January 7, 2013 - January 11, 2013

Monday

·         Reading 8 – Odd - Students will continue working on the midterm review packet during class. We will begin discussing topics within the review packet today as well.

·         English 8 – Students will work with a partner on completing a review sheet for the midterm exam.

Tuesday

·         Reading 8 – Even - Students will discuss the midterm review packet together as a class. We will review key concepts that will be on the midterm exam.

·         English 8 – Students will work with a partner on completing a review sheet for the midterm exam. As a class, we will begin to discuss the key concepts/skills from the review sheet that will be on the exam.

Wednesday

·         Reading 8 – Odd - Students will discuss the midterm review packet together as a class. We will review key concepts that will be on the midterm exam.

·         English 8 – Students will continue to review for the midterm exam by discussing concepts/skills from the review sheet together.

Thursday

·         Reading 8 – Even – Midterm Exams – Periods 1 and 2

·         English 8 – Midterm Exams – Periods 1 and 2

Friday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Midterm Exams – Periods 6 and 7

·         English 8 – Midterm Exams – Periods 6 and 7

January 2, 2013 - January 4, 2013

Monday - No School - Holiday Break

Tuesday - No School - Holiday Break

Wednesday

·         Reading 8 –  Even – Students will receive a review packet for the midterm exam to work on during class. Review packets can be turned in for extra credit points on the day of the exam if they are completely finished. These will be discussed during class over the next few class periods. Midterm exams begin on January 10^th.

·         English 8 – Students will continue working in the verbs packet they were given before the holiday break. Students will be introduced to linking verbs, and we will discuss examples of these together. Students will then complete practice exercises with a partner in the packet on linking verbs.

Thursday

·         Reading 8 – Odd - Students will receive a review packet for the midterm exam to work on during class. Review packets can be turned in for extra credit points on the day of the exam if they are completely finished. These will be discussed during class over the next few class periods. Midterm exams begin on January 10^th.

·         English 8 – Students will discuss the linking verbs exercises completed yesterday in class. As a class, we will then discuss and examine examples of auxiliary verbs in the packet. Students will work on completing practice exercises on auxiliary verbs in small groups.

Friday

·         Reading 8 – Even – Students will continue working on the midterm review packet during class. We will begin discussing topics within the review packet today as well.

·         English 8 – Students will continue working on practice exercises in the packet on auxiliary verbs. As a class, we will discuss these exercises together and examine further examples of auxiliary verbs on the board together.

December 17, 2012 - December 21, 2012

Monday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Nonfiction tests will be returned and discussed. Students will then begin reading a short story together in class (“The Gift of the Magi”). As students read, they will mark their talking to text notes on the story sheet. As a class, we will discuss their notes together.

·         English 8 – Students will take a comprehension quiz on the story, “The Lady or the Tiger.” Students will then be introduced to coordinating conjunctions. Students will discuss what they already know about conjunctions and then begin work on identifying these within sentences. Students will also combine sentences in their writing using coordinating conjunction and we will discuss examples on the board together. Students will take a quiz on coordinating conjunctions tomorrow.

Tuesday

·         Reading 8 – Even - Nonfiction tests will be returned and discussed. Students will then begin reading a short story together in class (“The Gift of the Magi”). As students read, they will mark their talking to text notes on the story sheet. As a class, we will discuss their notes together.

·         English 8 – Students will take a quiz on coordinating conjunctions. We will then discuss notes on subordinating conjunctions together and examine examples on the board. Students will work on identifying and using subordinating conjunctions by completing exercises in the packet. Students will take a quiz on these tomorrow.

Wednesday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Students will continue reading the short story, “The Gift of the Magi” together in class. Students will continue to write talking to text notes as they read. We will discuss these together when finished the story. Students will also work on completing discussion questions after reading the story. Reading Log Notebooks will be collected today.

·         English 8 – Students will take a quiz on subordinating conjunctions. Students will then discuss notes and examples of correlative conjunctions together. Students will also work on exercises in the packet on correlative conjunctions and a revision activity in the packet.

