December 20th, 2012

Remember to share your pre-break reflection sheet at home!  

This is a great opportunity to talk about literature logs, skills you can work on, and skills that are going well for you.

Have a great break, remember to read a little every day!

Tuesday, December 18th

Due Wednesday: 
If you did not type and print your poem on Monday, ensure that at least one member of your group does so for Wednesday's class.

Thursday, December 13th

Due Friday: Finish "Zebra." 

Due Monday: Edited Short Story Review papers. If you have below a 3 in either content or conventions, editing is required!

Wednesday, December 12th

Due Friday for LA 2, 3 - Finish "Zebra" on the Expert 21 website.

Monday, December 10th

LA 1 only - Read "Zebra" on the Expert 21 website for Wednesday.

Friday, December 7th

Due Monday: Type and hand in the poem you started in class on Friday.

Wednesday, December 5th

Due Thursday - 
Sonnet Worksheet

Due Friday - 
All four illustrations and the completed graphic organizer for "Pit and the Pendulum." Please use the self-assessment and rubric sheet to ensure that your work will get a 3 or higher!

Due Wednesday - 
Graphic organizer notes and illustration for pages 6-9.

Due Thursday - 
Shakespearean sonnet worksheet

Monday, December 3rd

Due Wednesday - 
Notes in the graphic organizer and illustration for pages 6-9 of the short story.

Due Monday - 
Finish graphic organizer notes and pg. 2-5 illustration if you did not complete it in class.

Thursday, November 29th

Due Friday - 
Finish graphic organizer notes and paragraph illustration if you did not complete it in class.

Wednesday, November 28th

Due Thursday: 
Hand in your completed short story review WITH your rough draft and the peer editing sheet.

Monday, November 26th

Due Wednesday - 
LA 1 and 2 -  Edit and print your finished short story review for peer editing.

LA 3 - Edit and print your short story review (finish two paragraphs minimum) for peer editing.

Wednesday, November 21

Due Monday: 
Finish book review worksheet if you did not finish it in class.

Friday, November 16th

Due Monday: 
Finish 2nd worksheet for the second half of "The Man from the South."

Thursday, November 15th

Due Friday - Fill each box on the worksheet with examples from the short story. Please do not read ahead!

Friday, November 9th

Due Tuesday: Finish worksheet for "The Lottery"

Thursday, November 8th

Due Friday: 
Make 3 predictions about "The Lottery" in full sentences. Do NOT read ahead.

Monday, November 5th

Due Wednesday: Finish, type, and revise your paragraphs on the science article from Monday. 6 sentence minimum, three examples from the text (2 for your side, 1 for the other side).

Friday, November 2nd

Monday, November 5th is the last day of the quarter! Everyone should have their literature log number written in their planners. Please use this weekend to complete literature logs and get caught up if you need to!

If you choose to revise your research paper, Monday is the last day to turn it in.

Thursday, November 1st

On Friday, November 2nd - Quarterly Writing Assessment. 
Please come to class prepared with lined paper, pencils, and an outside reading book.

Remember that November 5th is the last day to turn in reading logs! Please come to me if you do not know how many reading logs you have so far.

thursday, October 25th

Due Monday:
Finish the 47-54 HoD character chart.
If your class did not get to page 58, please read over the weekend.

Wednesday, October 24th

For Thursday: 
Remember to come to class with your paper complete or very near to complete. You will have the class period to work on it, but it is due at the end of Thursday's class!

Bring an outside reading book.

Friday, October 19th

Due Monday: 
Finish pg. 16-21 characterization chart

Due Tuesday: 
Two quote sandwiches for the research project.

Due Thursday: 
Rough draft of research paper due (we will work on it in class and hand in a final draft that day)

Thursday, October 18th

Due Monday: 
Read to the bottom of the 1st paragraph on page 30 if you did not get there in class. 
Finish the character chart for pages 16-21.

Friday, October 5th

Next Friday, October 12th - Final day to hand in revised "Most Dangerous Game" Papers.

See you Tuesday to Knock Out NECAP! Don't forget those outside reading books!  

Thursday, October 4th

Due Friday - Finish 10-16 character chart. 

Next Friday, October 12th - Final day to hand in revised "Most Dangerous Game" Papers.

