MAY 18-22 Agenda and Assignments

Monday, May 18

Turn in Reading Logs and Journals and the number of pages you read for the 25 Book Goal. Finish taking all AR tests.

Organize the Writing Portfolio. Write a letter to your parents about your portfolio. Ask them to send a note saying they have seen it.

Exam Study Guide. 

Homework: Finish all parts of the Exam Study Guide. Bring your Literature book and WAG book to turn in tomorrow.

Tuesday, May 19  Turn in all textbooks for LA.

Finish letters to parents. Write a letter to your 8th grade LA teacher.

Check and review the Exam Study Guide.

Homework: Study for the exam. Organize TOC. Return notes from parents.

Wednesday, May 20

Turn in TOC.

Final exam

Homework: Return notes from parents.

Thursday, May 21 Awards program/Class party

Friday, May 22

Last day of school: Students follow the regular class schedule.

Return/Discuss Final Exams

Finish letters to 8th grade LA teacher.

Assessing Our Achievements 

Homework: I encourage all students to review skills missed on the Final Exam. Skills Tutor, WAG Workbooks, and other online sources may be used. Remember your summer reading assignments: The Wave by Todd Sasser and one book from the Choice List. Complete the note card activity also. Directions are on the HTMS web page. Take time to read, write, and rest this summer. You'll be 8th graders when you return!

Writing Camp in June

Don’t Let Your Time to Write Tick Away

During June 2009!

Come join us for the Kennesaw Mountain Writing

Program’s Young Writer’s Camp

--

Instructors Gabriel Pline from Hiram High and

Margaret Robbins from Chestnut Log Middle

--Theme: Identity through Time and Place

--Standards-based writing and reading instruction

aimed at improving test scores and increasing

student knowledge of technology

--Sessions with professional writers who will discuss

career options

--A coffee house on the last day that will showcase

the participants’ excellent writing!

--Cost: $150.00 per student.

--Dates: Monday, June 15-Friday, June 19, at

Kennesaw Mountain High School. (The final day

event will be at Kennesaw State University).

--Time: 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. daily

February 2009

Dear Parents and Teachers,

As your students are making plans for Summer 2009, please consider the Kennesaw Mountain Writing Project’s Young Writer’s Camp. This year, we will have the same excellent instructors, Gabriel Pline and Margaret Robbins. The theme will be a continuation of last year’s with new material: Identity through time and place. The camp is open to rising sixth through rising ninth grade students.

The workshop will take place from Monday, June 15th, through Friday, June 19th, at Kennesaw Mountain High School. The final day event on Friday will be at Kennesaw State University’s Leadership room. The class will take place daily from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., so that students will have instruction in the morning and time to write at home in the afternoons.

All instruction will be standards-based and an interactive look at various literary and written forms. Students will leave the program with a portfolio of writing samples of many genres. In addition, students will have the opportunity to hear guest speakers who will inform them of career options that involve writing and on how to make their way into the publishing market. On Friday, we will have a coffee house celebration in which the students will proudly get to read their works to family members, friends, and educators from the community.

If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Dr. Dawn Kirby at dkirby8@kennesaw.edu , Margaret Robbins at Margaret_Robbins@douglas.k12.ga.us, or Becky Ramsey at kmwp@kennesaw.edu. Closer to the time, we will mail out directions to the campus.

Thank you,

Young Writer’s Camp Staff

Summer Reading

Summer reading books for rising 8th graders are The Wave plus one from the Challenge book list. Download Summer Reading Challenge Books 2009 

May 11-15 Agenda and Assignments

Monday, May 11

Daily Grammar Practice Week 33 (Tuesday)

Media Center: Take the AR test for Farewell to Manzanar in class. Do not use the book.

Evaluating games and writing tips for good instructions.

Creating a Game: Brainstorm ideas with your group. Bring materials to class tomorrow. No large boxes allowed.

Homework: Bring materials and ideas for your game.

Tuesday, May 12

Daily Grammar Practice Week 33 (Wednesday)

Groups work on creating a game.

Exam Study Guide: Due 5/19        Final exam on 5/20

Homework: Work on games. Begin Exam Study Guide.

Wednesday, May 13 Olympic Day for 7th Grade

Thursday, May 14

Daily Grammar Practice Week 33 (Thursday)

Work session for groups to complete games project.

Homework: Complete any work on games. Work on Exam Study Guide (Due May 19). The final exam is on May 20.

Friday, May 15

Daily Grammar Practice Week 33

Evaluate the games of other groups.

Homework: All AR tests should be completed on Monday. Reading Log 9 and Journal 9 are due Monday. Work on Exam Study Guide (Due May 19). The final exam is on May 20.

May 4-8 Agenda and Assignments

Monday, May 4

Daily Grammar Practice Week 33

Media Center: Turn in Logs and Journals. Take AR tests.

