Short story presentations

Monday-Tuesday, Dec. 13/14 - students are in groups to plan a presentation demonstrating their understanding of the elements of a short story. Ask your student what story has been assigned.

Wed. - spelling quiz on list #3. After we correct the quiz, students will be able to read for the remainder of the class time. They should turn in a second book report this week.

Thursday- Friday - continue planning presentation and present in class.

Monday - movie - late start
Tuesday - 10-15 minute classes and a holiday assembly. School gets out at 11:45.

SEE YOU IN JANUARY! Have a good and safe Christmas vacation.

Dec. news

This week the students are demonstrating their knowledge again of short story elements. They are writing creative stories using their spelling words; analyzing a 3 - paragraph short story; and preparing to do a project on a short story.

Wed. spelling quiz on Voc. #2

Continue to read and work toward their reading pages for 2nd term.

Short Stories, cont., cont.

We are continuing our discussions of short story elements as related to a variety of short stories from the Brown Anthology. This will take us about 2 more weeks to finish this unit.

Wednesday, Dec. 1 - students have a book report due. Please check with your students as to which one they have completed - a historical fiction or one of another choice depending on the class they are in.

Wed. students will also received a new spelling list #2 which also has definitions.

Short Stories, cont.

Friday Nov. 19 - students had a quiz on elements of a short story using The Adventures of the Speckled Band as basis to the quiz.
Monday, Nov. 22 - reviewed the quiz - Some classes went on to read pg. 61 - A Retrieved Reformation by O Henry
Tuesday Nov 23 - quiz on spelling is #1 - assessment on main ideas - discuss pg. 61

Short Stories

We have begun reading short stories and learning about the elements used in creating a story. Student will have a quiz this week on the elements so remind your students to study. We have read the following stories in class 1)Tears of Autumn, 2) Rain, Rain, Go Away, and 3) The Adventures of the Speckled Band. Ask students about what they are reading in class.

Also check with your students about the book report process for 2nd term. All students have a book report due on December 1st. The rest of the books are due on January 11.

Call or email if you have questions.

Mrs. D

New term is coming!

The end of the term is here - please turn in your assignments. Free choice book report is due on Thursday. Quiz on Thursday of commonly confused words.

Friday - we are watching a 'scary' Halloween movie - G rated of course.

Monday - we are going to the library to check out books. The students will be given a form that explains how the books/reading for 2nd term will be assessed. Please contact me if you or your student have questions about this assignment.

Monday - Tuesday - Nov. 1,2 - we are starting a short story unit. Students will have to know the elements of a short story and apply it to what they read. A handout explaining the elements will be given on Thursday.

Wednesday - Friday - we are watching Jeff Goldblum's version of Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Short stories will continue to be read and discussed.

Monday - Friday, Nov. 8-12, short stories continued. Check with your students to discuss what the stories are that they have read in class.

F/A cont.

Thursday, students will prepare their final drafts to be mailed in the Great Mail Race. Cont. reading Flowers for Algernon.

Friday - read for 25 minutes; see a clip from the movie Charlie.

flowers for Algernon

This week the students will begin reading the short story Flowers for Algernon. Friday, they will watch a movie clip of the story. Thursday, the letters students wrote for the Great Mail Race will be mailed. Students need to turn in their final drafts ASAP.

Wednesday, the students will receive a list of homonyms/homophones that will be on the end-of-level test. A quiz on that list will be on the 27th.

Winding down units...

Monday, Oct. 4th - 1,7 discuss F-451. Students should have the book finished to discuss. Periods 2-5 will be discussing events that happened in 1963 as a followup to Watsons. All classes will take a post prefix/suffix quiz

Tuesday - no school - teachers are in meetings

Wed/Thurs. - Periods 1,7 students will do presentations on F-451. Periods 2-5 will watch clips from Eyes on the Prize about the Civil Rights movement.

Friday-Tuesday, 12th - introduction to Flowers for Algernon with some fun IQ activities.

Wed. the 13th - Intro to Flowers by reading pg. 200-204

Thurs/Fri - 14-15 - Provo School District Fall break/no classes

Wrap up!

Students are working on a 2nd draft of their letter for the Great Mail Race. It should be typed and all corrections made before turning it in on Thursday.

