Mrs. Q's Reviews

Every year, finding ideas to fill the class periods during and after testing is tricky – I don’t want to plan anything too similar to the demanding format of the SOLs because students have been studying for tests and are tired.  I want to plan activities that will help students reflect on the time they have spent in my class and inspire students to apply what they have learned in the future.

Searching for “end of the school year ideas” online brings up a lot of elementary school appropriate activities, but good middle school activities are harder to come by.  Here are some activities I’ve done in the past, some I have found online, and some I’d like to try in the future.

- Writing poetry in different styles than the ones studied in class (ex. found poetry, shape poetry, sensory poems).

- Creating a class literary magazine and giving each student a copy to take home.

- Writing a letter to future students about “how to survive” the class.

- Creating a video introduction to the class for future students.

- Writing questions for and holding a class Jeopardy tournament.

- Newspaper scavenger hunt – external text structures.

- Textbook scavenger hunt – literary terms.

- Summer reading book talks – students sign up in advance for a time slot, the teacher makes a list of titles.  During the book talks, students circle the titles that sound interesting and end up with a customized reading list.

- Students trace their footprint and write about a goal – “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.” – Henry David Thoreau

I want to restructure my grammar instruction next semester.  Eighth grade students need more intensive practice at the sentence and paragraph levels if they are to write a standardized 5-paragraph essay mid-semester.  I will use more of a spiral method to teach the basic parts of speech so that I can integrate punctuation earlier in the semester.

A factsheet on the teaching of grammar from a publisher I trust to stay on top of the latest research in the world of education seems to support my changed way of thinking about grammar instruction.  Heinemann suggests teaching ”only the grammatical concepts that are critically needed for editing writing, and teach[ing] these concepts and terms mostly through minilessons and conferences, while helping students edit.”  This would mean a more authentic approach to grammar for students than teaching grammar in isolation through the delivery of notes and practice pages with sentences written by others.  Research suggests that students need to experiment with “sentence combining, expanding, and manipulating,” something that many students struggle to apply when revising their own writing.   Students have trouble seeing the value of rewriting.

Since I have a new name, I’ve started a new blog for class materials and announcements:  http://bfmsquinn.edublogs.org

I’ll be keeping this blog to share my book reviews and responses.

My first period Eagles recently completed a novel study using the book A Wrinkle in Time.  I enjoyed the book as a teenager, but coming back to the Murrys and the Mrs. Ws as an adult has been an interesting experience.  The book seems like science fiction, but is actually fantasy- to be able to enjoy the book, the reader must “suspend disbelief” (as my favorite high school teacher was fond of saying) and join Meg, Calvin, and Charles Wallace as they travel to distant planets, encounter fantastic beasts, and face evil itself. 

My first period Eagles appreciated the suspense of the story- not knowing whether Meg and Charles Wallace will be able to find their missing father, whether the mysterious Mrs. Ws are trustworthy, or what IT is really made students want to keep reading to answer all of those questions.  Students also related to the theme of good and evil and to Meg’s bravery and loyalty to her family.  I loved seeing my students enjoy a book that was one of my introductions to fantasy- one of my favorite genres.  Several students have expressed an interest to read the rest of the books about the Murry family- the next is A Wind in the Door, if you want to know what happens next.

Tuesday, May 31 (Eagles) – Science 8 Review.  Students will read a readers’ theather version of “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and continue to work on their autobiographies in class.

Wednesday, June 1 (Franklins) – Science 8 SOL at BFMS and TGC.  Students will continue to work on their autobiographies in class.

Thursday, June 2 (Franklins) – BOOK FAIR VISIT.  Make up testing as needed.  Franklins’ autobiographies due in class.  Yearbook signing party after school at BFMS.

Friday, June 3 (Eagles) – Make up testing as needed. Eagles’ autobiographies due in class.  8th grade social after school at TGC.

Monday, June 6 – Field Day and Talent Show for 8th Graders

Tuesday, June 7 (Eagles) – BOOK FAIR VISIT.  Last day of English class for Eagle students.  COMPLETION CEREMONY AT FCHS.

Wednesday, June 8 (Franklins) - Last day of school – 2 hour early dismissal

This just in from Mrs. Reed:

- BFMS-W’s third and final book fair of the school year will be a “Buy One, Get One Free” book fair!  Students can buy one item and get a second item of equal or lesser value free.

Students may visit the book fair during homeroom from June 2nd – 8th.  We will visit the book fair as a class on June 2nd and 7th.

Games/Activities:

• The Thesaurus - Vocabulary
• Synonymns – Vocabulary
• Context Is Key - Vocabulary
• Awesome Analogies , Oxford Analogies Game, and Analogies Test- Figurative Language
• Figurative Language Quiz and Figurative Language Games
• Greek & Latin Roots and It’s Greek to Me – Vocabulary
• Prefix Skills – Vocabulary
• Prefixes Make New Words – Vocabulary
• Suffixes Say a Lot – Vocabulary
• Words with Multiple Meanings – Vocabulary
• FreeRice.com - Vocabulary
• “What are they selling?” – Persuasive Techniques
• “How are they selling it?” – Persuasive Techniques
• “Looking for the Fine Print” – Reading Advertisements
• Point of View - Literary Elements
• Elements of Fiction Jeopardy

Study Guides:

• Rockingham County

Online Lessons:

