7th Grade Language Arts

"Read like a wolf eats."-Gary Paulsen

Absent?  If so, you've come to the right place!  

ATTENTION:  Students are responsible for ANY and ALL work they miss when they are absent. It is the student's responsibility to make sure they get any information or work that they missed.  Not completing make-up work will result in the student receiving a zero for the assignment.

Monday, 1/18: No School.

Friday, 1/15: Indentfying an Author's Perspective Quiz.  You will need to make up the quiz during CSS.

Thursday, 1/14: The counselors from the 8th grade academy are giving a presentation on registration during Language Arts.

Wednesday, 1/13: Finish the flow chart in your journal that is on p. 364 for "What's Really in a Name?" on p. 365. As a class read "What's Really in a Name?" on p. 365 in our text book and go over the flow chart. Answer the 4 Test Practice questions in complete sentences on p. 367. (You will need to see Ms. Kemp during CSS to borrow a textbook.)

Tuesday, 1/12: Individually read "What's Really in a Name?" on p. 365 in our text book and complete the flow chart in your journal that is on p. 364.  (You will need to see Ms. Kemp during CSS to borrow a textbook.) There is going to be a quiz on Wednesday on identifying the author's perspective.  You need to know how to define author's perspective in your own words without using the phrase point of view, you need to know the 4 things to look at when identifying the author's perspective, and you need to be able to read an article and be able to identify the author's perspective.

Monday, 1/11: Today we went to the library to check out our A.R. books and book report books. The Quarter 3 book report was assigned today-due Monday, Mar. 1st or if you want extra credit due by Wednesday, February 10th. Here is the rubric.

Thursday, 1/7: Present conspiracy theory comic strips.  Finish Ch. 2 of Dark Secrets, Don't Tell. Add information to character charts.

Wednesday, 1/6: Define conspiracy theory in your journal.  Read to pg. 11 of Dark Secrets, Don't Tell.  Created a character chart and listed information we know so far about each character.  Print the character chart and keep.  We will be continuously working on this chart as we learn more information about the characters. Don't forget to check the homework section to get the homework you missed!  

Tuesday, 1/5: Read Chapter 1 of Dark Secrets, Don't Tell.  Discussed the characters that were introduced.  No make-up work for this today.

Friday, 12/11: Complete the Quick Guide Revision activity on p. 222 in the green grammar book.  The hamburger graphic organizer and your rough draft of your entire essay will be checked Monday for class work credit!

Thursday, 12/10: Complete the hamburger graphic organizer for your conclusion paragraph and then transfer the paragraph onto lined paper. make sure ALL 5 paragraphs are on one paper.  Don't forget to skip lines. 

Wednesday, 12/9: Complete the hamburger graphic organizer for body paragrph #3 and then transfer the paragraph onto lined paper.

Tuesday, 12/8: Galileo Testing (Benchmark Testing) Take AR tests in the computer lab. Don't forget to check the homework section to get the homework you missed!

Monday, 12/7: Galileo Testing (Benchmark Testing) Students turned in Book Projects Don't forget to check the homework section to get the homework you missed!

Friday, 12/4: Galileo Testing (Benchmark Testing) Don't forget to check the homework section to get the homework you missed!

Thursday, 12/3: Review the powerpoint on writing the persuasive essay.  Print out the notes. Begin writing the introduction paragraph for your essay.  Don't forget to check the homework section to get the homework you missed!

Tuesday, 12/1 and Wednesday, 12/2: Completed Identifying an Authors purpose classwork. 

Monday, 11/30: Today we went to the computer lab to research supporting evidence for our persuasive essay and completed the What-Why-How graphic organizer.  Must have 3 sources.

Wednesday, 11/25: HALF DAY! Characterization quiz. You will need to see Ms. Kemp during CSS to make it up.

Tuesday, 11/24: Hours 1-7: 1) Finished and discussed the article on child labor. 2) Brainstormed topics we could write a persuasive essay on. Hours 3-7: 3)completed the Identifying an Author's Purpose class work. Don't forget to check the homework section to get the homework you missed!

Monday, 11/23: Today we learned how to identify the authors purpose for writing persuasive pieces (articles, essays, letters). Here are the notes. Complete the class work: read the article on child labor and then answer the questions. Don't forget to check the homework section to get the homework you missed!

Friday, 11/20: Today we finished The Giver (Chapter 23). You need to see Ms. Kemp during CSS to make up the reading.  We also finished the characterization class work and went over the answers.  Don't forget to check the homework section to get the homework you missed!

Thursday, 11/19: Today we reviewed characterization and worked on the characterization class work. We also read Chapter 22 of The Giver. You need to see Ms. Kemp during CSS to make up the reading. 

Wednesday, 11/18: We took notes on how to determine if a website is reliable. 2) We also took a STAR test.  You need to see Ms. Kemp during CSS to take the STAR test. Don't forget to check the homework section to get the homework you missed!

Tuesday, 11/17: Today we went to the computer lab and completed the Internet Scavenger Hunt Assignment. If you do not have the internet you must see Ms. Kemp during CSS.

Monday, 11/16: We read chapters 20 and 21 of The Giver. You are responsible for making it up during CSS. Don't forget to check the homework section to get the homework you missed!

