Don't Be Part of the 10%

Today I gave my last lesson to the students as I used a highway to symbolize the next four years of their lives. Traffic cones, off ramps, scenic lookouts all symbolized problems and adventures that await them. There were some heavy topics presented and I gave the same advice to them that I gave to my own daughter. I hope the advice will help them make good decisions over the next few years. Only three days left and they are spending time as a group and having the final days of middle school be memorable.

Wrapping Up

Today we finished with the symbolism presentations --other than a few stragglers who were absent. They will go tomorrow. We will spend the rest of the week tying loose ends like deleting out email accounts, going over summatives, and the speeches.

Homework:
None

The Ultimate Gift

We continued watching "The Ultimate Gift" today and inferred the ending again. Our inferences have changed a little because of new information. We should get to the ending tomorrow and see how our inferences turn out. Remember, AR points are due tomorrow and the symbolism project needs to be ready to go on Monday.

Homework:
Read AR
Finish symbolism project (due Monday)

Year in Review

Today we started our review of the year by watching "The Ultimate Gift." It hits on many of the topics we covered like inferencing, theme, and advertising techniques. We will continue the review tomorrow. Students need to finish their symbolism projects by Monday for presentation.

Homework:
Read AR (points due Friday)
Symbolism project due Monday

Summative and Project

Today the students took the final summative of the year today as we finished up Animal Farm  and symbolism. We don't completely finish symbolism as the students need to do a project with symbols and life. Click here to see the rubric and here for the drafting sheets.

Homework:
Read AR
Get materials together for project

Symbolism Practice

Today we worked on different symbols in the book Animal Farm and the students worked on their own to determine what the symbols represented in our society. The summative for symbolism will be on Wednesday.

Homework:
Read AR (points due next week Friday)

The End

We read the final chapter in Animal Farm today and unfortunately, it wasn't a happy ending-- unless you were a pig or a dog. In the end, the animals were worse off than they were before the rebellion. Afterward, I had the students write a paragraph on which animal in the story symbolizes them. They need two comparisons and the focus needs to be on the character of the animal, not the physical characteristics.

Homework:
Read AR
Finish summaries and paragraph (due Monday)

Poor Boxer

We continued to read Animal Farm. To start off the class, I had the students think about which of the characters they would want on their farm to help them. The overwhelming majority chose Boxer because of his hard working and loyal personality. In the chapter unfortunately, the pigs sold him off because he could no longer work and bought booze with the money. Very frustrating.

Homework:
Read AR
Finish summaries

More Animal Farm

We have continued to read Animal Farm as we have gotten through chapter eight. Frustration has taken hold of the students as they read about Napoleon and the plight of the animals. We also did a little symbolism practice that focused on the Seven Commandments.  We will continue with it tomorrow.

Homework:
Read AR
Finish summaries and characters

Animal Farm chapters 2-5

We have continued to read Animal Farm over the past couple of days and are at the halfway point of the book. The animals have expelled and fended off an attack by the humans and have been working the farm for a few years now. Their democracy has turned into a dictatorship in the last chapter and the leaders are focusing on building a windmill.

Homework:
Read AR
Do summaries and characters

Animal Farm

Today we started on the book Animal Farm to look at the way it uses symbolism. Many people have bad memories of reading this book because of the study of the USSR and how the animals symbolized different leaders in Russian history. We will not be reading it as a history lesson, we will read it as story with talking animals.

Homework:
Read AR
Finish summary and character listing

New Unit

The formatives on comparing styles that were taken yesterday were returned today. We went over common mistakes so students will know what they did wrong and they won't make the same next Tuesday on the summative. We also started a new unit on symbolism - another literary device. It was introduced to day with a practice sheet students will use as their notes. Click here to see it.

Homework:
Read AR
Finish "Everyday Symbols" sheet

More Style Comparison

Today the students had the final opportunity to practice comparing styles of poets with two short poems. Click here to see the worksheet. We will be doing out formative tomorrow.

Homework:
Read AR

Adjusted Schedule

Today the classes were adjusted so the final group of students could go to Mokau'ea. Those that stayed behind did AR or if they hadn't done it already, The Armful.

Homework:
Read AR

More Style Comparison

Today the student had more practice comparing the styles of two poets. Click here to see the worksheet. It is a little different on the back, but it pretty much gives the idea of what students need to do.

Homework:
Read AR

Focus on Style

We really focused in on the style of an author today as the students looked for poetic devices in a poem. The use of poetic devices is the determining factor in a poet's style. We again talked about language as a poetic device and the students were given a poem with an example of informal language. Click here to see it.

Homework:
Read AR

Language as a Poetic Device

Today we started the new part of the poetry unit by looking at the style. A new device introduced today was language. Language is broken into formal, which is proper, and informal, which is slang. The students practiced some more poetry analysis on "The Armful." Click here to see it.

Homework:
Read AR

Annotation Summative

Today the students took their annotation summative. I have graded the first section and overall it looks pretty good. Afterward, students were given the time to do AR.

