What's happening in class?

It's the last week before Christmas break!

This week in language arts, we will be finishing debates. So far, there have been some very good debates! Overall, students have worked hard, and that hard work has turned into some interesting, educational entertainment. I hope this week's final debates continue to impress!

As a culminating activity, students are writing reflective poems about the 1960's. They may select their own topic(s) pertaining to the 1960's, and their poem may be rhyming or free verse. We will be presenting these poems in class on Tuesday, December 16th.

Additionally, on Thursday of this week, I will be going through high school registration. I will pass out DGS registration guides, and explain the packet information each student will be receiving in the mail over break.

This week in reading, we will continue with The Outsiders.

Dally has just come to the church to see Ponyboy and Johnny, with news that there is a planned greaser against soc rumble the following day, and that Cherry Valance is acting as a spy for them!

Thursday will be the first quiz in this novel unit. It will cover the plot, characters and vocabulary in chapters 1-5. It will be worth 40 points.

Have a fantastic break! Be safe and enjoy yourselves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What's happening in class?

***The week of December 8th through December 12th should be challenging and entertaining!

This week in L.A. we will be performing the 1960's debates! We will be doing last minute preparation, discussion and planning on Monday and Tuesday, and performances will start on Wednesday! I'm looking forward to seeing the characters, moderators and reporters do very well!

This week in reading, we will continue reading The Outsiders. We will go through discussion questions for chapter 4 and begin reading and discussing chapter 5 tomorrow in class.

Here's to a good week!

What's happening in class?

The week of November 24th through 25th may be short, but it will be action packed!

In both L.A. and reading, we will be discussing and organizing for our 1960's debates. Students will be choosing among the three roles of CHARACTER, MODERATOR and REPORTER. Each role will play an important part in a successful debate.

Each student will receive a complete explanation of his or her role during the debate, including all expectations and requirements.

Additionally, students will be choosing one of 5 debate topics in which they will participate. The debate topics are listed below:

*The Vietnam War
*The Counter Culture
*The Women's Movement
*The 1968 Democratic Convention
*The Space Program

During social studies class, Mr. Safranski will be taking the students through the research process for the debates and the actual debates will be performed in L.A. class.

Each student's debate performance will be worth 100 points!!

What's happening in class?

The week of November 17th-21st will be another busy one!

In L.A. we are kicking off our 1960's unit! We will be studying and reflecting upon this influential decade. The unit will consist of class discussions, watching informational videos, research, and role-playing debates. This week our main focus will be on watching two interesting, enlightening videos. The first will give an overview of the 1960's and the second will focus in on the year 1963.

Additionally, rough draft persuasive essays will be turned in on Tuesday for a teacher edit. Students have done a nice job selecting some interesting, challenging, original topics. I'm anxious to see their working drafts!

In reading, we will finish out our mythology unit with a 50 point test on Tuesday. We will review on Monday, and students will have all the tools they need to do a fantastic job on their test!

On Wednesday of this week, we will begin the classic novel, The Outsiders. It's an oldie and a goodie! We will be doing the majority of reading in class together, but students will also be reading on their own, putting into practice the comprehension improvement techniques we've been focusing on in class.

If you are unfamiliar with this page turning novel by S.E. Hinton, click on the link below. It will tell you everything you need to know about the novel and the movie!

http://www.theoutsidersbookandmovie.com/

Here's to a good week!

What's happening in class?

***The week of November 10th -November 14th will be a busy one!

Currently in L.A., we are finishing up P.A. P.N. I.O. and D.O. The quiz on these grammar super stars will be on Wednesday!

On Wednesday as well, we will begin our third formal essay, the persuasive essay. Students will have the opportunity to choose their own topic of persuasion (no research is required) and convince a reader, through writing, to side with their opinion. Ahhhh........the art of persuasion......(Sample character sketches will be on display soon. Check them out later this week!)

In reading, we will be continuing our mythology unit. Students did a great job on their god and goddess quiz. Today we will be moving into our mythology packet, a collection of Greek myths made famous throughout history.

***Magazine book reports are due on Wednesday. Requirements and the rubric are listed below.....

***Enjoy your day off tomorrow in celebration of Veterans' Day. (My dad was in WWII) Take a minute to honor the brave men and women who have served in the military for us!

Magazine book report information listed below!

Magazine Book Report

1. After reading your biography or autobiography, pretend that you are an interviewer, and interview the subject of your book. (If your subject is no longer alive, pretend that he/she is still living.) You will be asking your person 10 in-depth questions which can be answered using detailed information from your book. Based on your person's fame, you will choose an appropriate magazine in which this interview might be found. (Examples: movie star = People Magazine, athlete = Sports Illustrated, political figure = Newsweek or TIME, rock star = Rolling Stone Magazine, etc.)

2. Design a cover for your magazine. First, draw, by hand, a detailed picture of your person and color it. Next, use construction paper, colored markers, colored pencils, or your computer, and add other touches to make it look like an actual magazine cover.
Think about the examples I showed you in class, and remember: Make it colorful!!

3. Your interview must be in final draft form. Either type your questions and answers for your interview, or write them in black or blue pen.

4. This book report is worth 30 points and is due on Wednesday, November 12th.



Magazine Book Report Rubric:

Detailed, interesting, well written information 10 points __________
about the person

Neat, detailed, colored cover complete with picture 10 points __________
of person

Overall effort and creativity in the development of 10 points __________
the “magazine”

+ __________
30

Check out my dog, Romeo, in his Halloween costume!

***I hope everyone had a fun, safe Halloween!

This week in language arts, we will be continuing the study of pronouns. We will be focusing on pronoun case, and indefinite, interrogative and demonstrative pronouns. I will also return the graded character sketch essays on Thursday.

In reading, we finished the novel, Monster with the final test on Friday. Students did very well throughout the unit, and did a nice job on Friday's challenging test. In their discussion question on the test, they were given the opportunity to act as a juror, and using information presented during the trial, determine whether or not they agreed with the verdict Steve received.......NOT GUILTY.

Our new unit in reading is MYTHOLOGY!! Students will be exposed to both Greek and Roman mythology, with an emphasis on the 12 Olympian gods. Click on the link below to get a quick overview of these interesting mythological characters.............

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0881990.html

Here's to a good week!

Here are some great student narratives!!

