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Month: November 2018

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L.A. 8

Before the break, we began our Interactive Notebooks. These notebooks involve a lot of time and work - much of class has been taken up with cutting, gluing, writing, and coloring. However, this time will pay off, as all this work will aid in comprehension of Shakespeare and his language. We've discussed how to dissect the old-fashioned language so that students will have strategies in how to approach Shakespeare. This is very important! Many students are overwhelmed when they first see Shakespeare, so starting out with these strategies will make Romeo & Juliet more approachable and less stressful. We've also discussed iambic pentameter; the prologue to Romeo & Juliet; and will begin Act 1. 

Contemporary Literature

We're about halfway through Macbeth, having started Act 3 this week. Before Thanksgiving break, we learned how to write thematic statements and practiced using Disney songs (they can be really useful in language arts because they tell a whole story in less than 5 minutes!). We've also done more acting and played with the language in Macbeth by translating it into Modern English and translating Modern English into Shakespearean English. We've been discussing topics such as power, masculinity, fate, and appearances vs. reality, which the students really seem to enjoy. 

Writing Lab.

It's our last week! All of our hard work is coming together as we gather our writing pieces into our scrapbooks. I have provided students with binders, folders, and art supplies - although they are not required to use any outside crafting supplies, they can if they want to. Students will be graded on effort, creativity, and their productivity in class during the next three days. On Friday, we will celebrate by showcasing the finished products in class. Students can also bring snacks and treats to share if they want. 

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L.A. 8

We started Romeo and Juliet this week! First, we had some discussions about what we want in a romantic partner, what our parents and guardians want in our romantic partners, and what would happen if those things clashed. We also acted out a modern-English translation of the play, and had a lot of fun with it. We will be making interactive notebooks this week that will serve as our Romeo and Juliet workbook during this unit. Students can decorate the cover however they want, but the need to treat the inside of the notebook like a school workbook. 

Contemporary Literature

We're in the middle of Act 2 in Macbeth. We've done some work on thesis statements, as well as had a few debates about some of the themes in the play. We also had an impromptu discussion about the incident in Baraboo that has recently made national and international news. The ability to make claims and back it up with evidence when speaking translates directly into the same skills in writing. 

Writing Lab.

This week, we wrote a Dedication Page for our scrapbooks. This is the last writing assignment. The rest of the trimester will be spent editing and revising our work, then putting together our scrapbooks in a visually pleasing way. 

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General Information

Happy November! A quick note to parents: in general, all of my classes are struggling to show respect for the shared classroom space. Papers and writing implements are left behind, food is frequently found on the ground, and homework assignments and textbooks are also forgotten. A messy classroom can be very distracting to our learning, as well as extra work for me and the school custodians. Please remind your students that they need to be responsible for their garbage and belongings. 

L.A. 8

We are finishing up our Horror Unit with a section in our Close Readers. This will be a poem by Edward Field called, "Frankenstein." Students will use the skills we have learned in the Horror Unit to complete the assignment on their own. We will then begin to transition into our Shakespeare unit with an article about how Shakespeare's work improves brain activity among children. You can't teach Shakespeare without some acting, so we will be trying our hand at a modern-English translation of Romeo and Juliet this week. 

Contemporary Literature

Last week, we completed Act 1. This week, we are beginning Act 2 by drawing a graphic novel version (with comic book-style panels) of Macbeth's soliloquy from Scene 1. We've done some simple acting, but will get into more in-depth acting soon. We are also going to refresh our thesis statement skills, then practice them on an article about how Shakespeare's work improves brain activity among children. 

Writing Lab.

Our time in first trimester Writing Lab. is almost over! With three weeks left, we are finishing up the very last writing assignment - a Thank You Letter to our writing subject. This will be followed by a Dedication Page, then assembling our "Gift of Gratitude" Scrapbook. Students will not be required to buy outside crafting supplies, but are asked to do their best to make this project visually appealing and creative. They will also be given the opportunity to do rewrites on any writing assignments from the trimester that they wish to improve. This can raise their grades. 

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L.A. 8

In eighth grade, we are continuing our Horror Unit with The Monkey's Paw by W. W. Jacobs. Our focus will be on foreshadowing and theme. On Halloween, students will begin writing their own scary stories, with an emphasis on creating a suspenseful tone. 

Contemporary Lit. 

In tenth grade, we are continuing to read Macbeth. We will finish Act 1 with a tableau assignment, where students are asked to create poses that represent each of the seven scenes in the part of the play we have read so far. We will also have discussions regarding the depiction of the Three Witches and the themes of fate and destiny in the play. 

Writing Lab.

In Writing Lab., we are continuing to work on interviews. Expect your student to be asking their writing subject some questions to get to know more about them! After they have interviewed their person and recorded the answers, we will start writing it into a polished piece, with the help of peer edits. This is the last major writing assignment for the "Gift of Gratitude," Scrapbook - the trimester ends on November 30th! The next few weeks will be spent putting together the scrapbook and doing any rewrites that students might need to complete.