"Mockingbird" Post #1

In the opening chapters of To Kill A Mockingbird, what information do we learn about the Radley family? How much of this information is fact? Gossip? Speculation? What is the role of gossip in this town? Why might this reliance on gossip be significant to the story?

Preparing for the Greek and Latin Prefixes and Roots Quiz

Preparing for the Greek and Latin Prefixes and Roots Quiz

On Monday, 10/5, the 8^th grade will have a quiz on the Greek and Latin Roots you were to study at the farm. The quiz will consist of three parts.

I. Identification and Word Building

a. In this section you will be asked to define a number of the roots. You don’t need to know the origin (whether it is Greek or Latin) but you do need to know what each means. You’ll also be asked to come up with a word using the prefix/root

II. Definitions

a. In this section you will be given several word containing one or more of the prefixes and roots. Come up with a basic definition for these words.

III. Matching

a. For this final section, you will be given a list of words containing one of the prefixes or roots as well as a list of definitions. You will need to match each word to the proper definition.

Tip: The best way to study for this quiz is to know the meanings of each root and prefix well!

8th Grade—“This I Believe” Essay Revision Tips

As you get ready to revise your “This I Believe” essays, here are some guidelines and tips to help you in this process.

1. Expand, Expand, Expand! Many of you included a examples that were great sketches but could benefit from specific detail. Think about key moments and analysis. What examples in detail best support your particular belief? Remember that the revision needs to be at least two pages long.
2. Variety and Movement. In many of the examples we read, the authors’ used surprising and diverse examples and subtopics to build on the initial belief they presented and to keep the reader’s attention. How can you include surprising examples that keep a reader engaged.
3. Connect the Dots. Review the specific examples you’ve chosen. Which ones connect directly to your belief? Which ones need explanation to make that connection clear? Which ones move too far away from the topic of your essay?
4. Give it Polish! As you are completing your final draft, think about the style and clarity in your writing. Are you using a variety of sentence structures (simple, compound, complex)? Do you employ language that is both descriptive and clearly used? Are there any proofreading and editing mistakes that you can correct?

Homework Assigned 10/4

Triplets

- Short Story Quiz Corrections, Wednesday, 10/13

- To Kill a Mockingbird Chapters 1-4 and blog post, Thursday, 10/14

- Find 1 article about life in the US in the 1930s, bring to class with a 1-paragraph

summary, Thursday, 10/14

- Mockingbird Quiz, Thursday, 10/14

8th Grade Writing

- Revised "This I Believe" Essay, Tuesday, 10/12

- Greek and Latin Roots Quiz, Wednesday, 10/13

- Wordly Wise 2 Quiz, Monday 10/18

- Farm Activity Essay First Draft, Monday, 10/18

- 1 Final Re-Revised Portfolio Piece (Optional), Thursday, 10/21

7th Grade Writing

- Wordly Wise 2 Quiz, Wednesday 10/13

- Revised Poems, Friday, 10/15

"Epilogue: Women Like Us" Blog

Now that we've read several pieces by Edwidge Danticat, (Behind the Mountains, "Caroline's Wedding," "Women Like Us"), what similarities do you see in the three pieces? Focus on at least one significant similarity between all three stories. What examples from each piece provide evidence of the similarity you've chosen to write about?

"Caroline's Wedding" Blog

"Caroline's Wedding" is a story filled with symbols. Find one person, place, thing or event in this story that, in your opinion, is a significant symbol. What is it? What does it represent? Include at least one direct quote from the story related to the symbol you've chosen. How does the quote support your thinking about this symbol?

Blog Posting Expectations and Evaluation

Hi Triplets!

I was excited to read your first blog posts this morning. Many of you shared great insights about the story, using detail to explain your analysis and commenting not just on the question but on the insights of your peers as well.

To be clear, the blog is a place for a conversation about the reading. This conversation works best when people are sharing their thinking and insights in a thoughtful and detailed way. To ensure that everyone is taking time to post on the blog with care, you will be graded on your blog posts on a regular basis. The following are the criteria for how a blog post will be graded:

Grade: 1

Filled with detail and insight. Post moves beyond a summary of the reading and focuses on analysis. Specific examples from the text support your thinking. You answer not just the question, but you also respond to the comments of your peers as well. It is clear that you reread your posting before submitting it (little or no spelling and grammatical errors).

Grade: 2

Answer the question with a good amount of detail or insight. Some example used to support your thinking. Even more detail and development would enhance your explanation. Some issues with clarity and proofreading.

Grade: 3

A less detailed answer. Some interesting insights but little evidence or analysis present. Significant clarity or proofreading issues.

Grade: 4

Little detail or analysis. The question is answered without evidence from the reading or any analysis. Significant clarity issues.

Grade: 5

Little or no evidence that you completed the reading. Your comment is brief and does not adequately address the question.