3A and 4A - Don't forget to finish the handout on "The Good Deed."  If you have lost the handout, the front was to write down the internal and external conflicts and identify what types of conflicts they are.  The back of the handout was to answer the following questions in paragraphs, using evidence from the text:
1. What is the climax of the story, and how do you know?
2. How does the conflict in the story contribute to the climax?
3. What is the resolution of the story and how do you know?
4.  How does the conflict in the story lead to the resolution?
5.  how does Heather's internal conflict help shape her character?

2A - Your quiz on main idea, cause/effect, and conflict is next class (Wednesday).  Come prepared!  After the quiz, you will continue to work on the handout for "The Good Deed."  This is not your homework right now, but rather your classwork for Wednesday!

5B and 6B - Don't forget about the quiz on Tuesday.  Also, don't forget to bring back the paper for "The Good Deed" so that you can finish it after the quiz.  This is not your homework for this weekend, but your classwork for Tuesday.

8th Grade:  Your homework (due Tuesday) is to complete the "Grammar and Writing" practices on page 357 - "Avoid Misplaced Modifiers" and page 483 - "Use the Active Voice."  Please come to class each day ready to work and learn.  The FCAT Writes is a week from Tuesday - class time should not be treated as play time.

Updates on past assignments...

I am sorry for not posting lately!  As I have said in the past to the students, the blog should serve as a secondary means to get assignments.  I go over each assignment extensively in class and it is always written on the agenda (and often on the Interactive white board).  I do this because I know there may be times, such as in the last couple of weeks, when I get behind in posting items to the blog.  That being said, I know some students use the blog to find out about makeup work, or to clarify assignment directions.  Since it is my fault that the assignments were not posted, I will accept the assignments listed below for another week.  After that, I will not accept these assignments.  Please check the Grade Portal to see if your child is missing any of the items listed.  If there is something that he/she needs (such as a handout) it is the responsibility of the student to ask me for it when there is a chance in class (or stop by my room immediately after school gets out).

6th Grade:

Please note that I will be giving a quiz on Main Idea, cause and effect, and conflict on Friday, 2/14 and Tuesday, 2/18.  Period 2A will take the quiz on Wednesday, 2/19 since we are a day behind.

Main idea packet (handout) - you were to annotate the articles on main idea and answer the questions.  When you answer the questions, make note as to why you got the answer you chose.  The front article (which we completed in class) is "The Responsibilities of Pet Ownership."

Nonsense poem to show context clues - like "Jabberwocky," you were to create a poem and replace normal words with nonsense words to demonstrate how the context clues help us understand the meanings of words we don't know.  The poem should be about 3/4 of a page.

Cause and Effect article (handout) - you were to annotate the article, "Making Ice Cream," for main idea and cause and effect.  The, you were to answer the questions at the end and explain how you got your answers.

Cause and Effect with "Ceres and Proserpina" - after reading "The Story of Ceres and Proserpina" in the Literature book, you had two assignment options.  The first option was to write a one page response showing the cause and effect relationships in the story that ultimately led to the seasons.  The paper should be formatted like a paper (paragraphs, indent, etc.) and should include quotes from the text to support your ideas.  The second option was to illustrate a scene from the story and then illustrate either two events that led to that scene (causes) OR two events that led away from that scene (effects).  Under each illustration, you should write a sentence explaining what is going on in the picture.  Stick figures and messy drawings (if it is clear they were hastily drawn right before class, for example) will not be accepted.

Conflict article (handout) - 2A will receive this today - using the story, "Do You Believe in Zombies," annotate the article for conflicts and answer the questions at the end, writing down how you received that answer.

8th Grade:
The following are the grammar assignments that were given out on 1/31, 2/3, 2/5, and 2/7.  There was no homework on 2/11.

Page 45 – “Grammar and Writing: Avoid Sentence Fragments” – you only need to write your answers
Page 61 – “Grammar and Writing: Avoid Run-on Sentences” – You only need to write your answers.
Page 75 – “Grammar and Writing”
Page 99 – “Grammar and Writing” 
Page 131 – “Grammar and Writing: Use correct pronoun case."  Write the sentences and choose the correct word in parenthesis.
Page 181 – “Grammar and Writing: Use correct verb tense."  Write the paragraph and choose the correct word in parenthesis. 
Page 221 – “Grammar and Writing: Compare correctly"
Page 237 – “Grammar and Writing: Combine sentences"

6th Grade B day - A reminder that your list of ten multiple meaning words, their definitions, and sentences for each definition are due tomorrow.  Also due tomorrow is the nonsense poem or story that will show your use of context clues.  Remember, the poem should be about a half to three quarters of a page long and the story should be about a 3/4 of a page to a page long.

6th Grade A day - Your homework for tonight is to write down the sentences for the new words you added to the list during class today.  You need one sentence for each meaning!

8th Graders...

Below are the paragraph prompts from Friday.  These are due tomorrow!

You have now read “The Snapping Turtle.”  Reread the author’s background information on page 767.  Write a paragraph to explain how “The Snapping Turtle” reflects Bruchac’s Abenaki Indian values and beliefs.  Use evidence from the text to support your answer.  Look at question #7 on page 779 if you need help writing the paragraph.

•Now read “The Sanctuary of School” on page 976

•Write a paragraph explaining what the author’s main purpose is in writing the essay.  In other words, what is the purpose (to persuade, inform, or entertain), but what is also the deeper purpose for doing one of those things?

