Reading Skills 8

Saint Peter Middle and Senior High School

Course Syllabus

Name of Course: Reading Skills 8

Course Descriptions:

This class assists students in the development of higher-level reading/thinking and communications skills. The major objective of the class is to better prepare students to successfully complete the 8^th Grade Minnesota Basic Standards Reading Tests. Students will be working through a state nonfiction middle level package applying higher level reading skills to various forms of written materials.

Course Objectives:

1. To develop strategies that help the reader think while reading a varied of written materials.

2. To introduce the learner to higher level thinking skills applied when reading; skills such as making generalizations, making inferences, and applying critical thinking to various forms of written materials.

3. To develop reading/thinking skills through the writing process.

4. To assist students at developing a study strategy and structural organizer to be applied to written materials.

5. To develop cooperative learning skills through group activities.

Units Covered in the Course and/or Major Topics:

1. Applying study skills including: SQ3K, 5w’s and 1H

2. Locating the main ideas and supporting details in written materials

3. Mapping

4. Making generalizations and inferences from written materials.

5. Applying critical reading skills such as identifying the author’s tone, mood, bias, validity, and propaganda techniques used.

Text(s) and Supplemental Materials:

8^th grade textbook Bridges to Literatures by McDougal Littell

Packets developed from various sources such as Jamestown critical think materials. How Angel Peterson Got His Name by Gary Paulsen and various adolescent novels.

Major Projects:

Completion of a variety of required activities

Applying critical reading skills to various reading formats

6 – Trait Writing Assignment

Graduation Standards(s):

Students will work through Minnesota Academic Standards in the areas of reading, and literature, writing, speaking, listening and viewing.

6 – Trait Writing Assignment (brief description):

Students will be writing a 5 – 6 paragraph theme based on the novel they have been reading in class. They will be identifying various methods of characterization and predicting outcomes based on these characterizations.

Formal Evaluation:

The student will need to complete comprehensive activities based on the novels read in class. The students will need to apply a variety of critical reading skills to various reading materials.

Expectations:

Students will be expected to act respectfully and come to class on time. This means they should show respect for themselves, to others, to the classroom environment and to the learning process. We will be developing definitions of what this means on the first day of class. Bullying and/or harassing behavior will not be tolerated; nor will cheating; or plagiarism.

Grading Procedures:

Each assignment will be worth a certain amount of points. Grades will be determined according to the percentage of total points earned.

The grading scale is as follows:

100 -94% A 77 – 74% C

93 – 90% A- 73 – 70% C-

89 – 88% B+ 69 – 68% D+

87 – 84% B 67 – 64% D

83 – 80% B- 63 – 60% D-

79 – 78% C+ 59% - 0 F

Tardy Policy:

Students must be on time! Students will receive two warnings notices and when they receive their third tardy notice a detention will be assigned.

I have read and understand the information on this course description for Reading Skills 8. If there are any questions or concerns regarding this information, I will contact Mrs. Kreft at 934-4210 extension 464 or at ckreftstpeterschools.org.

Students Signature______________________________________________

Parents/and or Guardians Signature________________________________