Upcoming Units and Assignments 11/30 - 12/18

Over the next few weeks in language arts, we'll be finishing Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. The culminating assessment for the novel will be an essay. Students have been doing a great job in their class discussions of the novel.

In history, we're moving into the Revolutionary War era of American history. Students studied the Declaration of Independence, paraphrasing the entire Declaration and illustrating the complaints. We'll be reading a section of Adventure Tales of America and answering questions, comparing and contrasting the strengths and weaknesses of the Americans and the British forces. We'll also be watching a Discovery Channel film about the Revolutionary War. Before the winter break, students will have a test on the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War.

Upcoming Events and Assignments: November 11 through November 25

In language arts, we'll be expanding our exploration of literary terms and the Hero's Journey archetype by reading Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. We'll be holding Socratic Seminars in class to discuss and analyze the novel. In addition to the resources in students' SPRINGBOARD, we'll be using a series of packets to help access the vocabulary and themes in the novel. Here are links to packet one, packet two, and packet three.

In history, students are jumping into what I think is one of the most exciting units of the year: the Boston Massacre Mock Trial! Here's a link to an overview of the trial and a calendar of activities and assignments. Students will be learning about courtroom procedures and historical figures who were a part of the trial, whether as witnesses, defendants, or attorneys. We'll examine how historical events can be viewed from a variety of perspectives. I invite parents to attend the trials on Wednesday, November 18 from 1:00 to 3:00 for period 6 history students and on Thursday, November 19 from 1:00-3:00 for period 7 history students.

October 26th through November 6th

In language arts classes, we're continuing to write and analyze stories, examining plot through the lens of the Hero's Journey archetype. We've been thinking both creatively and critically, reading and writing in a range of styles and genres. During the first week of November, students will take a quiz on the Hero's Journey Archetype and the key literary terms we've been working with in our reading and writing. Here's a link to a list of key terms and plot elements we've been studying.

In history, students will be studying the "Road to Revolution." We'll begin with an overview, using the comic style history text Adventure Tales of America (here's a copy of the question guide) as well as a higher-level history textbook for more depth. Then we'll be launching into one of my favorite parts of the year: the Boston Massacre Mock Trial!

October 12th through October 23rd

It's hard to believe it, but the end of the first quarter is coming up on October 23rd. It's been a great start to the year!

In language arts, we'll be jumping into the SPRINGBOARD books, beginning with an examination of the Hero's Journey Archetype. We'll read, analyze, and discuss an excerpt from A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle, "The Drummer Boy of Shiloh" by Ray Bradbury, and a section of Homer's Odyssey.

In history, students will be preparing and presenting a mock trial. The trial is based on the historical trial of Anne Hutchinson. We'll review some of the key people, concepts, and places we've studied during the first quarter, and we'll have an end-of-quarter test on Thursday, October 22nd. Here's a link to a study guide for the test.

September 28th - October 9th

In language arts, students will be taking a mastery test on the eight parts of speech. We'll build on our understanding of the eight parts of speech to review sentence structure and simple versus compound sentences. Our Springboard books have arrived as well, so we'll be "springing" into that work as well. Here's a link to a website with information about the Springboard curriculum.

In history, we'll be continuing to study the 13 original colonies, finishing the colonial brochure before comparing and contrasting life in the various colonies. Students will review the names and locations of the 13 original colonies, and during the week of October 5th, we'll have a map quiz. Here's a link to a website that allows students to practice the locations of the 13 colonies. We'll discuss the Trial of Anne Hutchinson, and students will have an opportunity to participate in our first mock trial.

Also, a reminder: school won't be in session on Thursday, October 1st and Friday, October 2nd because of teacher inservice.

Upcoming Assignments and Events: September 14th - September 25th

We have some exciting events coming up in eighth grade. The whole eighth grade will be going to see William Shakespeare's Othello at Perseverance Theatre, with half of the students attending the show on September 17th and the other half on September 24th. Folks from the the theater are also coming to language arts classes to prepare students for the play. A big thanks to everyone at Perseverance Theatre for making this happen!