•Now explain – how is the author’s perspective shown in the article?

6th Grade (except 2A):  Author's perspective assignment (Due Monday/Tuesday)

For this assignment, you are going to create your own “what my friends think” poster to illustrate different perspectives of one situation from your life.  You can choose a hobby that you are interested in, a sport that you play, a club that you are in, a subject you like…whatever!

You should include at least four squares on your paper:

•What my friends think

•What my parents think

•What I think

•What I really do

Part 2:

 

•Now, choose either “what my friends think” or “what my parents think.”

•Write from the perspective of one of those two groups of people, using their voice.

•The writing should be them explaining how he or she feels about what you do or what he or she thinks you do.

The following is the assignment received today (also due next class):

 

•Write a poem or tiny short story that demonstrates your perspective on sports.  You may play sports and LOVE it, play sports and hate it, only watch sports and not play them, or never want to have anything to do with them.  Your poem or story should show your perspective and use your VOICE. 

8th Grade - Don't forget to bring your Literature book to class every day!!!

All students received a copy of the extra credit assignments last week, but in case you lost your paper, see below.  Your last chance to turn in extra credit is Thursday.  Please check your grades to see if you could use the extra credit!  Also, if you have not turned in your point of view assignment, get that to me ASAP!

6th Grade Extra Credit:

Mrs. Fifield’s Language Arts – 2^nd Quarter – 6^th Grade

Extra Credit Opportunity!

Due:  No later than Thursday, January 16^th.  Please be advised, I will be in the building, but not in the classroom, on Wednesday, January 15^th and Thursday, January 16^th.  I will let the substitute know that some of you may turn in an extra credit assignment and I will make sure a spot in the room is dedicated for collection.  To be extra cautious, you may want to turn in the assignment on Monday, January 13^th or Tuesday, January 14^th.

Complete the following activity and you will receive 50 points, to be added in to the gradebook where needed.  In other words, if you are missing points from an assignment, the 50 points will make up for the missing ones.  For example, if you did not turn in the similes and metaphors chart for “All Summer in a Day,” you have a 0/60 in the gradebook.  If you do the extra credit, that grade would become a 50/60.  If you are not missing any points, you would not receive additional points.

Directions:

This quarter, we have studied the following items:

·       Text Structures

·       Text Features

·       Figurative language

·       Character

·       Point of View

To earn the extra credit, come up with a creative way to demonstrate your knowledge of at least one of the topics we covered.  For the most part, I will leave it up to you as far as what you do.  I do not want an explanation simply written down, nor do I want a PowerPoint presentation.  Those are boring.  Tap into your artistic side – drawings, paintings, poems, songs, videos, etc.  Posters are okay, since you have to be a little more creative with how you put together a poster.  Please do not make something that is any bigger than a poster.  Some of you are very talented, but there really isn’t room in the classroom for a 10 foot tall diorama of a character!

8th Grade Extra Credit:

Mrs. Fifield’s Language Arts – 2^nd Quarter – 8^th Grade

Extra Credit Opportunity!

Due:  No later than Thursday, January 16^th.  Please be advised, I will be in the building, but not in the classroom, on Wednesday, January 15^th and Thursday, January 16^th.  I will let the substitute know that some of you may turn in an extra credit assignment and I will make sure a spot in the room is dedicated for collection.  To be extra cautious, you may want to turn in the assignment on Monday, January 13^th or Tuesday, January 14^th.

Complete the following activity and you will receive 50 points, to be added in to the gradebook where needed.  In other words, if you are missing points from an assignment, the 50 points will make up for the missing ones.  For example, if you did not turn in the Dr. Jekyll essay, you have a 0/50 in the gradebook.  If you do the extra credit, that grade would become a 50/50.  If you are not missing any points, you would not receive additional points.

Directions:

Spend some time at a bookstore, at the library, or browsing online book retailers or book review sites (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Good Reads, etc.).  List three books that you would possibly like to read (ones you have not read before).  For each novel, give a brief summary of the summary that you read on the cover or online AND explain why you want to read that book.  Follow these guidelines to receive the points:

·       Book 1 – You must choose an older or classic novel.  Let’s say…anything written before 1950.

·       Book 2 – Choose a more modern novel, such as one on the bestseller’s lists within the past few years.

·       Book 3 – Choose a novel that has not come out yet.  Retailers (especially online) will promote upcoming novels so that people know what to expect.  OR, you may choose a novel that is brand new – released within the last month. 

6th Grade B day - Don't forget - the "make yourself a character" activity is due tomorrow, along with the paragraphs on "Life Doesn't Frighten Me" and "On Turning Ten."  For the paragraphs, you were to explain who the characters (narrators of the poems) are, as far as personality and emotions (or anything else you can get out of the poems).  Make sure you use support from the text!  For the homework that you will receive on Wednesday, please see "6th Grade A day," below.

6th Grade A day - You are to finish the Reader's Workshop (pages 176-181), making sure to answer all questions in complete sentences.

3A - You also need to read "Eleven" in the Literature book and answer the questions in the margins (A-E).  Then, you are to answer numbers 1-8 at the end of the story.

8th Grade - Don't forget to finish the character chart for "The Monkey's Paw" (due tomorrow).  Also, make sure you bring your Literature book to class tomorrow!  It will count as a grade.

Stay tuned for an extra credit opportunity!