September 30, 2013 - October 4, 2013

September 30, 2013 – October 4, 2013

Monday

·         Reading 8 – Students will work with a partner on a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting “The Baker Heater League” and “The 11:59.” We will discuss these and examine responses on the board and students will then turn in their work today.

·         Reading 7 – Students will work on computers to research historical figures and write a biographical essay on Microsoft Word. They will also work on creating their PowerPoint presentation or poster board for the project.

·         Practical Literature 10 – Students will review for a test on short stories. We will discuss the short story notes and key elements that they will need to know for the test, test format, etc. Students will also continue working on the Science Fiction introduction project from Friday.

Tuesday

·         Reading 8 – Students will work with a partner on a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting “The Baker Heater League” and “The 11:59.” We will discuss these and examine responses on the board and students will then turn in their work today.

·         Reading 7 – Students will work on computers to research historical figures and write a biographical essay on Microsoft Word. They will also work on creating their PowerPoint presentation or poster board for the project.

·         Practical Literature 10 – Students will take a test on short stories. Once finished, they will work in their groups on the science fiction poster.

Wednesday

·         Reading 8 – Students will complete a PSSA practice lesson on Using Context Clues. They will also respond to the open-ended prompt using the RACERS pre-writing guide sheet.

·         Reading 7 – Students will work on computers to research historical figures and write a biographical essay on Microsoft Word. They will also work on creating their PowerPoint presentation or poster board for the project.

·         Practical Literature 10 – Students will finish their poster project and present it to the class. Students will also begin the introduction to Fahrenheit 451 by discussing notes on the board.

Thursday

·         Reading 8 – Students will complete a PSSA practice lesson on Using Context Clues. They will also respond to the open-ended prompt using the RACERS pre-writing guide sheet.

·         Reading 7 – Students will work on computers to research historical figures and write a biographical essay on Microsoft Word. They will also work on creating their PowerPoint presentation or poster board for the project.

·         Practical Literature 10 – Students will begin reading Fahrenheit 451 together as a class today. Students will also work on the active reading guide for the sections we read today.

Friday

·         Reading 8 – As a class, we will discuss the PSSA lesson from last class and the open-ended prompt response on the RACERS guide sheet. We will examine this response on the board together. Students will turn in their work from the PSSA lesson today.

·         Reading 7 – Essays are due today. Students will turn in their essay along with their essay map today. They will finish working on their presentations today and prepare to present them next week on their assigned day.

·         Practical Literature 10 - Students will read part one of Fahrenheit 451 together as a class today. Students will also work on the active reading guide for the sections we read today.

September 23, 2013 - September 27, 2013

Monday

·         Reading 8 – Discuss "Brain" article and writing prompt question together on board. Students will turn in their completed prompt and article with talking to text notes. Students will then begin reading from "The Baker Heater League" and "The 11:59" while taking down talking to text notes on a separate sheet of notebook paper. Students will finish reading these two selections and taking notes for homework. This is due next class period.

·         Reading 7 – Notes on context clues. Students will also read "An American Childhood" together in the textbook while completing talking to text notes focusing on context clues in the story.

·         Practical Literature 10 - Discuss the questions and plot chart from the short story from last week and students will turn in their work today. Students will discuss bullying in schools today. We will examine labels and how they affect students in school. Students will brainstorm to come up with ways to reduce social boundaries in school.

Tuesday

·         Reading 8 – As a class, we will discuss the talking to text notes from "The Baker Heater League" and "The 11:59" together. Students will then work with a partner to answer dsicussion questions about the two selections and to compare and contrast the two selections using a Venn Diagram. The questions and diagram is due next class period. 

·         Reading 7 – Finish reading "An American Childhood" if more time was needed from Monday. As a class, we will discuss the notes on context clues that students wrote down as we read the story. Students will also be given instructions for a biographical sketch project that will be completed on the computers. We will discuss the instructions, expectations, due date, etc. for the project. 

·         Practical Literature 10 - Students will be introduced to the short story, "A Problem" and begin reading together today. Students will work on completing the active reading guide for the story as they read.

Wednesday

·         Reading 8 – As a class, we will discuss the talking to text notes from "The Baker Heater League" and "The 11:59" together. Students will then work with a partner to answer discussion questions about the two selections and to compare and contrast the two selections using a Venn Diagram. The questions and diagram is due next class period.

·         Reading 7 – Students will begin working on computers to choose a topic for the project. They must choose a person by the end of the period today for the project. Students can then begin working on their research.

·         Practical Literature 10 - Read "A Problem" together as a class and work on the active reading guide.