By: Krystal B.
"The Tough Choice"

"Are you going to the game, Stacey?" I asked. Of course, Stacey knew I was talking about the big football game everyone
was planning to attend. All of my friends were planning on dressing in our
school colors, green and white, to show our spirit. What I did know was that
almost the whole highschool was going to be there for opening game. But what I
didn't know was that the choice I would be forced to make would affect the rest of
my life.
"Of course I'm going to the football game!" exclaimed Stacey.
I knew she was going to say that, but I didn't want to show up all by
myself.
"My mom could drive us to the game," I suggested.
"Great!" agreed Stacey.
The game was on Friday night and it was already Thursday. My mom was
talking to me about the football game in the car ride home from school that day.
She had wanted to know all the little details like any other mom would want to know.
I had no idea how much fun these games were, because it was my first football game
at highschool, being a freshman.
We got home and I started working on my homework. The second I finished
my homework, Stacey called. She wanted to tell me that since her brother was
going to the football game as well, he could drive us home. I agreed, and we hung
up the phone.
For the rest of the night, all I could think about was the football game
and how much fun everyone was saying it would be. When the bell rang at three
o'clock the next day to end school I was excited. I ran to my locker, got my books,
and anxiously rode the bus the whole way home.
Two hours had passed and all I had done was homework. My clock turned five
o'clock and I ran to the garage, got my mom, and hopped in the car to go get Stacey.
When we got back to my house we ran to the bathroom and covered ourselves with green
and white face paint. I remembered while putting the paint on, Stacey's brother was driving us back home. His name was Steve and he was a senior in highschool. He wasn't always the brightest kid
and he always got in trouble. But from what I knew, he was a nice guy.
We got to the game just in time to see all the players walk out onto the
field. From a distance, I saw our friends with their arresting facepaint standing
under the bleachers. I didn't notice who they were talking with, but they looked
like seniors.
"Let's go see what they're up to," yelled Stacey.
We bolted across the field to under the bleachers to find a whole bunch of
kids, I felt stifled inbetween the crowd. I pushed through, with Stacey following
behind, to see Steve and his friends drowning themselves with alcohol.
My jaw dropped when Stacey had the audacity to run up to him and chug down
a drink. I didn't know what to do! All my friends were drinking and I was not
going to let that ruin my future.
"I'm going home!" I screamed over all the noise to Stacey.
She clutched my arm and shoved a drink in my face, trying to get me to
drink it. I pulled away and ran across the street from the highschool. I called my
mom to pick me up and I explained everything to her on our ride home.
The next day at school was not the same. Steve had gotten drunk, but still
drove Stacey and some friends home. Their retribution for drinking resulted in them
getting in a terrible car crash. Eventually, everyone would be okay, but it would
take some time for all their wounds to heal. Right after school I went to the
hospital to see Stacey. All I could think about was how much damage was done, just
from drinking alcohol.

Joseph N.
“Self Discovery”

There was a very wealthy inventor named Terrance O’Larry. He invented a machine that was able to detect when a person was lying. Since he made so much money off his invention, he was able to travel the world. When he began his travels, he had no idea that what he encounters will put him in tremendous peril.
Terrance planned many hours for his trip. He decided he should go somewhere in
Africa. He wanted to go on a safari. He decided to bring his good friend Michael
Dibaggo. Michael and he had been friends since college and they had similar personalities. They loved adventures, were smart and liked to build things. They both agreed that an African safari would be a great vacation.
They bought two tickets for a flight to South Africa. They decided to drive to a village in the northern part of South Africa. They would live there for three weeks with the villagers and a tour guide. What Terrance and Michael did not know was they were being followed by an evil co-worker, who wanted to kidnap Terrance and steal his ideas for his new invention.
As Michael and Terrance started on their tour, they became very good friends with the many tribal people they met along the way. There were several nights they were asked to stay in the huts with the families of the tribes. The tribesmen told Terrance and Michael of their concern of poachers killing the wildlife in Africa and how many of the animals were now endangered.
Terrance had been working on his next invention which was a pill a person could take that allowed him to have a force field around him that would last twenty-four hours. He was hoping the invention would help policemen. The evil inventor whose name is the sinister Dr. Edward wanted to steal this invention. He wanted to sell it to people who would use it for evil also. He was very greedy and wanted to make hundreds of thousands of dollars. He hired poachers to help him capture Terrance.
After one week of being on the safari, Terrance awoke to two gunshots to his leg. He could not move. The poachers then captured him and took him to Dr. Edward. Dr. Edward questioned Terrance about his new invention. Although Terrance was grimacing in pain, he refused to give him any information.
Back at the village, the tribesmen and Michael had been searching everywhere for Terrance. One of the tribesmen decided to stealthily look in the windows of all of the village buildings. Eventually, he saw Terrance and the bad guys in one nondescript building.
The tribesman ran and got the rest of the tribe and Michael. They decided to swallow the protective shield pill to save Terrance.
As they approached, they were spotted. Gun fire erupted, but the shield protected them all and the bullets just bounced off of them. They rescued Terrance and he was exuberant as well as his new friends and Michael. The poachers and Dr. Edward were arrested.
Michael and Terrance had, had a very exciting trip. Even though Terrance was kidnapped, he feels his trip was a success. His invention of the protective shield has now proven to be helpful with protecting the villagers and animals from dangerous poachers. Terrance was so pleased with how well the protective shield pill worked, he felt comfortable sharing it with the people who protect us everyday, our police department as well as our firemen. He also discovered something important about himself. He had the ability to invent something that could protect those who can not protect themselves, to those men and women who protect us all.



