Thursday, January 30, 2014

Week 3, Quarter 3 - 7th & 8th Grade English

Homework & Class Activities for 7th and 8th Grade English
Week 3, Quarter 3

Monday 1/27 – 7th Grade (1*)
·         Scholastic video, “I Lived in a Truck”
·         Partner Questions, p. 93 of comp book (stapled in)
·         Begin “Notes on Theme” , p. 94 of comp book

Homework:  Reading MAP test tomorrow; bring your A game!
Read 25 min and fill out Reader’s Journal Week 3 – due Friday 1/31 (1*)

Monday 1/27 – 8th Grade (2*, 3*, 4*)
·         Word of the Week – p. 15
·         Multi-media review presentation
·         “I’d Rather Die” (Frederick Douglass play) and theme questions

Homework:  Reading MAP test tomorrow; bring your A game!
Read 25 min and fill out Reader’s Journal Week 3 – due on Thursday 1/30

Tuesday 1/28 – 7th Grade (6*, 7*, 1* - 20 minute crunch after MAP test)
·         Word of the Week, p. 15
·         Multi-media review presentation
·         Notes on Theme (if time allows)

Homework:  Read 25 min and fill out RJ week 3 – due Thurs (6*) and Friday (7*, 1*)

Tuesday 1/28 – 8th Grade (2*, 3*)
·         Reading MAP Test

Homework:  see Monday

Wednesday 1/29 – 7th Grade (6*, 7*, 1*)
·         Finish Notes on Theme, p. 94
·         Whole-class activity – creating thematic statements
·         Begin partner activity – p. 95 of comp book (stapled in)

Homework:  Finish up RJ week 3 and get signed – due tomorrow (6*) and Friday (7*, 1*)

Wednesday 1/29 – 8th Grade (20 minute crunch after MAP test)
·         Work on “Close Read” side of question sheet – “I’d Rather Die” Frederick Douglass play

Homework:  Finish RJ week 3 and get signed – due tomorrow

Thursday 1/30 – 7th Grade (6*) and Friday 1/31 (7*, 1*)
·         Collect RJ week 3
·         Hand out and review RJ week 4
·         Hand out and review 3rd Quarter Book Project – with examples
·         Finish partner activity – building thematic statements (staple to p. 95 of comp book)

Homework:  3rd Quarter Book Project due Tues 3/11
Reader’s Journal week 4, due Friday 2/7

Thursday 1/30 – 8th Grade (2*, 3*, 4*)
·         Collect RJ week 3
·         Hand out and review RJ week 4
·         Hand out ice skating info
·         Highlight sections and turn in final typed essay
·          Hand out and review book project for 3rd quarter with examples

Homework:  Ice skating tomorrow (note going home) – pack lunch
RJ week 4 due Thursday 2/6
3rd Quarter book project due Tuesday, March 18th

Friday 1/31 – 8th Grade (2*, 3*, 4*)
·         Ice skating at Reno Rink on the River! (see home note or info on website)


Homework:  see Thursday

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Ice Skating Information for Team Titanium (8th Grade)

Ice Skating Information

On Friday, January 31st students on Team Titanium will spend their core classes ice skating at the outdoor rink in Reno for their team new year celebration!  Busses will leave Billinghurst at 10:30 AM and will arrive back to school by 1:30 PM.  Bus cost and skate rentals will be covered with team funds.  Students must bring a lunch.  A snack bar is usually available, but there is no guarantee it will be open.  Students are asked to dress appropriately.  Consider layers, thick socks, gloves, hat, sunglasses, a coat, and sunscreen. Students who arrive at school dressed inappropriately for outdoor weather (shorts, t-shirt with no coat, sandals) will be asked to call home to change or may have to stay at school.  Students may bring their own skates. We STRONGLY encourage students to leave all I-Pods, phones, and electronic games at home or locked in school lockers as they are often lost or left behind on field trips.  ** Students need to bring core binders to school in case the ice rink closes due to weather.  We will reschedule an alternative trip at another date if possible.

