, explore your options, and learn what to expect this school year!

Click on any of the links below to learn more about this class! In this class, we will be [[reading]], [[writing]], [[speaking]], and [[listening]]. Mrs. Fish has a few [[rules]] for her classroom. Who even IS [[Mrs. Fish]]? What will we be [[learning]] this year? Resources for [[parents]]

What kind of reader are you? [[I read in my spare time]] [[I only read for homework]] [[I never read if I can avoid it]] take me back to the beginning of the [[adventure]]

How do you feel about writing? [[I do it all the time, for fun!]] [[I do it when I have to.]] [[I hate it. So much.]] take me back to the beginning of the [[adventure]]

In this class, you will have many opprtunities to discuss texts and debate with your peers. Speak up in class--your ideas are important! take me back to the beginning of the [[adventure]]

While taking your turn with [[speaking]] is really important, remember to give others time to talk as well. In this class, you will be able to develop your active listening skills! take me back to the beginning of the [[adventure]]

That's awesome! Mrs. Fish loves to read, too. What is your favorite genre of books? [[Fantasy]] [[Science Fiction]] [[Action and Adventure]] [[Romance]] [[Graphic Novels]] [[Mystery]] [[Historical Fiction]] [[Nonfiction]] [[Mythology]] take me back to the [[adventure]]

When Mrs. Fish was in college, she only read for homework, too. She had forgotten how exciting reading could be! Even if you don't like to read as much as she does, you can still learn a great deal from books. Here are some books that you might enjoy: [[Fantasy]] books [[Mystery]] books [[Romance]] books books about [[Mythology]] [[Science Fiction]] books [[Historical Fiction]] books [[Action and Adventure]] books [[Nonfiction]] books take me back to the [[adventure]]

You know, I'd be willing to bed that you read all of the time. Don't you read your friend's posts on twitter, facebook, instagram, snapchat, or even their texts? If this is something you enjoy, you should check out: [[Graphic Novels]] -- these types of books are full of pictures that are important to the story--kind of like a comic book, or an instagram feed. "YOLO Juliet" by Brett Wright -- this book uses emojis and text messages to tell the story of two star-crossed lovers. back to the [[adventure]]

Awesome! You might enjoy the Fablehaven series by Brandon Mull. go back to the [[adventure]]

Science fiction is a realy exciting and inventive genre! You might enjoy reading "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card, "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline, or "Feed" by M.T. Anderson. take me back to the [[adventure]]

Mrs. Fish loves a good action and adventure novel. You might enjoy "Ready Player One" by Ernest Cline or "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman. take me back to the beginning of the [[adventure]]

Oh, gotta love a good romance novel. Check out "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon, "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green, or "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli. take me back to the [[adventure]]

Graphic Novels have been becoming increasingly popular as of late, and for good reason! Check out "American Born Chinese" by Gene Luen Yang or "Maus" by Art Spiegleman. go back to the [[adventure]]

Cool! You might enjoy the "Nancy Drew" or "Hardy Boys" series. go back to the [[adventure]]

Historical Fiction is fasctinating, isn't it? You might enjoy "Nightjohn" by Gary Paulsen or "Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry" by Mildred D. Taylor. go back to the [[adventure]]

Way to learn about the world around you! You might enjoy "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong, or "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin. take me back to the [[adventure]]

Mythology is really exciting! You might enjoy the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. take me back to the [[adventure]]

That's great! You will have many opportunites to expand your writing skills in this class, as well as learn about other creative ways to show your learning. back to the [[adventure]]

It's okay to not like writing! While we will be doing some writing in this class, you will also often have opportunities to show your learning in different ways--through voice recording, presentations, artwork, and even videos. Mrs. Fish loves and welcomes your creativity! back to the [[adventure]]

We will come up with most of our rules as a class, but here a few ground rules to get us started: [[Food]] [[Preparation]] [[Respect]] take me back to the beginning of hte [[adventure]]

Hi! I'm Mrs. Fish, your English teacher! I love: [[jokes]], especially jokes about fish eating tacos, chocolate, and peanut butter [[traveling]] [[reading]] [[Mr. Fish]] take me back to the [[adventure]]

Mrs. Fish doesn't mind if you bring food into her classroom--just keep it tidy! If a mess is left behind, you'll lose this privilege. other [[rules]]

Come prepared to class! Have your homework done, your texts marked up, and your brain ready to go. other [[rules]]

Respect is a big deal in Mrs. Fish's classroom. She will always respect you, just like you will always respect her and your fellow classmates. other [[rules]]

If you have any great jokes, I'd love to hear them! Some of my favorite: What gets wetter as it dries? A towel! What has a bottom on its top? Your legs! How many tickles does it take to make an octopus laugh? TEN-tickles! Why don't fish do well on school tests? Because they work below C-level. learn more aout [[Mrs. Fish]]

Here, I would insert pictures from different trips I've been on. learn more about [[Mrs. Fish]]

I married Mr. Fish in 2016! Right now, he is in school studying to become an animator. He hopes to work for Disney or Pixar someday! learn more about [[Mrs. Fish]]

We will be learning A LOT this year, that's for sure! Click on any of the links below to see what common core standards are being fulfilled. Making--not finding--the [[meaning]] in texts Using [[words]] to their full potential What do [[different elements]] DO within the text? Is the [[book better than the movie]]? Are apples better than oranges? How can I [[improve my writing]]? take me back to the [[adventure]]

What standards will by child be [[learning]]? Who is my child's teacher? [[Mrs. Fish]]! back to the [[adventure]]

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.1 : Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.2 : Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.3 : Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.9 : Analyze how a modern work of fiction draws on themes, patterns of events, or character types from myths, traditional stories, or religious works such as the Bible, including describing how the material is rendered new. back to [[learning]]

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.4 : Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts. back to [[learning]]

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.5 : Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.6 : Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor. back to [[learning]]

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.7 : Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors. back to [[learning]]

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.1 : Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2 : Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.4 : Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.) CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.5 : With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 8 here.) CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.6 : Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the relationships between information and ideas efficiently as well as to interact and collaborate with others. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.7 : Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.8 : Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; and quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.9 : Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.10 : Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences. back to [[learning]]