7th Grade--5/31

Today the 7A class worked on their essays and did a mini lesson on varied sentence structure. 7B class began watching A Raisin in the Sun. We will switch these activities for Monday.

Due Monday...

-None

Long term due dates...

-Final fiction due on 6/5 NEW DUE DATE

8th Grade--5/29

Last day of Etter English! We finished watching To Kill a Mockingbird, and students took home their portfolios. Make sure you turn in any late work before the weekend. I will not be accepting it after Friday!

7th Grade--5/29

Today students gave their book talks in the resource center.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-Final fiction due on 6/3

8th Grade--5/28

Today students had the period to work on writing and editing their final fiction. Students also continued to watch To Kill a Mockingbird. I also distributed an editing checklist for the final fiction which can be found here.

Due tomorrow...

-May IR Log
-Final fiction

Long term deadlines...

-None

7th Grade--5/28

Today students worked on their final fictions as much as possible even though the computers had trouble logging in. For those that had trouble using the computers, we did a mini lesson on pacing and shared our examples of converting poor pacing to strong pacing. The handout for that mini lesson can be found here.

Due tomorrow...

-Book Talk #2

-May IR Log

Long term due dates...

-Final fiction due on 6/3

8th Grade--5/23

Today students worked on the final fiction. I gave a mini lesson on commas and semicolons and a mini lesson on paragraphing. The mini lesson on commas/semicolons is available here. See me if you need a copy of the paragraphing lesson.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term deadlines...

-May IR Log due on 5/29
-Final fiction due on 5/29

7th Grade--5/23

Today we continued to work on final fiction. I gave a mini lesson on setting which can be accessed here.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-Book Talk #2 on 5/29

-May IR Log due on 5/29

8th Grade--5/22

Today we worked on our final fiction pieces. I pulled aside small groups to work on physical character description and consistent verb tense. You can find the worksheet for physical character description here and the worksheet for consistent verb tense here.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term deadlines...

-May IR Log due on 5/29
-Final fiction due on 5/29

7th Grade--5/22

Today students began to write their final fiction pieces. To begin this, students reviewed feedback on their creative writing from this year to determine their areas of strength and struggle. This will guide their participation in mini lessons over the next few days.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-Book Talk #2 on 5/29

8th Grade--5/21

Today students continued to work on their final fiction pieces. I pulled aside a large group to work on pacing in writing. That lesson worksheet can be found here.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term deadlines...

-May IR Log due on 5/29
-Final fiction due on 5/29

7th Grade--5/21

Today students took the essay test on A Raisin in the Sun.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-Book Talk #2 on 5/29

8th Grade--5/20

Today we began class by looking over feedback on our creative writing and using that feedback to determine trends in terms of strengths and weaknesses. I discussed the idea of "calibrating" by rereading at the beginning of every fiction writing section, and students began to select their story and write their final fiction piece.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term deadlines...

-May IR Log due on 5/29
-Final fiction due on 5/29

7th Grade--5/20

Today students did their presentations for the argumentation project. After that, we went over the expectations for the essay test. The prompt sheet can be found here.

Due tomorrow...

-Raisin in the Sun essay test

Long term due dates...

-Book Talk #2 on 5/29

8th Grade--5/17

Today we did reading and recall on the science fiction story starts.

Due Monday...

-Bring digital copies of all story starts from 8th grade

Long term deadlines...

-May IR Log due on 5/29
-Final fiction due on 5/29

7th Grade--5/17

Today students continued working on their projects. You will be presenting your cases to the class on Monday.

Due Monday...

-None

Long term due dates...

-Raisin in the Sun essay test on 5/21

-Book Talk #2 on 5/29

8th Grade--5/16

Today students who were not on the field trip either took the essay test (if they were absent on Tuesday) or they finished writing/typing their science fiction story starts.

Due tomorrow...

-SciFi Story Start (please turn this in in the morning so that I can have them graded for class)

Long term deadlines...

