WEEK 6 AGENDA: October 6-10

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

*Alexandra Fuller, author of The Legend of Colton H. Bryant, is coming to JHMS to read from her book, and present material to the 8th Grade on Monday, October 6!!!

*Students are expected to stay up to date with their Writer's Notebook Entries. All entry prompts can be found on the top left of this blog page under "Writer's Notebook Entries." Writer's Notebooks are due on MONDAY, OCTOBER 20.

*Students are required to read two books per quarter on their own, and post comments for SSR credit on Ms. Swiggum's library blog at http://www.kswiggum.edublogs.org/ (hyperlink on left of page). Posted comments can be viewed under 8th Grade Flammang link at top of page.

*NO SCHOOL on Monday, October 13 due to Teacher Inservice.

*October 31 is the end of first quarter.

Agenda:

This week, students are continuing to read and respond in writing to a selection of fictional narratives. They are also beginning to draft characters and plot lines for their own fictional narrative pieces. Additionally, students are continuing to study apostrophe use in context and active verbs.

Weekly Homework:
*DUE FRIDAY*

1) Tic Tac Toe reading and response due

2) Study for Active Verbs graded quiz -- THURSDAY!

MONDAY:
*No 6th or 7th period classes for 8th Grade today -- Alexandra Fuller reading in Commons.*

1) Weekly Overview, weekly homework, and quiz notice

2) Choose a new Fictional Narrative

3) Video quiz - apostrophes

4) Reading time -- Fictional Narrative Selection #2

TUESDAY:
*Tic Tac Toe Response #1 due*

1) Discuss and share literary responses in small groups

2) Mini-lesson: 'How can I write a better paragraph? Hooks, intoductory sentences, and concluding sentences'

WEDNESDAY:
1) Narrative Assignment Overview

2) WNB #6: Character Drafting

THURSDAY:
1) Book talk with Ms. Swiggum -- Forgotten Fire and A Step from Heaven

2) Active Verbs graded quiz

FRIDAY:
*Weekly Homework due -- TTT #2*

1) WNB #7: Plotting your narrative

2) Reading Day -- student narrative samples

WEEK 5 AGENDA: September 29 - October 3

Announcements:

*Midterm is October 1. Students should check Power School to make sure all their work is in. Language Arts help session after school on Wednesday of this week.

*Each day, 8th Graders have a 30-minute enrichment period after lunch. The focus for enrichment is reading. Students are reading The Legend of Colton H. Bryant by Alexandra Fuller during 1st Quarter. The author is coming to JHMS to read from her book and present material to the 8th Grade on Monday, October 6!!!

*Students are expected to stay up to date with their Writer's Notebook Entries. All entry prompts can be found on the top left of this blog page under "Writer's Notebook Entries." When a set of entries are due, students will receive one week's notice in order to make sure all entries are revised and completed before the due date.

*Students are required to read two books per quarter outside of school, and post comments for SSR credit on Ms. Swiggum's library blog at http://www.kswiggum.edublogs.org/ (hyperlink on left of page). Posted comments can be viewed under 8th Grade Flammang link at top of page. Students should aim to post their first comment by October 1.

AGENDA:
This week, as we continue to explore narrative structure and voice, students are reading from a selection of fictional narratives and responding to selected pieces in writing. Students are continuing to study active voice and apostrophes in context, and beginning to study citations while refining their thesis statements for their History research papers. Additionally, students will be working to tighten up their paragraph structure with strong introductory and concluding sentences. In class, clickers, Brain Pop, and interactive writing will be used to practice skills and assess comprehension.

WEEKLY HOMEWORK:
*DUE ON FRIDAY*
1) WNB #5: Thesis statement
2) Read first fictional narrative choice for Friday.

MONDAY
*Reminder: Did you add a divider for vocabulary to your binder?*
1) Weekly Overview and homework. Discuss significance of blog picture. Visit library blog to check posts -- reminder of midterm on October 1. Look at clicker poll and remind on new poll (will be posted later this week).

2) Review 'Apostrophe Headaches.' Apostrophe lesson with clickers/share what you learned.

3) Finish reading and labeling figurative language in "What's the Worst that Can Happen?" by Bruce Coville. In the margins, jot down three thoughts on the use figurative language in this story.

TUESDAY
1) Discuss how figurative language contributes to the plot and creates voice in Coville's narrative piece.

2) Narrative Notes continued...

3) Fictional Narratives Tic Tac Toe handout, assignment, deadlines, and overview. Students need to choose and read three narratives and complete response activities.
Due dates:
TTT #1) October 7
TTT #2) October 10
TTT #3) October 14

4) Story choices and reading time

WEDNESDAY
*Reminder: Is your first comment up on the library blog?*
1) Thesis workshop #2 & Thesis Brain Pop

2) Reading time

THURSDAY
1) More apostrophes ... correct apostrophe homework from last week.

2) Brain Pop - Citations.

3) MLA Format Powerpoint

FRIDAY
*WEEKLY HOMEWORK DUE!*
1) How can I write a better paragraph? Mini-lesson on hooks, introductory sentences, and concluding sentences.

2) Figurative Language Bingo!!!