Learning Target:
- Write an argument that addresses a counterargument
Work Collected:
- Article of the week (homelessness) reflection
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read for at least 30 mins.
- Start thinking about your memoir topic
Summary of Class:
- Turn in your article of the week
- Make sure it is in your LA folder
- Highlight the following:
- Read for ten minutes, then check in to your reading progress spreadsheet
- Group arguments
- With your assigned group members, plan and write an argument that presents a definition of homelessness, some possible solutions to it, then acknowledges a counterargument and presents your response
Learning Target:
- Use a question flood to identify areas for more explanation and elaboration in writing
Work Collected:
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read for at least 30 mins.
- Article of the week due tomorrow--assessment
Summary of Class:
- Library: book talks and time to browse/check out/read
- Check in to your reading progress spreadsheet
- Work on your article of the week--due tomorrow and graded as an assessment
- See the rubric at the bottom of your Google Doc
Learning Target:
- Respond to an article with explanation and examples to fully develop your ideas
Work Collected:
- If you needed a new reading rate, e-mail to Mrs. Boyden
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read for at least 30 mins.
- Article of the week due Thursday--assessment
Summary of Class:
- Read for ten minutes, then check in to your reading progress spreadsheet
- If you need a new reading rate, calculate and send your daily and weekly goals to Mrs. Boyden
- Article of the week
- Mini-lesson: expanding on your ideas with a question flood
- Google Doc with rubric: check e-mail from Mrs. Boyden or click here
- File > Make a copy > Title this "AoW 1/27/15 Name Period"
- Format p. 1 with MLA format
- See rubric on p. 2
- Focus questions:
- How would you define homelessness?
- What approaches could be taken to help people who are homeless?
- Work on AoW--due Thursday
- Read and annotate article (sign in to newsela.com)
- Take the quiz
- Write your reflection--assessment
Learning Target:
- Write effective comments to discuss books
Work Collected:
- Weekly reading check-in (orange form) for week 3
- E-mail Mrs. Boyden and Ms. Johnson your book blog post and 4 comments (screenshots)
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read for at least 30 mins.
Summary of Class:
- Read for ten minutes, then check in to your reading progress spreadsheet
- Complete a weekly reading check-in (orange form) for week 3: click here
- Book blog comments
- Reminders from Friday's instructions
- Book blog website: click here
- Finish commenting
- 2 people at your table
- 2 other 8th graders (you choose)
- E-mail this work (5 pictures total: blog post + 4 comments) to Mrs. Boyden and Ms. Johnson--see format below. (Use the paperclip button to attach your 5 screenshots.)
Learning Target:
- After reading book blog posts, write effective comments that promote discussion of reading
Work Collected:
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read for at least 90 mins. (reading goal due Mon.)
Summary of Class:
- Read for ten minutes, then check in to your reading progress spreadsheet
- Finish group work: arguments
- Finalize group's argument
- Share with the rest of the class
- Book blog comments
- Directions: click here
- Begin commenting on the two people at your table (we will finish this Monday in class)
Learning Target:
- Write an organized, well-supported argument
Work Collected:
- Article of the week ("The Internet Is Spying on You")
- Group arguments
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read for at least 30 mins.
Summary of Class:
- Read for ten minutes, then check in to your reading progress spreadsheet
- Writer's notebook: use a timeline to brainstorm for your memoir
- Article of the week: Make sure this is in your LA folder
- Discuss ideas in small groups
- Choose one of the four statements to argue:
- Tracking
internet use is an effective way to learn what people like and can be useful.
- Tracking
internet use is an invasion of privacy and should be illegal.
- The
internet is an important part of our society today and proper use should be
taught in schools.
- People
spend too much time on the internet these days and should try to limit their
use (or avoid it entirely).
- In groups: Plan and write an organized, well-supported argument--turn in to Mrs. Boyden
Learning Target:
- Identify possible topics for a memoir
Work Collected:
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read for at least 30 mins.
- Article of the Week due tomorrow
Summary of Class:
- Read for ten minutes, then check in to your reading progress spreadsheet
- Memoir
- Listen to memoir excerpts and identify characteristics (first person, dialogue, description, etc.)
- Brainstorm a list of your own possible memoir-worthy experiences
Learning Target:
- Use annotations to demonstrate a close reading of a text
Work Collected:
- E-mail Mrs. Boyden your new reading goals (if you calculated a new rate)
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read for at least 30 mins.
- Article of the Week due Thursday
Summary of Class:
- Read for ten minutes, then check in to your reading progress spreadsheet
- If you calculated a new reading rate, e-mail your new goals to Mrs. Boyden
- Article of the Week
- Read and annotate (insert comments in Google Doc)
- Write your reflection
- Directions and article are in the Google Doc Mrs. Boyden shared with you (check your e-mail)
- Annotations and reflection due Thursday
Learning Target:
Work Collected:
- Weekly reading check-in (orange form) for week 2
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read for at least 30 mins.
