7th+Grade+Language+Arts




 * Daily Homework Update**

I will attempt to post nightly homework assignments for 8th Grade Social Studies as well as updates when projects are due. If you have any questions or concerns about your student's assignment or progress in class please feel free to email me (richardsma@dare.k12.nc.us) at your convenience.


 * Monday, May 24**

Context clues and author's purpose EOG practice. Read the following poems in the blue literature book: Seal and Forsythia (concrete poem) p. 522, 528 Haiku p. 523 and 529 Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout p. 582 Onomatopoeia p. 590


 * Homework: Poetry book due Friday 10 poems**


 * Tuesday, May 25**

Reading EOG


 * Homework: Poetry book due Friday**


 * Wednesday, May 26**

Math EOG


 * Thursday, May 27**

Notes on Limericks and students must write them for poetry books.


 * Friday, May 28**

Students finished poetry books


 * Monday, May 17**

Read two poems //Mother to Son// and //Courage That My Mother Had//. Students wrote a poem to their mother that can be included in their poetry books.


 * Homework: Finish all Study Island assignments and finish writing/illustrating figurative language poems about mothers.**


 * Tuesday, May 18**

Finished writing their figurative language poem about mothers. (They will type these on a later date for their final poetry book) Students answered 5 questions about Langston's Hughes poem //Courage from My Mother// in their journals. Students completed an interest/poetry survey. Notes about free/blank verse and imagery were given. Students read the poem //Winter// in their blue literature books.


 * Homework: Finish all Study Island assignments and finish writing figurative language poems about mothers.**


 * Wednesday, May 19**

Journal: Grammar sentences transparency Read and analyze Robert Frost Poems (//Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening, The Road Less Taken)// Read poem //Mabel// and draw illustration. Turn in worksheet with both poem directions on them.


 * Homework: Finish all Study Island assignments and write imagery poem.**


 * Thursday, May 20**

Read //The Road Less Taken// by Robert Frost. Discuss meter in poetry narrative poetry. Read //The Cremation of Sam McGee// in blue literature book Complete figurative language practice sheet based on the poem. Watch performance of //The Highwayman//


 * Homework: Finish all Study Island assignments and write narrative poem.**


 * Friday, May 21**

Notes on repetition,alliteration, narrative poetry, and onamatopoeia. Read //The Highwayman// and complete the worksheet that goes with it.


 * Homework: Write a narrative poem for the poetry book that is due Friday, May 28.**


 * Monday, May 10**

We discussed the events of the novel and biblical allusions/symbolism found in //The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe//. Students worked on finishing the book. They will have a test tomorrow over the novel.


 * Homework: Finish novel, get progress report signed by Wednesday, and 2 Study Island goals completely finished by Friday.**


 * Tuesday, May 11**

Students watched //The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe// and answered movie analysis questions.


 * Homework: Test tomorrow on the novel. 2 Study Island assignments due by Friday. Progress report signed and returned by tomorrow. Missing work needs to be turned in asap.**


 * Wednesday, May 12**

We held a quick review of the ending of the novel. Students took their novel test and continued watching the film, while answering movie analysis questions.


 * Homework: Many students did not bring their progress reports signed, they will call home tomorrow if they have not done so by then. 2 Study Island assignments due by Friday. Missing works needs to be turned in asap.**


 * Thursday, May 13**

Students took notes on poetry and received their poetry book assignment.


 * Homework: Poetry book due Friday, May 28. 2 Study Island assignments due by tomorrow.**


 * Friday, May 14**

Spelling basketball.


 * Homework: Study Island assignments and make up work**


 * Monday, May 3**

Journal: In your experience, what is the best way to get someone to do what you want them to do?

Discussed Chapters 6-8 in //The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe//. Students identified characteristics of persuasive writing.

This is in preparation for the writing test, which the students will start tomorrow.


 * Homework: Read Chapters 9-11 and answer packet questions. Then entire packet should be done by tomorrow. Study Island assignments are due Friday.**


 * Tuesday, May 4**

Students started brainstorming and writing the rough drafts of their last writing test sample.


 * Homework: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe packet due tomorrow Chapters 9-11 should be done. Test corrections from their folklore assessment are due Thursday. Study Island assignments are due Friday.**


 * Wednesday, May 5**

Students received guidelines about how to format a business letter for their writing test sample. They also were given addresses of people to send them to. They had the entire period to constuct an outline/rough draft and begin typing their essay.


