About Me
Dear Naples Classical Academy families,
Thank you so much for the opportunity to partner with you in the education of your scholar! This year, my third at Naples Classical Academy, I will be teaching 8th grade grammar and composition. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Although I have not always been a teacher, I knew from a very young age that the written word was my passion. I was the child who carried around notebooks full of original stories and poems. My free time was spent between the pages of books that to this day I still reread. Books held magic and nostalgia, transported me to new worlds, and reunited me with old companions.
Originally from New York, I studied at Messiah College (now Messiah University) in a small town near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where I majored in English with a concentration in writing, and minored in Early Childhood Education. After graduation, I spent nearly six years as an editor and writer for a local magazine. When I became a mother, I spent two years at home with my children and worked as a freelance writer and editor.
It was at this time that my love of education was also born. I began teaching in a small private preschool in Harrisburg, and eventually went on to teach kindergarten, first grade, fourth grade, and fifth grade over the next eight years, first in Pennsylvania, and then back in my hometown in New York. After moving to Naples, I was offered a position teaching middle school English, which has been an absolute joy! This will be my fourth year teaching language arts to this grade level, and I’ve had an amazing experience doing so.
In addition to my undergraduate degree, I am certified by the state of Florida in both elementary education (kindergarten through fifth grade) and in grades 5 through 9 for English. I am certified in the IEW writing curriculum, which we use for our elementary and middle school students here at Naples Classical, and I recently earned my ESOL endorsement.
I look forward to getting to know you all. Please feel free to keep in close contact with me throughout the course of the year. I welcome any opportunity to serve you and your child(ren) better.
With thanks,
Mrs. Noreen Livoti
Homework
Week of 4/15-4/19
8th Grade Composition/Grammar:
Mon. - Unit 8 in IEW (formal essay) - Work on Super-Introduction.
Grammar: Complete pages 156 & 161 in the Stay Smart book.
HW: review grammar, grammar quiz Friday; Super-Introduction due Wednesday.
Tue. - Unit 8 in IEW (formal essay) - Finish and hand in Super-Introduction if it is complete! Begin to add in decorations to previous essay.
Grammar: Complete pages 160, 162-163 in the Stay Smart book.
HW: review grammar, grammar quiz Friday; Super-Introduction due tomorrow if not already completed.
Wed. - Unit 8 in IEW (formal essay) - We will be spending some time typing or rewriting our final versions of the 12-paragraph super-essay. We also need to make final edits and add in the new final three decorations to three separate paragraphs.
Grammar: Complete pages 164-165 in the Stay Smart book.
HW: review grammar, grammar quiz Friday; Super-Essay due Monday.
Thu. - Unit 8 in IEW (formal essay) - We will be spending some time typing or rewriting our final versions of the 12-paragraph super-essay. We also need to make final edits and add in the new final three decorations to three separate paragraphs.
Grammar: Complete pages 166-167 in the Stay Smart book.
HW: review grammar, grammar quiz Friday; Super-Essay due Monday.
Fri. - Unit 8 in IEW (formal essay) - We will be spending some time typing or rewriting our final versions of the 12-paragraph super-essay. We also need to make final edits and add in the new final three decorations to three separate paragraphs.
Grammar: quiz today
HW: review grammar; Super-Essay due Monday.
*Note: No week is perfect and circumstances sometimes impact our schedule. I will adjust and update assignments as needed.
Week of 4/8-4/12
8th Grade Composition/Grammar:
Mon. - Unit 8 in IEW (formal essay) - Write your final draft making any changes that your editor suggested. Paperclip the checklist, final draft, rough draft, and KWO together. Hand them in.
Grammar: Complete pages 150-153 in the Stay Smart book.
HW: review grammar, "exit ticket" (short quiz) tomorrow; finish final draft.
Tue. - Unit 8 in IEW (formal essay) - Today we will be doing a practice test for the exam tomorrow, as well as doing extra grammar. We will also begin the notes for the next piece of the super-essay.
Grammar: grammar quiz today
HW: review grammar.