In addition to getting ready for Othello, we're continuing to study the parts of speech over the next couple of weeks in language arts. The following are links to some of the assignments:
Prepositions: Notes and Practice
Prepositions Writing Prompts
Conjunctions and Interjections: Notes and Practice
Sentence Diagrams: Adjectives and Adverbs

In history, we'll begin reading a chapter from Adventure Tales of America about exploration. Here's a link to the assignment. We'll move into some work in the textbook about the 13 original colonies, and students will work to create "Colonial Brochures" for a "Tour of the 13 Colonies" activity.

A few more upcoming dates:
Students will be MAP testing on September 18, 21, and 22.
Mid-Quarter is on Friday, September 18th. Students should be about 50% of the way to their reading point goals by this point, and they should have read at least one non-fiction book.

This Week...

I hope everyone enjoyed a great long weekend. Here's a look at what's happening in classes this week…

Language Arts- We'll focus on adjectives and adverbs this week. We'll work on defining and identifying adjectives and adverbs, and we'll discuss how they impact our writing. The following are links to some of our assignments and materials: Adverbs (Notes and Practice), Adjectives Review, and Nouns through Adverbs Review.

Advanced Language Arts- On Tuesday, we'll review adjectives and adverbs (here's a link to the review), and on Wednesday we'll have a quiz on nouns through adverbs. We'll move into prepositions at the end of the week.

History- Last week, students finished researching their Early American groups. This week, we'll write a Works Cited page, organize a speech, practice presenting in small groups, and present in class. Here's a link to the packet students are using for the project.

This Week...

First off, a couple of important dates this week:
Tuesday, September 1st is Picture Day.
Wednesday, September 2nd is Open House.

In Language Arts this week, we'll be getting more in depth with verbs, focusing on how active verbs power our writing. On Wednesday, we'll have a quiz on nouns, pronouns, and verbs. Then, we'll be studying adjectives.

In Advanced Language Arts, we're moving into adjectives and adverbs.

Here are some of the assignments and projects we'll be working on in language arts classes this week:
Adjectives Notes and Practice
Your Choice: Adjectives
Adjectives Writing Prompts
Adverbs Notes and Practice

In history, students will be working on a research project. Here's a link to the packet that will guide students through the steps.

It has been so much fun getting to know the students. I look forward to meeting families on Wednesday night!

This Week...

It was fantastic meeting everyone last week. We're off to a great start!

In language arts classes this week, we'll be jumping into a review and exploration of the parts of speech. I find that understanding the way the parts of speech functions really helps when it comes to analyzing and discussing writing pieces. We'll begin with a review of nouns and pronouns, taking notes and practicing individually and in groups. We'll move into a review of verbs, focusing on the three types of verbs. With every part of speech, we'll discuss how that element powers our writing, and we'll do some writing prompts like these and these. Here's a few links to some of the assignments we'll be working on in class:
Nouns and Pronouns Notes and Practice
Nouns and Pronouns Writing Prompts
Verbs Notes and Practice
Verbs Writing Prompts

In history, we'll be working on our Personal and Historical Timeline, which is due on Thursday. Then, we'll be reading about the earliest people who lived in America, beginning with a reading from Adventure Tales of America. (Here's a link to the questions for this assignment.)

Welcome Back!

I hope everyone had a great summer, and I'm so excited about Thursday. The first day of school is always one of my favorite days of the year; it's so much fun meeting all of my new students. Throughout the year, I'll post to this blog about upcoming assignments and activities in my classes, so feel free to check in regularly.
During the first week of language arts class, we'll be getting to know one another and looking ahead to the first weeks of the year. We'll begin by focusing on grammar--parts of speech and sentence structure, to get a strong base for all the reading and writing we'll be doing throughout the year.
In history, we'll begin by discussing the question of "What is history?" and we'll take a look at the various sources of historical information. Students will take a look at how personal and national history overlap, sequencing events in a Personal and Historical Timeline.
It's going to be a great year!

