September Syllabus

 

8th Grade ELAR Syllabus: September 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.

1.September Unit Focus: Humans and Technology 

Essential Question: Does technology improve or control people's lives?

This unit explores how technology and automation impact society and individuals, examining texts that address the benefits, drawbacks, and potential ethical dilemmas of our increasingly technological world.

Instructional Focus	Key Skills & Concepts	Major Grade Due
Technology and Automation	Analyze Informational Text,"Are Bionic Superhumans on the Horizon?" by Ramez Naam	September 3: T-Chart Task: Automation in the Workplace
Narrative & Ethical Dilemmas	Synthesize multiple texts, to form and defend an opinion.	September 10: Argumentative Essay: Technology's Control

2. September Unit Focus: The Thrill of Horror 

For the rest of this month, we will focus on the essential question, “Why do people like to feel frightened?". We will analyze how authors use literary conventions, structure, and psychological suspense to create fear and dread in literature.

Instructional Focus	Key Skills & Concepts		Major Grade
Short Story Analysis & Suspense	Reading: "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe Key Skills: Summarize part of the story by creating a graphic representation, including text.		September 17: "The Tell-Tale Heart" Graphic Representation
Literary Criticism & Genre	Reading: Analyze “The Monkey’s Paw” to determine the author’s purpose; by annotating foreshadowing and imagery used in the text.		September 24: Identifying Foreshadowing and Imagery
Theme, & Comparison	Reading: Analyze the author’s use of language ("The Monkey's Paw" by W. W. Jacobs) and compare the text to the film version of the story.		October 1: "The Monkey's Paw" Quiz

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.