8th Grade--3/22

Today we went to the RC for the read-a-thon. Have an awesome spring break!

Due Monday, April 1st...

-Parts 3 & 4 in The Book Thief

-March IR log

Long term deadlines...

-None

7th Grade--3/22

Today we went to the RC for the read-a-thon. Have a great spring break!!!

Due Monday, April 1st...

-March IR Log

Long term deadlines...

-None

8th Grade--3/21

Today students began class by completing a check-up on their annotations. Next, they took reading quizzes on parts 2 & 3 of The Book Thief. After that, we had a full-class discussion based on the following discussion questions:

Due tomorrow...
-Donation for the Read-a-thon

Long term deadlines...

-Parts 4 & 5 in The Book Thief due after break (April 1st)-March IR log due Monday, April 1st

7th Grade--3/21

Today we did reading and recall for our dialogue fiction stories.

Due tomorrow...

-Donation for the Read-a-thon

Long term deadlines...

-March IR log due on Monday, April 1st

8th Grade--3/20

Today students had the period to type up their unconventional narrator story starts. These are due tomorrow.

Due tomorrow...
-Parts 2 & 3 of The Book Thief

-Unconventional narrator fiction story start

Long term deadlines...
-March IR log due Monday, April 1st

7th Grade--3/20

Today students shared their book talks with the class. We also discussed the read-a-thon and cleaned out assignments from our mailboxes.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term deadlines...

-March IR log due on Monday, April 1st

8th Grade--3/19

Today we discussed what types of voice you might give to an inanimate object and how you would communicate that in writing. We practiced this by selecting potential narrators in pictures and writing in their voice. Students shared their sample writing, and we discussed what elements they had used to establish the voice of their character. Students used the rest of the period to write their unconventional narrator story starts.

Due tomorrow...
-None

Long term deadlines...
-Parts 2 & 3 of The Book Thief are due on Thursday the 21st

7th Grade--3/19

Today we began class by reviewing five rules of dialogue punctuation and capitalization with a brief powerpoint. You can find that resource here. After that, students worked in groups to practice dialogue mechanics on a section from "The Most Dangerous Game". That resource is available here. We reviewed this as a class, and students had the rest of the period to write and/or type their dialogue fiction.

Due tomorrow...

-Book Talk #1 of Trimester 3

-Dialogue Fiction Story Start (TYPED and at least 1.5 pages)

Long term deadlines...

-None

8th Grade--3/18

Today students began writing their unconventional narrator story starts. We discussed different idea generating strategies. First, we modeled how you could find alternative narrators in an already existing story by listening to our peers' writing and making a list of potential narrators for them. Next, we talked about how you could use the "objects" box in the inspiration library to select a narrator. Students had the rest of the period to write.

Due tomorrow...
-Final draft of Shakespeare summative writing with all previous drafts

Long term deadlines...
-Parts 2 & 3 of The Book Thief are due on Thursday the 21st

7th Grade--3/18

Today students continued to work on their dialogue fiction story starts. We worked on rewriting a standard sentence so that it sounded like a specific character was saying it. We discussed writing dialogue that sounds "right" for a character and is realistic.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term deadlines...

-Book Talk #1 of Trimester 3 on 3/20

-Dialogue Fiction Story Start due on 3/20

8th Grade--3/13

Today we began class with a check up on your annotations. I will review these and use it to provide assistance to those who are confused about a certain area of the annotations. After this check up, students took the comprehension quiz for the assigned reading. After the quiz, students responded to discussion questions below in writing and then we had a discussion based on those questions as well as student thoughts/questions.

Due Monday...
-None

Long term deadlines...
-Final draft of Shakespeare summative writing due on Tuesday the 19th
-Parts 2 & 3 of The Book Thief are due on Thursday the 21st

7th Grade--3/13

Today students began to write their dialogue fiction story starts. We began by discussing some of the functions that dialogue served in "The Most Dangerous Game", and we highlighted examples of different purposes (such as establishing setting, defining character, setting the mood, etc). Next, students found one strong line from their overheard conversations and wrote it on a piece of roll paper. This paper was posted in the room to serve as a source of inspiration for students to begin writing.

Students used the rest of the period to write in their journals, and we ended class by sharing strong lines.

Due Monday...

-None

Long term deadlines...

