Ms. Dean's Blog

This Week In Review

TUESDAY: We reviewed state released student essays to identify what will be required to pass the writing assessment.

WEDNESDAY: Today was the Eighth Grade Writing Assessment. We had an extended homeroom period which meant the remaining classes were shortened. All students in my classes were taken to the Media Center and given time to check out new materials. The independent reading assignment and AR quiz are due by 2/2/11. Please check the Blog from early January if you need a copy of the reading journal sheet.

THURSDAY: Today the students took a reading benchmark that will allow me to evaluate their comprehension of various literary elements. After this, they started a poetry assignment. Download Dream alternate

FRIDAY: Today the students will do a partner activity that allows them to review basic literary elements. DGP #17 is due today. Download Reading ELA8R1 Building Background

Topic Sentences and Supporting Details

MONDAY: After completing today's DGP, the students compared and contrasted topic sentences with detail sentences. They then used one of the topic sentences to draft a paragraph. Next, they revised a paragraph that lacked detail. Download Topic sentence and detail practice

INTRO/CLOSING

Thursday: After completing the DGP, students decided whether they wanted to practice writing intro or closing paragraphs. The class was divided into these two sections, and I was able to help the two groups work out any issues they were still facing with their particular type of paragraph. For homework tonight, the students should complete the opposite side of the practice sheet they did in class today. Download Directions for practicing intro-closing

FRIDAY: The DGP and spelling make-up is due today. The students will work on-line using Essay Scorer to type the final essay they have been working on this week. This site will give them instant feedback and a grade as soon as they are done typing. Instructions for accessing the site were posted on my Blog earlier this week. Students can access it at home and practice writing an essay for any of the prompts listed. Scores of 3 or more will be used as extra credit.

Second Body Paragraph

WEDNESDAY: After completing the DGP, the students took a formative assessment that let me know how much of yesterday's lesson on using "for example," "such as," and numbers in sentences they retained.

After the assessment, they revised the body paragraph they wrote on January 7th and then started a second body paragraph. THEY MUST FINISH THE SECOND BODY PARAGRAPH FOR HOMEWORK.

If a student needs to make up Friday's spelling quiz because he or she was absent OR if a student failed it the first time around, he can put all ten words into a one to two paragraph story, underline the spelling words, and turn in the assignment by FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, for a revised grade.

ESSAY SCORER

Students are encouraged to access Essay Scorer on-line during the next week to practice writing effective essays. Follow the instructions listed below. Any essay that receives a three or above will be entered as extra credit during the third quarter grading period.

1.) Access http://essayscorer.com/ph/ga/bm

2.) Your ID is your lunch number.

3.) Your password is cobb10

4.) Click on any of the prompts other than the one we are working on in class.

5.) Type an essay in the space provided.

6.) Use spell-check at the end if you would like to.

7.) Press save essay.

8.) Press get feedback.

9.) Review your score and revise if necessary.

 

 

TUESDAY: After completing today's DGP and adding two new spelling words (intelligence and knowledge), the students used a rubric to analyze a student sample of a body paragraph written on January 14th. The students also did various activities to address areas that need improvement in their writing such as writing numbers correctly in sentences and using the phrases "such as" and "for example" in sentences.

If a student receieved a six or below on his or her spelling quiz, he or she may  use all ten words (check recent Blog posting for list of words) in a one to two paragraph story and turn this in by Friday for a revised quiz grade. Please be sure to underline the spelling words.

 

EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY!!

Greetings to all of my snow and icebound students! Have you enjoyed this unexpected break? I did at first, but now I'm getting a little tired of all of the free time. With that being said, I am in the process of entering all of your names into a very useful website that is set up to make all of you better writers! Just what we need as we continue to prepare for the eighth grade writing assessment. 

The site is called Essay Scorer, and it is associated with our eighth grade literature book. It will allow you to practice writing an essay and then get back a score. I have not used the site yet, so I need some students to use it and give me feedback. As I said, I'm still pushing through the tedious process of enrolling all of you.

If you would like to receive an extra credit grade, contact me through e-mail and let me know you want to access this site. I will give you your log-in information, and we'll proceed from there.

yevone.dean@cobbk12.org

Be safe out there, and I'll see you all on Tuesday!!

 

 

Brainstorming

THURSDAY: After completing the DGP, the students read five different writing prompts and discussed strategies for recognizing key words in the prompts. Download Writing Prompt Review We then practiced using an expository flowchart as a pre-writing tool to help us organize our ideas. Download Expository Flow Chart

Tomorrow there will be a spelling quiz on the following words: embarrass, extraordinary, familiar, fascinate, forty, government, guarantee, height, immediately, independent. The students can study these words and take a quiz tomorrow, or tonight for homework they can use each of the ten words in a one to two paragraph story. The words must be underlined. If this option is used, it must be turned in at the beginning of class.

FRIDAY: DGP #15 will be collected, students will take a spelling quiz over the words listed above, and students will practice creating their own expository flowcharts. After  creating the flowchart, students will write one rough draft paragraph using information from the pre-write (flowchart).

Posters

WEDNESDAY: After completing the DGP, the students returned to their partnerships and completed the poster they started yesterday. They also had the opportunity to return and check out new library books.

An independent reading assignment is due on February 2nd. One portion requires the students to complete a reflective reading journal while reading a book within theirLexile range. This is a homework grade and cannot be turned in late. The second portion requires the student to take an AR quiz on the book read OR complete a book report following the guidelines on the back of the reflective reading journal sheet.  This is a quiz grade. Download Reading Journal Reflections Download Arbookreportrevised[1]

 

Watch D.O.G.S. needed

Attention male family members: Barber is implementing a nationally acclaimed program that helps promote and increase adult male involvement in education. This hugely successful program is already set up at Acworth Elementary and North Cobb High School. If you are the father, grandfather, uncle, or a male that is significant in the life of one of our Barber students, please consider coming to our Kick-off event on Thursday evening at 6:30. The event will provide pizza and details.  The homeroom with the greatest representation will have the opportunity to get "up close and personal" with a helicopter that will visit the school next week. Check out this link for additional information. Watch D.O.G.S

TUESDAY: After completing Monday and Tuesday's DGP, the students reviewed the elements of an essay (Download Elements of an Essay Review). They were then assigned a partner with whom they are required to create a poster advertising one of the elements we discussed. This will be due at the end of class tomorrow.

We will visit the media center tomorrow. Please ensure all materials are at school for return or checkout.