St. Luke’s 7th and 8th English

The Franks decide to go into hiding in Holland rather than try to escape to another country.  Why do you think they made that choice?  What would be your choice, if you were in their position?

Please comment to this question.  I will be checking over the next few days.

Thank you to those who have commented.  Now, think about what it means to give and what it means to receive.  Comments are encouraged.

I am asking you to think philosophically.  We give and receive things all the time–but just how important are those things–and what are the best things given or received?  Are they “things”?

Have I really confused you or made you think outside the box???????

7th Grade

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Perfect community

Perfect family

Perfect Job

Perfect existence

This is the premise for the new novel 7th grade is reading.

Thought for the week: What would it be like to live without color, warmth, music, and personal relationships just to avoid pain? Please respond with a comment. I am really interested in what you think.

8th Grade

I found a web cite with an interview of Otto Frank. I am trying to link it to my blog. I will keep trying.

“It says here,

The average American middle schooler

will write more essays in English than they every want to remember….”

Well, here goes>>>>

7th Grade

For those who might misplace the handout–Writing Prompt:  Figurative language is not meant to be read literally–How does figurative language work in the poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” and “Four Skinny Trees” ?  Explain how the authors of these two pieces used figurative language (metaphors).

Hint:  Question 8 on page 231 will be the best source of information  because you have already listed the similarities and differences in your Venn diagram.

8th Grade

Repetition is a literary element.  Write an essay analyzing the use of repetition in the two poems, “Ring Out, Wild Bells” and “Winter Moon”.  Keep in mind what the use of repetition does in terms of the beat (rhythm) or musicality of the poems as well as the emphasis that each poet is putting in the poem.  What does the repetition do to the underlying meaning of the poems?

A ROUGH DRAFT OF THIS ESSAY IS DUE NEXT MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2009.  WE WILL BE PEER EDITING IN CLASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO GET IT DONE.   YOU CAN E-MAIL ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT dgrimes3@satx.rr.com OR dgrimes@sles-sa.org.

Happy Writing!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope that all of you have a safe and fun filled Spring Break.

7th Grade:   We will be working in the literature book reading short stories and poetry starting after the break.

8th Grade:  We will be working in the literature book ,also.  We will be  reading about the Holocaust and making connections with world wide human rights.

Have a great break and come back ready to learn some new stuff.

We have finished the novel and now we are going to watch two films associated with it. The first film is “Heavens Fall” which is about the “Scottsboro Boys” trial in Alabama in 1931. The second is the 1960 film adapted by playwright Horton Foote. The film “To Kill a Mockingbird” focuses on the trial of Tom Robinson and the children trying to get Arthur “Boo” Radley to come out.

PARENTS: IF YOU OBJECT TO YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER WATCHING EITHER ONE OF THESE FILMS, PLEASE E-MAIL ME YOUR OBJECTION. THEY WILL HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE ASSIGNMENT DURING THE SHOWING. I plan to show both films this week, so please let me know your objections as soon as possible. Thank you.

I wanted to extend the classes’ learning experience concerning the novel and the background of the novel. Many thanks to Mr. Prichard for loaning me the film “Heavens Fall”. I think that it will give the students a better idea of what went on during the 1930s.

I would like for us to continue our “Socratic Discussions” to include thoughts, feelings and literary elements used in the film as well as comparisons of film and novel.

Kudos, Plaudits, Laurels to both seventh and eighth grade classes for the splendid response you had for the Socatratic discussion and your power point presentations. Since everyone wanted to continue, we will finish the Socratic discussion on Friday. Next week we will discuss the next group of literary terms(for 8th grade). Monday and Tuesday of next week we will watch a film that Mr. Prichard recommended called “Heavens Fall”. It is about the Scottsboro Trial. We will then watch the film version of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. PARENTS, I WILL BE GETTING A LETTER OUT NEXT WEEK FOR PERMISSION SLIPS.

