English 8

Aaaaahhhh....you guys (and gals) are so sweet! :-) Thank you so much for the card and the gift certificate. I am so blessed by your thoughtfulness and generosity! I will carry the blessing of your sweet gift with me always. Oh, and I'll also be able to purchase some great summer reading materials! THANK YOU!

I'll miss you all!

Thursday (5/22) and Tuesday (5/27)

• Poetry Recitation Days

Tuesday (5/20)

• Poetry: A Day Being You - walk and write time - create a poem using the poetic devices we have learned.
• Poetry Terms Quiz and Classis poems quiz

Homework: Continue working on memorizing your classic and free choice poems to recite. Remember the give the title and author's name before reciting the poem. Work on expression for your poems.

Thursday (5/15)

• Last day to take AR tests; each student will print out an individual student record (required)
• Lit: Poem by Walt Whitman "O Captain! My Captain!"
• Finish work on Poetry terms
• Group work or individual work on poem memorization.

HW: work on memorizing your classic and free-choice poems; review classic poems/notes and poetry literary terms for quiz on Tuesday.

Tuesday (5/13)

• WS: correct 200-203
• Lit: Poetry - notes/information on "Because I Could Not Stop for Death." Begin "Poetry Terms" notesheet.
• Group practice with poem memorization

HW: 30 min AR reading per day (Thursday is last test day!); WS: 209-213; work on memorizing your classic and free choice poems. Presentations begin on Thursday 5/22.)

Thursday (5/8) Final AR Reading Level Test Day

• Final AR reading level testing in library
• WS: Test on Unit 16
• LN: Test on Chapter 9 (Subject/Verb Agreement)

HW:   30 min. AR reading

Tuesday (5/6)

• Journal: Junior High Reflections; turn in journals for grading. If you didn't have your journal to turn in today, please bring it Thursday or it will be considered "late."
• LN: Review/practice for Unit 9 (Subject/Verb Agreement) test. Test will be Thursday
• WS: grade Unit 16, turn in
• Lit: Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"
• Lit: small group review of comic strips and poems for "The Tell Tale Heart"

HW:   30 min AR reading per day; WS: study for Unit 1 test, Study for LN test on Subject/verb agreement (LN   Chapter 9), have a typed or written copy of your free choice poem to turn in to me on Thursday (16 line minimum).

Thursday (5/1)

• LN:   Chapter 9, Lesson 5, Problem Subject/verb agreement; do exercise A & B in class
• Lit: Vocabulary and questions for "The Tell Tale Heart" Viewing of "The Tell Tale Heart' with Vincent Price.

HW:   30 min. AR reading per day; WS: 196-199, "The Tell Tale Heart" worksheet project completed for Tuesday.

Tuesday (4/29)

• LN: Chapter Nine - Subject/Verb Agreement (Indefinite Pronouns) Lesson 4
• Lit: (POE)try introduction; "The Raven," and video. Notes from Poe video in journal.

HW: 30 min. AR reading per day; WS: 191-195; choose which classic poem you would like to memorize.

Thursday (4/24) :-(

• Writing: Turn in persuasive essays
• LN: Pre-test and begin Chapter 9 - Subject/Verb Agreement - Lessons 1-3
• Journal: Freewrite

HW: 30 min AR reading per day; Extra Credit essay for the "Turlock Journal - How My Family Came to Settle in Turlock"

Tuesday (4/22)

• WS: Correct pages 179-181, 188-190; turn in
• Writing: Friendly Feedback with Persuasive Essays.
• Lit: Author Study Continued: Mark Twain "The Million Pound Bank Note"

HW:   30 min. AR reading per day; WS: Study for Unit 15 test on Thursday; Final copy of persuasive essay due on Thursday. Follow the written work guidelines: 12 point font, Arial or Times New Roman, 1 inch margins all around, first lines of paragraphs indented, no extra space between paragraphs, etc...

Thursday (4/17) - Minimum Day

• Writing: Persuasive Essay information/explanation; rough draft pointers
• Lit: "The Million Pound Bank Note" by Mark Twain (author study).

HW:   30 min. AR reading per day; 500-750 word persuasive essay rough draft (due Tuesday).

(4/15), (4/10), (4/8) - Substitute here

Thursday (4/3)

• WS: grade pages 168-172, turn in
• Persuasive Essay examples - strong, average, and weak student samples and evaluation
• Test Prep

HW: 30 min. AR reading per day, WS

Tuesday (4/1) Welcome back!

