7th/8th Grade Language ArtsThis is the place to check for current assignment handouts, an overview of class work, and daily updates. Here is the 7th/8th Grade Syllabus. And here is the link to the Google Classrooms for 7th/8th Grade Language Arts: fourth period, fifth period, and sixth period. I put assignment due dates on my Google Calendar (visible when you click on the to the Calendars tab of this website), but I write class summaries on this page to avoid cluttering the calendar. For an explanation of proficiency-based grading and to see assessment rubrics, please go to the Grading tab of this website.
Reading/Writing Workshop
Our class uses a Workshop format for reading and writing. Typical daily plans feature standards-based mini-lessons and the opportunity for students to practice their skills with self-selected novels and writing projects. As part of the Workshop, students will be expected to read three novels of their own choosing and write an established set of pieces (including poetry, essay, and narrative) each quarter. In reading, shared texts will be shorter works, such as essays, poems, and short stories--including those included in the PPS Language Arts adoption, Inquiry by Design. Many days will begin with a short teacher read aloud from a class novel and/or poetry. In writing, some pieces will be teacher-planned assignments (always with an element of choice about topic and/or mode), while other projects will be student-planned work. Students will write a mix of longer and shorter pieces each quarter. Some pieces will be left as unedited quick writes, while others will be carried through the full writing process. We also work on speaking and listening, with at least one speaking assignment each quarter. Typical weeks will have students focusing on writing Monday through Wednesday, with reading on Thursday and Friday. They must have a self-selected novel to read in class every day. Students are expected to maintain a Reading/Writing Notebook for this course, which includes a personalized cover and title page; table of contents; reading goals; reading record; and tabs for reading, writing, and class notes. Current Work: Fourth Quarter We begin third quarter with the Inquiry by Design Unit Creating Characters Through Poetry. This series of lessons explores character-based poetry through poem sets by Martin Espada and Luci Tapahonso. We will use these poems to learn and practice literary interpretation, with an emphasis on inferential and evaluative comprehension (including a close look at types of literary devices). The unit provides several opportunities for short text-based writing and ends with students crafting their own character-based poetry. Following the poetry unit, students will write an open-topic essay--which may be a literary essay featuring the poems we have studied, an essay connected to the National Public Radio series This I Believe, or an essay of each student's own choosing. Our last unit of the year is a relatively quick study of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. Meanwhile, the weekly, packet-based study of Greek and Latin roots will continue throughout the quarter. Students are also expected to read their own novels and four Newsela articles this quarter. And a short Letter Essay on students' choice novels will be assigned. Many will have time for additional,, self-selected writing. Finally, we are currently sharing Emily Suvaba's This Mortal Coil as a class read aloud. Home Literacy Contract Home reading and writing are important parts of language arts homework. My language arts classes use a quarterly Home Literacy Contract, through which students (and their adult family members) promise to make student reading at home a priority and guarantee that the student will read for at least three hours per week outside of class (and write for one hour per week). Vocabulary All grade 7/8 students at da Vinci participate in a two-year vocabulary program that focuses on Greek and Latin word parts. The packets are distributed Monday, worked on for about 10 minutes Monday through Wednesday in class, and due Thursdays. Google Drive For login to Google Drive, students should use their apps4pps login.Their username is first initial, last name, last four digits of student number (e.g., msmith3456). These come with a set password, which students personalize during the first days of school. Most of our formal writing will be done using Google Drive via Google Classroom. |
