Thank You!!!

From now on, you can refer to Swaintopia for all of your homework, test, and other information.  It has been a pleasure working with you this semester.  I wish you the best of luck in your future!

Ms. G

Before Spring Break

8th Grade
*Vocab quiz unit 14 Tuesday- I will also check exercises 1-6
*Unit test Wednesday
*Worksheet packets due Wednesday

7th Grade
*Vocab quiz unit 14 Tuesday- I will also check exercises 1-8 except 5
*Unit test Wednesday
*Worksheet packets due Wednesday

Test and Quiz Info

8th
*Unit 14 vocab quiz Tuesday
*Unit test on Wednesday
*Classwork packet due in class on Thursday- BEFORE you leave for break!!

7th
*Unit 14 vocab exercises 1-8 except 5 will be checked on Tuesday
*Unit 14 vocab quiz on Tuesday
*Test on Monsters Are Due on Maple Street on Wednesday
*Classwork packets are due in class after the test Wed- BEFORE you leave for break!

IMPORTANT NOTES

I will be out of school on Tuesday and Wednesday working at the University of Delaware.  
*By the end of this week, make sure all specified vocabulary exercises for unit 14 are done
*Vocab unit 14 quiz is looking to be on Monday 4/18
*Next unit test is looking to be Wednesday 4/20 before spring break
*Complete any and ALL worksheets provided by Mr. Swain
*Spring break starts next Friday. Make sure ALL of your work is in/ tests are completed before you go!

Homework and Class

8th Grade
*In class today, students will be discussing how to find mood and tone, specifically in the horror story/mystery genre.
*HW: When referring to the horror story genre, a critic once said "there is no delight the equal of dread."  What do you think this means? Do you agree? 

Homework

8th Grade
- Test tomorrow!!
- Worksheet packet due 1-10

7th Grade
- Test tomorrow!
- Worksheet packet due 1-8

Email Issues

Throughout the past few weeks, I have been experiencing some issues with my email account.  I hope to have it back up and running in the next few days.  I apologize for any inconvenience if any students or parents have tried to contact me! Thanks. Ms. G

Homework

8th Grade
- Finish descriptive writing assignment
- Review for test
- Test on Thursday!
- Worksheet packets due Friday

7th Grade
- Review for test
- Test on Thursday!
- Worksheet packets due by Friday

Homework

8th Grade
*Poet Robert Lowell said that Swenson’s poems “should be hung with permanent fresh paint signs.”  What do you think this means? Does this apply to Southbound on the Freeway? Is it true of Cummings’s poems as well? 

7th Grade
*Think of 1-2 possible test questions for our test on Thursday

Important Info & HW

March RRS is now due 4/4. NOT A DAY LATER!!

8th Grade
*Vocab unit 13 checked and quiz on Friday 4/1

7th Grade
*Vocab unit 13 checked and quiz on Monday 4/4

Homework and Reminders

**March RSS is due THIS Thursday, 3/31 !! **

8th Grade
- Vocab unit 13 quiz on Friday

Homework and Reminders

8th Grade
*March RSS due 3/31
*Make sure vocab exercises 1&2 are completed

7th Grade
*Test corrections for poetry test due MONDAY.
*March RSS due 3/31
*Make sure vocab exercises 1,2,&3 are completed

Have a great weekend! :-)

Things To Remember!

MARKING PERIOD ENDS ON FRIDAY. Turn in any last minute work!!!

8th Grade
-March RSS due 3/31
-Make sure your classwork packets are turned in.

7th Grade
-Hw for 2/24: Complete the 'facebook' newsarticle worksheet. Turn it in BY tomorrow.
-Classwork packets are due THIS Friday
-March RSS due 3/31

Reminders

8th
*March RSS is due 3/31!
*Classwork packets are due BY FRIDAY

7th
*March RSS is due 3/31!
*Classwork packets are due this FRIDAY

Homework

8th Grade
- Study for Anne Frank test on Monday!

Homework

8th Grade
- If you are bringing in anything for your time capsule project, bring these items in on Thursday
- Time capsule project due Friday in class
- Anne Frank test on Monday 3/21

7th Grade
- Choose a song for your figurative language assignment and determine how you are going to play it in class

Homework

8th Grade
- Work on Time Capsule projects. Due on or around Thursday 3/17

7th Grade
- Study for unit test on Wednesday 3/16

Homework

8th Grade
*Study for your vocab quiz

Yeah Yeah Bawlin & The Oompa Loompas of Narnia
*Study for your vocab quiz

8th Grade Journals

Journals For Time Capsule Project

1. Write about an important moment in your life.

2. Have you ever felt torn? Discuss a time where you had to stand up for yourself.

3. Pretend you and your family were being forced into hiding. You only have one hour to prepare. You can never return home, and you can’t take a suitcase with you. What items would you bring and why?  How would you carry them?

4. "I hope I will be able to confide everything to you, as I have never been able to confide in anyone, and I hope you will be ag reat source of comfort and support."  This quote comes from Anne's actual diary. In your journal, I want you to discuss a time you felt you had no one to confide in. Explain the situation and how this made you feel.

