Welcome to Ms. Bonstein's 8th grade AC Language Arts!
Check out my blog site, too: http://msbclass.blogspot.com/
e-mail to: linda.bonstein@cobbk12.org and lbonstein@yahoo.com
You will each be asked to comment on a blog post from time to time!
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Course Content: A study of language arts encompasses the areas of reading,
writing, speaking, and listening. The course includes all of these
communicative elements, but the emphasis is on reading and writing,
along with the building of knowledge and analysis of many common root words
for the English language. Speaking, grammar, vocabulary, journal writing,
spelling, capitalization, and punctuation will be integrated throughout the
curriculum.
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Classwork (CW) and Homework (HW):
Monday,December 14 - CW: review for benchmark, DGPs in order,
FFA vs. Charly
HW: A/R by Wednesday, Ch. 2 corrections by Thursday
Tuesday, December 15 - CW: benchmark test, DGPs in order, journal self-
assessment
HW: A/R by tomorrow, Ch. 2 corrections by Thursday
Wednesday, December 16 - CW: continue "FFA" vs. Charly, A/R tests
HW: Ch. 2 corrections due tomorrow
Thursday, December 17 - CW: Ch. 2 corrections in, finish self-assessment of
journal, finish film and FFA vs. Charly work
HW: all late work due tomorrow
Friday, December 18 - CW: word games, all late work in
HW: Read! Also, Memory Book Ch. 4 due Friday, 1/8/10 (Friday when we return)
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Monday, December 7 - CW: DGP, example and practice pre-write
HW: Roots 8 due tomorrow (quiz Fri.), Ch. 3 Memory Book due Fri., A/R by 12/16
Tuesday, December 8 - CW: Practice pre-write, ck. Roots 8 7 do Roots
illustration
HW: created Roots 8 quiz due Thursday, Roots 8 quiz Fri., Memory Book Ch. 3
due Fri.
Wednesday, December 9 - CW: DGP, "punctuation puzzles", media center
HW: see Tues.
Thursday, December 10 - CW: Journal, ck. practice quiz, Ppt. on commas, Roots
review
HW: study for tomorrow's Roots 8 quiz, Ch. 3 Memory Book due tomorrow (see
Bonstein Docs if your copy is misplaced), A/R by 12/16
Friday, December 11 - CW: DGP, Roots 8 quiz, "FFA" review
HW: A/R due next Wed.
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Monday, November 30 - CW: DGP, persuasive post-test prep. notes, sentence
structure review
HW: re-done expository due 12/3, study for persuasive post-test set for 12/2,
Roots 8 & review due 12/8 (quiz 12/11), Ch. 3 Memory Book due 12/11, A/R by
12/16
Tuesday, December 1 - CW: Journal, Writing Improvement - Smiley Face Tricks
and 8 for Exceeds
HW: see Monday - study for tomorrow's persuasive post-test
Wednesday, December 2 - CW: DGP, Persuasive Post-test, writing improvement
discussion and activity
Thursday, December 3 - CW: Journal, sentence structure review, expository re-
do turned in, writing improvement "stations"
HW: A/R, Ch. 3 Memory Book due 12/11, Roots 8 & review due 12/8 (quiz 12/11)
Friday, December 4 - CW: DGP Diagram, sentence structure quiz, Roots 8 intro,
examples of "bumped up" writing
HW: see Thurs.