Cody F
"The Magnificent Tortoise King"

On a small island, just off the coast of Puerto Rico, there was an unknown and unmarked village, older than time and stranger than fiction. Fascinating natural characteristics and breathtaking views just enhanced the villagers’ charming distinctiveness. It was a flawless island paradise, that was, until the lions came!
The villagers were almost all perfectly normal and perfectly happy by any standard means. However, they were all mice, except for Javier, the very old and very wise tortoise king. The mice loved and cherished Javier. Javier was their teacher, their mentor, their sage. He taught them, well, everything. In his daily lectures and debates at the local tikki bars, he spoke intelligently of the world and its workings. They were living the good life.
Years passed and the tortoise king and his faithful mice subjects conceived they were all alone on the Earth and Javier did nothing to tell them otherwise. One late afternoon, the tortoise king was sharing knowledge about the uses of folding chairs and tables, when they all heard a rustling in the nearby bushes. The mice thought it was just the breeze coming off the ocean, but Javier knew better for he had heard this noise before. He remembered years and years ago, the same noise, a different island, a different time and of course different subjects. He thought it couldn’t be, but it was! Lions!
Vehemently, the tortoise king broke into a frantic sprint, running circles, squares and even zigzags screaming about lions, lions, lions! By the time the crazed king stopped to take a breath, the lions had destroyed half of the beautiful tikki village. Meanwhile, the mice had not taken a step, frozen and pondering, not understanding the tortoise king’s panic. Of course never ever having seen a lion before, the mice looked at each other in shock. The king had never mentioned lions.
Then it became acutely apparent that the lions were not destroying the village, but searching the village and they were not looking for mice. For everyone knows that lions are allergic to mice. The panicked tortoise king eventually caught the eye of the vexed lions and realized what they had been looking for.
With valor, Javier pleaded with lions for his life, but soon he was gobbled up leaving some very confused mice and a much damaged tikki bar. Hence, the mice learned Javier’s final lesson about life. If you run into a pack of hungry lions in paradise, it is better to be a meek peasant mouse than a magnificent tortoise king!

Here are some great CHOICE essays!!

Grace G.
The Music Man Tryouts

Last year, my friends and I were talking about joining the school play. When we heard that it was a musical, we were a little uncertain because we didn’t know if we would have to do solos (which we didn’t really want to do).

On the first day of Drama club, I decided to go. It was a lot of fun because we played a bunch of crazy games. Then later we learned the steps for a really fun song and we learned how to sing three different songs. It was a little hard to memorize but in the end we got it. At the tryouts, we would sing one song and dance the steps to another song. Three of my friends and I all signed up to try out the same day.

The whole day long, the songs were stuck in my head and I was really nervous. I had butterflies in my stomach all day long. When school was over I got my music from my locker and practiced with my friends until it was our turn. When they called our names, we went into the room. I could tell we were very anxious. We all did the dance together and I thought we did it pretty well. Next we all had to sing a song on our own. That was really nerve-wracking.

After our tryouts were over, I was relieved! I thought I did pretty well. I was confident I would get a good part. That night I couldn’t sleep I was so nervous. The next day the cast list went up. I fought my way to the crowd to see who I was going to be. I didn’t get a big part, but I did end up with a great part and had so much fun during all of the practices and the performances. I can’t believe I actually doubted signing up!

In the end I was really glad I decided to try out because I had a blast. I had so much fun on stage and backstage! I learned that if you are unsure about something, you should just try it to see if you like it. You might learn to love it! I’m sure I’ll try out for the play this year too!

John B.
Basketball Traveling Team

It was in the fall of 4th grade that I had a decision to make. My dad told me there were going to be tryouts for the Downers Grove Nomads traveling basketball team. They are one of the more elite travel basketball programs in the area for most age groups. We talked about how I should maybe go to the tryouts since I liked basketball so much and how it could be good to get on a good team like that. I wasn’t really sure at the time.

During the week my dad was encouraging me to maybe try out for the team on Saturday and Sunday night of the upcoming weekend. We talked about it for a little while and then we decided that I would go and see what happens even though I wasn't really sure I should. When Saturday came, I got ready for the tryouts and left with my dad at about 6:30 to be on time for the tryout which was 7:00 to 8:30 P.M.

I was pretty nervous when I got there because it was my first time tryout out for a traveling basketball team. I just put on my basketball shoes and shot around for a few minutes to get loose and warm. The head coach then called us over and said a few things and told us our parents had to fill out a form with our information on it. After that, we started to do some drills that consisted of ball handling, shooting, passing, etc. to show some of our skills. We then scrimmaged against each other on teams near the end of the tryout. After it was over I had thought I did pretty well and the coach asked me to come back tomorrow as he did for the rest of the kids that he was interested in making the team.

On Sunday, I was very nervous for tryouts later that night. My dad and I left at 6:30 again to get there on time for the tryout at 7:00 P.M. We did some basic drills to get warmed up and then moved to more advanced things till we scrimmaged at the end of the night. Then, the head coach called everyone over and thanked us for coming out and for doing a good job whether we made it or not. He then said he would give our parents a call during the week to let us know if we made it or not.

It was Wednesday when my dad got a call from the head coach and was told that I had made the team along with 9 other kids, that practice started in early October, and that there would be a parent meeting in a few weeks.

I am still on this team today along with 7 other kids that made the team with me that year, and we are all good friends. We have won 7 tournaments and have had a winning record every year. This will be my 5th year on the team this upcoming basketball season. This experience has taught me to not be nervous anymore. I have more confidence in myself now, and I realize that if I put my mind to it, I can do anything.

Tony L.
Stitches

It was the fall of fourth grade. There was no homework for the day and the bell was going to ring any second. At exactly 2:25 P.M.; the bell rang and I exited the school to get on the bus. I was talking to my friend about what we should do after school on this glorious, fall afternoon. We decided to go to the park with a couple friends and play cherry-cherry.

I got off the bus and dashed home as fast as possible. I got home and threw down my backpack. I was hungry, so I grabbed a quick sandwich which was my afternoon snack. I gobbled that down in less than a minute with a huge cup of milk. Then, dashed to the garage to get my bike to meet my fellow friends at the park.

When I arrived, we had a race to see who could get to the swings first in order to know who will be the person who is “it.” Unfortunately, I was the person so I had to count to thirty and try to find and tag someone with my eyes close. I successfully tagged my friend Kyle which then he had to count to thirty and find one of us. While he was counting, I had a couple of choices of where I could hide. A couple of the choices were on the of the monkey bars, in the tube slide, under the steps, on top of the swings, or just basically run from him.

I decided to climb on top of the monkey bars and hide there where I thought Kyle could not reach. He was right below me and then I started laughing which gave away my position. Following that, I quickly jumped up to try to avoid his tag. I did dodge it, but I slipped and hit my mouth on the bars and I started to cry and bleed severely from my mouth and tooth. At the time, I was panicking and blood was all over the playground. Finally, my friends Alvin and Kevin got their moms and brought me back to my house.

They grabbed a wet towel and put it in my mouth to stop the bleeding and then Mrs. Seelander drove me to the hospital. My parents, aunt, uncle, grandma, and grandpa arrived at the hospital to give me company while I was waiting for the doctor. Because I was not brought there by an ambulance; I had to wait three to five hours before I got some medical help. The doctor finally entered and I had to get a couple of Novocaine shots and then approximately six to ten stitches. And after a week, two crowns on two of my teeth.

