7th Grade Language Arts
End of Year Tech Project Thursday, May 19 and Monday, May 23 (computer lab time)
Summer Vacation, Oh My!
- Your job:
Plan a vacation and write a travel "story" for this vacation complete with pictures, itineraries, prices, poems, reviews, meals, and mileage! Your trip must last ten days!
All work should be completed on Google Docs. You must name your document yourlastname.nameofdestination (example ruyle.cabosanlucas). Any of the topics listed in bold must be a topic on your Google Doc. You should keep it organized by using effective spacing, bold, italics, numbers and bullets. As soon as you name your document, share it with acollopy@mssd14.org.
Sources:
- any websites that you use must be cited on a list of websites that you utilized
- create a separate document to store the url's/web addresses as you copy and paste them
Budget- $10,000
* Woot! It seems like a lot of money, but remember, this has to include EVERYTHING and EVERYONE going.
1. Pick a destination (where you're going!)
- Day dream about this a little. Do a few Google searches. Then, write a 5-7 sentences paragraph describing your destination; where is it; why did you choose it; what makes it great?
2. Who is going with you?
- You may travel on your own, or with a whole bunch of folks. The more the merrier OR the more the more expensive? $10,000 is your magic number. You must be on your trip for 8-10 days.
3. Travel plans
- planes, trains, and automobiles!
- Plan a detailed itinerary complete with departure and arrival dates and airline information. Use the following websites to help you find the best deal. Don't forget to include airport parking in your expenses.
www.expedia.com
www.travelocity.com
www.kayak.com
www.priceline.com
- If you want to drive to your destination, that's fine too. However, you must have detailed mileage information; how much gas costs, thus how much gas you'll purchase (round trip); if you'll stay in hotels along the way; and food costs. You'll have to decide what type of car you'll drive and research how many miles it gets to the gallon. Get googling! Remember, the shorter your search criteria, the better (no complete sentences or question in the search bar).
4. Transportation when you're there
- Are you going to rent a car? How much will that cost?
- Are you going to walk? Exhausting.
- Are you going to take a bus? How much do buses, trains, etc. cost? Can you buy a pass?
www.expedia.com
or
Find some car rental companies websites (Hertz, Avis, Dollar, etc.)
5. Where are you going to stay?
- Find your specific hotel information and multiply it by the number of nights you want to stay. Remember to check availability on the websites for your dates.
www.hotels.com
www.expedia.com
www.priceline.com
6. Sightseeing
- What makes this place cool? Interesting? List where you'll go and do cool activities like museums, adventures, tours, etc.
- Google searches should help you with this.
7. Pictures, please!
- Include at least five images from your destination. Copy and paste them onto your document. Write a short one-sentence description under each picture. Don't forget to copy and paste each url/website onto your source list.
8. Meals
- You have to eat! Where? How much will it cost?
- In addition to general meal/budget planning, research at least one restaurant in your destination. Write a short description of that restaurant and why it's unique and you want to visit/eat there. Include a picture if you can find one. I bet you can find a menu too!
9. A Poem!
- Yes, a poem! Write a diamante poem about your destination. It's a poem of contrasts. Here's the format:
Line 1- A noun about your place/destination
Line 2- Two adjectives describing the noun from line 1
Line 3- Three "ing" words relating to line 1
Line 4- Two nouns relating to line 1; then two nouns relating to line 7 (this is your transition line)
Line 5- Three "ing" words relating to line 7
Line 6- Two adjectives describing the noun from line 7
Line 7- A contrasting noun about your place/destination
* We wrote diamanates before spring break (the same day we wrote Limericks).
10. Budget - List of all expenses and totals
Here's where you prove your great planning. List all expenses below. Make sure to include a total! If you know how to insert a chart or a spreadsheet, go for it. If not, a list with an accurate total will suffice.
Are you ready to travel? Get planning! All work for this travel plan is due at the end of class on Monday. We'll share these during our short class on Tuesday!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
7th Grade L.A.- Tuesday, May 17
Research Paper
Procedure for Turning Your Research Paper In!
May 17, 2011
1. Finish last improvements/revisions/editing for approximately 45 minutes. Work on both the research paper and the works cited document. It is better if these are two separate documents.
2. Everything should be printed from Word. Saving up here in Mrs. Casey’s lab can be a little tricky, so make sure to put everything into a Google Doc as a final draft (have a copy on Word and a copy on Google docs).
3. Font- 10 pt. Courier (also for the works cited)
4. Double space
5. Proper heading aligned right. Use your formatting palette.
a. Name
b. Date (May 17, 2011)
c. Language Arts
d. Block ____
6. Title of your paper centered below your heading, but above your body paragraph.
7. Insert page numbers. Do not put a page number on the Works Cited.
8. Works Cited: double spaced and reverse indent used correctly. Read Abbi’s blog-post on my blog from last week how to do this in Word! The title Works Cited should be at the top of your page/centered.
9. Do not write anything above each paragraph (Introduction, Body 1, etc.).
10. Do not add extra space in between paragraphs.
11. Indent every paragraph by using the tab button.
12. Before you print, make sure you are not starting any sentences with AND, BUT, OR!
13. Do not include any contractions in your writing- don’t = do not
14. Print your research paper and your works cited document. Please do not print until you are certain that you have formatted everything correctly.
15. When you have printed, re-read your paper and try to fix easy errors that you can with your pen.
a. Do you have commas and periods?
b. If you see sentences that are missing a word/phrase, use a carrot ^ to add in the appropriate word.
16. Go through the entire essay and circle the following verbs:
a. be, is, am, are, was, were, been, being, become, became
17. Underline the thesis statement in your introduction. Draw an arrow out to the margin and label it.
18. Label all topic sentences (in body paragraphs only). Write what type they are from the topic sentence packet. Do not just label them “topic sentence.”
19. Use the rubric to grade yourself. Thoughtfully check the different boxes that apply to your work. Then, give yourself a score based on the different boxes that you check. Don’t just check the proficient box, check the different boxes across scores as they apply to you.
20. When you have finished all self-evaluation, staple your paper together:
a. Rubric on top with your name on it
b. Research paper in the middle
c. Works Cited last
Hooray!
Friday, May 13, 2011
7th Grade LA- Friday, May 13
1. Type like crazy! Save/name is as: yourlastname.researchpaper.2011. Share it with acollopy@mssd14.org
2. Add your introduction to your body paragraphs.
3. Body Paragraphs:
- should have topic sentences from packet
- no personal pronouns (especially YOU!)
- meaningful transitions
- 6-8 sentences
- excellent word choice
- begin with a variety of words and phrases
- avoid the transition "so"
4. Conclusion:
- should summarize essay without being redundant
- look to the future
- use another interesting statistic or fact
- bring everything to logical closure and feel satisfying
- should not state: This is the end of my essay, etc.
5. PRINT & Homework!
- you need to print your draft thus far and ask for help from someone at home this weekend
- ask a family member to help read and review your essay for ideas, sentence fluency, word choice, and overall GREATNESS!
