Week of May 4-8

Reading Log Due Friday - this is the final reading log of the year.
Next week students may complete one for extra credit points.

This week - it's all about Shakespeare!
We will begin viewing and discussing a movie version of the play, Twelfth Night.

Week of April 27-May 1

Reading Logs due Friday!!!!!!!
Don't forget to get these signed for full points.

This week students continue to present book talks. Students who have not yet given their talk should be prepared to do so when they come to class.

We are also focusing on a study of William Shakespeare.
Some highlights of this week include: Shakespeare insults and a study of sonnets.
Next week we will begin viewing a movie version of Shakepeare's play, Twelfth Night.

Week of April 20-24

Reading Logs are due Friday!

Monday/Tuesday: Review The Clay Marble to prep for test
Wednesday: Test on The Clay Marble and begin unit on Shakespeare
Thursday and Friday: book talks and activities about William Shakespeare

Students should be practicing their book talks so they are prepared. Directions are on Powerschool.

Week of April 13-17

** Reading logs due Friday

This week in literature we will finish reading The Clay Marble. Students should be prepared for a final test of this book next week which will include 11 vocabulary words students have on their vocab. sheet.

Monday/Tuesday: Take notes on final 3 vocab words
Discussion about land mines in Cambodia
Continue reading The Clay Marble.

Wednesday: Finish The Clay Marble
Journal response on the book

Thursday: Work day in the library
Students will have the opportunity to write and practice their book talk (this is on the book they have been reading at home). Directions are posted on powerschool. First minute students will introduce their book; second minute students will read a passage from their book. Practice, practice, practice!!!! Book talks begin Thurday, April 23rd.

Friday: Review activity on The Clay Marble
Turn in reading logs.

Week of April 6-10

No reading log this week due to SBA testing

This week we are continuing the book "The Clay Marble." Students are completing various assignments in class. We have also started a vocabulary list - words students will be expected to know on a test (to be taken when we finish the book).

March 30 - April 3

This week:

Reading Logs due Friday
Continue reading "The Clay Marble"
Finish SBA Practice Test

Students should be reading a book at home. This quarter's book project will be a book talk the week of April 20th. Details coming soon.

Week of March 23-27

Reading logs due Friday! All students must have a book they are reading at home. Students should have shown Ms. Sween their book. Students need to finish reading a book in order to do a book talk the week of April 20th. The book talk will be this quarter's project.

This week in literature:
We will complete the practice SBA (standards-based assessment) test.
We will begin reading the book The Clay Marble by Minfong Ho. This book will be read in class. It is about a young girl living in a Cambodian refugee camp in 1985.

Week of March 16-20

This week in literature we will finish reading the play "Twelve Angry Men" and then watch the 1950s movie version of the play.

No reading logs required this week. However, students need to be finding a book to read this quarter. They will be given time in the library. All students must check out a book from the library or bring one from home and show me by Friday.

There will be a book project this quarter on a book of their choice - any genre. Details coming next week.

Week of March 2-6

Wednesday all students need to be prepared to recite "The Road Not Taken" by memory.
Also this week we will be reading and discussing the play "Twelve Angry Men" aloud in class.

Students who did not turn in their book project last Friday can still turn them in this week. They will lose 10% of points each day late. This is a 100 point project.

Reading logs are not required this week. Students can turn in a reading log for 20 extra credit points.

Week of February 23-27

Reading logs due Friday
One page in journal due Friday
Final Draft of book project is due Friday

Yes, Friday is an important day.

Do you know "The Road Not Taken?" Should be mostly memorized at this point. Be ready to recite this poem next week by memory!!! Practice, practice, practice.

Also this week students will complete outlines for reading comprehension practice and read a poem by Edgar Allen Poe.

Week of February 17-20

No journals this week.
Rough draft of book project due Thursday.
Reading logs due Friday.

This week in literature we are finishing patchwork poems in the library; working on book projects, and practicing the poetry terms. Students should be prepared for a quiz on these poetry terms Friday: simile; metaphor; personification; stanza; alliteration; onomatopoeia; imagery.

Students should be memorizing "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost. Be prepared to recite this poem by memory week of March 2nd.

Week of February 9-13

This Week:
Reading logs due Thursday
One page in journal due Thursday
Students should be memorizing the poem, "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost. They should be ready to recite it by memory the week of March 2nd.

Students should be finishing their historical fiction books this week and working on book projects.
Rough Draft of book project is due Thursday, Feb. 19th. Final draft is due Friday, Feb. 27th.

No school Friday, Feb. 13th, or Monday, Feb. 16th, due to parent/teacher conferences.

Week of February 2-6

Reading logs are extra credit this week!
No journals this week.

Students will be reading and responding to a variety of poems in class.

Students are participating in Terra Nova testing Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Week of January 26-30

Reading logs due Friday
Two pages in journal due by end of class Friday

Monday/Tuesday:
Daily Do: cause and effect
Notes on simile, metaphor, and personification
Exercise #1 on metaphor - poem: "The Garden Hose" by Beatrice Janosco
Time to read and/or write in journal

Wednesday:
Daily Do: cause and effect
Information on book project
Exercises 2 and 3 on metaphor
Time to read and/or write in journal

Thursday:
Daily Do: cause and effect
Time in library to read, write in journal, and/or begin book project

Friday:
Turn in reading logs
Complete exercise #1 on personification
Time to read and/or write in journal - need 2 full pages by end of class today!

Week of January 19-23

Reading logs due Friday
One full page in journal due Friday
Students should be reading a historical fiction book. All students must be finished with their book no later than Thursday, February 12th.

Wednesday:
Daily Do: cause and effect
Create plotline for the story "Dinorella" by Pamela Duncan Edwards
Time to read and/or write in journal

Thursday:
Daily Do: cause and effect
Look at journal examples and review guidelines
Review literary terms
Time to read and/or write in journal

Friday:
Daily Do: cause and effect
Quiz on literary terms
Time to read and/or write in journal

Week of January 12-16

** All students must find a historical fiction novel this week! **
Reading log due Friday

Monday/Tuesday:
Book Pass activity in the library
Find a historical fiction novel you would like to read this quarter

Wednesday:
Daily Do
Take notes on literary terms (test next Thursday)
Go over directions for journals this quarter
Read and/or respond in journal

Thursday:
Review literary terms - worksheet
Time in library reading and/or writing in journal

Friday:
Turn in reading log
Daily Do
Review literary terms
Time to read and/or write in journal - one complete page needed by end of class.

Welcome Back!

Here are some highlights of 3rd quarter:

continue weekly reading logs - first one due Friday, Jan. 16th
read a historical fiction novel and complete a project
respond in journal
read and analyze various poems
memorize a poem
notes on literary terms with tests

This blog will be updated every Monday so check back.