January 14-18 (Two hour delay Monday, Jan 14)Continue the study of Call of the Wild by Jack London--finish chapter two reading and vocabulary and literary analysis activities and begin chapter three. Objectives: Literary Analysis, Vocabulary & Grammarbuild vocabulary through practice and reinforcement of the language used in the novelidentify themes and connect with philosophical ideals of naturalism, survival of the fittest, and anthropomorphismdevelop an understanding of reading by studying sequence of events, cause/effect relationships, and conflicts develop literary analysis skill of characterization, theme, foreshadowing, and author point of viewdevelop the skill of writing to a specific audience for a specific purpose to analyze literatureuse dependent and independent clauses to form complete sentences January 7-11 (Two hour delay Tuesday, Jan 8)Continue the study of Call of the Wild by Jack London--finish chapter one reading and vocabulary and literary analysis activities. Objectives: Literary Analysis, Vocabulary & Grammarbuild vocabulary through practice and reinforcement of the language used in the novelidentify themes and connect with philosophical ideals of naturalism, survival of the fittest, and anthropomorphismdevelop an understanding of reading by studying sequence of events, cause/effect relationships, and conflicts develop literary analysis skill of characterization, theme, foreshadowing, and author point of viewdevelop the skill of writing to a specific audience for a specific purpose to analyze literatureuse dependent and independent clauses to form complete sentences
January 3-4Begin the study of Call of the Wild by Jack LondonObjectives: Literary Analysis, Vocabulary & Grammarbuild vocabulary through practice and reinforcement of the language used in the novelidentify themes and connect with philosophical ideals of naturalism, survival of the fittest, and anthropomorphismdevelop an understanding of reading by studying sequence of events, cause/effect relationships, and conflicts develop literary analysis skill of characterization, theme, foreshadowing, and author point of viewdevelop the skill of writing to a specific audience for a specific purpose to analyze literatureuse dependent and independent clauses to form complete sentences *****December 17-January 2 Winter Break***** Special Note****NWEA Testing from December 6-December 10*****December 10-14Continue our study of "A Christmas Carol" a play adaptation by Frederick GainesObjectives: Literary Analysisexplore the key idea of money and differentiate the difference between key idea and themeidentify theme in dramaread a play and online articleidentify and analyze sequencebuild vocabularyuse dependent and independent clauses to form complete sentences use writing to analyze literature December 3-7Begin our study of "A Christmas Carol" a play adaptation by Frederick GainesObjectives: Literary Analysisexplore the key idea of money and differentiate the difference between key idea and themeidentify theme in dramaread a play and online articleidentify and analyze sequencebuild vocabularyuse dependent and independent clauses to form complete sentences use writing to analyze literature November 21-23November 26-30Finish Lesson 7 which is about the connections between ideas and details in informational texts. Just as characters, events, and places work together to tell a story, so do people, events, and ideas relate to one another to give a reader insights about subjects such as historical events or discoveries in science. They will learn how to recognize these connections and to use them to better understand what they are reading about.Assessment over Unit two (lessons 4-7). November 21-23Thanksgiving BreakNovember 19-20 Continue Lesson 7 which is about the connections between ideas and details in informational texts. Just as characters, events, and places work together to tell a story, so do people, events, and ideas relate to one another to give a reader insights about subjects such as historical events or discoveries in science. They will learn how to recognize these connections and to use them to better understand what they are reading about. November 4-November 5November 12-16Continue Unit 2 of "Finish Line Reading for the Common Core State Standards" Unit 2 includes lessons 4-7. Also, students will take a non-fiction assessment during the week of November 12-16.Lesson 6 is about the connections between ideas and details in literary texts. They learned something about the elements of poetry in Lesson 2. In this lesson, they will learn about the elements of stories and plays. They will learn how to identify key details about the characters, events, and settings in a literary text and how they interconnect with one another to tell a story. And they will learn how these key elements influence one another in ways that move the story along and make it seem more real.Lesson 7 is about the connections between ideas and details in informational texts. Just as characters, events, and places work together to tell a story, so do people, events, and ideas relate to one another to give a reader insights about subjects such as historical events or discoveries in science. They will learn how to recognize these connections and to use them to better understand what they are reading about.November 4-November 5Begin Unit 2 of "Finish Line Reading for the Common Core State Standards" Unit 2 includes lessons 4-7In lesson 4 students will learn about noting details and remembering them accurately to understand and explain what a text means. They will learn how to identify details that are stated directly in a text and those that may take some figuring out. And they will learn how to identify the evidence that supports their understanding of the details.Lesson 5 is about the ideas that are supported by the details. They will learn how to identify the most important ideas that a text is about and how they are developed over the course of the test. And they will learn how to summarize a text--to explain briefly what it's about, referring only to the most important ideas and details October 29-November 2 October 29 & 30 Complete assessment for "Dark They Were and Golden Eyed" October 31: Grammar Skill Builder: Transitional Expressions Key Concept: Students will write using transitional expressions to make comparisons, contrasts, and casual relationships clear.November 1 & 2 Practice maintaining subject-verb agreement with problem subjects October 22 (fall break)-October 26, 2018October 23: Sub Plans Vocabulary lesson #25 Denotation and Connotation--Identifying positive and negative connotations; identifying positive connotations in advertising; replacing words with a synonym that has a positive connotations and writing sentences using the synonym correctly.October 24: Sub PlansVocabulary lesson #32 Analogy ReviewOctober 25 & 26We're completing our study guide for the short story "Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed" by Ray Bradbury. Assessment on Monday and Tuesday (October 29 & 30).
