This Week: December 7-11

Monday, December 7:
Review Plot Diagram
Make A Christmas Carol Folders
Pre-reading for A Christmas Carol

Tuesday, December 8:
Read Stave One in A Christmas Carol
Work on Folders

Wednesday, December 9:
Read Stave Two in A Christmas Carol
Work on Folders

Thursday, December 10:
Plot Diagram Quiz! (study plot notes)
Read Stave Three in A Christmas Carol
Work on Folders

Friday, December 11:
Choir Christmas Concert (free)
Band Christmas Concert (Bring $1)
Student/Faculty Basketball Game (Bring $1)
In order to have only one irregularly scheduled day, we will have all of the Christmas festivities on this Friday. Please bring money for the events that cost money!
We will read A Christmas Carol while in class.

This Week: November 30 - December 4

Monday, November 30:
Kick-Off: Sentence Unscrambling
Begin Lesson 14 Vocabulary
Homework: Lesson 14 Vocab. Homework: Mini Wordwall or Wordscroll

Tuesday, December 1:
Kick-Off: Sentence Unscrambling
Elements of a short story: plot—exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution

Wednesday, Dec. 2:
Kick-off: Sentence Unscrambling
Vocabulary Lesson 14
Ex. 1 and Ex. 2 (1-7)
No Homework

Thursday, Dec. 3:
Vocabulary Ex. 2 (8-15)
Sentence Unscrambling Activity
Homework: Complete Sentence Unscrambling activity

Friday, Dec. 4:
Career Cruising with Mrs. Ellis

This Week: November 16-20

This is a tentative schedule for the week.
We are continuing our literature unit in Science Fiction.
In grammar, we are working on sentence composing. This is an interesting, research-based skill that helps students improve grammar skills through a better understanding of sentences.
We will have one of many Writing Workshops on Wednesday. Students will focus on improving as writers. The Writing Workshop may take more than one day. If so, our schedule may change.

Monday:
Kick-Off: Sentence Composing: Chunking

Lit (Science Fiction): Finish “There Will Come Soft Rains”
Turn in During-Reading Worksheet

Tuesday:
Kick-Off: Sentence Composing: Chunking
War of the Worlds
Read about
Listen to a portion of the radio play
Read reactions of those involved

Homework: Write a poem about the fall
Bring in Leaves (real leaves…preferably crunchy dead ”fall” leaves (This is for a creative writing workshop on Wednesday)

Wednesday:
Kick-Off: Sentence Composing: Chunking
Writing Workshop
Being a Better Writer: Writing a poem
Students will turn in two poems—a first draft, and an improved poem

Thursday:
Kick-Off: Sentence Chunking
Explain Science Fiction Project Choices:
“My Utopia Brochure” or “Original Science Fiction Story”

Overview of narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive writing

Brainstorm Writing Ideas as a Class

Friday:
Kick-Off: Sentence Chunking
Work on Project in Class

Happy Thanksgiving!

This Week: November 2-6

Monday, November 2:
Kick-Off: Sentence Pattern Practice
Lit: (Science Fiction) Read Act II of “The Monsters are Due on Maple Street”
Homework: Vocabulary Exercise I for Lesson Thirteen

Tuesday, November 3:
Kick-Off: Sentence Pattern Practice
Take Open Book Test on “The Monsters are Due on Maple Street”

Wednesday, November 4:
Kick-Off: Sentence Pattern Practice
Grammar: Practice identifying sentence patterns:

Thursday, November 5:
Grammar: Sentence Pattern Practice
Vocabulary: Lesson 13 words

Friday, November 6:
Quiz on Sentence Patterns!

This Week: October 12-16

Monday, October 12:
Turn in AR Projects!
Hand Out Final Exam Study Guides


Tuesday, October 13:
Share AR Book with the Class
Work on study guide


Wednesday, October 14:
Review Study Guide
Study!!!

Thursday, October 15:
1st Nine Weeks Final Exam!


Friday, October 16: (Homecoming Week: Pajama Day!)
Watch The Outsiders
Parents, students must have a signed permission slip in order to watch the movie! If you would rather your child not watch the movie, that is completely fine!

