Language Arts 12-29-13

Happy Holidays All!
Hope you are enjoying your break.

Your only assignment for Language Arts is to do the research on your family roots (you received instructions and the grading rubric) and begin plotting out all the information that you have obtained.  Remember your biography focuses on one member of your family -- tell their history -- use figurative language.

Although I have graded tests and The Outsiders' Packets, I have been unable to get onto Gradebook over the holiday.

I will continue to try to update your grades, but so far have been unsuccessful.

Language Arts 12-18-13

Language Arts 12-16-13

Today we recorded and discussed vocabulary words for Chapters 8 & 9.
We listed to the two chapters of The Outsiders.
We created the sequence of events for Chapter 8, worked on the chapter analysis, and began a three-step for Chapter 9.

All Chapter analysis sheets and three-steps are due for chapters 1-9 on Thursday, 12/19.  This includes the chart of characters.

SciFi stories must be revised, corrected & resubmitted as a final on Friday 12/20.

Current events due Tuesday 12/17.
Assessment worksheet for chapters 4-6 on The Outsiders will be collected Wednesday 12/18.

Field Trip to see Catching Fire on 12/17.  Wear your uniform, bring a lunch.

Assessments this week:
   Figurative language and The Outsiders final on Friday 12/20

Genealogy Project -- December/January 2013/2014

Genealogy Project – 8^th Grade  Language Arts                                        (crw2013)

 

 

Your History in America…..where did it begin?

“The best growth happens when we bring into the present the

best of what we have experienced in the past.”

Each of us has a personal history which includes the people and their experiences which make us who we are.

 

Your project is to trace your roots – where does your family fit into the History of this World.   Remember in today’s world we experience a rich variety of family configurations.  Families are not always comprised of blood relatives.  A family can consist of friends, foster, and adoptive relatives.  A family consists of both the people you may be linked to by blood and the people you care about and who care about you.

 

The emphasis is on quality not quantity.  It is not important to list every second and third cousin you are related to; rather try to trace your ancestry back to another country or continent and provide an interesting look into the history of a few relatives.

1. Research your family roots (begin by sitting down with mom or dad and finding out who is related to who and how;  speak to grandma, grandpa, an aunt or uncle about your ancestors) Draw a sketch.
2. Find one primary document (a birth certificate, marriage certificate, naturalization paper from a member of your family, report card, letter, etc.)   Attach a copy (not the original) to your paper and explain the relationship of the person to you and label the document.

3.  Find a creative way to illustrate on a poster board your family tree.  (for example, a family who trace its roots to a member of the plumbing union, displayed each member as a pipe joined by joints)  (another example,  a family with artistic qualities featured each relative as colors on a color wheel)    Be sure whatever your design, that the relationships between the names are clearly displayed. (grandma, grandpa, aunt, etc.)  Include name, relationship, place of birth & dates if you have of birth/death.

 

4.  Choose one of your ancestors (you cannot be one).  (You can do an additional relative for extra credit).   Write a one typed page paper describing the specific history of that person.  Attempt to choose a person who will help show how your family got its roots in the United States and in your community where you live today.  Be sure to list your source of information (interview with person or another relative and the date).  It could be about a relative who has died, but someone else tells you the story.  Be sure to list that person as the source and the date you interviewed them.

 

Three Part Project

                          (visual display on poster board)

                          (typed paper – research on one key person

                                ( copy of a primary document)

DATES:  Research over the holidays -- December 18th to January 6th 

                 Rough drafts for individual histories and idea for display  January 14th, 2014
 

                 Final project due : January 28th, 2014

 

CRITERIA:

1.     Effort evident in attempt to trace ancestry

2.     Creativity of design, well executed, neatly drawn, colorful

3.     Clarity of display and biographies(one can see relationships)

4.     Well-written, grammatically correct biography

5.     one copy of a primary document included and labeled

 

 

 

Student _____________________________

Genealogy Project – Language Arts

BIOGRAPHY:

