Homewrok DUE

Students (even the students who were absent), be sure to complete your homework assignments. We will discuss Monday and Tuesday of next week.

"The Ransom of Red Chief"
Literature Textbook pages 46-57.
1) Complete and turn in ALL margin questions - worth 20 points

"The Tell-Tale Heart"
Literature Textbook pages 76-83.
1) Complete the Margin questions in your head to ensure you are monitoring your comprehension.
2) Respond in writing and turn in the Literary Analysis questions (pg 84) 4-7
- worth 20 points

*All components of the question must be correct to rec. full points.

Whew! We are already in the Third Nine Weeks

Students and Parents,

Whew! Here we are at the beginning of the Third Nine Weeks, and we are off to a great start. Students, I am so proud of your hard work. You have grasped, comprehended, and demonstrated varied levels of proficiency during the second nine week’s grading period. The target skills were

1. Using effective transitions to improve the Organization in Essay Writing,
2. Using grammar skills to create varied sentence structure, and
3. Using specific techniques to improve the elaboration in our writing.

In addition, we identified and analyzed

4. Author’s Purpose,
5. Author’s Perspective,
6. Bias,
7. Author’s Point of View,
8. Theme,
9. Author’s use of Tone thru word choice and figurative language strategies,
10. Cause & Effect (literal and implied) relationships of events and how they affect elements of plot in fiction, and
11. Character Analysis and how individual characters and their traits are both identified thru literal and implied messages in the text.

Wow! That was a lot.
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For the upcoming week, our skill focus is Text Features. We are going to explore how an author’s use of Text Features help the reader better understand the text.

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Reading Logs (Only 5 Books to Read) and Journal Entries
Students, I have implemented a change in policy. Unlike the board in the “Scholarship Jacket,” this change is being made with good intentions! 

*Students, the books you read for the 3rd nine week’s grading period, MUST have at least an 800 or higher LEXILE LEVEL. You may log onto http://www.lexile.com and compete the Quick Search at the top right-hand corner of the homepage to search your book's Lexile Level. (I will demonstrate this in class).

Now, Journal Entries – starting January 25/2012 thru March 15/2012

Journal Entries will reflect Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. No Fridays!

Monday: Inference
Tuesday: Tone
Wednesday: Vocabulary Cause and Effect Relationships of Events
Thursday: Character Analysis

Expectations…
Monday: Inference
1) Write a summary of what you read.
2) Then, discuss the author’s use of key words, figurative language, and chain of events to show what and how the inferences were made.

Tuesday: Tone
1) Write a summary of what you read.
2) Identify and discuss the strategies the author uses to create the tone.

Wednesday: Vocabulary and Cause and Effect Relationships of Events
1) Provide a summary of the text and then discuss how the unfamiliar vocabulary word (s) was used in the context.
2) Try to figure out its meaning and then verify by looking the word up. Share your results in the summary.
3) Discuss the Cause and Effect relations – both literal and implied.

Thursday: Character Analysis
1) Write a summary of what you read.
2) Discuss what you think of the main/minor character(s) in the text.
3) Identify at least two adjectives to accurately describe the character as portrayed in the reading.


Rational: Reading books that are challenging and enjoyable improve our reading and writing skills. Students, when we read - for pleasure or information - we should always set a purpose for our reading. By establishing a reading focus, we begin recognizing the strategies “good” writers use and the reading skills needed to comprehend and appreciate what the author is expressing. Look at it this way: The skills are reciprocal. Hence, we become both an effective reader and writer. For example, our vocabulary improves, our sentence structure becomes varied and appropriate, our word choices become more concise and precise, and our ideas become clear and related as we grow into becoming strategy technicians. I love it! 

Reading Logs and Journal Entries are Due

Hi Students,

Your Reading Logs and Journal Entries are due next week.
B Day Students: Wednesday, January 18
A Day Students: Thursday, January 19

Ensure you have 6 books read; Journal entries began November 3 for this nine-week period and ended January 6. Check the blog for the Winter break Journal Entry schedule.

Thanks:)

2011 Winter Break Assignments

Students and Parents,

It is vital that we remain engaged in learning, especially over the 2-week winter break. While we are having fun, resting, and enjoying family and friends, please manage time for academics. *Don't forget 6 books MUST be read for this quarter. Nine Weeks end 1/19/2012.
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Your Tasks over the break includes:
I) 30 minutes of reading daily and complete Journal Entries during the holidays are REQUIRED for these dates only: 12/19-22 and 12-28-29.

II) FCAT Explorer 8th Grade Reading:
Complete the stories within each theme and answer all questions.
1) The World's Largest Bicycle (3 stories),
2) Spinning Patriot (3 stories), and
3) BumperCar Wars (2 stories).
NOTE: Your score for each story will be calculated as an OnCourse grade. Do your Best.

II) FCAT Explorer: 10th Grade: Please select the Time Peiord "Now and Beyond."
Read each story and answer all questions.
1) Can computers Be taught to Think?
2) Alternative Engergy Sources, and
3) Red Hot and Blue

NOTE: Your score for each story will be calculated as an OnCourse grade. Do your Best.

Please ensure that you have completed each reading task with at least a 70% score.
* Before each 8th Grade Reading section, there is a vocabulary assignment.

Assignements MUST be completed by January 3/4 - A/B class session.

Week of December 5th: Updates and Homework

Students and Parents,

Today (Monday) is the last day for Reading Benchmarks.
We will resume our writing focus and continue post conference review of the "Us and Them" assessment.

Important Date: End of the Quarter is 1/19
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Homework Assignment Reminders:

*Students are to continue their 30 minutes of reading and Journal Entry - reflecting
Monday - thru Friday.

*FCAT Explorer: 8th Grade Reading Boardwalk
Complete Themes:
Volcano Falls (3 stories - complete all questions)
Creepy Creatures (3 stories - complete all questions)
Hydro Mania (2 stories - complete all questions)

Due Friday - A Day
Due Monday - B Day

HOMEWORK:NOTE: Students' scores will be calculated in Oncourse. Please take your time and do your best.

Week of November 28th

Hello Students,

Homework for this week:

Revising District Timed Writing I
Students, many of you have begun revising in class; some have even finished.
All will revise with Transitions in mind.
Please review the transition handouts and implement transitions within and between paragraphs.

B-Day - Due Friday, December 2
A-Day - Due Monday, December 5.

Don't forget to continue your journal reading and entries. Also, 6 books MUST be read by the end of the quarter. Note: Even if you have finished your 6 books read, 30 minutes of reading with journal entry are still required daily, except on weekends.

Week of November 14, 2011: Journal/Books Read

Students and Parents,

Please know that our 30 minutes of daily reading (except weekends) have begun, effective November 3.

Also, know that you MUST have 6 books read by the end of this quarter. 150 pages = 1book read. - worth 60 pts.

For the Thanksgiving break, journal entries are NOT required for Thanksgiving Day and that following Friday. Enjoy!