November & December Syllabi

 

8th Grade ELAR Syllabus: Nov/Dec 2025

Course: 8th Grade English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR)

Teacher: Rebekah Laszlo School: Ser Niños Middle School  

Contact / Hours of availability: rlaszlo@serninos.org         Mon.-Thurs. 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Weekly Grading Breakdown

Student success in 8th Grade ELAR is determined by assessment that values both consistent effort and mastery of key skills.

Daily Grade	40%	Assignments completed in class, homework, short quizzes, journal entries, close reading annotations, and drafts. These check for understanding and practice.
Major Grade	50%	Comprehensive assessments of unit mastery, including formal essays, large-scale projects, and unit exams.
Participation	10%	Active, respectful engagement in class discussions, group work, collaborative activities. *scored according to the rubric below.

2. November Unit Focus

This month, we focus on Career Ready Communication & Poetic Expression: developing key speaking and listening skills essential for professional life and analyzing the unique structure and devices of poetry. We will use various texts and materials to develop our understanding of these topics, culminating the unit with a practical interview activity and a poetry analysis project. The Ser Niños Middle School theme for this month remains Careers, which will be integrated into lessons, focusing on professional communication skills..

Instructional Focus	Key Skills & Concepts	Major Grade Due
Job Interview Basics  Poetry: Forms and Devices  Types of Poetry: Poetry Identification Quiz  Analysis of a Sonnet  Creative Application    Original Poetry Submission & Reflection	Analyzing the purpose and phases of a job interview. Identifying appropriate verbal and nonverbal communication (body language, tone, clarity) Identifying and analyzing characteristics of key poetic forms: Sonnets, Haiku, Limericks, and Free Verse.  Matching form to characteristics. Analyzing how devices create figurative meaning and emotional impact. Review and apply concepts like Rhythm, Meter, Alliteration, Imagery, and Symbolism.  Presenting original written work to the class.	Nov 7: Drafting 3 Professional Interview Responses (e.g., "Tell me about yourself") Nov 14: Analyzing how structure impacts tone and meaning. Nov 21: Poetry Identification Quiz (Matching form to characteristics) December 5: Close Reading  Analysis of a Sonnet (Annotation & Short Essay) December 12: Writing and drafting an original poem in a chosen form. Editing and revising for clarity, voice, and mechanical accuracy. Dec 19: Original Poetry Submission & Reflection

This syllabus is subject to minor adjustments based on student needs and instructional pacing. 

*Participation Rubric	Basic  0-1 points	Intermediate 2-3 points	Advanced   3-4 points
Safe	Actions are often inappropriate for the classroom setting. Throws objects often. Engages in physical play.	Actions are occasionally appropriate for the classroom setting. Occasionally throws objects.. Engages in physical play.	Actions are consistently appropriate for the classroom setting.
Respectful	Participation is often disruptive, rude, or nonexistent. Frequently interrupts.  Rarely listens. Uses vulgar or insulting language	Participates adequately in class discussions. Listens but may sometimes interrupt. Usually refrains from vulgar or insulting language	Consistently participates constructively in class discussions. Consistently listens. Consistently refrains from vulgar or insulting language.
Responsible	Rarely or never completes assignments. Submits work of very low quality.  Rarely contributes to pair or group work, often relying on others to do work.	Completes most assignments but may be inconsistent.  Contributes to pair and group work, but may need reminders to stay on task or to fully participate.	Consistently completes all assignments on time and to a high standard.  Consistently contributes to all pair and group work.