ENGLISH 7

Handed out new grammar packet, #10, due  Thursday.

Briefly reviewed new endings for A Wrinkle In Time.


Began The Giver, by Lois Lowry. Pre-reading activity. And, on overhead, a presentation.

In groups, began creating the perfect community.On Wednesday, will get your copy of The Giver.


HW: Weds: Planner Check
          Thurs: Mugshot and Grammar Packet #10. Read Chapter 1, The Giver.Don't be surprised if there is a quiz, or reading check-in!
          Fri: Spelling exercises and test, Unit 15, p. 75, 1-20

ENGLISH 8

QW: As she drifted into sleep, a final tear trickled down her cheek.  Make this the beginning or the end of your story or poem. Five minutes. 

Brief discussion on yesterday’s anticipation guide. 

Author John Steinbeck. Took notes.

Watched Power Point on Steinbeck and The Pearl.

Literary terms to know while reading the novel. Handout.

Got your copy of the book, The Pearl.  Put your name in book and sign out a number.

 For homework, read Chapter 1 of The Pearl and answer questions on worksheet. Complete sentences, short ones, but sentences!


**Please deliver The Pearl note to parents.**

HW: Weds: Read Chapter 1 of The Pearl and complete worksheet

         Thurs: Vocabulary worksheet for Chapter 1 

    Fri. 12/03: Read Chapter 2 and complete worksheet

    

    Thurs: 12/09 First Response Due (details to come)

Welcome back from vacation. Hope you all had good ones.
Classes did great today with subsitute teacher. Reports were great! Thank you.

ENGLISH 7

Completed spelling pretest Unit 15
Handed out new mugshot packets.
Read  in literature textbooks, A Wrinkle In Time, introduction to science fiction on p. 688, and the story through page 692. Wrote a new ending and handed it in.


HW: Weds: Planner check
         Thurs:  Grammar Packet, mugshot
         Fri: Spelling exercises and test, Unit 15

ENGLISH 8

In preparation for The Pearl, watched a video biography on author John Steinbeck and took notes. Completed an anticipation guide handout, which we will discuss on Tuesday.


Handed out vocabulary worksheet for Chapter 1 of The Pearl, due Thursday.
Tomorrow, you will get your copy of the novel, as well as a reader's guided questions for Chapter 1.


HW: Weds: Chapter 1, questions, complete sentences.
        Thurs: Chapter 1 vocabulary (This takes the place of spelling test while we read The Pearl.)
        Fri: Chapter 2, questions.


Thurs., Dec. 9: First response assignment for The Pearl.

Happy Thanksgiving. Hope everyone had a fun, relaxing weekend.

Things our family did: Play in the snow, travel to Seattle to see family, see the newest Harry Potter movie.

ENGLISH 7

Seedfolks projects handed in. We shared them. Great work. Can't wait to hang them on our walls.

Completed spelling test, Unit 14. 

Graded yesterday's Seedfolks test. The multiple choice part. (Absent folk: it's your responsibility to come in and make this up on your return to school.)

Mugshot check-in and review. Make sure to turn in your mugshot sheets for 30 points. (Absent folk, take note, bring yours in on your return.)

A quickie mugshot review test. (Absent ones: You have to make this one up, too!)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

                                                                                                        

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ENGLISH 8

Finished figurative language and Maya Angelou handouts.

Spelling Unit 14 Test. A quick one.

We read some of those turkeys! (Essays, that is) And gave them a grade.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYONE! (Remember the turkey.)

                     

Edit this page (if you have permission) |

Google Docs -- Web word processing, presentations and spreadsheets.

 

ENGLISH 7

Spelling pre-test, Unit 14. Test tomorrow. No exercises!


Seedfolks multiple choice test. 




HW: Tues: Seedfolks project. No late passes.
Mugshot week 12, and check in sheet for 30 points credit
        Spelling, Unit 14, quiz. No exercises!

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 ENGLISH 8

QW: Restaurant critics, who write about food for a living, often get to eat at posh (fancy) restaurants. Even if you haven’t had a meal at The Cliff House recently, you can try your hand at food writing. Think of the last really good (or really bad meal) you had and write a review of it. Remember, descriptive language. Details. Show, don’t tell.


