We are going to have a great time together this year in 8th grade. In our class, we will continue to increase skills in writing, language, reading, and speaking and listening.
We will have class sets of the novels we are to read this year.
Lockers are assigned after all first of the year paperwork is returned. There is a small fee of $4.00 for each locker to cover the maintance.
Unit 1: Theme: Ever Changing Adolescents, Extended Text: Bad Boy a Memior by Walter Dean Myers. We will review familair vocabulary and learn new vocabulary dealing with the elements of literature. We will work on various tasks that will show we know how to use the elements in the correct manner such as; arguementative writing, informative writing and memiors. This introductory unit to 8th grade English Lanugage Arts will set us on the right path of knowing what we know, what we need to learn and where we are going during the 2012-2013 school year.
Homework (each week): Please have your child review the notes from the novel, locate vocabulary meanings he or she has not found in class, and read something of his or her choice each night. Reading with a suggested time of 30 minutes a day. This reading includes reading in the other academic areas and books of choice.
August 6th: Today the student's began writing a memoir. We have discussed that a memoir is a creative non-fiction piece of writing. The memoir is to be created by each student from a favorite memory which can be a trip, movie, book, ballgame, dance recital, etc... Students are to include figurative language where appriopriate to show his or her skill level when writing. An engaging introduction, specific detailed filled body, and an satisfying conclusion is required. DUE: All students are to turn in the writing task by end of class Aug, 7th, Tuesday.
August 8th: Students were asked to reflect on his or her 'family tree", heritage, or roots.
August 9th: We read the first two chapter of our novel today using the Cornell note-taking method. Students are just learning this method and we will review the thinking involved in writing annotated notes from a novel.
August 10th: We will start chapters 3-5 today. Coming up: We will compare the chapter "Roots" in Bad Boy to a chapter in Soul Surfer also titled "Roots". We will discuss the author's different styles in writing an autobiography and also discuss how the two author's different childhood/family helped to shape them in who they are today.
August 13th: All memoris from students should have been turned in last week. Grades are going in this week for that assignment. If your child has a missing assignment the grade will factor as a zero until the work is submitted.
♥ The student memoris are fun to read. I am excited at the skill level I am seeing, but we still have a lot of work to do before the January State Writing Assessment. 
Homework: Please have your child review the notes from the novel, locate vocabulary meanings he or she has not found in class, and read something of his or her choice each night.
August 14th: Media Center Visit for general information and check out. Students may check out two books at a time unless they have not returned one or owe fines.
August 15th - 17th: We will continue with our novel reading and note-taking - students should expect a note check and coming quiz on chapter 1-5. Students will be able to use notes on the quiz.
August 20-23: ITBS testing in the morning - we will continue to read novel and complete routine writings. Quiz on Wednesday.
FridayAugust 24: Students will complete a graphic organizer on Walter Dean Myers showing textual evidence to support claims.
August 27th: HOMEWORK students are to write their own "Where I'm From" poem using George Ella Llyons example. We read and discussed the poem in class and we also viewed many examples of the poem performed by other students. This poem assessment continues the thought and skill process for our them "Ever Changing Adolescents"
September 4-7: Progress reports coming home this Friday. Students will continue to read and answer strategic reasoning questions in class and also prepare for a summative argumentive assessment.
We will examine the argumentive rubric and make a check list of skill and concepts needed to meet or exceed on the assessment.
The prompt will consider 2 Societal Expectations and the students will argue as to their opinion of fair or unfair.
September 5th and 6th: Homework: Students are to complete the questions for chapter 10 and 11 of our novel, "Bad Boy".
September 10th & 11th: Homework Students are to write a Bio-poem using the specific directions provided on the handout from class. Students also received the rubric that will be used for scoring.
September (First nine weeks) Summatives: Where I'm From poem and Argumentive Essay
Strange and Mysterious short stories - "Tell Tale Heart", "The Landlady" with Film to text comparison and "The Monkey's Paw"
Second Nine Weeks: Georgia Authors - mini research project to make a brochure. All work will be completed in class using the technology labs.
Novel: Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry we will read the novel and watch the movie to discuss adaptation from text to screen and the effects for setting, characters, theme, etc...
October 29th-November 2nd Continue the novel study - theme Social Injustice
Chapter 1-3 Discussion questions assigned in class - students need to finish for homework if they do not finish.
Boycott activity - reading in class an article about the Grape Boycott and answering questions - discussion of other boycotts
Quiz over chapters of novel
Questions on chapter 4-8 (find on sidebar if missed)
Persuasive Letter writing: Work on week of November 5, 2012 Due on: November 9th
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Persuasive Writing Topic 8204
Writing Situation
Many people often feel dissatisfied with the policies and workings of a company, person, or country. These people will boycott them to hurt them financially so they are forced to change. There have been boycotts all throughout history from boycotting British goods to boycotting buses in Montgomery to boycotting Dish TV.
Directions for Writing
In a letter to a newspaper, persuade the public to ban a specific person, company, or country’s goods. Include specific facts and reasons and examples to support your case.
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Week of 11/26/2012 and 12/3/2012 (see side bar for graphic organizer)
We will complete the novel this week. The reading task is to find textual evidence for four different themes of the novel. You will need at least four examples for each theme. Also, you will need four pieces of evidence for setting and four pieces of evidence for figurative language. The first of next week you will be asked to place evidence above on a provided organizer and turn in as a summative assignment.
Examples of Themes in Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor
Importance of family
Importance of land/home
Self-respect
Respect for others
Discrimination during the Great Depression
Racism during the Great Depression
Hope against all odds
Unit 3: Success: Defining it, Measuring it
Novel: Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
We will pick and choose different chapters to read in this novel
To start off the unit we will first dicuss what success means to each student
We will examine popular songs such as; I Believe I Can Fly, and poetry by Robert Frost, Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes
We will use the "Close Reading" strategy to teach students how to analyze a piece of literature to think more critically about theme, tone, diction, syntax, imagery and figurative language
TEST: Figurative language 1-31-13
metaphor, imagery, simile, assonance, hyperbole, personification, simile, alliteration, internal rhyme, end rhyme, meter, oxymoron
Short Story: Flower for Algernon
Compare and contrast non-fiction text
Answer in depth questions about what we have read |