October 15-October 19, 2018 "Answer telephones politely."We're finishing up our study of short stories with "Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed" by Ray Bradbury. Our objectives are:explore the key idea of change & adaptation: Can where you are change who you are? analyze moodread science fictionbuild vocabulary for reading and writingrecognize the Latin root pend (also an EL language objective)maintain subject-verb agreementuse writing to analyze literature October 8-October 12, 2018 ""Little things count."We're continuing our study of short stories with "Rikki-tikki-tavi" taken from book one of The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. Our objectives are:explore the key idea of being braverecognize and analyze suspensebuild vocabulary for reading and writinguse the Latin roots viv and vit to help unlock meaning (also an EL language objective)maintain pronoun-antecedent agreementuse writing to analyze literaturerecognize and contrast points of viewidentify personification and recognize anthropomorphism in comparison/contrast October 1-October 5, 2018 Sub Plans "Problems create opportunity." Reading comprehension--standardized test practice Analogies--standardized test practice Analyzing Base Words, Roots, and Affixes September 26-October 5, 2018 "Think for yourself."We're continuing our study of short stories with "Rikki-tikki-tavi" taken from book one of The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. Our objectives are:explore the key idea of being braverecognize and analyze suspensebuild vocabulary for reading and writinguse the Latin roots viv and vit to help unlock meaning (also an EL language objective)maintain pronoun-antecedent agreementuse writing to analyze literaturerecognize and contrast points of viewidentify personification and recognize anthropomorphism in comparison/contrastSeptember 20-25, 2018 "Attitude determines happiness."All PeriodsWe began our unit on short stories. The first short story we'll read is "Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto. Our objectives are: explore the key idea of making a good impressionidentify stages of a plotanalyze plot developmentunderstand and use the Latin root uniavoid sentence fragmentsuse writing to analyze literatureSeptember 19, 2018 "Just lighten up."All PeriodsSub Plans: Anglo-Saxon Affixes and Base Words--Many words we use each day come from Anglo-Saxon (Old English). Anglo-Saxon words often contain affixes--words that can be attached to the beginning or end of base words to create new words. Students used context clues and their knowledge of Anglo-Saxon affixes and base words to figure out what words from a word bank belongs in sentences. September 11-18, 2018 "Mistakes become lesson."Periods 1,3,4,9We're beginning lesson 3 of context clues which focuses on content-specific words. We have a guided practice to read and answer questions for that explores the mitochondria and words that are specific to cells of plants and animals. We'll continue working on content-specific words with a passage about music in the Renaissance and a formative assessment. By September 14, we'll begin review for the summative assessment of Understanding Vocabulary Unit 1 We'll continue with housekeeping which involves getting graded papers returned and recorded for entry into Power School.Periods 7 & 8We're beginning lesson 3 of context clues which focuses on content-specific words. We have a guided practice to read and answer questions for that explores the mitochondria and words that are specific to cells of plants and animals. We'll continue working on content-specific words with a passage about music in the Renaissance and a formative assessment. By September 14, we'll begin review for the summative assessment of Understanding Vocabulary Unit 1 We'll continue with housekeeping which involves getting graded papers returned and recorded for entry into Power School. September 10, 2018 "Education is success."Periods 1,3,4,9We're finishing up lesson two vocabulary which focuses on word relationships. We're working on a formative assessment taken from a passage from "Too Near the Sun" by Allson Bast. We did housekeeping today which involves getting graded papers returned and recorded for entry into Power School.Periods 7 & 8We're finishing up lesson two vocabulary which focuses on word relationships. We're working on a formative assessment taken from a passage from "Too Near the Sun" by Allson Bast. We did housekeeping today which involves getting graded papers returned and recorded for entry into Power School. September 7, 2018 "Always try again."Periods 1,3,4,9We continued with vocabulary lesson two which focuses on word relationships. We'll study figurative language and elements of poetry and practice with the poem, "To Science" by Edgar Allan Poe. In lesson two, we'll also study analogies and denotations/connotations of words and practice the passage "A King-Sized Gift by Frank Maltesi. We'll end the lesson with a formative assessment taken from a passage from "Too Near the Sun" by Allson Bast. Periods 7 & 8We continued with vocabulary lesson two which focuses on word relationships. We'll study figurative language and elements of poetry and practice with the poem, "To Science" by Edgar Allan Poe. In lesson two, we'll also study analogies and denotations/connotations of words and practice the passage "A King-Sized Gift by Frank Maltesi. We'll end the lesson with a formative assessment taken from a passage from "Too Near the Sun" by Allson Bast.