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Monday, November 16 - CW: DGP, Roots 7 overview, persuasive essay rough and
notes
HW: Roots 7 due tomorrow, rough due for those who did not have one today,
persuasive revised due Wed.T
Tuesday, Novemebr 17 - CW: Journal, ck. Roots, Roots CW, in class expository
and technical writing back, portfolio work, persuasive essay discussion and
revision checklist
HW: Revised essay due tomorrow
Wednesday, November 18 - CW: DGP, Roots 7 card in, work back and portfolio
work, editing checklist and persuasive essay work
HW: edited essay due tomorrow, study for Fri.'s Roots 7 quiz, re-do of
expository due by 12/3
Thursday, November 19 - CW: Journal, continue persuasive essay work and peer
edit if ready to do so, Roots review
HW: see Wednesday
Friday, November 20 - CW: DGP, persuasive essay in, Roots 7 quiz, media center
HW: Re-do of expository due 12/3, study for persuasive post-test, Memory Book
Ch. 3 due 12/11
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Monday, November 9 - CW: DGP, persuasive letter in, continue persuasive
reading, analyze "media" persuasion
HW: listen to a radio ad or watch a TV commercial and write down the
steps/techniques used and evaluate its effectiveness with support for your
opinion, keep reviewing sentence structure, A/R test by tomorrow, Tic-Tac-Toe
work (ad by Thursday)
Tuesday, November 10 - CW: Journal, discuss persuasive commericals/radio ads,
explain print ad homework, media center for A/R tests
HW: bring in a print ad from a magazine, newspaper, or mailer and be prepared
to discuss why it is persuasive, sentence structure quiz on Thurs., ad for
Thursday (from the Tic-Tac-Toe)
Wednesday, November 11 - CW: DGP, share ads you found, continue persuasive
reading
HW: ad from your Tic-Tac-Toe, sentence structure quiz tomorow (we will review
some in class first), Roots 7 due Tues., 11/17
Thursday, November 12 - CW: Journal, share and turn in ads, review for quiz
on sentence structure and take quiz
HW: choose persuasive (opinion) essay topic, Roots 7 due Tues.
Friday, November 13 - CW: DGP, pre-write and rough draft of expository essat
HW: rough due Monday, Roots 7 due Tuesday
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Monday, November 2 - CW: DGP, brainstorm persuasive procedures, Roots 6 words
HW: Roots 6 and review due Wed., read for A/R, Memory Book Ch. 2 due 11/6
(Friday)
Wednesday, November 4 (no class on Nov. 3) - CW: DGP 11B, ck. Roots 6 &
review, analyze and evaluate persuasive techniques
HW: find and analyze an editorial or letter to the editor for persuasive
techniques (due TOMORROW), Chapter 2 Memory Book due Fri., study - Roots 6
quiz Fri., Tic-Tac-Toe work - due dates included on the handout, A/R test by
Nov. 10
Thursday, November 5 - CW: Journal #21, Roots 6 card illustration, finish
persuasive techniques work, ck. editorial analysis HW
HW: see Wednesday except for editorial
Friday, November 6 - CW: DGP, Roots 6 review and study, Roots 6 quiz, Ch. 2
Memory Book in, go over persuasive assignments on Tic-Tac-Toe (letter due
Monday!)
HW: persuasive letter due Monday, study sentence structure, A/R by Tues.
(Monday if you are doing an alternative book and assignment)
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Monday, October 26 - CW: DGP, memory book Ch. 1 back, media center(6th pd.),
expository terms notes and handout, sentence structure notes
HW: Memory Book Ch. 1 corrections due Fri., Expository test Thurs., Ch. 2
Memory Book due 11/6, read for A/R
Tuesday, October 27 - CW: Film "The Tell Tale Heart" and Journal entry
reviewing its accuracy to the short story, sentence structure work
HW: see Monday
Wednesday, October 28 - CW: DGP, finish and check sentence structure work,
media center 1st pd.
HW: see Monday
Thursday, October 29 - CW: Journal, expository test, ck. sentence structure
work if time
HW: Memory Book Ch. 1 corrections due tomorrow, read for A/R, work on Memory
Book Ch. 2
Friday, October 30 - CW: DGP, persuasive pre-test, spelling bee
HW: read for A/R, Memory Book Ch. 2 due 11/6 (Friday)
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Monday, October 19 - CW: DGP, finish expository 1 and work on expository 2,
explain Roots 5 words
HW: Roots 5 due tomorrow, revise expository 2, read
Tuesday, October 20 - CW: Journal, "Bump Up Your Writing" work, ck. Roots 5
HW: study Roots, revise expository 2 MORE
Wednesday, October 21 - CW: DGP, continue "Bump Up Writing"
HW: finish checklist (except editing), final draft with all parts of writing
process due Fri., Roots 5 quiz Fri.
Thursday, October 22 - CW: Journal, editing checklist and peer editing, Roots
5 illustration and study
HW: final expository with all parts of the writing process and the completed
checklist due tomorrow, Roots 5 quiz tomorrow, read for A/R, Memory Book Ch.