• Writing: Read and evaluate persuasive essay example
• LN: Paralellism in writing; review rules and practice sheet, do page 850 (Lit. Book) in journal.
• WS: Pronounciation of all Unit 14 words
• Daily Test Prep on white boards in preparation for SAT testing.

HW:   30 min. AR reading per day; WS: 168-172

Thursday (3/20)

• LN: Test on Chapter 11 - Punctuation
• Writing: Instruction on parallel structure in writing, practice worksheet to identify parallel structure and correct sentences with faulty structure.
• Mrs. Dray (the academic/college counselor) was here to share with the students the second half of the period. She gave time info on colleges, courses required for the different colleges, electives information, etc. PARENTS: If you have any questions or want information, please contact Mrs. Dray at sdray@turlockchristian.com

HW:   30 min. AR reading per day (USE THIS TIME TO GET AHEAD!), Enjoy your Easter with your family!

Tuesday (3/18) AR Reward Day

• WS: Unit 13 test
• LN: Lesson 8, review pages 268, 273-275, 277
• AR Reward Time after the break; other students work on non-fiction materials comprehension.

HW:   30 min. AR reading per day; LN: Study for Chapter 11 test on Thursday; Persuasive essay topic.

Thursday (3/13) Spiritual Emphasis Week

• WS: Latin Root word test; study guide handed out for Unit 13 test next Tuesday
• LN: Lesson 6 and 7 - hypens, dashes, parenthesis; apostrophes - in class work

HW: 30 min AR reading per day!; WS: study for Unit 13 test on Tuesday; brainstorm topics for persuasive essays.

Tuesday (3/11) Spiritual Emphasis Week

• Journal: Alliteration in "Paul Revere's Ride"
• WS: grade pg 158-164; check for Latin root flash cards
• LN: Colons and semi-colons

Thursday (3/6) Last day of 3rd quarter!

• Test: Greek Root Words
• LN: Comma review worksheet
• Journals: LN book - read pages 258-260; do pages 260 and top of 261.
• Lit: Paul Revere's Ride - Review and recap - discuss and identify alliteration, stanzas, rhyme scheme

HW:   30 min. AR reading per day; WS: 158-164; WS: 26 flashcards for Latin root words on page 12.

Tuesday (3/4)

• Journal: LN: Read page 256, do Concept Check A on page 257.
• Lit: "Paul Revere's Ride" by Longfellow; In-class reading and group work in paraphrasing each stanza.

HW:   30 min. AR reading per day; WS: Study Greek root flash cards for test on Thursday. SPORTS PICTURES ARE NEEDED! PLEASE BRING IN ANY PICTURES YOU MAY HAVE OF ANY GAME FROM THIS YEAR! WE NEED THEM BY THURSDAY!

Thursday (2/28) **PLEASE NOTE: I am out of town at a retreat from Friday morning until Sunday evening. I will not be able to respond to emails until Monday morning. Thank you.

• WS: Test on Review Unit 12
• LN: Lesson 2 - Commas in sentences. Instruction and practice on using commas correctly in sentences.
• WS: check for 27 flashcards for Greek root words (Test on Thursday, 3/6).

HW:   30 min. AR reading per day (only two class sessions left in which to take AR tests for the third quarter); WS   page 154-157; Study Greek root word flashcards for test on Thurs. 3/6.

Tuesday (2/26)

• Journals: Language Network Books; Pretest on page 249; Read pages 250-251; do both exercises on page 252.
• WS: Correct pages 150-153 and turn in
• Writing: Collect research papers (100 point assignment)
• Reading Comprehension work - non-fiction in class

HW:   30 min AR reading per day; WS: Test on Review Unit 12 on Thursday; WS: create 27 flashcards for the Greek root words on page 11.

Thursday (2/21)

• Journal: Its and It's - Write seven creative sentences for each with correct usage.
• WS: grade pages and turn in
• Writing: Research paper peer edit; continued explanation and examples of rubrics and expectations

HW: 30 min. AR reading per day; WS: pages 152-154; Research paper: final, typed copy due on Tuesday (2/26).

Tuesday (2/19)

• Sentence combining practice in class.
• Writing: Research Report - evaluate "Works Cited"page, instruction and examples in completing the "Works Cited" page and parenthetical documentation.

HW:   30 min. AR reading per day; WS: pages 147-149; Writing: Research Report handwritten rough draft due on Thursday for peer editing.

Thursday (2/14) Happy Valentine's Day!

• WS Test on Unit 11
• Writing: Research Report - check for continuation of rough draft; instruction and examples of parenthetical documentation and creating a "Works Cited" page.