This Week: September 28 - October 2

Monday, September 28:Kick-Off: Crazy Sentences (Nouns, verbs, and adjectives)
In Class: Vocabulary Bingo: Lesson 11 and 12 Vocabulary words
Homework: Study for Vocabulary Test (Test is on Lesson 12. There may be a few lesson 11 words on the test as the tests build on each other so students review words and don’t forget them after the test on that lesson!)

Tuesday, September 29:
Kick-Off: Identifying nouns, verbs, and adjectives
Vocabulary Test
Reading Assignment: Begin in class after test. Finish for homework. Read Ch. 9 in The Outsiders. Complete reading check as you read (five questions)

Wednesday, September 30:
Kick-Off: Nouns, Verbs, and Adjectives
Class work: discuss Ch. 9 and take up reading checks
Read Chapter 10 while completing the “Picture” comprehension sheet. (only questions on Ch. 10).
Homework: finish class work

Thursday, October 1:
Kick-Off: Nouns, verbs, and adjectives
Class: discuss Ch. 10. Share answers to “Picture” comprehension sheet
Read Ch. 11 together and complete the answer to the third picture
Homework: Make sure all kick-offs are done and review them for Kick-Off Quiz

Friday, October 2:
Kick-Off Quiz
Read Ch. 12 in The Outsiders

This Week: September 14-18

Monday, Sept 14:
Kick-Off: using commas, capitalization, and quotations marks
Vocabulary: Lesson 12; Exercise I-pp.119-120 (1-15)
Review Kick-Off Quiz and Weekly Notes
Homework: Finish Vocabulary Ex. 1

Tuesday: September 15:
Kick-Off: using commas, capitalization, and punctuation marks
Read in The Outsiders: Chapter 4
Pre-AP: 3 Levels of Reading Theme Project
Index card reading check
Homework: None

Wednesday: Sept 16:
Kick-Off: using commas, capitalization, and punctuation marks
Discuss Chapter 4
Read in The Outsiders: Chapter 5
Pre-AP: 3 Levels of Reading Circle Theme Project

Thursday, September 17:
Kick-Off: using commas, capitalization, and punctuation
Grammar in Context Activity
Read The Outsiders Ch. 6

Friday, September 18:
Kick-Off Quiz
Pre-AP: Among the Hidden should be finished!
Read in The Outsiders

This Week: September 7-11

Monday, September 7:No School: Labor Day

Tuesday, September 8:
Begin Lesson 12 Vocabulary
Kick-Off: Weekly Notes Review: “Myth” and “mood”
Homework: Complete Mini-Wordwall for Lesson 12 Vocabulary Words
(Students should have words and definitions in Vocabulary Section of Binder)

Wednesday, September 9:
Kick-off: Weekly Notes Review: “theme,” “concrete detail,” and “commentary”
Add “Protagonist, antagonist, and point-of view” to weekly notes
Read in The Outsiders
Create Character journals
Discuss use of flashback in the story and major events thus far.
Homework: Finish reading Ch. 3 in The Outsiders.


Thursday, September 10:
Weekly Notes Review: protagonist, antagonist, point-of-view
Add “realistic fiction” to Weekly Notes
Grammar in Context Activity: Capitalization and Punctuation in The Outsiders
Read Ch. 4 in The Outsiders
Homework: Read Ch. 5 in The Outsiders

Friday, September 11:
Quiz on Weekly Notes/The Outsiders Ch. 1-5
On Quiz: myth, mood, theme, realistic fiction, protagonist, antagonist, point-of-view, flashback, concrete detail, commentary ; there will be a few questions on what we have read in The Outsiders (Ch. 1-5)

This Week: August 31- September 4

Monday, August 31:
Finish Characterization Group Activity
Vocabulary Ex. II and IV
Homework: Vocabulary Exercises if not finished in class;
Pre-AP only: Character and Theme Journals Due tomorrow!
Study for Vocabulary Lesson Eleven Test Tomorrow
Parents: We will begin reading The Outsiders on Wednesday. Students should have a copy of the novel.

