Here's what we are working on . . .

Hi everyone,

Here is an update on what grades 6th, 7th, and 8th are currently working on in Language Arts:

6th Grade:  We just finished identifying the sequence of events in a story.  Students applied their knowledge of how to identify the order of events and the necessary elements for a story by creating a comic strip.  The class is beginning to work on identifying the stages of the writing process.

7th Grade:  We have been reading short stories and poems that center around characters grappling with their identity.  The class learned the identifying characteristics of fables and poetry.  Also, students are learning to recognize the speaker and his/her motives in a story/poem.  We have begun a discussion of the stages of the writing process.



8th Grade:  The class has been reading short stories that have a historical setting.  After reading several stories, students created their own fictional short stories in a historical setting of their choice.  They experienced the writing process through writing their short stories, in addition to continued discussion of the subject matter in class. 

Tests/Quizzes:

• There is a vocabulary quiz every Friday
• Starting next week, for 7th Graders only, students will be quizzed on the spelling and meaning of the vocabulary words. 
• 8th and 6th Graders take spelling with their respective homeroom teachers, so they should follow the instructions given to them by Ms. Mendez and Ms. Abel.

Extra Credit:

6th Grade: none at this time

7th Grade: none at this time

8th Grade:  provide a poem by a well-known literary figure that has the central theme of "Choice".  Turn-in the poem along with the following information: 

• Title (make predictions based on the title of the poem)
• Paraphrase the poem
• What is the connotation of the poem?  What is the meaning of the poem (beyond the literal)
• Attitude/tone of the speaker
• Shifts of attitude of the speaker
• Central theme