8th Grade--4/30

Today we reviewed for tomorrow's grammar test. We did a boys vs. girls grammar showdown.

Due tomorrow...

-Grammar Test

-April IR log

Long term due dates...

-Book Thief Summative Writing rough draft due on 5/2

-Reading and reflection question #1 due on 5/3

7th Grade--4/30

Today students began class by meeting in groups to review their grammar homework. After that, I addressed the full class about common concerns I had with the narratives. Those were as follows...

Character description

More literary elements

More sensory description

What did you learn/importance

Verb tense—past

ONE moment

Proper dialogue punctuation

After that, students had half an hour to work on their final drafts and ask questions about my commentary.

Due tomorrow...

-Grammar Quiz on capitalization & dangling modifiers

-April IR log due tomorrow

Long term due dates...

-Book Talk on 5/2

-Final draft of narrative due on 5/3 (two copies)

8th Grade--4/27

Today students were given the possible prompts for their Book Thief summative writing. We read the options aloud as a class and discussed each prompt, addressing questions as needed. After discussion, students had the second half of the period to begin writing, and some asked questions pertaining to their specific writing choices.

Due Monday...

-Grammar quiz corrections and reflection

Long term due dates...

-Grammar Test on 5/1

-Book Thief Summative Writing rough draft due on 5/2

7th Grade--4/27

Today we met in our homework groups for capitalization and reviewed our answers. After that, students learned about a new grammar concept: dangling modifiers. We went through practice questions concerning this topic, and then students took a short assessment. This assessment determined their homework groups.

Due Monday...

-Grammar HW on dangling modifiers

-Bring a digital copy of your narrative to school

Long term due dates...

-Grammar Quiz on capitalization & dangling modifiers on 5/1

-Book Talk on 5/2

-Final draft of narrative due on 5/3 (two copies)

8th Grade--4/26

Today we took the grammar quiz on absolute phrases. After the quiz, students took both a reading preassessment and a general preassessment for the science fiction unit. Those students who had been absent used any extra time to finish the GRADE assessment.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-Grammar quiz corrections and reflection due on 4/30

-Grammar Test on 5/1

-Book Thief Summative Writing rough draft due on 5/2

7th Grade--4/26

Today students worked in pairs to peer and self edit their narratives. Second drafts are due tomorrow with these changes.

Due tomorrow...

-Narrative second draft TYPED

-Grammar HW on capitalization

-Grammar Quiz Corrections

Long term due dates...

-Grammar Quiz on capitalization & dangling modifiers on 5/1

-Book Talk on 5/2

-Final draft of narrative due on 5/3 (two copies)

8th Grade--4/25

Today we did reading and recall for our opposite stories. Be sure to study for tomorrow's grammar quiz.

Due tomorrow...

-Absolute phrases quiz (with review of appositives & active/passive voice)

Long term due dates...

-None

7th Grade--4/25

Today, during a double period of English, students learned rules of capitalization and practiced them through tiered homework assignments. Students were then given time to work on their narrative essays and their grammar quiz corrections during class. Students asked questions about both these assignments as they worked.

If you were on today's field trip, you need to get the notes from a friend and come to me for the homework assignment.

Due tomorrow...

-Narrative rough draft TYPED

-Grammar HW on capitalization

Long term due dates...

-Grammar Quiz Corrections due on 4/27

-Narrative second draft due on 4/27

8th Grade--4/24

Today students took the WM test. After the WM test, students took comprehension quizzes on The Book Thief, and we discussed common themes of the novel.

Due tomorrow...

-Finish opposite story start

-Turn in The Book Thief with annotations

Long term due dates...

-Absolute phrases quiz (with review of appositives & active/passive voice) on 4/26

7th Grade--4/24

Today students took the WM test. After the test, we discussed how to use metaphor, simile, personification and sensory description to enhance our prose writing. Students worked on their narratives with this in mind.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-Narrative rough draft due on 4/26

-Grammar Quiz Corrections due on 4/26

8th Grade--4/23

Today we reviewed for tomorrow's WM test by doing WM jeopardy.

Due tomorrow...

-WM test

-Finish The Book Thief

Long term due dates...

-Finish opposite story start for 4/25

7th Grade--4/23

Today we reviewed for tomorrow's WM test by playing WM jeopardy. 

Due tomorrow...

-WM test

Long term due dates...

-Grammar Quiz Corrections due on 4/26

8th Grade--4/20

Today students worked on learning a new grammar concept--absolute phrases. After the grammar lesson, the students had a chance to begin working on their grammar homework. They worked silently, asking questions as they arose.

E-buck to the first person to identify the sentence that contains an absolute phrase above.

Due Monday...

-Grammar HW

Long term due dates...

-WM test on 4/24

-Finish The Book Thief for 4/24

-Finish opposite story start for 4/25

7th Grade--4/20

Students were on a field trip for science today.

Due Monday...

-WM project

Long term due dates...

-WM test on 4/24

8th Grade--4/19

Today we began class with a mini lesson. This mini lesson addressed strategies for showing elements of a character's personality rather than simply telling them. After the mini lesson, students either continued working on their opposite story start or finished the GRADE assessment. I checked in student WM work individually with each student while the students did one of these tasks.

Due tomorrow...

-WM project

Long term due dates...

-WM test on 4/24

-Finish The Book Thief for 4/24

-Finish opposite story start for 4/25

7th Grade--4/19

Today students finished the GRADE assessment during class. After this, students were given the period to continue to work on drafting their narratives. This process will be continued next week. While students were drafting, I met with students individually to check in their WM study work. If you were absent, please meet with me to check these items in upon your return.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-WM project due on 4/23

-WM test on 4/24

8th Grade--4/17

Today students began writing their opposite story starts. We will continue with this later in the week.

Due tomorrow...

-Grammar quiz corrections due on 4/18

Long term due dates...

-WM notecards, handout & sentences due on 4/19

-WM project due on 4/20

-WM test on 4/24

-Finish The Book Thief for 4/24

7th Grade--4/17

Today students took a grammar quiz and began writing their narratives.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-WM notecards, handout & sentences due on 4/19

-WM project due on 4/23

-WM test on 4/24

8th Grade--4/16

Today we began class with comprehension quizzes on parts 7 & 8 of The Book Thief. After that, students worked in groups to use dominoes as a metaphor for the conflict in the novel. Students had to explain their symbolic representations to the class.

Due tomorrow...

-Read opposite stories and answer reflection questions

Long term due dates...

-Grammar quiz corrections due on 4/18

-WM notecards, handout & sentences due on 4/19

-WM project due on 4/20

-WM test on 4/24

-Finish The Book Thief for 4/24

7th Grade--4/16

Today we began class with some phrases/clauses practice questions. I checked in homework, and we then reviewed the first section of the grammar homework. After grammar, we spent the rest of the period working on narratives. We took our timelines and selected moments, using bubble mapping to find smaller, more specific moments within those larger moments. We shared these moments at the end of class, and we discussed which moments might make the best narratives.

Use these practice question to review for tomorrow's quiz.

Due tomorrow...

-Select a moment for your narrative

-Study for the grammar quiz

Long term due dates...

-WM notecards, handout & sentences due on 4/19

-WM project due on 4/23

-WM test on 4/24

Review questions answer key: