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Week of January 8th:
Tuesday, students will be welcomed back (I missed them over break)! They complete the following writing activity: brainstorm a list of places (from Italy to backyard) visited over break. Then they will chose one to write about for ten minute using detailed, sensory descriptions. They they will break into groups and share their setting with their peers. Each student is required to use one of their peers settings in a short story due Thurs, Jan 17th. See the rubric below. The setting can be the main location of the story, somewhere they just drive past, or incorporated in another way-- as long as it appears. Story Rubric
Students will also receive a syllabus for 2nd semester. Please note, students need to have a copy of Animal Farm and their choice book (they will be assigned groups by Thurs) no later than Tues, Jan 22nd.
Spring Syllabus
Second Semester
Week of December 3rd:
Tuesday, students will arrive with 10 questions (at least one for each of the three levels) for their Book Clubs. Book Clubs will meet for half of period. The second half of the period will be direct instruction on pronoun agreement, commas and theme (see link). Students will need to turn in example sentences for each comma rule to ensure comprehension.
Understanding Theme Handout
Thursday, students will meet with their Terra Island groups for the first 20min of class. After the last meeting, they will be assigned the task of completing the story on their own (due Dec 11th). Next, students will receive their Theme Analysis assignment (see link), which is due Tues, Dec 18th. The remainder of the class period will give students work time while I work with groups of students who are still struggling with comma rules.
Colony Theme Assignment
Week of November 26th:
Students will turn in their revised This I Believe essays on the 26th. Then they will work on sections 8, 9 and 10 in their Terra Island Journals. The 27th, the students will arrive with their 10 questions at 3 Levels (please see IC for a more complete description) and meet in Book Clubs for half the period. The second half of the class, they will receive their Literary Terminology Assignment (link posted below) and have time to start working on it. Thursday we will only have class for 50min because of Benchmark Testing in the morning, so we will start discussing theme and look at examples of theme papers (their theme essay is due on Dec 18th, a rubric will soon be posted).
Literary Terminology Assignment
Week of November 19th:
Students will turn in their This I Believe essays (350-500 words) on the 20th. Students will also bring their top three book choices signed by a parent. The first part of class, students will peer workshop each other's essays. The second part of class, students will complete two writing assignments from their Terra Island groups and meet in groups. Before students leave, they will have their book club assignments and reading to complete in their novel over the break.
Week of November 12th:
Tuesday we will listen to a series of This I Believe essays from the NPR series and discuss them. Students will be given the assignment to compose their own essay due Tuesday, Nov 20th. For Wednesday, students will need to create books and write me a letter about themselves.
Thursday, students will receive the Terra Island assignment and be placed in groups. They will complete two writing prompts in their self-created journals. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to examine all the books for the next unit and decide their top three choices.
Week of November 5th:
Students will turn in their Belief Posters on Tues, Nov 6th. We will also finish our trials.
Students will receive their compiled Belief Statements and present their Belief posters to the class. They will also have the opportunity to look over the books for the next unit and decide which novel they would like to read.
Week of October 29th:
Students are finishing their final preparations for trials (one for The Glass Menagerie and one for Antigone). The first trial will begin Thursday.
Additionally, we are working on a Belief Unit, using curriculum from NPR's This I Believe as a guide. Students turned in interviews Monday (having interviewed someone they respect that has guided the development of their beliefs) and received the assignment/ rubric for their Belief Posters. Today they composed sentences about things they've learned to be true in life.
This I Believe Curriculum from NPR
Seeing is Believing Poster Rubric
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Extra Credit Novel Project
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