Tuesday, September 1:
Vocabulary Test
The Outsiders: Pre-reading Questions
Reading Strategy: Previewing, making predictions
Homework: Pre-reading Questions if not finished in class

Wednesday, September 2:
Begin reading The Outsiders
Reading Strategy: Making connections to a text

Thursday, September 3:
Read: The Outsiders
Reading Strategy: Making connections to a text

Friday, September 4:
Read: The Outsiders

This Week: August 24-28

Monday, August 24:
Kick-Off- Subjects, predicates, action and linking verbs
Vocabulary: Using vocabulary words in context
Pre-AP Homework: Word Wall

Tuesday, August 25:
Kick-Off- Subjects, predicates, action and linking verbs
Review last week’s Kick-Off Quiz
Review yesterday’s vocabulary activity
Pre-AP: Begin literature and writing activity on close reading and characterization: Ender’s Game Selection
Pre-AP Homework: The Outsiders must be read by Friday!

Wednesday, August 26:
Kick-Off- Subjects, predicates, action and linking verbs
Ender’s Game selection: Close reading and characterization activity
Pre-AP: Laying the Foundations Activity (continuation of yesterday’s activity)-
“Postmortem of a Protagonist”

Thursday, August 27:
Kick-Off- Subjects, predicates, action and linking verbs
Grammar Practice
Homework: Grammar workbook pp. 79-80

Friday, August 28:
Kick-Off Quiz
“Post- Mortem of a Protagonist” Characterization activity
Pre-AP: Reading Check
By Friday all students should have a copy of The Outsiders
By Friday, Pre-AP students should have read The Outsiders

This Week: August 17-21

Tentative schedule for next week:

Monday, August 17:
Vocabulary: Begin first vocabulary lesson. (Lesson Eleven)
Write vocabulary words and definitions in binder.
Begin Lesson 11 mini-wordwall.
Homework: Complete mini-wordwall

Tuesday, August 18:
Literature and Writing:
Analyzing a Visual Text: Landscape with the Fall of Icarus

Today and tomorrow, we will use a visual text (the painting—Landscape with the Fall of Icarus) to practice finding an author’s purpose through the use of details. We will also use the painting to practice writing an expository paragraph in which we make an assertion about the theme of the work and we back up our assertion with concrete evidence and commentary. We will read the Greek Myth of Icarus and a poem by William Carlos Williams (with the same title as the painting).
This exercise will include:
Analyzing a visual text
Recognizing “mood”
Identifying a myth
Expository writing and creative writing
Understanding “theme”
(We will add the vital info to our "Weekly Notes"

Wednesday, August 19:
See above

Thursday, August 20:
Grammar practice: Subjects, predicates, and sentences.
Homework in Grammar Workbook (pg TBA)

Friday, August 21:
Turn in Kick-Offs
Kick-Off Quiz
Complete About Me grammar review posters.

This Week: August 12-14

Wednesday, August 12:
Introduction to the Class
Class Rules, Expectations
Homework: Bring magazines, stickers, and/or pictures for our "About Me" Grammar Review mini-posters.

Thursday, August 13:
Finish Class Introductions
Discuss Class Procedures, Kick-Offs, Vocabulary, Weekly Notes, Friday Quizzes, and Blog
Review nouns, verbs, adjectives
Homework: Bring magazines, stickers, and/or pictures for our "About Me" Grammar Review mini-posters.

Friday, August 14:
Create "About Me" Grammar Review Posters

Welcome Back

First Day of School : August 12

This Week: May 26-29

Monday, May 25: Memorial Day- No School

Tuesday, May 26: 4th Nine Weeks Final Exam!

This Week: May 4-8

Monday, May 4:
Kick-off: Grammar Review- subject/predicate
Introduction to novel: The Pigman
Answer Pre-reading discussion questions and discuss as class
Read “The Oath” and Chapter 1
Pre-AP: "The Road Not Taken" TP-CASTT

Tuesday, May 5:
Kick-Off: Grammar Review- subject/predicate; nouns/verbs
The Pigman: Read about Paul Zindel and Ch. 2
Homework: Grammar practice: Worksheet

Pre-AP: The Pigman, three levels of reading activity.