Wed. - BEST Writing Exam (If I have you in class today, we will do extra grammar review and notes for the next piece of the super-essay.)
Thu. - Unit 8 in IEW (formal essay) - Learn how to write a super-introduction and a super-conclusion. Complete the Super-Essay Planning Chart. Learn three new decorations: quotation, dramatic open-close, simile/metaphor. Add one different decoration in each paragraph of Essay 2 (to be done later this week or next week, depending on when essays are returned).
Grammar: Complete pages 155 and 157 in the Stay Smart book.
HW: review grammar; Super-Conclusion due Monday.
Fri. - Unit 8 in IEW (formal essay) - Continue notes from yesterday if necessary; work on Super-Conclusion.
Grammar: Complete pages 158-159 in the Stay Smart book.
HW: review grammar, no grammar quiz this week; Super-Conclusion due Monday.
*Note: No week is perfect and circumstances sometimes impact our schedule. I will adjust and update assignments as needed.
Week of 4/1-4/5
8th Grade Composition/Grammar:
Mon. - No school: Easter Break
Tue. - Unit 8 in IEW (formal essay) - Using your fused outlines, begin writing the body paragraphs of Essay 2. Begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence and end it with a clincher sentence. Highlight or bold two or three key words that repeat or reflect in the topic and clincher sentences.
Grammar: Complete pages 142-143 in the Stay Smart book.
HW: review grammar, "exit ticket" (short quiz) on Thursday; rough draft due tomorrow (end of class).
Wed. - Unit 8 in IEW (formal essay) - Using your fused outlines, continue writing the body paragraphs of Essay 2. Begin each body paragraph with a topic sentence and end it with a clincher sentence. Highlight or bold two or three key words that repeat or reflect in the topic and clincher sentences.
Grammar: Complete pages 144-146 in the Stay Smart book.
HW: review grammar, "exit ticket" (short quiz) on Thursday; rough draft due today.
Thu. - Unit 8 in IEW (formal essay) - Using your fused outlines, finish writing the body paragraphs of Essay 2. Follow the directions on page 231 to write a conclusion KWO and paragraph.
Grammar: Quiz today!
HW: review grammar.
Fri. - Unit 8 in IEW (formal essay) - Follow the directions on page 232 to write an introduction KWO and paragraph. Highlight or bold the topic key words in your introduction and conclusion paragraphs. Add one of each dress-up and one of each sentence opener in each paragraph.
Grammar: Complete pages 147-149 in the Stay Smart book.
HW: review grammar; final draft is due Tuesday.
*Note: No week is perfect and circumstances sometimes impact our schedule. I will adjust and update assignments as needed.
Week of 3/25-3/29
8th Grade Composition/Grammar:
Mon. - Unit 8 in IEW (formal essay) - Work on writing your introduction. Begin the editing process.
Grammar: Complete page 136 in the Stay Smart book.
HW: review grammar, "exit ticket" (short quiz) on Thursday; rough draft due tomorrow.
Tue. - Unit 8 in IEW (formal essay) - Complete the editing process by the end of class today. If you finish, begin working on your final draft.
Grammar: Complete page 134 in the Stay Smart book
HW: review grammar, "exit ticket" (short quiz) on Thursday; final draft/complete packet due tomorrow.
Wed. - Unit 8 in IEW (formal essay) - Complete the middle portion of the Super-Essay Planning chart. Choose a second area about Westward Expansion for Essay 2 of your Super-Essay. Divide the subject of essay 2 into possible topics and choose three topics. Write source and fused outlines for each topic of Essay 2.
Grammar: Complete pages 135 and 137 in the Stay Smart book.
HW: review grammar, "exit ticket" (short quiz) on Friday; 3 KWOs due when we return from break.
Thu. - Unit 8 in IEW (formal essay) - Continue writing source and fused outlines for each topic of Essay 2.
Grammar: Quiz today.
HW: review grammar; 3 KWOs due on Tuesday.
Fri. - No school: Easter Break
*Note: No week is perfect and circumstances sometimes impact our schedule. I will adjust and update assignments as needed.
