Wow 8th Grade

Your responses to the first few questions yesterday were excellent. I'm working on making google forms really easy for you guys, because it makes grading much easier for me. Upcoming we have some meaningful activities on bullying, so look forward to some great conversation and some real effort towards making our classroom a "drama free zone."

EACH QUESTION REQUIRES 5 COMPLETE SENTENCES PER ANSWER

Link To Thirteen Reasons Why Worksheet

8th Grade.

Last week involved a lot of summarizing activities....

• Obama's speech
• Summarize an article of your choice
• Summarizing worksheet 3 (about the English colonies)

I have very few of these turned in and yet, I am grading them. 

Behavioral Reminders-

No Phones This Week. You have abused the privilege of  using your phones. 

Talking and not paying attention while I am giving instructions has been a very serious problem this year and I have mulled over how to deal with it. I didn't want to give heaps of conduct points, but I also cannot continue to have class time be wasted by outbursts and giggling. 

This week, during debrief, I want you to focus your writing on things you can do to be a better student. Write about goals, focusing your blog, calming yourself down during class, or even exiting the room if you become a distraction.

If you talk while I give instructions, you get negative dojo points. If the problem persists, I am calling parents to inform them that you cause valuable class time to be wasted and together your parents and I will work out a solution.

This cannot continue. While I read to the class, you must be silent. If you have a question, you raise your hand.

I want students who contribute and enjoy class. I want you to have privileges and freedom, and I want you to learn key reading skills like summarizing, inferring, visualizing text, determining what is important and analyzing the author's craft. When we have reviewed this things, and you have worked hard, you will be better readers and more capable students. That is all I want for you and from you, a real chance to learn.

I am trying to work with you, to make school enjoyable and tailored to you. I care about you.

Now, let's work together to improve class behavior. 

Summarizing Text

Article From CBS

Introduction to Reading Skills: Summarizing

How to Take Great Notes

Homework THIS WEEK. DUE MONDAY OCTOBER 5

7th & 8th
Main Idea & Summarizing Worksheet

8th Only
Main Idea & Summarizing Two

Schedule Next Week

8th Grade.

Monday- Blog work in the library. Focus on adding an assignments tab and posting your summarizing homework to it. (2 paragraph summary of Obama's speech, available on the blog to rewatch, if you'd like)

Tuesday-You will read an article, and identify key points, then review with a partner to see if you found the same sentences important.

 Homework will be summary practice page.

Wednesday- Write short answer questions on 13 Reasons Why and summarize the main contributors to Hannah's depression in the novel so far.

Thursday- You will independently take a summarizing test.

Friday- Scattergories.


7th-
Monday- Blogs
Tuesday- Main Idea Cards
Wednesday- Obama's Speech
Thursday- Main Idea Cards
Friday-Obama's Speech

6th-
Monday-Blogs
Tuesday-Review Main Idea Cards
Wednesday- Match The Title Game
Thursday- Main Idea Cards
Friday- Match The Title Game

Pres. Obama National Address to Students

Today we are going to watch this inspirational speech to students, given by President Obama. While we read and listen, our purpose is to highlight in purple key points in the passage that should probably go in a summary.



Purpose for reading- Identifying KEY POINTS (to be included in a summary)



Then, you will write and post a summary to your blog under an "assignments" page, which you will create.

8th Grade

Today in class you will summarize an article of your choice.

 The article must be AT LEAST two pages. For every page, I would like a one paragraph summary.

For a grade,  e-mail the paragraph summaries to me: teacherkait@gmail.com

If you did not complete your homework assignment from Tuesday, that must be done first. Then this task becomes homework. 

I have articles for use that are printed if you cannot find something online that interests you.



Summary idea/sentence starters:

• This text is mainly about....
• The author's important ideas were....
• The details that I need to include are....
• Some important concepts are....
• The most important points were....
• The key information is....
• The basic gist was....

***Remember, a summary is brief and does not include opinions or personal information. 

Make sure you're not stealing images!

Check out this link to find out how to select free to use images on google.

