Brachiating through the trees, the orangutan performed the most amazing moves.  He flipped and three-sixtied; he twirled and somersaulted.  He outdid himself with every reach of his arm. When he finally soared deeper into the trees, we could only silently stare at the space he had filled with his dance.

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This week:

• Monday–
  • New Seats; Check lesson 8 flashcards; Word of the Week; Read TKAM ch. 12
  • HW: L.8 ex. A&B, Study Vocabulary & Spelling Lessons 1-8
• Tuesday–
  • Review ex. A & B; Discuss ch. 12; Read TKAM ch. 13
  • HW:L.8 ex. C, Study Vocabulary & Spelling Lessons 1-8
• Wednesday–
  • Review ex. C; read TKAM ch. 14; Discuss; Review TKAM test
  • HW:Bring SSR book, Study Vocabulary & Spelling Lessons 1-8
• Thursday/Friday–
  • Lesson 1-8 Midterm; SSR time;  Characterization & Idioms –class activity
  • HW: Lesson 9 flashcards, SSR time

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If you are a fan of the CLIQUE books:

When	Saturday, November 14, 2009, 11am – 12pm
Where	Central Library Friends Meeting Room Newport Beach Public Library 1000 Avocado Avenue Newport Beach, CA 92660
Event type	General
Note	Lisi Harrison–author of the wildly popular series ‘The Clique’–will visit the Central Library to talk about her books, take questions from her audience and sign autographs. EHMAGAWD! Don’t miss this chance to meet the fabulous Lisi. This event is sponsored by the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation. There is no registration required and no fee. Seating is first come, first served. Room capacity is 200. For questions or other information please contact the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation at 949-717-3890 or Teen Services at 939-717-3808.

“Past disasters linked to the number 13 hardly help triskaidekaphobics overcome their affliction.  The most famous is the Apollo 13 mission, launched on 4/11/70 (4+11+70=85; 8+5=13), from Pad 39 (3 x 13=39), at 13:13 local time, and struck by an explosion on April 13th.”

This week:

• Monday– Check Lesson 7 flashcards; Word of the Week; Citizenship Self-Evaluation; Read TKAM ch. 11
  • HW: Review TKAM ch. 1-11, Vocabulary ex. A & B
• Tuesday–Check ex. A & B; Finish Reading ch. 11; Discussion Questions
  • HW: Finish Discussion Questions ch. 10-11, Vocab ex. C, STUDY ch. 1-11
• Wednesday– Check ex. C; TKAM Part 1 Review (Jeopardy)
  • HW: STUDY TKAM Part 1, Bring SSR book
• Thursday/Friday (minimum days)– TKAM Part 1 test; SSR time (*there is no vocab test this week)
  • HW: Lesson 8 flashcards, Study for Vocabulary Midterm (Lessons 1-8)

UPCOMING TESTS:

• Oct. 29/30–TKAM Part 1 Test
  • Characters
    • who they are
    • relationships to each other
    • real names vs. nicknames
  • Plot
  • Setting
  • Literary Devices
  • Elements of Fiction (as they relate to the novel)
    
  • Harper Lee
    
• Nov. 5/6–Vocabulary & Spelling Midterm (Lessons 1-8)

Sometimes my facetious remarks are taken too literally.  For instance, I was being facetious when I told Dr. Culverhouse that I thought the Language Arts teachers would teach much better after a day at a spa.  How did I know she’d take me seriously?  Should I tell her I was kidding or take the spa?