Daily Updates/Homework
Here is the Quarterly Assignment Checklist for fourth quarter. Friday, June 8 Read aloud. Goodbyes. Thursday, June 7 Read aloud. 10 Things I Hate About You. (No eighth graders due to early release for Promotion). Homework: See Wednesday. Wednesday, June 6 Read aloud. 10 Things I Hate About You. (No eighth graders due to eighth grade trip.) Homework: None, except reading. And anything you are finishing by prior arrangement. Tuesday, June 5 Shortened periods due to Capstone. Read aloud. Viewing of 10 Things I Hate About You with Venn Diagram activity. Homework: I hope you find time to read this week and all summer long. Monday, June 4 Distributed "missing assignment" reports, as necessary. Viewing of Taming and 10 Things I Hate About You with Venn Diagram activity. Homework: Today is the last day for late work unless by prior arrangement. Friday, June 1 Shortened periods due to Capstone. Viewing of Taming. Homework: See Wednesday. Thursday, May 31 Read aloud. Completion of "Revised or Late Work Sheet." Sexism and "courtly love" in Taming of the Shrew. Continued viewing Taming. Homework: See Wednesday. Wednesday, May 30 Read aloud. Puns and iambic pentameter in Taming of the Shrew. Continued viewing Taming. Homework: Keep reading! Also, make sure ALL late or missing work is turned in by Monday, June 4. This includes the three writing pieces, 24 total Newsela quizzes (for the year), and Vocab packets 16-20. Tuesday, May 29 Read aloud. Introduction to Taming of the Shrew, with character map and discussion of the title. Begin viewing of Zeferelli film version Homework: See Friday. Monday, May 28 Memorial Day. No school. Homework: See Friday. Friday, May 25 Read aloud.Turn in your Vocab. 20. Introduction to Shakespeare via sonnets. "Living" iambic pentameter and parodies of sonnets. Homework: Read. And all writing, vocab packets, etc. must be finished at home. No more class work time. Thursday, May 24 Read aloud.Vocab Q&A. LAST work day for writing Homework: See yesterday. Wednesday, May 23 Read aloud. Peer editing, with options for anonymous, small group, or silent partner share. Homework: Character Poetry, Essay, and Letter Essay-4 all due on Friday, May 25. Also, Vocabulary 20 is due Friday. Tuesday, May 22 Read aloud. Work time for writing. Visit from Multnomah County Library staff about Summer Reading. Homework: See last Thursday. Monday, May 21 Read aloud + Vocab. Q&A. Spring Workshop Progress Survey. Writing work time. Homework: See last Thursday. Friday, May 18 Read aloud. SBAC-ELA-PT. Silent reading or quiet work time when done. Homework: Same as Thursday. Thursday, May 17 Read aloud. SBAC-ELA-PT. Silent reading or quiet work time when done. Homework: Read. Stay caught up in Google Classroom. Vocabulary 20 due NEXT Friday, May 25. Wednesday, May 16 Short schedule due to Late Opening. Read aloud. Eighth Grade Blurb introduction. Last Vocabulary introduction. Homework: Read. Stay caught up in Google Classroom. Vocabulary 20 due NEXT Friday, May 25. Tuesday, May 15 SBAC-ELA-PT. Homework: See Friday. Monday, May 14 Read aloud. SBAC-ELA-PT. Homework: See Friday. Friday, May 11 Read aloud. Vocabulary checking. Friday is silent reading day. Some students chose to work on their writing pieces instead. Homework: Read. All three writing pieces should be done by Friday, May 25. Thursday, May 10 Read aloud. Vocabulary. Letter Essay discussion. Workshop. Homework: See Tuesday. \Wednesday, May 9 Read aloud. Vocabulary. Essay introductions and conclusions. Workshop. Homework: See Tuesday. Tuesday, May 8 Read aloud. Vocabulary. Essay basics and topic support. Workshop. Homework: Read. Keep up on writing assignments. Vocab 19 due Friday. Monday, May 7 Read aloud. Introduction to Vocabulary 19. Introduction to Essay genre and "this I Believe." Prewriting time. Homework: See Friday. Friday, May 4 Alvin Ailey survey. Vocabulary checking. Silent reading, though chrome books were available for students needing to use Newsela or finish writing work. Homework: Midterms are due Tuesday. Are you