11/25/14 - Have a Fabulous Thanksgiving Break!

English 8A: Students were given part of the class to work in the A+ program (Adaptive Vocabulary).  The pretest completed and one additional lesson is be due today.   Students completed peer editing on rough drafts and were assigned 10 word choice changes.   homework:  10 word choice changes (rough draft)  -   read AR
English 8B: Students were given part of the class to work in the A+ program (Adaptive Vocabulary). Two lessons are due today.  We discussed the autobiography essay, and students were given time to work on the rough draft (will be due next Tuesday, 12/2/14)    homework: rough draft -   read AR
English 7: Students were given part of the class to work in the A+ program (Adaptive Vocabulary). Two lessons are due at the end of class today.  WB pg.38 was collected.  Students completed a pronoun/antecedent quiz in class.  homework:  -   read AR

11/24/14 - No School Nov. 26-28 (Wednesday-Friday)

Full Day Tuesday, November 25th

English 8A: Students were given part of the class to work in the A+ program (Adaptive Vocabulary).  The pretest completed and one additional lesson will be due at the end of the day tomorrow. We discussed peer editing for the autobiography rough draft, and will spend much of the day tomorrow editing.   homework:  A+  -    read AR
English 8B: Students were given part of the class to work in the A+ program (Adaptive Vocabulary). Two lessons are due at the end of class tomorrow.  We discussed the autobiography essay, and WB pg. 37 (pre-write activity) is due tomorrow.    homework:  WB pg. 37 (pre-write) -   read AR
English 7: Students were given part of the class to work in the A+ program (Adaptive Vocabulary). Two lessons are due at the end of class tomorrow.  Students practiced identifying pronouns, antecedents, and making each 'agree.'  Assigned was WB pg. 38, pronoun & antecedent agreement (due tomorrow).  homework:  WB pg. 38 -   read AR

11/20/14

English 8A: After journal, students worked on vocabulary workbook pg. 35 in preparation for the test tomorrow.  Assigned was the rough draft of the autobiography (due Friday at the end of class).    homework:  WB pg. 35, rough draft, study for test -    read AR
English 8B: After journal, students worked on vocabulary workbook pg. 35 in preparation for the test tomorrow. Students started the A+ program, working in Adaptive Vocabulary (pretest).  This program will be assigned next week prior to the Thanksgiving Break.  homework:  WB pg. 35 - study for test -   read AR
English 7: After journal, students worked on vocabulary workbook pg. 35 in preparation for the test tomorrow. Students started the A+ program, working in Adaptive Language Usage (pretest).  This program will be assigned next week prior to the Thanksgiving Break.  homework:  WB pg. 35 - study for test -   read AR

11/19/14

English 8A: After completing a DOL quiz, students wrote an alternate ending to the story "The Drummer Boy of Shiloh."  Assigned was a pre-write activity (w/b pg. 37) in preparation for an autobiographical essay.   homework:  pre-write w/b pg. 37-    read AR
English 8B: After completing a DOL quiz, students wrote an alternate ending to the story "The Drummer Boy of Shiloh."  Assigned was w/b pg. 34 (character comparison) - due tomorrow.  homework:  wb pg. 34 -   read AR
English 7: After completing a DOL quiz, students wrote in their journals.  They completed the second half of the Character Comparison chart A (started with the story "The Day the Bed Fell."  This is homework if not completed in class.  homework: Character Comparison chart A - read AR

11/18/14

English 8A: After DOL/Journal, students completed the graphic organizer on pg. 119 within groups, and then shared the results with the class.  Assigned was workbook pg. 34 - comparing characters from our two stories.    homework:  workbook pg. 34-   read AR
English 8B: After DOL/Journal, students completed the graphic organizer on pg. 119 within groups.  If not finished in class it is homework - due tomorrow. homework:  pg.119 graphic organizer-   read AR
English 7: After DOL/Journal, students read "The Stolen Day" for the 2nd time, annotating either within the book with sticky notes or online with e-text tools.   homework: 2nd Read - annotations- read AR

11/17/14

English 8A: After DOL/Journal, students partner read and annotated (either online or with sticky notes in the book) "The Drummer Boy of Shiloh."  Assigned was an objective summary of the story (due tomorrow).  homework:  annotate & summary-   read AR
English 8B: After DOL/Journal, students partner read and annotated (either online or with sticky notes in the book) "The Drummer Boy of Shiloh."  Assigned was an objective summary of the story (due tomorrow).  homework:  annotate & summary-   read AR
English 7: After DOL/Journal, read "The Stolen Day." Assigned was a prediction and objective summary (due tomorrow) homework: objective summary if not completed in class- read AR