- get a signature from that loved one as validation that this assignment is complete
6. All paragraphs should be written and reviewed for Monday. They should be printed out and ready to improve. The onus is on YOU to finish writing paragraphs and improving them. The majority of time in class on Tuesday before these essays are due is to complete a Works Cited and a self-evaluation! You have all weekend to continue your awesome research papers.
1. Type like crazy! Save/name is as: yourlastname.researchpaper.2011. Share it with acollopy@mssd14.org
2. Add your introduction to your body paragraphs.
3. Body Paragraphs:
- should have topic sentences from packet
- no personal pronouns (especially YOU!)
- meaningful transitions
- 6-8 sentences
- excellent word choice
- begin with a variety of words and phrases
- avoid the transition "so"
4. Conclusion:
- should summarize essay without being redundant
- look to the future
- use another interesting statistic or fact
- bring everything to logical closure and feel satisfying
- should not state: This is the end of my essay, etc.
5. PRINT & Homework!
- you need to print your draft thus far and ask for help from someone at home this weekend
- ask a family member to help read and review your essay for ideas, sentence fluency, word choice, and overall GREATNESS!
- get a signature from that loved one as validation that this assignment is complete
6. All paragraphs should be written and reviewed for Monday. They should be printed out and ready to improve. The onus is on YOU to finish writing paragraphs and improving them. The majority of time in class on Tuesday before these essays are due is to complete a Works Cited and a self-evaluation! You have all weekend to continue your awesome research papers.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
8th Grade Language Arts- Monday, May 9, 2011
*Link for numerical expression rules!
- Research paper is due today!
- Presentations start tomorrow!
- Budget your time so that you can work on everything.
- Research paper must be turned in following the procedure in this blog post. Papers without a complete rubric and labeling will not be accepted as "on time."
- Whew! Lots to read and do today, so make sure to get through it all and ask questions.
*Link for numerical expression rules!
- Research paper is due today!
- Presentations start tomorrow!
- Budget your time so that you can work on everything.
- Research paper must be turned in following the procedure in this blog post. Papers without a complete rubric and labeling will not be accepted as "on time."
- Whew! Lots to read and do today, so make sure to get through it all and ask questions.
Research Paper
Procedure for Turning Your Research Paper In!
May 9, 2011
1. Finish last improvements/revisions/editing for however long you need. Work on both the research paper and the works cited document. It is better if these are two separate documents.
2. Everything should be printed from Word. Saving up here in Mrs. Casey’s lab can be a little tricky, so make sure to put everything into a Google Doc as a final draft.
3. Font- 12 pt. Courier
4. Double space
5. Proper heading aligned right.
a. Name
b. Date (May 9, 2011)
c. Language Arts
d. Block 3
6. Title of your paper centered below your heading, but above your body paragraph.
7. Insert page numbers. Do not put a page number on the Works Cited.
8. Works Cited: double spaced and reverse indent used correctly. Read Abbi’s blog-post on my blog from last week how to do this in Word!
9. Do not write anything above each paragraph (Introduction, Body 1, etc.).
10. Do not add extra space in between paragraphs.
11. Indent every paragraph by using the tab button.
12. Before you print, make sure you are not starting any sentences with AND, BUT, OR!
13. Do not include any contractions in your writing- don’t = do not
14. Print your research paper and your works cited document.
15. When you have printed, re-read your paper and try to fix easy errors that you can with your pen.
a. Do you have commas and periods?
b. If you see sentences that are missing a word/phrase, use a carrot ^ to add in the appropriate word.
16. Go through the entire essay and circle the following verbs:
a. be, is, am, are, was, were, been, being, become, became
17. Underline the thesis statement in your introduction. Draw an error out to the margin and label it.
18. Label all topic sentences (in body paragraphs only). Write what type they are from the topic sentence packet. Do not just label them “topic sentence.”
19. Use the rubric to grade yourself. Thoughtfully check the different boxes that apply to your work. Then, give yourself a score based on the different boxes that you check. Don’t just check the proficient box, check the different boxes across scores as they apply to you.
20. When you have finished all self-evaluation, staple your paper together:
a. Rubric on top with Works Cited side of the rubric facing up
b. Name on both sides of the rubric
c. Research paper in the middle
d. Works Cited last
21. Getting ready for your presentations:
a. Get pass from Ms. Collopy to miss class.
b. Practice everything- speaking, using visuals, asking questions, etc.
*Do you have at least one chart/graph in your visual?
* Have you planned your grabber?
c. Practice all technology applications- work the glitches out before your presentation.
d. Use the S-Map as your guide as you speak.
e. Get dressed up for your presentation.
f. Practice again! Remember to end your presentation with, "Are there any questions?"
7th Grade L.A. - Monday, May 9, 2011
*No Do Now!
1. Note and source card check tomorrow!
- at least 30 note cards and 5 source cards
- if you are using Google Docs to store your source cards, you MUST print that sheet from Google Docs today while we are in the computer lab; you will not get credit tomorrow if you say that you have them saved on your account!
2. Start to plan your paragraphs by outlining
- Use the following format to start to think about what information will go into which paragraph.
- Here's the format that you'll need to use when you type your outline in Google Docs.
- Save it as a separate document. Make sure to name it something like lastname.outline.researchpaper'
- You should spend an even amount of time researching and working on your outline!
Outline Directions!
*No Do Now!
1. Note and source card check tomorrow!
- at least 30 note cards and 5 source cards
- if you are using Google Docs to store your source cards, you MUST print that sheet from Google Docs today while we are in the computer lab; you will not get credit tomorrow if you say that you have them saved on your account!
2. Start to plan your paragraphs by outlining
- Use the following format to start to think about what information will go into which paragraph.
- Here's the format that you'll need to use when you type your outline in Google Docs.
- Save it as a separate document. Make sure to name it something like lastname.outline.researchpaper'
- You should spend an even amount of time researching and working on your outline!
Outline Directions!
This is how your typed outline should look. You must use Roman numerals, letters, and regular numbers. Your outline must show which paragraphs will have personal pronouns.
I. Introduction:
A. Thesis statement- most important sentence in your paper- on your outline write your essential question that your entire paper will answer. I'll teach you how to turn that into a thesis statement.
B. Short description of your topic
C. Major points that will be in the body paragraphs
D. At least one interesting/startling statistic
1. if you need a bullet underneath these letters, use a number
2. if you need a second bullet underneath, use number two and so on and so forth
II. Body Paragraph #1
A. Major idea in this paragraph
B. Other major idea in this paragraph
C. If you have more ideas that fit in this paragraph, keep using letters.
III. Body Paragraph #2
A. Major idea in this paragraph
1. Use numbers to add ideas and facts
2. Here's another example of a number that would show a sub-idea from the "Major idea"
B. Other major idea in this paragraph
1. Use numbers to add ideas and facts
2. Here's another example of a number that would show a sub-idea from the "Major idea"
C. If you have more ideas that fit in this paragraph, keep using letters.
IV. Body Paragraph #3
A. Major idea in this paragraph
B. Other major idea in this paragraph
C. If you have more ideas that fit in this paragraph, keep using letters.
V. Body Paragraph #4 (optional)
A. Major idea in this paragraph
B. Other major idea in this paragraph
C. If you have more ideas that fit in this paragraph, keep using letters.
VI. Conclusion
A. 7th Grade- for today you don't have to list anything that will be in your conclusion. Just write the Roman numeral on your paper and label it as your conclusion.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Hanging Indent in Word (7th and 8th grade)
Go into Word, and click "Tools" along the top bar. Then at the bottom of the list is "Customize Keyboard". Click it. Under "Catagories" scroll down and click "Format". Under "Command" scroll down and click "Hanging Indent". Your screen should look like this.Towards the bottom of the page there is a "Press new keyboard shortcut:" click in the blank bar for typing next to it. ON YOUR KEYBOARD click Command and "T" at the same time. Then click "Assign" next to it. Your screen should look like this.