The next book that the eighth grade will read is HOUSE ON MANGO STREET. We will be looking at the Hispanic culture and make the connections between that novel and our own area of San Antonio.

The next books that the seventh grade will read is a Texas trilogy:

A PARADISE CALLED TEXAS

WILLOW CREEK HOME

SPIRIT OF IRON

These small novels relate to the Texas History Unit Mrs. Glasgow is doing.

Naturally, both grade levels will continue with Vocabulary, Grammar, and Writing.

I am trying to catch up with posting on my blog. We have “hit the ground running” with our vocabulary and grammar workbooks.

7th Grade

Writing: First Person Narrative

Using the information from the novel SACAJAWEA, you are writing a first person narrative as one of the main characters.

RESEARCH:

You are researching ONE of the following topics and presenting it to the class in the form of a power point.

You will become the expert on that topic and share your information with us.

Topics:

Sacajawea

Meriwether Lewis

William Clark

Jean Baptist Charbonneau

Thomas Jefferson

Toussaint Charbonneau

Geography, climate, and natural wonders of the uncharted territory

The different Native American tribes from the Western territory the expedition covered

Power Point is due to be presented to class on Monday, February 9, 2009

First Person Narrative Essay is due Wednesday, February 11, 2009

8th Grade

Writing:

Prompt: Analyze the childhood world of Jem, Scout, and Dill and their relationship with Boo Radley in Part One of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Keep in mind the toys you saw in the old cigar box.

RESEARCH:

You will research ONE of the following topics and present your findings to the class in the form of a power point.

Topics:

The Great Depression

The Dust Bowl

Stock Market Crash of 1929

The New Deal

Riding the Rails

The Scottsboro Trial

Jim Crow Laws

Civil Rights Movement

Dr. Martin Luther King

NAACP

You will become the expert on your chosen topic and present your information to the class.

PLEASE, BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH YOUR INFORMATION–DO NOT READ IT TO US FROM YOUR POWER POINT!!!!!

POWER POINT PRESENTATIONS WILL BE TUESDAY, FEB. 10, 2009

Continue reading!!!!! Chapters 22-27 for this week.

For Next week (Feb. 9-13) Read Chapters 28-31 (which will finish the novel

This will finish the book.

Questions to ponder as you read TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD:

1. Discuss Atticus’s parenting style. What is his relationship to his children like? How does he seek to instill conscience in them?

2. Discuss the author’s style of writing. She uses a child’s point of view to tell the story, yet the beginning is a grown woman’s reflections on her childhood. Keep in mind the use of flashback, the use of humor in telling a tragic story, and irony in telling a complex story full of complex issues.

3. Discuss the author’s descriptions of Maycomb. What is the town’s role in the novel?

4. Discuss the author’s portrayal of the black community and the character of Calpurnia and of Tom Robinson. Are they realistic or idealized characters?

5. What is Atticus’s relationship to the rest of Maycomb? What is his role in the community? What is his role in the black community?

6. Analyze the author’s treatment of Boo Radley. What is his role in the novel?

Time flies when you are having fun!!!!! Next week is semester exams. You all have your reviews and notes. If you have any questions, please comment or come to see me in person.  Yesterday, Monday, 12-8-08, you were given an essay assignment. We are working daily on this assignment.  The finished product will be attached to your exam. It is a great way to add extra points to your exam grade.

Following is the rubric that I will follow in grading your essay:

1.   Introduction and Conclusion that is clear and focused on the topic

2.   Clear focused ideas which holds reader’s attention.

3.   Thoughtful structured organizaion

4.  Clear voice–shows individual’s tone and voice

5.   Sentence Fluency–easy to read, creative, to the point

6.   Conventions–effective grammar, correct use of punctuation

Merry Christmas to you all.  May the Blessings of the Season be with you all.

I am going to attempt to put an attachment with the notes that we took in class yesterday and today. Hopefully, this will be helpful to everyone.

Well, that attempt failed miserably. I’ll have to wait and get Mr. Kremer’s help.