September 6, 2018 "Neatness is Nice."Periods 1,3,4,9 We began vocabulary lesson two which focuses on word relationships. We'll study figurative language and elements of poetry and practice with the poem, "To Science" by Edgar Allan Poe. In lesson two, we'll also study analogies and denotations/connotations of words and practice the passage "A King-Sized Gift by Frank Maltesi. We'll end the lesson with a formative assessment taken from a passage from "Too Near the Sun" by Allson Bast. Periods 7 & 8We began vocabulary lesson two which focuses on word relationships. We'll study figurative language and elements of poetry and practice with the poem, "To Science" by Edgar Allan Poe. In lesson two, we'll also study analogies and denotations/connotations of words and practice the passage "A King-Sized Gift by Frank Maltesi. We'll end the lesson with a formative assessment taken from a passage from "Too Near the Sun" by Allson Bast.
September 5, 2018 "Improve your mind."Periods 1,3,4,9We bid farewell to Rules of the Road and Joan Bauer. We completed lesson one in vocabulary development--context clues. Students added to their knowledge about context clues by studying context clues that come in several forms: synonyms, examples definitions, and descriptions. We will grade lesson one tomorrow and continue with context clues, lesson two.Periods 7 & 8 We bid farewell to Rules of the Road and Joan Bauer. We completed lesson one in vocabulary development--context clues. We will grade the lesson tomorrow. Students added to their knowledge about context clues by studying context clues that come in several forms: synonyms, examples definitions, and descriptions. If time permits, we will continue with context clues and lesson two tomorrow.September 4, 2018 "Kindness always returns."Periods 1,3,4,9 Finished idioms and vocabulary for Rules of the Road. For tomorrow, For tomorrow, we'll begin lesson one in vocabulary development--context clues. Students will learn how to figure out what new words mean by relating to other words in a sentence or paragraph. They'll also learn how to differentiate among the meanings of words that can have more than one meaning and learn how to add new words to their vocabulary by adding parts to other words. Periods 7 & 8 In class--finished final essay for Rules of the Road. For tomorrow, we'll begin lesson one in vocabulary development--context clues. Students will learn how to figure out what new words mean by relating to other words in a sentence or paragraph. They'll also learn how to differentiate among the meanings of words that can have more than one meaning and learn how to add new words to their vocabulary by adding parts to other words. September 4, 2018 "Kindness always returns." Periods 1,3,4,9 Finished idioms and vocabulary for Rules of the Road. For tomorrow, For tomorrow, we'll begin lesson one in vocabulary development--context clues. Students will learn how to figure out what new words mean by relating to other words in a sentence or paragraph. They'll also learn how to differentiate among the meanings of words that can have more than one meaning and learn how to add new words to their vocabulary by adding parts to other words. Periods 7 & 8 In class--finished final essay for Rules of the Road. For tomorrow, we'll begin lesson one in vocabulary development--context clues. Students will learn how to figure out what new words mean by relating to other words in a sentence or paragraph. They'll also learn how to differentiate among the meanings of words that can have more than one meaning and learn how to add new words to their vocabulary by adding parts to other words.