Georgia Writing Assessment: How are expository and persuasive writing different? similar?

Homework: Homework: Bring black or dark blue pens to class to use on the Writing Assessment. By Thursday, complete the exercises on phrases and clauses. Finish Farewell to Manzanar and the organizers by Thursday also.

Tuesday, May 5

Georgia Writing Assessment (Part 1: Plan/Prewrite, Part 2: Draft, Part 3 Revise and Edit)

Homework: Bring black or dark blue pens to class to use on the Writing Assessment. By Thursday, complete the exercises on phrases and clauses. Finish Farewell to Manzanar and the organizers by Thursday also.

Wednesday, May 6

Georgia Writing Assessment (Part 4: Prepare Final Draft, Part 5: Proofread)

Complete Farewell to Manzanar and organizers. 

Homework: By Thursday, complete the exercises on phrases and clauses. Finish Farewell to Manzanar and the organizers by Thursday also. Bring money to buy books at the Book Fair.

Thursday, May 7

Pretest for Technical Writing

Book Fair: Choose your summer reading books. The Wave ($6.50) is required.

Check WAG Exercises. Make corrections.

Choose one question from the "Questions for Discussion" section (2-4) at the end of Farewell to Manzanar. Take notes and answer the question in a well-written paragraph.

Homework: Finish any assignments you did not complete in class.

Friday, May 8

April 27- May 1 Agenda and Assignments

Monday, April 27

Media Center: Turn in Reading Log 6 and Journal 6. Take AR tests.

Read Chapters 9-11. Complete Graphic Organizer for Summarize/Question/Clarify/Predict.

Homework: Complete class work assignment.

Tuesday, April 28

Daily Grammar Practice Week 32 (Monday)

Essential Question: How are characters revealed in a narrative?

Character Webs for (1) Jeanne, (2) Mama, (3) Papa, (4) Woody, (5) Incidental Women (minor characters): Identify character traits for your group's character. Find support from the text  in Chapters 4-8 for each trait.

Homework: Read Chapters 12-14. Complete the organizer. Download Scan0001  

Wednesday, April 28

Daily Grammar Practice Week 32 (Tuesday)

Returned papers: TOC and Quiz on Phrases and Clauses

Character Webs

Homework: Read Chapters 15-17 and complete the organizer. Complete the WAG assignment based on quiz scores due on 5/7.  Download Phrases and Clauses Quiz

Thursday, April 28

Daily Grammar Practice Week 32 (Wednesday/Thursday)

KWL Georgia Writing Assessment

Character Webs

Homework: Chapters 18-19

Friday, April 28

Daily Grammar Practice Week 3

Present Character Webs. Share organizers.

Homework: Reading Log 7 and Journal 7 are due Monday. By Thursday, complete the exercises on phrases and clauses. Finish Farewell to Manzanar and the organizers by Thursday also.

 

April 20-24 Agenda and Assignment

Monday, April 20

Reading Practice: Copy the poem "Fog." What kind of figurative language does Carl Sandburg use?  What aspects of the poem appeal to the senses?

Return/Discuss Journals 1-4. Turn in Reading Log 5 and Journal 5.

Review figurative language with an activity on idioms and a poem "Green Isn't So Bad."

Discuss Reading CRCT review questions from OAS examples.

Homework: Review figurative language for the Reading CRCT. Rest and eat a good breakfast.

Tuesday, April 21

Grammar Practice: Formatting a Business Letter

Test Alert Lesson 10 Developing Paragraphs

Discuss Reading CRCT review questions from OAS examples.

Homework: Complete punctuating dialogue practice. Check your answer. Download Plot Twists Using Quotation Marks Practice Review for the Language Arts CRCT. Rest and eat a good breakfast.

Wednesday, April 22

Listen to radio broadcast of FDR's "Day of Infamy" speech.

Begin Farewell to Manzanar. Read Chapters 1 and 2. Start graphic organizer for active reading.

Homework: Finish reading Chapters 1 and 2.

Thursday, April 23

Turn in Table of Contents 1-25.

Read Chapters 3 and 4. Complete the organizer for 1-4.

Homework: Finish class work. If you want to read ahead, start a new organizer for 5-8.

Friday, April 24

Read Chapters 5-8. Complete the organizer for 5-8. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17380544

Homework: Finish class work. Reading Log 6 and Journal 6 are due Monday. Students who received progress reports should return them with a parent's signature on Monday. If you did not receive a print-out, check your grade on I-Parent.

April 13-17 Agenda and Assignments

Monday, April 13

Daily Grammar Practice Week 31

Media Center: Turn in Journals 1-4 to be graded. Turn in Reading Log 4. Take AR tests. Work on Skills Tutor. Check out books.

Test Alert Lesson 9: Style and Expression

Homework: Workbook (137-144) Adjectives and Adverbs/You need your OAS access number (10 digit  number for benchmark testing) written on your birthday in your planner by Wednesday.

