Homework for March 18

Following the completed reading of both the short story "I've Got Gloria" by E.M. Kerr and the first thirteen chapters of Holes, student will be choosing from three possible options for their first Transactional Journal Entry for Unit 4.

Three options are:

1. Fully examine and explain a particular piece of the writer’s craft common in both Holes and “I’ve Got Gloria”; you may want to consider any one of the following and explain how it is used by the writer in their piece: foreshadowing, symbolism, characterization, structure, hyperbole, imagery, or voice.

2. Write a letter/or correspondence from Scott Perkins to Stanley Yelnuts (or vice versa) that expresses some unspoken feelings or thoughts, in which one character offers advice to the other. Use details from both selections to support any advice the character might offer.

3. For “I’ve Got Gloria” write a chapter in which you continue the story and illustrate how Scott’s decision to take responsibility for his behavior has an impact on him.

Red Class

1. Unit 4 Transactional Journal Entry 1--Choose from three available options.

Yellow Class

1. Holes, pages 43-63(Chapters 9-13)NOTE: No Reading Journal Entry required!).
2. Unit 4 Transactional Journal Entry 1--Choose from three available options.
3. Update Sort Cards

Blue Class

1. Unit 4 Transactional Journal Entry 1--Choose from three available options.

Read Up and Write On!

WANTED: Missing Novels! (Updated 4/10)

With the final student Unit 3 Final Essays due in classes today, it is time to once again collect the student copies of our independent reading novels. Unfortunately, although our students are in EIGHTH GRADE, a number habitually fail to safeguard or hold onto the resources they are supplied with. (Of course sometimes it's just a matter of being unprepared for class and needing to remember to begin it tomorrow!)
The following students have yet to return their books:

Red Class Total Missing Books: 4
Parallel Journeys--Nicole, Shannon K
Summer... Soldier--Justin
Number... Stars--Jameer

Green Class Total Missing Books: 2
Summer... Soldier--Vinny, Amanda J.

Yellow Class Total Missing Books: 4
Summer... Soldier--Karla, Briyanna, Johnny, Shelby H.

Blue Class Total Missing Books: 4
Parallel Journeys--Shelby, David N.
Summer... Soldier--Colt
Number... Stars--Jerome

Read Up and Write On!

Unit 3 Final Essay... ALL IN!

By the end of today's school day, all ELA classes (Red, Yellow, Blue and Green) will have been assigned the Unit 3 Final Essay. During class we have reveiwed the CEI graphic organizer, discussed some possible pieces of supporting evidence from the source documents, and also considered, as a class, how one might begin moving forward with beginning the essay.

I also articulated to the students that I fully recognize that this is not an easy assignment, and that it is intended to represent a challenge to their abilities. Despite this, I fully believe that WE ALL ARE CAPABLE OF DOING GREAT THINGS SHOULD WE CHOOSE TO PUT FORTH THE EFFORT AND EFFORT.

As previously posted, the Unit 3 Final Essay follows the CEI format and is intended to give your student the opportunity to use all of the material and concepts covered over the last five weeks to respond to the Essential Questions posed at the unit's beginning. (Please remember that although the CEI (Claim, Evidence and Interpretation) graphic organizer employs three "parts," a good essay may need to be more than three paragraphs to most clearly communicate its message.)

Due Dates:

Red: Wedensday, March 5
Green: Thursday, March 6
Yellow: Thursday, March 6
Blue: Thursday, March 6

Read Up and Write On!

How Do I Complete the "Reading Assignment" Homework?

Though our classes have been keeping Reading Journals since last year, I wanted to take the opportunity to review just what it means when your student writes down "Reading Assignment 1" in their student planner.

One key difference in the Reading Journal for the immediate future is that entries will be based on an assigned reading rather than student-selected readings. As previously mentioned, ALL students have been given a novel to read independently over the next few weeks. As part of my checking that the novel is being read and understood I have asked student to complete a Reading Journal Entry as part of each Reading Assignment.

So, the Homework Board says I (the student) have been assigned “Reading Assignment #” for Homework. What does this mean?

1. When the reading assignment is assigned, write down both the Date Assigned and Date Due on your Reading Assignment Calendar.

2. Check what pages are to be read for that specific assignment.

3. Read the pages.

4. Select a Reading Journal prompt from the list supplied by the teacher.

5. In your Reading Journal, and using the correct format, respond to the prompt using evidence from the assigned reading to support your claim.

6. Use complete sentences, correct punctuation and spelling, as well as, specific relevant details to demonstrate your understanding of the assigned reading.

Read Up and Write On!

Homework for January 23

All students in the Red, Yellow and Blue Classes were given the novel (either Number the Stars, The Summer of My German Soldier or Parallel Journeys) they will be reading independently over the next four weeks during class today. They will need to bring this novel, along with their Reading Journals, home each evening to complete the independent reading assignments.