-May IR Log due on 5/29
-Final fiction due on 5/29

7th Grade--5/16

Today students began a project in four groups in which they began working together to identify and argue for the guilt of one of the suspects below in the murder of I.M. Writing. You will continue on this project tomorrow.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-Raisin in the Sun essay test on 5/21

-Book Talk #2 on 5/29

8th Grade--5/15

Today the 8th graders were on a field trip!

Due tomorrow...

-SciFi Essay Test (if you did not take it Tuesday)

Long term deadlines...

-SciFi Story Start due on 5/17

-May IR Log due on 5/29

-Final fiction due on 5/29

7th Grade--5/15

Today students took part in Civil War Day!

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-Raisin in the Sun essay test on 5/21

-Book Talk #2 on 5/29

8th Grade--5/14

Today students took the essay test for the science fiction unit.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term deadlines...

-SciFi Essay Test (if you did not take it today) on 5/16

-SciFi Story Start due on 5/17

-May IR Log due on 5/29

-Final fiction due on 5/29

7th Grade--5/14

Today we went to the courtyard for reading and recall on our historical fiction story starts.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-Raisin in the Sun essay test on 5/21

-Book Talk #2 on 5/29

8th Grade--5/13

Today students discussed their last fiction packet for the science fiction unit. After that, students broke into groups to look at "age-old questions" and brainstorm how these questions might be answered and how you might communicate those answers in writing.

Due tomorrow...

-SciFi Essay Test (BRING ALL MATERIALS!!)

Long term deadlines...

-SciFi Story Start due on 5/17

-May IR Log due on 5/29

-Final fiction due on 5/29

7th Grade--5/13

Today students took the final quiz for A Raisin in the Sun, and we discussed the end of the play. We also discussed the concept of The American Dream by creating found poems from an essay on The American Dream, and we then compared that dream to the dreams of characters in the novel.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-Raisin in the Sun essay test on 5/21

-Book Talk #2 on 5/29

8th Grade--5/10

Today we took the grammar test on appositives, absolutes, and passive/active voice. After we finished that, students continued writing their science fiction story. We also discussed the essay prompts for Tuesday's essay test.

Due Monday...

-Read packet #4 and answer questions NEW DUE DATE

Long term deadlines...

-SciFi Essay Test on 5/14 (5/16 for French students)

-SciFi Story Start due on 5/17

-May IR Log due on 5/29

-Final fiction due on 5/29

7th Grade--5/10

Today we talked about avoiding anachronisms in historical fiction writing. I instructed students to look for errors specifically in vocabulary usage/slang, similes and metaphors, and technology. Students had the remainder of the period to write and research.

Due Monday...

-Read Act 3

-Historical fiction story start (1.5 pages TYPED minimum)

Long term due dates...

-Book Talk #2 on 5/29

8th Grade--5/9

Today students took the STAR assessment, and we briefly reviewed for tomorrow's grammar test.

Due tomorrow...

-Grammar test #3

Long term deadlines...

-Read packet #4 and answer questions for 5/14

7th Grade--5/9

Today we talked about researching for fiction writing and students began to do their research. You will have tomorrow during class to write/type your story.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term due dates...

-Read Act 3 for 5/13

-Book Talk #2 on 5/29

8th Grade--5/8

Today students had a double social studies period to work on their documentaries while I was on the field trip.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term deadlines...

-Grammar test #3 on 5/10

-Read packet #4 and answer questions for 5/14

7th Grade--5/8

Today students took a field trip to The Field Museum to learn about evolution.

Due tomorrow...

-Write 1/2 page of your historical fiction story in your journal

-Generate at least three research questions in your journal

Long term due dates...

-Read Act 3 for 5/13

-Book Talk #2 on 5/29

8th Grade--5/7

Today students met in their reading groups to discuss the stories and reflection questions that they completed for today. Next, we did a discussion activity during which we responded as "agree", "strongly agree", "disagree", and "strongly disagree" to the following statements concerning the topic of today's reading discussion.