caught up? Thursday, May 3 Read aloud. Vocabulary 18 Q&A. Library for book talks and checkout. And silent reading. Homework: See Monday. Wednesday, May 2 Read aloud. Vocabulary 18 Q&A. Sharing of strong Character Poetry for inspiration. Workshop. Homework: See Monday. Tuesday, May 1 Read aloud. Vocabulary 18 Q&A. Workshop preview (and year-end unit information). Writing Workshop. Homework: See Monday. Monday, April 30 Read aloud. Vocabulary 18 intro. Mini-lesson on poetry write-alike. Writing Workshop. Homework: Read. Vocabulary 18. Friday, April 27 Read aloud.Vocabulary Q&A and checking. Quiet work and reading time. Homework: Read. And make sure you have finished Vocabulary 17 and the first three writing assignments for Quarter 4: Espada Poem Interpretation, Poet's Craft, and Narrative. Thursday, April 26 Many students absent due to all-day dance pullout. Read aloud. Quiet work and reading time. Homework: Read. And bring your completed Vocabulary 17 tomorrow. Wednesday, April 25 Shortened periods due to Alvin Ailey. Read aloud + vocab. Work time for poet's craft writing. Homework: See Monday. Tuesday, April 24 Alvin Ailey preparation, featuring a discussion of mentors. Students made origami fortune tellers for self-reflection about their own mentors.Introduction to claim-based writing about poet's craft. Homework: See Monday. Monday, April 23 Read aloud. Vocab. Biographical sketch for poet Luci Tapahonso. All-class reading of three of Tapahonso's poems: "Hills Brothers Coffee," "Raisin Eyes," and "All I Want." Students completed close reading, with graphic organizer, during which they looked for how the poet uses the narrative criteria of dialogue, blocking, and description to reveal character in her poetry. Homework: Read. Vocabulary 17. Friday, April 20 Read aloud. SBAC-ELA/CAT. Homework: See yesterday. Thursday, April 19 Read aloud. SBAC-ELA/CAT. Homework: Read. Vocabulary 17 due NEXT Friday. Wednesday, April 18 HeART learning: Soul Box at periods 3 and 4. Journals at period 5. Discussion at period 6. Homework: See Tuesday Tuesday, April 17 SBAC-ELA/CAT. Homework: Read. Vocabulary 17 due NEXT Friday. . Monday, April 16 Vocabulary 17 introduction (note: students have two weeks for this packet due to interruptions for testing, late opening, Alvin Ailey field trip, and dance concert rehearsal. Guest speaker: Emily Suvada, author of This Mortal Coil. Homework: Read. And work on Vocabulary 17 so that you are done by NEXT Friday. If you earbuds, headphones, bring them in for SBAC/OAKS starting tomorrow. Friday, April 13 Teacher grading/planning day. No school for students. Homework: Read. Thursday, April 12 Mini-lesson on poetic devices and poet's craft, using SHMOPSIS (simile, hyperbole, metaphor, onomatopoeia, personification, symbolism, imagery, sound). Rereading of Espada's three poems to find examples of these devices. Many students had about 20 minutes of work time for late Quarter 3 work. Homework: Read. Wednesday, April 11 Read aloud. Claim-and-evidence writing related to the poems we read on Tuesday. Most students had about 20 minutes of work time for late Quarter 3 work. Homework: See Monday. Tuesday, April 10 Read aloud. Introduction to poetry of Martin Espada, with biographical information and the poems "Thieves of Light," "Four Sandwiches," and "Offerings to an Ulcerated God." The class worked together to understand the meaning of the poems, including a focus on challenging vocabulary and figurative language. Homework: See Monday. Monday, April 9 Term-end business, including Finished & Revised Sheet completion. Newsela and writing project reminders. This is the only day this week students have chrome books for Newsela and writing. Work time. Homework: Make sure Newsela articles and quizzes are complete by Thursday. also, Informational Article, Letter Essay 3, and Narrative should also be done by that day--although Narratives grades will bump over to fourth quarter. Thursday will be the last day to turn in Vocabulary Packets 11-15. Friday, April 6 Read aloud. Vocabulary checking. Silent reading. Homework: See Monday. Thursday, April 5 Read aloud. Vocabulary Q&A. Library for book talks and silent reading books (because it's First Thursday!. Homework: See Monday. Wednesday, April 4 Read