Tuesday 12/ 20

Computer Lab day

1. Complete Checklist
a) you must have three transition words
b) you must have one sentence that is Independent Clause then Dependent Clause
c) you must have one sentence that is Dependent Clause then Independent Clause
d) you should have 3 other people read your poster to check the sequencing of steps
e) there are no requirement of steps; I recommend 5-7
f) there is no requirement of images, but if you use them, you must reference them on the poster
g) your name must be on the front
h) you should have a clear title

2. Print your paper to Lab 129

3. Save your paper as "How to your name" For example, mine would be "How to Sophie L"

4. Save your document to the S drive, Luxmoore folder

Directions on how to do this.

1. File
2. Click on "Save As"
3. On the left side, click "My computer"
4. Find "(S): Decartes" then click on it
5. Find the folder "Luxmoore 8th Grade" click on that
6. Click on "Save"

Homework:
LHP is due on January 5th,
Historical fiction is due on January 10

Monday 12/ 20

In Class: Library Day, reading, choosing historical fiction books

Homework:
12/ 21 - Poster is due
1/5 - Living History Project due
1/10 - Independent reading - historical fiction project is due

In other news
Parents and Students: we have some exciting nominations at Gunston! If you have a history with Mr. Stewart as a teacher (former students, parents of alumni), please considering writing a letter of support. Ms. Gill was also nominated as principal of the year. Please consider writing a letter on her behalf. See below for directions of how to help, if you like.

Help support our Teacher of the Year nomination - Mr. Stewart - by writing a letter to:

State Superintendent of Public Instruction (do not mail)
Commonwealth of Virginia
P.O. Box 2120
Richmond, VA 23218-2120

Then deliver the letter to the Gunston Office by January 10th

or

Principal of the Year - Ms. Gill - write a letter addressed to:

Department of School & Community Relations
Education Center, 1st Floor
1426 North Quincy Street
Arlington, VA 22207

you can deliver to the Gunston Middle School office by January 10th

Thursday 12/16

Computer Lab

First thing to do is -
Complete this questionnaire. If you need to use the internet to answer all the questions, you can. Remember if you are using the internet inappropriately, then you will lose your computer privileges!

The second thing to do is -
Work on your informational poster. Get started by following these steps.

Turn your document in to a legal sized paper:

1. Open Word
2. Click on "File" in the upper left corner
3. Click on "Page Set-up"
4. Wait for the window to open.
5. Click on the "paper" tab
6. Under "Paper Size" change it from "Letter" to "Legal"
7. Click "Ok"

now, you have a legal size page

Next, so that you can see the whole page, follow these steps

1. Look at the tool bar at the top.
2. If you see a box with a %, then click on the down arrow and choose "whole page"
3. If you don't see that % sign, then ask me to help you.

Now you are ready to start!

Remembers
1. any photos from the web must be referenced
2. you need a title
3. you cannot use color, but you can use fonts and letter sizes to make things stand out.
4. have fun!

Wednesday 12/ 15

In Class: How To Posters, Timelines

Homework: Prepare and brainstorm your paper posters, know the title and setting of your historical fiction book.

Tuesday 12/14

In class: diagramming, prepared interviews

Homework: Novels tomorrow, must be finished by FRIDAY (except for 7th period)

Monday 12/ 13

In Class: Novel day


Homework: Keep reading, novels must be complete by Friday
Ask your interviewee for permission
Language Handbook p. 76

Computer Lab

Today your essay is due. When you have completed the checklist and had a friend read it then submit it. The form is under assignments on the right side of the page.

Done with your essay?

The Scholastic Writing Awards is an important national contest, in which many Gunston students have been successful in the past.

The deadline is January 7th, and they accept almost every type of writing of almost any length. The cost is $5, but the opportunity cannot be missed.

Writing Categories: click here
Registration Page: click here
Contest Information: Click here

For your work on this contest, you will be excused from one of my essays.

Other Extra credit opportunities...

2011 African American Read-In Project
Middle and high school students across the district are invited to submit original work (poems, essays, short stories) for consideration for the 2011 African American Read-In Project now through December 10, 2010.

Martin Luther King Essay contest

Wednesday 12/ 8

In Class: clauses, create a quiz, checklist for paper

Homework: keep reading class novel
Good Class Paper due tomorrow at 6pm

Tuesday 12/07

In Class: Clauses and peer editing

Homework: Clause worksheet (except for 1st period, cause I forgot to give it to you!)