I learned from this experience that going on top of the monkey bars isn't always the best idea. I felt lots of pain from the fall to the shots, to the stitches, to the exposed tooth nerve, to the tooth treatment, and I do not think I will go back on top of the monkey bars forever. Not only do I have great friends to remind me of this incident, but I have a life long scar and crowns to remind me too. So, basically, I know to always play safe and play smart.

What's happening in class?

The last week of October is going to be a busy one!

This week in language arts, we will be finishing the character sketch essays. Students have been doing a very nice nice job describing the people in their lives who have impacted them in positive ways! Self edit and revision will take place Monday through Wednesday, and final drafts are due on Thursday!

We will also be delving into the exciting world of pronouns! :) Our focus this week will be on personal and possessive pronouns and their antecedents.

In reading, we will be finishing the novel, Monster, by Walter Dean Myers. It is not looking good for Steve right now. The many witnesses for the prosecution have been very detrimental. However, we have not heard Steve's side of the events surrounding the trial. Will things turn around for Steve? Will he be acquitted or spend the next 20 years behind bars?

Thursday of this week will be the review of the novel, and Friday will be the final test. Students have done an excellent job analyzing the information throughout the trial and are anxious to hear the verdict on Wednesday, which will decide the future of the main character, Steve Harmon. Tune in to see what happens............

What's happening in class?

The week of October 20th-24th will be another busy one!

In language arts, we will be writing our first expository essay! This essay is called a character sketch. It consists of drawing a picture of a person through words. Students will be selecting a person whom they know very well, and writing and essay about them. Not only will the essay focus on the person's personality but also it will reflect the relationship between writer and subject. We will be writing the majority of the rough draft together in class, and the final draft will be due on Thursday, October 30th.

In reading, the story of Steve Harmon, the main character of the novel Monster, continues to unfold. We are getting close to the end of the novel, and this week, students will be working in groups, further analyzing the information they have been gathering about the robbery/felony murder, and working towards their determination of Steve's guilt or innocence. Stay tuned!

What's happening in class?

Though short, the week of October 14th through October 17th will be busy!

In language arts last Friday, students took a verb quiz covering all the verb info. we had covered in the the last 2 weeks. They did very well on the quiz!

In language arts this week, we are entering the exciting world of prepositions! :) We will begin review and practice today, and and there will be a preposition quiz on Thursday. I'm hoping this part of speech will also be easily mastered..........Also, I will return final draft narrative essays on Thursday of this week. So far, the essays look good! Revisions have turned several essays into well-written, "A" worthy narratives!

In reading, we continue delving into the world of Steve Harmon, the lead character of our novel, Monster. Things are not looking good for Steve. Several witnesses' testimonies have been quite damaging and we're not even certain Steve's own father believes his innocence. Stay tuned to see if things start turning around for Steve..........

What's happening in class?

***On Tuesday of this week, October 7th, the 8th graders will be taking the EXPLORE test. This is a standardized test required by DGS. It allows DGS to gauge the ability of all incoming freshmen from the various feeder schools. The test will be given at Lakeview by the 8th grade teachers, and the test will run from 1st through 4th hours.

In language arts this week, we will continue with verbs. The verb quiz originally scheduled for last week will now be given this week. I felt the need for some reteaching of subject matter, and believe that students will officially be "verb ready" on Friday, which is the new verb quiz date.

Students will also receive their teacher edited narrative essays back on Wednesday of this week, and the final draft essays will be due on Friday!

In reading, we will continue to read and discuss the novel, Monster.

And......AR book report quizzes are due on or before Thursday, October 16th!

What's happening in class?

During the week of September 28th, students will continue writing their first narrative essay of the year. After sharing topic ideas on Monday, students will write their introductions, bodies and conclusions. ***Rough drafts (2-2 1/2 pages) will be due on Thursday, October 2nd. I'm looking forward to reading some creative stories!

In reading, students will get back their graded short stories test. Overall, students did an excellent job on their first big test of the year! I had several great grades and I was very happy with the results!

The next unit in reading will be a study of the novel Monster by Walter Dean Myers. It is an intriguing, thought-provoking novel written in a combination of diary and play form. It is the story of a 16 year old African American boy named Steve who is accused of felony murder. The book can't help but spark very interesting discussions involving our judicial system and when and when not a person is guilty of a crime.
Stay tuned....................:)

What's happening in class?

The week of September 22nd will be a busy one!

In language arts, students will be creating their first narrative essays of the year. After looking at sample essays, discussing topic ideas, and planning their papers, students will be creating their own original stories. Rough draft essays will be due next Thursday, October 2nd.

In reading, we will begin sharing poster board book reports in class today! I'm anxious to see the final projects!

This Friday, students will be showcasing their knowledge via the short story final test. They have been doing an excellent job throughout this unit. Students will receive a final review and have two days to prepare for the test.

***This Friday students will also be going on a golf field trip, with an opportunity to try their hands at the golf range, miniture golf, or the challenging 3 par course.!!

Story Board Book Report requirements and rubric - 40 pts.

********The purpose of this assignment is to tell the plot of your book through pictures.

Procedure:
1. Number 1 - 8 on a piece of paper. Write down, in order of occurrence, the 7 or 8 most important events that take place in your book.

2. Leaving space for the title of your book and the author's name, (which you will need to include somewhere on your poster board), divide your poster board into 7 or 8 squares, to match the number of important events you've chosen to share.

3. Now draw your story's plot, using the squares to tell your story. Color your pictures. ****Under each picture, write a brief explanation of your picture. (Explain what's happening in your picture) These short explanations should be in final draft form.

4. Since you won't be able to tell your entire story through your poster board, (you will just be focusing on the main events from beginning to end) you also need to write ( in final draft form) a complete one page summary of your book, which you will give me the day you present your book report.

5. On Monday, September 22nd, we will begin oral presentations of the poster boards. Your grade will also include your speaking skills. Remember to speak clearly, loudly enough for all to hear, and slowly enough so we can follow along and understand what you are saying. Eye contact is also very important! Please practice your presentation before class.