We're All Learning

Students,

I am incredibly proud to see the progress many of you have made on your blogs. It is incredible to read your writing and have some insight into who you are. I really, truly value your learning and growth as individuals and I have very, very high expectations of you. Please try your best to succeed in your blogs, work on them on your own time and grow as learners and as young men and women.

Really, I am so happy to see our online learning community start to grow.

In the wake of reading your blogs and being reminded of how awesome you guys are, I have worked on our class blog. too I want to have a blog that looks as great as many of yours. Remember, I am maintaining one too, and I know it's a lot of work! Great, great job, guys.

Post These Into Your Reading List, Please

http://yannasutton.blogspot.com/                    Ahyanna
http://nssvictorcl2.blogspot.com/                    Victor
http://jmorris02.blogspot.com/                           Johnnie
http://arilions.blogspot.com/                                Abi
http://squaddonfleek.blogspot.com/                  Steve
http://shannon640.blogspot.com/                        Shannon
http://girlygamerreviews.blogspot.com/             Aliyah
http://nickydallas.blogspot.com/                            Nicole
http://bloggedoutwithmarliyah.blogspot.com/   Marliyah
http://mickeyschoices.blogspot.com/                 Mickey
http://niyaa1027.blogspot.com/                           Janiya
http://sagemasterreviews.blogspot.com/            Ramis
http://bruhitsenyce.blogspot.com/                       Enyce
http://claude458.blogspot.com/                            Claude
http://rahqoun13.blogspot.com/                          Rahqoun
http://pinkbluepurrple.blogspot.com/                Selen
http://tamya123.blogspot.com/                           Tamya

Sorry I was gone!

I missed you guys!
Here are some pics of my trip to Seattle.

Click Here to take a summarizing quiz in your group. Then scroll down and take the other summarizing quiz.

E-mail a screenshot of both results pages to teacherkait@gmail.com with the names of your group members for a grade.


Press Ctrl + window switcher key to take a screenshot

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reading activities

reading worksheets

Make a word cloud - WordItOut

Make a word cloud - WordItOut

Pictures.....They Don't Belong To Us

Pictures on your blog make it look AWESOME.
However, we don't own the pictures on google images.
In order to add a picture to your blog, you must search for a public, free to use photo.

You can do that at https://search.creativecommons.org/

Always search for images that are free to use, because otherwise, it's a violation of copyright.

Summarizing Quiz

Click Here to take a summarizing practice quiz.

Inference Quiz, HW Pass

Inference Quiz, HW Pass

ONLINE INFERENCE QUIZ

Click here for quiz


Take this practice quiz and submit the results to me (through e-mail or google chat) teacherkait@gmail.com
and I will give you exclude you from a missing HW (which many of you already have)


Thank you! Don't forget your blogs this weekend! One post and five comments are due EVERY SINGLE WEEK.

Important Notes About Summarizing

Last year, we spent a lot of time working on finding the main idea. Summarizing requires this skill. In order to effectively summarize, you all NEED to slow down. There is no rush to complete work, as there will always be more classwork. LEARNING IS THE GOAL, NOT FINISHING.

Summarizing involves multiple steps.

1. Read and comprehend. You may need to look up some unfamiliar vocabulary to be sure you understand a word's meaning. In my class, you may do that on your phone, unless it's a test or quiz.
2. Identify the main idea and key details.
3. Express the key points in your own words. 

 Summaries should not contain opinions, background knowledge, or personal information; rather, a summary should be entirely text based. 

Summarizing Slideshow

Upcoming Lessons

 When we finish our inference unit, we will start a summarizing unit.

Learning Goals For Summarizing Unit:

• Students will be able to define the term "summarizing" and explain how it's different from stating a "main idea" or "retelling"

• Students will be able to summarize literature from different genres, including short stories, poems, or plays.

summary

noun

1. a brief statement or account of the main points of something.

Tricks to effective summarizing-

• Shorter than the text.
• Use your own words
• Main points only

We will read an article together.
Then you will independently read an article, highlighting what information you think should go in a summary.
Then you and your group will share what you've highlighted and see if you agreed on what was important.
You will then each write a summary in your group.
I will write one too, and share it!