Wednesday, May 6:
Kick-Off: Grammar Review- Action Verbs vs. Linking verbs
Read Chapter 3 and 4

Pre-AP
Finish The Pigman 3-levels.
The Pigman - essay


Thursday, May 7
Kick-Off: Grammar Review- Action verbs vs. linking verbs; pronouns
Grammar Day!
Review: Subjects, Predicates, nouns, pronouns, action verbs, linking verbs
Pronoun/antecedent agreement.
Homework: Grammar Worksheet

Pre-AP: Start novel: Tunes For Bears to Dance To
Pre-reading Discussion questions
Start Reading
Grammar Homework

Friday, May 8
Kick-Off: Pronoun/Antecedent agreement
Read The Pigman: Chapter 5

Pre-AP: Read Tunes For Bears to Dance To

This Week: April 27-30

Monday-Wednesday:
Laptops in class- working on Poem in Your Pocket Research Projects

Thursday, April 30: POEM IN YOUR POCKET DAY!
Research Projects Due!!!
Present Projects to the class!

Friday, May 1:
Finish presenting projects

This Week: April 20-24

Monday-Tuesday, April 20-21:

On these days we will have the portable laptops in the room and will be conducting research for our Poem In Your Pocket research projects.

Wednesday, April 22: EARTH DAY
Poetry Vocabulary Scavenger Hunt

Thursday, April 23:
Practice analyzing poetry using the TP-CASTT method
Homework: Use TP-CASTT to analyze "The Road Not Taken" (all classes except Pre-AP)
Pre-AP: Reading Quiz Tomorrow- The Pigman: Chapters 12-13

Friday, April 24:
Take Poetry Vocabulary and TP-CASTT Quiz
Complete Works Cited Page for Research Projects

This Week: April 13-17

HAPPY EASTER!

Monday, April 13:
Inclement Weather Day – no school!

Tuesday, April 14:
TPCASTT Poetry Analysis Notes in class
(Pre-AP: Quiz on The Pigman, Chapters 1-5)
Homework: Complete definitions for poetry vocabulary

Wednesday, April 15:
Team 4 Field Trip to Camp Sumatanga!

Thursday, April 16:
Today we begin working on our Poem-in-Your-Pocket Research Projects.
We will work on these projects during class over the next two weeks, and they will be due on April 30th.
We will have the laptops in class April 16, 17, 20, 21, 27, 28, 29.

Friday, April 17:
Continue research for projects.
(Pre-AP: Quiz on The Pigman, Chapters 6-9)

This Week: March 30-April 3

Parents,
We are taking the ARMT and SAT's this week. Testing will be the focus of our week and will take up the majority of the day. We will meet for classes after testing, but the schedule will vary from day to day. Classes meeting for English will be reading. However, we will have no English tests or homework this week. Testing can be tiring for everyone, so please make sure the students get plenty of rest this week and eat a good breakfast each morning!

Thanks,
Mrs. Skelton

This Week: March 9-13

Monday, March 9:
Genres of Literature: Review of Haiku and Limerick, discuss and read sonnets; discuss science fiction (big questions and how to identify)
Homework: None

Tuesday, March 10:
Genres of Literature: review sonnet, Discuss and read fables and a Greek Myth
Read fables and view online fables
Homework: Write your own sonnet. Choose either the Petrarchan sonnet rhyme scheme or the Shakespearean rhyme scheme. (remember, 14 lines on the subject of love!)

Wednesday, March 11:
Genres of Literature: Read Narrative Poetry and a Ballad; discuss Epics
Compare Fantasy, Realistic Fiction, and Historical Fiction
Give out study guide information
Homework: Begin studying for final exam. Parents, the genres of literature vocabulary needs to be studied heavily!

Thursday, March 12:
Review for Final Exam
Review Bingo Game

Friday, March 13:
3rd Nine Weeks Final Exam

This Week: February 22- 26

Monday:
Review writing. Read peer samples.

Tuesday:
We will be taking the Alabama District Assessment of Writing (A.D.A.W.).

Wednesday: Begin
Begin Study of Genre's of Literature and Literary Devices
Define Vocabulary and begin Genre's of Literature Word Wall Posters.
(In- Class)
Homework: Finish vocabulary not finished in class

Thursday:
Genre's of Literature Poster

Friday:
ARMT practice
Genre's of Literature

This Week: February 16-20

Monday:
No School! Happy President’s Day

Tuesday, February 17:
In-class Narrative Essay
Homework: None

Wednesday, February 18:
Group Essay Reviews
Students will split into groups of four.
Students will share narrative essays in groups. Each group member will rate all other essays in group. Students will have option to turn in for grade or re-write.