Thursday

·         Reading 8 – Discuss the worksheets for each selection and Venn Diagram completed for today on the board examining responses that students provide to compare and contrast the two readings. Students will also turn in their worksheets and diagrams today.

·         Reading 7 – We will discuss citing sources that we use in our writing. Students will be required to use in-text citations within their essay. Students will work on research for their biographical essay and work on writing the essay.

·         Practical Literature 10 - Read "A Problem" together as a class and work on the active reading guide for the story.

Friday

·         Reading 8 – Discuss the worksheets for each selection and Venn Diagram completed for today on the board examining responses that students provide to compare and contrast the two readings. Students will also turn in their worksheets and diagrams today.

·         Reading 7 – Students will work on their projects on computers today.

·         Practical Literature 10 - Students will finish reading "A Problem" today and discuss the active reading guide questions together. Students will have a reading quiz on Monday on this short story.

September 16, 2013 - September 20, 2013

Monday

·         Reading 8 – Introduction to fiction vs. nonfiction. Assign textbooks to students and take notes from book on nonfiction (different types, etc.). Discuss "Brain" article with talking to text notes and construct RACERS writing prompt response.

·         Reading 7 – Students will complete a PSSA lesson on Text Organization and Features. They will be required to read passages and answer multiple choice questions and one open-ended question.

·         Practical Literature 10 - Students will examine writing prompts to determine how to respond to them effectively. They will write an essay using the strategies presented in the readings.

Tuesday

·         Reading 8 – Introduction to fiction vs. nonfiction. Assign textbooks to students and take notes from book on nonfiction (different types, etc.). Discuss "Brain" article with talking to text notes and construct RACERS writing prompt response.

·         Reading 7 – Introduction to RACERS writing prompt response format. Students will read a passage and respond to a writing prompt using the RACERS format sheet. They will then use this to construct a response in paragraph format. Students will read an article for homework and complete talking to text notes while reading.

·         Practical Literature 10 - Discuss the essay written yesterday together as a class to clarify the correct format. Examine sample responses on the board. Continue reading "Contents of a Dead Man's Pocket" together. Students will also complete the plot chart using examples from the story and they will work on completing the questions after reading. Students will take a reading quiz on the story tomorrow.

Wednesday

·         Reading 8 – Discuss notes on nonfiction and examine RACERS prompt responses together. Students will then begin reading "The Baker Heater League" from the textbook together as a class and students will record the guided reading question responses as they read.

·         Reading 7 – Discuss the article that was homework for today. Students will practice the RACERS format by responding to a writing prompt with the article and we will discuss student thoughts on the article (Talking to text notes).

·         Practical Literature 10 - Discuss the questions and plot chart for "Contents of a Dead Man's Pocket." Students will also take a reading quiz on this story.

Thursday

·         Reading 8 – Discuss notes on nonfiction and examine RACERS prompt responses together. Students will then begin reading "The Baker Heater League" from the textbook together as a class and students will record the guided reading question responses as they read.

·         Reading 7 – Read from "An American Childhood" in the textbook and discuss guided reading questions together as we read. Students will focus on using context clues and identifying point of view as they read in class. Students will work together to complete the post-reading questions after the story.

·         Practical Literature 10 - Introduction to the short story, "A Problem." As a class, we will discuss conflict and background information for the story. Students will begin reading the story and focus on completing a chart on conflict as they read.

Friday

·         Reading 8 – Continue reading "The Baker Heater League" and respond to guided reading questions. Discuss these questions together and students will work with a partner on post-reading questions on the story. Students will then be assigned to read "The 11:59" for homework for next class period. They must also complete the questions for this story for homework for next class period.

·         Reading 7 – Discuss post-reading questions from "An American Childhood" and students will also complete a writing assignment on hyperbole.

·         Practical Literature 10 - Students will read "A Problem" and fill in the conflict chart as they read. They must identify examples of conflict in the story and categorize them as the correct type of conflict.

September 9, 2013 - September 13, 2013

Monday

·         Reading 8 – Reading strategy lesson: Think aloud and talking to text strategies explored with pictures and sample text. Students will practice these on their own with an essay.

·         Reading 7 – Bullying Lesson: Students will learn the difference between harmless teasing and hurtful language by discussion and completing an in-class assignment with a partner. 

·         Practical Literature 10 - Read "The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allen Poe together as a class. Students will work on the active reading worksheet on symbolism after reading. 

Tuesday

·         Reading 8 – Bullying Lesson: Students will learn about being a bystander and things they can do to take a stand against bullying. They will complete an advice column writing assignment for homework for next class period.