Click "OK."
You can now return to your document and type. Use the command. This will reverse indent your entire paragraph. The lines you do not want reverse indented, click in front of the line and click "enter".
8th Grade LA- Thursday, May 5
1. Re-read Tuesday's post if you are un-clear on due dates.
2. Did you sign up for a presentation time yesterday? See me if you didn't.
3. A few tips for your Works Cited:
- separate document at end of your paper
- Works Cited centered at the top of your page
- no additional heading
- entries must be alphabetized by the first word of the entry
- Courier- 12 pt.- double-spaced
- do not write "Source 1", "Source 2", etc.
- must have all correct punctuation and capitalization
- use reverse indent for each entry; see Ms. Collopy if you don't understand this term
4. Writing Style
- use active verbs
- watch for repetitive word choice
- use strong transitions and transition phrases
- use personal pronouns selectively
- read your paper aloud to anyone who will listen; you will hear trends, poor word choice, sentence fragments, and fluency issues
5. Rubric
- see Ms. Collopy- I will share a Google Doc with you!
6. Farewell to Manzanar
- Be sure to have books and study guides with you tomorrow!
1. Re-read Tuesday's post if you are un-clear on due dates.
2. Did you sign up for a presentation time yesterday? See me if you didn't.
3. A few tips for your Works Cited:
- separate document at end of your paper
- Works Cited centered at the top of your page
- no additional heading
- entries must be alphabetized by the first word of the entry
- Courier- 12 pt.- double-spaced
- do not write "Source 1", "Source 2", etc.
- must have all correct punctuation and capitalization
- use reverse indent for each entry; see Ms. Collopy if you don't understand this term
4. Writing Style
- use active verbs
- watch for repetitive word choice
- use strong transitions and transition phrases
- use personal pronouns selectively
- read your paper aloud to anyone who will listen; you will hear trends, poor word choice, sentence fragments, and fluency issues
5. Rubric
- see Ms. Collopy- I will share a Google Doc with you!
6. Farewell to Manzanar
- Be sure to have books and study guides with you tomorrow!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
8th Grade Language Arts- Tuesday, May 3
Project Timeline, Etc.
As you write:
- use your outline to guide you, but re-arrange the order of paragraphs as necessary!
- strong topic sentences
- active voice verbs (avoid is, am, are, was, were, been, being, be, become, became)
- varied sentence length
- avoid personal pronouns in most paragraphs
- use strong transitions
- organize the order of paragraphs logically
- start sentences in a variety of ways: ing words, phrases, prepositional phrases, etc.
Tuesday, May 3- Work in Mrs. Casey's lab; write papers & work on Works Cited
*You should "warehouse/save" your paper in Google Docs (name the document; put your last name as part of the name!); when you are ready to turn your paper in, copy and paste it into Word, double-spaced, Courier-12 point font, pages numbered, proper heading-right aligned, simple title centered below heading, Works Cited as a separate page, rubric stapled to back)
Wednesday, May 4- Peer review/class review of work and oral presentation rubrics in Ms. Collopy's classroom
Thursday, May 5- Work in Mrs. Casey's lab; write papers and work on Works Cited
Friday, May 6- optional due date for paper and Works Cited with rubric and self-evaluation; feel free to work more over the weekend and turn paper in at end of class period on Monday, May 9
Monday, May 9- FIRM deadline for paper and Works Cited with rubric and self-evaluation; use lab time for presentation work also (especially if you have already turned in your research paper!)
- This is your last night to practice your presentation at home; we will spend part of the class reviewing requirements and the rubric; you will receive your passes (excuse you from class) on Tuesday
Tuesday, May 10- Presentations (complete work on Farewell to Manzanar, then movie in LA)
Wednesday, May 11- Presentations (complete work on Farewell to Manzanar, then movie in LA)
Thursday, May 12- Presentations (movie in LA)
Friday, May 13- Modified schedule for yearbook signing
Project Timeline, Etc.
As you write:
- use your outline to guide you, but re-arrange the order of paragraphs as necessary!
- strong topic sentences
- active voice verbs (avoid is, am, are, was, were, been, being, be, become, became)
- varied sentence length
- avoid personal pronouns in most paragraphs
- use strong transitions
- organize the order of paragraphs logically
- start sentences in a variety of ways: ing words, phrases, prepositional phrases, etc.
Tuesday, May 3- Work in Mrs. Casey's lab; write papers & work on Works Cited
*You should "warehouse/save" your paper in Google Docs (name the document; put your last name as part of the name!); when you are ready to turn your paper in, copy and paste it into Word, double-spaced, Courier-12 point font, pages numbered, proper heading-right aligned, simple title centered below heading, Works Cited as a separate page, rubric stapled to back)
Wednesday, May 4- Peer review/class review of work and oral presentation rubrics in Ms. Collopy's classroom
Thursday, May 5- Work in Mrs. Casey's lab; write papers and work on Works Cited
Friday, May 6- optional due date for paper and Works Cited with rubric and self-evaluation; feel free to work more over the weekend and turn paper in at end of class period on Monday, May 9
Monday, May 9- FIRM deadline for paper and Works Cited with rubric and self-evaluation; use lab time for presentation work also (especially if you have already turned in your research paper!)
- This is your last night to practice your presentation at home; we will spend part of the class reviewing requirements and the rubric; you will receive your passes (excuse you from class) on Tuesday
Tuesday, May 10- Presentations (complete work on Farewell to Manzanar, then movie in LA)
Wednesday, May 11- Presentations (complete work on Farewell to Manzanar, then movie in LA)
Thursday, May 12- Presentations (movie in LA)
Friday, May 13- Modified schedule for yearbook signing
7th Grade LA- Tuesday, May 3
*Make sure to have a tab with my blog and a tab with Google Docs (school account!) open!
Citation Machine Link
Time Magazine Article Link
*Make sure to have a tab with my blog and a tab with Google Docs (school account!) open!
Citation Machine Link
Time Magazine Article Link
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
8th Grade Language Arts- Wednesday, April 27
Do Now
- No Do Now today.
Meet with Ms. Collopy
- One person at a time needs to come and see me. Separate your source cards from your note cards before coming to see me.
Research & Outline
- Your outline is due tomorrow.
- You should be finishing your research.
- Once you finish your outline, you should print it. You will have not have access to a printer before I check these tomorrow.
- Re-read the post from two days ago about the format for your outline.
- We are ready to start writing our essays.
Print outline before tomorrow (during today's class!)
Do you need the internet for your promotion speech?
