Vocabulary – was given out last Thursday

•Write 16 sentences using each of your vocabulary words. (Due Today) •

Homework •Make graphic organizers for at least 5 of your words – Choose the ones that are giving you the most difficulty •Test Friday 

 Classwork:

2/1 – Identify parts of the exposition –

•Characters

•Setting

•Conflict

•Identify the literary technique used on pages 18 and 19.  Why do you think the author chose to use this technique? 

What does it tell you about the  main character? 

•We will be reading  through page 45.

Classwork:

Answer the following:

1.Which side presented the stronger case against Steve in their opening arguments?  The Prosecution (Petrocelli) or the Defense (O’Brien) Support your answer with evidence from the text. 

2.    For what is Steve on trial? 

3.   Who are Jose Delgado and Sal Zinzi? 

4.   What do you think is the author’s purpose for including the flashback on pages 42 & 43? 

5.   Based on the opening arguments, answer: who, what, where, and when about the crime for which Steve is on trial.

Use the answer to the above to write a newspaper article about the crime.  Be sure to have a headline.   Due Friday, February 5th. 

Today in class students had a quiz on characterization.  We then completed the reading of an excerpt from Flowers for Algernon.  In class, we had used Charlie, the main character of that story, as an example of how an author uses direct and indirect characterization. 

Homework:

Students were given the opportunity to redo their character dolls.  These are now due on Friday, January 22nd as we will not have class until then because of the 8th grade writing assessment and the MLK Jr. Holiday.  Belwo you will find the requirements for the character doll. 

Using the character wheel you filled out for homework, create a paper doll of the character you chose.  You may use either one of my paper dolls and decorate it or create one on your own.

On the front, make sure that you use the adjectives the author has given you to make the  doll look like the character. (Direct Characterization)

On his or her body, include additional adjectives that do not refer to physical appearance. 

–On the back, copy verbs or quotes that you feel are good examples of indirect characterization.   

 –Be  sure to write the name of the character and the title of the book somewhere on your paper doll. 

Once again, today’s class was spent reviewing for the 8th Grade Writing test which will be administered on Wednesday, January 20, 2010.  Please make sure students bring a pen and a pencil on Wednesday.  Attached you will find a copy of the outline we have been using in class to prepare for the test. 

                              (Each Roman Numeral Stands for a Paragraph)

Read the prompt – Identify the FATP

F – Focus – What do I need to focus on in my writing?

A-     Audience – to whom are you writing? 

T – Topic – what is the topic? What do I need to be writing about?

P – Purpose – To inform/Expository or To persuade/persuasive

Brainstorm – Use a graphic organizer

Develop Thesis Statement – Topic + stand (persuasive) or Topic + focus (expository)

Rough Draft –

I. – Introduction

1. Hook and Thesis Statement – Thesis statement should be the last sentence in your introductory paragraph.  It tells the reader what you will be writing about.  It keeps you focused.

II. – First Supporting Example

1.  Details to explain example and refer back to the thesis.

III. – Second Supporting Example

1.  Details to explain example and refer back to the thesis. 

IV.  – Third Supporting Example

1.  Details to explain example and refer back to the thesis. 

V. – Conclusion

            a.  This should refer back to the thesis, answer the question So What?, and explain why this is important in today’s world. 

Revise – Do you have good transition words to connect your paragraphs?  Are your word choices appropriate?             

Final Draft – Write neatly – Watch your spelling.  If you are unsure of the spelling of a word, is there a different word that you can use? 

Reread your essay – Does it make sense?  Are your ideas clear?  Did you stick to your thesis?

Homework:  Read 20 minutes.  Write a 5 sentence summary about what you read that night. 

Bonus points will be given to all students who use www.essayscorer.com/ph/ga/mcclure to prepare for the writing test.

The 8th grade Writing Assessment will be administered on Wednesday, January 20th.  We have spent a great deal of time in class preparing for this assessment, but any at-home support would be greatly appreciated. 

Students will have a quiz on the following on Thursday: 

Outline for Essay

(Each Roman Numeral Stands for a Paragraph)

Read the prompt – Identify the FATP

F – Focus – What do I need to focus on in my writing?

A-     Audience – to whom are you writing? 

T – Topic – what is the topic? What do I need to be writing about?

P – Purpose – To inform/Expository or To persuade/persuasive

Brainstorm – Use a graphic organizer

Develop Thesis Statement – Topic + stand (persuasive) or Topic + focus (expository)

Rough Draft –

I. – Introduction

1. Hook and Thesis Statement – Thesis statement should be the last sentence in your introductory paragraph.  It tells the reader what you will be writing about.  It keeps you focused.

II. – First Supporting Example

1.  Details to explain example and refer back to the thesis.

III. – Second Supporting Example

1.  Details to explain example and refer back to the thesis. 

IV.  – Third Supporting Example

1.  Details to explain example and refer back to the thesis. 

V. – Conclusion

            a.  This should refer back to the thesis, answer the question So What?, and explain why this is important in today’s world. 

Revise – Do you have good transition words to connect your paragraphs?  Are your word choices appropriate?             

Final Draft – Write neatly – Watch your spelling.  If you are unsure of the spelling of a word, is there a different word that you can use? 

Reread your essay – Does it make sense?  Are your ideas clear?  Did you stick to your thesis?

Homework:  Study for Essay Outline Quiz (Thursday) Read for 20 minutes.  Write a 5 sentence summary of your reading.  All reading summaries will be collected at the end of each week. 

