Language Arts 8-1

Week in Review January 23-27, 2012

Monday: Assessment Day! Students were assessed on their knowledge of the vocabulary we've been studying from the SCOPE article, "World's Deadliest Creature" and the Caught'yas. Students also took a pretest on the research terms to assess prior knowledge. Students who finished were able to work on the SCOPE assignments.

Tuesday: On this day, students were given the standards for the research unit and then Ms. Smith shared with them the Basic Steps of Research (Big Six).

Wednesday: Class was held in the Media Center where our wonderful media specialist, Mrs. Gochman, gave the students a lesson on all the educational research resources that are available to them on Cobb Virtual Library. She also showed them the difference between doing a search on an educational search engine as opposed to Google, Bing, etc.

Thursday: The SCOPE assignments were due on this day. Students who completed these assignments were able to move on with the lesson for the day, Research Topic Selection. Students who did not have their work completed despite having a week to get it done were taken to the class next door to complete the assignments. They were also penalized 20 points.

Friday:  Students had to submit their research topic selections for approval. The vocabulary retest was given for students who were absent on Monday and for those who made a D or an F on  the first test. The rest of the students went to the Media Center to begin gathering information on their research topics.

Handouts/Links:

Download Research Standards

Download Research Unit pretest of terms

Download Closing sheet 3 third nine weeks

Next Week: 

Monday:

Mrs. Shannon will be out attending an all day professional development workshop on Common Core Standards

Research Steps 2 and 3: Key Words and Overview 

Tuesday-

Research Step #4: Source Cards

Wednesday-Friday

Literature Review (Students will record facts for their topics and summarize their sources.)

Assignments for Next Week:

Research Key Words and Overview Assignment (Monday)

3 Literature Reviews (Friday)

Closing Sheets 1-4 (Friday)

Vocabulary Practice

Bonus Assignment: Fact Monster

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Students are given plenty of time to complete assignments. Students also have opportunities to earn "Extra Day on an Assignment" coupons.  From now on, students who fail to meet assignment deadlines will not be able to move forward with the next lesson until the assignment is complete. As stated on the syllabus, late work will be penalized 20 points. Parents we need your help. Please talk with your student about completing work and turning it in on time. If your student is absent, it is their responsibility to get the work they missed.  We are not just preparing your student for high school, but for life beyond school.

Research Topic Selection Outline and Ideas

Download Research topic selection outline

Need Help with selecting a topic? Check out the links below:

Ideas link

All of the following links come from Old Dominion University's Idea Generator:

Arts and Humanities Ideas

Business and Public Administration Ideas

Education Ideas

Health Sciences Ideas

Physical and Biological Ideas

Psychology Ideas

Social Sciences

Sports and Recreation Ideas

Research Handouts and Links (1/24/2012)

Big Six of Research

Basic Steps

Download What is research

Download Research Standards

 

 

Research Challenge #1

Week in Review January 17-20, 2012

Week 2 has come to an end. Here's the recap:

Monday: NO SCHOOL (KING HOLIDAY)

Tuesday: The first half of third period was spent in a team meeting with our 8th grade administrator, Mrs. Bryller. Please ask your student to share with you what was discussed. After lunch, they were able to finish Caught'ya #5 and preview this week's vocabulary list from the SCOPE article, "World's Deadliest Creature." The remaining classes recieved the vocabulary list and were able to view the video clip from the story "Venom Hunters" that aired on 60 Minutes. Then they worked on the vocabulary practice assignment.

Wednesday: We cleared a major 8th grade testing hurdle on this day! After months of preparation, the students were able to show off their writing skills on the Georgia Writing Assessment. The results should come back in early March. Due to testing, classes were shortened. Third period only had time to begin the vocabulary practice. The remaining classes were able to begin reading the SCOPE article, "World's Deadliest Creature." We used the before reading strategies of previewing, predicting and questioning. Students were given 5 critical thinking questions to answer (see posting below). 

Thursday: Students recieved their Language Arts Data Tracking sheet. This sheet contains their Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) score, 7th grade CRCT scores, FOLIO scores, Benchmark 1 and Checkpoint 1 scores. The purpose of the data sheet is to let the students know where they stand academically. Hopefully the data sheet will also work as a motivational tool.

We then transitioned to the lab to take the second SRI. They recorded their new Lexiles on the data sheet. Upon completion of the test, students were able to continue working on the SCOPE article, study their vocabulary or visit the Media Center to return/checkout books.

Friday: Friday was used as a review day for the vocabulary quiz that will be taken on Monday. Students were paired up to take the iRespond Vocabulary Challenge. The winning team earned 5 bonus points toward the quiz. After the review challenge, the students continued working on the SCOPE assignments.

 

Handouts/Links:

Download Closing sheet 2 third nine weeks

Download My Language Arts Data Tracking Sheet

Download Critical thinking questions   

Download Quiz

Download SCOPE-121211-Jellyfish

Due Dates:

Critical Thinking Questions  and quiz for "World's Deadliest Creature" are due Tuesday, January 24th.

Next Week:

*Vocabulary Quiz

*Research Pretest

*Unpacking the Standards (Research)

*2 days in the Media Center for lessons on research resources and key word searching

*Research topic selection

Today in the Lab (1/19/12)

1.      Log on to the computer.

2.    Find the SCHOLASTIC READ 180 icon

a.     Double click

b.    Click on Scholastic Reading Inventory (first icon on the second row.)