Next week is NECAP, please remember to bring your outside reading book to homeroom! This is a great time to catch up on outside reading for the 25 book requirement. 

Wednesday, October 3rd

Due Thursday - Half of the 10-16 character chart. 

Due Friday - Finish 10-16 character chart. 

Next Friday, October 12th - Final day to hand in revised "Most Dangerous Game" Papers.

Tuesday, October 2nd

Due Wednesday - 
Finish character chart for pgs. 5-10 

Due Thursday - Half of the 10-16 worksheet.  

Monday, October 1st

Due Tuesday - 
Finish character chart for pages 1-5 (whatever you did not finish in class). Begin working on character chart for pages 5-10 (you will not get this chart until Monday). 

Due Wednesday - 
Finish character chart for pgs. 5-10

Friday, September 28th

Due Monday - 
Write a short profile of your favorite age-appropriate author. Use the author description of Joseph Conrad on pg. V in your copy of Heart of Darkness as a model. Six sentences minimum. 
Or
Complete worksheet for "All Summer in a Day"

Due Tuesday - 
Finish character chart for pages 1-5 (whatever you did not finish in class). Begin working on character chart for pages 6-9 (you will not get this chart until Monday).

Thursday, September 27th

Due Monday - 
Write a short profile of your favorite age-appropriate author. Use the author description of Joseph Conrad on pg. V in your copy of Heart of Darkness as a model. Six sentences minimum. 

Or

Complete worksheet for "All Summer in a Day"

Wednesday, September 26th

Due Thursday - 
Research and write down ten significant facts about Joseph Conrad, author of Heart of Darkness or Ray Bradbury, if you are reading the short story first. Include at least four facts not found on the back of the book or in the author description in the beginning of the book. 

Due Friday - 
If you received a comma worksheet on Wednesday afternoon, please complete exercise 6 for Friday. 

Thursday, September 20th

For Reading 3 only - Due Monday:
Exercise 7 on the comma worksheet.

Tuesday, September 18th

Due Wednesday - 
Final draft of your MDG paper.

Due Thursday - 
Summary of the lit circle article.

Monday, September 17th

Due Wednesday: 
Completed MDG Essay. Please use size 12 and Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman font when handing in your paper!

Thursday, September 13th

Due Friday:
Two quote sandwiches for your MDG paper.

Due Monday:
Introduction due for MDG paper.


Final paper will be due Wednesday, September 19th.

Monday, September 10th

 DRP test on Wednesday.

For Thursday: 
Finish the chart packet (including theme questions) if you did not finish it in class.

Thursday, September 6th

Due Friday: 
Finish Rainsford - pgs. 1-6 and Zaroff - pgs. 5-6 in your packet. 

Due Monday:
Finish Rainsford - pgs. 7-13 and Zaroff - pgs 7-13 in your packet. Some of the pages are out of order, please double check to make sure you are filling out the correct chart!

Wednesday, September 5th

Due Friday: 
Fill out the packet for Rainsford - Pgs. 1-6 and Zaroff - Pgs. 5-6 if you did not finish in it in class.

Tuesday, September 4th

Due Wednesday, 9/5: Three summer reading logs. Please see me if you are having trouble finishing logs!

Please do not forget to have your parent or guardian sign the ELA introduction sheet and give me a phone number or email address where I can contact them.

Friday, August 31st

Due Tuesday, 9/4: If you have not done so already, please leave a comment on this blog using your Jamestown email address. Your email address is lastname.firstname@jamestownstudents.org. Please see me if you need your password. 

Due Wednesday, 9/5: Three summer reading logs. 

Please do not forget to have your parent or guardian sign the ELA introduction sheet and give me a phone number or email address where I can contact them. 

Welcome New 8th Graders!

Welcome Ms. Connelly's 8th grade ELA class! It is the 2012-2013 school year and the year you graduate from Lawn Avenue School. 

For your first homework assignment, I want to make sure everyone knows how to find this blog when they aren't in my classroom. I also want to make sure that everyone has a working email account with Jamestown schools. To do that, I would like you to leave a comment on this blog entry by Monday, September 3rd. 
My homework assignments will usually look like this - 

For Tuesday, September 4th - 

All classes: Leave a comment on my most recent blog post using your Jamestown email. 