aloud. Wednesday, April 4 Read aloudMini-lesson on connecting Ms. Savage's historical fiction assignment with the narrative for this class. Self/peer edit sheets available for those who were ready. Workshop. Homework: See Monday. Tuesday, April 3 Read aloud. Vocabulary Q&A. Mini-lesson on dialogue (how to include blocking with dialogue, powerful verbs as dialogue tags, and dialogue punctuation). Work time. Homework: See Monday. Monday, April 2 Read aloud and introduction to Vocabulary 16. Mini-lesson on description, including sensory details with triangulation. Work time for narratives (and finishing of late Letter Essay 3 and Informational Article. Homework: Read. Narrative draft due Wednesday, April 4. Letter Essay 3 and Informational Article are already late. Monday, March 26-Friday, March 30 Spring Break. No school. Homework: See Friday. Friday, March 23 Read aloud. Friday is a read-your-own thing-day, but students who were behind on their writing projects were encouraged to work on those as well. Homework: READ over Break--and use the extra time to catch up on late or missing work. The quarter ends on Thursday, April 12. Thursday, March 22 Read aloud. Peer review of Informational Articles and Letter Essays (anonymous). Workshop time. Homework: See Monday. Wednesday, March 21 Late opening schoolwide HeART learning (journal in fourth, discussion in fifth, goal-setting in sixth). Homework: See Monday. Tuesday, March 20 Read aloud. Mini-lesson on narrative poetry, using mentor text by Gary Soto ("Door to Door" and "Oranges"). Workshop time. Homework: See Monday. Monday, March 19 Citations mini-lesson (see Google Classroom for resources). Reminders about missing or incomplete work. Workshop time. Homework: There will be peer review of Informational Articles and Letter Essays on Thursday. Also, read. Friday, March 16 Read aloud. Vocabulary checking. Friday is read-your-own-thing day. Due to lost writing time related to Wednesday's walkout, students were allowed to work on their writing pieces as well. Homework: By next Friday, please have your Informational Article AND Letter Essay done. Thursday, March 15 Read aloud. Vocabulary. Mini-lesson on the basics of the upcoming Narrative assignment for Writers' Workshop. Work time. Homework: See Wednesday. Wednesday, March 14 Read aloud. Vocabulary. Mini-lesson on the MEAL plan for expository paragraphs and transition words (see Google Classroom). Writers' Workshop. Homework: Read. Finish Vocab. 15. Remember that the Letter Essay and Informational Article are due on Friday, March 23. Tuesday, March 13 Read aloud. Vocabulary. Sign-making option for school safety event tomorrow. Writers' Workshop. Homework: See Friday. Also note that Vocabulary 15 is due on Friday. Monday, March 12 Read aloud. Vocabulary. Mini-lesson on claim statements for literary (letter) essay and informational article. Writers' Workshop. Homework: See Friday. Also note that Vocabulary 15 is due on Friday. Friday, March 9 Read aloud. Vocabulary checking. Friday Silent Reading. Homework: Read. If you have not made much progress on any of the writing pieces, I suggest working for an hour or so at home this weekend. Thursday, March 8 Read aloud. Vocab. Q&A. Mini-lesson on using theme or author's purpose as claim in Letter Essay. Workshop check in. Work time. Homework: Read. Wednesday, March 7 Read aloud. Once Upon a Mattress cast out for rehearsal. Vocabulary Q&A. Mini-lesson on graphic organizer for (and basics of) informational article. Work time. Homework: Read. Tuesday, March 6 Read aloud. Introduction to March Workshop (Letter Essay 3, Narrative (poem, true, imagined--your choice), Informational Article. Calendar. Work time. Homework: Read. Monday, March 5 Ad Project sharing. Preview of Letter Essay 3 or read aloud if time allows. Homework: Read. Friday, March 2 Read aloud. Option for whole-group presentations of ad projects. Newsela and vocab checking. Homework: Read. Make sure your presentation is ready to share on Monday. Thursday, March 1 Vocabulary. First Thursday Library Day for book check in/check out. And quiet "read your own thing." Last day of many students absent due to MakerSpace. Homework: See Monday. Wednesday, February 28 Vocabulary. Work day for slide shows, citations lists, new March writing projects, and silent reading. MANY absent students due to MakerSpace for seventh graders. Homework: See Monday. Tuesday, February 27 Vocabulary. March preview. Works Cited list (optional task for seventh graders since they are off-site at MakerSpace second through fifth period). Homework: See Monday. Monday, February 26 Read aloud. Peer review of slides for ad project. Homework: Your slide show must be ready to share on Friday, March 2 (even if you are at MakerSpace all week. Homework: Read. And finish your slide show if needed. Vocab. 