Figurative language and Maya Angelou handouts. Discussed, along with questions from Friday.


HW: Tues: Spelling, Unit 14, quiz. No exercises! 

ENGLISH 7

Completed Spelling test and exercises, Unit 13

Seedfolks. Worktime, project.

HW:Tues: Seedfolks, final project. EC for early turn-in

 

ENGLISH 8

 Turkey Essay. Final draft. Handed in. 

Maya Angelou. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Worked on questions, p.38. Complete sentences. Be prepared to  present to class. 


Figurative language. Handouts. Finish in class Monday.

HW: Notice how nothing is written here that has anything to do with homework that would be due in the foreseeable future.

ENGLISH 7

Checked in mugshot week 11 and grammar packet #9

Reviewed  Seedfolks questions.

Worktime. Seedfolks project.

HW: Fri: Spelling exercises Unit 13, p. 67, 1-20 and test, 

Tues: Seedfolks, final project

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ENGLISH 8

Completed Spelling test and exercises, Unit 13

Returned rough draft. Turkey essay. Handouts on thesis and conclusion. .

Try to make sure your have a great introductory first paragraph with a thesis at the end of it your first paragraph. Work on the conclusions, too. Make the reader want to respond the way you want them to. Give them a memory, or an action. 

Maya Angelou continues Friday.

HW: Fri: Beginning of period, Turkey essay, final draft. Typed, double-spaced. Or write, in pen only, and skip every other line.

ENGLISH 7

Planners checked.

Characters chosen for final project.

Seedfolks. Finished yesterday’s study questions. Worked on new ones. 

HW: Thurs: Mugshot week 11 and Grammar Packet #9 . Bring in materials to work on Seedfolks project. 

Spelling exercises Unit 13, p. 67, 1-20 and test

           Tues: Final Seedfolks project due. EC if hand in on Monday     

ENGLISH 8

Biography Final project handed in. Now wasn’t that a fun 60 points?

Turkey’s Last Plea. An essay. Handouts. Today, we will outline and do a rough draft of an essay to save a poor turkey’s like. Yes, that’s the topic.

Rough draft due at end of class today. I will return to you Thursday. Final draft will be due on Friday.

We will get back to Maya Angelou on Thursday and Friday.

HW: Thurs: Spelling exercises and review, Unit 13, p. 67, 1-20.

Fri: Turkey’s Last Plea, essay, Final Draft

ENGLISH 7

 Seedfolks. Discussed study questions on chapters 7, 8 and 9 in Seedfolks.

HW: Weds: Planner check.  Finish Seedfolks, chapter 10 to the end.

Thurs: Mugshot week 11 and Grammar Packet #9 . Bring in materials to work on Seedfolks project.

           Tues: Final Seedfolks project due. EC if hand in on Monday     

ENGLISH 8

“I stopped speaking for five-and-a-half years. I had a voice, but I refused to speak.” -- Maya Angelou

Writer Maya Angelou, video and excerpt from “I Know Why The

Caged Bird Sings,” p. 30, lit textbook. Questions, p. 38.

HW: Weds Biography Final project. No late passes

Thurs: Spelling exercises and review, Unit 13

Fri: Turkey essay ( Details on Weds)

ENGLISH 7

o       Spelling pretest Unit 13

o       Handed new grammar packet #9, Due Thursday

o       Discussed "opinion" from Friday and some of the first six characters. Predictions.

o       Handed out final Seedfolks project and reading schedule

HW: Tues Chapters 7, 8 and 9 of Seedfolks.

Tuesday at break, makeup spellings test Unit 12 for those absent on Friday. One-day only!

 Weds: Planner check Finish Seedfolks, chs 10 to the end. 12 is missing

Thurs: Mugshot week 11 and Grammar Packet #9

           Tues: Final Seedfolks project due. EC if hand in on Monday     

ENGLISH 8

Return IOAs. General findings.  Overall, some really great work, thoughtful responses, success at beginning to master the multi-paragraph essay structure. I wish I could read them all to you, but some are too personal to share.

