St.

Patrick School- Wadsworth 

8​th​ Grade Algebra 1 Syllabus 
Mrs. Miller 
Class Benchmarks:   
By the end of the year, students will be able to: 

● Know that here are numbers that are not rational, and approximate them by rational numbers 
● Work with radicals and integer exponents 
● Understand the connection between proportional relationships, lines, and linear equations 
● Analyze and solve linear equations and pairs of simultaneous linear equations 
● Define, evaluate, and compare functions 
● Use functions to model relationships between quantities 
● Understand congruence and similarity 
● Understand and apply the Pythagorean Theorem 
● Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving volume of cylinders, cones, and spheres 
● Investigate patterns of association in bivariate data 
 
Classroom Conduct: 
1. Students are expected to come on time, prepared, and ready to learn math. 
2. Students are expected to give their best effort and focus in class discussions, activities, 
assignments, and while learning new material. Students working on non-math items/assignments 
during class will have those items taken until the end of the day. 
3. Students are to respect God, themselves, teachers, and fellow classmates. This includes: 
a. Raising a hand to speak and listening when others are speaking 
b. Keeping the discussion on-topic and courteous 
c. Respecting the property of other students, themselves, and the school 
d. Keeping a reverent posture and tone during prayer and participating as students feel 
comfortable 
*Students will receive a warning, a logical consequence, then a demerit for each offense. 
4. Students are to respect the classroom environment. This includes: 
a. No food, gum, candy, or drinks except for bottled water with a cap/lid. Students will receive 
an automatic demerit for having these items in the classroom. 
b. Keep all four legs of the chairs on the floor at all times. Students who do not sit in the chair 
appropriately will have their chair taken away. 
c. No peeling paint, writing on tables, leaving trash on the floor or throwing objects. Students 
will receive a logical consequence such as cleaning up all trash from the floor. 
Classroom Policies: 
Required Materials: S ​ tudents will be required to bring the following materials to class each day: Algebra 1 
textbook (Students will be assigned a textbook as well as an eBook); Five-subject notebook (To keep simple 
solutions, notes, classwork, homework, tests, and quizzes organized); Pencils (All math work should be 
completed in pencil or erasable pen. If Students turn in work in pen, they will be asked to redo the 
assignment, quiz, or test.); Calculator; Chromebook 
Chromebooks: ​Students are expected to care for their Chromebooks in the classroom as outlined in their 
Chromebook acceptable use policy. Students may begin using their Chromebooks for simple solutions at 
the start of class. During instruction, Chromebooks will remain closed unless students are using the online 
textbook or other site instructed by the teacher. ​Using the Chromebook for material not pertinent to the 
class is prohibited (i.e. games and websites not related to class material) 
 
Leaving Class: ​When students leave class, they miss essential math instruction. For this reason, students 
are expected to remain in class from the bell at the start of class to when the teacher dismisses them. If a 
student needs to leave the classroom, he/she should do so during non-instructional times (bellwork or 
independent practice time) and will be expected to sign out and bring the appropriate pass. Parents should 
notify the teachers if their child has a medical diagnosis that requires him/her to use the bathroom more 
frequently than others.   
 
When Work is Finished: ​Students are expected to use their math class period for math activities to 
reinforce their mathematics knowledge. When students have finished their required math assignment, they 
can access several math enrichment activities including: “Math Challenges” google classroom, IXL.com, 
Khan academy, classzone.com, desmos.com, and math games at the back of the classroom. 
 
Classroom Grading: 
Students will receive grades in the following areas: 

Homework​: Students will receive homework Monday-Thursday to enforce key math concepts. Homework 
is usually due the next day, unless otherwise specified by the teacher. All odd textbook homework problems 
are in the back of the book and students are expected to check these answers after completing each 
problem, in order to ensure they are doing the homework correctly. Students are expected to ​TRY​ every 
homework problem, D ​ O NOT​ leave a problem blank because of lack of understanding. Please send me an 
email the night before the assignment is due if you are unable to complete the assignment. Students who 
do not complete the homework by the due date will fill out the h​ omework accountability​ google form and will 
have the opportunity to complete the homework assignment by the following Monday for 50% off the 
assignment. 

*While numerous resources are available for assistance in solving math problems, I expect every 
student to show his or her work on homework assignments. Remember you should use these resources to 
help reinforce your learning, not to simply copy the answer. 

Classwork:​ Participation in class activities and class assignments are important to informally assess 
student learning and understanding. All students are expected to participate in class. Participating in 
note-taking is a part of the class experience and students are expected to take notes in their notebooks. 
Students are responsible for any work missed during the instructional hour. 

*Simple Solutions is a weekly classwork assignment, which reviews and reinforces grade-level skills. 
Students will be given 5-10 minutes at the beginning of class to work on the weekly lesson and the lesson 
will be due every T
​ hursday​. One section of the five-subject notebook should be designated for simple 
solutions. 
Projects:​ Students will be given projects periodically throughout the year. Students will receive information 
on these projects as the date arises. Students will be given ample time to complete projects, in some cases 
extra class time. Students will be graded on a rubric, which will communicate the expectations of the project 
and assess specific criteria of the assignment. 

Quizzes:​ Quizzes will be given at as needed in preparation for the chapter test.   

Tests:​ A test will be given at the conclusion of every chapter. Students will have an in-class review the day 
before the test, which will include sample test questions. Tests should be completed independently. Using 
notes without teacher permission, talking, or cheating during a test is NOT allowed. *Tests will be 
announced a week in advance. Students should not wait until the night before the test to study or complete 
the chapter review. The following is a list of recommended studying tips to help you be successful on math 
tests: 

● Complete the chapter review thoroughly and check the answers in the back of the book (a chapter 
review will be assigned several days before each test) 
● Use the online companion website “classzone.com” for practice tests and review games (You can 
never practice too much to prepare for a math test) 
● Use “khanacademy.com” for tutorials if you need help understanding a topic. 
● ASK FOR HELP!​ I can not stress this one enough...if you did not understand a topic we learned in 
class, schedule a time to meet with me before school, during study hall, lunch, or recess.   

Units of Study:   
Trimester 1   Trimester 2   Trimester 3  
● Chapter 1: Expressions,  ● Chapter 4: Graphing  ● Chapter 6: Solving 
Equations, and Functions  Linear Equations and  and Graphing Linear 
● Chapter 2: Properties of  Functions  Inequalities 
Real Numbers  ● Chapter 5: Writing  ● Chapter 7: Systems of 
● Chapter 3: Solving Linear  Linear Equations  Equations and 
Equations    Inequalities 
   
 

Please sign and return the bottom portion of this document. 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
 
 
Student Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: _____________________________ 
 
I have read the eighth grade Algebra 1 syllabus for the 2018-2019 school year. I agree to adhere to the class 
expectations and I understand the consequences should I fail to comply. 
 
Student Signature: __________________________________________________________ 
 
Parent Signature: ____________________________________________________________