8th Grade--12/16

8th graders went to the skating party today, and they therefore did not have English class. Be sure to check out the note at the top of this page about an upcoming writing contest, and have a good break!

Due Tuesday after vacation...

-Rough draft of TKAM summative writing

Long term due dates...

-None

7th Grade--12/16

Today students took a poetry preassessment. The results of this preassessment will help me to better construct and instruct the upcoming poetry unit in February and March.

After the preassessment, students made a list of ten things (some goofy, some not) that they learned in English this year. We each picked one thing and wrote it on a snowflake. We hung these in the hallway to add a little winter cheer and reflect on 2011.

Due Tuesday after break...

-None

Long term due dates...

-None

Have a great vacation!

8th Grade--12/15

Today students continued to work on their summative writing for To Kill a Mockingbird. I answered student questions about the assignment as they arose. We will not have English class tomorrow, as we will be at the skating rink in the afternoon. Be sure to bring the rough draft of this paper to school on the first day after break.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-Rough draft of TKAM summative writing is due on 1/3/2012

7th Grade--12/15

Today students finished their self and peer editing. They then moved to the laptops to make their first round of edits and corrections. Second drafts of The Giver essays are due tomorrow.

Due tomorrow...

-Giver second draft due tomorrow

Long term due dates...

-None

8th Grade--12/14

Today we watched any remaining speeches (8B), and then students were given the rest of the class period to begin working on their TKAM summative writing pieces. I pulled students out in small groups to work on different elements of these papers, and I answered student questions.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-Rough draft of TKAM summative writing is due on 1/3/2012

7th Grade--10/14

Today students spent the period self and peer editing their essays on The Giver. You will have tomorrow's class period to work on making revisions, and your second draft will be due to me on Friday.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-Giver second draft due on Friday, December 16th

8th Grade--12/13

Today we continued to share persuasive essay speeches. I collected all active listening sheets at the end of class, so if you were absent today be sure to bring your active listening sheet to class upon your return. This helps to determine the listener portion of your speech grade.

I also passed out the summative writing prompts for To Kill a Mockingbird. We will be working on the rough draft of this piece in class over the next two days, and the rough draft is due on the Tuesday after break. I suggest that you use your time well this week to avoid having homework over break.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-Rough draft of TKAM summative writing is due on 1/3/2012

7th Grade--12/13

Today we began the class by discussing the function of the concluding paragraph of an essay. We constructed a list of reasons why having this paragraph was necessary, and I shared a generating and organizational strategy for paragraph creation. For the rest of the period, students worked to complete the rough drafts of their Giver essays. These essays should be completed and brought to class tomorrow.

Due tomorrow...

-Giver essay rough draft

Long term due dates...

-Giver second draft due on Friday, December 16th

8th Grade--12/12

Today we began listening to speeches from the persuasive unit. We will complete this process tomorrow. While listening, the audience was to be completing an active listening sheet on ethos, pathos and logos. This sheet will be collected at the end of class tomorrow.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-None...for now...

7th Grade--12/12

Today we began class by listing the elements that should be found in essay intro paragraphs. Next, students used their outlines to begin working on their rough drafts. You will have tomorrow during class to work on this as well.

Due tomorrow...

-Nothing

Long term due dates...

-Giver essay rough draft due on Wednesday, December 14th

-Giver second draft due on Friday, December 16th

8th Grade--12/9

Today I began by reading my persuasive essay. We talked about tools that I used in my speech and how I used them. Specifically, we talked about how I was able to incorporate pathos, how I kept my audience in mind, and how I hooked the reader into the essay. Hopefully this gave you a better idea of my expectations from the final product.

Next, I returned student essay corrections and answered any clarifying student questions while you began to make the necessary changes. I also pulled groups of people out to work on specific areas of development such as ethos and pathos. Don't forget to include all of the following elements in your final draft!

• Ethos
• Pathos
• Logos
• Rhetorical questions
• The other side of the argument
• Research
• An understanding of the audience/written with the audience in mind
• A strong hook

Your final draft is due on Monday, and be sure to take the time to rehearse it as a speech. If you come in and simply read the paper without feeling you will not do very well on the speech portion of your grade.

Due Monday...

-Final draft of your persuasive essay (with all previous drafts attached)

-Persuasive speeches

Long term due dates...