2 due 11/6
Friday, October 23 - CW: DGP (Diagram), collect expository work, Roots 5 quiz
HW: read for A/R, Memory Book Ch. 2 due 11/6
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Monday, October 12 - CW: DGP, continue expository reading (p. 396-397 and 405-
412 in Lit. book), Comapre and contrast pre-write between 2 expository pieces
HW: Read for next A/R, study for Roots quiz 4
Tuesday, October 13 - CW: Journal, Roots quiz 4, continue yesterday's pre-
write, disucss expository essay types
HW: Read!, Roots 5 due next Tues.
Wednesday, October 14 - CW: DGP, continue expository in-class work, at-home
expository assigned (may NOT do compare-contrast for that one)
HW: expository pre-write and thesis due tomorrow, Roots 5 due 10/20, read,
Memory Book Ch. 2 due 11-6
Thursday, October 15 - CW: Continue expository 1 in class, ck. expository 2
thesis and pre-write
HW: expository 2 rough due tomorrow, Roots 5 due Tues., 10/20, Memory Book
due 11/6, Read for A/R
Friday, October 16 - CW: DGP, continue expository essays' work
HW: finish rough for expository 2, Roots 5 due Tues., 10/20, Memory Book due
11/6, Read for A/R
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*Word processing tips - to set font to 12 pt., use the top toolbar;
to set margins, go to "File -> Page setup -> margins"
to set spacing to double go to "Format -> paragraph -> line spacing"
to do a word count, highlight text you are counting (exclude your title and
your name, date, pd.), then go to tools, word count
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Supplies: Paper, blue or black pens (no gel or aqua color), spiral notebook,
4 dividers with notebook paper in a 3-ring binder, 3 x 5 notecards, tissues,
suggested to have a flash drive, will need to get 2 paperback books later
this year
Sugg. binder divider titles:
1. DGP/Grammar, 2. Roots, 3. Writing,
4. Literature
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Special Notes: See bottom of page for research information, including how to
cite your sources! See the Bonstein Docs page of this website for class
Powerpoints and handouts. Also, do not delete your papers or essays from
whatever word-processing program files you may have!!
Writing: With an emphasis on the writing process, especially the importance
of revision, we will complete many writing projects throughout the year:
baseline, narrative, expository, research, and persuasive, response to
literature (in the form of literary analysis), as well as a poetry unit!
Grammar and convention information is at the end of this webpage. In
addition, many resources are listed to help you practice in these areas!
Reading: A/R Test deadlines are twice each quarter. If you are looking for
a good book to read, please access the following webpage, then you may cross-
check your choice with the A/R list that you may access from the school web
page, go to the media center, or check with me. The classics list on the
site is particularly good (at least most of them would be suitable, but not
all).: http://www.hplibrary.org/teens/booklists/booksforteens.html
Mrs. Bonstein
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GRAMMAR/CONVENTIONS HELP:
"Grammar Girl" podcasts! Go to http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/
She also has published an excellent book - Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty
Tips for Better Writing (author Mignon Fogarty)
More punctuation practice:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/grammar/g_overvw.html
Grammar: I recommend that you read and practice at the
following websites, depending on what your need(s) are:
http://www.dailygrammar.com/archive.shtml
http://members.cox.net/teachro/
(you choose what you need to work on at both of these sites)
Prepositions - webster.commnet.edu/grammar/prepositions.htm
http://www.readbygrade3.com/prep.html
http://depts.gallaudet.edu/englishworks/grammar/main/prep.htm
Predicate nominatives -
http://home.att.net/~rguimaraes/Predicate_Nominatives_and_Adjectives.htm
http://yourpage.blazenet.net/bterney/pnpa.htm
Diagramming sentences - Many examples!
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/diagrams2/diagrams_frames.htm
http://members.cox.net/teachro/
Also, the Princeton Review book Grammar Smart: A Guide to Perfect Usage is
an excellent resource that I recommend if you are struggling with grammar
concepts.
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Bibliography OR Works Cited information:
How to cite your references (the following is for MLA style; you may be
asked to use APA style for social sciences research in high school or
college):
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html
For electronic sources:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_mla.html#Electronic
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