Rubric:

Explanation of novel plot (detail, clarity) 10 pts.______

Pictures telling story 10 pts.______
(neat, detailed, colored
and blurbs in final draft)

Delivery (enthusiastic, good eye contact) 10 pts. ______

Story summary in written form (final draft) 10pts. ______

+__________
40 pts.

What's happening in class?

***The Irons Oaks field trip was a definite success! The weather (80 and sunny) cooperated and so did the kids! The 8th grade class bonded while working together to accomplish challenging, sometimes frustrating, yet rewarding activities.

This week in L.A., students will be entering into a review of the exciting world of NOUNS!! :) We will be reviewing concepts, practicing key ideas, and using their knowledge in writing.

This week in reading we will be reading the short story, "The Monkey's Paw" by W. W. Jacobs. It is an interesting story which challenges your opinion about fate.

Even if you were warned of the possible negative consequences of doing so, would you still be tempted to make three wishes if you knew they'd be granted? Click on the link below to see what happens to the main character in "The Monkey's Paw" when he is faced with the same dilemma.........
http://www.americanliterature.com/Jacobs/SS/TheMonkeysPaw.html

Students will also begin work on their first book reports. Each student will be creating a poster board story board which will summarize his or her chosen novel.

***Later this week I will post the book report requirements and the grading rubric.

Tuesday evening is Lakeview's OPEN HOUSE. I hope I see you there!!

What's happening in class?

The week of September 8th - September 12th will be a busy one!

***The 8th grade cooperative learning field trip to Irons Oaks Adventure Center is Thursday, September 11th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cross your fingers for good weather. :) We're going rain or shine!

In language arts, students will be presenting their "Me Bag" speeches. These speeches give students the opportunity to share several different items and explain their connection to their lives. All 6 items are put into a bag, and then taken out and displayed during the speech about themselves, thus the title, "Me Bag" speech. Students are asked to include the following:
1. Favorite food
2. Ethnic background and/or religion
3. Something that captures his/her personality
4. A hidden talent
5. An admired family member
6. A goal for the 2008-2009 school year

***We began speeches last week. They were informative, interesting and fun, and I'm looking forward to learning more about the rest of my students this week!

In reading, we are continuing the short story unit. The two story's we will be focusing on this week are "Raymond's Run" by Toni Cade Bambara and "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allen Poe. They are two totally different stories, yet both very intriguing in their own ways. Check them out yourselves by clicking the links below!

http://www.nexuslearning.net/books/Holt-EOL2/Collection%201/raymond1.htm

http://www.literature.org/authors/poe-edgar-allan/tell-tale-heart.html

ENJOY!!

Welcome Back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

****I hope everyone had a great summer! I spent my summer moving into a new house and making it a home. It's been exciting and exhausting and I've loved every minute of it. :)

Additionally, I took an interesting class at C.O.D. , traveled, played some golf and spent time with family and friends.

Now I'm looking forward to starting a new year with the new 8th graders!

All of my classes will experience individual, as well as group learning, participate in discussions, and further develop reading, writing, speaking and thinking skills. Our ultimate goal is to prepare your child for high school, making the transition from 8th grade L.A. and reading to freshmen English, a smooth and successful one.

Below are the eighth grade language arts and reading texts and workbooks:

English - Houghton Mifflin
English workbook plus - Houghton Mifflin
The Language of Literature - McDougal, Littell
ISAT Coach (ISAT test practice) - Triumph Learning

***This year in reading, we will be doing novel studies, a short story unit, poetry, mythology, drama, ISAT test preparation, vocabulary development, and book reports.

***This year in L.A., we will be doing speeches, debates, grammar, sentence structure, usage, subject-verb agreement and A LOT of writing!

Here's to a fun, challenging year!!!

What's happening in class?

Is it really the last week of school???

This week, though super short, will be exciting for the 8th graders.

Monday night is the 8th grade dance at Cornerstone! 6:30 P.M. -9:00 P.M.
Tuesday night is the 8th grade graduation! 7:30 P.M.-?

In language arts, we will be doing 1 minute persuasive speeches. Students will choose from topics such as: What is the best movie of all time?

In reading, we will finish reading and discussing the play version of The Diary of Anne Frank.

I've enjoyed teaching the class of 2008! Good luck to all of you!!!!!!

What's happening in class?

***A past student of mine, Kevin Coffee, who is currently attending Northern Illinois University, has written a novel entitled, The Prince of Penance. My students read the first two chapters in class and gave Kevin feedback, based on their initial reaction to his story. Click on the links below to read Kevin's novel for yourself!

Novel by Kevin Coffee:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

The week of May 27th through May 30th will be action packed!

In L.A., students will continue to work on theme portfolios. Portfolios are due on Wednesday, May 28th! On Friday, May 30th, students will be sharing selections from their portfolios with their classmates. I'm looking forward to some very creative end results!

In reading, students will continue to read and discuss the play version of "The Diary of Anne Frank."

On Thursday, May 29th, the 8th grade class will be going on a filed trip to Six Flags Great America!!! Let's hope for a fun filled, sun filled day!!!!!!!!!

What's happening in class?

It's hard to believe there are only 3 weeks left in the school year!

The week of May 19th - May 23rd will be a busy one!

In L.A. class, we will begin the last project of the year! Each student will be designing a portfolio based on a theme of his or her choice. Included in the portfolio will be a selection of original poems, published poems, song lyrics, a motto, and a short story or novel excerpt. Also, for every selection, students will write an analysis explaining the connection of their selections to their theme, and inturn, themselves. I'm looking forward to reading their finished products, which will be due on Wednesday, May 28th!

In reading class, we will start reading the play version of The Diary of Anne Frank. We will open the unit with a historical discussion of WWII, Aldolf Hitler, and the Holocaust. Students will also be given background information on Anne Frank herself, and the life she lead before and leading up to the time Anne's family and she went into hiding.

Here's to a good week!

What's happening in class?

The week of May 12th-May 16th..............

There are DEFINITELY some mighty fine poets in my reading classes!

Currently, in reading class, we are reading and discussing a variety of poems. We are looking at authors' styles, formats, use of rhyme, and the moods they create. Students are emulating several of the poems we are focusing on, putting their own unique spin on them. The week of May 12th-May 16th we will continue this trend.....

***After reading Ralph Waldo Emerson's poem entitled, "What is Success?" students were asked to use Emerson's format, and write about their own interpretaion of success. There are several example student poems below. Enjoy!