-None

7th Grade--12/9

Today we began to work on our essay for The Giver. We began by discussing the steps of the writing process, and then we looked at a list of essay prompts. Many students were able to select an essay prompt and begin to move through the first three steps below. If you were not in class, please add the following notes to your journal.

Due Monday...

-Finish the outline for Giver essay

Long term due dates...

-Giver essay rough draft due on Wednesday, December 14th

-Giver second draft due on Friday, December 16th

8th Grade--12/8

Students took the first WM challenge of the year. After the test was over, we went to the RC and students were given the chance to purchase books from the book fair. Don't forget that you all come straight to English tomorrow afternoon.

Due tomorrow...

-Bring a digital copy of your persuasive paper to class (you will be rewriting)

Long term due dates...

-Final draft of persuasive essay on 12/12

-Persuasive speeches on 12/12

7th Grade--12/8

Today students took the WordMasters test. After the test, students went to the book fair in the RC.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-None...for now...

8th Grade--12/7

Today we did WM jeopardy to prepare for tomorrow's test. Don't forget to bring money for the book fair tomorrow.

Due tomorrow...

-WM test!!!

Long term due dates...

-Final draft of persuasive essay on 12/12

-Persuasive speeches on 12/12

7th Grade--12/7

I was at an English meeting this morning, so you had a sub. You did a WM crossword to prepare for the test, and then you had time to meet in groups and review the words with one another.

Due tomorrow...

-WM test!!!

Long term due dates...

-None

8th Grade--12/6

Today we took the grammar preassessment for trimester #2 and corrected it as a group. Students then recorded their results and reflected on their achievement. After that, students were given the WordMasters crossword to aid their studying, and they then played their WM games and helped to quiz one another.

 

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-WordMasters Challenge on 12/8

7th Grade--12/6

Today students worked in teams on WM jeopardy. This was your review session for Thursday's test, but you will also have tomorrow to practice and review independently.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-WordMasters Challenge on 12/8

8th Grade--12/5

Today we did reading and recalling and shared our person-action-person story starts. Hope you are studying your WM words!

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-WordMasters Challenge on 12/8

7th Grade--12/5

Today we did reading and recalling and shared our Utopia story starts. Hope you are studying your WM words!

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-WordMasters Challenge on 12/8

8th Grade--12/2

Today students had the period to work on either typing/writing their person-action-person story starts or editing their persuasive essays. I was really impressed with how diligent and focused you all were. While this was happening, I pulled students aside one by one to check in WM work.

Due Monday...

-2nd Draft of persuasive essay

-Person-action-person story start

Long term deadlines...

-WordMasters Challenge on 12/8

-Final draft of persuasive essay on 12/12

-Persuasive speeches on 12/12

7th Grade--12/2

Today students took the grammar preassessment for trimester #2. Once they were finished, they corrected their own tests and recorded their data on a chart. They will use this chart to compare their progress throughout the course of the trimester. For the remainder of the period, students studied for their upcoming WM challenge while I checked in their WM study work and WM projects.

Due Monday...

-Utopia/dystopia story start

Long term due dates...

-WordMasters Challenge on 12/8

8th Grade--12/1

Today students worked on peer and self editing their persuasive essays. From this revision session, students should rewrite their papers and bring a second draft to me on Monday. I will then make my edits, and I will return the piece to you next Friday.

Due tomorrow...

-WM Notecards

-WM Project

-WM handout

-WM sentences

Long term deadlines...

-2nd Draft of persuasive essay on 12/5

-Person-action-person story start due on 12/5

-WordMasters Challenge on 12/8

-Final draft of persuasive essay on 12/12

-Persuasive speeches on 12/12

7th Grade--12/1

Today students had their final day to work on Utopia story starts. We began class by discussing how language is used to establish both setting and mood. We talked about the way the characters in The Giver speak in comparison to how Washburne students speak. We looked at what language tells us about a civilization, and I encouraged students to use creative language and voices in their stories. Students then had the rest of the period to work on writing and typing their story starts. They are due on Monday.

Due tomorrow...

-WM Sentences
-WM Project

-WM Notecards

-WM Handout

Long term due dates...

-Utopia/dystopia story start due on 12/5
-WordMasters Challenge on 12/8