HW:   30 min. AR reading per day; finish rough draft, create Works Cited page.

Tuesday (2/12)

• Journal: WS page 145 "Writing" section; underline thesis statement.
• Writing: Research Report - check for 2-3 handwritten pages on early life
• WS: correct 140-144, 217, turn in
• Lit: continue watching "Flowers for Algernon."

HOMEWORK: 30 min. AR reading per day; WS: test on Unit 11 on Thursday; Writing: Research report-continued writing of 2-3 handwritten pages on person's life.

Thursday (2/7)

• Lit: Final Test on Flowers for Algernon
• WS: grade 134-139, turn
• Writing: Research Report-evaluate introduction and thesis statement

HW: 30 min. AR reading per day; WS: 140-144, 217; Research Report: handwritten 2-3 pages covering birth, early life, young adulthood. DUE   TUESDAY!

Tuesday (2/5)

• Writing: Review of outlines and thesis statements; instruction in writing introduction paragraphs
• Lit: viewing of the TC Class Act version of "Flowers for Algernon."

HW: 30 min. AR reading per day; WS: 134-139; Lit: Test on "Flowers for Algernon" on Thursday. Writing: Research Report-handwrite introduction with a thesis statement as the last sentence in the intro.

Thursday (1/31)

• WS: Test Unit 10
• Lit: Finish "Flowers for Algernon;" jounal entry as Charlie Gordon after he arrives in New York; turn in journals.
• Writing: Research Report - Instruction on making an outline and constructing a thesis statement for the report.

Homework: 30 min. AR reading per day; Research Report - group notecards chronologically; create an outline with a thesis statement. Due Tuesday!

Tuesday (1/29)

• Journal: Describe a time when you participated in making fun of another person. Describe what happened, what you did, and how you feel about it.
• Writing: grade 10 notecards; assign 10 more notecards for research report
• WS: grade and turn in
• Lit: Flowers for Algernon - continued reading and summarizing of "progress reports."

HW:   30 min. AR reading per day; WS: Study Unit 10 words for test; Writing: 10 more notecards - later life and/or accomplishments, quotes from person or from others about your research report person.

Thursday (1/24)

• Journal: "Writing" page 133 in your Wordskills book
• WS: correct pages 123-127, turn in grade
• Writing: record points for 10 note cards for research paper
• Lit: Flowers for Algernon - continued reading and summarizing of each Progress Report.

HW: 30 min. AR reading per day; WS: 128-132 (page 130 is extra credit); 10 more notecards needed for Tuesday with information on early adult to mid-life years.

Tuesday (1/22)

• LN:   Test on Chapter 1 after review
• Writing: instruction and example of notecards, pages 492-493 LN book, and pages in handout.
• Lit: Continued reading in "Flowers for Algernon," summaries for each progress report.

HW:   30 min AR reading per day; WS: 123-127, 226-227; Research report - 10 notecards on early life.

Thursday (1/17)

• WS: Unit 9 test
• Writing: grade source cards; instruction on creating a visual timeline for the person your research paper is about.
• LN: Instruction/practice with sentence fragments and run-ons.
• AR REWARD TIME FOR SOME STUDENTS/Review work on Chapter 1 with the remainder.

HW: 30 minutes AR reading per day; LN: study for Chapter 1 test; create timeline

Tuesday (1/15)

• Journal: "Particular"
• WS: Correct pages 118-121, 218, turn in.
• Writing: Record that student has four sources in class; instruction in making source cards
• LN: Review Linking verbs and predicate nouns and adjectives; instruction and practice with direct and indirect objects. (Test on Chapter 1 next TUESDAY.)

HOMEWORK:   30 min. AR reading per day; WS: Test on Unit 9 on Thursday; make source cards for all research sources - minimum of four sources needed. Follow correct format as in the examples!

Thursday (1/10)

• Journal: Vocabulary words for Flowers for Algernon.
• WS: Correct pages 112-117, turn in.
• LN: Lesson 8 - Predicate Nouns and Predicate Adjectives
• Lit: Background on Flowers for Algernon; begin story

HW: 30 min AR reading per day!!! WS: 118-121, 218; Writing: bring in four sources for your research paper (A person from history).

Tuesday (1/8) Welcome Back

• New Seating Chart
• Paper handed back and binder clean out time
• Journal: Someone from history that I would like to know more about
• LN: The Sentence and Its Parts, Lessons 1-6 in class

HW: 30 min/AR reading per day; WS: 112-117