11/14/14

All English 8: Students were given the class period to complete pg. 111 (questions #1-4), write in their journal, and read AR.  homework:  read AR

All English 7: After DOL/Journal, students were given time to complete "character house drawing."  In the drawing, students should identify the layout of the house, characters & traits, as well as dialogue spoken (from The Night the Bed Fell).  homework: - read AR

11/13/14

English 8A: After DOL/Journal, students were assigned pg. 111 (critical thinking questions) #1-4.    homework:  pg. 111 #1-4  -   read AR
English 8B:  After DOL/Journal, students were assigned pg. 111 (critical thinking questions) #1-4.    homework:  pg. 111 #1-4  -   read AR
English 7: After DOL/Journal, students were assigned a "character house drawing."  In the drawing, students should identify the layout of the house, characters & traits, as well as dialogue spoken (from The Night the Bed Fell).  homework: character house drawing - read AR

11/12/14

English 8A: After DOL/Journal, partner read and annotated (either online or with sticky notes in the book) "The Finish of Patsy Barnes."  Assigned was an objective summary of the story (due tomorrow).  homework:  annotate & summary-   read AR
English 8B: After DOL/Journal, partner read and annotated (either online or with sticky notes in the book) "The Finish of Patsy Barnes."  Assigned was an objective summary of the story (due tomorrow).  homework:  annotate & summary-   read AR
English 7: After DOL/Journal, students worked in groups to complete a graphic organizer on the main character from the story "The Night the Bed Fell." This is homework if not completed in class.  homework: graphic organizer A (character)- read AR

11/10/14 NO School Tomorrow (Tuesday, Nov. 11) - Veteran's Day

English 8A: After DOL/Journal, we started the short story "The Finish of Patsy Barnes" in preparation to compare characters across stories.  Students were assigned the first read of this story (pg. 104-111) and the vocabulary warm-up activity (hand out) - due Wed.   homework:  Read pg. 104-111 & complete vocabulary warm-up -   read AR
English 8B: After DOL/Journal, we started the short story "The Finish of Patsy Barnes" in preparation to compare characters across stories.  Students were assigned the first read of this story (pg. 104-111) and the vocabulary warm-up activity (hand out) - due Wed.   homework:  Read pg. 104-111 & complete vocabulary warm-up -   read AR
English 7: After DOL/Journal, students explored the new AZMerit website sample items.  homework: - read AR

11/7/14 - Picture Day packets went home today! Picture Day Nov. 13

All Classes:  Students did "speed interviews" and wrote about them in their journals.  We corrected DOL, read journals, and read AR.  homework:  read AR

11/6/14

English 8A: After DOL/Journal, we discussed the new AZMerit (AIMS replacement) test, and students explored the sample items on the AZ Dept. of Ed. website.   homework:    read AR
English 8B: After DOL/Journal, we discussed the new AZMerit (AIMS replacement) test, and students explored the sample items on the AZ Dept. of Ed. website.  Assigned was one article of choice from NewsELA to annotate and then take the quiz.    homework:    NewsELA.com article/quiz - read AR
English 7: After DOL/Journal, annotated the story The Night the Bed Fell.  They were given the option of annotating online (etext) or in their hard copy textbook (with sticky notes).  homework: 2nd read - annotate- read AR

11/4/14

English 8A: After DOL/Journal, started the selection test for Tell-Tale Heart.  The extended response portion will be worked on tomorrow in class.   homework:    read AR
English 8B: After DOL/Journal, students worked on WB pg. 15 & 16 (vocabulary & pronouns) - collected at the end of class.   There will be a test on the Tell-Tale Heart tomorrow.    homework:    study for test (reread selection/audio version online) - read AR
English 7: After DOL/Journal, students started a vocabulary warm-up activity for upcoming reading selections.  Assigned was vocabulary warm-up page 2 (handout - not from workbook) - due tomorrow.  homework: vocabulary warm-up pg.2 - read AR

11/3/14 Welcome to November!

English 8A: After DOL/Journal, students worked on WB pg. 16 (pronouns).  There will be a test on the Tell-Tale Heart tomorrow.    homework:    WB pg. 16 if not completed in class - read AR
English 8B: After DOL/Journal, students worked on WB pg. 15 & 16 (vocabulary & pronouns) - due tomorrow at the end of class.   There will be a test on the Tell-Tale Heart Wednesday.    homework:    WB pg. 15 - 16 (due tomorrow at the end of class) - read AR
English 7: After DOL/Journal, students worked on newsela.com reading, annotating, and answering questions on current events.  homework: - read AR