 * Homework: Many students did not turn in their Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe packet today, so that must be done as soon as possible. Test correction from their folklore assessment are due Thursday. Students should read through Chapter 15 in the novel by Friday along with their individualized Study Island assignment.**


 * Thursday, May 6**

Students worked in the computer lab on their rough drafts of their writing test.


 * Homework: Many students have still not turned in their novel packets or test corrections. Students should read through Chapter 15 by Monday. At least one Study Island goal assignment should be completely finished by Friday.**


 * Friday, May 7**

Students finished and submitted their writing tests and continued to work on Study Island assignments.


 * Homework: Read through Chapter 15 in the novel. 2 Study Island goal tests are due by next Friday.**


 * Monday, April 26**

Journal: Describe a time when you told the truth, but no one would believe you. Journals were checked today and students should have completed ten of them from the month of March and beginning of April. Students completed pg. 37-38 in their grammar workbooks together in class. We also checked their previous homework assignment of pg. 39. Students read the story //No News// to practice identifying irony. Students also checked out a copy of //The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe//.

Homework: Read Chs. 1-3 in the novel and work on packet (even students who were unable to reserve a copy from the library can work on their packets)


 * Tuesday, April 27**

Read Chapters 1-5 in //The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe//. Complete the packet of questions. Notes on folk tales and tall tales. Read excerpt of Paul Bunyan poem in red literature book.

Homework: Finish reading chapters 1-5 and finish packet before class tomorrow. Read Chapters 6-8 by Friday. Folklore test will be on Friday.


 * Wednesday, April 28**

Students corrected and turned in their packet from chapters 1-5 in //Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe//. Students read the tall tales //The Bunyans// and //Brer Rabbit and Brer Lion//. They took notes on Tall Tales based on these stories.


 * Homework: Read chapters 6-8 in //The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe// by Friday and complete the 3 pages in their packet from those chapters. Students have also been assigned to write their own tall tale, but will have time to work on that tomorrow. Folklore test will be on Friday.**


 * Thursday, April 29**

Students completed folklore review questions in their journals and we reviewed for their folklore test tomorrow. Students watched more examples of Tall Tales. They were to begin writing their own Tall Tale.


 * Homework: Read chapters 6-8 in //The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe// by tomorrow and complete the 3 pages in their packet for those chapters. Students should begin writing their tall tale, but will have time to work on it tomorrow. Students need to review their notes for the folklore test tomorrow.

Friday, April 30**

Students completed their folklore test. They worked on writing their Tall Tales.


 * Homework: Tall Tales are due Monday. Read through chapters 9-11 in //The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe// by Tuesday and have packet completely finished. Also, students will be given Study Island assignments on Monday that they are to complete by the end of the week.**


 * Monday, April 19**

Greek Festival was held today. Thank you for providing the class with food items to help make the festival a success. A number of groups did not have their magazines finished, please make sure your student is finishing their assignments. Students also had a journal reading about //Perseus and Medusa// that they were to identify the stages of plot development about in their journals along with the essential theme or message of the story.


 * Tuesday, April 20**

Students took brief notes on fables. I read to them the fable //Spider and the Fly//. Students read and answered questions aloud about the fables //Town Mouse Country Mouse// and the //Fox and the Crow//.

Homework: Students received their assignment, to write their own original fable. They will have class time to work on this tomorrow and it will be due on Thursday.


 * Wednesday, April 21**

Journal: Students read an excerpt from the //Velveteen Rabbit// and answered questions about it in their journals. Students were shown the 10 journal topics that they were to have already completed. I will be checking them on Friday.

Students took notes on Irony and analyzed the song //Ironic.// Irony is a necessary part of their fable assignment. They had the rest of the period to work on their original fables.


 * Homework: Fable with colored illustration is due tomorrow at the beginning of class. Also, journals are due Friday.**


 * Thursday, April 22**

Notes about prepositions.


 * Homework: Grammar workbook pgs. 39-40. Also, journals are due Friday, students should have 10 of them from the months of March and April.**


 * Friday, April 23**

Journal: Imagine you were sent to live with a relative you have never met before. How would you feel about this situation?

Legends notes and discussion about Blackbeard with Ms. Heilig. Students colored images of Blackbeard.


