8th GRADE NEW TUTORIAL TIME! MONDAYS 8-8:30 am

Due to what I anticipate will be a high need for help in writing magnet program application essays, I have added another tutorial. This tutorial will be every Monday morning from 8-8:30 am. It is ONLY for eighth graders and it is ONLY a writing tutorial. I am still keeping my Tuesday afternoon tutorial for students who are not eighth graders and for students who need help with other ELA related concerns. Please note that I will still, of course, help students with their writing during Tuesday tutorials and that eighth graders can still come to the Tuesday tutorial but the Monday tutorial is a chance for me to work exclusively with the eighth graders to help them refine their writing skills.

7th grade: Today in Language Arts-Writer's Workshop

All students read for 10 minutes. Today was a work and writing conference day. Students worked on creating their 5 paragraph mobiles. Since so few students finished, I've extended this deadline until Monday. In writing conferences, I helped students who were not done with their essay complete their final draft. At this point in time, ALL students should be done with their final draft of their five paragraph essay.

Homework: If you haven't finished, finish your five paragraph mobile. All mobiles due on Monday, December 1st.

8th grade: Today in Language Arts-Writer's Workshop

All students read for 10 minutes. I modeled for students how to do a BookShare. On the Monday we return from Thanksgiving Break, eighth graders will start giving BookShares.
Today was a work and writing conference day. Students worked on writing the first draft of their research papers. I held writing conferences with students who needed help with their first drafts. *PLEASE NOTE-Because I have offered so many writing conferences and work times during class for students who needed help, all students who sought assistance have received it. This means that students who show up to ELA class on Monday who state that they didn't finish the writing assignment because they "didn't understand it" will be subject to the late work penalty. This behavior is becoming way too common with the eighth graders and I need parental support in nipping it in the bud so that we can adequately prepare the eighth graders for high school.

Homework: Finish the first draft of your research paper. Due Monday, December 1st.

8th grade: Today in Language Arts-Writer's Workshop

Students turned in their Reading Folders for Week 2 today. After we return from break, our regular Reading Folder schedule will resume. I showed students how I made my outline from my research and did a mini-lesson and modeled for students how I was going to write my research paper now that I had my outline set up. I then taught students three ways that they can cite sources within a paper. Students took notes in their Writer's Notebooks and after several questions on this topic, students spent the remainder of the hour working on their research papers.

Homework: First draft on Native American topic Due Monday, December 1st.

7th grade: Today in Language Arts-Reader's Workshop

All students read in their books for 10 minutes. Reading Folders will be due on December 1st, 2009, when we return from Thanksgiving break. We read Chapter 12 together in The Giver. Students spent the remainder of class working on their 5 paragraph mobiles.

Homework: If you have not finished, please finish your FINAL DRAFT of your 5 paragraph essay. Mobiles are due at the end of class tomorrow!

8th grade: Today in Language Arts-Writer's Workshop

All students read for 10 minutes. I modeled for students how to do a BookShare and had them record the important information about my BookShare on the new BookShare sheet. Students worked in groups to outline another essay. We reconvened and I went over the answers to the outline with students. I then passed out a bibliography handout to students to help them see how to cite their sources in a bibliography page. I went over the expectations for work and behavior for the next 3 days (I will be on a fieldtrip with the seventh graders).

Homework: Make sure that you have your research annotated and an outline of your research completed by Monday, November 24th.

7th grade: Today in Language Arts-Reader's Workshop

All students read in their books for 10 minutes. Ms. Black led the students through an activity related to The Giver. Each student was seated at a desk with a colored piece of paper. Students had 2 minutes to record their emotions about the color on the piece of paper and then they switched to a new station. At the new station was another piece of paper with different colored paper. Students cycled through 5 different stations. Then students gathered into a discussion circle and had a class discussion about their feelings about each color and discussed major themes in The Giver (such as sameness, choice, etc).

Homework: None.

8th grade: Today in Language Arts-Writer's Workshop

Students read in their independent books for 10 minutes. I went over 7 steps students need to take each time they write a research paper. As students took notes in their Writer's Notebooks, I talked specifically about how they should go about each step for their Native American research paper. Then I taught students how to outline. I explained to them the basic functions and purpose of outlining and went over some relevant terminology. Then we read an essay and I modeled for students how to outline the first part of the essay. Students helped me outline the second part. For the time remaining in class, students worked in groups to outline a second essay. As there was not enough time in class to finish it, students will need to finish this for homework.

Homework: Finish outlining Essay Two.

7th grade: Today in Language Arts-Writer's Workshop

Students read for 10 minutes in their independent books. Students completed their final drafts of their five paragraph essay and I met with many students today for individual writing conferences to help them prepare for their final drafts. Some students have already began constructing their mobiles! Students spent the last 10 minutes of class taking the Vocabulary 2 quiz from The Giver.

Homework: None

8th grade: Today in Language Arts-Writer's Workshop

Students set up their new Reading Folders for Term 2. I gave students the big picture and outlined for them the steps we would be taking in Language Arts to get them ready for the presentation night on December 10th. On the overhead, I had a copy of the research on Native American culture that I had gathered and I modeled for students how to dissect a piece of research by annotating the text. We went through the first 3 pages of my research together. As students read the research I showed them how to annotate a research text in order to gather information for their research paper. I also showed students how a particular part of my research that was very interesting to me, helped me brainstorm some ideas for the piece I could present on December 10th. Students spent the last 10 minutes of class reading in their independent books.