Red Class

1. Complete the Checking the Framework worksheet for your assigned independent reading novel.
2. Reading Assignment 1 (pages and Reading Journal Entry 1.
3. Update Sort Cards (if necessary).

Yellow Class

1. Complete the Checking the Framework worksheet for your assigned independent reading novel.
2. Reading Assignment 1 (pages and Reading Journal Entry 1.
3. Update Sort Cards (if necessary).

Blue Class

1. Complete the Checking the Framework worksheet for your assigned independent reading novel.
2. Reading Assignment 1 (pages and Reading Journal Entry 1.
3. Update Sort Cards (if necessary).

Read Up and Write On!

New Unit: Social Justice & Adversity

social justice (n.) equal opportunity, fairness and access for all members of a community of people

adversity (n.) state of hardship or affliction; bad news, misfortune

Beginning with tomorrow's classes, we will be starting a new multi-genre Humanitites unit dealing with the themes of Social Justice and Adversity.

Both the anchor text, of which students will each be given one of three possible titles, and related reading selections will deal, in great part, with the Holocaust and the period of American history beginning at the close of World War I and stretching through the year's following the end World War II.

We will once again be using essential questions to focus our learning. (Essential questions are questions that probe for deeper meaning and set the stage for further questioning foster.) The essential questions we will be exploring throughout the unit are:

In the face of adversity, what causes some individuals to prevail while others fail?

Do we have choices concerning fairness and justice?

Be sure to check our blog freqently for updates on indepedent reading and classroom assignments, as well as, homework assignments.

Read Up and Write On!

Homework for December 11

Green Class

1. Where the Red Fern Grows (WRFG) Take Home Assessment, due at the start of class Friday, December 14.
2. WRFG Mutiple Choice Test in-class on Friday, December 14.

Red Class

1. Where the Red Fern Grows (WRFG) Take Home Assessment, due at the start of class Monday, December 17.
2. WRFG Mutiple Choice Test in-class on Monday, December 17.
3. Myth Sharing as scheduled over the next four classes.

Read Up and Write On!

Homework for December 10

Red Class

1. Read and LCP Chapters XIX-End of Where the Red Fern Grows. Use the distributed LCP worksheet to be turned in.
2. Complete any missing Myth Project work.

Yellow Class

1. Read and LCP Chapters XIX-End of Where the Red Fern Grows. Use the distributed LCP worksheet to be turned in.
2. Complete any missing Myth Project work.

Blue Class

1. Read and LCP Chapters XIX-End of Where the Red Fern Grows. Use the distributed LCP worksheet to be turned in.
2. Complete any missing Myth Project work.

The LCP Worksheet for Chapter XIX-XX includes the following:

December 4, 2008
Where the Red Fern Grows by W. Rawls
Chapter XIX-XX
Fiction

1. Active Reading Strategy: Billy Venn: compare the character of Bill from Ch. I and Ch. XIX. How is he different? The same? How are those differences evident in his behavior and actions?

2. Vocabulary (7): predatory, foliage, berserk, jugular, ghastly, canyon, cleaved

3. Summary: use complete sentences, check spelling, punctuation and mechanics.

Read Up and Write On!

While there are only two weeks (ten school days!) left until the two week Holiday Recess, there is still much to accomplish. No less than three related activities need to be resolved in this time, and a fourth "begun." Here's what's in store for our Language Arts classes as we continue to wind down 2007:

1) Finishing Where the Red Fern Grows, the study of which will be concluded with a take-home assessment and the completion of the 1974 film version, which we have been watching in segments following the reading and analysis of three overarching sections.

2) The Unit 2 Myth Project, parts of which are due Monday and Tuesday.

3) The administration of a Social Studies Constructive Response and Data-Based Question (DBQ) practice.

Of course, following our return form recess on January 7, 2008(!), classes will continue preparing, in a more explicit fashion, final preparations for the ELA 8 Assessment. More than a "beginning" or "ending" this will be an opportunity for students to further focus their existing understanding, as well as, providing a chance to revisit any previously covered Language Arts skills and concepts that will be helpful in sitting for the ELA 8 Assessment.

Read Up and Write On!

Au Revoir, Red Fern!

"Regardless of all the discouraging talk, the love and belief I had in my little red hounds never faltered. I could see them now and then, leaping over old logs, tearing through the underbrush, sniffing and searching for the lost trail. My heart swelled with pride. I whooped, urging them on." Chapter 16, pg. 188

This past week (and continuing into the next, too) in addition to the Library Project, our classes will say goodbye to the novel Where the Red Fern Grows, the final chapter of which contains some very powerful imagery. One surprising by-product of our having shared this work as a class is that so many students (and parents) have in turn shared with me their appreciation of the novel and its themes.

