January 28, 2013 - February 1, 2013

Monday

·         Reading 8 – Even –Students will respond to the Big Question in their reading log notebooks. Students will also work with a partner to discuss and complete critical thinking questions relating to the short story, “Thank You M’am.”

·         English 8 – Students will finish the rough draft of their essay today and peer edit with a partner. Students will work on the final copy of the essay today also. The final copy and rough draft of the essay is due tomorrow.

·         Practical Literature 11 - Students will begin reading the play, “The Crucible” together as a class with assigned parts. Students will also be given a study guide for Act 1 to complete as we read.

Tuesday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Students will discuss the critical thinking and vocabulary questions from the textbook that were completed for today relating to the story, “Thank You M’am.” As a class, we will discuss the questions together and students will then turn in the assignment. Students will also be introduced to a unit on poetry by viewing a movie clip from “The Dead Poets Society.” If time permits, students will then begin taking down notes on poetry terms, etc. from the textbook.

·         English 8 – Students will turn in the final copy and rough draft of their informational essay today. Students will also work on completing the double entry journal in the activity packet for “The Dinner Party.”

·         Practical Literature 11 - Students will continue reading the play, “The Crucible” together as a class with assigned parts. Students will also work on the study guide questions for Act 1.

Wednesday

·         Reading 8 – Even – Students will discuss the critical thinking and vocabulary questions from the textbook that were completed for today relating to the story, “Thank You M’am.” As a class, we will discuss the questions together and students will then turn in the assignment. Students will also be introduced to a unit on poetry by viewing a movie clip from “The Dead Poets Society.” If time permits, students will then begin taking down notes on poetry terms, etc. from the textbook.

·         English 8 – Students will take a comprehension quiz on The Dinner Party today. Students will continue working on the activity packet for the story, The Dinner Party. They will complete the context clues section of the packet today and discuss this section together as a class.

·         Practical Literature 11 - Students will continue reading the play, “The Crucible” together as a class with assigned parts. Students will also work on the study guide questions for Act 1.

Thursday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Students will continue taking notes on poetry and discussing these notes together as a class. Students will also read and critically analyze the first set of poems focusing on sound devices (p. 651 – 660 in textbook). Students will answer questions in the textbook analyzing these poems with a partner.

·         English 8 – Students will respond to two open-ended prompts based on the short story, The Dinner Party. Students will then continue on to the last activity in the packet, which is using a dictionary effectively to define new words and identify synonyms, antonyms, etc. Students will have a quiz on these terms on Monday.

·         Practical Literature 11 - Students will finish reading Act 1 of The Crucible together with assigned parts. Students will also complete the study guide questions and discuss these responses together.

Friday

·         Reading 8 – Even – Students will continue taking notes on poetry and discussing these notes together as a class. Students will also read and critically analyze the first set of poems focusing on sound devices (p. 651 – 660 in textbook). Students will answer questions in the textbook analyzing these poems with a partner.

·         English 8 – Students will discuss the vocabulary terms from the packet and the open-ended responses to the prompts. Students will have a quiz on Monday on the new terms from the story that they defined in the packet. Students will also begin reading the short story, “A Running Brook of Horror” while using the highlighting and chunking reading strategy.

·         Practical Literature 11 - As a class, we will continue to discuss the responses to the study guide questions for Act 1 of the play. Students will also write predictions about what they believe will occur in Act 2 of the play. If time permits, students will begin to view the movie, “The Crucible” and watch scenes from Act 1.

January 21, 2013 - January 25, 2013

Monday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Students will take a Reading Benchmark test on the computers today.

·         English 8 – Students will take an English Benchmark test on the computers today.

·         Practical Literature 11 - Students will be introduced to the course. They will be given course requirements and rules/expectations for the classroom. Students will also be introduced to “The Crucible.” They will discuss background information about the Salem Witch Trials and they will view PowerPoint notes on the board.

Tuesday

·         Reading 8 – Even – Students will take a Reading Benchmark test on the computers today.

·         English 8 – Students will finish the packet on subjects and predicates and discuss this together as a class. Students will take a quiz on subjects and predicates tomorrow.

·         Practical Literature 11 - Students will finish discussing the background information, if necessary. Students will also view a video on the Salem Witch Trials and complete the video questions as they watch.

Wednesday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Students will discuss the PSSA lesson on analyzing theme together as a class. Students will also turn these in today for a grade. Students will then begin reading a short story called, “Thank You M’am.” Students will use the talking to text strategy while reading this story.

·         English 8 – Students will take a quiz on subjects and predicates today. They will also turn in the packet on subjects/predicates. Students will then read “The Dinner Party” on their own while using the highlighting and chunking reading strategy as they read.

·         Practical Literature 11 - Students will finish watching the video on the Salem Witch Trials today. Students will also finish the video questions today.

Thursday

·         Reading 8 – Even – Students will discuss the PSSA lesson on analyzing theme together as a class. Students will also turn these in today for a grade. Students will then begin reading a short story called, “Thank You M’am.” Students will use the talking to text strategy while reading this story.

·         English 8 – Students will be given an essay assignment based on the short story they read yesterday. Students will brainstorm their topics in class and begin writing the rough draft today in class.

·         Practical Literature 11 - Students will begin reading the play, “The Crucible” together as a class with assigned parts. Students will also be given a study guide for Act 1 to complete as we read.

Friday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Students will continue reading “Thank You M’am” during class while using the talking to text reading strategy. Students will also work with a partner to discuss and complete critical thinking questions after they finish reading the story.

·         English 8 – Students will continue working on the essay assignment today in class. The final copy of the essay is due on Tuesday.

·         Practical Literature 11 - Students will continue reading the play, “The Crucible” together as a class with assigned parts. Students will also work on the study guide questions for Act 1.

January 14, 2013 - January 18, 2013

Monday

·         Reading 8 – Even - Midterm Exams – Periods 3 and 4

·         English 8 – Midterm Exams – Periods 3 and 4

Tuesday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Midterm Exam – Period 5 - Students will also review their grades in the class and check assignments for completion.

·         English 8 – Midterm Exam – Period 5 - Students will also review their grades in the class and check assignments for completion.

Wednesday

·         Reading 8 – Even – Students will begin reading a short story titled, “Thank You, M’am” in the textbook. While reading this story together, students will use the talking to text strategy in order to make inferences and analyze the theme of the story.

·         English 8 – Students will begin working with subjects in the Subjects and Predicates activity packet. Students will discuss what they already know about sentence subjects and begin working on the exercises in the packet.

Thursday

·         Reading 8 – Odd – Students will begin reading a short story titled, “Thank You, M’am” in the textbook. While reading this story together, students will use the talking to text strategy in order to make inferences and analyze the theme of the story.

·         English 8 – Students will continue working on the subjects exercises in the activity packet. As a class, we will discuss these together and review the exercises on the board.

Friday

·         Reading 8 – Even – Students will discuss talking to text notes from the short story and they will also work with a partner to complete critical thinking and analysis questions based on the story.

·         English 8 – Students will continue to work on the exercises on subjects in the packet. As a class, we will discuss these together and examine examples on the board.

·         Practical Literature 11 - Students will be introduced to the course. They will be given a course outline, requirements, and rules/expectations for the classroom.

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.