Ms. Connelly's email address is Connelly.Cornelia@jamestownschools.org. If you have trouble with your email or you don't have one yet, don't worry! Let me know and we will work it out.

Have a Great Summer!

I enjoyed my year with all of you, I hope you will keep reading regularly and keep up the good work!

Literature Logs

June 8th is the last day to turn in Literature Logs. 

4 Suggestions for Literature Logs - 
Macbeth
Expert 21 (choose two readings to write about)
Every 50 pages of the Social Studies Enrichment reading. You do NOT need to write a literature log. You DO need to bring your completed SS Enrichment worksheet. 
All the Science Enrichment magazines combined. Write a literature log similar to the Expert 21 log, choosing a few articles to focus on.


Please make sure you have a list of your books for the year in addition to the Literature Logs.

Tuesday, May 29th

Macbeth Test on Wednesday, May 29th. Come to class with a pen or pencil and your copy of Macbeth.

Macbeth Jeopardy Link

http://www.superteachertools.com/jeopardy/usergames/May201221/game1337616967.php

Thursday, May 24th

Due Friday - Turn in your completed "Macbeth" packet. Remember: f you have even scenes, you may do an odd scene for extra credit. If you have odd scenes, you may choose one odd scene to skip, or do all of them for extra credit.
If you cannot turn in your packet tomorrow, please let me know in advance! That means today!


Friday will be the final SRI.


Next Wednesday, May 30th, will be the final Macbeth test. It will include quote "translation" and speaker identification, short answer questions, and a bonus section!

Tuesday, May 22nd

Due Wednesday - Macbeth worksheets up to Act 5, Scene 6 (even if your class read farther).


On Friday we will do the SRI. This is the last SRI, make it count! Please bring an outside reading book or Macbeth worksheets if you are behind. 
Be prepared to hand in your Macbeth packets on Friday at the end of class. 


Next Wednesday - Macbeth test. The Macbeth test will include a quote section and short answer questions. More details and review later this week.

Monday, May 21st

Due Wednesday - Macbeth worksheets for the scenes your Reading section read in class. Up to Act 5, Scene 6

Monday, May 14th

Due Wednesday or Thursday
Reading 1, 2 - Worksheets up to Act 4, Scene 2
Reading 3 - Worksheets up to Act 4, Scene 3

Thursday, May 10th

Due Monday - 
Reading 2, 3 - Worksheets up to Act 3, Scene 4. 

Reading 1 - Worksheets up to Act 3, Scene 6

Tuesday, May 8th

Due Thursday - 
Reading 2, 3 - Worksheets up to Act 2, Scene 3
Reading 1 - Worksheets up to Act 2, Scene 4


Literature log due on Thursday, everyone should have a minimum of 22 logs by now!

Monday, May 7th

Due Tuesday - Complete the worksheets for your assigned scenes that we read in class.
We read up to Act 1, Scene 7 in each class. Please make sure you check which scenes you are responsible for!  

If you did not turn in your kindness essay on Friday, it is no longer eligible for the contest. You are, however, still responsible for turning one in for a class grade! 

Friday, May 4th

Due Tuesday - Complete the worksheets for your assigned scenes that we read in class. 
We read up to Act 1, Scene 7 in each class. Please make sure you check which scenes you are responsible for! 

Due Friday: Begin work on your Macbeth worksheets if we read one of your assigned scenes.

Friday is the last day to hand in your Will Reynolds Essay. No papers will be accepted after Friday! 

Monday, April 30th

For Tuesday - Come to class prepared to write the Will Reynolds' essay. 

Thursday, April 26th

Due Monday - Come to class prepared to present your PowerPoint. 
 Please have a plan for accessing the PowerPoint on my computer! 

Hand in your short paper. 

Change: Each group should hand in a printed version of their PowerPoint. Please write your name on the slides you worked on.

Wednesday, April 25th

For Thursday - Continue to work on your Frederick Douglass projects. 


Due Monday - Frederick Douglass presentations, PowerPoint, and papers are due Monday. Please print your PowerPoint, label the slides you worked on, and staple it to the paper when you hand it in. Each group member will present the slides they worked on when you get up in front of the class. 