Thursday

·         Reading 8 – Even – Students will continue reading the short story, “The Gift of the Magi” together in class. Students will continue to write talking to text notes as they read. We will discuss these together when finished the story. Students will also work on completing discussion questions after reading the story. Reading Log Notebooks will be collected today.

·         English 8 – Students will turn in their completed conjunctions packet today. Students will also begin working on the section on verbs. Students will discuss what they already know about verbs and the different types of verbs. Students will then work on identifying action verbs in sentences and using action verbs in writing by completing exercises in the verbs packet.

Friday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Students will discuss the questions from the short story together. We will discuss the theme of the story and the conflict and characters within it as well. Students will turn in their discussion question worksheet today at the end of class.

·         English 8 – Students will continue working on identifying and using action verbs in writing by completing action verb exercises in the verbs packet.

December 10, 2012 - December 14, 2012

Monday

·         Reading 8 – Even – Students will take a test on nonfiction. Students will also be introduced to the next unit of study in the textbook (short stories). Students will define vocabulary terms for the unit on page 231 in the textbook.

·         English 8 – Students will discuss “The Lady or the Tiger” packet (numbers 1-7). Students will review the vocabulary terms that were defined from the story together. Students will have a quiz on these words tomorrow.

Tuesday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Students will write a reading log response in their notebooks on the conflict in the novel they are currently reading. Students will then discuss the big question for the unit (“Can all conflicts be resolved?”) p. 230-231 in textbook. Students will discuss and take down notes from pages 234-235 on short stories.

·         English 8 – Students will complete numbers 8 – 13 in the story packet. Students will work with a partner to analyze the story and identify the resolution, interpret quotes from the story, and write extended journal responses related to the story.

Wednesday

·         Reading 8 – Even – Students will write a reading log response in their notebooks on the conflict in the novel they are currently reading. Students will then discuss the big question for the unit (“Can all conflicts be resolved?”) p. 230-231 in textbook. Students will discuss and take down notes from pages 234-235 on short stories.

·         English 8 – Students will discuss numbers 8-13 from the story packet. We will examine examples from each section on the board.

Thursday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Students will discuss the vocabulary terms that were defined in notebooks for the unit (p. 231 in textbook). Students will also begin reading the short story, “Who Can Replace a Man?” on pages 246-260. Students will talk to the text as they read together in class.

·         English 8 – Students will work with a partner to complete activities 14-16 in the story packet.

Friday

·         Reading 8 – Even – Students will discuss the vocabulary terms that were defined in notebooks for the unit (p. 231 in textbook). Students will also begin reading the short story, “Who Can Replace a Man?” on pages 246-260. Students will talk to the text as they read together in class.

·         English 8 – Students will discuss numbers 14-16 together as a class by examining examples from each section on the board. Students will then review the events from the story in preparation for a comprehension quiz on Monday.

December 3, 2012 - December 7, 2012

Monday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Students will discuss the notes from last week on types of nonfiction. As a class, we will also review the vocabulary terms and definitions that were defined for today on nonfiction. We will have a test on this information on Friday. Students will also respond to the big question in their reading log notebook relating to the magazine article they read for today. We will discuss responses together and students will turn in the packet with the article and questions.

·         English 8 – Students will take a test on vocabulary lessons 9 and 10. When finished, students will read the story, “The Lady or the Tiger” together as a class while highlighting and chunking sections of the story.

Tuesday

·         Reading 8 – Even - Students will discuss the notes from last week on types of nonfiction. As a class, we will also review the vocabulary terms and definitions that were defined for today on nonfiction. We will have a test on this information on Monday. Students will also respond to the big question in their reading log notebook relating to the magazine article they read for today. We will discuss responses together and students will turn in the packet with the article and questions.

·         English 8 – Students will finish reading “The Lady or the Tiger” together out loud and complete the double-entry journal in the packet. We will discuss the double-entry journal by examining student examples on the board.

Wednesday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Students will play a review game to review the information on nonfiction that they will need to know for the test on Friday. If time permits at the end of class, students will read their AR books silently or study for the remainder of class time.

·         English 8 – Students will work on contextual clues from the story and prefixes and suffixes. As a class, we will discuss these two sections of the packet together.