Tuesday, April 14

Daily Grammar Practice Week 31

Check Workbook (137-144). Make corrections.

Finish Lesson 9

Homework: Workbook pages 103-106 are due on 4/16.

Wednesday, April 15

Daily Grammar Practice Week 31

Computer Lab: OAS practice for CRCT and Skills Tutor "Clear Writing and Paragraphs"

Homework: Workbook pages 103-106 are due on 4/16. Complete Skills Tutor assignment by Friday. Quiz on phrases and clauses on Friday. Bring Farewell to Manzanar to class.

Thursday, April 16

Daily Grammar Practice Week 31

Literature: Compare Two Poems (142). Complete Literary Analysis on page 149.

Homework: Quiz on phrases and clauses on Friday. Bring Farewell to Manzanar to class.

Friday, April 17

Daily Grammar Practice Week 31

Check/Discuss "Misplaced Modifiers" Workbook lesson.

Quiz on phrases and clauses.

Homework: Reading Log 5 and Journal 5 are due on Monday. Complete Skills Tutor assignment by Monday.

March 30-April 3 Agenda and Assignments

Monday, March 30

Daily Grammar Practice Week 30

Portfolios: Review results on the persuasive research report. Write reflections in you portfolio.

Discuss/peer review paragraphs for the Protest Art Project. Revise and type final copies.

Media Center: Turn in Log 3 and Journal 3.

Test Alert: Write a one-sentence summary of Chapter 2. Complete the Focus and Discussion Questions on Lesson 3.

Homework: Redo lessons on Skills Tutor if you did not achieve mastery (90 %). The Protest Art Project and paragraph are due tomorrow.

Tuesday, March 31

Daily Grammar Practice Week 30

Turn in Protest Art, paragraph, and rubric.

Finish Test Alert Lesson 3.

Literature: What do you treasure? As you read "Ribbons" (465-474), complete the Question/Answer Chart. Answer questions in the margins and add questions of your own.

Homework: Finish the story and questions.

Wednesday, April 1

Daily Grammar Practice Week 30

Test Alert: Summarize Lesson 3. Complete Lesson 4.

Share questions and answers on "Ribbons." Complete the chart for Interpreting Theme (487).

Homework: Finish class work.

Thursday, April 2

Daily Grammar Practice Week 30

Test Alert: Summarize Lesson 4. Complete Lesson 5.

Complete Drafting your explanation of"Ribbons" (page 487).

Homework: Work on Drafting (487)

Friday, April 3

Daily Grammar Practice Week 30

Present Protest Art projects.

Complete Drafting your explanation of "Ribbons" (page 487).

Complete WAG Workbook 137-144 by April 14.

Homework: Reading Log 4 and Journal 4 are due on Monday (4/13). Workbook (137-144) due /14. All grades are updated in I-parent. Students should check to see if they have a grade for  Reading Comprehension on Skills Tutor. If you do not have a grade, you need to complete the assigned lessons until you achieve mastery (90 or above). Then take the posttest.

March 23-27 Agenda and Assignments

Monday, March 23

Daily Grammar Practice Week 29

Media Center: Take AR tests and return/check-out books. Skills Tutor online Reading Comprehension:  Take the assigned Pretest. If you do not make 100, complete the assigned Skills Lessons 1, 2, and 3 and the Posttest. You may repeat the lessons to improve your score. Mastery is 90%. If you make 100 on the Pretest, the lessons are not required, but you must take the Posttest for a grade.

Spelling Lesson Plural or Possessive? 

Homework: The Protest Art Project is due Thursday. Finish the Skills Tutor lesson by Friday.

Tuesday, March 24

Daily Grammar Practice Week 29

Finish Spelling Lesson Plural or Possessive.

"Stolen Day" Freewriting: Freewrite about a time you embarrassed yourself in front of your family or friends. Tell about the incident. Then write about the lesson you learned from the incident.

Read Literature pages 492-493.

Homeroom: Bring your protest art to discuss in class. Spelling Lesson due tomorrow.

Wednesday, March 25

Daily Grammar Practice Week 29

Discuss Protest Art Project. New due date is Tuesday 3/31. Paragraphs are due Monday.

Read "Stolen Day" Literature page 494-498. Complete the Reading Strategy on page 493. Complete the chart and questions on the handout.

Homework: Work on Skills Tutor and Protest Art Project. Finish class work.

Thursday, March 26

Daily Grammar Practice Week 29

Check/Correct Spelling Lesson.

Test Alert Lesson 1

Homework: Work on Skills Tutor and Protest Art Project.

Friday, March 27

Daily Grammar Practice Week 29

Discuss point of view and author's purpose in "Stolen Day."

Homework: Work on Protest Art Project. Your paragraph answering the three questions is due Monday.Download 3 Point ScaleProtestart2c0l  Reading Log 3 and Journal 3 due Monday.