7-12 Teacher Pages: Mrs. Hofmann
Class Syllabus
by Lynn Hofmann
May 17, 2008
Juniors Syllabus
Aug. 18 – Aug. 31 - - Review Write Traits
*Review organization, ideas and voice
*Writing activities for organization, ideas and voice
*Review word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions
*Writing activities for wc, sf, and conventions
*Review grammar problem areas apparent from students writing activities
*Topic of choice (5 page paper)
Sept. 1 – Oct. 10 - - Research
*Bibliography, internal documentation, and MLA format
*Topic of choice (5 page paper)
Oct. 11 – Oct. 17 - - Regional Writing test
*Use write traits to write to persuasive essay
*Mock State Writing test
Sept. 15 – Nov. 22 - - The Killer Angels
*Explore Civil war and commanders
*This novel coincides with civil war time period in American History
Nov. 23 – Dec. 19 - - The Language of Literature – American Lit Anthology
*Show how literature reflects changing trends of society
*Explore different writing styles from early settlement to 1955
*Examine historical accounts (John Smith, William Bradford), journals (William Byrd),
Age of Reason (Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson),
Romanticism (Edgar Allen Poe), Transcendentalism (Emerson’s Prose, Henry David
Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience”)
Jan.5 – Feb. 8 - - The Scarlet Letter
*The Scarlet Letter (bckgrd info of Salem witch trials, review of Puritan beliefs, author info,
vocabulary, research and power point about Puritan life, mock trial of Hester Prynne as a 17th century trial and modern trial)
Jan. 26 – Feb. 6 - - Persuasive Writing Assessment
*Review persuasive writing
* Explore mock prompt to practice writing prior to the assessment
Feb. 7 – May 22 - - Science Fiction/Group book
*Fahrenheit 451 (author info; censorship of books; possibility, probability, plausibility;
examination of what it means to be a minority, relationships to novel and today’s
world)
*Group reading & power point presentation (Alas Babylon, Brave New World, Mila 18, To Kill a Mocking Bird, Pride and Prejudice, A Separate Peace, 1984)
Sophomore Syllabus – Speech Communication
Aug. 18 – Aug. 22 - - Build Responsibility – Chapter 1
*explore concepts of stereotyping, slang,
Aug. 23 – Sept. 31 - - Building Confidence – chapter 2
* explore techniques to build confidence in speaking in front of others
Sept. 1– Sept. 5 - - Listening – Chapter 3
*distinguish between hearing and listening
*explore listening strategies
Sept 6 – Sept. 12 - - Nonverbal Communication – Chapter 4
*identify types of nonverbal communication
*business persons word of advice
Sept. 13 – Sept. 20 - - Researching – chapter 8
*create a plan
*using the library
Sept. 21 – Sept. 27 - - Organizing your Speech – chapter 9
*explore 3 areas (intro, body, conclusion)
Sept. 28 – Oct. 4 - - Effective Language – Chapter 11
* differentiate between spoken work/written word
*create word pictures
Oct. 5 – Oct. 8 - - Effective Delivery – Chapter 12
* explore types of delivery
* using your voice and body
Oct. 9 – Oct. 17- - Informative Speech – Chapter 13
*Explore types of informative speeches
*Examine how to format informative speech
*Examine Visual Aid
Oct. 18 – Oct. 27- - Research/write/practice informative speech
*Use class time to research career
*Interview career choice
Oct. 28 – Oct. 31 - - Present Informative speech
*Order of presentations will be established by November 3
*Rubric will be used for grading and distributed prior to presentation
Nov. 1 – Nov. 9 - - speeches to Persuade – Chapter 14
*Define persuasive speaking
*Analyze audience
Nov. 10 – Nov. 20 - - Research/write/practice persuasive speech
* Use class time to research/write/practice
Nov. 21 – Nov. 26 - - Deliver persuasive speeches
* Order of presentations will be established by November 22
*Rubric will be used for grading and distributed prior to presentation
Dec. 1 – Dec. 7 - - Oral Interpretation – Chapter 16
*Define oral interpretation
*Explore material
Dec. 8 – Dec. 14 - - Cut/Practice interpretation