Note: If anyone feels their group will be prepared to present on Thursday, let me know! You would not have to hand in your paper and printed PowerPoint until Monday.

Tuesday, April 24th

Due Thursday - Continue working on your Frederick Douglass project. 


Wednesday we are writing the in-class essay for the Humane Society! Please come to class with paper and a pen.

Monday, April 23rd

Due Tuesday - Last day to hand in Frederick Douglass Rhetorical Appeals and Timeline! 
Come to class prepared to begin work on your Frederick Douglass project.
Tally mark sentences.

Friday, April 13th

Due the Monday after break - fill in blank sections of the worksheet if you did not complete them in class. 

Have a great break!

Wednesday, April 11th

Due Friday - Complete timeline. If you need more time to finish the timeline, please see me.
Finish Rhetorical Appeals for chapter 11. 

Be prepared to hand in your completed timeline and Rhetorical Appeals for chapters 1-11.

Monday, April 9th

For Wednesday - 
Reading 1,2 - Finish timeline up through chapters 9+10
Reading 3 - Finish timeline up through chapters 7+8


Begin rhetorical appeals for chapter 11.

Wednesday, April 4th

Please bring your copy of Frederick Douglass to class on Thursday.
 
Due Monday (April 9th) - Finish reading Chapter 10. 

Reading 2,3 - Finish chapters 5+6 on your timeline. Please see me if you need help! 

Reading 1 - Finish chapters 7+8 on your timeline. 

Monday, April 2nd

Due Wednesday - Read Frederick Douglass up to pg. 91 in the small book ("At the close of the year 1834") and pg. 49 in the big book (same line). Three RA quotes for chapter 10.

Thursday, March 29th

For Monday - Finish the Frederick Douglass vocabulary through chapter 11. Complete your timeline through chapter 4. Please let me know if you need more paper!

Tomorrow (Friday, March 30th) is the last day to hand in your revised paper. If you choose not to revise, return your paper to me. Every day you do not, you'll get a 0 homework grade!

Tuesday, March 27th

Due Thursday - RA quotes for chapter 9.

Friday, March 23rd

Due Tuesday - RA quotes for chapter 8. Finish chapter 8 if you did not read all of it in class.
FD vocab words through chapter 9. SAT vocabulary quiz on Tuesday!

Wednesday, March 21st

Due Friday - Chapter 7 RA quotes. 5th literature log.

Monday, March 19th

Due Tuesday - Come in prepared to put together your completed sonnet with your group, print, and hand in. Please be finished with your portion of the assignment, there will only be a short time to work on this in class.


Due Wednesday - SAT vocab definitions and sentences. RA quotes for chapter 6.

Thursday, March 15th

Due Monday - Rhetorical Appeal advertising assignment. 

Due Wednesday - SAT vocab definitions and sentences.

Tuesday, March 13th

Due Thursday - 
RA quotes for chapter 5. 

Thursday Vocabulary Quiz on the SAT vocab words.

Thursday, March 8th

Due Friday - Rhetorical Appeal quotes for chapters 1+2. Sentences due for SAT vocab. 

Due Tuesday - Rhetorical Appeal quotes for chapters 3 and 4. FD vocabulary definitions for chapters 1-4.

Wednesday, March 7th

Due Friday -Rhetorical Appeal quotes for chapters 1 and 2 if you did not finish them in class.

Monday, February 5th

Due Wednesday - Final Night Paper

Friday, March 2nd

Due Monday - By Monday everyone should have at least 15 literature logs for the year, or 3 for the quarter. Please let me know in advance if you would like to do a special project instead of writing a literature log! 

Night paper due - Wednesday, March 7th (I will only be able to stay after school on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday next week, so please let me know early if you need any extra help!)

Thursday, March 1st

Due Friday - No homework. You may hand in literature logs tomorrow or Monday. Everyone should have either 15 literature logs for the year or 3 for the quarter. Please let me know if you would like to do a special project instead of a literature log! 


Night Paper due - Wednesday, March 7th

Wednesday, February 29th

Happy Leap Day! 

Due Thursday - Please write out the three quote sandwiches for your first body paragraph if you did not finish in class. Include every piece of the sandwich from the sheet we did on Tuesday! (handwritten is fine)

Final Night paper will be due on Wednesday, March 7th.