5. In the Annex, the group was forced to cope with stress in the new environment and had minimal freedom. What are some of the stresses you face in life? And how do you cope with this stress?

6. Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” – Anne Frank.  In your journals, talk about whether you agree or disagree with this quote.

7.  Miep Gies risked her life by helping the Franks.  Would you have done the same for a friend? If so, who would you risk your life for and why?

8.  In life, we face personal challenges and conflicts with others.  Discuss a time you confronted a conflict with others and explain how you resolved this conflict. 

Homework and Classwork

8th Grade
In Class: Students will be identifying features of a 'coming of age' story in reference to The Diary of Anne Frank. They will also be making text-to-self connections between their own lives, and the lives of the characters.
HW for 3/11: Miep Gies risked her life by helping the Franks.  Would you have done the same for a friend? If so, who would you risk your life for and why? Answer this question in journal format.

7th Grade
HW for 3/11: Review vocab words

Classwork and Homework March 8-12

8th Grade
- In class, students will be reading scenes from The Diary of Anne Frank play.  Students will be able to illustrate knowledge of characters, setting, plot details, and conflicts in the play.
- Hw for 3/9 Journal prompt 5:  In the Annex, the group was forced to cope with stress in their new environment and had minimal freedom.  What are some of the stresses you face in life? And how do you cope with this stress?

7th Grade
- In class, students will be starting a mini-unit on poetry. Students will be able to identify and explain elements of figurative language. In addition, students will be working on inferencing skills.
- HW for 3/8: 2nd block: In a paragraph, tell me what you like to do in English class.
4th block: In a paragraph, tell me about yourself. What do you want me to know?
- Hw for 3/9: In "To You", the speaker asks dreamers for help.  Do you think dreams are useful, or are they a waste of time? In a paragraph or two, explain your opinion.

8th Grade

Wednesday
*Students will take their unit test on Nikki Giovanni.
* HW: lyric poem projects are due tomorrow!!!

Thursday & Friday
*Students will begin a mini unit on The Diary of Anne Frank
*Students will also present their lyric poem projects to the class

8th Grade

In class objectives: Students will be able to use photographs, short stories, and poems to demonstrate inferencing skills.  Students will also be able to analyze poetry and make connections between the text and their own lives.

HW- Study for your test tomorrow!!

8th Grade

In class: students will be working on their lyric song projects and completing a peer editing assignment

HW
*Start reviewing for your test Wednesday
*Continue working on your projects

8th Grade Homework

*February RSS is due Monday!
*Continue working on your lyric song projects. Bring your draft and a copy of your lyrics to class on Monday.

8th Grade

Objectives for lesson:

• Students will be able to identify and discuss similarities and differences between two poetic texts
• Students will be able to analyze characters in a text and make text-to-self connections abouttheir choices in life

Homework

• Make a graphic organizer or a pre-writing chart for your lyric poem projects. Bring these to class tomorrow 2/23. 

Lyric Poetry and Song Project Directions & Rubric

Directions:

This project has 3 steps:

1.    Select a song

·      Choose a *CLEAN* song that represents you, or something about your life.

·      Analyze the lyrics and the song as a whole.

2.    Write a 2-3 page response paper explaining why you chose the song. Be sure to address and include the following:

·      Content

o   How is this song similar to lyric poetry?  Do you think this song is a lyric poem?

o   What do you like about the song?  The instruments? The rhythm? The lyrics?

o   Incorporate quoted lyrics as needed.  What do these lyrics mean?

o   What is the structure of the song? Is there a specific rhyme scheme?

o   Can you identify any poetic elements? (ex: alliteration, metaphors)

o   What about the song relates to you or your life? Why is it awesome? What does it say about YOU?

o   What is the writer’s purpose and/or message?

o   How is music a means of self-expression and preservation?

·      Structure and Mechanics:

o   An outline- you can organize the paper however you like, as long as there is a clear, cohesive structure

o   Strong topic sentences

o   A main idea

o   A clear purpose

o   An introduction that hooks the reader

o   Transitions between paragraphs

·      Include a copy of the lyrics with the project.

3.    Present your project to the class

·      Explain what song you chose and why. Highlight the important elements of your paper.

·      Play A 30 second- 1 minute clip of the song  *SONG MUST BE EDITED

 “Music is the poetry of the air”

Rubric For Lyric Poetry and Song Project

1. Structure                                      ·      Organized and logical flow of ideas ·      Strong paragraphs Comments:	______________/30
2. Content                                          ·      Appropriate song choice ·      Lyrics ·      Explains relevance to lyric poetry ·      Answers and addresses all elements Comments:	______________/30
3. Presentation                                ·      Highlights important aspects of paper ·      Brief segment of song Comments:	______________/20
4. Drafts and Revisions                  ·      Includes all necessary components Comments:	______________/10
5. Mechanics                                                ·      Spelling ·      Grammar Comments:	______________/10
Total Grade	___________/100

8th Grade Homework

Over the weekend...
*Study for your unit 11 vocabulary quiz on Tuesday
*Start thinking of possible topics for your lyric poem project

8th Grade Homework

For 2/18
*Study for quiz on "Grand Mothers"
*Finish chapter 11 vocab exercises 1,2&3