Thursday, February 19:
In-class Persuasive essay

Friday, February 20:
Group Essay Reviews


February 9-13:

Monday: Editing, Proofreading and Re-writing Descriptive Essays.
Tuesday: Editing, Proofreading, and Re-writing Descriptive Essays.
Wednesday: Group narrative writing activity- Writing a narrative based on art.
Thursday: Finish Group narrative writing activity
Friday: Present group stories and discuss in-class narrative essay

This Week: February 2-6

Monday, February 2:
Kick-off: descriptive writing
Class work: Finish peer editing expository essays
Edit papers, add transitions, sentence variations, figurative language, etc.

Tuesday, February 3:
Kick-off: Using quotation marks, capitalization, contractions
Look over grading rubric for expository essays
Make final changes
Rewrite final draft

Wednesday, February 4:
Finish final draft of expository essay.
Homework: Finish essay at home if not completed in class.

Thursday, February 5:
Timed Writing: Descriptive Essay

Friday, February 6:
Editing and Proofreading Descriptive Essays

This Week: January 20-23

Parents,
We are currently working on a Composition Unit. I have attended several workshops this year to help myself become a better writing teacher. Ability and experience in the area of writing is something that I feel will very strongly impact my students' lives as they move to eighth grade, high school, college, and/or work. I am working hard to help them become better writers, and they are working hard also. We will not have quite as much homework as we begin the writing unit, though there will be some. We are also preparing to take the Alabama Direct Assessment of Writing test (which is at the end of February).

A new grading period has begun. I have helped each student start a grade sheet, so he/she can keep up with his/her own grades this nine-weeks. Your student should be able to give you an estimate of his or her average so far. You can also check STI and look for progress reports every three weeks! Please let me know if you have any questions or need anything from me!
-Mrs. Skelton

Below is this week's schedule:
Monday, January 20: (no school- Martin Luther King Jr. Day)

Tuesday, January 21:
Kick-off- review simile, personification, and hyperbole
Hand out ADAW chart
discuss modes of writing (narrative, expository, persuasive, descriptive)
Pass out Friday's Quiz
No homework

Wednesday, January 22:
Kick-off- practice using quotations and commas
Practice reading essay prompts and determining mode, audience, and topic
Practice using your opinion and the topic to create a thesis for essay prompts
No homework

Thursday, January 23:
Kick-offs: distinguishing between direct and indirect quotes
Work in groups to determine mode, audience, and topic
Creating a thesis for essay prompts
Creating an outline for a specific essay prompt

Friday, January 24:
Turning an outline into an essay.

January 12-16

Monday:
Kick-off- personification
Introduction to Composition
Take Essay Outline Notes
No homework

Tuesday:
Kick-off- similes
Essay Structure discussion
Essay Structure Visual (in class)
Students will choose one of the visuals that we discussed for an essay, and create a diagram.
Options: Hamburger, Love Story, House

Wednesday:
Kick-Off- essay prompt practice
Complete Essay Structure Visual

Thursday:
Kick-off- grammar practice
Working Backward: student will work in groups to take apart a correct essay, searching for the thesis, topic sentences, main ideas, etc.
Homework: Study Essay Outline Notes for Quiz Tomorrow

Friday:
Kick-Off- hyperbole (turn in Kick-offs)
Essay Outline Quiz
Complete Working Backwards assignment
Thursday

Welcome Back! This Week: Jan. 6-9

Welcome Back! I hope everyone had a great break! I know that getting back into the swing of things is hard for us all, and I think the weather is making it even harder! However, I am glad to see my students and get started with the our new year.

Parents, as you may know, the schedule is a little different in Jefferson County this year. Instead of taking our exams before Christmas, we are taking them this week. The 3rd 9-week grading period will begin next week. I am very excited about our plans for the third 9-weeks, but first things first--we must take exams and finish up where we left off.

The students were given a study-guide today. We will review more tomorrow, and the 2nd-nine weeks exam will be on Thursday, January 8.

Here is a general schedule for our week:
Tuesday, January 6:
Complete Exam study-guide in class
Homework: finish study-guide if not finished in class.

Wednesday, January 7:
Discuss study-guide and review for exam.
Homework: Study!!!

Thursday, January 8:
Take 2nd Nine-Weeks Final Exam

Friday, January 9:
Library Day- take AR tests, check out new books, etc.