Wednesday - students will have a spelling quiz and a pre-test on Core required prefixes and suffixes. Period 2-7 will see some video clips about the Civil Rights movement in conjunction with reading Watson's Go to Birmingham. Period 1,7 will continue reading F-451. The students in these classes have a project due on Nov. 6-7 that will be presented in class.

Thursday we will continue reading.
Friday - Watson's followup paper is due.

READING and WRITING

This week will involve a lot of reading and writing on the students' parts. :)

Mon-write the rough draft to Great Mail Race.
Tues - each class will read and discuss their books
review DO

Wed. - students have a spelling quiz on #3 - blue paper. The will also get a new list

Thurs - Parent/teacher conference 2-7. Continuation of reading their books. Rough drafts will be returned and discussed/

Friday - legal-sized envelope is due. Please put a 44 cent stamp on the upper right hand corner

Intro to diversity

Students finished typing their persuasion papers into a new program called Utahwrite. Each student received a score on their paper in the areas of ideas, organization and conventions. The scores are based on a 5 point rubric. Parents can see these papers when they come to P/T next week.

Wed. intro to diversity and tolerance - 1/7 will finish their discussion on the Watson's packets from the summer. 2-5 will be introduced to Watson's and ideas involving diversity in their lives.

Thursday - spelling quiz is extended to today. Students have lists on a yellow sheet
Periods 1/7 will be given the book Fahrenheit 451 - a classic novel involving tolerance and diversity. Per. 2-5 will continue with Watsons.

Friday - students will turn in pedigree charts, history of their names and a summary of who in their family came to America first. Students will have class time to work on a rough draft for the Great Mail Race. Students were given information on this last week.

Getting to Know Myself

This week students have been writing and learning about themselves. Tuesday students received a sheet with sentences that needed to be corrected called DOL. We will be working on these type of sentences through the year.

Wed. spelling quiz and journal on Who Am I. They also received a new list of commonly misspelled words. Students received a blue paper with an assignment on researching their first name, a pedigree chart, and information on finding the first person to America. This assignment is due on Friday, Sept. 17.

Thursday - we corrected the DOL sheet and discussed pedigree charts and how to fill them out.

Friday - students will receive information on writing a letter for the Great Mail Race - They will write a letter to another student somewhere in the USA. All students need to bring a stamped self-addressed envelope in order to send their letter.

Monday - TWICE-BAKED book report is due. If it is turned in late, the student will receive up to 70% of the possible points.

Welcome Back!

Here's to a great year in 8th grade English. We have great things planned and I hope that you are as excited as I am to be back. Here's a tentative schedule for this week. I update usually over the weekends, but for sure every Monday morning.

Wednesday - welcome back and disclosure
Thursday - reading comprehension strategies and spelling quiz
Friday - in class writing assessment and signed disclosure slips due

Mon. 8/30 to Wed. 9/1 - students will be taking the DRP reading test that is required of every student in Provo District. Wednesday in SWELL, students will write the PWA also required by Provo District.
Thur. 9/2 - Reading assessment
Friday 9/3 - all 8th grade students will have a shortened schedule because they will be attending the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival.

This is it!

Well, kids, this is it! You did it and now you have almost three months to celebrate. Thanks for a great year and for making me laugh. I wish you the best for next year and please do your homework on time. It won't hurt you at all!

Come back and let me know how you're doing. Good luck to you all.

Mrs. D

The End is Almost Here! :)

Students received an outline of the last days of school. Please check with your student to verify due dates, etc.

REMINDER - Poetry booklet, memorized poem due on Tuesday, May 18th
Assigned book is due on Monday, May 24th.

If you have questions about the end of school, please contact me.

Mrs. D

Poetry, oh, yea! :)

We are in the middle of a poetry unit where the students are reviewing/learning poetic terms. They have instruction each day that will help in their understanding of poetry before they compile a poetry booklet. Your student received information on the booklet on Monday. The booklet is due on the 14th of May.

Students have a book report due on Wed. May 5th. It was on a book of their choice and they have the form to complete.

Testing

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday - students will be taking the CRT test in Language Arts. Please have your students in attendance this week. All students received a new library book last Thursday which needs to be finished by May 7th.

Thursday and Friday we will continue a poetry unit that we started on Friday, the 23rd.

