AGENDA: February 19-22

Foci: Beliefs, Values, and Self Image

Notes:

*The Community Forum will be held on Monday, Feb. 25th from 8:45-10:15. This is the culminating event of our Belief Project. All 8th Graders will attend.

*NO SCHOOL on Friday, March 7

Weekly Homework:

*Generate a list of questions that you would like to pose the community panel. What burning questions do have that you want answers for? Remember the theme of the Belief Manifesto project is to uncover personal beliefs. We started this project with the most basic questions: Who are you? What do you want? What are you willing to work for? The members of the panel will include a writer, a children’s lawyer and advocate, a bilingual high school student, a police chief and a recent college graduate. Submit a list of at least six questions and include which panel member you would most like to answer your question. Due on Friday!

As you complete your belief essay, consider the following advice from Kati:

1) Beliefs are something we can make choices towards.
2) Good writing has good rhythm. Read your work out loud to yourself to find words that need clarification or rewording.
3) Don’t be afraid to go “in scene.” Use dialogue and specifics when needed.
4) Sentence fragments are generally not a helpful tool for readers. To create voice and style with punctuation-- use colons, semicolons, dashes and commas.

TUESDAY& WEDNESDAY
Collage assembly and gluing
Complete Belief Essay

THURSDAY
Final Draft of Belief Essay due!!!
Finalize collage
Final 1-1 Conferencing with Kati

FRIDAY
*PANEL QUESTIONS DUE!!!*
Celebration!!! Share poems and essays!

WEEK 24: February 11-15

Foci: Beliefs, Values, Goals, Self Image

Notes:
*NO SCHOOL next Monday, February 18
*Community Forum is set for February 25 from 8:45-10:15
*Please note important due dates this week!!

Weekly Homework:

1) Remember to bring shoe box of memorabilia in on Tuesday.

2) Spend one hour out of class working on your belief essay. Focus on word choice and organization of ideas.


MONDAY:
Begin drafting belief essay. One on one help from Kati.
Isolate a phrase or collection of words to incorporate into your "Inside Out Portrait."

TUESDAY:
FINAL POEM DRAFT DUE!!!
Color theory and color palette with Molly.

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY:
WNB 6-16 DUE on WEDNESDAY!!!
Collage work with Kati

FRIDAY:
BELIEF ESSAY DRAFT 1 DUE!!!
Collage layout and assembly

WEEK 23 AGENDA: FEBRUARY 4-8

Foci: Beliefs, Values, and Personal Goals

Notes:

*Wednesday is a late arrival day for students -- students will come to school at 9:40 and report to their 1st period class

*The Spelling Bee will be held at 1:20 on Wednesday, February 6

Weekly Homework:
Find an example of a person (alive or from history) who is a good example of standing up for her/his personal beliefs. You could research them on the internet or in the library. In your WNB, write 2-3 solid paragraphs about why this person is an inspiration to you.

MONDAY:
Belief Game with Kati

TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY:
Belief Poem Workshop and revision

THURSDAY:
Essay Idea Generation
FRIDAY:
Begin drafting essays

WEEK 21 AGENDA: JANUARY 28-FEBRUARY 1

Focus: PERSONAL BELIEFS, VALUES, and GOALS
As we continue to work on the pARTners Project, students will begin to explore in depth their personal beliefs, values, and goals for the future. Major steps of this project -- led by Molly Armour (visual artist) and Kati Standefer (writer) -- include:

1) Dream Board Generation
2) Belief Poems
3) 3-Dimensional Inside Out Portrait
4) Expository Essay
5) Podcasting

Notes:

-Homework Help is this Tuesday after school

-Quarter 2 Reflections due on Tuesday -- questions are on blog 1 post down

-By February 11, students need to have a digital image imported to classroom computer, and a shoebox of personal memorabilia ready


Weekly Homework:

Click on the hyperlink to the right: NPR - This I Believe Essays

Task:

1) Listen to TWO "This I Believe" essays.