Monday 12/06

In class: Making connections and talking about setting of our novels

Homework: Novel reading for Wednesday

Wednesday 12/3

In Class: Novels

Homework: Keep reading class novels (except for 7th period)

Have a good weekend.

Thursday 12/ 2

Computer lab day.

PRINT a copy of your essay BEFORE you leave class. If you are absent, you must turn in a printed copy when you return. It must be formatted as follows:

Heading
Name
Class/ Teacher
Assignment
Date

12 point Arial font.

Double spaced.

Homework: Conjunction practice.

Wednesday 12/1

Welcome to December!

In Class: we will take more conjunction notes, will meet with students about missing work, process our novels and get our novel schedules

Homework: Draft tomorrow, Novels Friday

Parents: ask students (except for 5th period) what assignments they are missing and ask them about their class novels.

Tuesday 11/30

In Class: new prompt, transition words, conjuctions

Homework: Independent Reading due Wednesday

Monday 11/29

In Class: Class novels, reader's theater

Homework: Progress Reports are closing this week. Any missing work needs to come in.
Tomorrow - superhero
Wednesday - novel 3 due
Thursday- Declare historical novel

Tuesday 11/ 23

In Class: use improve to discover character traits

Homework:
November 30th - Superhero project
December 1st- Independent Reading novel due

Thursday 11/22

Computer lab day!

Submit your climate paper before 6pm tonight. (see assignments for place)

Then you can work on your Superhero project that is due on 11/30


Homework: paper, projects, independent reading

Extra credit/ after paper opportunities:
Are you African- American? Click here

Friday 11/ 19

In Class: Field trip!


Homework: Monday is computer lab day, bring your web and drafts with you!

Thursday 11/ 18

In Class:
Wrap-up stories and write a haiku


Homework:
Bring lunch for field trip!
No cell phones, no music on trip.
Dress neatly.

Wednesday 11/ 17

In Class: Library work day

Students can work on

• their element superhero project,
• independent reading books, or
• their genome paper due on Monday

Our fourth independent book of the year must be historical fiction.

Homework: keep working on your assignments and your reading, due dates are coming up!

Extra Credit: Some parent have been asking for opportunities. These will only be added to grades when students have submitted all required work and projects. Here are some choices for essay contests.

• Are you bilingual? Click here
• Are you African- American? Click here

Monday 11/15

In Class: assigned the superhero project, worked in our reading groups with our stories to present on Thursday.

They are:
"The Tell Tale Heart", by Poe
"The Necklace", by Maupassant
"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County", by Twain
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", by Irving (version two)

Homework: pick and element (or two) by Wednesday, bring library books Wednesday, bring lunch on Friday, keep reading

Friday 11/12

In Class: continuing stories, discussing Character


They are:
"The Tell Tale Heart", by Poe
"The Necklace", by Maupassant
"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County", by Twain
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", by Irving (version two)

Homework: Are you working on your independent reading book?

Wednesday 11/10

In Class: grammar practice (positive, comparative, superlative); splitting up our stories for the play; addressing character

They are:
"The Tell Tale Heart", by Poe
"The Necklace", by Maupassant
"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County", by Twain
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", by Irving (version two)


Homework: page 56 and 57 in your language books

Tuesday 11/ 09

In Class:
First DECLARE your book! - Look under assignments for the form.

Submit Secret Service Paper - Look under assignments for the form.

Extra credit/ after paper opportunities:
PTA contest: click here
Are you bilingual? Click here
Are you African- American? Click here

Have some time? Check out the VOKIS at http://luxmooreenglishstudents.blogspot.com/


Homework: Language book p. 56 and 57

Monday 11/8

In Class: organize the web for paper due tomorrow, share ideas, vocabulary practice
(Change in plans! All classes will be going to the computer lab tomorrow, Tuesday)

Homework:
Bring complete web to class
Vocabulary sheet
Know the title and author of your first IR book


Reminder: Field trip forms for November 19th need to be returned to 1st period teachers!

Friday 11/05

In Class: guest speaker!

Homework: Prepare essay for next week. (3rd has computers Monday, everyone has computers on Tuesday!)

Parents - ask your students about the guest speaker...