Wish List
In our class, we would love to have pens with different colors of ink, as well as highlighters. We use these in the editing process.
Here are some examples of pens and highlighters -- although other brands are also fine!
In addition, I'd love to have a podium for when we practice public speaking! Here's an example of a podium that would work well.
Thank you!
Class Newsletter
Helpful Links
Please click on the link to view my presentation from this year's curriculum night.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/193JBQSbLkotna1S3vEk_SKwv_Effp9syKvlpo1RwNOM/edit?usp=sharing
8th Grade Grammar and Composition
Mrs. Noreen Livoti
Mission Statement: Our mission is to train the minds and improve the hearts of young people through a classical education in the liberal arts and sciences, with instruction in the principles of moral character and civic virtue.
Philosophy for Grade 8 Grammar and Composition
The school-wide goals for Grammar are to enable students:
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To better understand and appreciate the building blocks of the English language and how they connect and are organized.
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To use grammar to aid us as we speak and write in an organized, cohesive, clear manner.
The school-wide goals for Composition are to enable students:
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To maintain a firm relationship between writing and thinking.
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To be excited about writing and to appreciate good writing.
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To both communicate clearly and with beauty, in an organized, cohesive, clear manner.
I) Course Goal
Learning to write is more than just adding words to a page: It is learning to create a work of art. As with playing an instrument or a sport, writing takes practice, learning the small nuances so an essay, letter, or piece of fiction sounds akin to a beautiful melody. Writing takes thought and time, and, like exercise, stretches muscles we may have ignored. Still, it is worth it. Organized writing means organized thinking, and it clearly conveys thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and intentions. It is an essential skill for any path in life. Grammar contains the building blocks for the skill of writing, and is therefore also essential to master. In the end, the skill to write well means the ability to master fundamentals, including expressing one’s thinking clearly, critiquing poor thinking, and formulating a riveting narrative, all using elements of style and rhetorical effectiveness.
II) Course Objectives
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Grammar: The student will be able to define, understand, and diagram the following: the eight parts of speech, clauses (independent vs. dependent, adverbial, noun, and adjectival), and verbals (gerund, gerund phrase, participle, participial phrase, infinitive, infinitive phrase).
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Composition: The student will increase their ability in writing in the following areas as defined by the Institute for Excellence in Writing: note making and outlines, writing from notes, retelling narrative stories, summarizing a reference, writing from pictures, summarizing multiple references, inventive writing, formal essay models, formal critique. They will also become familiar with the MLA citation style.
III) Learning Experiences
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Grammar textbook used to practice parts of speech and diagramming sentences
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The Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) binder detailing types of writing that will be practiced
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Weekly essay writing
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Practice in presenting work to partners (peer editing) and to class as a whole (public speaking)
IV) Assessments
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Quizzes and tests (grammar and composition)
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Essays (composition)
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Oral presentation of some essays
V) Instructional Resources
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Grammar: Stay Smart Workbook: 188 Advanced Sentence Diagramming Exercises
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Composition: IEW Structure and Style for Students (Year 2 Level B)
Grading Policy
Classwork & Homework: 30% - several days per week
Participation: 25% - daily
Quizzes: 25% - one per week
Tests: 20% - at least three test grades per quarter (essays that end units are counted as tests)
Standards for Written Work
Listed below are the requirements for formal written work. Work will be accepted only if it meets these standards:
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Handwritten: cursive or printed, blue or black ink (no pencil unless otherwise directed)
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Heed all margins
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Neat and legible - paper torn from a notebook is not acceptable. Illegible, torn, or sloppy papers will be returned ungraded and must be rewritten neatly.
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Use proper heading (see model below)
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Write NAME (first + last), PERIOD, and DATE (month spelled out, day, year) in the upper left-hand corner of the paper. Correct heading must appear on all written work. Margins (both left and right) must be observed. A cover page is not necessary.
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Skip the first line after your title. Begin writing on the third line.
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Double space (skip lines on the paper) and indent paragraphs.