2) Complete a T-Chart of concrete details and commentary

Monday:
Finish Dream Boards and share with the class

Tuesday:
***QUARTER 2 REFLECTION DUE!!!***
Belief Poem Generation with Kati

Wednesday:
Draft poem

Thursday:
Belief Poem Workshop with Kati

Friday:
Revise and print Belief Poems - due at the end of class

QUARTER 2 REFLECTION

Please type your answers to the following questions. This is due next Tuesday, January 29. Think carefully about your answers, remembering that we are halfway through the school year, and you are on your way to high school!!!

REFLECTION ON QUARTER 2 PERFORMANCE: Describe the following. Be as specific as possible.

1) Describe one thing you think I don't know about you.

2) What did you improve on this quarter? Look back to your first quarter reflection.

3) Describe one activity that you enjoyed and WHY!

4) Describe one activity you disliked and WHY!

5) Set some concrete goals for third quarter. Ideas: personal, academic, social, athletic.

It's 3rd Quarter at JHMS!!! WEEK 20: JANUARY21-25

Focus: Beliefs and Values

Notes:

*Young Authors submissions are due on March 3rd. Guidelines are posted in classroom. Students who revise their latest short story or create a new one will be given enrichment credit.

*Book Bistro is enrolling new members. Consider joining as a great way to talk about books and earn enrichment credit for this class. See Mrs. Brumsted.

*All students should be reading at least three books outside of class per quarter and maintain a detailed Reading Log in WNB.

*Greg Mortensen, author of Three Cups of Tea will be addressing JHMS students on January 28th at 1:45 at the High School.

*Spelling Bee is February 6th and is a late arrival day--classes begin at 9:40.

*Parent Teacher Conferences are March 4th and 5th.

Weekly Homework:
Bring items that reflect your "CONCEPT OF SELF" for Belief Project. Some ideas include: special photographs, plane tickets, concert tickets, game tickets, awards, found objects, memorabilia, magazines.

Monday:
Finish Outsiders Movie and reflect on film vs. book

Tuesday: Partners Belief Project Begins with writer Katie Stanfeder and artist Molly Armour introducing Dream Boards. The Belief Poject will result in several finished products: an expository essay, a dream board, a belief poem and an inside-out protrait. The Project will culminate in a Community Panel that parents are welcome to attend on February 25th.

Wednesday & Thursday: Work on Dream Boards

Friday: Winter Carnival. We will be on an early release schedule.

OUTSIDERS ESSAY QUESTIONS

Directions:

Choose one question to answer (worth 30 points). You can answer two questions for your second quarter extra credit opportunity (worth 15 points extra). REMEMBER TO RESPOND DIRECTLY TO THE PROMPT. Do not include unnecessary information. Be specific and focused as you write. It is a good idea to create a short list or outline before you begin. Length should be 3-5 paragraphs (about one page - DOUBLE SPACED).

Use these materials to help you: Outsiders novel, your notes and previous quizzes, reading packets, essay grading rubrics. Remember to use concrete details and commentary, topic and concluding sentences, and organize your essay. Make sure to proofread for spelling and grammatical errors when you finish. Finally, refine your word choice and sentence variation before you turn it in.

QUESTIONS:

1. Compare and contrast the Socs and the Greasers. Which gang is portrayed more favorably and how?

2. Compare and contrast Soda and Darry. Why are they both important to Ponyboy's development?

3. Is The Outsiders still relevant today? Why are students across the nation still reading this book? How do its themes span across time?

4. Do you think it is obvious that this novel is the first effort of a sixteen-year-old author? Support your answer with details from the book.

5. Comment on the novel's resolution. Is it complete? Does it satisfy the reader? Is anything missing?

6. What would you change about the novel and why? Be specific.

7. Analyze the symbolism in the novel. Ideas to focus on: Greasers' long hair, names of characters and gangs, Robert Frost poem, Gone With the Wind novel.