*Use class time to select/cut material and practice
Dec. 15 Dec. 16 - - Present interpretation
*Rubric will be used
Dec. 17 - - Semester final
8th Grade Syllabus
Aug. 18 – Sept. 26 - - Format & Good Writing
*review write traits
*subj/verb agreement
*sentence structure
Sept. 27 – Nov. 2 - - Research Paper
*Define reference page (MLA format)
*3 areas of research paper
*research topic of choice (4 page paper)
Oct. 11 – Oct. 17 - - Prepare regional writing test
*write paper orally
*coop writing
*take regional writing test
Nov. 3 – Dec. 18 - - Literature Study/Standards
*Explore literary skills & genres in Anthology
*Apply literary skills and techniques to novels:
*Johnny Tremain
*Our Town
Jan. 5 – Mar. 27 - - Literature Study/Standards
*Explore Literary skills/techniques in Anthology
*conclude/re-test standards
Mar. 28 – May 22 - - Literature Study/Standards
*Enhance literary skills
*The Great Gatsby
Jan. 26 – Feb. 6 - - Descriptive Writing Assessment
*Review descriptive writing mode
* Explore mock prompt to practice writing prior to the assessment
*take State Writing test
Dec. 15- Dec 18 - - Book Report
May 18 – May 20 - - Book Report
*Dates are subject to change
7th Grade Syllabus
Aug. 18 – May 22 - - Free Reading
*Students will read 15 minutes every day at the beginning of class – book of their choice
*Students will present book report – see book report handout – at end of each quarter
Aug. 18 – Aug. 21 - - Format & Good Writing
*Explanation of what good writing looks like
*Examine three & five paragraph essay format
-proper introduction with grabber and thesis
-developing a body and transitions
-proper conclusion with recapping grabber, body and thesis
Aug. 22 – Aug. 29 - - Organization
*Examine examples of stories illustrating good and bad organization
*Explore leads and conclusions that are effective
*Writing activities: What would you do if you swallowed a bug?
Aug. 30 – Sept. 12 - - Idea Development
*Define how to develop an idea – show on paper
*Writing activities: Your favorite place, Your room, popcorn,
*Examples of stories having good idea development and bad idea development
Sept. 13 – Sept 21 - - Voice
*Listen to different types of music – each artist has their own “voice”
*Examine same fairy tale written by different author
*Writing activities: wanted poster, garbology, the worst…
Sept. 22 – Oct. 17 - - Sentence Fluency
*Examples such as nursery rhymes, Dr. Seuss illustrating sentence fluency
*Activities: hunt for longest and shortest sentence – does it work? Why or why not?
*Oral reading of passage of student’s choice
*Sentence review: complete sentences, fragments, run-ons
Oct. 19 – Oct. 31 - - Word Choice
*Examples of writings illustrating good and bad word choice
*Activities of good and bad words (words that need to be retired: stuff, good, big)
*Writing activities: word association poem
Nov. 1– Nov. 14 - - Conventions
*Learn editor’s symbols for making corrections/editing
*Examine & practice using editor’s symbols with examples of writings
*Activities: Onceuponatime,
*Grammar review: capitalization, punctuation, common spelling errors
*Review all write traits for a written test
*Writing and editing:
Nov. 15 – Dec. 19 - - Elements of fiction
*Explore setting
*Identify theme and conflict
*Define characterization
*Explore point of view and plot chart
Jan. 5 – Feb. 13 - - The Outsiders
*Explore the 60’s
*Define Greasers and Socials
*Develop a character analysis
*Examine the setting, themes, symbols, conflict – elements of fiction
Feb. 14 – March 27 - - Where the Red Fern Grows
*Review elements of fiction
*Explore library – research dogs (reference page, enhance writing use of 6 traits)
*Give presentation with visual aid of dog
*Examine vocabulary of novel
March 28 – May 22 - - Anthology
*enhance skills for 8th state standards
Oct. 10 – Oct. 14 - - Book report (dates are subject to change)
Dec. 15 – Dec. 18 - - Book Report (dates are subject to change)
Feb. 25 – Feb. 27 - - Book Report (dates are subject to change)
May 18 – May 20 - - Book Report (dates are subject to change)