Option #1- Start writing a rough draft of your paper.
Option #2- Type your promotion speech thus far.
Do Now
- No Do Now today.
Meet with Ms. Collopy
- One person at a time needs to come and see me. Separate your source cards from your note cards before coming to see me.
Research & Outline
- Your outline is due tomorrow.
- You should be finishing your research.
- Once you finish your outline, you should print it. You will have not have access to a printer before I check these tomorrow.
- Re-read the post from two days ago about the format for your outline.
- We are ready to start writing our essays.
Print outline before tomorrow (during today's class!)
Do you need the internet for your promotion speech?
Option #1- Start writing a rough draft of your paper.
Option #2- Type your promotion speech thus far.
7th Grade LA- Thursday, April 28
* Review this entire blog post before you begin today's work!
A. Do Now
- Sentence Combining
- Today's sentence combining is a little different. You can do it!
- Combine the two short sentences in each set three different ways. The clue sentences (a.,b., and c.) will help you decide which conjunctions/transitions to use. Add at least one adjective or adverb to each sentence you write.
1. Sam will study for math. Sam will study for science.
a. Studying for math will precede studying for science.
b. Studying for math will not take place if studying for science does take place.
c. Studying for math will end when studying for science begins.
2. Reiko will practice the flute. She helps her father cook supper.
a. Reiko will not practice the flute if she helps her father cook.
b. Reiko will practice the flute but will stop when she begins to help her father cook.
c. Reiko will practice the flute and then help her father cook.
B. Take a SRI test. I will share your results with you this week. Quit out of the test when you finish. Please do not preview your results. This can cause the computers to freeze.
C. Log into Google Docs Ask me to share my "Book Recommendations of 7th Grade" document with you.
- On that document, you must add three bullets (one bullet per book recommendation). Basically, pick three books that you have enjoyed reading and want to recommend to others.
For example:
1. To Kill a Mockingbird; author- Harper Lee; rating (from 1-10) 9.9!
Synopsis (summary)- Young Scout experiences adventures, thrills, and scares in this coming of age story set in the American South.
Comments: I love the dialogue in this book and Scout's relationship with her brother, Dill, and her father. I love it more every time I read it!
If you have any remaining time, you may read your book silently!
* Keep in mind that you'll need to know what your research paper topic will be by Monday! Ask if you have questions!
- Visiting with your neighbors is not an option! If you have a little extra time, feel free to visit:
cnn.com, msn.com, msnbc.com, or Google News and read about the extraordinary devastation in the South after yesterday's tornadoes.
* Review this entire blog post before you begin today's work!
A. Do Now
- Sentence Combining
- Today's sentence combining is a little different. You can do it!
- Combine the two short sentences in each set three different ways. The clue sentences (a.,b., and c.) will help you decide which conjunctions/transitions to use. Add at least one adjective or adverb to each sentence you write.
1. Sam will study for math. Sam will study for science.
a. Studying for math will precede studying for science.
b. Studying for math will not take place if studying for science does take place.
c. Studying for math will end when studying for science begins.
2. Reiko will practice the flute. She helps her father cook supper.
a. Reiko will not practice the flute if she helps her father cook.
b. Reiko will practice the flute but will stop when she begins to help her father cook.
c. Reiko will practice the flute and then help her father cook.
B. Take a SRI test. I will share your results with you this week. Quit out of the test when you finish. Please do not preview your results. This can cause the computers to freeze.
C. Log into Google Docs Ask me to share my "Book Recommendations of 7th Grade" document with you.
- On that document, you must add three bullets (one bullet per book recommendation). Basically, pick three books that you have enjoyed reading and want to recommend to others.
For example:
1. To Kill a Mockingbird; author- Harper Lee; rating (from 1-10) 9.9!
Synopsis (summary)- Young Scout experiences adventures, thrills, and scares in this coming of age story set in the American South.
Comments: I love the dialogue in this book and Scout's relationship with her brother, Dill, and her father. I love it more every time I read it!
If you have any remaining time, you may read your book silently!
* Keep in mind that you'll need to know what your research paper topic will be by Monday! Ask if you have questions!
- Visiting with your neighbors is not an option! If you have a little extra time, feel free to visit:
cnn.com, msn.com, msnbc.com, or Google News and read about the extraordinary devastation in the South after yesterday's tornadoes.
Monday, April 25, 2011
8th Grade LA- Monday, April 25, 2011
- Continue research
- Start outline (this will help you figure out what research is lacking)
- Do Now- Read and understand the directions for the formal typed outline.
- Tomorrow: We will go to the Media Center to work with books!
Directions for Outline- Read this today!
- Next note-card check- Wednesday, April 27!
- Continue research
- Start outline (this will help you figure out what research is lacking)
- Do Now- Read and understand the directions for the formal typed outline.
- Tomorrow: We will go to the Media Center to work with books!
Directions for Outline- Read this today!
8th Grade Research Paper- Career Paper
Outline due- typed and printed out by class- Thursday, April 28
* Must follow this format!
This is how your typed outline should look. You must use Roman numerals, letters, and regular numbers. Your outline must show which paragraphs will have personal pronouns.
I. Introduction:
A. Thesis statement- most important sentence in your paper
B. Short description of your career
C. Major points that will be in the body paragraphs
D. At least one interesting/startling statistic
1. if you need a bullet underneath these letters, use a number
2. if you need a second bullet underneath, use number two and so on and so forth
II. Body Paragraph #1
A. Major idea in this paragraph
B. Other major idea in this paragraph
C. If you have more ideas that fit in this paragraph, keep using letters.
D. Each body paragraph must have a label on the outline whether or not you will use the pronouns I, me, my, or mine (NO YOU pronouns in entire essay!)
III. Body Paragraph #2
A. Major idea in this paragraph
B. Other major idea in this paragraph
C. If you have more ideas that fit in this paragraph, keep using letters.
D. Each body paragraph must have a label on the outline whether or not you will use the pronouns I, me, my, or mine (NO YOU pronouns in entire essay!)
IV. Body Paragraph #3
A. Major idea in this paragraph
B. Other major idea in this paragraph
C. If you have more ideas that fit in this paragraph, keep using letters.
D. Each body paragraph must have a label on the outline whether or not you will use the pronouns I, me, my, or mine (NO YOU pronouns in entire essay!)
V. Body Paragraph #4
A. Major idea in this paragraph
B. Other major idea in this paragraph
C. If you have more ideas that fit in this paragraph, keep using letters.
D. Each body paragraph must have a label on the outline whether or not you will use the pronouns I, me, my, or mine (NO YOU pronouns in entire essay!)
VI. Body Paragraph #5
A. Major idea in this paragraph
B. Other major idea in this paragraph
C. If you have more ideas that fit in this paragraph, keep using letters.
D. Each body paragraph must have a label on the outline whether or not you will use the pronouns I, me, my, or mine (NO YOU pronouns in entire essay!)
VII. Body Paragraph # 6
A. Major idea in this paragraph
B. Other major idea in this paragraph
C. If you have more ideas that fit in this paragraph, keep using letters.
D. Each body paragraph must have a label on the outline whether or not you will use the pronouns I, me, my, or mine (NO YOU pronouns in entire essay!)
