8C End of Year Exam !!

END OF YEAR 8C    ELA

          EXAM

  MAY ^3rd AND 4^th           

Review:

*Simple, compound, complex, Compound-complex  (notes in notebook)

*Semi-colon Vs. colon (notes in notebook)

* Analyzing text (Notes in notebook)

* Text Structure (notes in notebook)

*Asyndeton: a writing style where conjunctions are omitted in a series of words. phrases or clauses. It is used to shorten a sentence and focus on its meaning. For example, Julius Caesar leaving out the word “and” between the sentences “I came. I saw. I conquered.”

*Revising and editing sentences

 

 

Cycle 6 in 8th Grade ELA 4/3/2017

During Cycle 6, 8th grade English classes will undertake a unit which focuses on compassion by using a classic novel. All classes will delve deep into Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.  This novel is set in the South in the 1930’s, and deals with themes such as racism, injustice, coming of age, and most of all, compassion. Historically, this novel has been met with some disapproval due to its use of racially fueled language that in this day and age is completely unacceptable. It has held its place on the American Library Association’s Top Ten list of Banned and Challenged books. Though this language is demeaning, it does serve a purpose: to reveal the hatred shown toward African-Americans. Had Lee tempered the language and attitudes of the characters in her novel, there would be no realistic portrayals of the setting. Though times have changed, and the climate of racism in America has drastically improved since the 1930’s, modern day racism still exists in various ways, be it in our society, against ethnicity, socio-economic status, gender, or religious beliefs. For compassion to exist, there must be injustice, and it is due to the injustice found in Lee’s  novel that compassion is able to thrive. It is my hope that To Kill a Mockingbird will inspire students to recognize opportunities to use compassion in their daily lives with hopes of building individual character and bettering the world we live in. Throughout this study, we will confront the issues of injustice, and  discuss the emotions which arise due to the circumstances and language we face as we are reading. Through this, we will make connections to our own lives in order to ensure peace and equality in the future.

8C ELA update! 2/6

This week we are wrapping up Twelve Angry Men! 

• All students have finished reading Act III.
• Students also received more information regarding their Thematic Literary Analysis Essays. Students have been working on these in class and at home.
• The final date to submit their completed essay is THIS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10th!!!! 
• Independent Reading Bookmarks were due 2/3

 

 

Grades Closing

Grades are closing this Friday. If you have any missing or incomplete assignments, get them taken care of before Friday.

 

Enjoy the rest of your week!!!

Happy New Year!!!!

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 
And never brought to mind? 
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 
And auld lang syne! 

For auld lang syne, my dear, 
For auld lang syne. 
We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, 
For auld lang syne.

Welcome back everyone!

We have a great, invigorating 2nd semester in store for all of you!

This 6 weeks, literary analysis will be our focus. Students will center their attention on the elements of  fiction, specifically the sub-genres of mystery and crime. Our in class text is the stage production, 12 Angry Men.   Students have already been introduced to what makes a juror, and 10 court cases every teen should know about. This will truly be an exciting journey.

Students will also have the awesome task of writing a literary analysis essay. As usual, I will walk them through the entire process!

Grammatical focus: using commas appropriately in text.

(Let’s eat Uncle Tito. or Let’s eat, Uncle Tito) 🙂

Upcoming events:

Vocab.com- 12 Angry Men- Act 1- Due January 13th

Mystery or Crime Independent Reading Book check- January 13th

 

ELA 8C update 12/12/2016

For the past two weeks, we have been taking our study of archetypes and using them to write imaginative stories.

This weeks plan:

• 3rd cycle assessment: review was handed out last week
•  rough draft and final draft of short story. (including archetypal elements)
• Complete Ekphrastic poetry and portrait (water color)

Upcoming Dates:

• 12/13- Vocabulary.com Due- POMS ELA8- List #3- Archetypes and Hero’s Journey
• 12/12-15- You will have a Six Weeks Test covering Short Stories, Figurative Language, Archetypes, and a Poem on your extended class period day.

8C ELA update!!!! 12/02

 

 

This week we are learning about archetypes and the hero’s journey. Below is the tentative schedule for next week (which may need some modification as the week goes on).

• Monday/Tuesday- The Hero’s Journey and Archetypes- Students will view a brief Ted Talk about the Hero’s Journey and take guided Cornell notes about the archetypal story structure.
  • What Makes a Hero Ted Talk
  • Get a copy of the Cornell notes from Mrs. Woodard
• Wednesday/Thursday- Archetypes of a myth. Students will read one of the two following myths in the Literature book (or online through the HUB) and identify the archetypes they find in it..
  • “Pandora’s Box” (pp. 476-479)
  • “Loo-Wit, the Fire Keeper” (pp. 480-483)
• Students will identify the archetypes and hero’s journey pattern in his/her Independent Reading Book.
• Friday- Brainstorm and plan a short story that includes archetypal elements and stages of the hero’s journey.