This week:

• Monday–Check lesson 6 flashcards; Word of the Week; Read TKAM ch. 7
  • HW:  ex. A & B, TKAM ch. 4-9 questions due block day, Reading Log/Bathroom tickets due Wednesday
• Tuesday–Review ex. A & B; Read TKAM ch. 8; Work on homework
  • HW:  ex. C, TKAM questions, read, study vocab/spelling
• Wednesday–Collect Reading Logs & Bathroom Tickets; Review ex. C; Read TKAM ch. 9
  • HW:  TKAM questions, Study Vocab, Bring SSR book
• Thursday/Friday–Lesson 6 Vocab & Spelling Test; SSR time; Collect & Discuss TKAM questions; New Reading Logs & Bathroom tickets; Read ch. 10
  • HW:  Lesson 7 flashcards, SSR time

Marvin opened the refrigerator and pulled out the bread, mustard, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ham, roast beef, turkey, swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, and bacon.  He worked for the next twenty minutes creating a masterpiece of a sandwich.  It had five layers of lightly toasted bread and didn’t even topple off its plate.  Just before he could take that first incredible bite, he woke up.  Disgusted, he threw the sandwich away.  You see, Marvin was a vegetarian–only as a SOMNAMBULATOR did Marvin eat meat.

This week

• Monday–Check flashcards (L.5); Collect TKAM ch. 2 homework; Word of the Week; Evaluation and Reflection for Elements of Fiction/Literary Devices Test
  • HW: Lesson 5 ex. A & B, Read
• Tuesday–Review ex. A & B; Read TKAM ch. 3
  • HW: Lesson 5 ex. C, ch. 3 Questions (due on Block Day)
• Wednesday–Review ex. C; Surprise Quiz on TKAM; Read TKAM ch. 4
  • HW:  Study vocab & spelling, bring SSR book, ch. 3 questions due tomorrow
• Thursday/Friday–Collect ch. 3 questions; Lesson 5 Spelling & Vocab Test; SSR time; Read TKAM ch. 5 & 6

  • HW:  Lesson 6 flashcards, READ!!, TKAM questions for ch. 4-9 due next Block Day.

**READING LOGS ARE DUE WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21st**

Like a sinuous beast, the fog crawled along the valley, shrouding the land in a dense grey mist.

This week:

• Monday–Check lesson 4 flashcards; Word of the Week; Discuss TKAM ch. 1 [retest of literary devices quiz @ lunch or after school]
  • HW:Lesson 4 ex. A & B, STUDY for tomorrow’s test
• Tuesday–Review ex. A & B; TEST–elements of fiction/literary devices; Opinnionaire (class discussion)
  • HW: Lesson 4 ex. C, Read, Study for spelling & vocab
• Wednesday–Review ex. C; Opinnionaire
  • HW: Begin Chapter questions, Bring SSR book, Study for spelling & vocabulary
• Thursday/Friday–Lesson 4 spelling & vocab. quiz; SSR time; read ch. 2 TKAM
  • HW: Lesson 5 flashcards, Ch. 2 questions

It was Curtis’s fifteenth birthday party.  He had sent out the handmade invitations more than a week ago and everyone replied that they’d be there.  The party was at 2:00.  It was now 10:00.  Curtis’s mood blackened by the hour.  When the doorbell finally rang, the latecomers were not greeted by their loving friend; instead they were met with a cantankerous yowl and a bowl of kitty treats thrown at their heads.  “Hey!” they cried.  “It wasn’t our fault.  Your street is blocked by a fallen telephone pole.  We really tried to get here on time!”  But the only thing listening to their pleas was Curtis’s slammed door.

This week:

• Monday–Check Lesson 3 flashcards; Word of the Week; “The Great Depression” Packet–work independently on it (due on block day)
  • HW: Lesson 3 ex. A&B/study, Review Literary Devices notes, Packet due on Block Day
• Tuesday–Review ex. A & B; Literary Devices surprise; discuss & work on packet
  • HW: Vocab ex. C/study, Packet due on Block Day
• Wednesday(career day)–Review ex. C; Read the Play; Packet/Study
  • HW:Study Lesson 3, Packet due Block Day, Bring SSR book
• Thursday/Friday–Lesson 3 Spellling & Vocab test; SSR time; Collect “Great Depression”Packet; Harper Lee; Get To Kill a Mockingbird from library; Begin ch. 1
  • HW: Vocabulary Lesson 4 flashcards, read To Kill a Mockingbird ch. 1

 TEST–October 6th–>Elements of Fiction & Literary Devices

Lit Devices Quiz–RETEST on Monday (lunch or after school)

Click on Pages–>Powerpoint Notes to help study

Yesterday, I made breakfast, cleaned my room, did the family’s laundry, took my little brother to the park, made dinner, and did all my Silver homework; and I still had enough energy to read for half an hour.  I was indefatigable!

