Week 9/10-9/14

Period 2: Group 5
Article Jigsaw/Share Out

Last week, students finished the writing section of their ELA Reference Notebooks and began researching and drafting the outline for their argumentative process essay. I gave all students feedback on their thesis statements in Google Classroom to ensure that they have strong and effective theses in order to serve as the backbone of their entire essay. I am ALL about feedback before the grade--as long as students listen to the feedback and correct any errors, their final essay grades will reflect their GROWTH!

This week, students will continue to work on their outlines and begin drafting their essays. I will guide them every step of the way with direct instruction, feedback, peer feedback, and opportunities to improve their writing. This process essay is really about learning 8th-grade expectations for writing, working on improving their writing craft, and celebrating growth. Writing is never "finished" or "perfect", as it can always be improved! I really want students to have a growth mindset when it comes to writing--they may not ever love to write, but I want the process to get easier with time. 

Monday
Bullying: Outline / Roadmap
*Chromebook needs to be brought to school and fully charged!
Tuesday
Bullying: Outline / Roadmap
*Chromebook needs to be brought to school and fully charged!
Wednesday
Bullying: Essay / Roadmap
*Chromebook needs to be brought to school and fully charged!
Thursday
Bullying: Essay / Roadmap
*Chromebook needs to be brought to school and fully charged!
Friday
Bullying: Essay / Roadmap
*Chromebook needs to be brought to school and fully charged!
AR Log Check (Log/Signature)
*Students need to be reading an AR book that has a reading level of 3.5+ for 30 minutes 5 nights per week. Students need to earn 30 points at every checkpoint (10/16, 12/11, 03/19, and 05/28). Please see the Accelerated Reader Roadmap for more information. 

Week 9/3-9/7

Last week, I joked with the kiddos that we went back to first-grade by setting up our ELA Reference Notebooks (cutting, gluing, and coloring). While they take a lot of time, the payoff, in the end, is well worth it! We also had this small get together called Back to School Nigth. It was so nice to meet all of you; however, if you weren't able to make it, here is what you missed: Back to School Nigth Presentation, Back to School Night Handout, and the highlight, the students themselves--click here or look below:

This week, students will finish up the writing section of their ELA Reference Notebooks and then they will embark on their first essay (technically, their second essay) of the year. This will be a guided essay where I go through the process with them, and students receive feedback throughout the entire process--feedback during the writing process is SO much more effective than after. Students will take notes, complete a graphic organizer, and utilize their whiteboards to practice and revise their writing. Students will also receive feedback from their peers and checkpoint feedback from me. You can click here to see the Argumentative Essay Roadmap that will help guide this essay's process.

Monday
Labor Day Observed
Tuesday
ELA Reference Notebooks
*Chromebook needs to be brought to school and fully charged!
Wednesday
ELA Reference Notebooks
*Chromebook needs to be brought to school and fully charged!
Thursday
Bullying: Argumentative Article Notes / Roadmap
*Chromebook needs to be brought to school and fully charged!
Friday
Bullying: Outline / Roadmap
*Chromebook needs to be brought to school and fully charged!
AR Log Check (Log/Signature)
*Students need to be reading an AR book that has a reading level of 3.5+ for 30 minutes 5 nights per week. Students need to earn 30 points at every checkpoint (10/16, 12/11, 03/19, and 05/28). Please see the Accelerated Reader Roadmap for more information.