Course Syllabus
Welcome to English I with Ms. Bradley!
Click HERE for my OPEN HOUSE VIDEO for 2022!
Course Outline
| Unit | Dates |
| Literature Circles | Yearlong (per term) |
| STEMS | August-April |
| Grammar (Review using IXL) | August- March |
| Narrative Elements | August-October |
| Animal Farm by George Orwell | October-November |
| Anthem by Ayn Rand | November |
| The Odyssey by Homer | November-December |
| Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare | January- February |
| To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee | February- March |
| Lord of the Flies by William Golding | March-May |
| Selected Poetry | Yearlong |
Grading Policy
In 8th Grade at CMS, English I is graded on a "Total Points" system whereby every assignment is assigned a point value based on the depth and breadth of learning being assessed. Some work may be graded on "completion" whereas many assignments will be graded based on how well a student has demonstrated their knowledge and understanding of the learning.
Typically, the following values will be used: classwork assignment- 10-30 points, tests/projects/essays- 50 or 100 points.
As grades are populated in PowerSchool, a student's grade will be an average of the total points they received divided by the total points available multiplied by 100.
Late work will receive a maximum of 50% of the original grade. No late work accepted after end of grading period. Projects/Essays worth over 50 points will be -10% per day late.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are you really British?
A: No, I'm just really good at mimicking the accent.
Q: Do the British use sarcasm a lot?
A: See answer above.
Q: What is the best way to contact you?
Email is probably the quickest way to contact me and my address is at the top of this page. I check my email every morning on arrival to school, during my planning (if I do not have a meeting), and at the end of the day. I will endeavor to respond to you as soon as I have read your email, unless I need to find out an answer to a question or your email requires a longer response, but definitely within 24 hours.
Q: What supplies does my child need for your class?
A: Below is a list of items I recommend for English I students. Items with a * are really important.
- Pencils with erasers
- *1 x composition book
- Earphones
- Ruler
- Expo markers
- Scissors and glue
- *1x Folder/Binder with sections for loose leaf note paper
- Loose leaf note paper (college ruled)
- Correcting pen (green, red or some other color gel pen or biro etc.)
- Highlighters (pack of 4/5 different colors)
- Sticky notes
- Coloring pencils
Q: What are the ISBN numbers of the books you will be studying in class this year so that I can purchase them?
A: Anthem by Ayn Rand ISBN# 9780486492773
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare ISBN# 978-0300104530
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee ISBN# 978-0-446-31078-9
Animal Farm by George Orwell ISBN# 978-0-451-52634-2
Lord of the Flies by William Golding ISBN# 978-0-399-50148-7
Students will also be participating in Literature Circle groups throughout the year, and will be given book lists for each rotation to make their selections beforehand. Due to the number of copies we have in school, I am not always able to give students their first choice. The various titles will be posted before each rotation starts so that students have time to make their choice, and gain parent approval.
Q: Do you have a wish list for your classroom?
A: Yes! Here is a link to our Classroom Amazon Wishlist though the items can be purchased from anywhere. Parents last year gifted us with a huge amount of kitchen paper and Kleenex so we do not need these as of now. Thank you in advance for any contributions.
Q: What are your main expectations for students using Canvas?
- No submission of blank documents or assignments that have not been attempted
- No marking of an assignment as "done" without showing any proof of work
- No plagiarism or cheating including submission of another student's work or copy and pasting information from the internet.
Q: How do I become a Canvas Observer?
A: Here are the instructions for how to become a Canvas observer.
Q: How often do you update PowerSchool?
A: I typically have assignments graded and in PowerSchool within two days but often on the same day it was due. For essays, projects or longer pieces of writing, usually within a week.
Q: My child says they turned in their assignment on Canvas but they have a zero on PowerSchool, why is this?
A: Ask them to check Canvas for any feedback from me on the submission screen. This could be that they submitted a blank document, they submitted the wrong document or they submitted no document. If everything looks correct and I have not given feedback, please email me and I will be happy to check if I made a mistake when aligning my grades- it does happen!
Q: How does my child submit assignments on Canvas?
Please watch this helpful video which explains how to submit assignments.
Some teachers ask students to "share" Google documents with them, but I grade everything in Canvas. Therefore, I need all students to submit their assignments through Canvas. If there is no submission option, then that particular assignment does not need to be submitted i.e. it is not going to graded but is likely a part of a larger piece of learning which will eventually have a graded component.
Q: Where can I see on Canvas if my child has submitted an assignment?
A: Visit the "Grades" page using the tab on the left-hand side. When looking at the "Score" column, there are a number of icons and inputs that teachers can use. Please click HERE for a comprehensive list of what all the submission types, submission statuses, grading icons and grade types etc. mean.
Q: A link or document you have posted on Canvas is not working, why is this?
Despite often triple-checking everything I post online, I do occasionally make mistakes. Canvas is a complex application with a lot of moving parts and sometimes I have not "Published" something for student view or I may have linked a document that is not accessible without changing some settings. I apologize for any stress this may cause during what is already a stressful time and appreciate any occasion when a parent or student makes me aware of this so I can fix it as quickly as possible. Thank you!