Monday / Tuesday- students began a compare/contrast of their life and teenagers during the war. They also were given a calorie chart and activity chart to keep for the week. We will see how different/similar their lives are.

Wed/Thur - I am going to show the students my pictures from my trip to Poland.
Friday - calorie charts are due. If possible, students should have their Holocaust books finished and the report filled out.

Are you reading?

Sorry this is behind in posting. The students have been reading excerpts from stories about people who have suffered intolerance because of their beliefs. On Monday, each student received a book dealing with the Holocaust or an area of WWII. The books will be due after spring break.

Thursday, the students will finish their worksheets on Hanukkah and read a play called THE WAVE. It is about what happens when people are persuaded to do things without thinking about the consequences.

Friday, students will discuss their books and read about teenagers who lived either in hiding, or in concentration camps during the war.

Spring break is April 5-9. We will pick up our reading after the break and I will show the students my pictures of Poland.

Here is the scoop for the next few days and an important message for parents:

Because some of my students have struggled with getting work in on time, especially if the work should have been completed at home, this is the new policy for 4th term beginning today. Hopefully there won't be any misunderstandings about homework from now on.

1. Assignments given and completed in class are given full credit. If the assignment requires more time, then the students may take it home to complete it. It will be due at the beginning of the next class period for full credit.

2. Any assignments that are given for homework are to be turned in on the due date If completed correctly, full credit will be given.

3. Homework assignments that are completed after the class begins or are late will only receive 70 % credit. After two weeks, I will not accept any assignments that have not been turned into me.

___________________________________
Monday, 3-22 we discussed the Bomb Shelter game that was played last Friday. The students also received information about their personality bags which they will present on Thursday.

Tues: 3-23 - career day - 15 minute classes. We will review the personality bags

Wed. 3-24 / because a lot of students will be gone for music competitions, they will need to check with me to make up their work. We will read about teenagers who lived during the Holocaust and find out about their lives. Periods 1 & 7 will have a book checked out to them - The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom.

Thursday and Friday - students will present their personality bags.

email or call me if you have questions.

This weekend, all classes should finish their novels and worksheets/summaries to be turned in on Monday, Mar. 15. We will discuss the books in class to wrap up the unit.

On Tuesday, we will start a new unit dealing with tolerance and diversity. Students will come home on Monday with a note explaining what will be studied for about the next 3-4 weeks. If you have questions, please contact me at the school - 801-374-4980 or patd@provo.edu.

Because I received a fellowship from the United States Holocaust Museum, I enjoy teaching my students about the Holocaust and the teenagers who lived during that time. Students in each class will have the opportunity to read memoirs and diaries of teenagers that shared their thoughts, fears, and worries as they were growing up. I always ask my students to make connections to the things they read, so during this unit, my students will examine what they do each day compared to a teenager who may have been in hiding, went to another country, or went to a concentration camp.

Everything that I share with the students is appropriate for 8th graders and we discuss how to handle situations with tolerance and acceptance. Ask your student about the activities that are happening in class each day. Every year proves to be a great experience for them. I hope that happens again this year. I will post each week what we are doing as there will be weekly assignments, projects, and readings.

March info -
We have been in novel reading groups, discussing diversity, tolerance and identity. Each class is reading a different novel so ask your students where they are supposed to be at this point and what book they are reading. Study guides are associated with each book except 1st and 7th which are doing a project at the end.

Thursday, Friday, and Monday - we are watching Remember the Titans which is a good example of tolerance and identity. Students have a hand-out with questions that must be answered with information from the movie.

Tuesday - Friday Mar. 9-12 students will be finishing their novels.

Wednesday, Mar 10 is a spelling quiz on Voc. #14 - these are the words

indispensable - absolutely necessary
inert - inactive
inferior - lower in importance or rank
infinite - endless
infrequent - seldom, rare
inhabit - to live in or dwell in
initial - at the beginning
inquisitive - curious
intellect - high intellegence
intermediate - in the middle

Here's the scoop for the next two weeks until the end of February:

2-16 - persuasion review continued
2-17 - wrap up persuasion / introduce theme of tolerance & identity - topics for the rest of the term
-begin watching THE HOUSE OF DIES DREAR
2-18,19 - movie continued / bring reading book if the movie finishes early

2-22 - continue discussion of tolerance and diversity - check out group/class novels Book reviews of Drussel's books are due today or tomorrow. NO LATER than Tuesday, please!!!