VIII. Body Paragraph #7
A. Major idea in this paragraph
B. Other major idea in this paragraph
C. If you have more ideas that fit in this paragraph, keep using letters.
D. Each body paragraph must have a label on the outline whether or not you will use the pronouns I, me, my, or mine (NO YOU pronouns in entire essay!)
IX. Body Paragraph #8
A. Major idea in this paragraph
B. Other major idea in this paragraph
C. If you have more ideas that fit in this paragraph, keep using letters.
D. Each body paragraph must have a label on the outline whether or not you will use the pronouns I, me, my, or mine (NO YOU pronouns in entire essay!)
X. Conclusion
A. Statistics that look to the future
B. Focus on dreams and ambitions that will help you achieve your goals
C. Summarize the essay without repeating major points
D. Bring the essay to a logical conclusion
- Next note-card check- Wednesday, April 27!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
8th Grade LA- Thursday, April 21
Do Now:
- What is reverse indent? Write a sentence or two that illustrate reverse indent on your Do Now sheet. Summarize what career you are researching in your sentences and why you chose that career.
Reminders:
- source cards become a Works Cited; please see Ms. Collopy if you don't understand the format
- note card check again tomorrow!
Do Now:
- What is reverse indent? Write a sentence or two that illustrate reverse indent on your Do Now sheet. Summarize what career you are researching in your sentences and why you chose that career.
Reminders:
- source cards become a Works Cited; please see Ms. Collopy if you don't understand the format
- note card check again tomorrow!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
8th Grade LA- Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Do Now:
- List the adjectives and adverbs in the following passage. Make sure to label the words as ADJ or ADV. Number your paper.
(from CNN.com)
With firefighting C-130s and helicopters flying overhead and another dry, hot, windy day in the forecast, ground crews tackled fires Tuesday that have burned more than 1 million acres in Texas.
Do Now:
- List the adjectives and adverbs in the following passage. Make sure to label the words as ADJ or ADV. Number your paper.
(from CNN.com)
With firefighting C-130s and helicopters flying overhead and another dry, hot, windy day in the forecast, ground crews tackled fires Tuesday that have burned more than 1 million acres in Texas.
One fire, burning near Possum Kingdom Lake, less than 70 miles from the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area, had destroyed at least 31 homes and was threatening more than 600 others, the Texas Forest Service reported Tuesday.
The town of Strawn has been evacuated, and the fire has closed within six miles of Graham, where Bailey Barnett has already had to flee once after ash thick as snow began falling around her home.
The area remains under threat, but Barnett, who is pregnant with her first child, has another reason to worry: Her husband, she said, is a volunteer working on the fires with the Graham Fire Department.
"It's been really, really, stressful," Barnett said Tuesday. "I don't think a lot of people realize how bad it is."
Today:
- Re-read directions that I posted on Friday about the project.
- Work on note cards and source cards!
TOMORROW- must have three source cards (or it can be printed off on paper) and at least 20 note cards with high quality information. Your note cards should have headings/topics and bullet points. They must be cross-referenced to your source cards.
Friday, April 15, 2011
8th Grade LA- Friday, April 15
1. Read this entire post.
2. Complete today's Do Now. Turn it in.
3. Read the next post about your career project.
4. Finish any Manzanar work from Wednesday (also a separate post on this blog).
5. Start research for your project (don't forget source cards!!!).
Friday, April 15, 2011- 8th Grade Do Now
- In one or two sentences, explain the similarities and difference between adjectives and adverbs. Turn it in to Ms. Collopy when you are finished.
1. Read this entire post.
2. Complete today's Do Now. Turn it in.
3. Read the next post about your career project.
4. Finish any Manzanar work from Wednesday (also a separate post on this blog).
5. Start research for your project (don't forget source cards!!!).
Friday, April 15, 2011- 8th Grade Do Now
- In one or two sentences, explain the similarities and difference between adjectives and adverbs. Turn it in to Ms. Collopy when you are finished.
8th Grade LA
2018- On My Own
Career Project
Components:
- Outline (typed)- due April 28
- Written (typed) research paper- due May 6
- Visuals for presentation- due day of presentation- May 11, 12, & 13
- Oral presentation- May 11, 12, & 13
Process for research paper:
- at least 7 different sources (varied; cannot be all internet unless pre-approved)
- note card and source card check
1. 3 source cards/20 note cards- Wednesday, April 20
2. 5 source cards/40 note cards- Friday, April 22
3. 7 source cards/60 note cards- Wednesday, April 27
* note cards should be cross referenced to source cards (e.g., Note 15 from Source 2)
* note cards should be organized by topics (use headings) and include short phrases, words, statistics, and ideas; no complete sentences!
* some note cards may have one key idea, while others may include three or four bullets
- length- at least 10 well-developed paragraphs including introduction and conclusion
- appendix- some type of graph to show historic data about salary
- works cited- correct MLA formatting
Citation Machine Link (you should bookmark this!)
http://citationmachine.net/index2.php?reqstyleid=1&newstyle=1
MLA Citation Examples
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/legacylib/mlahcc.html
A Generic Approach for Citing Websites
http://www.roanestate.edu/owl/MLA-Format4Websites.htm
Content:
- rationale for choosing this career; how this career fits with your strengths
- job requirements
- job description
- inter-personal skills necessary to be successful in this job
- salary/earning potential
- education/requirements- specific course work and degrees required
- outlook- future job market vs. current job market, etc.
- What other information is relevant to your research? Be thorough. Go deeper!
Hand outs will be provided for:
- a letter to parents
- job shadowing
- rubric for research paper
- source cards if necessary
- What questions, concerns, etc. do you have about this project?
2018- On My Own
Career Project
Components:
- Outline (typed)- due April 28
- Written (typed) research paper- due May 6
- Visuals for presentation- due day of presentation- May 11, 12, & 13
- Oral presentation- May 11, 12, & 13
Process for research paper:
- at least 7 different sources (varied; cannot be all internet unless pre-approved)
- note card and source card check
1. 3 source cards/20 note cards- Wednesday, April 20
2. 5 source cards/40 note cards- Friday, April 22
3. 7 source cards/60 note cards- Wednesday, April 27
* note cards should be cross referenced to source cards (e.g., Note 15 from Source 2)
* note cards should be organized by topics (use headings) and include short phrases, words, statistics, and ideas; no complete sentences!
* some note cards may have one key idea, while others may include three or four bullets
- length- at least 10 well-developed paragraphs including introduction and conclusion
- appendix- some type of graph to show historic data about salary
- works cited- correct MLA formatting
Citation Machine Link (you should bookmark this!)
http://citationmachine.net/index2.php?reqstyleid=1&newstyle=1
MLA Citation Examples
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/legacylib/mlahcc.html
A Generic Approach for Citing Websites
http://www.roanestate.edu/owl/MLA-Format4Websites.htm
Content:
- rationale for choosing this career; how this career fits with your strengths
- job requirements
- job description
- inter-personal skills necessary to be successful in this job
- salary/earning potential
- education/requirements- specific course work and degrees required
- outlook- future job market vs. current job market, etc.
- What other information is relevant to your research? Be thorough. Go deeper!
