Debate Powerpoint and Service Learning.

We have entered the wonderful world of debates in 8th grade!  We are combining with other classes and formulating our arguements for the big debates on December 15th and 17th.  These debates are a lot of work, and students will work together to come up with the best arguement for their topic.  All grades are individual, ask your student for their debate packet, see how much work they are doing!

Here is the Online Research PPT I promised to post.  This may be of some help in your research.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/44405708


Team 8C is also planning their annual Kids Helping Kids Service Learning Project.  Permission slips have gone out, and they are due by next Friday December 10th.  We have developed a wonderful working relationship with the Green Harvest Food Pantry in Plainfield over the past few years and we are excited to be working with them again.  In addition to the monitary donation we will be making to Green Harvest, we are also asking for non-perishable food items to be donated for families in need in our area.  Please visit the Green Harvest Pantry website at http://www.greenharvest.org/ for more information about the pantry and what we will be collecting.

If you lost your permission slip, here is a copy!

http://www.scribd.com/doc/44406624

Students should also be reading at home from our new class novels, either To Be A Slave or Lord of the Flies.  Please keep your eye out for these books as we will not be reading in class, is is all done at home this time.  There will be spot quizzes every 3-5 chapters in addition to writing and creative projects to assess understanding.

Hope you have a great week!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our Thanksgiving cards for Green Harvest Food Pantry that were made in E-Period were a great success.  I am so proud of how seriously you took this task.  Mr. Greene was impressed by the craftsmanship and told me that these cards made the family's donation bags that much more meaningful.  Great job guys! 

Debates start next week, get ready!  You are going to leave for break knowing your topic and group for your dabate.  Everyone needs to come in on Monday with ONE source on your chosen topic, this will help jumpstart your research.  Debates will be presented on December 15th and 17th, and parents are welcome to come watch how hard you worked.

I hope everyone has a happy Turkey Day!  I wish you the comfort of food, family, and fun this long weekend. 

Book Presentations

I LOVE how inventive everyone has been with this last book project.  You summarized so well through your artifacts, and the questions being asked of the presenters are great!  I am very proud of everyone and you will get these back next week when everyone is finished presenting.

Monday we will take a trip to the Media Center to get our next book, Biography/Autobiography.  You may choose anyone you would like to learn more about, but remember, you must present your next report as that person!  This project is a lot of fun, and it will be the last one before Winter Break.  Can you believe it?

Do not forget that we have the fieldtrip to East to see "It's a Wonderful Life" on Wednesday.  Please bring in your permission slip and $1.00 by Tuesday.  We will be walking across the field, so please dress warm and comfortable.  I know Ms. Merz and I will be doing just that!

Wordly Wise vocabulary test is Friday November 12.  This test covers lesson 4 words.  Please be sure you are looking over these words all week long!  We will also be finishing up our novels soon, and we will be moving into literature circles with stories that connect to the themes in out novels.  This is another fun time of reading great short stories, my favorite!

Have a nice weekend, see you Monday.

Missing Work

I have started implementing an official missing work file to keep students more aware of their own missing work. It seems now that we are settling in, missing work is becoming more and more common. Students will begin recording their missing work on an index card, with the assignment's due date and the date it was turned in. There is a space for them to put their card up as a reminder that there is still work missing for them, annonomasly. After three late assignments, an after school study session will be required to catch up on work and help organize students. I want all students to be successful, and doing work is part of that success.


Narratives were due today and I want to thank all parents and adults who took the time to reflect of their student's writing. The growth of the narratives was very evident, students worked very hard on these imaginative stories. I am very proud!  Students,  keep up the great work!





  

As Promised...

As promised here are the documents for the October Book Project, which is now due November 4, 2010.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/38704440

http://www.scribd.com/doc/38704416

Novels Next Week! Hooray!

We have had a busy week writing our Narrative pieces and showing a lot of growth in that writing. Look for these pieces to come home in the next week or two, parents will be assessing growth and looking at how great their students are writing.


Everyone should have a Historical Fiction novel and should have begun reading by now. We have not had a lot of reading time in class lately, and next week does not look much better in terms of time, so read, read, and read at home! The next book report project is due October 28th, I will post the links to the assignment next week. Below are two very good links for the Historical Fiction genre which contain titles and reviews if you still need some ideas.


http://www.historicalnovels.info/index.html


http://dannyreviews.com/s/historical_fiction.html


Next week we will begin reading The Giver by Lois Lowery in regular track language arts and Jekyll and Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson in accelerated language arts. Most reading will be done in school, but there will be some work to be completed at home. We will begin our pre-reading Monday, and hopefully jump into the novels by Wednesday. I am so excited!


I would like everyone to have index cards next week so we can make study flash cards for our vocabulary work. This will allow students to take their words home to study, and not worry about forgetting their book, for their vocabulary tests we take every other Friday. Thanks you for your understanding with running to the store again, as a mom I know how that feels! Darn teachers! ;-)


I wish everyone a great weekend, let's hope for some sunshine!

Out Sick

I have been sick all weekend, and it has spilled over into my week.  I just wanted to get on the blog and hopefully let everyone know what the sub was supposed to tell you....

THE BOOK REPORT IS NOT DUE UNTIL WEDNESDAY DUE TO MY ABSENCE TODAY. 

I have the last minute edits that were given to me on Friday, they are all done and for most, should be quick fixes tomorrow night.  See you all tomorrow.