What is success?
To live freely without guilt or lies;
To raise a family that will always be there for you;
To live every day to its fullest;
To own a house on a beach with a big sail boat;
To have a red Ferrari in your garage;
To retire young;
To have a good influence on children;
To have a wife to help you get through hard times;
To make a difference in someone’s life;
To be remembered;
This is to have succeeded.
-By Sam K.

What is success?
To appreciate a family that loves and cares
for you every day;
To make new friends everyday and have them
beside you time after time;
To live in a nice, warm place where
you can call home;
To have your parents be proud of
who you are;
To have had a sibling to be with
and care for you;
To go on a vacation with the ones you love;
To go skydiving out of a plane and
see the world from that point;
To have a good career;
To have your own, healthy family that you can love;
This is to have succeeded.
-Jen L.

What is success?
To have many good friends whom
you can trust;
To not care what other people think;
To have a family that loves
and cares for you;
To enjoy being akid while you can;
To be satisfied with what you have;
To do what you love and
love what you have;
To not let others get in the way
of your dreams;
To make the world a better
place to live;
This is to have succeeded.
-Kristin D.

What is success?
To know you only live life once;
To have paid attention in school;
To have a happy family;
To listen to others;
To own a house on the water;
To have no regrets;
To have fun every day you live;
To never take things too seriously;
To laugh every day;
To make someone else laugh every day;
To make an impact on someone's life;
This is to have suceeded.
-Dominic P.

What is success?
To face all your fears;
To achieve goals you didn't
think you could;
To never let loved ones go;
To do the right thing
even if it's hard to do;
To gain the respect of ones
you respect;
To always try a little bit harder;
To be there for my friends
and family;
To have no regrets;
This is to have succeeded.
-Mark O.

What is success?
To own a car and house you love;
To try your hardest to achieve;
To laugh your hardest with your friends;
To love your job and appreciate it;
To have a family close at heart;
To help others fight through the rough;
To buy pets you love and care about;
To go to college and graduate proudly;
To have your friends close by;
To live your life the way you love;
This is to have succeeded.
-Lori P.

What is success?
To accept change with a willing heart;
To support my own family;
To become what I once dreamed;
To not let anyone or anything
change what I truly believe;
To play softball until I can't anymore;
To be happy and to
never let that change;
To never give up when things get hard;
To never back down when I'm scared;
To fight for what I want
and let no one get in my way;
To be able to look back
on my life and smile, because
I know I lived out my dreams.
This is to have succeded.
-Alyssa A.

In L.A. this week, students will be writing letters to themselves that I will be mailing to them next year. The assignment is a combination of implementing the correct friendly letter format, setting goals for the end of 8th grade year, the summer, and freshmen year, and having something to look forward to next May! :)

Here's to a good week!!!!!!!!!!!

What's happening in class?

I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful Sunday weather!

***Speeches are finished! :)

***Students did a very nice job on their persuasive speeches! I thoroughly enjoyed listening to all the presentations! Well done!

The week of May 5th-May 9th in L.A. will be a combo. week. Students will be working on a variety of tasks throughout the week:

Wordskills unit 16 will be introduced on Monday and due on Friday.

On Tuesday, students will be developing a creative color story to be shared in class on Wednesday.

On Thursday, we will catch up on current events through reading and discussing SCOPE magazine in class.

In reading, students will begin a three week unit on poetry. We will be reading, analyzing and writing a variety of poems and the unit will culminate with students developing a self-selected theme portfolio. I can already see the creative wheels turning...................:)

Here's to a great week!

What's happening in class?

Wow!! This past week was a busy one!!

***I'm looking forward to the week of April 28th-May 2nd, because all 8th graders will be performing their persuasive speeches-3 weeks in the making!

Thus, in language arts this week, students will be giving and listening to persuasive speech presentations.

In reading, we will continue watching and discussing the 1968 Frank Zeffirelli directed movie version of Romeo amd Juliet , starring Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting.

On Wednesday, students will be performing their memorized, chosen quote from Romeo and Juliet.

On Friday, students will be presenting their creative book mark book reports to their class.

What's happening in class?

Wasn't Sunday a beautiful day?! I hope you were able to get out and enjoy it!

The week of April 21st-25th will be quite busy!

In L.A., we will be organizing outlines for persuasive speeches. Students will receive instruction and examples on how to put together a detailed outline for their 4-5 minutes speech. Additionally, we will be working on constructing a formal bibliography.

In reading, students will be reviewing for and taking their final combination test on Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story! Students will receive an abundance of "tools" to use to prepare for their test. If they use them, they should do a fantastic job on this 100 point test!

Later in the week, we will be watching the 1968 movie of Romeo and Juliet, so students can experience the Shakespearean language, and prepare for their next week's quote reenactments!

What's happening in class?

The key word for the week of April 14th-18th is ......RESEARCH!

During language arts, students will be researching for information to support their side of their persuasive speech topic. Students will have access to books, magazines, newspapers and websites. (Each student received a reference sheet from Ms. Hagensee, listing all sources available to them.)

***Parents: For specific information regarding time lines, due dates and assignment points for the 4 week persuasive speech unit, please refer to the email I sent on Monday, April 7th.

This week in reading class, we will continue to read and discuss the tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. True to Shakespearean style, the plot continues to thicken. Currently, we are waiting to see if Friar Lawrence's potion plan works.

Will the potion work?
Will Juliet remain "dead" for 42 hours?
Will word of the plan get to Romeo so they can escape to Mantua together and live happily ever after?
.............or will she awaken early in her ancestors' tomb and go insane?

Hmmm........tune in later this week to find out!

What's happening in class?

The week of April 7th is going to be a busy one!

This week in language arts, we will be working on Wordskills unit 14. I will introduce the unit on Monday, and the quiz and book for the unit will be due on Friday, April 11th.

On Tuesday, I will be introducing the requirements for this year's persuasive speech. Students will receive a detailed requirement sheet and an abundant list of speech topic suggestions.

On Wednesday, students will be selecting speech topics and writing thesis statements for their speeches.

On Thursday, students will write their contoversies and pre-plan their 3-4 main sections/arguments.

***We will be researching for speech information the week of April 14th and organizing outlines the week of April 21st.

***Speeches begin on Monday, April 28th!!!!!!!!!!!!

(AR book report quizzes are due on Monday, April 7th!!!!!!)