Note: I am happy to stay after school on Monday-Thursday (Thursday is homework club in my classroom) to answer any questions or give any extra help for the paper.

Due Wednesday: Bring finished introductory paragraph and paper outline to class.
Typed intros must either be printed, or you must have your own computer with you to show me, we will not have the laptops on Wed.

Note: I am happy to stay after school on Monday-Thursday (Thursday is homework club in my classroom) to answer any questions or give any extra help for the paper. 

Reminder - Literature logs 2 + 3 for this quarter are due on Friday. If you have already turned in a 2nd or 3rd literature log, you do not need to turn in more.  

Monday, February 27th

Welcome Back! 


Due Tuesday: Work on your Night paper outline. We will be using laptops in class on Tuesday to work on the papers.


Due Wednesday: Bring finished introductory paragraph and paper outline to class. 


Note: I am happy to stay after school on Monday-Thursday (Thursday is homework club in my classroom) to answer any questions or give any extra help for the paper.

Thursday, February 16th

Due Monday after break - 3 dissections and 2 questions for chapter 8.
2 dissections and 2 questions for chapter 9. 
(You will have time this Wednesday and Thursday during class to work on these, so please use your time wisely so you don't have to do it during break!) 

Due Wednesday after break - Introduction paragraph and completed outline of Night personal essay (we will work on these the Monday and Tuesday after break).

Wednesday, January 15th

For Thursday - 2 dissections and 2 question quotes for chapter 7. 


Due Monday after break - 3 dissections and 2 questions for chapter 8.
2 dissections and 2 questions for chapter 9. 
(You will have time this Wednesday and Thursday during class to work on these, so please use your time wisely so you don't have to do it during break!) 


Due Wednesday after break - Introduction paragraph and completed outline of Night personal essay (we will work on these the Monday and Tuesday after break).

Due Wednesday: Read "America I Love" (changed assignment)

Due Thursday: 2 dissections and 2 questions for chapter 7.

Monday, February 13th

Due Tuesday: Finish the chapter assignments for chapter 6 that you did not finish in class. (3 dissections, 2 questions).
Chapter assignments 4-6 will go into your portfolio on Tuesday, please make sure they are complete, including answers to question quotes, before they go in your portfolio. 

Due Wednesday: Read "America I Love" (changed assignment)

Friday, February 10th

Due Tuesday: Finish the chapter assignments for chapter 6 that you did not finish in class. (3 dissections, 2 questions). 
Chapter assignments 4-6 will go into your portfolio on Tuesday, please make sure they are complete, including answers to question quotes, before they go in your portfolio.

Wednesday, February 8th

Due Friday: Vocabulary quiz and 1st literature log.

Monday, February 6th

For Wednesday: Ten sentences, one for each vocabulary word. 
One question quote, two dissection paragraphs for chapter 5. 
Finish Chapter 5 if we didn't finish in class (pg. 80)

Due Friday: Vocabulary quiz, first literature log. 

Friday, February 3rd

Due Monday: Read to the top of pg. 70. 
One question quote and one dissection paragraph for chapter 4.
One question quote and one dissection paragraph for chapter 5. 


1st literature log due Friday, Feb. 10th 

Thursday, February 2nd

Due Friday: 10 definitions for the 10 vocabulary words. 

Due Monday: Read to the top of pg. 70. 
One question quote and one dissection paragraph for chapter 4.
One question quote and one dissection paragraph for chapter 5.

Wednesday, February 1st

Due Thursday: One question quote and two dissection paragraphs for Chapter 4. 

Tuesday, January 31st

Wednesday: Read "Public Speaking" on Expert Space.


Thursday: One question quote, two dissections (chapter 4) for Thursday.

Monday, January 30th

For Tuesday: Completed chapter assignments for chapters 1-3 of Night. Two question quotes and three dissection paragraphs per chapter (fifteen in all). Be ready to hand in the work, if it is on your computer please print!


Note: The first literature log of the quarter is due next Monday, February 6th.

For Wednesday: Read "Public Speaking" on Expert Space. 

Thursday, January 26th

For Friday: SRI testing in class on Friday, no homework (bring homework or an outside reading book to class in case you finish early).