Thursday 11/04

In class: expository writing, practice with Mrs. Flowers, prompt

Homework: article with questions

Paper due dates: 1, 4, 5 and 7 due 11/ 09
3rd due 11/08

Wednesday 11/ 03

First Day of New Quarter!

In Class: Agenda due dates, Mrs. Flowers by Maya Angelou
(5th period. Here are the slides with the due dates for agendas and the story for today)

Homework: for the Parents due on 11/10
(1st period also has field trip forms!)

Parents: Your students agenda has due dates for Independent Reading. Tonight, help your students make a plan for completing book one by 12/ 1

Monday 11/01

In Class: Plays!


Homework: relax and enjoy Tuesday! You have worked hard quarter 1, so prepare for quarter 2 by taking a day off! :) See you Wednesday.

Friday 10/ 29

In class: review the quarter

Homework: mini- dramas on Monday!

Thursday 10/28

Today is the day you have been asking about, waiting for, hoping for while writing doorknob essays...

Computer Lab today is
IMPROVE YOUR ENGLISH
GRADE DAY!
Everyone's favorite day.

First:
choose one of your old essays and revise it to get a better grade. Then submit it here

Then:
work on your book projects that are due tomorrow

Then:
complete one question survey


If you have completed all of these things... you can do the extra credit...

Extra Credit:
(will only give you credit if you have revised your essay and gotten your book projects completed)

1. create a VOKI that answers completes the following sentence starters (you might want to have one seperate voki for each sentence) -

In English this year, I have learned...
In English this year, I feel...
In English this year, I hope...

Then send me your embedding link here

2. submit a paper to the PTA reflections contest


Homework: Independent Book projects and news article

Wednesday 10/ 27

Library Day!

Homework: Independent Books, Independent books, Independent books...

Tuesday 10/ 26

In Class: Handwritten Essay

Homework: p. 53 in the Language Handbook, Independent reading projects, Library day tomorrow

Monday 10/25

In Class: Third Wish, notes catch-up, brainstorming

Homework: vocabulary, brainstorming Doorknob Essay (prompt is under assignments

This week:
Independent Book projects are due on Friday. You must have TWO submitted.
Library on Wednesday,
This is the last week of the quarter, so stay on top of your assignments in ALL your classes. It will be too late to make up anything next week!

November Challenge: Are you a writer? Want to write a novel? November is National Write a Novel month! Join Mr. Stewart at lunch to write a novel in one month! You will be cool and get TONS of credit and have fun! What more could you want out of November? Check the link for information.

Friday 10/ 22

October's Early Release day!

In Class:
1st period will miss class due to the school WALK FOR THE HOMELESS!

Everyone else - SWBS day and final prompt for the quarter.


Homework:

Read and finish your independent book projects (due Friday the 29th)
Brainstorm your final essay
(the information is under assignments on the right column of this page.)

Thursday 10/21

In Class:

First, revise essay. Then submit it by clicking the link under Assignments.

Then, work on your book projects.

If you finish that...make non-fiction chronological comic by clicking here


Homework:

Newspaper article

Wednesday 10/20

In Class:
The Green Mamba, Grammar practice, Science Fair projects

Homework:
Prepare to revise your exploding moment essay and work on independent book summaries!

Tuesday 10 /19

In Class: The Green Mamba by Roald Dahl (click on Find it, then go to p. 239)


Homework: Language workbook p. 46 (cannot post due to copyright)
Science Fair Introductions: Ms. Robles' students must bring a copy.
Mr. Alba's students should bring a copy if they have it. (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

Monday 10/18

In class: peer editing

Homework: vocabulary sheet (my document loader is not working at the moment, so I hope that you brought it from class. If you were absent from class, you will be excused)

Note: The right side has a new button with the links for on going assignments!

Friday 10/15

In Class: finish up novels

Homework: Independent reading.

This has been a busy week for our class! Nice work to everyone who pushed to get their projects, essays and reading done. I am impressed.

Thursday 10/14

Today

Create your paper in Word.

1. Make sure that you have the following heading on the RIGHT side of your paper

Your name
Class/ Assignment
Teacher/ Period
Date

2. Make sure that it is 12 point Arial font

3. Double Space your paper


Then submit your paper in two ways

1. Electronically by filling out this form
2. Print a copy (before you print make sure you have the format correct! If you don't know what this means ASK ME!)

Wednesday 10/ 13

In Class: Literature Circle Day 5

Homework This week

Gingerbread project in class
Essay due tomorrow at 6pm
Finish book before Friday

Remember: tomorrow you will have all of class time to work on your essay.