In reading class, we will continue to read and discuss Romeo and Juliet. Our focus this week will be on Act III, and we will have a quiz on Act III on Thursday.

Students' grades were excellent on the Acts I and II quiz, so I have high hopes for a continuing trend!

What's Happening in class?

I hope everyone had a fun, relaxing spring break!!!!!!!!!!

***I would like to introduce my spring 2008 student teacher, Mrs. Ann Ruvalcaba!! Mrs. Ruvalcaba comes to Lakeview from North Central College in Naperville. Mrs. Ruvalcaba has a history with Lakeview in that both her children attended Lakeview, and she was a fantastic teacher's aide at Lakeview a few years back, for approximately 2 1/2 years. She then decided to go back to school to get her teaching degree, and my students and I are very lucky to have her back in my classroom in the role of teacher!

Welcome back, Mrs. Ruvalcaba! We're happy you're here! :)

This week in language arts, we will be focusing on Unit 13 in Wordskills. We will introduce the unit on Monday. On Friday, unit 13 will be corrected, and there will be a quiz on the unit's 20 target words' definitions.

Additionally, we will be reviewing capitalization rules this week, including a daily focus of 4-5 rules, group practice of the rules during class, and individual practice each night.

This week in reading, we will continue reading the play, Romeo and Juliet, discussing and analyzing the plot, characters and language as we do. There will be a quiz on Acts I and II of the play this week, and all students will receive study guides and an in-class review to prepare for the play's first quiz.

***Here's to the hope that the month of APRIL will bring warmer weather!

What's happening in class?

ISAT testing is OVER! :)

We have one short week before spring break!!!!

We'll be switching gears in L.A. by focusing on the exciting world of predicate adjectives, predicate nominatives, direct objects, and indirect objects. :)

In class we will review key concepts, and practice using P.A.'s. P.N.'s, D.O's and I'O's together, and then students will practice independently on nightly homework assignments.

In reading, we will continue reading Romeo and Juliet. We will finish ACT I on Tuesday, review ACT I (characters +plot) on Wednesday, and have a quiz on ACT I on Thursday.

I hope everyone has a fun, safe SPRING BREAK!! See you on March 31st..................

What's happening in class?

THE ISATS ARE HERE!!!!!!!!!

***The school wide focus the week of March 10th through March 13th will be ISAT testing.

My 8th grade L.A. and reading students have been working exra hard to prepare for this statewide test. *****Here's to doing an EXCELLENT JOB!!!

Due to testing, we will be working on an altered schedule, which means I will meet with only select classes each day. Therefore, though all my students will be accomplishing the same tasks this week, they will be doing so on different days.

In L.A. this week, we will be working on and grading Wordskills, unit 12.

In reading, we will be starting my favorite play, Romeo and Juliet!! This Shakespearian play has it all: LOVE! ROMANCE! DECEPTION! INTRIGUE! DESTRUCTION! DEATH! and HOPE!

We will be reading the modern version of the play, but I will be hi-lighting famous quotes in Shakespeare's language, and students will eventually be memorizing and performing these quotes.

The Romeo and Juliet unit will include the reading of the entire play out loud, with students choosing new parts each day, and indepth discussion of the play, including plot analysis, and character motivation.

Throughout the play, we will be noting similarities and differences between Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story. The unit will also consist of ACT 1 through ACT 5 quizzes, and a final comprehensive test.

What's happening in class?

I hope everyone enjoyed having Monday off!

The week of March 4th through March 7th will be short, but it will be action packed!

Once again, our focus will be ISAT preparation! When I say "ISAT!" You say "Preparation!" "ISAT!'......"Preparation!" Can't you just feel the excitement??!! :)

On Tuesday in L.A., we will review everything there is to know about writing a well developed personal narrative.

On Wednesday in L.A., students will write a timed personal narrative in class which I will grade based on a standard ISAT rubric.

On Thursday in L.A., students will take a timed ISAT reading test, complete with multiple choice questions and an extended response question. I will grade these as well, using a standard ISAT rubric.

On Friday in L.A., I will return both the graded personal narrative essays and the reading tests and we will discuss the results in preparation for the ISAT tests beginning on Monday, March 10th.

In reading, we have just begun a new combination unit, comparing Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story. We will be watching the 1961 Oscar Award winning musical this week, discussing it as we go.

Students will be provided with a detailed study guide for the movie, and on Friday, March 7th, they will take the West Side Story quiz. ***See the link below for interesting information on this fantastic musical!

http://www.westsidestory.com/

***As a reminder, the book report books students have had for three weeks, need to be read by Friday, March 7th!

What's happening in class?

The week of February 25th-February 29th is going to be a busy one!

In language arts, ISAT preparation will be our main focus!!

1. On Monday, we will be reviewing how to prepare for and write a timed practice ISAT persuasive essay.

2. On Tuesday, students will then write a timed practice essay in class, using an ISAT formatted prompt. It will be scored and graded based on the standard ISAT rubric, and returned to students on Wednesday.

3. On Wednesday, we will review the graded essays, and then move on to reviewing how to take multiple choice tests, and how to write reading extended responses.

4. On Thursday, students will take a practice timed ISAT reading test, including MC questions and an extended response. Both tests will be scored and graded based on the standard ISAT rubric, and returned to students on Friday.

5. On Friday, we will discuss the MC and extended response results, and prepare to do one more practice run next week.......................

Repeat after me: "I love ISATS!!!!!!!" :)

In reading, we will be finishing the page turning novel, Monster, by Walter Dean Myers.

The students have done an excellent job acting as jury members, dissecting testimonies and weighing evidence. They are eagerly awaiting this week's verdict of whether the main character, Steve Harmon will be found guilty or innocent, and wondering how his life will change, depending on that verdict.

Tune in later this week to find out what happens....................................

What's Happening in Class?

I hope everyone enjoyed a relaxing, fun Monday!

This week in language arts, we will be focusing on Wordskills unit 11. The unit will be introduced on Tuesday, and due on Friday. (book and quiz).

Additionally, we will begin our in-depth preparation for the ISAT test. 8th graders are testing in both reading and writing, and over the next three weeks, we will be working on every aspect of the test, making sure students feel comfortable and confident before taking the test.

This week we will focus on reading and answering multiple choice questions.

***ISAT tests are the week of March 10th.

In reading class, we will continue reading the novel, Monster. We are nearing the end of the novel. This week, the defense will rest, we will ear closing statements, and Steve's verdict will be read. Stay tuned to see what Steve's future holds!