Hand outs will be provided for:
- a letter to parents
- job shadowing
- rubric for research paper
- source cards if necessary
- What questions, concerns, etc. do you have about this project?
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
8th Grade LA- Wednesday, April 13
*Please read the entire post including reminders at the bottom.
Please complete the following agenda (self-paced).
First:
Do Now (on your loose-leaf like normal):
Then:
- Google Docs
- create a document called quiz.4.13.manzanar and share it with acollopy@mssd14.org
- use your study guide for chapter 6 to answer questions 27-31
- answer in complete sentences (most answers will be multiple sentences)
Next:
- Use the following link to take the virtual tour of Manzanar. Visit each location. Each image can be manipulated 360 degrees.
http://www.nps.gov/archive/manz/virtualtour/tour/map.html
*On your Google Doc (- Google Docs) reflection for today (share with acollopy@mssd14.org), write a few sentences that describe the setting of Manzanar. What strikes you, surprises you, etc.? Name your Google Doc: LastName.Manzanar.4.13. I will not grade un-named documents.
After that:
In 1948 Congress passed a law that reimbursed internees for property losses and that 40 years later Congress awarded restitution payments of $20,000 to each survivor of the camps through the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 (H.R. 442). Research one of these two acts of Congress using internet resources. Locate three different sources, list bibliographic information about each (copy and paste the url onto your document), indicate whether the sources were in favor or against the reparations, and explain how you can tell. Write one paragraph (take a position) on whether the reparations were fair, sufficient, etc. for the survivors. Add this to your Google Doc.
*Please read the entire post including reminders at the bottom.
Please complete the following agenda (self-paced).
First:
Do Now (on your loose-leaf like normal):
Combine each set of sentences two different ways. Give the two sentences completely different beginnings. Use conjunctions, insert words or phrases, add commas or semicolons, or change the forms of words. In addition, add at least one meaningful adjective or adverb and underline those words.
I played with the boomerang all afternoon. My sister played with it all afternoon, too. We had a lot of fun.
We both tried hard. She couldn’t get it to return to her. I couldn’t get it to return to me.
Our fun ended. I somehow managed to land the boomerang. I landed it high up in an oak tree.
There were once many kinds of sequoias. Today only two kinds remain. They are the redwood and the giant sequoia.
Then:
- Google Docs
- create a document called quiz.4.13.manzanar and share it with acollopy@mssd14.org
- use your study guide for chapter 6 to answer questions 27-31
- answer in complete sentences (most answers will be multiple sentences)
Next:
- Use the following link to take the virtual tour of Manzanar. Visit each location. Each image can be manipulated 360 degrees.
http://www.nps.gov/archive/manz/virtualtour/tour/map.html
*On your Google Doc (- Google Docs) reflection for today (share with acollopy@mssd14.org), write a few sentences that describe the setting of Manzanar. What strikes you, surprises you, etc.? Name your Google Doc: LastName.Manzanar.4.13. I will not grade un-named documents.
After that:
In 1948 Congress passed a law that reimbursed internees for property losses and that 40 years later Congress awarded restitution payments of $20,000 to each survivor of the camps through the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 (H.R. 442). Research one of these two acts of Congress using internet resources. Locate three different sources, list bibliographic information about each (copy and paste the url onto your document), indicate whether the sources were in favor or against the reparations, and explain how you can tell. Write one paragraph (take a position) on whether the reparations were fair, sufficient, etc. for the survivors. Add this to your Google Doc.
Note: The text of H.R. 442 is available by searching the Library of Congress's Thomas web site
Finally:
Three individuals legally challenged the constitutionality of the relocation and curfew orders. Research one of these three court cases and write a one paragraph summary of their arguments, who was involved in their cases, and the results of the cases. Include this paragraph in your on-going document from the virtual tour, the position paragraph, and then this short summary of the constitutional challenges.
1. Gordon Hirabayashi
2. Fred Korematsu
3. Mitsuye Endo
Reminders:
- Bring your Manzanar book to class tomorrow.
- Your outline for your promotion speech will be checked on Friday, April 15.
- Career projects will begin on Friday! What do you want to be when you grow up?
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
7th Grade LA- Poetry Presentation
*Read all directions before you start your search today!
- Presentations- Monday, April 11 ( we will use time on the 12th also if necessary)
-Procedure:
1. Use google or another search engine to find song lyrics.
2. Think of your favorite songs or artists that you like.
3. Read through several sets of lyrics.
4. Pick a song (and its lyrics) to recite/read aloud for the class. The song that you pick must have at least three identified literary elements from the following list. In addition, you will have to write a paragraph explaining the song's literary value.
5. By the end of class today (Tuesday), you should have your song/lyrics selected and saved onto a Google Doc (name it the name of the song). You should copy and paste the lyrics into a Word document and print off two copies of the poem before you leave today!
6. You will read the song aloud to the class. You will be graded on your fluency skills.
- List of literary terms to find in song lyrics:
*these will have to be labeled on one copy of the poem; in addition you will write a paragraph explaining these literary terms
1. rhyme- internal and rhyme scheme
2. alliteration
3. consonance
4. imagery
5. simile
6. metaphor
7. personification
8. allusion
9. repetition
10. irony
* you may find other literary terms in your song; just let me know if you do
*Read all directions before you start your search today!
- Presentations- Monday, April 11 ( we will use time on the 12th also if necessary)
-Procedure:
1. Use google or another search engine to find song lyrics.
2. Think of your favorite songs or artists that you like.
3. Read through several sets of lyrics.
4. Pick a song (and its lyrics) to recite/read aloud for the class. The song that you pick must have at least three identified literary elements from the following list. In addition, you will have to write a paragraph explaining the song's literary value.
5. By the end of class today (Tuesday), you should have your song/lyrics selected and saved onto a Google Doc (name it the name of the song). You should copy and paste the lyrics into a Word document and print off two copies of the poem before you leave today!
6. You will read the song aloud to the class. You will be graded on your fluency skills.
- List of literary terms to find in song lyrics:
*these will have to be labeled on one copy of the poem; in addition you will write a paragraph explaining these literary terms
1. rhyme- internal and rhyme scheme
2. alliteration
3. consonance
4. imagery
5. simile
6. metaphor
7. personification
8. allusion
9. repetition
10. irony
* you may find other literary terms in your song; just let me know if you do
Friday, March 11, 2011
8th Grade LA
Final Instructions for "In Search of Wisdom"
- Use a proper heading on the right side of your document.
- You may center a title of your choice below the heading.
- Indent all paragraphs
- Copy and paste the following chart below your narrative.
- Use the numerical values to assess yourself.
Final Instructions for "In Search of Wisdom"
- Use a proper heading on the right side of your document.
- You may center a title of your choice below the heading.
- Indent all paragraphs
- Copy and paste the following chart below your narrative.
- Use the numerical values to assess yourself.
| Voice | 20 |
| Word Choice | 20 |
| Content/Ideas | 20 |
| Organization | 15 |
| Fluency | 15 |
| CUPS | 10 |
| Appearance/Self-Evaluation | 5 |
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
8th Grade LA
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
1. You are writing a narrative. A narrative tells a story through: dialogue, descriptions, imagery, details, setting, characters, events, places, etc. Look at the packet of four different examples of memoirs in order to help you find your voice.