-Book Talk #1 of Trimester 3 on 3/20

8th Grade--3/12

Today we worked on revisions for our Shakespeare summative writing, and I went over common issues in the writing. Those who could not use the computers today had the time to complete their reading in The Book Thief.

Due tomorrow...
-Read prologue and Part One in The Book Thief

Long term deadlines...
-Final draft of Shakespeare summative writing due on Tuesday the 19th

7th Grade--3/12

Today students took the preassessment for the memoir unit. This will help to guide me as I structure the unit and select lessons and materials.

Due tomorrow...

-Read "The Most Dangerous Game" and answer reflection questions

-Record one overheard conversation in your journal

Long term deadlines...

-Book Talk #1 of Trimester 3 on 3/20

8th Grade--3/11

Today we did reading and recall for our antagonist story starts.

Due tomorrow...
-None

Long term deadlines...
-Read prologue and Part One in The Book Thief for Wednesday

7th Grade--3/11

Today students shared their poetry with the class in the resource center. If you missed this, you must make it up with me.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term deadlines...

-Book Talk #1 of Trimester 3 on 3/20

8th Grade--3/8

Today we took the grammar preassessment for trimester three. After that, we talked about what you should be annotating in The Book Thief, and I passed out a handout to guide your annotations. You can find this handout here.

We finished class by beginning to read The Book Thief together. Please continue reading for homework.

Due Monday...
-None

Long term deadlines...
-Read prologue and Part One in The Book Thief for Wednesday

7th Grade--3/8

Today we finished working on powerpoints for our poetry presentation on Monday. Students who finished early practiced reading their poem with their slide timings.

Due Monday...

-Poem powerpoint

-Practice reading your poem

Long term deadlines...

-Book Talk #1 of Trimester 3 on 3/20

8th Grade--3/7

Today we did some journal writing to prepare for The Book Thief. That prompt is available here. After that, students took an annotations preassessment for the novel. We will begin reading this book tomorrow in class.

Due tomorrow...
-Second draft of Shakespeare summative writing

Long term deadlines...
-None

7th Grade--3/7

Today we began working on powerpoints for our poetry presentation on Monday. If you finished, you will spend tomorrow practicing reading your poem. If not, you will continue working on this tomorrow.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term deadlines...

-Book Talk #1 of Trimester 3 on 3/20

8th Grade--3/6

Today students spent the period peer and self editing their Shakespeare summative writing pieces. Second drafts of this assignment are due on Friday.

Due tomorrow...
-None

Long term deadlines...
-Second draft of Shakespeare summative writing due on Friday

7th Grade--3/6

Today students spent the period peer and self editing their three final poems. They should make the final revisions to these poems for class tomorrow.

Due tomorrow...

-Final drafts of poems (2 copies)

-Digital images (produced by the student) on a flash drive for class tomorrow

Long term deadlines...

-Book Talk #1 of Trimester 3 on 3/20

8th Grade--3/5

Students continued to work on drafting their Shakespeare summative pieces. The prompt sheet for this assignment can be accessed here.

Due tomorrow...
-Rough draft of Shakespeare summative writing

Long term deadlines...
-Second draft of Shakespeare summative writing due on Friday

7th Grade--3/5

Today we had a shortened period due to ISAT. We spent the remaining time talking about what makes a metaphor/simile successful or not so successful. We looked at samples of both strong and weak metaphors/similes together and use this as a reference point for our conversation. Those samples are available here. After our discussion, students were encouraged to look back at their poems, altering and adding metaphors & similes as needed.

Due tomorrow...

- Draft #3 typed of your poems

Long term deadlines...

-Final drafts of poems due on Thursday

-Book Talk #1 of Trimester 3 on 3/20

8th Grade--3/4

Today we got our prompt sheets for the Shakespeare summative writing assignment. You can access that here. Students had the period to begin writing and seek help.

Due tomorrow...
-None

Long term deadlines...
-Rough draft of Shakespeare summative writing due on Wednesday

7th Grade--3/4

Today the students began class by discussing beat and rhythm in poetry. To improve the poetic beat of their work, we worked on taking out unnecessary words from poems. We also worked on restructuring lines and replacing words that lacked clear and detailed description.

Due tomorrow...

- Draft #2 typed of your poems

Long term deadlines...

-None