Well, it has definitely been quite a while since I've posted. I do apologize for that. The changes to this course and other additional duties have unfortunately reorganized my priority list and my updating of this blog got pushed down the list.
We have concluded our first unit and began our second focused on the themes of influence and choice. We are beginning with several lessons about how to recognize cues an author uses to develop his/her characters. These skills will be applied first in short excerpts of text, leading to short stories, finishing with application through reading a novel in literature circles. We have read two short stories in this unit so far - "The Moustache," and "The Elevator." Our next short story will be "The Necklace." From here we will take a bit of break on understanding character and shift gears into writing activities.
The writing component of this unit will be focused on argumentative writing. The preliminary instruction will focus on how to create a valid, coherent argument with supportive evidence. There will be mini-lessons on how to incorporate data into their writing as well as how to identify the counter-arguments and how to craft refuting statements. While students have written in the argumentative mode before, it has generally been focused on having an opinion on an issue and clearly stating it as well as have some supporting detail. Our focus will be on selecting evidence that best supports the claim. The skill of crafting refuting statements is also something new for 8th graders. Understanding the "other side" of an issue and being able to refute those points is a vital skill for the future.
Our grammar focus will be on sentence problems. In the first writing piece of the year, run-on sentences (comma splices and fused sentences) as well as fragments were significant problems. The first grammar unit of the year already gave the students the necessary tools to fix these problems - so now students just need to learn how to identify the problems and select the most appropriate fix.
The months of November and December tend to be very hectic and full of both excitement and interruptions. In November we had WKCE testing, followed by parent conferences, followed by Thanksgiving. Then three short weeks after Thanksgiving comes Christmas break. Understandably, this can be a difficult time to stay focused and to manage the fun of the season with tasks of school, but we'll do our best!
Have a great Thanksgiving - good luck to all hunters (those hunting deer, and those hunting for a bargain)!
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