Homework:
Read AR

Poetic Devices Quiz

Today students took a quiz on poetic devices and explaining their use in lines of poetry. For the most part, students either did well or did poorly, there was no in between. Tomorrow is the annotation final. Students will not be allowed to use notes, so make sure to study TIPFEET.

Homework:
Read AR
Study for summative

Formative Review

Today we reviewed the formative the students took last week on annotating a poem. The biggest problem was the some students didn't provide evidence from the poem to back up their opinion. The summative will be on Wednesday and there will be a quiz on poetic devices tomorrow.

Homework:
Read AR
Study poetic devices

Extended Metaphor

Today the focus in class was on finding extended metaphor in a poem. The students annotated "Ice" in class and we went over the answers. Click here to see the worksheet. If the students didn't finish the poem "The Open Window" it is homework.

Homework:
Read AR
Finish "The Open Window"

Annotation Formative

Today students took the annotation formative. They were able to use their TIPFEET sheet this time, but when they take the summative, they will need to annotate on their own.

Homework:
Read  AR

Limricks

With HSA, the schedule was adjusted and only cores 5, 1, and 2 met today. To see the limerick worksheet, look at yesterday's post. Core 2 already did the limericks, so they annotated a couple of poems. There is a formative tomorrow on annotations.

Homework:
Read AR
Finish limericks

Limericks

HSA testing today caused a little juggling of cores. I only saw cores 2, 3, and 4 for class and we wrote limericks. Limericks are suppose to be funny and the students saw it was hard. Click here to see the worksheet.

Homework:
Read AR
Finish limericks

Correcting Annotations

Today we went through The Red Wheelbarrow and Dreams so the students could see if they have been doing TIPFEET correctly. The biggest problem for students seemed to be doing all of the annotations. Some only did TIPF and didn't do the rest. The big idea is to annotate poems and TIPFEET is a way of giving students focus. HSA testing starts tomorrow so get some rest.

Homework:
Read AR

More Poem Practice

More practice today as students annotated three more poems. Click here to see them. As for last night's poems, the big problem was with figurative meaning. Many students referred to details from the poem in their figurative meanings, but there should be no reference to details.

Homework:
Read AR
Finish Annotating poems

More Annotation

Today we continued annotating poetry by reviewing TIPFEET and adding literal and figurative main ideas. Literal main idea is reading a poem and stating the idea as what is read without any analysis of what the poem's deeper meaning is. Figurative main idea it the deeper meaning that many have trouble determining.
Click here to see the worksheet. Whatever students didn't finish in class, they had to finish it at home.

Homework:
Read AR
Finnish annotations

ACT Testing

No class work today as students took the ACT test to help them with their decisions when high school rolls around. We will continue with poetry tomorrow.

Homework:
Read AR

Annotation

Today we practiced annotating the poem Willow and Ginkgo. Click here to see the poem. The students worked in pairs and used TIP FEET as their annotation guide.It was the first attempt, so it took a while. As time goes on and the students get more practice, annotating will become second nature to them.

Homework:
Read AR

First Day

Today was the first day of the last term for students in middle school. Click here to see the calendar. The focus for the term will be poetry and symbolism. We will annotate poems and for symbolism, read Animal Farm and do a small project to get the students thinking about their futures.

Homework:
Read AR

Presentations and AR

We are at the tail end of the presentations and will wrap them all up on Wednesday. Other than the paper, the only way to improve grades is through AR. The points are due Thursday after school.

Homework:
Read AR

More Presentations

We will use the last days of this week to finish up presentations. Hopefully we will finish them up, but Monday will be the spill over day in case we need time. After the presentations, the only grade left will be for the students to finish AR.

Homework:
Read AR

Debates and McDonald's

The past few days have been dedicated to the presentations we will do for the rest of the term. The first round of presentations yesterday went well. A couple of debates were really good in the way the arguments countered each other. We took today off to do our westward movement simulation to McDonald's. Unfortunately, another year has passed and I didn't finish first. Wait 'till next year!

Homework:
Read AR (points due next week Thursday)
Prep for debate

Research Summative

Today the students took the final test for research. A few will need extended time to finish up as the test is long. The final paper is due tomorrow and students need to turn in all drafts of their paper and works cited pages.

Homework:
Read AR
Draft and final due tomorrow

Peer Edit

Today the students peer edited their second drafts of the paper. Those who did not complete the paper need to understand that the final paper is also a summative. They need to get it done by Friday. Afterward, they were given the outline for the debates that will start next week.

Homework:
Read AR
Type final draft (all drafts of paper and works cited are due)

Summative Review

Today we reviewed for the final test on Thursday. Students need to be able to evaluate sources for relevancy and credibility. They also need to know how to make in-text citations and create a works cited page. Also, second drafts are due tomorrow for peer edit and to make sure everybody gets the highest grade possible.