For Monday: Final draft of your Antarctica letter due Monday. Please pay special attention to the format and be sure to include lots of detail!


For Tuesday: All 15 items (6 question quotes and 9 dissection paragraphs) for chapters 1, 2, and three of Night should be completed by Tuesday. Bring them in ready to hand in and go into your portfolio folder.

Wednesday, January 25th

For Thursday: Rough draft of Antarctica letter due Thursday.


For Friday: SRI Testing Friday. Bring an outside reading book or homework to do in case you finish the test early.

Tuesday, January 24th

Wednesday: Final literature logs due for second quarter. 6 is the standard.

Thursday: First draft of your Antarctica letter due. Please bring a printed version to class for editing!

Friday: SRI Testing

Monday, January 23rd

Tuesday: No Homework - Quarterly Writing Assessment in class.

Please bring your outside reading book and/or literature logs to work on once you have finished the writing assessment. Final literature logs are Due Wednesday, this is a good opportunity to get some done if you haven't finished already!


Wednesday: Final literature logs due for second quarter.


Thursday: First draft of your Antarctica letter due.


Friday: SRI Testing

For Monday: Last two dissection paragraphs for Chapter 2. One question quote for chapter 3.




Tuesday: No Homework - Quarterly Writing Assessment in class.


Wednesday: Final literature logs due for second quarter.


Thursday: First draft of your Antarctica letter due.


Friday: SRI Testing

Thursday, January 19th

Are you interested in ordering any books from Scholastic? Please bring that form in by Friday of this week.

For Friday: Come to class prepared to write or type! 


For Monday: Last two dissection paragraphs for Chapter 2. One question quote for chapter 3.


Notes: Next week is the end of the quarter, so it will be a busy week! Tuesday will be the Quarterly Writing Assessment, Wednesday is the last day to hand in literature logs for this quarter (come see me if you need to know how many you need for a 3), and Friday you will take the SRI.

Wednesday, January 18th

All classes - 


For Thursday: Complete your two question quotes for Chapter 2 (answers do not need to be completed, you may ask your questions in class). Finish your 1st dissection paragraph if you did not finish it in class on Tuesday. 


Notes: Next week is the end of the quarter, so it will be a busy week! Tuesday will be the Quarterly Writing Assessment, Wednesday is the last day to hand in literature logs for this quarter (come see me if you need to know how many you need for a 3), and Friday you will take the SRI.

Tuesday, January 17th

For Wednesday: On Wednesday we will be holding the spelling bee in class! 

For Thursday: Complete your two question quotes for Chapter 2 (answers do not need to be completed, you may ask your questions in class). Finish your 1st dissection paragraph if you did not finish it in class on Tuesday. 

Note: Wednesday, January 25th is the last day to hand in literature logs for the 2nd quarter. 6 books are required for a 3!

Wednesday, January 11th

For Tuesday: 
Finish Chapter 1.
2 dissection paragraphs for chapter 1.
1 question quote for chapter 1. 

Monday, January 9th

For Tuesday: Read "Shabanu" up to the section titled "Derawar" (all classes except LA 1)


For Wednesday: Two literature logs due for a total of three this quarter.
Finish the question quote and the dissection paragraph quote we began in class on Monday.

Friday, January 6th

All classes - 


For Monday: Vocabulary Quiz! (abrasive, bilk, covert, engender, hangar, knotty, nuance, plagiarism, renown, tangent)

For Tuesday: Read "Shabanu" to the section headed "Derawar."


For Wednesday: Two additional literature logs due Wednesday. Remember that the quarter ends on the 24th! Please be sure to ask me if you would like to do a special project instead of a literature log. 

Thursday, January 5th

All classes - 

For Friday: Vocab sentences

For Monday: Vocab quiz (usual format - 7 definitions and 3 sentences using all ten words).

Wednesday, January 4th

Welcome Back! 


For Friday:
All LA classes - Write sentences for each of the 10 vocabulary words handed out on Wednesday.


Note: Next Wednesday, January 11th, you will need to bring 3 completed literature logs to class (this is INCLUDING the literature log that was due before the break). 
Please speak to me if you would like 1 of your 6 required literature logs for the quarter to be a special project. The quarter ends January 24th, don't delay!