MODEL
Student Name Class Period Date TITLE |
||
MARGIN |
Skip this line |
MARGIN |
Begin writing here. |
||
Skip this line |
Classroom Expectations
Student Responsibility
We take very seriously the charge placed upon us to train the minds and improve the hearts of young people through a classical education in the liberal arts and sciences with instruction in the principles of moral character and civic virtue, thus we expect our students will take their role just as seriously. Any course depends, to a great extent, on the commitment and energy of the students and the teacher. In any class, which is a community of inquiry, a commitment to excellence is essential to each student’s intellectual growth in preparation for becoming a man or woman of virtue and excellence. Therefore, students must follow classroom procedures to show respect for themselves and others. Additionally, students must ask for assistance as soon as a difficulty arises.
Procedures and Protocol
Absences
Homework: If you are absent from class, check with your teacher for any missed work/notes/assignments. All work must be made up within one school day for each day absent.
Quiz or Test: You are required to be in class when quizzes and tests are administered. If you miss a quiz or test, you must make it up at the teacher’s discretion. It is your responsibility to speak with your teacher and make the necessary arrangements.
Academic questions
Quietly raise your hand or signal to respond to a question or to ask for assistance.
Arrival Procedure
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Enter the classroom quietly and only if a teacher is present.
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Turn in homework as soon as the teacher requests it.
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Begin the board work every day as your first task.
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Be prepared for class. Be in your seat and have your supplies and materials ready.
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Respond appropriately when your teacher calls your name for attendance.
Assessment
Types of: Students will be assessed in a variety of modes including, but not limited to, the following: tests, quizzes, notes, recitations, formal and informal writing, oral and written presentations, preparation for and participation in individual and/or group work and class discussion, classwork, and homework.
Procedures: There is absolutely no talking at any point during an assessment. Be sure your paper is neat and clean and that you have used a proper heading. Do not begin until you are instructed to do so. After completion, check over your work one more time, and follow the directions for turning in your work.
Class dismissal
The teacher dismisses the class, not the bell. Remain in your seat until the teacher dismisses you. Check to be sure your desk is in the proper position, you have retrieved all of your belongings, and your area is clean. Leave the classroom quietly and in an orderly manner.
Classroom materials
Get teacher permission to sign out any materials that do not belong to you before you use them or remove them from the classroom.
During class
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If an announcement is being made, be silent and pay attention.
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If an adult enters the classroom, please remain seated and continue working (unless told otherwise).
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If there is a safety drill, follow the procedures that are specific to each drill. Always remain silent and listen carefully to adult instruction.
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If you complete an assignment early, complete appropriate seatwork (e.g. pleasure reading).
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If you need to dispose of trash, wait until the class has ended. You may not dispose of trash at any other time unless directed to do so.
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If you need to sharpen your pencil, do so before class begins.
End of Class Procedures
Remain in your seat until your row/group has been dismissed. While you are seated, be sure that ALL assignments are written down in your planner.
Group work
Move your desks and/or chairs quickly and quietly as directed by the teacher. During group work, the teacher may give you a signal to stop talking. Put down your materials, turn your attention to the teacher, and listen. Follow all directions carefully. Stay focused on the objective of the lesson—all conversation should be focused on the topic. Use your inside voice when doing group work. Work cooperatively with your group.
Hall Procedures
Always be considerate of other students and walk silently in the halls. Do not disturb others in line or make noise in the hall that will disturb other classes.
Homework
Homework is designed to train the student to work independently and to accept responsibility for completing a task in addition to enhancing the student’s preparation for or understanding of classroom activities. Homework will be posted on the board in the classroom, and students must write the homework in their planners. Students are expected to come to class with homework completed. Homework is defined as written assignments, grammar practice, studying, occasional research, and preparation for class. Late homework will not receive full credit. Your homework is still considered late even if someone else delivers your homework by any means at any point during the school day. If you are having any difficulties, please contact me before the due date.
Nurse
Visits to the nurse are for emergencies only. If you have a medical emergency and need to go, please notify the teacher immediately, then proceed quietly to the office.