• Context Clues - Vocabulary
• Greek & Latin Roots - Vocabulary
• Dictionary/Thesaurus - Vocabulary
• Synonyms, Antonyms, Homonyms – Vocabulary
• Figurative Language and Figurative Language Websites
• Analogies – Figurative Language
• Poetic Sound Elements
• Following Instructions - Informational Text
• Fact and Opinion - Evaluating Sources
• Media – Evaluating Sources
• Bias – Evaluating Sources
• Author’s Purpose - Evaluating Sources
• Theme and Directly Stated or Implied Theme
• Main Idea
• Main Idea and Supporting Details
• Determining Relevancy and Locating Relevant Information
• Highlighting
• Summarize, paraphrase, and critique texts
• Text Structure – Interpreting Visual Aids
• Text Structure – Using Text Features
• Text Structure – Organizational Structure and Organizational Patterns
• Text Structure – Cause and Effect
• Text Structure – Genre
• Research – Selecting Appropriate Sources and Evaluating Sources
• Research – Synthesize
• Story Elements - Reading Comprehension
• Point of View - Reading Comprehension
• Sequence – Reading Comprehension
• Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions - Reading Comprehension
• Basic Plot Elements - Reading Comprehension
• Literary Devices - Reading Comprehension
• Types of Conflict and Internal and External Conflict - Reading Comprehension
• Analyzing Setting - Reading Comprehension
• Describing Characters - Reading Comprehension
• Character Development - Reading Comprehension

Practice Tests:

• I.Q. – Interactive Quizzes from Released SOL Tests
• Reading Comprehension - Informational Text
• Author’s Purpose and Point of View

Other Practice:

• Context Clues Worksheet
• Context Clues Worksheet 2
• Context Clues Worksheet 3
• Context Clues Worksheet 4
• Reading Comprehension Worksheets
• Main Idea Worksheet

Monday, May 23 (Franklins) – Review Day Grade 8 – Students will compete in a Jeopardy Tournament after 4th period (Good luck Tyler, Jaeger, and Lauren!)  Students will complete their novel studies, analyze a poem, and identify plot, conflict, and point of view in preparation for the SOL test.  Homework:  Study for SOL Test, Autobiography Project due June 2nd, Complete and turn in any missing assignments ASAP.

Tuesday, May 24 (Eagles) -  Review Day Grade 8 .   Students will complete their novel studies, analyze a poem, and identify plot, conflict, and point of view in preparation for the SOL test.  Homework:  Study for SOL Test, Autobiography Project due June 3rd, Complete and turn in any missing assignments ASAP.

Wednesday, May 25 (Franklins) – Reading 8 SOL at BFMS and TGC. Students will continue work on their autobiographies in class.

Thursday, May 26 (Franklins) – Math 8 SOL at BFMS and TGC.  Students will continue work on their autobiographies in class.

Friday, May 27 (Franklins) – Social Studies 8 SOL at BFMS and TGC.  Students will continue work on their autobiographies in class.

Monday, May 30 – MEMORIAL DAY – NO SCHOOL

For the second book in the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge I am doing this year, I chose Flygirl by Sherri Smith.  After reading some good reviews online, I picked it up at our school book fair.

The main character in the novel is Ida Mae Jones, an 18-year-old African-American girl who has grown up on a berry farm in Louisiana in the years before World War II.  She dreams of being a pilot like her father, but getting a pilot’s lisence was difficult for women and nearly impossible African-American women.  When her brother enlists, Ida Mae wants to serve her country as well, so she “passes” as white and joins the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASP.  She finds friendship at training in Texas, but her family does not approve of her decision at first and is constantly aware of the fact that she is hiding the whole truth about herself.

Flygirl got my attention because it was about something I knew little about- the role of women pilots during World War II- and held my attention because the central conflict was something I knew even less about- the risks African-Americans like Ida had to take to acheive their goals.  Ida’s central dilemma is discovering where her identity really lies: in her background, or in her talent.  Her courage is tested when she and her closest friend are trusted with a task the male soldiers say is impossible.

I really enjoyed Flygirl and reading the book made me want to learn more about the WASP.  I followed this novel with Battle Dress by Amy Efaw- a modern look at what it’s like for a woman to enter military training- in this case, West Point.  The main character in Battle Dress is Andi, a girl who goes from a terrible home life to Beast, West Point’s version of freshman orientation.  As in Flygirl, many of the male characters in Battle Dress don’t believe the military is any place for a woman.  My take-away from both books: I am way too much of a wimp to survive in the military, and I have a great deal of respect for those women who go for it!  I would recommend Flygirl for students in grades 8 and up  (available in our classroom library) and Battle Dress for mature eighth grade students and high school readers (available in the school library).

Monday, May 16 (Eagles) - 8th Grade English Reward Day.  Permission slips due for afterschool reading tutoring. 

Tuesday, May 17 (Franklins) - Students will review forms of poetry, continue to read their novels and prepare for the SOL test by identifying main idea in informational practices.  Homework:  Main Idea practice worksheet (1 and 3F – “About the Author” 2F – “The Salt March“).  Reading tutoring after school.

Wednesday, May 18 (Eagles) - Students will review figurative language, continue to read their novels and prepare for the SOL test by identifying main idea in informational and narrative passages. Homework: 1E - A Wrinkle In Time Ch. 8 and 9; 2E – “The Salt March“; 3E - Cold River p. 129-159.  Reading tutoring after school.  8th Grade Talent Show Practice after school.

Thursday, May 19 (Franklins) – Missing assignments and make-up work due. Students will review figurative language and context clues, continue their novel studies and identify plot, characters, and point of view, and prepare for the SOL test. Franklins team reward day. Homework:  Study for SOL Test next week.

Friday, May 20 (Eagles) - Missing assignments and make-up work due. Students will continue their novel studies, identify characters, plot, and point of view, and prepare for the SOL test.  Homework:  1E – Finish A Wrinkle in Time. 2E - Study for SOL Test next week.  3E – Finish Cold River.