This week:

• Monday–Word of the Week; Check flashcards; Continue Elements of Fiction notes
  • HW: Vocab Lesson 2 ex. A & B, Read
• Tuesday– Check ex. A & B; Read “Mrs. Flowers” in Holt Literature Book (pgs. 130-133); Begin Assignment for the story
  • HW: Vocab ex. C, Complete “Mrs. Flowers” work
• Wednesday–Check ex. C; Discuss & Review “Mrs. Flowers” & check Homework; Begin “Harriet Tubman”
  • HW: Study Lesson 2 Voacb & Spelling, Bring SSR book
• Thursday/Friday (minimum days)–Lesson 2 Vocab & Spelling test; SSR time; Continue “Harriet Tubman”
  • HW:  Lesson 3 flashcards, Read, Review Literary Devices

The doctor looked kindly at my mom and said, “Don’t worry, it’s just a severe case of rhinorrhea.  And I know the number of a good carpet cleaner.  You’ll have all that mucus out in no time!”

This week:

• Monday–Word of the Week; Check flashcards; Formatting Papers; Finish notes–Literary Devices
  • HW: Vocab. Lesson 1 ex A & B, Self-Portrait Poems due Wednesday (yped!)
• Tuesday–Check ex. A & B; Draw Self-Portraits
  • HW: Vocab Lesson 1 ex. C, Self-Portrait Poems due tomorrow
• Wednesday–Collect Poems; Check ex. C; Complete Self-Portraits
  • HW: Study Lesson 1 spelling & vocab, BRING SSR BOOK TO CLASS
• Thursday/Friday–Lesson 1 test; SSR time; Notes–Elements of Fiction
  • HW: Lesson 2 Flashcards, Read

“Words are the voice of the heart” –Confucius

A word is dead
When it is said,
Some say,
I say it just
Begins to live
That day.

Emily Dickinson (1830 – 1886)

• Words are powerful things.  Over the course of this year we will examine them from many angles–their meanings & etymologies, their connotations, how they act in the hands of one author versus another, and how you transport your ideas through them.
• One place you can use your words is on this blog site.  I expect you to post often during the year.  Create an original sentence, comment on the class, ask a question, support a fellow student…Just remember to be kind and respectful; words can be a weapon, and weapons aren’t tolerated.
• So, let’s see if you’re reading carefully.  Write a comment to this post.  Write about your first week of eighth grade–first impressions, interesting observations, something you’re looking forward to.  If you write something of substance (at least a full sentence long), you will receive 2 extra credit points to start your grade off right.  You only have until Sunday, September 13th to earn the extra credit, so what are you waiting for?  Use your words!!!

Here is the agenda for this week:

• Tuesday–First day of school!!   Welcome letter; Reading Logs; Bathroom Tickets; Blog Site; Tour of Classroom; “Tell Me About Yourself”
  • HW: Complete both sides of “Tell Me About Yourself”–due Thursday, Review Welcome Letter with your parents/guardians
• Wednesday–Seating chart; Literary Devices/Elements of Fiction Pre-Test (just to see what you remember or what you know); Begin Self-Portrait Poem
  • HW: Tell Me About Yourself–due tomorrow (both sides filled out)
• Thursday–Collect homework; Notes-Literary Devices; 1st draft Self-Portrait Poem
  • HW: Finish 1st draft of Self-Portrait Poem
• Friday–Vocabulary Books (Vocabulary from Classical Roots Book A); Notes–Literary Devices; 2nd draft of Self-Portrait Poem
  • HW: Vocab lesson 1 flashcards, SSR time

Self-Portrait Poems–FINAL DRAFT due:  Wednesday, Sept. 16th (typed)