Plot Reminder

One Life. Six Words. What's Yours?

We've been writing our six word memoirs in class. You created memoirs that tell us about this life you've led so far.  You'll use the memoir to decorate/cover your writing portfolio.  Here are some of our memoir examples: 

• Mrs. Izzo’s: Fear change, love change, always changing.
• Mrs. Jackson’s:  Attempted normal life, still got surprises.
• Ms. Salzer’s:  Loves quiet and peace; embraces chaos.

You get to perfect your memoir and your folder at home to turn in next class. Here's a reminder of what we're looking for in the folder:

This is the slide we showed in class to remind you how to prepare your folder. 

Supply Time for 8th grade Language Arts

Here's the basics you'll need for 8th grade Language Arts.  

*A folder to carry work and handouts home.  You may choose the type of folder that works for you.  It can be part of a Trapper Keeper or some other system.

 

*Notebook paper and pens for writing. Pencils for testing and for creative projects.

*Printer paper for printing essays.  (You may print in the classroom but in that case, a pack of paper means there's enough to go around.)

 

*A reading book. I will start checking out books from my library in the second week. I'd like to see what you like to read before then if possible. (If you don’t have a  book, please bring your textbook.)

 

*Sticky notes. You will need several stacks of 3x3 (or larger) sticky notes throughout the year. 

Permission Form for Historical Fiction Lit Circles

We can't wait to jump into another round of literature circles. This time, our study will focus on historical fiction. Reading novels from specific historical periods provides an excellent opportunity to study setting, characterization, and plot development while broadening their understanding of social issues and historical events. We will also watch a film that enhances our reading and gives us the chance to meet the state standards in speaking, listening, and viewing. The film we would like to show is Life is Beautiful (La Vita E Bella), an Italian film that won three Academy awards--best actor, best foreign film, best music (for Nicola Piovani’s original dramatic score). To learn more about the books we are offering and the movie, read the permission form we sent home. Or click here to access a version that you can download and print. The forms are due next week Tuesday, 4/19 (B) and Wednesday, 4/20 (A).

Back to the Roots (More Word Roots)

As we ended the third quarter, we asked you to share what you wanted to learn before going on to high school. Most of the students in eighth grade at LaVilla requested more word roots. You've figured out that knowing the meaning of a root, prefix, or suffix can help you figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Plus, it's a lot of fun to figure out new words.

So, even though FCAT is over, this week we will continue our word study with twenty more roots, prefixes, and suffixes. We will have a roots quiz on April 27th and 28th.

If you were in class, use your four column notes to study for the quiz. The four column notes will also be collected as a small grade on that day. We will give one period to work on them. Do not copy them from a friend. You need to go through the process of filling it in yourself; it helps you get the roots into your long-term memory.

If you were absent on April 15th (B day students) or April 18th (A day students), click on the link (picture) below to view and print the notes. There are TWO pages.

Don't be alarmed by the last six spaces. That's where we left room to study some more literary techniques through poetry. (That was another big request before high school). Soon enough, you'll be writing your own poems.

Knowing your roots, prefixes, and suffixes

Knowing the meaning of a root, prefix, or suffix can help you figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word. So, this week we started a word study. You need to study and learn the 22 roots, prefixes, and suffixes that we discussed in class. We'll have a roots quiz on 3/17 (A) and 3/18 (B). If you were in class, use your four column notes to study for the quiz. If you were absent this week, click on the link (picture) below to view/print the notes.

Sciience Fiction Literature Circles Begin. Now.

For literature circles, we have planned three discussions (see dates below). On each discussion day, you should come to class having completed the reading your group asssigned itself and with the sticky notes to remember what you want to discuss with your group. Each reading day (see below) you will be given time to read in class and we'll have a short mini-lesson halfway through to break up the reading time. Any reading or notes you don't finish in class, you will need to finish as homework. As we've been reminding you in class, you may need to get your own copy of the book from the library or bookstore. Here is the calendar to mark the reading time for our lit circle Science Fiction Unit.


As you are reading the pages set by your group for discussion, remember to make notes on stickies as you go. Here's the list we've been using in class as we prepare our notes. Adding page numbers will make it easier to find the passages you'd like to reference in discussion. There is no set number of notes required but your notes are one way to show that you were prepared for discussion. They will be collected.

Punctuation Quiz

This week we had a lesson on punctuation. We used the "rules of the road" to help us remember each punctuation mark. Next class we'll have a quiz on these punctuation marks. You each have a set of four column notes, so if you don't feel confident after the lesson you should study. The quiz is on Thursday, 1/20 (A) and Monday, 1/24 (B).

We also have the Editorial deadline coming up. Your final draft should be typed and should include a separate works cited page. Editorials are due on Tuesday, January 25 (A) and Wednesday, January 26 (B). If you need an extra copy of the rubric, you can review the post below.

Editorials are Underway!

We've recently completed our rough drafts of our editorials. What's an editorial, again?

Editorial- A brief essay or article that states and defends a position on a current issue that affects many readers.

Now it's time to start crafting our true persuasion and changing our world with words. The rubric looks big but it matches the mini-lessons we've been doing all year. The conference log on the back is to help keep track of the research you conduct (interviews) and the feedback you get from us, the teachers, as well as you peers and parents.

The editorial rubric is available here. The conference log that goes on the back is available here.

It's due on January 25th--A day and January 26th--B day. mark your calendars and don't procrastinate. We'll give several classes to make progress on your revisions. If computer access is an issue, please see us to schedule before or after school time in our classrooms.

End of Quarter 1 Quiz 10/15 (A) and 10/18 (B)

In class, we created a study guide for the end of quarter quiz. Here is a list of lessons you should study.


-Leads: quotation, quicklist, anecdote, concession, shocking statistic, sensory details

-Conclusions: prediction, echo, pointed question, instruction (Jackson/Izzo classes only)

-Parts of Speech (Grammar Rock) (Jackson/Izzo classes only)

-Bradbury short stories (Jackson/Izzo classes only)

-Question Answer Relationship (QAR: Right There, Think and Search, Author and Me, On My Own)

-Thesis statement

-Stages of Plot and types of conflict

-Elaboration/support

-Ballads