What's Happening in Class?

WOW! The 1960's debates are off to a great start!

The debates started last Friday, and I was impressed with many of the students' performances. There were some pretty challenging roles, and most handled them with grace and spunk! Grades are now posted if you want to see your point totals!

This week in language arts, in addition to performing debates, we will be focusing on several lessons from the ISAT Coach workbook, and we will be working on a 1960's culminating activity which requires students to develop an original piece of work based on the information gained during the unit. Explanation of the assignment is below:

Write an original poem revealing a personal point of view of the 1960's. Select from the given topics on your assignment sheet, or choose one of your own, equal to those suggested. Your poem must be at least 16 lines in length and may rhyme or be free verse. ***If you choose to write a rhyming poem, make sure it doesn't come across as silly or insincere.

We will then be sharing these poems in class and displaying them in the hallways for everyone to enjoy. I will also post a selected few on my blog!

This week in reading, in addition to performing debates, we will be selecting a new book report book (free choice fiction).

We will also continue to read and discuss the thought-provoking novel, Monster. Steve's future still lies in the balance. Based on the testimonies of several people, it does not look too promising for him. Stay tuned to see if his defense attorney can turn things around!

What's happening in class?

I hope everyone enjoyed the three day weekend!! Snow days are fun! :)

***This week's schedule is readjusted because of last Friday's snow day. Below you will find the new plan of attack for Monday, February 4th through Tuesday, February 12th:

Monday = L.A. = Wordskills unit 10 (book corrected and quiz taken)
reading = LAST DAY OF RESEARCH in IMC for DEBATES!!

Tuesday = No School

Wednesday = L.A. and reading = Organizational day for debates. Schedule for debates decided, role playing requirements discussed, last minute preparation (information, questions, introduction speeches and bibliographies)

Thursday = Early dismissal (students dismissed at 11:30)
L.A. and reading = Read and discuss the novel, Monster.

Friday = L.A. and reading = DEBATES!!

Monday = L.A and reading = DEBATES!!

Tuesday = L.A. = DEBATES!!
reading = Correct ISAT Coach workbook pages 228-245.

***To get into the role of a strong debater, you may want to check out the movie, The Great Debaters, starring Denzel Washington. Click on the link below to read more about the movie!!
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809870043/info

What's happening in class?

It's the last week of January! Where does the time go?

***This week will be pretty busy for all of the 8th graders, both in and out of class. Here are some important dates and events to remember:

Monday night (January 28th) at 7:00 P.M. = DGS open house for incoming freshmen, last names beginning with A-Mal.

Wednesday = (January 30th) 8th grade picture day! Dress sharply!

Wednesday night (January 30th) at 7:00 P.M. = DGS open house for incoming freshmen, last names beginning with Mam-Z.

This week in L.A., we will be working on Wordskills unit 10. The completed book and quiz are due on Friday. Additionally, we will be researching information pertaining to the 1960's hot-button debate topics.

***Debates begin on Wednesday, February 6th!!

This week in reading class, we will continue reading the novel, Monster. It is not looking very promising for the main character, Steve Harmon, right now. The prosecutor's witnesses have definitely done some damage to Steve's character.

Will he be able to win the jury over when he testifies, or will he simply do more harm than good? Stay tuned to find out!

What's happening in class?

I hope everyone enjoyed having a day off from school to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday!

This week in language arts, we will continue the 1960's unit. On Tuesday, January 22nd, I will be explaining the role-playing debates, and discussing the 5 hot-button topics students will be debating. Each student will have the opportunity to rank his or her preference of the role he or she would like to play, and all students will also be able to rank which topics they would like to research.

Roles for each debate include:

***2 opposing characters, presenting opposite views of a given topic using reasoning skills and facts...
***1 moderator, running and contolling the debate, making sure each character has an equal opportunity to share his or her oppinion, backed up with facts...
***1-2 reporters, asking questions, and challenging answers during and after the debate.

The debate topics are below:

1. Women's Issues (stay at home mom versus women's rights advocate)
2. The Vietnam War (Vietnam vet versus war protester)
3. The Counter Culture (generation gap-parent versus hippie)
4. The 1968 Democratic Convention (Mayor Daley versus Tom Hayden)
5. The Space Race (astronaut versus social worker)

***In language arts, we will also have a 1960's test, based on the three informational videos viewed in class last week. A study guide will be provided on Tuesday, and the test will be on Friday.

In reading, we will continue reading and discussing the novel, Monster.

What's happening in class?

The 1960's were awesome!!

Next week in L.A and reading, the 8th grade class will begin a 4 week unit focused on the 1960's. We will be viewing and discussing videos of the decade, researching hot-button topics of the decade and performing role-playing debates reflecting the top 5 hot-button issues of the times. Check back next week when I will have more specific unit information posted on my blog..............

Additionally....
In L.A. we will be working on unit 9 from the Wordskills workbook. Monday I will introduce the unit, and Friday, students will correct their workbooks and take a quiz on the 20 target words in the unit.

In reading, we will continue reading and discussing the novel, Monster by Walter Dean Myers. Steve Harmon, the 16 year old main character of the book is charged with felony murder. We find out in the opening few pages that his supposed role in the murder was that he was the person who went into the store just prior to the robbery/murder of the store owner, to make sure all was clear. In otherwords, he went into the store to make sure there were no cops in the store, and therefore the robbery could take place.....

Wait a minute...... If that's all he did, why is being charged with felony murder???????

What's happening in class?

The first week back from winter break will be a busy one!

In language arts, we will be accomplishing two tasks. The first task is to write the required essay for DGS. ***On Tuesday, January 8th, all 8th graders will be given a prompt created by the English staff at DGS. They will have 30 minutes to write a well organized, detailed essay, on the given topic. These essays will then be used as one of many criteria to help determine placement in freshmen English classes for the 2008-2009 school year.

Secondly, we will be delving into the exciting world of subject-verb agreement. :) Students will learn to identify and use correct subject verb agreement in order to improve their writing and speaking skills.

In reading, we will begin reading the novel Monster by Walter Dean Myers. It is a thought provoking story about a 16 year old on trial for felony murder. Check out the link below for more information about this current day piece of literature.
http://www.teenreads.com/reviews/0060280778.asp

***Just as a reminder: AR book report quizzes are due to me by Wednesday, January 16th!!!