Welcome back. I hope that everyone had a restful and enjoyable winter vacation.
FYI - Scrapbook grades will be given out on Monday. Again, I am very pleased with all of the hard work the students put into these projects.
7th Grade Reading Project
The 7th grade reading project challenges the students to read independently different genres and reflect on the novels in a meaningful way. A totally independent assignment, students will have to keep a journal for each novel and write three specific entries to accompany it. I will be distributing students the journals and criteria this week. Books must be of at least a 7th grade reading level. Students are encouraged to check their selections with me for approval. The first journal will be due on Friday, February 26th. The second is due on Friday, March 26th, so second book selections should be submitted for approval this week.
Grade 8 Vocabulary
Flashcards with meaning and part of speech on the back and spelling and phonetics on the front are required for all units. At the completion of a unit, students will submit their flashcards to me so I will be able to give them back when it is time for multiple unit review evaluations.
Operation Vocab - an ongoing project that will be completed for each unit on a rotating basis, students will be responsible for creating their own exercise (completing the sentence, synonyms & antonyms, choosing the right word, or vocabulary in context) to submit on the day of the test for the unit. An answer key must be provided and the assignment follows the same format that can be found in their "Vocabulary Workshop" books.
Sentence Tests - In addition to the traditional book test that will be given, students are also responsible for writing original sentences for meaning and part of speech knowledge. Five words will be selected for this at random on the day of the test. Then, ten of the remaining fifteen words for the list will be dictated as part of a spelling evaluation. Students are encouraged to practice this format at home to help enrich their study time.
Grade 8 Book Talks
Students have completed the first round of book talks for this trimester. The have been given a list of suggested reading for their upcoming 'classic' selections which they will be required to read second trimester, along with the schedule of talks. Students have been reminded that the schedule is subject to change based on unforeseen school events. Students should always be prepared. As always, book talks will not be accepted late and all presentations need to be appropriate and that of at least an 8th grade level. Any questions or concerns about the level of a book, please check with me, as inappropriate selections that were not approved will not be accepted.
Book Talks continue the week of March 8th. Good Luck!
Writer's Notebooks (7-8) "WNB"
7th graders are primarily working on drafts for their journals. We will begin the next writing assignment once there is a level of comfort with the new assignment. 8th graders will be starting a new assignment this week. The series of letters were submitted electronically as a way for us to start going green.
Grade7 Vocabulary
Like 8th grade, flashcards with meaning and part of speech on the back and spelling and phonetics on the front are required for all units. At the completion of a unit, students will submit their flashcards to me so I will be able to give them back when it is time for multiple unit review evaluations.
Tests will be the traditional book test, along with a dictated spelling evaluation only. Soon, students will be required to write a paragraph at test time to demonstrate their understanding of and ability to use any given word. Enrichment assignments will be coming as we explore the next few units.
Literature (7-8)
While the Red reading groups study nonfiction over the next couple of weeks, Teal and Blue reading groups are going to continue the study of poetry. Both groups will be responsible for learning the literary terms associated with poetry. I look forward to further discussions of this genre through discussion with the students. The website for access to the textbook is www.phschool.com. Please feel free to visit it with the student's individual pass code. Students should be keeping up with daily reading/class/homework assignments and be prepared for daily literature discussions.
As we begin new stories and poems this week, final tests, along with enrichment activities, will be scheduled over the next couple of weeks.
Grammar (7-8)
7th grade is continue to study complex sentences and clauses, along with daily quizzes. There will be a formal evaluation of this concept this week. Students will be working independently on study guides for this unit over the course of this week. 8th grade will begin to explore subject-verb agreement on a more abstract level than we have in the past. As these are all new topics, it is imperative that students study the terms covered in class each day each night. Nightly practice will be assigned, and quizzes and tests will be given.
Religion (6-7)
Students in grade 6 are wrapping up their Catholic jeopardy games. It has been interesting to watch them show off their knowledge of what we've studied this year. We'll start looking in both classes at the season of Lent. Students should be brainstorming a possible class service project for us to embark on.
**With cold and flu season well underway, any contributions to the classroom supply of tissues and disinfecting wipes would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Keep reading and writing! Have a great week!
Mrs. Sorice
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