2. Your word choice should be outstanding. Use a thesaurus. Minimize passive verbs: is, am, are, was, were, been, being (most common).
3. Use words to move the story along (connectors and transitions).
4. Aim for 1,000 words. I will not count the words unless there are foundational issues with the structure and content of your narrative.
5. The project is called "In Search of Wisdom." How will your story teach a lesson about life in addition to telling a great tale?
6. We will finalize grading criteria, due dates, and your presentation schedule tomorrow in class.
7. If you are still reading these directions, good for you. Send an e-mail before 12:55 to acollopy@mssd14.org and tell me your favorite movie. It's worth five extra credit point.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
1. You are writing a narrative. A narrative tells a story through: dialogue, descriptions, imagery, details, setting, characters, events, places, etc. Look at the packet of four different examples of memoirs in order to help you find your voice.
2. Your word choice should be outstanding. Use a thesaurus. Minimize passive verbs: is, am, are, was, were, been, being (most common).
3. Use words to move the story along (connectors and transitions).
4. Aim for 1,000 words. I will not count the words unless there are foundational issues with the structure and content of your narrative.
5. The project is called "In Search of Wisdom." How will your story teach a lesson about life in addition to telling a great tale?
6. We will finalize grading criteria, due dates, and your presentation schedule tomorrow in class.
7. If you are still reading these directions, good for you. Send an e-mail before 12:55 to acollopy@mssd14.org and tell me your favorite movie. It's worth five extra credit point.
Friday, March 4, 2011
7th Grade- Finishing Poe Webquest
Friday, March 4
- Google Docs
- When your Poe webquest is finished, you should rename the document:
firstname.lastname.POE.finished; consequently, I will know to grade it
- You must finish it on your own time.
Friday, March 4
- Google Docs
- When your Poe webquest is finished, you should rename the document:
firstname.lastname.POE.finished; consequently, I will know to grade it
- You must finish it on your own time.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
8th Grade- In Search of Wisdom
Thursday, February 24, 2011
1. Block your narrative out (plan the story in chunks or episodes).
- re-read your interview
- plan at least five distinctive scenes or parts of the story that you are telling
- use a Google Doc to plan and write this entire narrative essay
*share your Google Doc with collopy.collopy@gmail.com; save/re-name is as:
firstname.lastname.insearchof.g8
2. Consider what you will focus on in your writing.
- one event?
- several events?
3. How will you use imagery? What other figurative language would capture the voice of your interviewee?
4. How will you start?
(see hand-out)
5. How will you keep the story moving along?
6. How will you finish the story?
7. Most importantly, how will this essay sound like the person you interviewed? What words, phrases, ideas, and emotions must shine through in this essay?
Thursday, February 24, 2011
1. Block your narrative out (plan the story in chunks or episodes).
- re-read your interview
- plan at least five distinctive scenes or parts of the story that you are telling
- use a Google Doc to plan and write this entire narrative essay
*share your Google Doc with collopy.collopy@gmail.com; save/re-name is as:
firstname.lastname.insearchof.g8
2. Consider what you will focus on in your writing.
- one event?
- several events?
3. How will you use imagery? What other figurative language would capture the voice of your interviewee?
4. How will you start?
(see hand-out)
5. How will you keep the story moving along?
6. How will you finish the story?
7. Most importantly, how will this essay sound like the person you interviewed? What words, phrases, ideas, and emotions must shine through in this essay?
Edgar Allan Poe Webquest
*Please read all of the directions before starting your work.
- Keep my blog open in a separate tab.
- Log into your Google Doc Account Google Docs
- Name a Document- LastName.Poe.2.24; share it with collopy.collopy@gmail.com
- Use Google or other search engines to find out information about Edgar Allan Poe. On your Google Doc (share with collopy.collopy@gmail.com), create a top 20 list of biographical statements about Poe's life.
- Number each fact. Write in complete sentences. Give credit to the website from where you found the information about Poe (copy and paste the URL of the website onto your document in an organized way).
- Topics to consider writing about:
- Poe's childhood
- Poe's parents
- Poe's loves
- Poe's struggles with addiction
- Poe's education
- Poe's homes/cities
- Do not copy and paste from these websites. Rather, paraphrase the information into your own words.
*Please read all of the directions before starting your work.
- Keep my blog open in a separate tab.
- Log into your Google Doc Account Google Docs
- Name a Document- LastName.Poe.2.24; share it with collopy.collopy@gmail.com
- Use Google or other search engines to find out information about Edgar Allan Poe. On your Google Doc (share with collopy.collopy@gmail.com), create a top 20 list of biographical statements about Poe's life.
- Number each fact. Write in complete sentences. Give credit to the website from where you found the information about Poe (copy and paste the URL of the website onto your document in an organized way).
- Topics to consider writing about:
- Poe's childhood
- Poe's parents
- Poe's loves
- Poe's struggles with addiction
- Poe's education
- Poe's homes/cities
- Do not copy and paste from these websites. Rather, paraphrase the information into your own words.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Words to Live By
Directions for our final day of work.
1. Re-read and revise your paper. Pay particular attention to sentence fluency, use of quotes, on-topic writing, strong ideas, expert information=evidence, examples, elaboration, etc.
2. Make sure your quotes follow the following format if you don't introduce the author's name in your writing.
"Nothing gold can stay" (Robert Frost). *note that the period comes after the parentheses
3. Copy and paste the following list after your conclusion. Evaluate (grade) yourself with scores between 1-10 for each category. Ten is high.
4. Make sure you have a proper heading in the top right hand corner of your document. Make sure you have double spaced the entire document and it's in Courier 12 pt. font. Ask if you need help.
5. If you want, center the title Words to Live By above your introduction but below your heading.
6. Double-check:
- no contractions should be used in your writing- didn't should be did not, etc.
- no you, your, yours pronouns; this paper should have I, me, mine, myself pronouns
Directions for our final day of work.
1. Re-read and revise your paper. Pay particular attention to sentence fluency, use of quotes, on-topic writing, strong ideas, expert information=evidence, examples, elaboration, etc.
2. Make sure your quotes follow the following format if you don't introduce the author's name in your writing.
"Nothing gold can stay" (Robert Frost). *note that the period comes after the parentheses
3. Copy and paste the following list after your conclusion. Evaluate (grade) yourself with scores between 1-10 for each category. Ten is high.
| Introduction |
|
| Body |
|
| Conclusion |
|
| Sentence Quality/Variety/Fluency |
|
| Use of Quotes- not just “dropped” into the paragraph; feel connected and meaningful |
|
| Topic Sentences- MUST BE FROM PACKET!!! |
|
| Ideas- overall/ On-topic (goes with ideas) |
|
| Organization- overall |
|
| CUPS (Capitalization, Usage, Punctuation, Spelling) |
|
| Word Choice |
|
4. Make sure you have a proper heading in the top right hand corner of your document. Make sure you have double spaced the entire document and it's in Courier 12 pt. font. Ask if you need help.
