Thursday, October 28th

8th Grade

Lesson Objectives - After some more practice with the unit 4 vocabulary words, students will be able to identify parts of a sentence.  They will then compare/contrast "Flying" with "The Great Rat Hunt."
Homework - Students are to continue working on their anecdote rough drafts which are due on Monday.  The October RRS is due tomorrow.

7th Grade

Lesson Objectives - After some more practice with the chapter 4 vocabulary words, students will be able to identify the author's purpose in a writing sample.  They will then continue with their presentations from yesterday.
Homework - Students may do corrections from their vocabulary chapter 3 quiz.  The October RRS is due tomorrow.

Wednesday, October 27th

8th Grade

Lesson Objectives - After the introduction to the new vocabulary unit, students will brainstorm information that will help them with their writing assignment.  For this, students will provide an anecdotal description of someone they know.  It can be a friend, family member, pet, or anyone who has played an important part in the lives of the students  
Homework - Students are to continue with their writing assignment.  The finished product is to be between 1-2 pages.

7th Grade

Lesson Objectives - Students will create their personal autobiographical time-lines and present them to the class.  They will also examine the various criteria that make up a biographical work and compare/contrast various sources regarding the same subject matter in order to gauge their value.
Homework - Students are to complete their corrections for the vocabulary chapter 3 quiz.

Monday. October 25th

8th Grade

Lesson Objectives - Students will be able to determine Reeve Lindbergh's purpose when she wrote her anecdote "Flying."
Homework - Students will study for tomorrow's vocabulary unit three quiz.

7th Grade

Lesson Objectives -Students will examine the structure and characteristics of an autobiography.  They will apply these principles to Eleanor Roosevelt's own autobiography and create a time-line of the events in her life.
Homework - Students will study for tomorrow's vocabulary chapter three quiz.

Wednesday, October 20th

8th Grade

Lesson Objectives - Students will be able to identify the necessary parts of a sentence.  They will then continue to work on their memoir assignment that is due on Friday.
Homework - Aside from working on their memoir assignment, students are to continue working on their October RRS which is due at the end of next week.

7th Grade

Lesson Objectives - Students will continue with their presentations after we complete some review work concerning their use of fragment and run-on sentences.
Homework - Students are to continue working on their October RRS which is due at the end of next week.

Tuesday, October 19th

Parents & Guardians: Starting this week, our ELA classes will take part in a practice DCAS assessment.  During this time, students will become familiar with the process of starting a test as well as using the tools and  features in the program that will assist them.  Even though this is a practice run, please encourage your child to do his or her best anyway.  The first official assessment will take place in the first week of November.

8th Grade

Lesson Objectives - Students will continue with yesterday's assignment.  They will present their projects to the class today.
Homework - Aside from working on their memoir assignment, students are to continue working on their October RRS which is due at the end of next week.

7th Grade

Lesson Objectives - Students will continue with their presentations after we complete some review work concerning their use of fragment and run-on sentences.
Homework - Students are to continue working on their October RRS which is due at the end of next week.

Monday, October 18th

8th Grade

Lesson Objectives - Students will examine the story "The Great Rat Hunt" from a different perspective.  With this shift in point of view, students are to construct a new author's purpose.  They will present their works to the rest of the class.

Homework - Aside from working on their memoir assignment, students are to have a parent sign the Student Detail Report.

7th Grade

Lesson Objectives - Students will be able to determine whether certain actions in the story help to advance the plot.  They will then be able to choose one of two writing assignments which require the student to apply new ideas to the material that we have read together.
Homework - Students are to have a parent sign the Student Detail Report.

October 15th, 2010

8th Grade

Lesson Objectives - Students will start their next unit in the vocabulary book.  They will then study another example of a memoir in order to understand its structure, sensory details, etc.  Students begin brainstorming their memoir which will count as part of their next test.
Homework - Compose a brief one-paragraph treatment, or summary of their memoir to be turned in on Monday.

7th Grade

Lesson Objectives - Students will start their next unit in the vocabulary book. They will then examine the personality traits and motives of both primary and secondary characters from the story "Zebra."
Homework - Watch an episode of a television show that you usually don't watch.  Describe 3 personality traits as well as the 3 motives that define the main character.

Wednesday, October 13th

8th Grade

Lesson Objectives - After students take their quiz for vocabulary unit 2, they will continue with their analysis of "The Great Rat Hunt" in determining the main idea of the memoir.  Students will begin to brainstorm their own ideas about constructing a personal memoir as well.
Homework - Answer the following in a paragraph response: What are some of the things that we as Americans take for granted? Explain.

7th Grade

Lesson Objectives - After students take their quiz for vocabulary unit 2, they will continue with the next story titled "Zebra."  They will make inferences about character traits based on the limited information provided by the author. 
Homework - Answer the following in a paragraph response: What are some of the things that we as Americans take for granted? Explain.

Tuesday, October 12th

Lesson Objective - Both 7th and 8th grade students will meet our guest speaker, Sergeant Peterson.  He will present a slide show about his time in Iraq and will tactfully answer questions about his experiences.  Students will be able to compare/contrast their living conditions with those of the people he has encountered during his service..

Homework - Answer the following in a paragraph response: What are some of the things that we as Americans take for granted? Explain.

Monday, October 11th

8th Grade

Lesson Objectives - After students finish the exercises for vocabulary unit 2, they will start the next story titled "The Great Rat Hunt."  They will then determine the main idea of the memoir.
Homework - Paragraph Response: Explain a situation where you felt like an outsider.  What did you do to solve this issue?  Explain.

7th Grade

Lesson Objectives - After students finish the exercises for vocabulary unit 2, they will start the next story titled "Zebra."  They will make inferences about character traits based on the limited information provided by the author. 
Homework - Paragraph Response: If you have problems that you can't solve on your own, who can you turn to? Explain with details.

Tuesday, October 5th

8th Grade

Lesson Objectives - Students will be able to clarify their writing with the proper use of pronoun/antecedent agreement. They will then continue yesterday's lesson where they were to compare/contrast the character traits from "Red Chief" to a another character in the short story "Charles."
Homework - Students are to continue working on their essay assignment: Explain the difference between the attitudes toward discipline seen in Red Chief's father and Laurie's mother.  Which attitude do you think is more realistic?  Why?   The rough draft is due before they take tomorrow's test.

7th Grade

Lesson Objectives - Students will be able to construct compound sentences by combining related ideas.  They will then examine "Names/Nombres" and its examples of vivid sensory details.  By combining these two concepts, students will continue writing their personal essay rough drafts.
Homework - Students are to work on their essay assignment: Explain something that you learned during your life experiences.  The minimum length is two sides of a page.  Each student has a list of specific topics to choose from, and the rough draft is due before they take tomorrow's test..

Monday, October 4th

8th Grade

Lesson Objectives - Students will continue their study of situational as well as verbal irony.  They will also be able to compare/contrast the character traits to a another character in the short story "Charles."
Homework - Students are to begin working on their essay assignment: Explain the difference between the attitudes toward discipline seen in Red Chief's father and Laurie's mother.  Which attitude do you think is more realistic?  Why? 

7th Grade

Lesson Objectives - Students will be able to choose their topic for their personal essay.  They will then be able to brainstorm the examples they will will need to explain their idea.  Students will examine "Names/Nombres" as an example of the vivid sensory details used by Julia Alvarez.
Homework - Students are to begin working on their essay assignment: Explain something that you learned during your life experiences.  The minimum length is two sides of a page.  Each student has a list of specific topics to choose from, and the rough draft is due on Wednesday.