3.    Your username is your first and last name together with NO SPACE:

a.     Example: johndoe

4.    Your password is your LUNCH NUMBER.

5.     Next you will be asked to select the types of books you like to read.

a.     Pick up to 3.

6.    After that you may be given a practice test. Then the actual test will begin.

a.     The level of the test depends on your first LEXILE.

7.     PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME.

8.    PLEASE FOCUS ON WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

9.    DO NOT TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBOR!!!!

10.                        DO NOT LOOK TO SEE WHAT ANYONE ELSE IS DOING.

11.  When the test is complete, you will see your Lexile score.

            a.   Calculate your Lexile Range.

           b.   To calculate your range, SUBTRACT 100 from your Lexile. Then ADD 50 to your Lexile.

            c. EXAMPLE: If your Lexile is 950, subtract 100 to get 850 then add 50 to 950 to get 1000.                     Your Lexile range would be 850-1000.   (950-100=850;   950+50=1000)

           d. Put this data on your DATA TRACKING SHEET and your NEW reading log.

12.You can view the personal booklist that is generated based on your interests and Lexile range.

 

WHEN YOU ARE DONE YOU CAN....

1. Work on your SCOPE assignment

      a. Read the "World's Deadliest Creature" from the magazine or click the link in the previous post.

       b. Answer the 5 Critical Thinking questions. REMEMBER to write in complete sentences using DETAILS from the article. Remember to use the rules of grammar. A point will be deducted for EACH error. (If you need to access the questions, they are also in the previous post.)

2. STUDY for your vocabulary quiz.

     a. See the previous post for online quiz links.

     b. The lists are also on  Spelling City . Remember to click on FIND A LIST and type my name: DAYAN SHANNON

3. If you are able, you may visit the Media Center to return/checkout a book. Please select one in your LEXILE range.

 

World's Deadliest Creature

Read the Article:  Download SCOPE-121211-Jellyfish

Download Vocabulary

Download Critical thinking questions

Practice with your vocabulary:

Online Matching Quiz

Online Multiple Choice Quiz

Don't forget the vocabulary from your Caught'Ya list!

Multiple Choice Quiz

Fill in Quiz

Week in Review January 10-13, 2012

This week began the third nine weeks. After a nice, relaxing break, it was time to get back to the business of learning! Here's the recap:

Monday: Teacher Workday/Student Holiday

Tuesday: We cleaned out and reorganized the in-class binders. Each student is expected to have a 3-ringed binder,  with 5 dividers that stays in class. The sections are: Data/Standards, Reading, Writing, Miscellaneous and Graded Papers. After this, students were given the syllabus for the third nine weeks. The focus for the third nine weeks will be informational reading and writing a research paper. Students were asked to return the syllabus signature sheet by Friday. Those who did, had the option of getting a ticket for an extra day on an assignment, a ticket for a free pen or a ticket for five bonus points. The final activity for the day was the introduction of Caught'ya: Grammar with a Giggle. We will learn our language skills, vocabulary and grammar through a short story entitled, "The Bizzare Mystery of Horribly Hard Middle School."

Wednesday-Thursday: The classes were split for parallel teaching. We completed final preparations for the Georgia Writing Assesment next Wednesday. We reviewed how to analyze a prompt and the elements of expository and persuasive writing. On the Georgia Writing Assessment, students will have 100 minutes to write either an expository or persuasive essay. The four domains that will be assessed are: Ideas, Style, Organization and Conventions.

Friday: A final review was done for the upcoming writing assessment and the students took a quiz. Sixth period ended at 4PM so that the students could return to homeroom in order to get their report cards, and some other important forms. Please be sure to complete and return the Title I survey and the Science lab safety sheet.

This week's vocabulary words:

tedious          nestled            auburn         shrilled     verdant

ingenuous          insipid         waggish     sagacious    otiose       

Next Week:

Monday: No School (King holiday)

Tuesday: Vocabulary preview, begin SCOPE magazine article, "World's Deadliest Creature" (Get a head start by watching the video: SCOPE Video Clip. The part we'll watch will start at 5:45-10:05 but the entire clip is very interesting!)

Vocabulary: crustacean     dire     douse   estuary   harpoon   impervious  lurk   nematocyst    skulk      transparent

Wednesday: Eighth graders will take the Georgia Writing Assessment (morning). Classes will be shortened. Students will continue to work on the SCOPE magazine article.

Thursday: Students will take the second Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI).

Friday: SCOPE magazine quiz and vocabualary quiz

Handout/Forms:

 Download Cooper MS Syllabus third nine weeks

Download Closing sheet 1 third nine weeks

Download SEEE method practice

 

Vocabulary Challenge

1. Could a lawn full of weeds and dirt be described as verdant? Why or why not?

2. Why would someone who is cold and tired want to nestle into a warm bed with thick blankets?

3. Which is more tedious, copying every word in the dictionary or playing a video game? Why?

January 10, 2012

Third Nine Weeks

  Tuesday: Review of Rules and Procedures

                       Introduce Giggles in the Middle (Grammar Caught'yas)

                       Notebook reorganization

                       Writing Prompt Analysis

Wednesday-Friday (Parallel Teaching): Final review of expository and persuasive writing

Friday: Report Cards Go Home

Important Dates for Next Week:

Monday (1/16/2012): NO SCHOOL (King Holiday)

Wednesday (1/18/2012): Georgia State Writing Exam

Thursday (1/19/2012): SRI Test #2