Restroom
You are expected to use the restroom between classes. In case of emergency, quietly fill out the hall pass in your planner. Silently raise your planner and wait until the teacher indicates you can leave the room. Leave your planner open at your seat for the teacher to sign. Abuse of this privilege can result in its withdrawal. Only ONE student at a time is allowed out of the classroom. Be sure the restroom is kept neat and tidy—if you notice any problems, report them to the teacher immediately.
Supplies
Students must be prepared for class every day. Be sure that all requisite supplies are with you when you are at your desk—stock up on supplies before class when you are running low.
Tardy to class
In the unlikely event you are tardy to class, you must have a pass from the office or from the previous teacher. Enter the classroom quietly, give the pass to the teacher, and go to your seat.
Tardy to school
Report to the Front Office for a pass before entering the classroom. Enter the classroom quietly, hand the pass to the teacher, and go to your seat.
Uniforms
Be sure to arrive in class with proper uniform as set forth in the school handbook. Each infraction will be noted and repeated offenses will be brought to the attention of the administration.
Water
It is expected that you bring a water bottle to class daily. No other drinks besides plain water are permitted in class.
Consequence for not following procedures and/or protocols
In the unlikely event a student chooses NOT to follow a prescribed procedure after repeated warnings and conversations, the parent(s)/guardian(s) will be contacted and school procedures as set forth in the Family Handbook and deemed appropriate by the administration will be followed.
Plagiarism (refer to pg. 15 NCA handbook)
Plagiarism will not be tolerated by any teacher in any subject. The entire system of assessment rests on the assumption that the work a student turns in is his own. Plagiarism compromises this system, is unfair to other students in the class who do their own work, and constitutes a form of theft of others’ ideas and labor. Plagiarism is defined as the appropriation of another’s ideas or words in order to present them as one’s own. Whenever a student has been caught plagiarizing, the following process will be followed:
• The teacher will keep a copy of the student’s assignment and, whenever possible, a copy of the plagiarized work.
• The teacher will discuss the matter with the student.
• The teacher will inform the dean of students and principal of the plagiarism.
•A disciplinary referral will be issued.
• Either the teacher or the dean of students will inform the student’s parent of the plagiarism.
• The student will receive an F on the assignment if it is the first offense and be required to redo the assignment for grade improvement.
• For a second offense, the student will receive an F on the assignment resulting in a lower grade and not be able to make-up the assignment. Further disciplinary action will include a conference with the student, parent, teacher, and school administration.
• For a third offense, the student will fail the entire course, and further disciplinary action, to include suspension or expulsion, may be instituted.
• High school students found guilty of academic dishonesty or similar serious offenses may lose their class rank, and, where applicable, the status of valedictorian or salutatorian.
• Instances of plagiarism may be placed in the student’s permanent record.
Cheating (refer to pg. 16 NCA handbook)
Like plagiarism, cheating will not be tolerated by any teacher in any subject. Cheating occurs when a student uses someone else’s work or a prohibited source of information in order to gain an unfair advantage on a test or an assignment and to avoid doing his own work. Cheating comes in many forms. The same process outlined for plagiarism will be followed for instances of cheating. A student who allows others to copy his work will also be held accountable in the same fashion. A disciplinary referral will be issued if cheating has occurred. High school students found guilty of academic dishonesty or similar serious offenses may lose their class rank and, when applicable, their status as valedictorian or salutatorian.
Naples Classical Academy
Procedures and Protocol Paper Acknowledgement Form
2023-2024
Parent / Student Acknowledgement Form
PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN THIS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM BY
MONDAY, AUGUST 14, 2023.
_____ I have reviewed the Procedures and Protocol with my child.
_____ I have ensured that my student has placed a copy of the signature page in his/her binder to return to the classroom teacher by Monday, August 14, 2023.
Student Name: _______________________________________________________
(PLEASE PRINT)
Student Signature: ____________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Name: ________________________________________________
(PLEASE PRINT)
Parent/Guardian Signature: _____________________________________________
Date: ___________________