Tuesday 10/12

In Class: Notes, exploding moment, Gingerbread


Homework: Gingerbread Project due Thursday
Literature Circle Day 5

Thursday Computer Lab

Here is your list for today!

First, if you printed out your essays, find them for your comments from me and your peers.

Second, make your changes in your Word document.

Third, send me your final essay by filling out this form!

After you have submitted your essay, you can work any of the following things that you have not done yet...

Independent book reading
Writing your summaries for independent reading
Completing the survey


If all of that is complete, create a VOKI that answers completes the following sentence starters (you might want to have one seperate voki for each sentence) -

In English this year, I have learned...
In English this year, I feel...
In English this year, I hope...

Then send me your embedding link here

Wednesday 10/06

In Class: Literature Circle

Homework: Prepare for essay revisions on Thursday.

Tuesday 10/5

in Class: Monkey's Paw

Homework: Independent Reading Due October 30th

Monday 10/04

In class: peer editing, Literature Circle

Homework: prepare for literature circle Wednesday
Newspaper article and questions

Friday 10/1

It is OCTOBER! That means there is one month left to get both of your independent books read and reports written. Are you ready to turn one in? Click here for the assignment!

They are due October 29th

In class: literature circle day and finish Broken Chain

Homework: Independent reading

Thursday 9/30

Today is paper day. Here is what you need...


The prompt remember ours is due at 6pm on Thursday, 9/30

Once you are ready you need to do two things...
1. submit the paper electronically
2. print the word document (make sure you have your name on it!)


Then
If you haven't told me already... what are your independent reading books?

Did you complete the survey?

If all of that is complete, create a VOKI that answers completes the following sentence starters-

In English this year, I have learned...
In English this year, I feel...
In English this year, I hope...

Then send me your link here

Homework: Prepare for literature circles by reading

Wednesday 9/29

In class: Writing Rubric, Broken Chain by Gary Soto

Homework: p. 42 in the Grammar book

Tuesday 9/28

In Class: review homework, work with Novel groups to create reading schedule, brainstorm new essay.

Homework: p. 34 and 35 in your Language books

Monday 9/27

In Class: Conflict types, vocabulary, begin reading Broken Chain

Homework: Vocabulary Practice.

New Essay is here- Due 6:00pm on Thursday 9/30

TOMORROW IS BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT! Hope to see all the parents there!

Friday 9/24

In Class: Finish comic strips, review homework, discuss novels

Homework: Read your book (independent reading), we are halfway through the quarter, you should have one book done.

Thursday 9/23

In Class:

First the paper - you get to revise until 5pm

Find your work and the comments here.

Then go to your word document and make the changes.

When your changes are made - submit the new document here

Second item - Declare your book

Fill out this form to record your book choices!

Last item, the questionnaire

Homework: News article

Wednesday 9/22

In Class: Library

Homework: Agreement practice

Tuesday 9/21

In Class: comic strips, root words, verb tenses

Homework: Grammar Worksheet p. 28

Monday 9/20

In Class: Vocabulary, Plot, New Story


Homework: Vocabulary
Read your book

Friday 9/17

In Class: Landlady quiz, grammar game practice and newspaper homework
Today's slides.

Homework: Read your book.

Thursday Computer Lab

In Class: When you are ready to submit your paper, click here to send it to me! Remember this is a final paper, so spell check and ask a friend to read over it before you send it!

Done? You can practice grammar here... and show me what you got.

Wednesday

In class: Finish Landlady, practice story structure

Homework:Our first Final paper is due at 5pm on Thursday. Remember we will be in the computer lab at school, but you need to have your ideas ready.


Yesterday: Thanks to those who noticed I didn't blog! But homework was the complete Grammar sheet. I appreciate the emailers keeping me on track.

Monday

On Class: take notes on subject/ verb agreement and plot structure
practice plot structure

Homework: Phobias (due Tuesday)
Pick a book for independent reading
Meal Essay Subject

In Class: How do we learn?

Homework (click on link to see the prompt): Prompt due on Thursday 9/16

Thursday

In Class: Diagnostic

Howework: W W W sheet

Wednesday

Today in class: Free write

Homework: Parent homework

Welcome!

Welcome to 8th Grade English!

Tonight's Homework is for your parents! Remember to give them the paper.