December 1, 2008

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND HOMEWORK FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 1ST

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Reminder - Middle school student book reports are due on Friday, January 9th.

The rubrics for the book reports are available and will be given to students upon request.

Friday: NJHS Bake Sale - All NJHS members and candidates are asked to bring a contribution to the sale, and the money raised will be used to purchase small gifts for the children of a needy parish. Thank you, in advance, for your support of our effort.

HOMEWORK

8TH GRADE READING
Monday: Work on questions and vocab (due Thursday)
Tuesday: Work on Monster packet (due Thursday)
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:

7TH GRADE READING
Monday: Complete your My Father or My Brother wksht.
Tuesday: Work on My Brother Sam Is Dead packet (due Wednesday)
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:

7TH GRADE SPANISH
Wednesday:

6TH GRADE READING
Monday: Complete ques. from Chapters 5 & 6, #7-#11
Tuesday: Work on The Breadwinner packet (due Friday)
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:

6TH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES
Monday: Complete wkbk. pg. 50
Tuesday: Complete wkbk. pgs. 51 & 52
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:

November 26, 2008

MIDDLE SCHOOL POETRY

Following are samples of the poetry that has been written by 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students:

Acrostic Poetry - My Favorite Things - 6th Grade

Kangaroos like hopping, but they don't use pogo sticks like me.
A summer day makes me want
To swim, and as I dry off I enjoy a nice
Hot dog or maybe
Even a piece of pizza with come Coke to drink as I
Remember all my vacations like cruises and stopping at the beach to swim
In the ocean, and then I think of when I took a plane to Disney, but
No matter what, my life is always full of
Excitement.

Snow is fun inside my backyard,
And I stargaze inside my snow angel, watching the twinkling stars that look like snowflakes up above, looking for their patterns and pictures.
Right outside my parents' gaze, outside of the heater inside, I wait for the soup to be done.
At my favorite time of year, I can stay outside all day, and be very random and do random things until I go inside, just before 6:00 for dinner, and then I take off my
Hat, coat, and gloves and plop on my bed, look out the window one last time at my day's work, and then finally, I go back downstairs with my parents.

Revisions to Elizabeth Barrett Browning's How Do I Love Thee? - 7th Grade

How do I love rollercoasters?
Let me count the ways.
I love rollercoasters when they stop at the top, and my stomach drops.
I love rollercoasters when they twirl upside-down.
I love rollercoasters when air hits my face.
I love rollercoasters when they go really fast.
I love rollercoasters when everybody screams.
And I will love rollercoasters even more when I get off the ride, and I say,
"I wanna go on again!" -Peter

Five Senses Poems - 8th Grade

FEAR is the color blank, pitch black darkness that always seems to look back at you
...sounds like a muffled shriek, a relentless bell toll, the irregular creak of the floorboards
...tastes like rotten food, strong medicine, a dry mouth
...smells like choking smoke, nauseating decomposition, sour milk
...looks like your worst nightmare come to life,the dark figure in the corner of your eye, the dancing shadows in a candlelit room
...feels like knowing something is very wrong, walking in a dark room without a sense of direction, being unsure of what is going to happen next. -Austin

ECSTASY is the color of flamingo pink.
Ecstasy sounds like a crushing hit at a football game, my favorite songs playing on the radio, and chidren's quiet giggling.
Ecstasy tastes like Cookies and Cream Dippin' Dots, hot chocolate on a freezing winter night, and Palermo's pizza.
Ecstasy smells like pure gasoline, freshly brewed coffee, and cinnamon rolls on a Christmas morning.
Ecstasy looks like the shining golden dome at Notre Dame, my bed when I'm extremely tired, and a 78 inch flat screen TV.
Ecstasy feels like swishing a 3-pointer in the last second, swimming in a cold pool on a hot summer day, and hitting a walk-off homerun. -Jack

November 24, 2008

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND HOMEWORK FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 24TH

ANNOUNCEMENTS
We have a half day this Wednesday and are off for the Thanksgiving holiday. How did that happen?