Summary of Class:
- Read for twenty minutes, then check in to your reading progress spreadsheet
- Fill out a weekly reading check-in (orange form) for week 2
- Check grades in PowerSchool
Learning Target:
- Publish a polished, formatted blog post
Work Collected:
- Book blog URL (email to Mrs. Boyden)
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read for at least 2 hours by Mon. (reading goal due)
Summary of Class:
- Read for ten minutes, then check in to your reading progress spreadsheet
- Book blog--Watch 3 videos :
Learning Target:
- Write an effective blog post to review your book
Work Collected:
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read for at least 30 mins.
- Book blog post due tomorrow
Summary of Class:
- Article of the week
- Turn in:
- Make sure your AoW Google Doc is correctly named (AoW 1/12/15 Name Period)
- Make sure it is in your LA folder (so I can give you credit)
- Open the document so you can us it for discussion
- Make sure you have changed the heading in the top left corner (name and period)
- Group Discussions
- Share summaries: listen for 3 words or ideas you all included
- Share who else you might thank and why (focus question)
Read for ten minutes, then check in to your reading progress spreadsheet
- Library
- Renew/return books, or check out new ones
- Read
- Book blog posts
- Check in to your reading progress spreadsheet
Learning Target:
- Identify elements of an effective book blog post
Work Collected:
- E-mail Mrs. Boyden your new reading rate (if you needed to calculate one)
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read for at least 30 mins.
- AoW due tomorrow
- Book blog post due Thurs.
Summary of Class:
- Read for ten minutes, then check in to your reading progress spreadsheet
- If you needed to calculate a new reading rate, email that to Mrs. Boyden
- Class video: book blog post directions (https://vimeo.com/116625403)
- Work on AoW (due tomorrow) then book blog post (due Thursday)
Learning Target:
- Summarize a text and respond to its ideas
Work Collected:
- Weekly reading check-in (orange form) for week 1
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read for at least 30 mins.
- AoW due Wednesday
Summary of Class:
- Read for ten minutes, then check in to your reading progress spreadsheet
- Check in to your reading progress spreadsheet: Mon. 1/12/15 (see your total for week 1)
- Fill out a weekly reading check-in (orange form) for week 1: click here
- Open the text for this week's AoW: click here You can follow along during the speech, or just listen.
- After watching the video in class, work on annotating the article (You will need to save a copy of this, then open it and turn on your editing for annotating--add text in the columns to show your thoughts, connections, and questions as you read).
- Work on your written reflection: click here (File > Make a copy > Rename the document and put it in your LA folder. See directions at the bottom of the document.) This is due Wednesday.
Learning Target:
- Identify specific features of books we enjoy (or don't enjoy)
Work Collected:
- Apostrophes formative assessment
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read for at least 90 mins. this weekend (goal due Mon.)
Summary of Class:
- Read for ten minutes, then check in to your reading progress spreadsheet
- Formative assessment: apostrophes
- What we love about books
- Brainstorm specific aspects we love (or don't love)
- Goal: Be more specific than "This book is good" or "This book is boring"
Learning Target:
- Distinguish between its and it's
- Reflect on reading progress to date and set new reading goals
Work Collected:
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read for at least 30 mins.
- Q2 Reading Ladder due tomorrow
Summary of Class:
- Read for ten minutes, then check in to your reading progress spreadsheet (just put "no school" for Wednesday)
- Apostrophe review:
- it's = contraction ("it is" or "it has")
- its = possession
- The car had a scratch on its door.
- Tomorrow: formative assessment on apostrophes
- Work on Q2 Reading ladder--due tomorrow
Learning Target:
- Identify examples of possession or contraction in which an apostrophe is needed.
Work Collected:
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read for at least 30 mins.
- Reading ladder due Thurs.
Summary of Class:
- Read for ten minutes, then check in to your reading progress spreadsheet
- Notebook: review apostrophes
- Work on Q2 reading ladder--due Thursday
Learning Target:
- Reflect on reading progress to date and set new reading goals
Work Collected:
- New reading goals (e-mail to Mrs. Boyden)
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read for at least 30 mins.
Summary of Class:
- Read for ten minutes and note how many pages you have read
- Check in to your reading progress spreadsheet
- LA website > Reading > Q3 Reading Progress Spreadsheet
- File > Make a Copy
- Put this in your LA folder
- Weekly reading check-ins
- Delete Q2 bookmark
- Bookmark Q3 form
- LA website > Reading > Q3 Weekly Reading Check-in (orange form)
- Apostrophes
- Discussed 2 purposes: to show possession or to show contractions (letters left out when combining words)
- Notebook work: Top ten lists
- Begin working on Q2 Reading Ladder
- LA website > Reading > Under "Reading Ladder," find "Reading Ladder Template"
- Begin filling out (use samples as well as Q1 Reading Ladder and Q2 Reading Progress Spreadsheet)
Learning Target:
- Submit a polished essay that identifies a theme for a novel and supports it with examples from the book.
Work Collected:
- The Outsiders essay
- Google form: preferences for literature circle unit (dystopian science fiction) coming up this spring
Work Assigned/Handed Out:
- Read something good over break
Summary of Class:
- Final reminders for The Outsiders essay, then make sure it is in your folder
- Introduction to literature circle unit (dystopian science fiction)
- Summary of each book
- Book pass: spend 2 minutes looking at and beginning to read each book, then noting your interest level and any comments
- Google Form: submit your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices for this unit
