Ms. Dean's Blog

Practice for the Writing Assessment

The Eighth Grade Writing Assessment will be administered on January 18, 2012. We will only have five days to review when we return from the winter break. If students would like to practice applying the writing skills we have been developing this semester, they can access the on-line website Essayscorer.com. While I have placed two new prompts on this site, I encourage them to focus on the expository prompt regarding role models. If they  send me an e-mail by January 7th notifying me they have typed an essay, I will personally review it and add feedback. I cannot guarantee I'll have time to look at essays after that date.

Essayscorer.com

ID = lunch number   Password = cobb10

 

"A Christmas Carol"

MONDAY:Today the students will write a paragraph responding to various quotes pertaining to money. We will discuss these quotes, and then watch a selected scene from "A Christmas Carol." Today we will start reading th story in class.

Download Money quotes

TUESDAY: Today we should complete the dry reading so that  tomorrow we will be able to act it out. If students would like to access the story on-line, they should follow the attached instructions to set up an on-line text book account. Download Online Textbook Directions Log-in to the SEVENTH GRADE BOOK to read the story on page 390. They can type the number into the upper right-hand corner in the "Page Number" box.

WEDNESDAY: Today we will discuss the theme of the drama we read and determine what changes we saw in the protagonist over the course of the story.  We will then assign parts and begin acting out selected scenes from the drama. Please remember to bring props to make the play more fun.

We need: bells, chains (nothing dangerous, please!), robes, hats, scarves, coins, coin purse, bowl, cup, "bling," crutch or cain, picture of a turkey or a stuffed animal turkey (or any stuffed bird), a doll.

THURSDAY: Today we will finish acting out the play.

Happy Holidays! See you on January 10, 2012.

 

Revisions of TV Essay Paragraphs

TUESDAY: After completing today's DGP, the students practiced writing sentences containing appositives. They need to have two of these sentences written on the bottom of their DGP by Friday.

Next we used the attached BAD version of a TV essay to review how to help our teammates revise. We discussed the weaknesses of the sample essay and then determined appropriate ways to give feedback to the person who may have made those same mistakes.

Download TV revision exercise

Students were able to look at paragraphs written by two or three of their teammates and put feedback on their papers. Then students were given time to make revisions and corrections based on that feedback.

HOMEWORK: On a separate sheet of paper, write the revised paragraph in final draft form. Indent, capitalize, punctuate, and write legibly. This paragraphs will be displayed in front of the entire class.

WEDNESDAY: Students will use I-respond to enter answers from the county Checkpoint test they took last Monday. After that, they will be given their Intelligence-enhancing essay and a rubric with instructions for revision. The revised essay can be handwritten, or the student can go on-line and complete it on essayscorer.com. All revisions will be done as homework, and the revised paper is due on Friday at the beginning of class.

The first grade for this essay was entered in the Quiz/Writing Assignment category. The revised essay turned-in on Friday will be entered as a test grade.

THURSDAY & FRIDAY: Students will assemble their team's paragraphs for presentation. Classmates will assess each team's essay using the attached scorecard.

Download Persuasive Essay Scorecard

First Draft of TV Essay Paragraphs

MONDAY: After completing today's grammar practice, the students collaborated with their teammates regarding the best and the minor arguments for their team essay. Each student was then responsible for writing a first draft of their assigned paragraph.

HOMEWORK: Students must complete their assigned paragraph in order for the team to get a passing homework grade tomorrow. Download TV prompt prewrite

This week's spelling words are familiar and fascinate. Students should write these words 15 times each on the back of their DGP sheet, and then put each of the words into a complex sentence. This is due Friday.

Eighth Grade Running Club & Sleighbells Run

The Eighth Grade Running Club participated in its second event of the year by running in Marietta's Sleighbells on the Square on Saturday. We're looking forward to more events in the early spring.

Download Sleighbells 2011

Batter Up!

FRIDAY: Today the students were placed in small groups to form teams for the next writing assignment. Team are comprised of writers with varying levels of ability. Each team has a team captain who reports directly to me, the coach. The first task for each team was to spend ten minutes drafting a pre-write for the new essay's prompt. After drafting the pre-write independently, team members collaborated to determine if they favored the beneficial or harmful side of this particular topic. Next, team captains discussed personal writing strengths and weaknesses with team members to select "positions." By the end of the class period, each team member knew what position of the paper they were responsible for writing.

Throughout today's lesson, we discussed various strategies for creating an effective pre-write.

Download TV prompt prewrite

Batter Up!

FRIDAY: Today the students were placed in small groups to form teams for the next writing assignment. Team are comprised of writers with varying levels of ability. Each team has a team captain who reports directly to me, the coach. The first task for each team was to spend ten minutes drafting a pre-write for the new essay's prompt. After drafting the pre-write independently, team members collaborated to determine if they favored the beneficial or harmful side of this particular topic. Next, team captains discussed personal writing strengths and weaknesses with team members to select "positions." By the end of the class period, each team member knew what position of the paper they were responsible for writing.

Throughout today's lesson, we discussed various strategies for creating an effective pre-write.

Download TV prompt prewrite

Persuasive Essay Models

WEDNESDAY: Today the students had a sub in the classroom. They were required to write two paragraphs using the topic sentences they wrote on Monday and Tuesday.

Download Two Topical Paragraphs 20 point assignment

THURSDAY: I will be out again as my husband recuperates from surgery. The students will read several persuasive essay models that will help them recognize the three elements of persuasion: a claim, support, and an opposing & counter argument.

Download Persuasive essay models

Topical Paragraphs

MONDAY: Today the students analyzed ineffective and effective topic sentences. They compiled a list of things to avoid and a list of things to include when writing topic sentences. Most classes had time to use the "Revised School Calendar" prompt to practice writing one topic sentence.

Download Topic sentence practice

Download Tackling Topic Sentences T chart 1

TUESDAY: Today the students will write a second topic sentence and have a partner review it before submitting it for a grade. They will then analyze four topical paragraphs to recognize repetitiveness and how it can be revised out of a paragraph by including relevant details.

Download What do you know 1