Thursday

·         Reading 8 – Even - Students will play a review game to review the information on nonfiction that they will need to know for the test on Friday. If time permits at the end of class, students will read their AR books silently or study for the remainder of class time.

·         English 8 – Students will take a quiz on the vocabulary terms from yesterday’s context clues activity. Students will then work on numbers 5, 6, 7 in the packet for “The Lady or the Tiger” on setting and plot.

Friday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Students will take a test on nonfiction. When finished, students will read AR books independently and write a response in their notebooks focusing on the conflict in the book. Students will also be introduced to the next unit of study in the textbook (short stories). Students will discuss the big question for this unit (“Can all conflicts be resolved?”) p. 230-231 in textbook. Students will begin to define vocabulary terms for the unit in notebooks.

·         English 8 – Students will complete numbers 8 – 13 in the story packet. Students will work with a partner to analyze the story and identify the resolution, interpret quotes from the story, and write extended journal responses related to the story.

November 26, 2012 - November 30, 2012

Monday - No School

Tuesday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – As a class, we will discuss the PSSA lesson on “Using Self-Monitoring Strategies.” Students will reflect on the strategies they used to navigate the passages in the packet. Students will turn in the PSSA lesson packets today. Students will then write down notes in their notebooks on the elements of nonfiction writing and the different types of nonfiction writing. We will discuss these together as a class.

·         English 8 – Students will be in the library on computers to type the final copy of their persuasive essay today.

Wednesday

·         Reading 8 – Even - As a class, we will discuss the PSSA lesson on “Using Self-Monitoring Strategies.” Students will reflect on the strategies they used to navigate the passages in the packet. Students will turn in the PSSA lesson packets today. Students will then write down notes in their notebooks on the elements of nonfiction writing and the different types of nonfiction writing. We will discuss these together as a class.

·         English 8 – Students will be in the library on computers to type the final copy of their persuasive essay today.

Thursday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Students will read and analyze a magazine article in the textbook titled, “Sun Suckers and Moon Cursers.” Students will be identifying the main idea and supporting details from the article in their T2T notes. Students will discuss the elements of magazine articles and how they are different from other types of texts. They will then respond to critical thinking questions and the big question for the unit.

·         English 8 – Students will define vocabulary terms for lessons 9 and 10. Students will also work on writing sentences for these words in class today. This vocabulary work is due tomorrow.

Friday

·         Reading 8 – Even - Students will read and analyze a magazine article in the textbook titled, “Sun Suckers and Moon Cursers.” Students will be identifying the main idea and supporting details from the article in their T2T notes. Students will discuss the elements of magazine articles and how they are different from other types of texts. They will then respond to critical thinking questions and the big question for the unit.

·         English 8 – Students will review the vocabulary definitions and sentences for terms in lessons 9 and 10 Students will have a test on these terms on Monday.

November 19, 2012 - November 23, 2012

Monday

·         Reading 8 – Even – Students will turn in their final copy and rough draft of the memoir. Students will complete a lesson from the PSSA book on “Self Monitoring Strategies.”

·         English 8 – Students will discuss the review sheet on adjectives and adverbs in small groups and together as a class in preparation for a test tomorrow. Students will also complete practice sentences to choose the correct adjective or adverb as a review for the test.

Tuesday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Students will turn in their final copy and rough draft of the memoir. Students will read passages about the Thanksgiving holiday and respond to discussion questions in their reading log notebook. As a class, we will discuss these together after groups have discussed them.

·         English 8 – Students will take a test on adjectives and adverbs. When finished, students will begin to work on the rough draft of a persuasive essay. Students will have the opportunity to choose from several writing prompts.

Wednesday

·         Reading 8 – Even - Students will read passages about the Thanksgiving holiday and respond to discussion questions in their reading log notebook. As a class, we will discuss these together after groups have discussed them.

·         English 8 – Students will work on writing the persuasive essay in class today. The rough draft must be done by Tuesday after Thanksgiving break. We will be working in the library on computers when we return from Thanksgiving break to type the final copy of the essay.

Thursday - No School - Thanksgiving holiday

Friday - No School - Thanksgiving holiday