·         Reading 7 – Review notes on nonfiction and discuss topics for the unit. Introduce the big question for the unit (p. 406 in textbook). Begin reading "The Three Century Woman" from the textbook. Students will complete the guided reading questions for this story while reading and add any other talking to text notes that they wish as they read.

·         Practical Literature 10 - Students will finish reading "The Masque of the Red Death" and they will work together to complete the worksheet on symbolism. As a class, we will discuss symbolism within the short story, "The Masque of the Red Death."

Wednesday

·         Reading 8 – Bullying Lesson: Students will learn about being a bystander and things they can do to take a stand against bullying. They will complete an advice column writing assignment for homework for next class period.

·         Reading 7 – Students will continue to read "The Three Century Woman" together as a class. Students are responsible for individually completing the guided reading questions as we read. As a class, we will discuss these questions at the end of the story. 

·         Practical Literature 10 - Students will be introduced to the short story "Contents of a Dead Man's Pocket" by reading the background information in the textbook. As a class, we will begin reading this story and students will complete an active reading worksheet with discussion questions on the story as we read.

Thursday

·         Reading 8 – Students will explore the "talking to text" reading strategy with an essay. As a class, we will examine student examples of "talking to text" notes on the board and students will work individually to read the rest of the essay using this strategy.

·         Reading 7 – Students will read from "The Fall of the Hindenburg" together as a class and respond to the guided reading questions while reading. When finished, students will respond to the post-reading questions for each of these stories ("The Three Century Woman" and "The Fall of the Hindenburg").

·         Practical Literature 10 - Students will continue reading "Contents of a Dead Man's Pocket" together. Students will also identify parts of the plot as we read and complete the active reading worksheet.

Friday

·         Reading 8 – Students will explore the "talking to text" reading strategy with an essay. As a class, we will examine student examples of "talking to text" notes on the board and students will work individually to read the rest of the essay using this strategy.

·         Reading 7 – Students will complete a Venn Diagram with a partner to compare and contrast these two stories. As a class, we will discuss the similarities and differences and decide if they fall into either the fiction or nonfiction categories. 

·         Practical Literature 10 - Students will continue to read "Contents of a Dead Man's Pocket" together as a class. They will work together on the active reading worksheet and on identifying parts of the plot. We will discuss these together as a class.

September 3, 2013 - September 6, 2013

Monday - No School - Labor Day

Tuesday

·         Reading 8 – Bullying Lesson - Students will learn about negative bystander behavior and how to safely and effectively take a stand against bullying. Homework assignment: Advice column response due next class period (Thursday).

 

·         Reading 7 – Bullying Lesson - Students will learn about the differences between playful teasing and hurtful language. Students will read several scenarios and decide with a partner which of these categories they fall into. We will have a class discussion about the results of this activity and students will make a list of standards to use when trying to differentiate between these.

 

·         Practical Literature 10 - Read "The Monkey's Paw" together as a class and discuss examples of foreshadowing found throughout the story. Students will complete the active reading guide.

Wednesday

·         Reading 8 –  Bullying Lesson - Students will learn about negative bystander behavior and how to safely and effectively take a stand against bullying. Homework assignment: Advice column response due next class period (Thursday).

 

·         Reading 7 – Review think aloud strategy. Students will then read the first paragraph of "Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto using the think aloud strategy and we will discuss this together. Students will then be introduced to the talking to text strategy and practice this with parts of the story. Students will work together to use the talking to text strategy with the story.

 

·         Practical Literature 10 - Students will finish "The Monkey's Paw" and complete the active reading guide. Students will also complete the plot diagram using the story. We will discuss responses in the active reading guide together.

Thursday

·         Reading 8 – Volunteers will share their advice column responses that were due today and we will discuss these as a class. Students will also brainstorm together in small groups about reading strategies. We will review reading strategies used to navigate through text and create a list together.

 

·         Reading 7 – We will continue to read "Seventh Grade" together as a class using the talking to text strategy. Examples will be displayed on the board for class discussion.

 

·         Practical Literature 10 - Students will complete the post-reading questions on "The Monkey's Paw" and we will discuss these as a class.

Friday

·         Reading 8 – Volunteers will share their advice column responses that were due today and we will discuss these as a class. Students will also brainstorm together in small groups about reading strategies. We will review reading strategies used to navigate through text and create a list together.

 

·         Reading 7 – Students will take notes on the elements of fiction and nonfiction noting the differences between the two types. We will discuss these as a class and begin previewing the story, "The Three-Century Woman."

 

·         Practical Literature 10 - Introduce "The Masque of the Red Death" - Complete the setting/mood activity in groups to introduce how each interacts with the other. Begin reading the story and working on the active reading guide focusing on symbolism.