7th Grade Book Project Directions - 3rd Quarter (due Tues March 11th)

Third Quarter Book Project
“Thematic Menu”
Due Tuesday, March 11th (Reminder:  book projects are NOT accepted late)
                                                    

Project Summary:  Create a restaurant-style menu based on one or two main themes from your chosen novel.  Include food items that reflect the theme(s) and one paragraph describing each of the following elements:  characters, setting, plot, theme.

Cover Requirements for Menu:
  • Name of restaurant – must reflect the book in some way (example: character name, part of the book title, etc).  Typed or artistically drawn.
  • Your name, typed.
  • Your class period, typed.
  • Title of novel (typed, capitalized properly, underlined)
  • Author’s name (typed, capitalized properly)

Inside Menu Requirements:
  • A minimum of 4 menu categories (examples:  beverages, salads, entrees, desserts, kids cuisine, appetizers, etc)
  • A minimum of 2 food items listed under each category.  Each food item must represent the THEME of the novel.  (examples:  revengeful rice-bowl, friendship fountain soda, time-will-heal-all-things tacos)  Do not use the same word twice. Use a thesaurus to find alternative words that have the same thematic meaning.
  • A picture to go with each food item (may be hand-drawn, cut out of magazines, or printed from the computer).

  • Character Paragraph:  Describe the main character(s) of the book.  Who are they?  What are they like?  Give their names, ages (or estimated ages), and descriptions of their traits and qualities.  Typed, 12 point font, single spaced, minimum of 6 sentences.

  • Setting Paragraph:  Describe the main setting of the book.  Remember that the setting may change several times throughout the book.  Describe the time period (past, present, future), time of year, name of town, city, place, etc. Use sensory details to paint a picture of each setting.  Typed, 12 point font, single spaced, minimum of 6 sentences.

  • Plot Paragraph:  Explain the overall story. Include key plot events from the   beginning, middle, and end.  Typed, 12 point font, single spaced, minimum of 6 sentences.

  • Theme Paragraph:  List the theme(s) you’ve decided upon for the book (2 themes max).  Explain why you’ve chosen the theme(s) based on support from the book.  What happens throughout the book that supports the theme you have chosen?  Write a THEMATIC STATEMENT for your book based on these events.  Typed, 12 point font, single spaced, minimum of 6 sentences.




Notes on Theme From Your Comp. Book

Major Theme:
An idea the author returns to time and again. It becomes one of the most important ideas in the story.


List of common Thematic Topics:
love, honor, family, hope, disappointment, war, happiness, misunderstanding, courage, kindness, sacrifice, greed, injustice, ambition, revenge, poverty, change, death, justice, time, success, hard work, good vs. evil, loss, maturity, respect, fulfillment,

Examples of Thematic Statements (DO NOT USE THESE FOR YOUR PROJECT!)
Time helps people get over losses.  Fortune doesn’t always bring happiness.  It is wrong for strong people to take advantage of the weak.  A bad situation can almost always improve.  Teenagers often have difficulty getting along with their families.
Four places to uncover the theme:
1. Themes are expressed and emphasized by the way the author makes us feel. By sharing feelings of the main character you also share the ideas that go through his mind.
2. Themes are presented in thoughts and conversations. Authors put words in their character’s mouths only for good reasons. One of these is to develop a story’s themes. The things a person says are much on their mind. Look for thoughts that are repeated throughout the story.
3. Themes are suggested through the characters. The main character usually illustrates the most important theme of the story. A good way to get at this theme is to ask yourself the question, what does the main character learn in the course of the story?

4. The actions or events in the story are used to suggest theme. People naturally express ideas and feelings through their actions. One thing authors think about is what an action will "say". In other words, how will the action express an idea or theme?

Point Sheet (NOT directions) for 8th Grade Book Project - 3rd Quarter

3rd Quarter Book Project – Point Sheet
Dear Diary. . .

