Tuesday, August 28th

We are back!!!

Welcome to the 2018-2019 version of Swaintopia.

This website is a valuable resource for both students and parents. Every day, I will post lesson objectives, homework assignments, important announcements, and reminders that will enable the student to perform to the best of his or her ability.  You will also be able to access this information through the Schoology website.
 

If you ever have a question or need clarification regarding an assignment or a lesson objective, please leave a comment or email me using the address listed above.

I am looking forward to working with you during the upcoming school year.

-Michael Swain

Wednesday, May 9th

Lesson Objectives - Students will complete a Sentence Share activity to introduce the terms found in Vocabulary Unit 15.  They will then continue reading the dramatic interpretation of "The Diary of Anne Frank."  They will pause regularly in order to document their information which they will eventually use in their final Performance Task.
Homework - April's Reader Response Packet is due no later than Friday, May 18th.
CCSS -

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.7 - Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.5 - Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.
•  CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.2 - Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.

Monday, May 7th

Lesson Objectives - Students will complete a Word Sort activity to introduce the terms found in Vocabulary Unit 15.  They will then review the elements found in dramatic literature with the aid of a Level Up tutorial.  Students will then continue reading the dramatic interpretation of "The Diary of Anne Frank."  They will pause regularly in order to document their information which they will eventually use in their final Performance Task
Homework - April's Reader Response Packet is due on Monday, May 14th
CCSS -

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.7 - Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.5 - Compare and contrast the structure of two or more texts and analyze how the differing structure of each text contributes to its meaning and style.
•  CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.2 - Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.

Thursday, March 1st

Lesson Objectives - Today, students will revisit the poetry from their "Approaching Adulthood" unit. They will re-watch "High School Training Ground", read "Hanging Fire", "Teenagers", and "JB and I". After we've read and lightly discussed, students will work in groups to finish a worksheet about making inferences. The worksheet will also ask students to think about the POV in the poetry piece as well. After they've completed their worksheet, each group will send up one person to the middle table to present their inferences. Homework - The Performance Task is due by the end of tomorrow's class.  February's Reader Response Packet is due on Monday. Performance Task - Students will create an "Abolitionists Hall of Fame" either on poster board or via digital means (PowerPoint, Google Slides, Prezi, etc.) 

For each abolitionist, you must include the following information:

• Title Slide (if applicable)
• Timeline information (mention at least 8 events, covering birth and death)
• Explain 3 important facts in paragraph form.
• Picture
• Quotes (2 directly from him/her and 2 from others about him/her)
• Short film clip (if done with computer)

  CCSS -

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.1  -Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.2  - Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.3  - Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).

Wednesday, February 28th

Lesson Objectives - Today, students will grade each other's vocabulary tests first thing. After this, students will transition into a lesson on identifying theme in poetry. This will be accompanied by a note-taking sheet, and some formative assessment questions to follow. After we've completed the lesson, students will begin reading the poems "Hanging Fire" and "Teenagers" from "Collections". This reading will be accompanied by two more outside poems. Lastly, students will try their own hand at poetry writing about growing up in a google doc that they'll revisit tomorrow.
Homework - The Performance Task is due by the end of class on Friday.  February's Reader Response Packet is due on Monday.
Performance Task - Students will create an "Abolitionists Hall of Fame" either on poster board or via digital means (PowerPoint, Google Slides, Prezi, etc.) 

For each abolitionist, you must include the following information:

• Title Slide (if applicable)
• Timeline information (mention at least 8 events, covering birth and death)
• Explain 3 important facts in paragraph form.
• Picture
• Quotes (2 directly from him/her and 2 from others about him/her)
• Short film clip (if done with computer)

  CCSS -

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.1  -Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.2  - Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.3  - Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).

Friday, February 23rd

Lesson Objectives - Students will begin class with a Vocabulary graphic representation activity where they'll draw a visual representation of their assigned vocab words in groups. After this, students will participate in a "Partner Read" where they will read the second half of the story and take notes regarding important details and main idea. This activity will be broken up into two parts with a short discussion of their findings at the end of each section. After this is complete, students will participate in a short review game. Homework - Close Reader books are due TODAY.  Make sure you have the following questions completed:

• "My Friend Douglass" - Questions 1-7
• "A Mystery of Heroism" - Questions 1-18
• Civil War Journal" -  Questions 1-5, 7

Performance Task - Students will create an "Abolitionists Hall of Fame" either on poster board or via digital means (PowerPoint, Google Slides, Prezi, etc.) 

For each abolitionist, you must include the following information:

• Title Slide (if applicable)
• Timeline information (mention at least 8 events, covering birth and death)
• Explain 3 important facts in paragraph form.
• Picture
• Quotes (2 directly from him/her and 2 from others about him/her)
• Short film clip (if done with computer)

  CCSS -

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.1  -Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.2  - Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.3  - Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).

Thursday, February 22nd

Lesson Objectives - Students will begin class today with a short film rendition of the story "Marigolds" by Eugenia Collier. During the viewing, they'll be following along with a note taking sheet to compare and contrast the film to the text. After this, students will participate in a "Partner Read" where they will read about half of the story and take notes regarding important details and main idea. This activity will be broken up into two parts with a short discussion of their findings at the end of each section. After this is complete, students will participate in a short review game.
Homework - Close Reader books are due TOMORROW.  Make sure you have the following questions completed:

• "My Friend Douglass" - Questions 1-7
• "A Mystery of Heroism" - Questions 1-18
• Civil War Journal" -  Questions 1-5, 7

Performance Task - Students will create an "Abolitionists Hall of Fame" either on poster board or via digital means (PowerPoint, Google Slides, Prezi, etc.) 

For each abolitionist, you must include the following information:

• Title Slide (if applicable)
• Timeline information (mention at least 8 events, covering birth and death)
• Explain 3 important facts in paragraph form.
• Picture
• Quotes (2 directly from him/her and 2 from others about him/her)
• Short film clip (if done with computer)

  CCSS -

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.1  -Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.2  - Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.3  - Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).

Wednesday, February 21st

Lesson Objectives - Students will continue Vocabulary Unit 11 with a Sentence Share activity.  They will then begin new unit "Approaching Adulthood" with a short video clip, and the reading of the story "Marigolds" by Eugenia Collier. After, students will complete a short worksheet "pre-action" follow-up about the story's theme and vocabulary. This worksheet will be administered again at the end of our work within this story. Lastly, students will participate in a online activity within the medium "Padlet". Students will either make a prediction about what will happen next in the story, or how they think the main character has changed.  
Homework - Close Reader books are due THIS FRIDAY.  Make sure you have the following questions completed:

• "My Friend Douglass" - Questions 1-7
• "A Mystery of Heroism" - Questions 1-18
• Civil War Journal" -  Questions 1-5, 7

Performance Task - Students will create an "Abolitionists Hall of Fame" either on poster board or via digital means (PowerPoint, Google Slides, Prezi, etc.) 

For each abolitionist, you must include the following information:

• ·     Title Slide (if applicable)
  ·     Timeline information (mention at least 8 events, covering birth and death)
  ·     Explain 3 important facts in paragraph form.
  ·     Picture
  ·     Quotes (2 directly from him/her and 2 from others about him/her)
  ·      Short film clip (if done with computer)
  
  

  CCSS -

• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.1  -Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.2  - Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to supporting ideas; provide an objective summary of the text.
• CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.3  - Analyze how a text makes connections among and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or events (e.g., through comparisons, analogies, or categories).