Have a great summer!!!

Upcoming Assignments and Events

In language arts, students recently finished presenting formal speeches, using some of the readings we've been discussing and analyzing over the past few weeks in the Springboard Books. Now, we're moving into a reader's theater unit about Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Here's a link to the original play and one to the Reader's Theater version with discussion questions embedded.

In history, students are working on their "A Journey Through the 19th Century" projects and reviewing for the Final Exam which will be on Wednesday, May 20th.

Other upcoming events include the following:
The Eighth Grade Gold Rush Simulation on Tuesday, May 26th
The Eighth Grade Picnic on Wednesday, May 27th
The Eighth Grade Promotion Ceremony on Thursday, May 28th

Resources for the "Presenting Voices" Lesson

You can find resources for the "Presenting Voices" lesson HERE and HERE.

Resources for Unit Three

In language arts, we're moving into SPRINGBOARD's Unit Three: The Challenge to Make a Difference. To begin this unit, we'll be studying a variety of stories, poems and memoirs from the Holocaust. To begin, we'll familiarize ourselves with some of the key terms we'll encounter in our readings and lit circle discussions.

Here are links to resources:
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Website
      Glossary (part of the museum website)
      Resources for Lesson can be found HERE

Link to Connectedness Survey

Click HERE for the link to the Connectedness Survey.

Argumentative Essays

Before spring break, we discussed the process of debating and writing about controversial issues. We learned about claims and counterclaims, logical fallacies, persuasive appeals (logos, ethos, pathos), evaluating sources for reliability, analyzing target audiences, quoting and paraphrasing information from a source. Now students will jump into their own argumentative essays, creating claims, researching those claims, and composing essays based on that research. We'll be using This Packet to guide the process. I look forward to hearing everyone's opinions!

History: Lewis and Clark

In history next week, we'll be working on Lewis and Clark Journals.
Here is a link to the National Geographic website's interactive Lewis and Clark journey.

In Language Arts...

Over the next two weeks in language arts, we'll be writing essays in response to Fahrenheit 451. You can find information about the assignment here, and outlines here and here. Our discussions in class have been great, and I'm looking forward to reading what students have to say about the novel.

In Language Arts...

We've been reading and discussing Fahrenheit 451 in class. What great points students have been making about the society of the novel and our own society! This week, in addition to continuing with our reading and analysis, students will write an expository paragraph exploring two different perspectives in the novel. You can find more information about the assignment HERE, including a sample outline and paragraph from a short story we read earlier in the quarter, "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
Also, conferences are right around the quarter, so look for conference forms at home. Mid-quarter is this Friday, February 6th.
And here's one more opportunity for student writers: a statewide poetry contest. Details can be found HERE.
We may not have much snow, and I miss skiing and snow machining; but on the bright side, it's great weather for reading and writing!

Writing Contest!

The University of Alaska Anchorage and the Alaska Dispatch News is holding its annual creative writing contest. They accept fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. They award cash prizes to the winners in each genre. (There's a category for grades 7-9). This is a great chance for students to get their work out into the world! Click HERE for more information.

FAHRENHEIT 451

In Language Arts, we're starting Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. Over the next few weeks, we'll be reading, analyzing, and discussing this dystopian novel. When we finish, students will be writing essays  in response to the themes in the novel. We'll begin each part by previewing the vocabulary, we'll use the following three Reader's Notebook packets to guide our vocabulary study and class discussions: Reader's Notebook One, Reader's Notebook Two, Reader's Notebook Three. A recent re-read of the novel reminded me of how fascinating it is and how relevant the themes remain even now, years after it was first published--we'll have a lot to talk about!

Also, an update: we sent home notices earlier this week, but in case anyone missed it, we have postponed our field trip to Eaglecrest due to snow conditions. We've re-scheduled for March 26th and 27th. Keep hoping for snow!

Yearbook Survey

Yearbook students have asked that all students at Dryden take a survey for the yearbook. Please click HERE for the Yearbook survey.