Requirements
___/2 - character’s name on front cover (typed or artistically done)
___/2 – title of book on front (underlined, typed or artistically done, properly capitalized )
___/2 – author of book on front (typed or artistically done, properly capitalized)
___/1 – first and last name on back
___/1 – class period on back
___/16 – date for each entry (full date, actual or inferred)  (2 pts each)
___/16 – 12 pt font, double spaced, Times New Roman or default font (2 pts each)
___/16 – each entry is ½ page or longer (2 pts each)
___/14 – 3 or 4 personal items that relate to the plot and are important to the character

___/40 – each entry contains reactions and responses to events in the book and NOT just summary (5 pts each)

Total = 110 points

3rd Quarter Book Project - 8th Grade (due Tue, March 18th)

Dear Diary…
3rd Quarter Book Project – Due: Tuesday, March 18th
Reminder:  Book Projects are NOT accepted for late credit.
Directions:
·        Choose one main character from your book and become that person!  Create a diary of personal reactions based on events from your book.
·        You need a total of 8 TYPED diary entries, at least ½ page each, based on 8 different events from your book.  Use the computers at school if needed.
·        Typed entries should be double spaced, 12 point font, Times New Roman or default font only.  This keeps it fair for everyone.
·        Every entry needs a date, even if you make them up based on the time period of the story (infer the setting).
·        Include 3 or 4 personal belongings of your character that relate to the diary entries such as photos, letters, trinkets, movie tickets, drawn pictures, bus passes, receipts, etc.  Think scrap book.
·        Bind your diary together somehow.
·        Make the cover of your diary look like a diary.  Include your character’s name, the title of the book (underlined please) and the author’s name.
·        On the back cover, type your first and last name and class period.

*** When you create your diary entries, do NOT simply summarize the events in the book.  You need to become the character and create reactions and responses to the events that take place, just like Anne Frank did in her diary (which we are exploring this quarter).  How do you think your character feels about what is happening to him/her and to others in the story?  What does your character think about others in the story?


BIG HINT: Don’t attempt to create the diary all at once.  It will look rushed and will not reflect your best effort.  Instead, type your entries as you read for an authentic response to the events of the story.  You can also place sticky notes in your book on the events you want to respond to in your diary.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Week 2, Quarter 3 - 7th & 8th Grade English

Homework & Class Activities for 7th and 8th Grade English
Week 2, Quarter 3

Monday 1/20
·         Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday – No School

Tuesday 1/21 – 7th Grade (1*)
·         Suicide Awareness and Prevention Program – Billinghurst Counselors

Tuesday 1/21 – 8th Grade (2*, 3*, 4* crunch)
·         2* = Suicide Awareness and Prevention Program – Billinghurst Counselors
·         Crunch = Word of the Week, p. 14
Multi-Media Review Presentation
“The Horror of Slavery” – Critical Thinking Questions 1-2, staple to p. 98 of comp book
Return Persuasive Essay rough drafts

Homework:  Reader’s Journal Week 2 due on Thursday

Wednesday 1/22– 7th Grade (6*, 7*) and Thursday 1/23 (1*)
·         Word of the Week, p. 14
·         Multi-Media Review Presentation
·         Finish Close-Read questions/theme – turn in (“I Was Homeless” article)
·         Video and Partner Questions (“I Lived in a Truck” – Homelessness in America)
staple to p. 95 of comp book

Homework: Wear team t-shirt for Friday’s assembly
                       Finish RJ week 2 and get signed!  - Due Friday   

Wednesday 1/22 – 8th Grade
·         No core classes today for 8th grade due to Math MAP testing schedule

Thursday 1/23 – 8th Grade (2*, 3*, 4*)
·         Turn in RJ week 2
·         Hand out and review RJ week 3
·         Review draft of essay and conference with Mrs. Rice if needed
·         Type, print, and hand in final draft

