10/31/13 Happy Halloween!

All of 7th and 8th grade have won free dress for tomorrow, 11/1/13.  There was a contest for parade float fundraising, and there was a tie.  *Free dress still needs to follow school dress code rules

English 8:   
Students completed an open book quiz on Anne Frank today (pg. 1-24).  They were given some time to work on vocabulary after the quiz.  Three sources for their research report are due tomorrow.  Homework:  3 sources for research report (one not from the Internet) - vocabulary (all due Friday) - read AR 

Geography 7: Students worked on and turned in a preview activity for the region we are studying in Unit 6 (Middle East).  We will continue with a map activity tomorrow.  Homework:   work on essay (final essay due Friday)- read AR 


English 7:  Students completed DOL/Journal, and were given time to work on spelling.  We read Gathering Blue within cooperative reading groups  Homework:  spelling (all due Friday) -  read AR

10/30/13

English 8:   
Students took a quiz on figurative language.  They read in cooperative reading groups for the remainder of the class.  Homework:  3 sources for research report (one not from the Internet) - vocabulary (all due Friday) - read AR 

Geography 7: We completed a KTWL graphic organizer as a preview to the Middle East Unit.  Students spent time comparing the countries in this region to each other and to the US.  We will continue and start Ch. 16 tomorrow.    Homework:   work on essay (final essay due Friday)- read AR 


English 7:  Students learned about and practiced writing 3rd person point of view within their journals.  They spent the remainder of the class working in cooperative reading groups.   Homework:  spelling (all due Friday) -  read AR

10/29/13 Happy Tuesday!

English 8:   
We discussed the research packet further and how to document information from at least 3 sources (this will be due Friday).  Students taught each other vocabulary words from the list (pronunciation, meaning, and used in a sent.).  Students learned about using imagery in writing and practiced this in their journals.    Homework:  3 sources for research report (one not from the Internet) - vocabulary (all due Friday) - read AR 

Geography 7: We continued with the oil video.  Students worked on the pre-write activity for the response essay. Students need to work on the essay, as a final copy (hand written or typed) is due Friday. No current event this week.   Homework:   finish pre-write (final essay due Friday)- read AR 


English 7:  Students worked on DOL/Journal.  They learned about and practiced using a "first person" point of view.  The remainder of the class was spent reading Gathering Blue in cooperative reading groups.   Homework:  spelling (all due Friday) -  read AR

10/28/13 Happy Monday!

English 8:   
Students learned about and practiced writing oxymoron's within DOL/Journal.   They were given a research packet for the a WWII related research report.  Students will be learning how to avoid plagiarism by using parenthetical citations, as well as take research notes, create an outline, and create a bibliography.  Please check the packet closely for due dates. Students will be working with vocabulary list 3 (Anne Frank).  Each student was given one word (a few students had two) to look up and present to the class in the morning.  Homework:  *assigned word for review - vocabulary (all due Friday) - read AR 

Geography 7: We continued with the oil video.  Students need to finish completing their oil video sheet, as well as start working on their essay pre-write.  A 5-paragraph expository essay will be due Friday as a response to the oil video.  No current event this week.  Homework:   oil worksheet & start pre-write - read AR 


English 7:  Students were given Gathering Blue spelling list Ch.3-6.  We discussed the words and clarified meaning.  Within journals, students practiced writing with the homophones: there, their, and they're.  Homework:  spelling (all due Friday) -  read AR

10/25/13 Happy Friday!!

English 8:   
All vocabulary work was due today.  Students took a vocabulary TEST (Anne Frank section 2).  After the test, students participated in the student survey for the school (similar to the one parents filled out during conferences).  Homework:  Check grades online - read AR 

Geography 7: Current events were due. Students started watching a video called, The Story of Oil.  It's an educational video about the formation and use of fossil fuels, and starts us off into our next Unit, The Middle East.  Homework:   Check grades online - read AR 


English 7:  All spelling work was due today.  Students took a spelling TEST (Gathering Blue Ch. 1-3 words).     Homework:  check grades online -  read AR

10/23/13

English 8:   
We discussed and practiced writing metaphors.  Students read Anne Frank within cooperative reading groups. Students were given an independent summary/predict sheet to complete after reading today - this is due tomorrow.  Homework:  Independent summary/predict sheet if not completed in class  - vocabulary due Friday- Quiz on Anne Frank (pg. 1-24) - read AR 

Geography 7: Students were given a comprehensive study guide for the Ch. 3 TEST.  Each group completed several questions, and then taught them to the rest of the class.  Each student left class with a completed study guide and vocabulary practice sheet.  These will be collected before the test tomorrow as a credit/participation grade. Homework:   STUDY FOR CH. 3 TEST - current event due Friday - read AR 


English 7:  We discussed and practiced writing metaphors.  Students read Gathering Blue within cooperative reading groups.  We will have a short quiz on figurative language tomorrow and continue reading our class novel.   Homework:  spelling all due Friday-  read AR

10/22/13

English 8:   
WPM assessments were completed.  Similes were discussed and practiced within journals.  Students are working on Section 2 vocabulary this week (all due Friday).  Students read Anne Frank within cooperative reading groups - we will spend much of the day reading tomorrow.  Homework:  vocabulary due Friday - read AR 

Geography 7: Quiz Ch. 3-3 Homework:   current event due Friday - read AR 


English 7:  We did further work on similes.  WPM assessments were started, and will be completed tomorrow.  Students are working on a Gathering Blue spelling list this week.   We started reading Gathering Blue within groups - this will continue tomorrow.  Homework:  spelling all due Friday-  read AR

10/21/13

English 8:   
I started doing the WPM assessments today while students worked on their journals.  We discussed and practiced using hyperbole within journals today.  Students started working on Anne Frank vocabulary list "Section 2."    Homework:  vocabulary due Friday - read AR 

Geography 7: pg. 96 #1-7 & current event - study for QUIZ 3-3 tomorrow Homework:  pg. 96 if not completed in class - current event due Friday - read AR 


English 7:  Students received a different type of spelling worksheet today.  It is associated with the class novel we are reading and is a list of synonyms/antonyms. We discussed and practiced writing similes with journals.   Homework:  spelling all due Friday-  read AR

10/18/13 Have a great weekend!