          _____PRESENTATION: (10 pts.) Double-spaced, typed

          _____ENGLISH: (30 pts.) Grammatically correct/proofread

          _____RESEARCH: (100 pts.) Thorough look into on relation

          _____CREATIVITY: (20 pts).Creative description with anecdotes

PRIMARY DOCUMENT:

          _____included (30)

             _____labeled (10)  

POSTER:

          _____PRESENTATION: (50 pts.) Ink or marker, neatly completed without errors

          _____CREATIVITY: (50 pts.) Theme obvious and well-displayed

          _____CLARITY: (50 pts.)Relationship between student and relatives clearly shown using theme, names and titles listed Sue Tone - aunt, grandma, etc.); birth dates and countries of birth attempted

          _____RESEARCH: (50 pts.) Ancestors traced showing time and effort

 

                                                                      TOTAL PROJECT  POINTS _______ out of 400 points

 

PRESENTATION (Speaking Grade):                                                          __________/__________

          _____ Clarity (able to understand presentation)          Clarity/fluency    Knowledge

          _____ Summarization (good summary of info & reason for design)

          _____ Class able to hear presentation                                    

 

Language Arts 12-13-13

Language Arts:

Today we recorded our vocabulary for Chapter 7.  Reviewed figurative language.
Recorded two flash cards for verbs and pronouns.

We listened to the rest of Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 of The Outsiders.  We began the sequence of events together on our Chapter maps.

Homework:
finish corrections for Simple Solutions Test #10  (Grammar rule,  what I did wrong,  correction)
work on Chapter Analysis maps for chapters 1-7.
Current events on Nelson Mandela due on Tuesday 12/17.
Make sure flash cards are complete.
Journal entries on "jealousy" and "consequences."

Language Arts 12-12-13

Today we wrote down and discussed our Vocabulary for Chapters 5 & 6 of the Outsiders.
We listened to Chapter 5 and 1/2 of Chapter 6.  We worked on our chapter analysis of Chapter 5 and a three-step for Chapter 6.

We created two flash cards: one on parallel structure and one on adverbs.

Homework:
Simple Solutions corrections:  (due Monday 12/16)
    1., Grammar rule
    2.  What I did wrong
    3.  Correction

Current Events on Nelson Mandela (Due Tuesday, 12/17)

Work on Chapter Analysis Maps of Chapters 5 and three-step for Chapter 6.

Language Arts 12-11-13

Today we took our Outsiders Test I  (25 comprehension questions, 9 identification, 11 vocabulary -- chapters 1-3).
We discussed chapter 3 and listened to Chapter 4.  We reviewed some figurative language terms (synecdoche, idiom, imagery).
Teams completed their comparisons of the Socs and the Greasers, and the differences between "tuff" and "tough" according to the novel.
We received papers back & prepared our binders for signatures.


(Princeton took their Simple Solutions test today;  Harvard & Yale had a night off since they took their test on Tuesday).

Homework:
chapter Analysis sheets on Chapters 3 & 4.
Simple Solutions Lesson 41
Get your portfolio signed (additional sheets are on Mrs. Urbinati's website).


Reminders:
Progress reports went home today.  Bring back the small slip at the bottom signed.
Blue Man Group Deposit $40.00 due Friday.
Catching Fire field trip form and $11.00 due Friday (late payments will not be accepted.)
High School registration is due by Friday.

Language Arts 12-10-13

Princeton:
Corrected Simple Solutions #40

Yale & Harvard:
Took our Simple Solutions test on lessons 37, 38, 39, 40; packets handed in.

All:
Wrote out our vocabulary for Chapter 4 of The Outsiders and reviewed vocab for chapters 1,2,3
Listened to The Outsiders, Chapter 3.
Wrote out a journal entry on gangs. (homework!)
As teams, constructed a Venn Diagram comparing/contrasting Socs and Greasers; needed three actual quotes from the book.
Defined tuff, and tough; found one picture of each for our poster.

Homework:
Journal entry
Study for Test on The Outsiders Chapters 1,2,3 (includes comprehension and vocabulary)
Princeton (study for Simple Solutions Test)
Fill in as much of the Chapter Analysis on Chapter 3 as possible.

