I strongly adhere to West Wing School guidelines as communicated in the handbook and website.

I am confident that students are aware of classroom rules and expectations in our daily classroom.  

I believe that communication is the key to success as it relates to our educational team, which includes the students, me as their teacher, as well as parents and administration in our school community.

 

If you have any questions or need for discussion, the best way to reach me is by email.

Melanie.Patena@dvusd.org

 

Additional ELA Information:

Literature Studies:

We will be participating in literature studies each quarter as we journey through the following novels together: 

Quarter 1

 

Essential Standards

7.RL.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

7.RL.3 Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot). 

 

Quarter 2

 

Essential Standards

7.RI. 5 Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to the development of the ideas.

7.RI.2 Determine central idea

7.RI.3 Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events). 

 

Quarter 3

 

Essential Standards

RL.7.9 Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history RL.6: Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the points of view of different characters or narrators in a text.   Quarter 4 Essential Standards   RL.7.5 Analyze how a drama's or poem's form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning   RL 7.1 Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

Mrs. Patena
8th Grade ELA Syllabus

Instructor: Mrs. Patena
Room #: 348
Email: Melanie.Patena@dvusd.org
Office Hours: 7:45am- 4:00pm M-F
Tutoring Hours: 8:00-8:45 am
Phone Number: 623-376-5078
Curriculum
1
st Quarter
Reading: Fictional Literature
Writing: Narrative Writing
2nd Quarter
Reading: Nonfiction, Informative
Writing: Informative, Speaking and Listening
3rd Quarter
Reading: Fiction and Nonfiction, Informative
Writing: Argumentative, Speaking and Listening
4th Quarter
Reading: Fiction and Nonfiction
Writing: Argumentative and Informative Writing
Supplies
Notebook with perforated pages
Steady supplies of paper
Highlighter
Colored Pencils or crayons
Black Sharpies
Assignments:
● All class assignments are due by the end of each class unless otherwise noted.
● All homework is due at the beginning of class the following school day unless otherwise
noted.
● All long-term projects (research projects, reports) are due at the beginning of class on
the given due date.
Missed/ Late Work Policy:
● If you miss school due to an excused absence, you have as many days to make the work
up as you missed. For instance, if you miss three days, you have three days to make the
work up.
● Special exceptions to the above may be made for students who have prolonged
absences.
● Schoolwide missing and late assignment policies will be apply for classwork

Classroom Rules
Live the West Wing Way....
Show Respect
Have Compassion
Act with Integrity
General details 👍:
● Drinks, food, or gum = automatic infraction (Water is OK)
● No use of electronics, except for the class computers and ONLY for class work.
● Raise your hand if you need to say something, ask a question, or get out of your seat for
any reason.
Consequences are progressive depending on the severity of the infraction and follow the DVUSD
Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook. Note: STEP sheets will be sent home to notify
parents of infractions.
Positive Rewards
West Wing Dollars can be earned on the character for exhibiting responsibility, grit, helpfulness,
kindness, optimism, and gratitude during class and around the campus.
Grading
Point values will vary by assignment
Assignment categories will include
Tests/Projects
Classwork/quizzes
Practice work
Grading Scale by percentages:
90 – 100 = A
80 - 89 = B
70 - 79 = C
60 - 69 = D
<60 = F
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
To be college-, career-, and community-ready, students in the Deer Valley Unified School District are
expected to demonstrate academic integrity. Academic integrity is all about being honest and fair in
your schoolwork. It means doing work that is entirely your own and giving credit to others (including
generative Artificial Intelligence tools) through proper citation when you use their ideas or words.
By signing below the parent/guardian and student understands and accepts this syllabus as
written.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PARENT/GUARDIAN SIGNATURE:
_____________________________________________________DATE:____________________

STUDENT PRINTED NAME: __________________________
STUDENT SIGNATURE:______________________________

• • Welcome to 8th Grade ELA
     

    Students should utilize Canvas throughout the year to keep up to date with all our ELA class happenings: Canvas Login

    • This year, we are using All Things EQ with our students to work on social-emotional learning.

  • Click the links on the left-hand side for information regarding our ELA class.
     

   

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  2024-2025 Schedule

  Regular Schedule (No early release)	Friday Early Release Schedule (Early release at 2:00 pm)
  Period 1 Exploratory 8:45-9:15 Period 2 Specials: 9:30-10:15 Period 3: 10:15-11:15 Period 4: 11:15-12:15 Lunch: 12:15-1:00 (recess first) SEL/ATEQ: 1:00-1:15 Period 5: 1:15-2:20 Period 6: 2:20-3:30	Period 1 Exploratory: 8:45-9:15 Period 2 Specials: 9:15-9:45 Period 3: 9:45-10:34 Period 4: 10:34-11:20 Period 5: 11:20-12:15 Lunch: 12:15-1:00 (recess first) Period 6: 1:00-2:00

  I am so excited to have you as a student in 7th grade ELA! I have lived in Cleveland, Ohio all my life and I am a graduate of Kent State University and Notre Dame College.

   

  Contact Hours (email): Monday-Friday 8:30-4:00

  Contact Hours (phone): Monday-Friday 8am-9:15am