Homework:
Read AR
Type second draft

Draft Returned

Today the draft students turned in last week was returned with corrections made to the citations. They must make corrections to anything marked and also write their conclusions. Their conclusions is written as effects on society and the information contained in it must still be from experts and research. The information in the conclusion should slant to the students' opinion, but "I" should not be used. There should be no reference to the students' opinion, only information supporting how the student feels about the controversy.

Homework:
Read AR
Draft due Wednesday

Journalism

Today everybody was a travel writer as the students wrote about their experiences on their trips. Students who went to the Big Island wrote about their experiences, those who stayed back wrote about their experiences on their field trips, and those who stayed in school wrote about their trip to the other track. The deadline they faced was the end of the period so many didn't finish. That's OK as an editor normally takes information out of articles.

Homework:
Read AR
2nd draft due Wenesday

Research Ending

We are heading into the weekend and the students should be wrapping up their research and putting everything together. Today I gave them an example of the paper with the background/history and argument sections. It also included a works cited page that students must also get set up. The lesson today was making sure the in-text citations matched with a citation on the works cited page. By tomorrow, the students should start typing or writing the first draft. It is due Monday.

Homework:
Read AR
Rough draft due Monday

In Text Citations and Research

Today we did a little exercise on in text citations to make sure students know what they are and how they should look. We will continue the practices throughout the week. Afterward, the students were given time to research.

Homework:
Read AR
10 note cards due Thursday (20 if working on your own)
Rough Draft due Monday

Choice

Today students had a choice in what they did. They had a choice to read AR, do more research, or add in text citations to their t-charts. Many students left the in text citations out of their charts. This is the main idea of the term so it is important students understand in text citations.

Homework:
Read AR
Research
10 note cards due by Thursday (20 if working on your own)

Citation Quiz and T-chart

Today the students took a quiz on in-text citations. Unfortunately, many did poorly. This was an important skill the students should have been using over the last week during research, so I guess students haven't been doing it. I also went over the t-chart and works cited page students need to turn in tomorrow. Click here to see the handout. The t-chart should be a continuation of what they have been working on over the past couple of weeks. The works cited page is typing out the citations from their note cards.

Homework:
Read AR
Finish t-chart and works cited page

The Outsiders and Research

Today we finished watching The Outsiders and worked on the comparison between it and the book. After completing their paragraphs, the students were able to research. Five note cards are due tomorrow, 10 if you are working alone.

Homework:
Read AR
5 note cards

HSA

One more day of HSA testing then the schedule can get back to normal. This week focused on in-text citations and research. I passed out a worksheet students should keep for next year as it will help them in social studies class. Click here to see it. In-text citations are in the body of the paper and are after specific information from a source. Instead of just a bibliography,  now the reader can see exactly what information came from which source. The rest of the classes will be dedicated to doing research online.

Homework:
Read AR
Research

Note Cards and HSA Prep

Yesterday, we went over note cards the students will be using during their research. The presentation showed different ways of organizing and writing the cards, but if students have a way that works for them, they don't need to change. Click here to see the presentation.
Today we did a little review and had a pep talk about the upcoming HSA tests. My main message today was to use these tests to prepare themselves for important tests in their futures (i.e. college entrance exams, tests for jobs).

Homework:
Do a note card on your topic (due Tuesday)

Works Cited and Credible Source

Yesterday the students continued their citation practice by making a citation page of all of the resources worked on in class. If mistakes were made, students are allowed to correct their citation page to receive full credit, but it must be turned in Monday. Today, there was a presentation on credible sources. Click here to see it. It is up to the students to evaluate a site and its author to determine if the information is correct. I also passed out a sheet with the information presented today. Click here to see it.

Homework:
Read AR
Rewrite works cited page if needed

MLA Citation Activities

Over the past two days, we have been learning about MLA citations and finding the information needed on resources in order to make a citation. Click here to see the presentation. The students worked together to make citations for a book, magazine newspaper articles, and an Internet site. We also did a little lesson on plagiarism. Since student will be learning how to do in-text citation, there should be no problem with plagiarism.

Homework:
Read AR
Do a citation of any resource you have at home (due Friday)

Writing and AR

Today we started up our paragraph writing for the term by focusing on a goal students have after high school. They also needed to write what they are doing now to help attain the goal. Our focus was on the same as last term: indenting, capitalization, and punctuation. Afterward, students were given time for AR.

Homework:
Read AR

I-Search Overview

Today we started with an overview of the research project and students were reminded to be aware of the due dates.  Afterward, we did a little review of research to see what the students know. Click here to see sheet.

Homework:
Get calendar signed
Buy note cards

First Day

Today was the first day of the third quarter and after a long break, we did a little catching up. I asked what students did over their breaks and what they got for Christmas. Afterward, we went over the calendar for the term. Click here to see it. This is probably the most important term in the fact that what we are learning will be used next year at the high school. We are learning the research process and citing sources which is what the history day project at the high school is all about. We will have a more in depth discussion of the paper tomorrow.

Homework:
Read AR
Get calendar signed
Buy note cards