Homework:  Wear Royal Blue or Yellow tomorrow for team cheer assembly
                        Read 25 min and begin RJ week 3 – due next Thursday 1/30


Friday 1/24 – 7th Grade (6*, 7*)
·         Collect RJ week 2
·         Hand out and review RJ week 3
·         Finish Video Questions and staple to p. 95 of comp book
·         Notes on Theme, p. 96 of comp book

Homework:  Read 25 min and begin RJ week 3 – due Thurs 1/30 (6* only) and Fri 1/31 (7*, 1*)


Friday 1/24 – 8th Grade

·         No 8th grade core classes today due to Math MAP testing schedule 

Monday, January 13, 2014

Week 1, Quarter 3 - 7th & 8th Grade English

Homework & Class Activities for 7th and 8th Grade English
Week 1, Quarter 3

Monday 1/13 – 7th Grade (6*, 7*, 1*)
·         Word of the Week, p. 13
·         Collect Extra Credit RJ (will not be accepted late)
·         Hand out and Review RJ week 1
·         Collect any “Lamb to the Slaughter” comparison essays completed over break
·         Hand out and review multi-media review for 2nd semester
·         Begin close-read  on narrative non-fiction article, “I was Homeless”

Homework:  Reader’s Journal Week 1 due on Friday, 1/17

Monday 1/13 – 8th Grade (2*, 3* 4*  = 20 min crunch)

·         Word of the Week, p. 13
·         Collect Extra Credit RJ (actually due tomorrow for 8th grade only)
·         Hand out and Review RJ week 1
·         Hand out and review multi-media review for 2nd semester


Homework:  Reader’s Journal Week 1 due on Thurs 1/16 (2* only) and Fri 1/17 (3*, 4*)



Tuesday 1/14 – 7th Grade (6*)
·         Team Cheer Practice 6* = crunch tomorrow (6*, 7*, 1*)

Homework:  see Monday

Tuesday 1/14 – 8th Grade (2*, 3*, 4*)
·         4* = finish Word of the Week activity
·         Collect Extra Credit Reader’s Journal (Winter Break)
·         Building a Conclusion for a Persuasive Essay – staple activity to p. 98 of comp book
·         Persuasive Essay writing time

Homework:  Read 25 min and fill out RJ week 1 – due Thurs 1/16 (2*) only and Fri 1/17 (3*, 4*)

Wednesday 1/15 – 7th Grade (6*, 7*, 1* crunch)
·         Hand out Book Orders
·         Finish Close Read Activity sheet, front side only

Homework:  Read 25 min and fill out RJ week 1 – due on Friday


Wednesday 1/15 – 8th Grade (2*, 3*, 4*)
·         Last class period to finish Persuasive Essay
·         If finished, begin editing activity on essay

Homework:  If Persuasive Essay is not finished, you must take it home tonight to finish.  It needs to be complete and ready for editing activity next class period. 
Due tomorrow (2*) and Fri (3*,4 *)


Finish RJ week 1 and get signed!  Due tomorrow (2*) and Friday (3*, 4*)



Thursday 1/16 – 7th Grade (6*, 7*, 1*)
·         Continue with Close Read Activity – “I Was Homeless” informative narrative
·         Begin Close Read Questions – groups of 4

Homework:  Finish RJ week 1 and get signed!  Due tomorrow

Thursday 1/16 – 8th Grade (2*) and Friday 1/17 (3*, 4*)
·         Collect RJ week 1; Hand out and Review RJ week 2
·         Recognizing the Sections of your Persuasive Essay activity
·         Turn in persuasive rough draft
·         “The Horror of Slavery” – article and close read questions

Homework:  Read 25 min and fill out RJ week 2 – due next Thursday 1/23

Friday 1/17 – 7th Grade (6*, 7*, 1* 20 minute crunch)
·         Collect RJ week 1; Hand out and Review RJ week 2
·         Finish Close Read (group questions) and turn in


Homework:  Read 25 min and start RJ week 2 – due next Friday 1/24