Hello eighth graders! It is great to be back! I have high expectations for you this year and I know you will bring your best self to class every day. After reading several current educational resources this summer, I came to the realization that student choice is a motivating factor in reading and writing instruction. Therefore, this year you will have many opportunities to pick your own reading material and choose writing tasks that interest you while also aligning with our curriculum. Get ready to write!

Monday
In class: We will review, model, and practice classroom procedures.

Homework: Review course syllabus with your parent(s) or guardian and complete the questionnaire. This is due on Friday. Please be open, honest, and descriptive with your responses.

Tuesday
In class: We will take a pre-assessment for Unit One's mastery skills.

Homework: Read your independent reading book for 30 minutes.

Wednesday
In class: We will find current examples of conflict in the nation and go over the News Report assignment. We will critique examples of quality work and subpar work. We will take Cornell Notes about objective summary and practice writing our own objective summaries.

Homework: Read your independent reading book for 30 minutes. Work on your News Report.

Thursday
In class: We will review conflict in literature and make real life connections to types of global conflict. We will preview our concept map for the Global Conflict Unit In small groups, we will read "Stop the Sun," a short story by Gary Paulsen. Students will analyze elements of fiction within the story.

Homework: Parent/guardian and student to sign syllabus and complete the questionnaire. Complete the News Report, making sure to have at least one person proofread it before submission. Work on the bio poem (due Tuesday).

Friday
In class: At the beginning of class, we will briefly discuss a few upcoming writing contest opportunities. Students will then meet in small groups to present and discuss their News Reports. Students will also work in small groups to brainstorm the costs of war. Groups will use spider map graphic organizers to categorize their ideas. Students will email Mr. Giblin a picture of their graphic organizers so the data can be analyzed, discussed, and refined in his class during this cross-curricular unit.


Homework: Read for 30 minutes. Develop a SMART goal for language arts.