 Following structure still important. For every CD (detail, example), write two CMs (comments, or commentary.) No longer use “this shows” unless it fits with what you’re saying. For most, it does not anymore.   Needed to show a connection to you, for each each point.  Generalities and vagueness not effective, especially in a personal essay like this one was. 

    

Instead of: “They are always there for me,” try this: 

“My father will leave his home office and help me with my homework even though he often has hours of work ahead of him.” (cd1) (Then comment): “He is always there for me, making what I do seem important. (cm1) That gives me security to believe in what I am doing, too. (cm2)
 

 Pay attention to: transitions, comments from your peer editors, and making changes from rough to final drafts.

Took a moment to read over your returned paper. Comments on papers.

We took and graded each others Grammar Tests. Wow, you are a tough bunch. Results later this week.  

HW: Tues: At break, makeup spelling test, Quinn, Kadyn

Weds: Biography Final project. No late passes.

Thurs: Spelling exercises and review, Unit 13, p. 67, 1-24

Fri: Turkey essay, final draft ( Details soon)

                  

We made it all the way to Friday!

ENGLISH 7

Completed Spelling Unit 12. Exercises and Test.

Exercises are out of 25 points. Test is worth 20. Number correct at top of papers.

Have to make up test if absent. Make up day is Tuesday, 11/16 at break. Only time!  

Absent: Robbie, Zach, Simon, Max, Cyrus, Christian, Mason

Grammar Packet # 8 Checked in and Reviewed. (Absent? Due Monday, beginning of period).

Seedfolks: Diversity and opinion questionnaire. Filled out. Discussion continues on Monday 

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ENGLISH 8

Finished up grammar tests. If someone in your group wants to print it at home and hand in neat copies for me on Monday, you can do that. 

Otherwise, today. And yes, neatness, along with accuracy, counts!

Finished work on grammar tests? Class time to work on Biography Final Project. 

Use it or lose it 10-point workday.

Eighth-graders spelling Unit 12 make-up test on Tues, Nov. 16, at break. Only time!  

HW: Weds. Biography Final Project. No late passes.  

 

ENGLISH 7

Planners check. Mugshot review, Week 10

Seedfolks  Addedcharacter maps for Leona and Sam. Turned in completed character maps.

HW: Fri: Grammar Packet #8

Spelling Unit 12, proofreading exercises, pgs. 60-63. And test.

  ENGLISH 8
  

Returned biography response #3

Completed Spelling Unit 12, proofreading exercises, pgs. 60-63. And test.

If you were absent, you need to make up this test on Tuesday, at break.

Worked on grammar tests design. If your partners know they won’t be in school on Friday, don’t let them leave with your work!

HW:
Fri: Nov 12 Grammar Test Design, EOP. If done sooner, can work on biography final project so bring work in.
Weds., Nov. 17: Final Biography project due. No lates.

Remember, there is school on Friday!

ENGLISH 7

Great Character partner work on Seedfolks.

When complete,  read Leona and Sam. Start with another chart to do one on each of them. Keep your charts together, and we will go over on Wednesday. We will be using character work to build to our character analysis for the final Seedfolks project.

HW: Weds: Read Leona and Sam. Who do you think Sam is?
Weds: Planner check and mugshot week 10 (due Weds, not Thursday!)

Fri: Spelling unit 12, a review of units 7-11. You are responsible for all 50 words but will only be tested on 20 of them. Proofread exercises, pgs. 61-63. Grammar Packet. No. 8.
 

ENGLISH 8

Handed in Biography response #3.

 
Discussed final biography project, due a week from Wednesday. Models.

On scrap paper, wrote what you thought of your biography. Was it well-written? What changes did your subject go through? How many pages is your book? Did you finish? If not, how many left to go and how will you finish?

Group time to work on grammar test design.

HW:
Weds: Spelling Unit 12, proofreading exercises, pgs. 60-63. And test.
Fri: Nov. 12 Grammar Test Design, EOP
Weds., Nov. 17: Final Biography project due  

ENGLISH 7

Spelling pretest for Unit 12, a review of units 7-11. All the words are on page. 60. Even if you get 100 percent on Monday, everyone has to take post-test on Friday. Exercises due Friday: Proofread and find misspelled words on pgs. 60, 61, 62 and 63. You do not have to write the entire paragraphs, just the words, in order and spell them correctly.