Do you know how frustrating it is to get your son or daughter to clean his or her room? Multiply it by 27. We have a new rule in our room. When I pick a book up off of the floor, it will cost 50 cents to get it back. We started today, and I already have $1.00. The money will be used for an end-of-the-year party, and I told the kids that we already have enough money for each one of us to get a piece of Double Bubble. If we continue at this pace, we may be able to rent the party room at Stoney Creek!

HOMEWORK

8TH GRADE READING
Monday: Complete Sociogram worksheet
Tuesday: Complete Sociogram worksheet for Monday
Wednesday: Write a paragraph - innocent or guility?
Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving!
Friday: No School

7TH GRADE READING
Monday: Finish Chapters 1-3 "quiz time" wksht.
Tuesday: No homework
Wednesday: No homework - because they have been so good lately!
Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving!
Friday: No School

7TH GRADE SPANISH
Wednesday: 1/2 Day, No Spanish

6TH GRADE READING
Monday: Complete Chapter 4 questions, #7-#10
Tuesday: No homework
Wednesday: Complete Chapter 5 questions, #1-#6 (Most students finished this in class.)
Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving!
Friday: No School

6TH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES
Monday: Complete wkbk. pg. 46
Tuesday: Answer the questions on pg. 200 (text), and complete wkbk. pgs. 48 & 49
Wednesday: Complete wkbk. pg. 47 (Most students finished this in class.)
Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving!
Friday: No School

November 17, 2008

INDEPENDENT READING ASSIGNMENT OPTIONS #2 & #3 FOR 8TH GRADE STUDENTS

2nd Quarter Independent Reading Assignment/Options #2 & #3 (8th Grade)

8th Grade Options #2 and #3
2nd Quarter

Option #2/Ask for a rubric before you begin.

Imagine that you are “Dear Abby”. Create an advice column that is filled with letters from characters in your book. There should be a minimum of ten entries (letters and responses), this should be typed, and should follow a newspaper or magazine format. Include a title, a byline, and a picture of yourself. This should look like a real advice column!

Option #3/Ask for a rubric before you begin.

Design a game board for your book. Doing this well is challenging, but some of you may enjoy working on it over Christmas Break. This needs to be done on something sturdy (better quality poster board), and those who have the most success with this have used something similar to a “Game of Life” format, but you are not limited to that particular format. All pieces, dice, money, chance cards, etc., need to be included in your game, and the game must be “playable” in order to receive full credit. It is imperative that you design a rough draft (or two) and play it out in order to insure that it works. (You can’t “get bitten by a vampire, move back two spaces” only to end up on a space that moves you forward to that treasured spot in the cemetery.) Do not forget to include the directions (typed).

INDEPENDENT READING ASSIGNMENT OPTIONS #2 & #3 FOR 7TH GRADE STUDENTS

2nd Quarter Independent Reading Assignment/Options #2 & #3 (7th Grade)

7th Grade Options #2 and #3

Option #2/Ask for a rubric before you begin.

Imagine that your book has been turned into a movie. You are to design the movie poster (on poster board) that will be displayed at movie theaters all over the world. Include the movie’s title, pictures of the characters, at least one scene from the book, and include adjectives that describe the movie. Also, choose real-life actors and actresses to portray the main characters in your book, and include their names and the roles that they will play.

Option #3/Ask for a rubric before you begin.

You have invited one (or more) of your book’s characters over for dinner, and you now need to let the chef at your house know what he/she needs to do to get ready for your guest. First, you need to plan the menu. Include foods that were mentioned in your book, or create a menu based on what people who would live in your book’s setting would eat. Include an appetizer, a main course, a dessert, and a drink. The menu should be typed and creative (cute paper, decorated, etc.). Next, design a list of ten original and creative rules for your family to follow while your guest is at your home. For example, for the characters of Holes a rule may be:

DO NOT SERVE WHOLE MILK. ANY MENTION OF THE WORD “WHOLE” SENDS ZERO INTO A FRENZY!

*The list of rules should be done on small poster board.

