Word on the Street

Today we had “Fun with Grammar Friday,” but I am not sure how much fun the students actually had.  Students did a diagnostic assignment to assess how well they can identify the sentence structures.  This is not a grade; it was just so students can see their mastery level of this standard.

All Language Arts Classes -

• Make-up Work – in the Holt Grammar Handbook pp. 138-139: Sentence Structures – The Four Basic Sentence Structures.  Do #1-20.  You do not have to write the sentence; just write the sentence type.  Read pp. 119-121: What is a Clause? The Independent Clause, The Subordinate Clause
• IMPORTANT CHANGE – HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT GIVEN TODAY WILL NOT BE COLLECTED UNTIL TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1.
• Homework – Still in the Holt Grammar Handbook, read pp. 124-125: The Adjective Clause.  Adjective clauses are one of the three types of subordinate clauses, and they function like an adjective modifying nouns and pronouns.  They usually include a relative pronoun that “signals” an adjective clause – that, which, who, whom, whose.  Important – Sometimes the relative pronoun comes after a preposition (commonly to, for, on, in) that is also considered to be part of the adjective clause.  Adjective clauses can also be signaled with relative adverbs – when, where.  pp. 126-127: Exercise 4 and Exercise 5.  Write the sentences and underline the entire adjective clause(s) once.  Then underline again (double underline) the “signal” word – the relative pronoun or the relative adverb.  Note: In Exercise 5, there are a few that begin with prepositions (see p. 125), so make sure that you underline the preposition in those since it is considered to be part of the adjective clause.

Advanced Classes – make sure that you use the key to correct your “Principal Parts of Verbs” chart.  Click here:  Principal Parts of Verbs – Key

The next selection  in our “strange and mysterious” unit will be the short drama The Monkey’s Paw.  We will begin with a quick review of the elements of drama and the differences between a short story and a play.  We will use this classic tale to continue to hone our predicting skills and understand and explain cause and effect.  Grammar-wise, we will continue our focus on verbs by working on easily confused verbs such as sit/set, lie/lay, and rise/raise.  We will continue to stress the literary elements of suspense, mood, and foreshadowing.  We will also examine the use of irony in the story.

All Classes can expect to be spending some time in the next few weeks with their grammar handbooks.  We need to revisit sentence types.  In particular, we need to work on recognition of subordinate clauses. (Okay, yeah, some of us need more work with independent clauses as well.)

Advanced Classes will also continue working with the principal parts of verbs and the verb tenses.  We will also take a look at verbals (gerunds. infinitives, and participles).

Students took their first LA test of the year today. 

There was no homework, but the Advanced Classes should have their “Principal Parts of Verbs” charts completed for class on Friday.

Today we went over last night’s homework – the character chart and the irregular verb worksheet – to make sure we had the correct information to study for Thursday’s test.  We also discussed the test format.

Homework:

• Bring a sharpened #2 pencil for tomorrow’s Checkpoints Test
• Study for Thursday’s test
• Advanced Classes Only – complete the ”Principal Parts of Irregular Verbs” chart by Friday, August 28

Today we went over the homework/classwork from Friday – the plot diagram for “The Landlady.”  We reviewed elements of characterization  (pp.106-107) and regular and irregular verbs (p. 183).  Homework is to complete the character chart for the landlady and Billy Weaver and the Grammar Link worksheet on regular and irregular verbs.

Tomorrow we will go over the homework and review for Thursday’s test.

Wednesday students will take the first Language Arts/Reading Checkpoints test.

Today we continued to discuss “The Landlady,” and we focused the discussion on the numerous examples of foreshadowing in the story.  We reviewed the literary elements and completed a diagram of the story’s plot.  If students did not finish this in class, they should finish it over the weekend.

8th period - will need to complete the Words to Own worksheet for homework since class ran long on Thursday, so we didn’t get to it then.

Have a great weekend!

If you did not make it out in the driving rain for open house tonight, here is a recap of the language arts information:

Grading Weights

• Tests/Major Projects/Major Writing Assignments 50%
• Quizzes/Minor Projects/Writing Process Assignments 35%
• Classwork/Homework/Participation 15%

Tips for Helping Your Child be Successful in Language Arts

• Stay Informed.  Use email, this blog, Parent Connect (for information on complete assignments), and your student’s agenda for information about the class.
• Hold Your Child Accountable with High Expectations for Behavior and Academic Performance.  Late homework will not be accepted; late major work will have 10 points deducted from the grade for each day late.  Minor behavior concerns will be addressed with emails to parents and/or after school or lunch detentions.
• Make Sure your Child is in School.  If you student has to miss a class, please have him/her check this blog for the recap of class.  Students should request make-up work the first day they return to school.
• Please keep me in the loop if your child will be missing school for an extended period of time.  I will work with you to get your child caught up!

Keep Me Informed

• Please make me aware of any circumstances that may affect your child’s performance.
• Make me aware of any concerns you may have about your child’s performance.

Helping Your Child with Assigned Work

• Use questions to help your child apply what he/she already knows.
• Have your child go over rubrics to check major assignments with requirements.
• Ask your child to read his/her writing aloud.  Have your child listen as you read his/her writing aloud.  Both of these will help your child recognize areas where revision is needed.
• Help your child with time management strategies.  Help your child set a workable schedule that considers all of his/her commitments in planning for a long-term due date.
• Expect your child to type his/her own assignments when typing is a requirement.

8th Grade Writing Assessment

• January 20, 2010
• Students will take a practice assessment this fall to give them individual feedback on the domains that will be assessed on the test.
• For more information on the 8th grade writing assessment, please see the Georgia Department of Education website: http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/ci_testing.aspx?PageReq=CITestingWA8

The first test of the year will be next Thursday.  This has been changed from Wednesday, August 26, because we were informed this afternoon that we will be administering the first Language Arts/Reading Checkpoints test of the year on Wednesday in class.

Material that will be covered on the test:

Literary Elements

• The Elements of a Short Story (pp. 212-213 and class notes)
• Conflict (p. 15 and class notes)
• Characterization (pp. 106-107)

“The Landlady” p. 170

• Comprehension
• Literary Element: Foreshadowing
• Reading Skill and Strategy: Dialogue with Text to Monitor Comprehension
• Vocabulary
• Grammar Link: Regular and Irregular Verbs (p. 183)

All Language Arts Classes - Today we introduced the first unit “Tales of the Strange and Mysterious” and read the first story in the unit “The Landlady” by Roald Dahl.

Homework -

• Finish reading the story (if your class did not finish today) and finish dialoguing with the text
• Words to Own Worksheet (on-level classes only do the Words to Own side, Advanced also do Verb Tenses side)
• 8th period did not get the worksheet since class ran long; they will need to do the worksheet for homework tomorrow