Mrs.+Sinkovich-Reading

Mrs. Sinkovich's Reading Page

= Reading 8 – Room 210 Mountain View Jr.-Sr. HS = ** Mrs. Brenda Sinkovich 2010 – 2011  ** ** bsinkovich@mvsd.net  ** ** (570) 434-2501 extension 210  ** ** __ TEXTBOOK: __ ** // Prentice Hall Literature: Penguin Edition 2007  // The textbook should be covered with a protective cover during the first week of school and should remain covered all year. ** __ OVERVIEW OF COURSE: __ ** Reading 8 is a developmental reading class which means many types of literature and subject area materials will be used to develop and reinforce a variety of reading skills. You will be required to read inside as well as outside of the classroom and to react to these readings through discussion, writing, art, and oral presentations. Your grade will be determined based upon these reactions along with class participation, class work, homework, tests and quizzes. Because reading is a skill that must be practiced in order to improve or maintain, you should expect to be given reading assignments on a daily basis. You should also expect to be assessed on these reading assignments the following day in the form of a short quiz. Materials needed for this class: folder, textbook, writing utensil. ** These materials should be brought to class every day. **  ** __ ACCELERATED READER: __ ** In addition to the assigned readings in class, you will be required to read independently and participate in the Accelerated Reader program. In this program, you will select your own book and read at your own pace. When the book is completed, you will alert me to set up a computerized quiz which you will take during class. The computer program measures the quality, quantity, and level of your reading. You will be tested on your recall of main characters, events, and elements of plot. The short quiz is designed to be easily mastered by any student who has read and comprehended the book. Points will be given based on how well you answer the questions. You have hundreds of titles from which to choose, so I am confident that you will find something you like, which is part of the goal of Accelerated Reader. ** Each marking period, you will be required to earn a specific number of Accelerated Reader points, so ** ** it is important that you are reading an AR book at all times. ** ** This book should be with you in class and at home. **  ** __ VOCABULARY: __ ** Learning the meanings of new words is an important part of reading comprehension. Each week, you will be assigned vocabulary words selected from the assigned readings of that week. You will copy the words into your notebook on Monday, and your vocabulary homework is due every Wednesday. This homework consists of each word, its part of speech and its definition along with an original sentence using the word correctly. A quiz on the vocabulary words will be given on Friday. ** Vocabulary is expected to be completed neatly and accurately and turned in to me on time. **  ** __ LITERARY TERMS: __ ** You will be given a handout that contains eighty-two literary terms and their definitions. These terms are commonly used when discussing literature in class and are very likely to appear on tests and quizzes as well as the PSSA test given this year in 8th grade. ** You are required to memorize these terms and their definitions ** in order to better participate in class discussions and do well on reading tests and quizzes as well as the PSSA test later this year. In addition to the reviewing we’ll do in class, ** you should study these terms on a regular basis **. All literary terms tests will be announced at least a week in advance, but pop quizzes may also be given, particularly after an extensive review. ** __ LATE ASSIGNMENTS: __ ** Assignments that are turned in after the due date will be accepted, but they will receive a grade of no higher than 50%. The only exceptions to this rule occur when you’ve been absent or there has been a family emergency. In the case of an emergency, a note from a parent/guardian must be turned in with the assignment. After an absence, it is your responsibility to ask me for make-up work. If you’re absent on the day that an assignment is due, it should be turned in on the first day you return to class. If you fail to turn in an assignment, a zero will be averaged in to your grade. ** __ GRADING: __ ** Every grade you receive in this class will be out of 100%. At the end of each marking period, I will average your grades in four categories which will be weighted to form a final grade for that marking period. The categories are weighted as follows: homework / check quizzes: 20% of marking period grade vocabulary quizzes: 20% of marking period grade open book (comp) quizzes: 20% of marking period grade tests: 40% of marking period grade ** Note: Accelerated Reader points will count as two test grades each marking period, so it is very important that you keep up with them. ** ** __CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS:__  **  § **Be on time.** Three lates in a marking period will result in a detention referral.  § **Bring your materials.** Three times without a book, pencil or notebook will result in a detention referral.  § **Respect your peers and teacher**. Keep your hands to yourself and use common courtesies like please, thank-you, and excuse me.  § **Raise your hand to be acknowledged.** Don’t talk while someone else is speaking. Listen and try to be patient while waiting your turn.  § **Be accountable.** Own up to your mistakes. I don’t expect you to be perfect, but take responsibility for your actions.