Language Arts 12-9-13

Today we wrote out a study guide for the Simple Solutions Tests on Lessons 37, 38, 39, & 40.
We practiced some exercises to review for the test.
We wrote out out vocabulary words for Chapter 3.

Princeton:
We listened to Chapter 3 of The Outsiders and worked on the chapter analysis.
We finished giving our "Gettysburg Address" speeches.
We peer-edited our Science Fiction stories.
(We're finishing Lesson 40 for homework & taking our Simple Solutions test on Wednesday).

Yale:
We listed to Chapter 2 of The Outsiders.

Harvard:
We finished reading Chapter 2 of the Outsiders.
We peer-edited our Science Fiction stories.


Homework:
Create a draft with your ideas for the following:
1.       a chart listing "Tuff"    and    "tough".
     what images come to mind with each word which Ponyboy discussed in the novel.


2.     create a Venn diagram comparing the Socs and the Greasers


Tuesday; Simple Solutions test for Yale & Harvard
Wednesday:  Chapters 1-3 test on The Outsiders for all sections (this includes vocabulary).

Language Arts 12-6-13

Friday:
Took down Vocabulary for Chapter 2
Finished reading Chapter 1 and Chapter 2
Classwork:
     The Outsiders Chapter 2 Analysis
     Character table

Homework:
   Princeton (complete journal entries).
   All sections:  Science fiction narrative due Monday 12/8
   Study literary terms and elements

Language Arts 12-5-13

Room 203 took the Math MAP Test from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.


Today we copied our Vocabulary words for The Outsiders Chapter one.
We discussed allusions present in our new novel.
We began reading chapter one and created a character chart.
We recited the first two lines of the Gettysburg Address.

Princeton also did a "Short Write" using the Civil War Journal.

Homework:
Simple Solutions #40
Science fiction narrative (2 to 5 pages long) due Monday


8th Grade Announcements:

Field Trip Money (Catching Fire) due by 12/13
$40.00 deposit due for Blue Man Group 8th Grade Graduation Trip
Progress Reports go home next Wednesday.

Language Arts 12-4-13

Today we recorded 10 literary terms.  Homework was to define and provide an example for each.

We took notes on the Literary Element -- Style.

We completed a "short write" using our homework (the "Think and Note" from "A Civil War Journal" by Louisa May Alcott.).  These were collected.

We read and discussed a power point on the "Curse on the Presidency" to complete our non-fiction unit.

Students handed in their book reports.

Students received the Common Core standards for listening and speaking to insert into their binder.

We recorded journal questions from The Outsiders.

Homework:
complete two journal entries
Simple Solutions #39
memorize Gettysburg Address

Language Arts 12-3-13

Today we created a journal entry defining and giving examples for 10 of our figurative language vocabulary.  This was entry # 2.

We watched the video "Four Minutes of the Civil War,"  read a non-fiction piece about Wilmer McLean, and examined our character analysis of Lincoln. (this was handed in today).

We corrected Simple Solutions #37.

We took down flash cards on Literary elements of mood and tone & inferencing.

HOMEWORK:
Simple solution #38
Read literature book pages 784-787 do a "Think and Note"  on this Civil War Journal
Book report due tomorrow
Gettysburg address memorization (students have been giving their speeches each day)  last day is Thursday.

Language Arts 12-2-13

Happy December

Today we completed Journal entry #1  "Booth's Reasons for Assassination" by reading a non-fiction article and bullet pointing key ideas.
We reexamined "O Captain, My Captain" and in team, examined quotes from "Lincoln: A Photobiography" to make inferences about Lincoln's character traits.  We began a character analysis which is due tomorrow with specific evidence from our readings.
All papers were handed back and missing assignment sheets were passed around.

Yale & Harvard took notes on the literary element: Mood.


Homework:
Simple Solutions # 37
Finish character analysis sheet began in class on Lincoln
Memorize your lines of the Gettysburg Address; speeches began today.
Book report (adjusted date!)  Wednesday, December 4th.

Continue work on your own scifi stories 

Congratulations Room 203 -- Perfect attendance today!!