13 is also due on Friday. Friday, February 23 Read aloud. Speech sign up. Silent reading (+catch-up work time on slide shows for those who need it). Homework: Note revised deadline for peer review of slide show is Monday, February 26. Thursday, February 22 Work time for slide show, using self- and peer-review checklist. (Short class periods due to inclement weather causing late opening.) Homework: See Wednesday. Wednesday, February 21 No school due to inclement weather. Homework: Read. Work on your slides. You should have a draft of your slides ready for self and peer review beginning Thursday, February 22. Tuesday, February 20 Work time for slide show. School dismissed due to inclement weather after fourth period. Homework: Slide presentations need to be ready to present by next Thursday, March 1. Monday, February 19 Presidents' Day. No school. Friday, February 16 Read aloud. Vocab. checking. Silent reading. Homework: Slide presentations need to be ready to present by next Thursday, February 22. Thursday, February 15 Read aloud and Vocab. Basic design in Google Slides. Work time. Homework: See Tuesday. Wednesday, February 14 Vocab. Conventions Counts! Basic navigation in Google Slides (e.g., how to change color, font, background). Work time. Homework: See Tuesday. Tuesday, February 13 Read aloud and Vocab. Introduction to use of Google Slides for project, with emphasis on content. Work time. Homework: Read. And please, please make sure your ad summaries and claim/evidence pieces are complete. Monday, February 12 Read aloud and Vocab. 12 introduction. Mini-lesson on claim-and-evidence component of ad project. Homework: Read. And please, please make sure your ad summaries are complete. Friday, February 9 Read aloud and Vocab. checking. Silent reading. Homework: Remember to read. If your summaries are not done, please do them this weekend. Thursday, February 8 Read aloud and Vocab. Work time for summaries. Quiet reading time when done. Homework: Remember to read. Also, have your summaries done by the start of class Friday. And make sure you have a book in class on Friday. Wednesday, February 7 Vocabulary work time and questions. Mini-lesson to support ad project summary writing. Students encouraged to use at least one still (print-media) ad. Work time. Homework: Remember to read. Also, have your summaries done by Friday (there will be work time today and tomorrow but NOT Friday). Tuesday, February 6 Read aloud and Vocab. Summaries of ads for ad project. Homework: See Monday. Monday, February 5 Read aloud and introduction to Vocab. 11. Overview of Ad Analysis Project. Practice with State Farm's "meet the Hoopers" and Eli Manning/O'Dell Beckham Super Bowl ad. Opportunity for students to view/look for commercial messages online to find a company to use for their projects. Homework:The Home Literacy Contract was due today. Bring it tomorrow if you forgot. And remember to read. Friday, February 2 Read aloud."Below the surface" reading of "My Fast Food Meal." Discussed and completed graphic organizer showing the arguments we can infer and evaluating how Michael Pollan makes them. Click here for the sheet we used in class. Homework: See Tuesday. Thursday, February 1 Read aloud. Library for book talks. Some reading time in the library. Homework: See Tuesday. Wednesday, January 31 Read aloud. Summary of "My Fast Food Meal." Focused "on the surface" review and re-read while summarizing. Use correct conventions and transition words. (If you were absent today, you will need to do this on your own time.) Homework: See Tuesday. Tuesday, January 30 Quarter 3 preview. Conventions Counts! Introduction to Michael Pollan's "My Fast Food Meal." Short author biographical sketch. "On