• There is life out there in the universe
• There is intelligent life out there in the universe
• The earth would be better off without us
• We are the strongest forces in our world
• We should colonize and explore other regions of space
• Our society and species will stand the test of time

We discussed our responses and then wrote a brief reflection on our opinions and how these opinions might influence us as science fiction writers.

Due tomorrow...

-None

Long term deadlines...

-Grammar test #3 on 5/10

-Read packet #4 and answer questions for 5/14

7th Grade--5/7

Today students began writing their historical fiction. We began by making a chart to help us generate ideas about specific historical events that interested us. To assist in this, we brainstormed historical events/eras that would be good starting off points for our stories. With the remaining time, students began writing and generating research questions.

Due Thursday...

-Write 1/2 page of your historical fiction story in your journal

-Generate at least three research questions in your journal

Long term due dates...

-Read Act 3 for 5/13

-Book Talk #2 on 5/29

8th Grade---5/6

Today I corrected grammar quiz corrections for the second grammar quiz. After that, students looked at the idea generating activity from Friday and picked one story idea they might consider writing about. They shared that idea with the class. Next, students began writing. After 15-20 minutes of writing, we stopped and discussed the need for research in science fiction. Students spent the rest of class constructing research questions from their writing, and we concluded class by sharing those research questions.

Due tomorrow...

-Read science fiction packet #3 and answer questions

Long term deadlines...

-Grammar test #3 on 5/10

7th Grade--5/6

Today we took a comprehension quiz for A Raisin in the Sun, and we discussed the passage by looking at the following questions:

Due tomorrow...

-Final draft of the memoir

Long term deadlines...

-Read Act 3 for next Monday

8th Grade--5/3

Today we began class with an exercise in which students wrote down one fear or concern they have about either the future of government or the future of technology. We used these fears later on in the lesson as the starting off point for story writing. Students also met with their reading groups and discussed their science fiction stories for the day.

Due Monday...

-Grammar quiz corrections #2

Long term deadlines...

-Read science fiction packet #3 and answer questions for 5/7
-Grammar test #3 on 5/10

7th Grade--5/3

Today students took the STAR Reading Assessment in the computer lab. After the test, students had the rest of the period to make revisions to their memoirs based on my edits and ask any questions they might have had pertaining to those edits.

Due Monday...

-Read Act 2 in A Raisin in the Sun

Long term deadlines...

-Final draft of the memoir due on Tuesday (NEW DUE DATE)

8th Grade--5/2

Today students took the third WM test. It will be curved out of 17. After the test, students began writing their story starts for science fiction with the ideas from their subgenres packet.

Due tomorrow...

--Read scifi packet #2 and answer questions

Long term deadlines...

-Grammar quiz corrections #2 for 5/6

7th Grade--5/2

Today we took the third WM tests. It will be curved out of 15. After the test, we discussed common issues I noticed when editing the memoirs. These issues are listed below. Please edit for your final draft with these areas in mind.

• Transitions
• Vocabulary
• Varied sentence structure
• Physical character description
• Internal dialogue
• Including reflection
• Conclusions
• Show don't tell
• Past verb tense
• Writing out numbers under twenty
• Creative titles

Due tomorrow...

-Bring a digital copy of your memoir for editing

Long term deadlines...

-Read Act 2 for Monday

-Final draft of the memoir due on Tuesday (NEW DUE DATE)

8th Grade--5/1

Today we reviewed for the WM test tomorrow. The review game with answer key can be found here.

Due tomorrow...

-WordMasters test
-Complete subgenres packet

Long term deadlines...

-Grammar quiz corrections #2 for 5/6

-Read scifi packet #2 and answer questions for 5/3

7th Grade--5/1

Today we discussed the first act of A Raisin in the Sun and took a comprehension quiz on this section. Students wrote responses to the following discussion questions.

Due tomorrow...

-WordMasters test

Long term deadlines...

-Read Act 2 for Monday