Sentence Diagramming- Students should be prepared for a sentence diagramming check some time this week and next. It will  cover all aspects of diagramming, through compound subjects, compound predicates, prepositional phrases, direct and indirect objects.

 Vocabulary.com- All Vocabulary.com assignments are due Friday December 2nd.

Upcoming Due Dates

• 12/9-IRB Bookmark (Signpost) due
• Reminder: Independent Reading books should be brought to class every day along with supplies needed for class.
• Check grades daily! Please do not procrastinate!

8C ELA update 10/28

No Red Ink– 

If you need your class code, they are below:

• 1st Period- 8wx97xxk
• 2nd Period-de3d9fcm
• 3rd Period- ac7c7399
• 4th period –4m4c74w9
• 5th Period- 9mwec8hw

Next Week

 We will conduct an Inner/Outer Circle to debrief our understandings of the Holocaust and the importance of understanding our responsibility to stand up to injustice. Begin writing Level 2 & 3 questions that you feel are important to discuss.

*Diagram sentences with prepositional phrases and indirect objects

* Work with partner to develop and draft persuasive essay

All students have received valuable notes to  guide them through the persuasive essay process. We’ve covered counter arguments as well as rebuttals to enhance persuasion. We have also focused on the Rhetorical devices: Ethos, Logos, and Pathos! Thanks Aristotle. 😉

Final Draft requirements:

Typed and printed (Hard copy for me)

12 pt. font

Double Space

Times New Roman

Include Title

Group members’ names and heading -Top right hand corner.

Final due Date: Blue Day November 2nd/Green Day November 3rd

*All sign post book marks related to 2nd IRB Due Friday November 4th

 

 

Field Trip Update

More chaperones are needed for our 8th grade field trip to the Holocaust Museum and the Museum of Natural Science Thursday, October 13, 2016. Please contact me ASAP if you would like to volunteer your services.

Thank you. 

swoodar6@houstonisd.org

8C update Field Trip

8C FIELD TRIP- OCTOBER 13, 2016

During the second cycle, in English, students will be reading literature that focuses on the experiences of individuals during the time period of Holocaust. Facing the events of the Holocaust requires both sensitivity and courage. One of the goals of this unit is to understand how important it is for each of us to speak up in the face of injustice.Each year, we offer students the opportunity to visit the Holocaust Museum Houston and participate in a docent lead tour. We have scheduled this visit, along with a visit to the planetarium at the Houston Museum of Natural Science on Thursday, October 13, 2016. Most students received permission slips on Friday. Please return permission and $7 “donation” for the cost of HMNS tickets by October 5th. This field trip is optional, but please know that students in the past have found it very informative and moving.

Details

Date- Thursday , October 13, 2016

Time- 8:30-2:30

Locations- Holocaust Museum Houston, Houston Museum of Natural Science, lunch at reflecting pool in Herman

ParkCost- $7.00- Covers the cost of tickets to HMNS (Buses will be paid for, and HMH allows student groups to visit at no cost).Payments may be made with cash or check made out to Pin Oak Middle School.Sending exact change makes your teachers’ life easier, but I will make change for smaller bills if I am able. Donations are gladly accepted for those who cannot afford the cost of the trip.

We understand that students who are attending the trip to Yellowstone National Park will not be able to attend this trip. Unfortunately, you can only be on one trip at a time. Those students will be excused from the work that is done in connection with these two trips.

Chaperones: We need approximately 13 chaperones to attend the trip with us! If you are available to chaperone, please contact Mrs. Woodard  at swoodar6@houstonisd.org as soon as possible! There will be no cost for chaperones, but we will need you to be available from 8:00- 2:30 on the day of the trip.You must be VIPS (Volunteers in Public Schools) approved to go. If you would like to join us, but have not registered with VIPS, contact Ms. Trevino as soon as possible. VIPS approval can take a week.

8C ELA Update 9/26/2016

On Thursday, October 13, 2016, all students will be attending the Houston Museum of Natural Science as well as the Holocaust Museum. The trip will be made by bus, leaving Pin Oak at approximately 8:30 a.m. and returning at approximately 2:30 p.m.

The total cost for the trip is $7.00. Students may pay me directly, or payments may be made online at :

https://www.schoolpay.com/pay/for/Field-Trip-Fees–th-Grade-Museum-Trip/Id7Jf

All permission slip and money are due by Wednesday October 5, 2016.

This Monday and Tuesday, students will also take their first six weeks assessments.