the surface" vs. ''below the surface" reading. Following along in the text with audio book version. Homework: Get your Quarter 3 Home Literacy Contract signed. And read. Monday, January 29 Teacher Planning and Grading Day. No school. Friday, January 26 Read aloud. Class survey. Quiet reading. Homework: See Monday. Thursday, January 25 Spelling Bee. Quiet reading or writing finish time toward the end of class. Homework: See Monday. Wednesday, January 24 Read aloud. Detective "moves" in "The Landlady" with text evidence. Quiet reading or writing finish time toward the end of class. Homework: See Monday. Tuesday, January 23 Discussion of "The Landlady." Completion of tracking sheet that shows where characters are introduced and where Billy uses detective-like skills to figure out what is going on with the landlady and her former tenants. Quiet reading or writing finish time toward the end of class. Homework: See Monday. Monday, January 22 Read aloud. Short video about Mont St. Michel (from prior read aloud).New unit introduction (Inquiry By Design's Investigative Report Writing).. Listened to audio version of Roald Dahl's "The Landlady" while following along in the text Homework: Please check StudentVue (Synergy) in Assignment View to determine if you have missing work. And finish the work. And read. Friday, January 19 Read aloud. And quiet read-your-own-thing. Homework: See Wednesday. Thursday, January 18 Read aloud. Self and peer editing process, continued. Quiet reading when done. Homework: See Wednesday. Wednesday, January 17 Self and peer editing process for Letter Essays and Historical Fiction. Homework: Read. Finish late work for Quarter 2 by next Wednesday. Tuesday, January 16 Read aloud (started new novel: This Mortal Coil by Emily Suvada). Mini-lesson on conclusions for literary essays. Work time. Homework: You must have drafts of your Letter Essay #2 and Historical Fiction for tomorrow. Also, read. Finally, remember the last day of the quarter is Friday, January 26. Monday, January 15 No school due to MLK Holiday. Friday, January 12 Read aloud. Reading Workshop, like yesterday, with option to work on writing projects for those who need it. Homework: The last day of the quarter is Friday, January 26. Please attempt to have all assignments for second quarter grading complete by Wednesday, January 24. Thursday, January 11 Read aloud + Vocab. Reading Workshop, including with Newsela reminder (16 quizzes by the end of the quarter). Homework: See Monday. Wednesday, January 10 Read aloud + Vocab. Review of body paragraphs for Letter Essay AND narrative criteria for Historical Fiction. Writing Workshop. Homework: See Monday. Tuesday, January 9 Read aloud + Vocab. Thesis/claim gallery walk. Review of first paragraph of Letter Essay. Work time. Homework: See Monday. Monday, January 8 Read aloud. Mini-lesson thesis/claim for literary essays, to support Letter Essay #2. Writing Workshop. Homework: Read like always. Also, make sure all late work is complete and handed in. Friday, January 5 Read aloud. Mini-lesson on narrative criteria to support the historical fiction assignment. Students reminded to include character and setting description, blocking, and dialogue in their stories. And they are encouraged to include strong word choice, flashback/flash-forwards, varied sentence rhythm, etc. Mixed reading/writing workshop time. Homework: See Tuesday. Thursday, January 4 Read aloud. Library for book talks. Silent reading. Homework: See Tuesday. Wednesday, January 3 Read aloud. Introduction to Letter Essay #2. Mini-lesson on literary essay introductions. Workshop time for historical fiction or Letter Essay #2. Some students read novels or Newsela. Homework: See Tuesday. Tuesday, January 2 Read aloud. Introduction to January writing, with emphasis on a scene of historical fiction (likely a scene from Refugee or The Inquisitor's Tale from a different perspective) and the Letter Essay #2, which requires an introduction and conclusion, short summary, and a claim-and-evidence paragraph (or several) related to character or theme. Homework: Read. Double check that you have finished the literature-based poetry and character "essay" from before Break, as well as Vocabulary Packets #6-#9. Monday, December 18-Monday, January 