INDEPENDENT READING ASSIGNMENT OPTIONS #2 & #3 FOR 6TH GRADE STUDENTS

2nd Quarter Independent Reading Assignment/Options 2 & 3 (6th Grade)

6th Grade Options #2 and #3

Option #2/Ask for a rubric before you begin.

Just like on The David Letterman Show, create a Top Ten List. Your Top Ten List will include the top ten lessons that you have learned from your book. Your list can be made up of serious, important lessons, or they can be funny lessons. This should be typed, or very neatly printed, and should be on substantial (small poster board) or decorated paper. On separate paper, describe why you think that each of the things on your list is important. This can be done by writing/typing ten short paragraphs (one for each entry).

Option #3/Ask for the sandwich pieces and a rubric before you begin.

Make a sandwich and design a lunchbox for one of the characters in your book. If this is the option that you choose, I will give you the pieces for the sandwich with the directions on how to complete the sandwich. The lunchbox is your own design that would look like something one of your characters would really use to carry his or her lunch. You may not buy a Disney Princess lunchbox! Use an old shoebox or any plain container, and design it by drawing on it, putting stickers on it, gluing stuff to it, etc.

2ND QUARTER INDEPENDENT READING ASSIGNMENT OPTION #1 (6TH, 7TH, & 8TH GRADE STUDENTS)

2nd Quarter Independent Reading Assignment/Option #1 (6th, 7th, and 8th Grades)

2nd Quarter Independent Reading Assignment

All middle school students will complete an independent reading assignment in which they read novels of their own choosing and complete any one of the following three choices of assignments. These assignments are due on Friday, January 9th, and they will count as a test grade.
*All novel choices need to be approved by me no later than Monday, November 24th.

Option #1

Students will prepare a traditional report which may be typed or handwritten. The following elements must be included in the report:

• The title
• The author
• The year the book was written
• A list of the main characters and a brief description of their personality that includes at least three adjectives, and indicate if the character is a protagonist (hero/heroine) or an antagonist (bad guy/girl)

• A five paragraph essay describing the story
-Paragraph #1 - Describe the setting(s) of the book
-Paragraph #2 - Describe the rising action of the story (the events, including the conflict, that lead up to the climax)
-Paragraph #3 - Describe the climax of the story
-Paragraph #4 – Describe the falling action of the story, and include the resolution (Was the conflict resolved or “fixed”?)
-Paragraph #5 – Write a review of the book. (Did you like the book? Whom would you recommend it to? What would have made the book better? More interesting? Easier to read?)

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND HOMEWORK FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 17TH

ANNOUCEMENTS

Thank you to all of the parents who stopped by during Parent-Teacher Conferences!

I have enouraged your children to check engrade for missing assignments. Progress Reports go home this Friday, and my paper is supposed to last me until Christmas!

All middle school students are to read a novel independently of the novel that is being read at their grade level. The directions for the second quarter book reports were distributed today (Monday), and the reports for all grade levels are due on Friday, January 9th. The directions can also be found on this blog.

The 6th, 7th, & 8th grade students have begun working with their novels. Students who did not get their required novels will be given alternative assignments.

HOMEWORK

8TH GRADE READING
Monday: No homework
Tuesday: Complete your essay about Fear
Wednesday: No homework
Thursday: Emotion poem, due Monday
Friday: Complete your Emotion poem (typed)

7TH GRADE READING
Monday: Answer prereading questions about war
Tuesday: No homework
Wednesday: No homework
Thursday: Chapter questions, #2 - #6
Friday: Answer questions about loyalty, and finish your "Tim" assignment

7TH GRADE SPANISH
Wednesday: Create a crossword puzzle with the Spanish "money" words

6TH GRADE READING
Monday: Complete Clue Search Sheet
Tuesday: Chapters 1-2 questions, #1 - #7
Wednesday: Chapters 1-2 questions, #8 - #10
Thursday: Chapters 1-2 questions, #11 - #15
Friday: Chapters 3-4 questions, #1 - #6

6TH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES
Monday: Finish gathering information for your brochure
Tuesday: Have your Mesoamerican travel brochure completed for tomorrow
Wednesday: Complete wkbk. pgs. 41 & 42
Thursday: Complete the Chapter 6 Review packet and wkbk. pg. 43
Friday: Complete your postcard from South America

November 10, 2008

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND HOMEWORK FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 10TH

ANNOUNCEMENTS

We had a great time at White Pines. If they had a spa, it would be perfect!