Tuesday January 9, 2018 (all periods) Continue reading Call of the Wild Written response to today's reading: Scientist classify animals according to certain characteristics. Classify two characters by their most noticeable traits. on a T-chart, provide phrases from the text that support your classification. Quiz tomorrow over inciting event (a plot element). Thursday October 5-Friday October 6 Periods 1-4 Begin comparing similar themes: Read the poem "We Wear the Mask" and explain how the theme in the poem relates to the theme in the short story, Seventh Grade. Partner work. Also write a reflective response that discusses the similar themes and relates its importance to the world and the individual. Periods 7,8 Begin study of parallel episodes, subplots and climax. Use a folk tale to explore parallel episodes, subplots and climax. Refer to anchor novel, Rules of the Road, and the short story, Seventh Grade, to help with the understanding of episodes, subplots and climax.
Monday October 2, 2017-Wednesday October 4, 2017. Periods 1-4 Begin study of parallel episodes, subplots and climax. Use a folk tale to explore parallel episodes, subplots and climax. Refer to anchor novel, Rules of the Road, and the short story, Seventh Grade, to help with the understanding of episodes, subplots and climax. Periods 7,8 Begin comparing similar themes: Read the poem "We Wear the Mask" and explain how the theme in the poem relates to the theme in the short story, Seventh Grade. Partner work. Also write a reflective response that discusses the similar themes and relates its importance to the world and the individual.
Wednesday September 13- Friday September 22, 2017 Continue writing a theme analysis of Rules of the Road. A theme analysis is a project that requires analysis and synthesis of information. The project will describe and illustrate how common themes are presented in a literary text. Students will also learn to use a writing voice that is appropriate to the essay's purpose of theme analysis. This project will span 5-6 days of in class writing and includes collaboration with peers. Mini-lesson: Strategies for picking titles
Tuesday September 12, 2017 Three words a day: Forgive yourself often. Continue reading Rules of the Road (Read for at least twenty minutes.) Reading log #5 Tuesday's entry: Interesting writing appeals for the reader's sense of taste, smell, touch, hearing, or sight. To which sense does the author appeal in your story at this time? How do you know?
Monday September 11, 2017 Three words a day: Try new things. Continue reading Rules of the Road (Read for at least twenty minutes.) Reading log #5 Monday's entry: A simple sentence contains a complete subject and predicate. Write a simple sentence that summarizes today's reading. Draw a vertical line to separate the subject from the predicate. Underline the simple subject and circle the simple verb.
Friday September 8, 2017 Three words a day: Can't won't do. Hours 1-4 Continue reading Rules of the Road (Read for at least twenty minutes.) Reading log #5 entry: Synergy comes from the ancient Greek word that means "working together." Between which two characters is there synergy? What do they do together?
Hours 7 & 8 Begin a theme analysis essay for Rules of the Road. Consider the twelve common themes posted and analyze which theme best fits Rules of the Road. Be sure to support your analysis with strong evidence from the text.
Mini-lesson: MLA formatting for heading & citing sources
Thursday September 7, 2017 Three words a day: Always try again. Continue reading Rules of the Road (Read for at least twenty minutes.) Reading log #4 entry: People belong to groups based on interests, talents, backgrounds, or beliefs. In what kind of group would your character belong? Explain.
Wednesday September 6, 2017 Continue reading Rules of the Road (Read for at least twenty minutes.) Reading log #4 entry for Wednesday: Is your main character more like an equilateral, isosceles, or scalene triangle? Give reasons to support your answer. Mini-lesson: Choosing A or An Rule 1: Use the word a when the next word begins with a consonant sound. (Example: A black umbrella.) Rule 2: Use the word an when the next word begins with a vowel sound (An umbrella.) Choose between an and an according to the sound. Beware of a few tricky letters such as the letters h, o, and u. The letter h is a consonant, but it may sound like either a consonant or a vowel (a house, an honorable judge). The vowels, o and u, may sometimes sound like consonants (a one-way street; a unicorn).
Tuesday September 5, 2017 Continue reading Rules of the Road (Read for at least twenty minutes.) Reading log #4 entry for Monday: From whose point of view is this story told? Is it told in the first person or in the third person? How do you know? Describe where and when the story takes place. Reading log #4 entry for Tuesday: Think about your main character's personality. What animal do you think would be most like him or her? Explain using support from the story. Mini-lesson: Writing numbers and indicating titles
Friday September 1, 2017 Continue reading Rules of the Road Reading Log Entry: List four adjectives that describe your character's appearance or personality. Mini-lesson: Juxtaposition in art and photography