1.Reviewed Vocabulary :

Character – a person or animal who takes part in a narrative

Protagonist – main character; good guy; hero

Antagonist – the person or thing who creates the conflict or problem

Dynamic character – one who changes over the course of a narrative

Static character – one who does not change over the course of a narrative

Round Character – a complex, fully-developed character with many aspects to his or her personality, both strengths and weaknesses

Flat Character – a one-dimensional character who has only one of two personality traits. 

 Possible quiz next class!

2.As a class, read excerpt from “Raymond’s Run” Analyze Squeaky – Direct (Adjectives) and Indirect characterization (Verbs) – Pull out quotes, etc. give evidence

3.On your own:  Read excerpt from “Jim the Boy”.  Answer  questions 1-3 on page 160.

4.  Using the character wheel you filled out for homework, create a paper doll of the character you chose.  You may use either one of my paper dolls and decorate it or create one on your own.

 •    On the front, make sure that you use the adjectives the author has given you to make the  doll look like the character. (Direct Characterization)

On his or her body, include additional adjectives that do not refer to physical appearance.  –

On the back, copy verbs or quotes that you feel are good examples of indirect characterization.   

 –Be  sure to write the name of the character and the title of the book somewhere on your paper doll. 

 If not finished, complete for homework.  This must be turned in by Wednesday, January 13th.  

Welcome back!  I hope everyone had a restful and happy break.  To get back into the swing of things, today’s class focused on characterization.  Our warm up consisted of a retelling of the story Cinderella.  Students were asked to identify adjectives and verbs used to describe the antagonists ( the stepmother and stepsisters).  We then discussed how the author uses direct and indirect characterization to describe characters. 

Upon completing this, we started reading “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes.  Although we only read a brief excerpt, students were able to apply what  was learned about direct and indirect characterization to Charlie Gordon, the story’s protagonist. 

Students wrote a Dear Abby letter from Charlie’s point of view as an exit ticket.  Grades can be found on Pinnacle. 

For the remainder of the year I have changed the categories that I will be using in Pinnacle.  I believe this will help with students’ and parents’ confusion regarding the weighting of grades.  From this point forward, grades will fall into the following four categories:

Tests/Projects – 40%

Classwork – 25%

Quizzes – 25%

Homework – 10%

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about this. 

Homework

 Using a character from any book you have read and enjoyed, complete the character wheel for Friday’s class. 

Students were given the paperwork for their anchor book projects today in class.  They are to choose one of the two assignments to do.  Although the packets contain graphic organizers, students are not required to use these.  However, they must include all of the necessary information from the rubric in order to be successful.   The class was also given the opportunity to opt out of the Novel Unit Test scheduled for next Wednesday.  If they opt out, that means that their project grade will count twice – one as a project grade in Pinnacle, and one as a Unit test grade in Pinnacle.  With this said, students need to make sure that they do a good job on their project, as it will be the last grade of the second nine weeks. 

Homework:

Final Reader Response Letter Due Monday, 12/14

Novel Unit Test due Wednesday, 12/16 (If they opt to take it.)

Anchor Book Project due Friday, 12/18 – No late projects will be accepted! 

Today we spent almost the entire class period working on verbs.  Going over the homework proved to be a bit difficult as the students had a hard time coming up with vivid verbs to replace the dull or boring ones with which they were presented.  We consulted a Thesaurus so that students could see how beneficial it is as a resource. 

We then moved onto applying what was learned in class on Monday, by identifying verbs and verb phrases within sentences.  Some students had difficulty with this, so we went back to locating the subject (who or what in the sentences) and then asking, “What did the subject do or what happened?”  to locate the verb in the sentence. 

Homework:

Study Helping Verbs and Linking Verbs – Students have a list in their notebooks.  Here is a copy as well:

Helping Verbs – have, has, had, do, does, did, can, could, will, would, may, might, must, am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been.

Linking Verbs  – am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been, appear, become, look, remain, sound, taste, grow, smell, feel, seem.

Students must complete one of the assignments on www.essayscorer.com/ph/ga/mcclure  by 12/17.

Login: student’s lunch number

Password: Student’s lunch number

5 bonus points will be added to their score each time they go in and revise their writing. 

Today in class we discussed our anchor novels, and students took a Standardized Test Practice Assessment.  Students were required to read two passages and make inferences using the passages.  Scores are posted on Pinnacle.  Students should be working to finish their anchor novels.  Unit tests will be next week. 

Homework:

Finish Anchor Novel by Monday, 12/14

Unit Test 12/16

CHILI’S INVITES YOU TO

MCCLURE MIDDLE SCHOOL NIGHT!

With each flyer presented tonight, Chili’s will donate 10% of the

sales you bring in to our school. Let them do the cooking and support

McClure Middle School at the same time!

.

Click here to download flyer.

The Power of Verbs!

In class today we discussed the power of verbs to improve our writing.  Verbs are the only part of s[eech that every sentence must have.  Students took notes on three types of verbs: action, helping, and linking or state of being verbs.  Students were given examples of sentences where these types of verbs were used. 

Here is a list of helping verbs:

have has had

do does did

can could

will would

shall should

may might must

am is are was were

be being been

State of Being or Linking Verbs

am is are was were

be being been

appear, become, look, taste, feel, grow, remain, sound, seem, smell

In addition, we also looked at some sample expository essays and reviewed thesis statements. 

We completed chapter 14 in The House of Dies Drear.

Homework: 

Students must complete one of the assignments on www.essayscorer.com/ph/ga/mcclure  by 12/17.

Login: student’s lunch number

Password: Student’s lunch number

5 bonus points will be added to their score each time they go in and revise their writing. 

Finish verb packet for next class.