Returned personal narratives. I am humbled by your work, your honesty, your attention to detail. Overall, great showing. Please read my comments.

 Remember following directions counts. In this case, it meant including rough draft, peer edit and assignment sheet. Points off if did not type. Those of you who used checklists did well, maybe better than you thought!

New Grammar packet # 8, due Friday not Thursday

Classwork: Seedfolks character summaries, with charts. Use direct passages (quotes) to find as many things as possible you can say about each character. One summary per character. Can work with one partner. Fill in the charts. You have four to do:

Kim, Ana, Wendell and Gonzalo.

HW:
Weds: Planner check and mugshot week 10 (due Weds, not Thursday!)
Fri: Spelling unit 12, a review of units 7-11. You are responsible for all 50 words but will only be tested on 20 of them. Proofread exercises, pgs. 61-63.

Grammar Packet. No. 8.

ENGLISH 8

QW: Write about an individual in Spellbound. Take the point of view (or the voice) of one of the competitors. Identify yourself. Write about how you did, how you felt when you won one of the rounds, what it meant to you and your family, and what it meant to win, or lose, or compete. Use complete sentences and thoughts.

Handed in writer’s notebooks, using post-its, marking five entries you would like me to read.

*Note: Spelling test Unit 12 and exercises are due Wednesday, instead of Thursday because of holiday.  Proofread and find misspelled words on pgs. 60, 61,  62 and 63. You do not have to write the entire paragraphs, just the words, in order and spell them correctly.

Grammar Test Design Handout. Discuss. Groups of 3/4.  Assigned.

HW: Tues: Biography #3 Response. Finish Book

Weds: Spelling Unit 12, proofreading exercises, pgs. 60-63. And test.

Fri: Nov 12 Grammar Test Design

Weds., Nov. 17: Final Biography project due 

ENGLISH 7

Reviewed Spelling Unit 11, exercises and test. 

Quickie grammar test (review).

Next week, we will continue with Seedfolks, working on Wendell and Gonzalo's stories, as well as character summaries on the others we read.

ENGLISH 8
   

Returned biography response #2

  Finished Spellbound. 

5th period had an impromptu spelling bee. Daniel Maxwell took honors!

HW: Tues: Biography #3 Response. Finish Book

         Weds: Nov. 17: Biography Final Project

ENGLISH 7
Reviewed Mugshot week 9 and grammar packet review of unit 1.

Seedfolks. Ana's story.

HW:   Fri: Spelling Unit 11, exercises, p.57,  1-20 and test. ; read Wendell and Gonzalo's stories.

ENGLISH 8

Completed Spelling Unit 11, exercises and test.

Spellbound, continue.

HW: Tues: 11/09 Third Biography response. Finish book.

Weds: 11/17 Final Biography Project

ENGLISH 7
Planners checked

Shared Community posters. They were fabulous!
We have started Seedfolks, by Paul Fleischman. A little background.

Paul Fleischman is a Californian who likes to read while he enjoys his morning cup of coffee and a bagel. Frustrated when he couldn’t find a copy of the local newspaper, he picked up a free new age newspaper and was “instantly rewarded.” There he found an article about a psychotherapist who used gardening as therapy. She mentioned that doctors in ancient Egypt prescribed walking through a garden as a cure for the insane. “That’s the line that set the hook deep,” he said. From there, he began to develop memories, ideas, and newspaper stories. Interviewing others who have experienced therapeutic gardening, he began to develop the various characters for Seedfolks. The book is present day, told from the points of view of 13 different multicultural characters. The setting is a patchwork of plots in the community garden. “For me, the ancient Egyptians were right. A stroll through a community garden leaves me happy and hopeful, cheered by the sight of what we can accomplish together.”

The story: A vacant lot, rat-infested and filled with garbage, looked like no place for a garden. Until one day, a young girl clears a small space and digs into the hard-packed soil to plant her precious bean seeds. Suddenly, the soil holds promise for a neighborhood of strangers. Thirteen very different voices--old, young, Haitian, Hispanic, tough, haunted, and hopeful tell one amazing story about a garden that transforms a neighborhood.
How a community is born and nurtured.
We read and discussed Kim's chapter. For homework, read Ana's chapter, chapter 2.