Friday, 11/13: Today we took the Persion Test.  You are responsible for making it up during CSS. I also checked bell work.  You need to show me your journal so I can check your bell work entries.

Thursday, 11/12: Complete persuasive strategies classwork.

Wednesday, 11/11: No School

Tuesday, 11/10: You need to see me during CSS to read Ch. 20 independently and complete the Reading Road Map.

Monday, 11/9: 1.) We went over the last 4 persuasive techniques we are going to cover (card-stacking, wit and humor, plain folks, snob appeal).  Review the powerpoint (slides 24-27).  2.) Completed persuasive strategies class work. 3.) Read chapters 18 and 19 of The Giver.

Friday, 11/6: Per. 1: We went over 5 persuasive techniques (testimonial, glittering generalities, expert opinion, loaded words, and transfer). Review the powerpoint (slides 7-21) Per. 3,5,6,7: We went over 4 persuasive techniques (glittering generalities, expert opinion, loaded words, and transfer).  Review the powerpoint (slides 14-21)

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Tuesday, 10/6:  Today we went to the computer lab.  Visit http://memory.loc.gov. Complete the Memories Matter assignment.  If you do not have internet access at home, you need to see Ms. Kemp during CSS to use a student computer.  Don't forget to check the homework section to get the homework you missed!

Monday, 10/5: Discussed the importance of memories, history, and storytelling.  Read Ch. 11 of The Giver. Don't forget to check the homework section to get the homework you missed!

Friday, 10/2: Went over euphemisms and explored their presence in the novel The Giver. Complete Euphemism Assignment. I know the assignment gives page numbers, but if you have been paying attention, you should NOT need the book to complete this assignment.  Due Monday, 10/5/09.

Thursday, 10/1: Today we went to the computer lab and took the remaining AR quizzes.  We also took a career aptitude test and explored different career options online.  There is no make-up work for this day.  If you still have an AR quiz you need to take, you need to see Ms. Kemp during CSS on Friday, 10/2. 

Wednesday, 9/30: You need to make up the vocabulary quiz you missed. Continued working on Bloom's Taxonomy Assignment for Ch. 8 of The Giver.

Tuesday, 9/29: Work on the Bloom's Taxonomy Assignment for Ch. 8 of The Giver. If it was not finished in class, you are to finish it for homework.  This will be collected Wednesday, 9/30. 

Monday, 9/28: Read ch. 8 and 9 of The Giver. Complete the Job Assignment Activity.

Friday, 9/25: You need to make up The Giver Ch. 6 and 7 quiz you missed.

Monday-Wednesday (14th-16th): Galileo Testing

Friday, 9/11: Quiz on quotation marks.  You will need to see Ms. Kemp during CSS to make up the quiz.

Thursday, 9/10: Complete the following tasks on your rough draft:
1. Go through your story and put all proper punctuation with the dialogue. (Quotation marks, commas, periods, exclamation points, and question marks all in the correct place.)
2. Check for indirect quotations. If you have too many indirect quotations, revise it into direct quotations.
3. Look for "telling" sentences in your drafts and change them into "showing" passages!
4. Choose your favorite hook and ending for your story and revise your draft as necessary.
5. You can only use "said" in your story 2 times.

Wednesday, 9/9: 1)Go over the importance of great beginnings and great endings in writing.  2)Create 2 great beginnings and 2 great endings for your short story in your journals. 3) Go over AR: how it impacts your grade and your responsiblities. 

Tuesday, 9/8: We continued working and completed our character clash assignment (Follow steps 1-5). Complete the "Revise to Direct" assignment.  We also revised our drafts to make sure we had more direct quotations instead of indirect quotations. 

Friday, 9/4: Today we completed our quotation mark exercises in our green grammar books with a partner: Exercise 2-5, #'s 1-5 for each exercise.  You will have to see Ms. Kemp for a green grammar book during CSS.  We also began our character clash assignment (Follow steps 1-5).

Thursday, 9/3: Today we worked on quotation mark exercises in our green grammar books with a partner: Exercise 2-5, #'s 1-5 for each exercise.  You will have to see Ms. Kemp for a green grammar book during CSS.  

Wednesday, 9/2: Today we went over the rules of quotation marks.

Tuesday, 9/1: You will need to get a book from Ms. Kemp during CSS to read chapter 3 of The Giver. Don't forget to check the homework section to get the homework you missed!

Monday, 8/31: You will need to get a book from Ms. Kemp during CSS to read chapter 2 of The Giver.After reading, turn to the belief chart in your journal with the 7 statements. In the author column, write whether you think the author agrees or disagrees with each statement. Don't forget to check the homework section to get the homework you missed!

Friday, 8/28: You need to schedule a time to make up the quiz we had today on point of view and characterization.  Finish rough draft for short story.  Rough draft due Monday, 8/31/09.

Thursday, 8/27: Begin writing rough drafts for short stories.

Wednesday, 8/26: Look at the picture and brainstorm ideas for a short story relating to it.  Complete the short story graphic organizer.  Look at the rubric for story requirements.

Tuesday, 8/25: Review the powerpoint beginning at slide 27 and ending at slide 34 on characterization. Either take notes on these slides or print the notes. Complete the characterization assignment. Don't forget to check the homework section to get the homework you missed!

Monday, 8/24: Today we did Round Robin writing in groups.  There is no make up work for today.