Of all the wonderful themes and elements at work in the novel, one of my favorites is the idea of "the rites of passage." Our friend Billy goes through many triumphs and tragedies on his journey, as we follow him from being a young boy in the Ozarks Mountains with dreams to a more mature lad whose resolve has been tested. As those of you have read the book know, his journey is one of gain and loss--some larger and more significant than others.

I had the great opportunity this past week to visit a number of different activities outside of Language Arts class with which our students have some level of involvement. I was kindly made aware of many more performances and competitions that I unfortunately could not attend due to prior commitments at home. Our students certainly contribute to the overall betterment of our community through their dancing, helping, singing, playing, cheering and supporting.

Much like Billy, the rites of passage our students face are rife with challenge, but the support of their parents and teachers certainly seems to have prepared them for a level of success; a success I hope we in the community-at-large will continue to share in.

Read Up and Write On!

Homework: October 31

WOW... as amazing as it may sound, we have already made it to the last day of October! After today, three of four classes (Green gets there's tomorrow!) will have been given their copy of our most recent anchor text, Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls.

Red Class

1. Read & prepare a Lit Circle Preparation for Chapters I &II of Where the Red Fern Grows

Yellow Class

1. Complete "Checking the Framework" Worksheet for Where the Red Fern Grows
2. Using the handout as a basis, write a paragraph in which you tell a little about about the author of Where the Red Fern Grows and identify three important pieces of information that the reader should know about the author and setting prior to reading the novel. (On loose-leaf)

Blue Class

1. Complete "Checking the Framework" Worksheet for Where the Red Fern Grows
2. Using the handout as a basis, write a paragraph in which you tell a little about about the author of Where the Red Fern Grows and identify three important pieces of information that the reader should know about the author and setting prior to reading the novel. (loose-leaf)

Read Up and Write On!

Homework: October 30

Today students in the Red and Green classes will be receiving their copies of Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. This will be our "anchor text," or primary source material, for the next few weeks. On the GCSD Humanities Middle School Literature List Database the books is described thusly:

Billy and his precious coonhound pups romp relentlessly through the Ozarks, trying to "tree" the elusive raccoon. When a victory over a mountain lion turns to tragedy, Billy grieves, but learns the beautiful old Native American legend of the sacred red fern that grows over the graves of his dogs.

Now here's tonight's goodies:

Green Class

1. "Analyzing the Legend," Questions 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11 Only [NOTE: Students should use the Literature Circle Prep (Literature Journal) completed in class today on "The Orphan Boy and the Elk Dog" to answer the questions.]
2. Complete "Checking the Framework" Worksheet for Where the Red Fern Grows

Red Class

1. Complete "Checking the Framework" Worksheet for Where the Red Fern Grows
2. Using the handout as a basis, write a paragraph in which you tell a little about about the author of Where the Red Fern Grows and identify three important pieces of information that the reader should know about the author and setting prior to reading the novel. (loose-leaf)
3. Vocabulary Quiz 2 tomorrow

Read Up and Write On!

Academic Goodness!

Nightjohn projects submitted in the last few days has already begun to adorn our classroom walls. The walls and bulletin boards will only hold so much wonderful student work, but all student writing done for the test will be collected and placed in each students portfolio.


There are many examples of fine artistic and written work, for example:


Read Up and Write On!

RAFT Updates

Word-processed final drafts of the Nightjohn RAFT Letters are due Wednesday (10/10) and Thursday (10/11), depending on which class (Red, Yellow, Green or Blue) students are in. The 6-point English Language Arts Writing Rubric, which can be referenced by students on page 24 of their 2007-08 Language Resource Guide, will be used in evaluating this assignment. The rubric addresses five "Skill Areas": Meaning, Development, Organization, Language, and Conventions.

The RAFT essay, along with the my review of student Literature Journals (in which are kept student generated Literature Circle Preps for assigned reading selections), represents our moving towards the end of the formal work with our first novel of the year.

Next Up: Sarny Character Sketch.

Read Up and Write On!

Writing Activity 1: Nightjohn RAFT

Our first significant formal writing assignment of this school year is the RAFT friendly letter that all students are currently revising. Final drafts, word processed, are due the week following the long Columbus Day weekend. The crafting of these letters have required students to use information acquired from a variety of sources, including the novel Nightjohn by Gary Paulsen, the film Dear America: A Picture of Freedom, content lcovered in Social Studies class, as well as, a number of non-fiction reading selections. In many ways, this activity is a culmination of the work we have done with the first Social Justice Unit of the year.

This first formal writing activity has also provided students with a review of the writing process from pre-writing to publishing. Following a class brainstorming session using a pair of t-charts, initial drafting and in-class peer-reviews, students are now making revisions in their letters, with an eye toward publishing.

Read Up and Write On!