2-23/24 - classes will be in the lab for 90 minutes working on the State Writing Assessment. Students need to bring reading material if they finish early

2-25 - visit to Provo High for part of the morning -some classes held that day. School is out at 1:25 pm and Parent teacher conferences begin at 2:00 - 7:00 pm.

2-26 - begin groups novels if we haven't already had them checked out earlier in the week.

Spelling words #13 Quiz on Thursday

illusion - deceptive/false appearance
illustrious - famous, outstanding
immature -not full-grown
immortal - living forever
immune - free or exempt
impact - a collision
inadequate - not enough
incredible - unbelievable
indefinite - uncertain
indirect - not straight

Tuesday is job shadow day. Read if you don't go.

Wed & Thursday we will review persuasion writing to get ready for the state writing assessment.
We will have the spelling quiz on #13 on Thursday.

Friday and Monday are holidays.

Tuesday, the 16th, we will review persuasion and discuss screen plays before watching a movie on the underground railroad.

Wed. the 17th, Mrs. Glines will come talk to classes about how to write a screenplay. Spelling quiz will be this day.

Thurs/Friday, students will watch The House of Dies Drear.

I left the list at school. So sorry.!!!! I'll put it on in the morning. :) I remember these:

illusion
immortal
infamous
incredible

Spelling list - #12 - quiz to be Feb. 3

hardy - strong, robust
haunt - to come or visit often
hesitation - halt, pause, delay, doubt
hostile - unfriendly, dislike
hover - to remain nearby, to stay in the air
humane - kind, sympathetic to others
hypocrite - insincere person
hysterical - uncontrollably excited
idle - lazy, doing nothing
ignorance - lack of knowledge

We are working on non-fiction essays this week. Most of the work will be completed in class. Email me if you have questions.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Wed - 1-27 - quiz on Voc. #10. words are listed below

Feb. 2 - Tuesday - students have a non-fiction 'project' due. Please refer to the handout that explains what to do - find five articles that are non-fiction and respond to them

Feb. 3 - Wednesday - non-fiction book assessment due - on the book that was found during the scavenger hunt in the library. Students have the form.

Voc. #10 words

forum - a place for public discussions
frail - fragile, delicate
fugitive - an escapee
fulfill - to carry out, complete, to finish
fundamental - essential basic
futile - to do in vain, hopeless, useless
gawk - to stare stupidly
geological - physical nature of the earth
gesture - movement of the hands, or other body parts
ghastly - horrible, very bad

Students are starting a non-fiction unit for 3rd term. Here is a brief overview for this week and part of next:

Wed. 1-20: We will review spelling words on #10. Students will correct the DOL they received on Tues. Non-fiction terms will be discussed and reviewed. Students will begin another journal prompt. Check with your students about the prompts they are writing.

Thursday 1-21: Students will go to the library for a non-fiction scavenger hunt. At the end, they will check out a book from any section 100 - 921. The book must be at least 75 pages and non-fiction. Your student has a worksheet that explains what to do.

Friday 1-22: Students will begin reading excerpts from the non-fiction section of the brown literature book.

Monday 1-25: Students will work on writing non-fiction essays and memoirs this week.

Here's the scoop for the rest of the term!

1. Thursday, 1-7 - Students can work on their tall tale/legend/folk tale in class. It must be at least 1 page, but no more than 1 1/2 pages long. The students can read their library books and work on book reports if they prefer instead of writing.

2. Friday, 1-8 - students will be in groups to share the tall tale, etc. that they wrote. Each group will pick the most exciting story and that person will share in front of the class. After students have shared, we will review the tall tale unit for a 'quiz/test' on Monday.

3. Monday, 1-11 - students will have a 'quiz/test' on the tall tale unit to demonstrate their proficiency of what they learned. After the quiz, we will work on writing skills.

4. Wednesday, 1-13 - all book reports are due. NO EXCEPTIONS. I will not take them late. Please get the work completed by then.

5. Wed. 1-13 - Spelling quiz on #9

The term ends on the 15th. I will not take any late work after the 13th of January. Contact me at the school if you have questions.