Homework: If you have not already, gather research on a topic of Native American culture that is of high interest to you. Annotate the research so that you can have some topics to put on an outline when we start writing the paper on Monday.

7th grade: Today in Language Arts-Reader's Workshop

Students set-up their new reading folders for Term 2. Then Ms. Black led the students through an activity where they had to use the annotations they've put in their books to write three paragraphs evaluating The Giver.

Homework: Study for the vocabulary quiz on Monday!

7th and 8th grade: Today in Language Arts-Reader's Workshop

All students read in their books for 10 minutes. I reviewed with 8th graders and explained to 7th graders what a BookShare was and why we do them in Language Arts. I explained the format and expectations for this required public speaking activity. Since so many students struggle with explaining the genre of their books (a requirement for BookShares) I had students watch a dvd on how to identify the different genres. Students shared their insights on the different genres at the end of the dvd.

7th grade homework: Vocabulary 2 activity

8th grade homework: Make sure to bring your research on a Native American topic tomorrow. We will be conducting an annotation activity with the research you bring.

TERM TWO 8th grade: Today in Language Arts-Reader's Workshop

Students read in their independent books for 10 minutes. I reviewed gerunds with students as the quiz scores from last week were so low. I gave students 3 steps they could take when trying to figure out if the word at hand was a gerund or not. Then students practiced in their groups with a gerund worksheet and we reviewed the answers. Students may use this worksheet as a study tool for next Monday's quiz.
Students spent the rest of the hour reading pages 94-108 in Flowers for Algernon with their groups. They were asked to answer the following three questions about their reading:
1) How has Charlie's increase in intelligence affected his relationships?
2) What's ironic about Frank Reiley's reaction when Charlie confronts him?
3) Do you think that mentally retarded people are treated less than human beings in our society?

Homework: Gather some research about a topic of interest to you that you've been studying in Mr. Fine's class about Native American history.

TERM 2 7th grade: Today in Language Arts-Writer's Workshop

Students read in their independent books for 10 minutes. Then I gave students the vocabulary list 2 for The Giver and we went through the definitions for each word and its respective part of speech. I then shared with students my first draft of my five paragraph essay. Students read my first draft and my final draft and we discussed the differences between the two. I explained the problem with "formulaic" writing that usually happens when students write a five paragraph essay but then showed students the kind of writing I expect from them now that they are in the seventh grade. Students spent the remainder of class working on their essay.

Homework: Complete your five paragraph essay by tomorrow.

8th grade: Today in Language Arts-Reader's Workshop

Students read in their independent books for 15 minutes. I made several announcements about new requirements and changes that will take place in ELA for Term 2. Then students spend the rest of the hour looking up their dreams that they've recorded in their dream journal on a dream analysis website (dreammoods.com).

Homework: There is NO homework. The homework assigned for Thursday has been reassigned to Monday b/c we ran out of time.

7th grade: Today in Language Arts-Reader's Workshop

All students read in their books for 10 minutes. 7A completed their packet. Ms. Black led 7B through an analysis of The Giver by teaching the students about connections. Students had to make text-to-text, text-to-world, and text-to-self connections with chapters 1-8 by completing an assignment in their Reader's Notebooks.

Homework: None! Term 2 starts on Monday!

8th grade: Today in Language Arts-Reader's Workshop

Students submitted their Reading Folders for a grade today. We spend most of the hour reading Progress Report 11 in Flowers for Algernon. In their Reader's Notebooks, students described 3 dreams/nightmares that Charlie has had thus far in the novel. They then worked in groups to describe the insights they've gained about Charlie and his past based on these dreams.

Homework: Gather information on your interest in Native American culture. We will be starting the research paper on Monday.

7th grade: Today in Language Arts-Writer's Workshop

All students submitted their Reading Folders for a grade. I modeled for students how to assemble their 5 paragraph mobile that they will complete when they've finished with their 5 paragraph essay. Students spent the remainder of the hour working on their 5 paragraph essays and conferencing with me about their essays.

7A is on punishment until next Monday. They worked in their CRCT practice packets.

Homework (7A only): Read Chapter 8 in The Giver. Be prepared for a quiz on this chapter tomorrow.

8th grade: Today in Language Arts-Writer's Workshop

All students read in their books for 15 minutes. Students shared their responses to the questions I presented on Monday for Progress Report 10 in Flowers for Algernon and we discussed these for a little bit. I reviewed the 5 paragraph essay with students and gave them a handout that explains the breakdown for the 5 paragraph essay and presents a model of it. We will start our research five paragraph essay on Friday.

Homework: One weekly reading question. Reading Folders due tomorrow.

7th grade: Today in Language Arts-Reader's Workshop

All students read in their books for 15 minutes.

7A is on punishment until Friday due to their behavior on Monday. 7A worked on a CRCT prep packet for the remainder of the hour.

7B read Chapter 8 in The Giver. Ms. Black led the students in a class discussion about mood and theme in Chapter 8.

Homework: One weekly reading question. Reading Folders due tomorrow!