8th Grade Learning Center (Period 5)

Course Description

Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,


Welcome to room 210. This year, we will continue our journey filled with Kagan collaboration strategies, self-reflective critical thinking, and student-led communication. It will inspire you to be a life-long learner.


Students, I am glad you will be part of our classroom community, where you will be challenged to reach mastery of eighth-grade concepts, encouraged to preserve with support, and be part of our positive environment for inspired learning. 


Parents, I am confident we share high expectations for your student’s achievement. I look forward to collaborating as a team to guide and encourage your child through the second year of their middle school education.

COURSE DESCRIPTION 

This resource class aims to help students succeed in their academic courses while improving their reading, writing, math, and study skills. The curriculum of our resource class will include the learning targets for English and Math as well as your child’s individual goals and objectives as written in their Individual Education Plan (I.E.P.) and the California Common Core State Standards.


DIGITAL RESOURCES WE WILL USE:

  • Schoology lms.lausd.net (ELA/Math)
  • Khan Academy (ELA/Math)
  • IXL.com (ELA/Math)
  • Renaissance Accelerated Reader (ELA)
  • NewsELA (ELA)
  • Writable (ELA)
  • DESMOS (Math)
  • LearnZillion (Math)


CLASS PROCEDURES 

Beginning of Class

  • Enter class quietly and find your seat 
  • No cellphones/headphones on campus 
  • Put away all food and drinks; only water allowed in the classroom
  • Write down the class learning target/ lesson objective/ homework in the student agenda planner
  • Begin Warm-up activity 

 

During Class

  • Raise your hand to ask questions
  • Participate in all Kagan class activities and complete assignments before the next task

 

End of Class

  • Complete Exit Tickets to demonstrate understanding of the lesson 
  • Put away all materials and clean your workstation 
  • The bell doesn't dismiss you; I will dismiss you

 

LEARNING TARGETS 

The learning targets below are the key concepts you will learn during this course. Your progress on these targets will be monitored and tracked on Schoology. My goal is to support your growth toward mastery of all learning targets, which will be used to determine your grade.
 

MASTERY LEARNING & GRADING 

The student's grade is determined by the level of growth towards mastery of the learning targets in the course taken as a whole. The student level in each learning target is the more comprehensive evidence of learning.


 

Letter Grade 

Description 

A

The student demonstrates mastery (4) and growth in most learning targets.

B

The student demonstrates proficiency (3) and/or growth in most learning targets.

C

The student demonstrates an approaching level (2) and/or growth in the learning targets.

D

The student demonstrates a beginning level of proficiency (1) in the learning targets.

F

The student does not attempt to provide any evidence of all learning targets.

 

PROFICIENCY LEVELS 

The student proficiency level is based on the evidence of learning that shows understanding and knowledge and adds skills aligned with each learning target.


 

Score 

Proficiency

Description 

4

Mastery 

I provide evidence of learning that shows understanding, shares knowledge, and demonstrates the skill of the learning target 

3

Proficient 

I provide evidence of learning that shows understanding and shares knowledge of the learning target 

2

Approaching 

I provide evidence of learning that shows an understanding of the learning target 

1

Beginning 

I attempt and/or provide partial evidence of learning 

--

No Evidence 

I did not attempt and/or did not provide any evidence of learning 

 

WORK HABITS AND COOPERATION RUBRIC 

 

 

GRADE 

WORK HABITS 

(Completion of assignments)

COOPERATION 

(Citizenship/Attendance) 

E (EXCELLENT) 

I always do my best to complete and submit quality work promptly; I work on making academic progress in class every day. 

I always work independently and support my group by following team roles and school and classroom rules. 

S (SATISFACTORY)

I do my best to complete and submit quality work on time, and I mostly work on making academic progress in class.

I usually work independently and support my group by following team roles and school and classroom rules. 

U (UNSATISFACTORY) 

I seldom attempt to complete and/or submit any work; I make little or no attempt to progress academically in class. 

I need help working independently and adhering to my group role and school and classroom rules.