**All students should be at approximately 54% of their AR goal by this time in the semester**

English 8:   
Students took the MAZE reading assessment as part of the mid-semester assessments we complete. All vocabulary work was due.  They took a vocabulary test; the first one associated with Anne Frank vocabulary.   Homework:  check the online grade book - read AR 

Geography 7:  Current events were due.  We spent the remainder of the class period doing Glogster presentations.   Homework:  check the online grade book - read AR 


English 7:  All spelling work was due.  Students took Lesson 8 spelling test.    Homework:  check the online grade book -  read AR

10/17/13

English 8:   
Students took the STAR reading assessment as part of the mid-semester assessments we complete.  Within the next week we will be doing the WPM (words per minute) and MAZE (literal comprehension) tests as well.  Students also worked on DOL/Journal.  As it was picture day, we did not get time to work in reading groups.  Homework:  vocabulary all due tomorrow - study for TEST - read AR 

Geography 7:  5-minute map quiz & Glogster presentations   Homework:   current event (due Friday) - read AR 


English 7:  Students took the MAZE assessment and were given their class novel Gathering Blue by Lois Lowery (a sister book to The Giver).  They made book predictions, and then we discussed cooperative reading group roles.    Homework:  spelling all due tomorrow - study for TEST -  read AR

10/16/13

English 8:   
EXPLORE TESTING (academic portion)  Homework:  vocabulary (all due Friday)- read AR 

Geography 7:  Students worked on their current events, a bellringer question, and then read AR.  They had a substitute teacher in for most of the class period as I was doing EXPORE testing with 8th grade.    Homework:   current event (due Friday) - read AR 


English 7:  Students took the STAR reading assessment as part of the mid-semester assessments we complete.  Within the next week we will be doing the WPM (words per minute) and MAZE (literal comprehension) tests as well.  When completed, students continued working on their "Write your own QAR" activity within groups.  This was collected in class.  Homework:  spelling (all due Friday) -  read AR

10/15/13

Reminder:  EXPLORE test for 8th grade October 15 & 16

English 8:   
EXPLORE TESTING (interest inventory today - tomorrow will be the academic portion)  Homework:  vocabulary (all due Friday)- read AR 

Geography 7:  Students read Ch. 3 Section 3 (pg.92-96) within reading groups.  They completed Guided Reading 3-3 independently after working on the chart from pg. 92 together.  If not completed in class this is homework.  Homework:  GR 3-3 -  current event (due Friday) - read AR 


English 7:  Students learned about and practiced writing hyperbole within their journals.  We worked with summarizing passages, as well as writing QAR questions from a passage.  They will continue writing the QAR tomorrow with their groups.   Homework:  spelling (all due Friday) -  read AR

10/14/13

Reminder:  EXPLORE test for 8th grade October 15 & 16

English 8:   
Students received a vocabulary word list associated with Anne Frank.  This week they will be working with Section 1 (24 words).  They will do all the work from their normal vocabulary program except the Monday packet (categories, meaning, & context).  Both the word list and vocabulary program are available from the "documents" file on my blog or the "digital locker" on teacherease.com.  Students were given time to complete AR quizzes if ready.  Homework:  vocabulary (all due Friday)- read AR 

Geography 7:  Glogster presentations (these will continue Wednesday)  Homework:   current event (due Friday) - read AR 


English 7:  Students are continuing their regular spelling program this week.  We worked on DOL/Journal.  Students were given time to complete AR quizzes if ready.   Homework:  spelling (all due Friday) -  read AR

10/2/13

English 8:   Students worked in cooperative reading groups to read the novel Anne Frank.      Homework:  vocabulary packet  due Friday -study for Vocab. Review TEST -  read AR

Geography 7:  Students worked on their Glogster project.  We will present these tomorrow.  Homework:   Glogster (due Friday) - read AR 


English 7:  NO SPELLING PROGRAM THIS WEEK.  After DOL/Journal, students finished putting information into the chart within their portfolios.  They were given time to work in the A+ program.     Homework:  A+ program (4 lessons by Friday - English 7)  -  read AR

10/1/13 Happy October!

English 8:   We discussed and practiced writing personification within journals.  Students started Anne Frank today.  We listened to the audio version (available on my blog).  Students were given a summary/predict sheet to complete - on the back are two "write your own" QAR.    Homework:  vocabulary packet  & summary/predict sheet for Anne Frank -  read AR

Geography 7:  Students were give a bit of time to complete pg. 89.  They took a quiz on Ch. 3 Section 2, and then worked on their Glogster assignment.   Students must research their "place" before putting it onto the Glogster program.  Homework:   Glogster (due Friday) - read AR 



English 7:  NO SPELLING PROGRAM THIS WEEK.  We discussed and practiced writing personification within journals.  Students were given some time to work on A+.  We corrected the QAR/Unraavel that was partner work, and students were given a new QAR/Unraavel that is now independent.    Homework:  A+ program (4 lessons by Friday - English 7) - QAR/Unraavel if not completed in class -  read AR