 We will also view a video and a slideshow on summarizing and practice the skill as a whole group.


Then, in your big cat groups, you will each summarize a different piece of literature, from varying genres.

Ocelots- A Drama

Cheetahs- A Short Story

Leopards-A Drama

Tigers- A Short Story

Jaguars- Poetry

Lions- Poetry

****All the while, blog posts and comments are due EACH WEEK, even if I don't mention them at all. Remember?

NEW CLASSROOM PROCEDURES IN PLACE, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

NEW CLASSROOM PROCEDURES IN PLACE, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

Every day begins with commencement time. It will likely be 5-10 minutes. For fifth period it begins after silent reading. If there is no bell ringer, you will free write in your composition book, but you will be working THE WHOLE TIME. You are silent, working on your bell work independently and awaiting the debrief for the day, when I tell you what’s up.

Let’s practice. Free Write and brainstorm ideas for your blog. Silently.

When commencement is over, everyone knows what they need to be working on, and Ms. Alexander explicitly says “Ok. 213 Free” you may use classroom resources or move to the floor with a pillow.

During “213FREE”

You may….

1. listen to music on your device, if the work is independent.
2. complete computer or station time, if it is your groups day.
3. get art supplies as needed.
4. request book check outs

Expectations for Pillow Place

• During “213Free” Time, when you are talking with your group, doing assignments and “commencement” is over.
• “213 Free” is when you can go to the bathroom (when I sign your agenda), move about the the room to get supplies, and begin working independently or with a group, as assigned
• Do not abuse the pillow place in any way. It is meant for us all enjoy some level of comfort while we learn.
• Fair is not treating everyone the same.

Expectations for Silent Reading

When the bell rings you will be comfortable (somewhere) with a book, not another word or sound until the alarm on the board goes off. Absolutely no phones or technology, except the e-reader.

Expectations for Social Media in the Classroom

We will do occassional activities with kik, provided you follow social media rules.

Absolutely no negativity.

No chewing/roasting/cooking/getting on top of people’s heads. NOTHING NEGATIVE AT ALL

Absolutely no negativity.

Expectations for Blogs and Comments

In addition to your weekly blog, the expectation of which you can read in my previous post, you must comment 5 sentences a week on other blogs. It can be 5 shorts comments or 1 5 sentence comment. Read each other’s blogs and support each other. Social Media Rules Apply

Team Time

No chewing/roasting/cooking/getting on top of people’s heads. NOTHING NEGATIVE AT ALL

Absolutely no negativity.
You must be on task through the entire team time.

You must be talking through answers to questions together.

You must be focused.

You must not do ANYTHING which causes a problem for someone else.

Problems for other people include, (not an exhaustive list)

• disturbing their focus in any unnecessary way
• avoiding your own work in a team

Individual Time

• Work mostly silently
• If necessary, OCCASIONALLY ask questions in level 2 from your team.
• Do not talk to other teams

Transitions

Show respect for our shared space when you enter and leave the room. Check your area. Clean up your team table. CHECK THE FLOOR. Help straight the pillow place. Pick up stuff that isn’t yours.

Turning in work

Ms. Alexander’s Mail Box	2nd Period Turn In
X	3rd Period Turn In
X	4th Period Turn In
X	5th Period Turn In
X	6th Period Turn In

Memories from Last Year! 

I guess I should've waited until Thursday.

Directions for your blogs

I've thought a lot about your blogs. I've looked at every one so far. They look awesome.

1. I want one post a week, about anything you'd like. 
2. It has to be at least two paragraphs with one picture.
3. I will grade on grammar & content. I want you to try to be very descriptive. 
4. I want you to try to focus on something specific, and keep it the same each week, at least for a few weeks at a time.

Some Ideas

animals or types of animals (mammals, reptiles)

countries you'd like to visit and why (exploring their culture a little bit would be great)

languages of the world

different companies 

game reviews

car reviews

I believe in you and I'm so excited to see what you come up with.