1 Winter Break. No school. Friday, December 15 Read aloud. Work time, with added request to clean binders. Homework: Read over Break. And if you didn't finish your Poetry and Character Paragraphs, please do so before returning in January. Thursday, December 14 Read aloud. Vocabulary. Literary comparison mini-lesson with this handout. Reading/Writing Workshop. Homework: See yesterday's note. Wednesday, December 13 Vocabulary. Peer Writing Groups. Work time for writing when done. Homework: See Tuesday, plus don't forget to make time for reading. Tuesday, December 12 Read aloud. Vocabulary. Reminders about MEAL Plan for literary essay paragraphs and how to transfer thinking on a t-chart or Venn diagram to paragraphs.. Workshop time for Refugee-related poetry and mini-essay. Homework: Both writing projects (poetry and "essay" due by Friday, with drafts preferred by Wednesday for peer writing groups). Monday, December 11 Read aloud. Vocabulary. Introduction to Character Comparison ("mini-essay"). Workshop time for poetry and essay. Homework: Both writing projects (poetry and "essay" due by Friday, with drafts preferred by Wednesday). Friday, December 8 Read aloud.Introduction to Metaphor/Simile Poem. Reading/Writing Workshop. Homework: See Tuesday. Thursday, December 7 Vocabulary + Read aloud. Library for book talks and book check out. Silent reading. Homework: See Tuesday. Wednesday, December 6 Vocabulary + Read aloud. Maps and nonfiction information in the back of Refugee. Refugee workshop. Homework: See Tuesday. Tuesday, December 5 Vocabulary + Read aloud. Short video about the SS St. Louis to support the reading of Refugee. Showed Holocaust-related reading links. Refugee workshop. Here are the shared links:
Monday, December 4 Vocabulary introduction (for Unit 8). Introduction to Mirror Poem/Persona Poem with mentor text and quick writes. Refugee workshop. Homework: Read. Check Synergy for missing work (midterm grades uploaded on 12/12). Friday, December 1 Read aloud. Discussion of character's stories in Refugee, to support poem writing. Workshop time for Refugee, story poems, Newsela, Syria links, etc. Homework: Read. Check Synergy for missing work (midterm grades uploaded on 12/12). Thursday, November 30 Read aloud and Vocabulary work time. Background on Syrian refugee crisis using these links:
Work time for reading in Refugee, but not past p. 235. Once students reach p. 235, they had time to view the links above, read Newsela,work on Story Poems or choice writing, or read their own novels. Homework: Read. If you did not finish the Vocabulary Packet for Unit 7, finish that as well. Wednesday, November 29 Vocabulary. Background on Syrian conflict (images, video). Reading time for Refugee (and Story Poem, Newsela, etc. time when done). Homework: Read. Tuesday, November 28 Read aloud/vocabulary. Reading time for Refugee (and Story Poem, Newsela, etc. time when done). Homework: Read. Monday, November 27 Read aloud and Vocabulary 7 introduction. Story Poem introduction and quick write. Reading time for Refugee (not past p. 235 this week). Homework: Read. Wednesday, November 22-Friday, November 24 No school for Thanksgiving holiday. Homework: Read. Tuesday, November 21 Read aloud. Group notes on Refugee characters. Workshop time for reading in Refugee and/or novels and/or Newsela--also for revising Letter Essays. Homework: Read. Monday, November 20 Read aloud. Mini-lesson on avoiding awkward spots in writing (also commas), i.e., the importance of polish. Work time for reading Refugee and revising Letter Essays based on written teacher feedback. Homework: Make sure you turn in your Home Literacy Contract and final Letter Essay by tomorrow. Friday, November 17 Mini-lesson on Cuban Rafter Crisis of 1994, using these links: Work time for reading in Refugee, but not past p. 103. Once students reach p. 103, they had time to revise Letter Essays, read Newsela, or read their own novels. Homework:See Thursday. Thursday, November 16 Read aloud. Seating cards. Reading goals for Quarter 2. Reading Record. Reading time for Refugee. Students who have reached p. 103 had time to revise Letter Essays, read Newsela, or read their own novels. Homework: Remember to do Letter Essay revisions by Tuesday, November 21. Also,% |