 * Homework: Grammar workbook pgs. 39-40. Since so many students were at the field trip today, I will check journals from the months of March and April on Monday. Students have the opportunity to receive Extra Credit by interviewing a Native American representative at the Pow Wow this Saturday and Sunday.**

Students watched the original film version of //Clash of the Titans//, we will be continuing this tomorrow and they are to answer movie analysis questions while they view it.
 * Monday, April 12**


 * Homework: Many students still need to turn in their Greek figure research essay or make changes to it. Mythology group projects (magazines or puppet shows) are due this Friday, April 16**


 * Tuesday, April 13**

Students continued to watch and answer questions for the film version of //Clash of the Titans//.


 * Homework: Many students still need to turn in their Greek figure research essay or make changes to it. Mythology group projects (magazines or puppet shows) are due this Friday, April 16. Students should have already begun working on this outside of class.**


 * Wednesday, April 14**

Students had the class period to work on their literary magazines and puppet shows.

Homework: Greek Festival has been moved to Monday, so magazines and puppet shows must be ready to be presented then. Also, students will be asked to bring in a food item for the festival if they are able.


 * Thursday, April 15**

Students completed a benchmark exam using Study Island. They had the rest of the class period to work on their literary magazines and puppet shows.

Homework: Greek Festival has been moved to Monday, so magazines and puppet shows must be ready to be presented then. Also, students will be asked to sign up for a food item to bring in on Monday if they are able.


 * Friday, April 16**

Students had reading comprehension questions from a passage about //Perseus and Andromeda// that was to be completed in their journals. They had the rest of the period to work on their Greek projects.

Homework: Greek Festival is Monday, magazines and puppet shows are due the. Also, please remind students to bring in their food items.


 * Monday, March 29**

Students were shown how to completea works cited page. **Many students did not have their reports finished, so please be checking with them on a daily basis to make sure they are completing assignments.** Homework: Finish works cited page using the handout with examples I provided as well as finish typing the reports and drawing illustrations to go with them.


 * Tuesday, March 30**

MAP testing in computer lab to gauge student reading skills

Homework: Some students still have not turned in their completed research projects


 * Wednesday, March 31**

Journal: Do you believe in fate or destiny? Why or why not?

Students read the myth //Atalanta's Race// in the red literature book. Students decided their groups and picked either a magazine or puppet show to depict Greek mythology.

Homework: Plan for Mythology Project which is due Friday, April 16


 * Thursday, April 1**

MAP testing (language usage) and Study Island

Students received their Adjective Tests back today. We reviewed adjectives again along with new notes on comparatives and superlative adjectives. We will be having a re-test tomorrow on all adjectives. Read //Prometheus// together and a Lord Byron poem about this mythological figure. They answered questions about the poem.
 * Monday, March 22**

Homework: Study for adjective test tomorrow and work on mythical figure research paper which is due Friday.Students will not have much class time to work on the research report, so they need to to complete this assignment outside of class. There will be homework center offered after school Tuesday and Thursday from 3-4:45 if you would like your child to have additional time to work on it.


 * Tuesday, March 23**

Students took the re-test on adjectives and were allowed to use their notes. Journal: complete literary census sheet based on a figure from one of the Greek myths we have read in class, place it in their journals. Students were to pretend they were a Greek god or goddess and choose a symbol that would represent them and explain why. They were to turn this in. We read the myth //Demeter and Persephone// in their literature books, which is an origin myth that explains why we have the 4 seasons.

Homework: **Students must write their own origin myth that should be at least 3 solid paragraphs or more. Greek god/goddess research papers are due Friday.**


 * Wednesday, March 24

Many students did not turn in their origin myths that they had for homework last night. Please check your student's planner every night for homework assignments.** Journal: Students read another version of //Demeter and Persephone// and answered questions from the reading in their journals. We read two versions of //Perseus// in their blue literature books.

Homework: //Perseus// reading response questions from literature book and research essay is due this Friday


 * Thursday, March 25**

Students finished reading the second version of //Percy-us// in their blue literature books. They were to answer the questions from both versions of the story and turn them in. They had the rest of the class period to work on their mythological figure research paper, which I moved to being due on Monday because of the Olympics.

Homework: Research paper with works cited page due Monday, March 29


 * Friday, March 26**

Middle School Olympics!

Homework: **Mythology research paper due Monday, March 29**