8th Grade -- 2/28

Today the 8th graders were on a field trip at the Shakespeare Theatre watching a production of Romeo & Juliet!

Homework... 

- antagonist fiction story starter due in class on Monday 3/4

- your signed February IR calendar due in class on Monday 3/4

Submitted by Mr. Malstrom

7th Grade -- 2/28

Today the students participated in an activity were they wrote poems about objects from the object card box.  They were not allowed to say exactly what the object was, but instead had to describe it through the use of sensory details, literary elements, and overall good descriptive writing.  At the end of the activity they shared their poems with a partner and then with the class.

Homework...

- memory poem due at the start of class tomorrow 3/1

- read & complete mentor text reflection for "maggie & milly & molly & may" by E.E. Cummings for tomorrow 3/1

- three typed poems of your own due in class on Monday 3/4
- your signed February IR calendar due in class on Monday 3/4

Submitted by Mr. Malstrom

8th Grade -- 2/27

Today the students participated in a book talk for the entire period.

Homework... 

- antagonist fiction story starter due in class on Monday 3/4

Submitted by Mr. Malstrom

7th Grade -- 2/27

Today we began class by sharing our rage/irritation poems.  Next we read "Making a Fist" by Naomi Shihab Nye and discussed how the author used a descriptive moment in time.  Finally the students then brainstormed five memories from their early life, wrote 5 - 10 descriptive sentences about each, and chose their strongest one to turn into a 10 line poem.

Homework...

- memory poem due at the start of class Friday 3/1

- read & complete mentor text reflection for "maggie & milly & molly & may" by E.E. Cummings for Friday 3/1
- three typed poems of your own due in class on Monday 3/4

Submitted by Mr. Malstrom

8th Grade -- 2/26

Today the students took their Word Masters challenge test.  Afterward they were allowed to either free read or work on preparing for their book talk tomorrow.

Homework... 

- bring in filled out permission slip for Thursday's field trip to the Shakespeare Theatre at Navy Pier to Mr. Malstrom ASAP if you have not already!

- book talk #2 due in class tomorrow 2/27

Submitted by Mr. Malstrom

7th Grade -- 2/26

Today we began class by journaling on a prompt about irritation and rage.  Next, we read Mr. Malstrom's journaling about irritation and rage, looking for lines that could be extracted and reworked to add more detailed/descriptive language, in order to create a strong, descriptive poem.  Finally, students did this with their own journal writing and created a poem to share with the class.

Homework...

- "irritation & rage" poem due at the start of class tomorrow 2/27

- read & complete mentor text reflection for "Quilts" by Nikki Giovanni

Submitted by Mr. Malstrom

8th Grade -- 2/25

Today the students spent the entire class time reviewing for their Word Masters challenge test that will be taken tomorrow.  Reviewing included students sharing their Word Masters projects to the entire class, studying individually or with a partner, as well as a Jeopardy-style review game conducted by Mr. Malstrom.

Homework... 

- bring in filled out permission slip for Thursday's field trip to the Shakespeare Theatre at Navy Pier to Mr. Malstrom by tomorrow 2/26

- study Word Masters in preparation for tomorrow's 2/26 test

Submitted by Mr. Malstrom

7th Grade -- 2/25

Today we began class by discussing personal beliefs and brainstorming what some of our own might be.  Next we read "Let America Be America Again" by Langston Hughes and discussed what his beliefs might be based off of his poem, as well as the strategies he used to get his point across to the reader.  Finally, students took one of their personal beliefs, provided detailed examples and descriptive writing about it, and began molding it into a poem which will be due in class tomorrow.

Homework...

- "beliefs" poem due at the start of class tomorrow 2/26

- read & complete mentor text reflection for "Fog" by Carl Sandburg for tomorrow 2/26

Submitted by Mr. Malstrom

8th Grade -- 2/22

Today the students took their Shakespeare/Macbeth test during the entire class period.

Homework... 

- bring in filled out permission slip for Thursday's 2/28 field trip to the Shakespeare Theatre at Navy Pier

- study Word Masters in preparation for Tuesday's 2/26 test

Submitted by Mr. Malstrom

7th Grade -- 2/22

Today we began class by reviewing our journal entries on happiness.  Next Mr. Malstrom modeled his journal entry and we discussed how to find lines that might be extracted and developed further to create a poem.  Finally, the students did this in their own work and created poems about happiness to share with the entire class.

Homework...

- read & complete mentor text reflection for "Winter Trees" by William Carlos Williams for Mon. 2/25

- read & complete mentor text reflection for "Watermelons" by Charles Simic for Mon. 2/25

Submitted by Mr. Malstrom