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Welcome to 8th Grade ELA! 


Hi! I’m Ms. Mazone, and I’m thrilled to join the Athlos Leadership Academy community as the 8th Grade ELA teacher! This is my sixth year in the classroom and 10th year in education, and I’ve had the opportunity to work with students at both the middle and high school levels. I earned my undergraduate degree in Communications from the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities and my Masters in Teaching degree from Hamline University. I’m passionate about helping students find their voice , build confidence, and discover the power of reading, writing, and storytelling. Outside of the classroom, I love traveling and exploring different cultures,  working out, spending time with my dog, attending concerts and events, and making memories with family and friends.


I’m so excited for the 2026-27 school year and look forward to creating a classroom where students feel seen, challenged, supported, and excited to learn! If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at [email protected]. 

Ms. Deanna Mazone » Bio

Bio

 

Posts

Classwork/Homework

Hello Parents and Families,
 
I wanted to share a quick reminder regarding ELA assignments. I have provided students with their missing assignments both this week and last week so they have an opportunity to get caught up.
 
Students will regularly have classwork/homework in ELA. Depending on the lesson, students are given approximately 15-25 minutes of class time to work independently on their assignments. Any work that is not completed during class should be taken home, completed, and returned the following day.
 
Please encourage your child to check that they have completed their ELA work each day and to stay on top of any missing assignments. Thank you for your continued support! 

Of Mice and Men Chapter 1

Hello Families,
 
This week in 8th Grade ELA, we will be reading Chapter 1 Of Mice and Men and continuing to practice our literary analysis and comprehensions skills. Students will take a Chapter 1 quiz on Wednesday 9/30.
 
Students are given time in class to complete independent worksheets and activities connected to the chapter we are studying. Any work not completed during class becomes homework and is due the following day.
 
We will also be starting Read Theory during learning lab this week. Students were given a Lexile Level Growth Tracker that they will keep the whole year. They will use it to keep track of their reading growth.
 
Please encourage your students to stay caught up with their reading and assignments. Thank you for your continued support!

Folder Checks

Today I checked all 8th Graders ELA folders for missing work and getting it organized. Students were given class time to complete missing work after they finished the Read Theory assessment. 

8th Grade ELA- Of Mice and Men Novel Study

Dear Parents and Families, 
 
Starting the week of September 21, our 8th Grade ELA students will begin a five-week novel study of  Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. 
 
During our first week, students will focus on Chapter 1 while also learning important background information about John Steinbeck, and the historical social context of the novel. Building this background knowledge will help students better understand the characters, setting, conflicts, and themes we encounter throughout the book.
 
Over the next five weeks, students will work through all six chapters of the novel. Our learning will include daily:
 
* reading and discussing each chapter
* close- reading assignments that focus on important passages and details
* In-class activities and independent practice
* Vocabulary and comprehension work
* Class discussions and guided questions
* A quiz for each chapter
* An end-of-book project that allows students to demonstrate their understanding of the novel as a whole. 
 
Students will be expected to participate actively in class, keep up with their reading and assignments, and use evidence from the text to support their thinking.
 
I am excited for students to begin this novel study and to see them strengthen their reading , critical-thinking, discussion, and literary- analysis skills over the next several weeks.
 
Thank you for you continued support of our 8th ELA students!
 

Name
Ms. Deanna Mazone
Position
8th Grade English Teacher