HW:    Thurs: Mugshot week 9, Grammar Packet Review of Unit 1; read Ana's chaptr
         Fri: Spelling Unit 11, exercises, p.57,  1-20 and test.

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ENGLISH 8
IOA essays handed in. Essay #1 down. ? to go!


Begin watching Spellbound. The movie. About champion spellers.  A documentary. The real thing.
This documentary follows eight teens and pre-teens as they work their way toward the finals of the National Spelling Bee championship. All work hard and practice daily, first winning their regional competition. They face tremendous pressure as the original 250 competitors are whittled down, and words get more difficult. We meet them and their families: two with single parents, three children of immigrants, and a few with learning disabilities.

HW: Thurs: Spelling exercises, p. 57, 1-20, Unit 11

Tues: 11/09 Third Biography response. Finish book.

Weds: 11/17 Final Biography Project

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Go Giants!

ENGLISH 7
Go Giants!
QW: Think about your neighborhood. What does it mean to be neighbors? What is your relationship with your neighbors? What are some things that could potentially turn a neighborhood into a community? Do you think that your neighbors would welcome an opportunity to get to know one another better?

On Community. In groups, we  wrote and decorated a poster for a definition for the word "community."

Got copies of Seedfolks. You only get one copy so don't lose it! Put your name on it.

For homework, read Kim's story. Chapter 1. We will discuss on Wednesday.

HW: Weds Planner check. Read Kim's story.

         Thurs: Mugshot week 9, Grammar Packet Review of Unit 1

         Fri: Spelling Unit 11, exercises, p.57,  1-20 and test

______________________________________________________________________

ENGLISH 8

Checked in biography 2nd response. 

Returned and reviewed Grammar packets on clauses, simple, compound and complex sentences.

Took quiz on grammar just reviewed.

QW: Commonly misspelled words. The following words are commonly misspelled, by a lot of people. Write a short entry,  a few paragraphs, using at least five of the words. Watch your grammar and punctuation, too.

beginning, definitely, extremely, controversial, valuable, surprise, strategy, receipt, neighbor, convenient, characteristic, unnecessary, therefore, jealousy, ridiculous

HW: Weds: Final draft, IOA essay, stapled w/ rough, peer edit. self-edit and assignment sheet on top
Thurs: Spelling exercises, Unit 11, p. 57, 1-20

Tues: 11/09 Third Biography response. Finished book.

Weds: 11/17 Final Biography Project

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 ENGLISH 7 
QW: A Lot of Parrot Paraphernalia.
Believe it or not, the word alot does not exist. It is a made-up word that is never grammatically correct. Always use the phrase a lot instead. To ensure that you never, ever forget this rule, write four sentences using a lot. Write one about parrots, one about having things done your way, one about bicycles, and one about ice cream.

Completed Spelling pretest Unit 11, on possessives and plurals. How to form possessives and plural nouns. Watch out for proper placement of apostrophes.

New grammar packet, a review of Unit 1. Test later this week.

In class,  did the “write” exercise in spelling book, p. 56. Shared a few.

HW: Weds Planner check
         Thurs: Mugshot week 9; Grammar Packet Review Unit 1
         Fri: Spelling Unit 11, exercises, p.57,  1-20 and test.

ENGLISH 8

Returned Biography 1st response. Modeled a few.

IOA essay. Models.

Peer editing on rough draft of IOA essay.  Two forms. Make sure you hand these in with your final draft, due Wednesday. 

If you did not hand in a rough draft on Friday, you did not get credit for it and lost out on an edit. Please make sure to hand this work in on time. If you were absent on Friday, your rough draft should have been here today. If you had one absent day earlier in last week, your rough draft was due today. If you were leaving school early on Friday, you still should have turned in your rough draft. Rough drafts and peer edits matter, beyond just the points lost.

Got self-edit IOA form, too. Must also be attached to final draft.

HW: Tues: Biography 2nd response due. Be two-thirds through book
Weds: Final draft, IOA essay, stapled with rough, peer edit, self-edit and assignment sheet on top
Thurs: Spelling exercises, Unit 11, p. 57, 1-20