All 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students will begin reading their class novels next Monday, November 17th. Students who do not have their own novels will be given an alternate month-long assignment.

My homeroom will be able to purchase books from the Book Fair on Wednesday. Please send them with money on that day only. (Allowing 7th graders to leave the room alone, while waving around a $10.00 bill, is trickier than you think.) Encourage them to use this opportunity to purchase books to read for their second quarter independent reading assignments.

Remember that we have conferences with an early dismissal (11:30 A.M.) on Thursday, and there is no school on Friday. If you have not heard from any of the middle school teachers, the adage, "No news is good news," definitely applies here. Everyone, however, is welcome to stop by for a visit, and we'll clean the room (just in case).

HOMEWORK

8TH GRADE READING
Monday: Veterans' Day Assembly/No class
Tuesday: Have your ideas for your 200 Year Life Expectancy timeline
Wednesday: Complete your 200 Year Life Expectancy timeline
Thursday: No homework
Friday: No School/Have your copy of Monster for Monday

7TH GRADE READING
Monday: Veterans' Day Assembly/No class
Tuesday: No homework
Wednesday: Complete your How Do I Love...? poem
Thursday: No homework
Friday: No School/Have your copy of My Brother Sam Is Dead for Monday

7TH GRADE SPANISH
Wednesday: Ed Curran's Assembly/No homework

6TH GRADE READING
Monday: Complete wkbk. pgs. 45, 46, & 47
Tuesday: Complete the rough draft of your acrostic poem, and bring in stickers, pictures, etc.
Wednesday: Complete your acrostic poem
Thursday: No homework
Friday: No School/Have your copy of The Breadwinner for Monday

6TH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES
Monday: No homework
Tuesday: Wkbk. pg. 39, and start working on your Mesoamerican travel brochure ideas
Wednesday: Gather information for your travel brochure
Thursday: Complete wkbk. pgs. 40 and 41
Friday: No School/Have your travel brochure info for Monday

November 3, 2008

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND HOMEWORK FOR THE WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3RD

ANNOUNCEMENTS

I am going to White Pines with the 6th and 8th grade students, so I will not be available until late Friday afternoon if anyone has any questions, comments, or concerns. I haven't been on a horse since the 70s. Wish me luck!

***Reminder - All middle school students need to obtain novels for classroom reading assignments. I will order all books tomorrow from Scholastic for students who bring in $5.00. The 8th graders will be reading Monster, the 7th graders will be reading My Brother Sam is Dead, and the the 6th graders will be reading The Breadwinner. Students who choose not to purchase the novels are responsible for obtaining them on their own.

HOMEWORK

8TH GRADE READING
Monday: Finish Ten Little... poem, and complete wkbk. pgs. 55 & 56
Tuesday: Complete wkbk. pgs. 57, 58, & 59, and CYC questions from text, pg. 126
Wednesday: White Pines/No homework
Thursday: White Pines/No homework
Friday: White Pines/No homework

7TH GRADE READING
Monday: Study for test on A Day's Wait
Tuesday: Test on A Day's Wait, and complete How Do I Love ...? poems
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:

7TH GRADE SPANISH
Wednesday:

6TH GRADE READING
Monday: Test today/No homework
Tuesday: No homework
Wednesday: White Pines/No homework
Thursday: White Pines/No homework
Friday: White Pines/No homework

6TH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES
Monday: Study for Unit 2 test
Tuesday: Unit 2 test/No homework
Wednesday: White Pines/No homework
Thursday: White Pines/No homework
Friday: White Pines/No homework