5. If you want, center the title Words to Live By above your introduction but below your heading.
6. Double-check:
- no contractions should be used in your writing- didn't should be did not, etc.
- no you, your, yours pronouns; this paper should have I, me, mine, myself pronouns
Monday, February 14, 2011
7th Grade LA- Monday, February 14
Words to Live By
1. Finish any typing that you need to do to have a complete 5 paragraph essay. Please refer to Friday's blog post for directions/ideas about writing your conclusion. There is a Google Docs link on Friday's blog post also.
After you have finished typing your paragraphs, please work on the following. I will try to give you feedback at least once during this class period to help focus your work.
- Revision/Sentence Fluency
* Please re-read your entire essay one time in silence. Try to identify sentences that lack fluency. How can you re-word your ideas so that they flow well and make sense?
- Word choice
* Use a thesaurus or thesaurus.com to play with word choice.
- Giving Each Other Meaningful Feedback
* Make sure that you have shared your document with several people. Try to give your classmates feedback about sentence fluency and word choice. It's easier to find fluency issues in someone else's writing.
- Print a copy of your essay so far TODAY! You will need to take this home with you for homework and have someone read it over with you and provide feedback. I will expect that you have this printed out copy at the beginning of class tomorrow.
* Copy and paste it into Word (seems to print better in Word- make sure to save it over in Word too)
* Courier
* 12 pt. font
* Double-spaced
* MSLABHP4200
Grammar Quizzes
- Take the noun, verb, and prepositional phrase quizzes and see how you do!
Words to Live By
1. Finish any typing that you need to do to have a complete 5 paragraph essay. Please refer to Friday's blog post for directions/ideas about writing your conclusion. There is a Google Docs link on Friday's blog post also.
After you have finished typing your paragraphs, please work on the following. I will try to give you feedback at least once during this class period to help focus your work.
- Revision/Sentence Fluency
* Please re-read your entire essay one time in silence. Try to identify sentences that lack fluency. How can you re-word your ideas so that they flow well and make sense?
- Word choice
* Use a thesaurus or thesaurus.com to play with word choice.
- Giving Each Other Meaningful Feedback
* Make sure that you have shared your document with several people. Try to give your classmates feedback about sentence fluency and word choice. It's easier to find fluency issues in someone else's writing.
- Print a copy of your essay so far TODAY! You will need to take this home with you for homework and have someone read it over with you and provide feedback. I will expect that you have this printed out copy at the beginning of class tomorrow.
* Copy and paste it into Word (seems to print better in Word- make sure to save it over in Word too)
* Courier
* 12 pt. font
* Double-spaced
* MSLABHP4200
Grammar Quizzes
- Take the noun, verb, and prepositional phrase quizzes and see how you do!
Friday, February 11, 2011
7th Grade LA- Friday, February 11
Google Docs
1. Type your introduction into your document.
2. Re-save/re-name your document as firstname.lastname.wordstoliveby in your Google Docs account.
3. Make sure you've shared it with collopy.collopy@gmail.com.
4. Giving each other feedback.
- Have you shared it with at least five people in this class?
- Read the entire essay so far.
- Insert a comment about sentence fluency and word choice.
- Insert a comment about how the person can give more specific REDS.
5. Try writing a conclusion. Conclusions can be difficult because you feel like you are repeating yourself. Think of the following tips as you write.
- Summarize your most important parts of your life/essay.
- Look to the future!
- Write about what you hope/dream/visualize in your future. What will be important to you in ten/fifteen/twenty years? Why do you hope those things will be important?
- Use a quote to wrap things up.
Topic of this personal narrative essay:
- Write a personal narrative essay about the most important elements in your life. Describe and explain these significant parts of your life. In addition, connect these parts of your life to famous quotes.
Google Docs
1. Type your introduction into your document.
2. Re-save/re-name your document as firstname.lastname.wordstoliveby in your Google Docs account.
3. Make sure you've shared it with collopy.collopy@gmail.com.
4. Giving each other feedback.
- Have you shared it with at least five people in this class?
- Read the entire essay so far.
- Insert a comment about sentence fluency and word choice.
- Insert a comment about how the person can give more specific REDS.
5. Try writing a conclusion. Conclusions can be difficult because you feel like you are repeating yourself. Think of the following tips as you write.
- Summarize your most important parts of your life/essay.
- Look to the future!
- Write about what you hope/dream/visualize in your future. What will be important to you in ten/fifteen/twenty years? Why do you hope those things will be important?
- Use a quote to wrap things up.
Topic of this personal narrative essay:
- Write a personal narrative essay about the most important elements in your life. Describe and explain these significant parts of your life. In addition, connect these parts of your life to famous quotes.
Monday, January 31, 2011
8th Grade LA
Monday, January 31
Monday, January 31
* Please see me today (Monday) to approve your learning contract if you have not already done so.
The following two paragraphs were written in response to the expository writing prompt about citizenship. Use the paper rubric to grade one of the paragraphs. They are typed exactly as they were turned in.
First task:
- Grade both of the responses using the rubric. You should use a highlighter and be specific in the certain bullets that you highlight. Then, circle a specific point value (1-4) to indicate how you would have scored it. The rubric is two-sided. Be sure to put your name on the rubric and label which side is Example #1 and Example #2. See me if you this doesn't make sense.
Second task:
- Then, re-write one of the paragraphs using the author’s over-riding ideas and supporting details. Try to write it as a 4 paying attention to the criteria on the rubric.
- Type your re-written paragraph on Google Docs. Share it with collopy.collopy@gmail.com.
Third task:
- After you revise and re-write it, make a list at the bottom of the different aspects of the paragraph that you specifically improved.
Here's the topic. Pay special attention to the relevance of the writer's ideas to the given topic.
- Write a letter to your principal (one well-developed paragraph) explaining the fairness/unfairness of rewarding students for excellent citizenship and withholding privileges for those who fail to meet citizenship standards.
Example #1
Dear Mr. Burr,
I think that it is fair to reward students when they have excellent citizenship Because the kids who actually try their Best and are nice caring students. The students that don’t try and don’t care about any of these things should not Be rewarded if they aren’t trying like the other students are. Many of the students that don’t care they always think that they don’t have to do anything to have good citizenship and everyone will be rewarded But that’s not fair to anyone who tries to do their Hardest. I don’t think that the kids give it their all and try their best want to give up and not do anything at school they just do the minimum and it shouldn’t Be that way.
Example #2
Dear Mr. Burr,
Citizenship grade here at this school I think is great especially the student lounge but this grade has it pluses and its delta’s. The fairness in the citizenship grade is it gives privileges and good ones, which make people, want it more like the student lounge. Then there is the unfairness of it. When I was at my old school in d11 we didn’t have these privileges but we did have citizenship grades for each class and how we acted but they were in numbers and they were graded 1-5 and I thought that if Manitou would do that and also I don’t like how the people have to go to a teacher for primetime I thought prime time was supposed to be fun but it’s not and then people talk about the students lounge and you can’t go to it so if you change it to the class grade as I mentioned and if the average is a three then you can have a sticker. The reason I think that should change is because more people would maybe have a chance to be able to go to the student lounge. Thank you for reading this I hope you consider the changes I suggested.
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