We had a great week back to school.  I am already back in “the groove” and excited about reading our first paper together.  

8th grade – We are reviewing the writing process and are working on a paper to show each step.

8th grade reading – We are reading “Flowers for Algernon” a short story in our literature book.  This will be the last thing to wrap up reading class.

7th grade – We finished our Victorian Time Period projects.  Finally, we were able to begin our writing process paper at the end of the week. 

Next week we will continue to work on The Writing Process and it is a vocabulary week.  We will be reviewing lessons 1-6 this week and having a quiz over them next week. 

•   I hope everyone had a wonderful break, and is refreshed and ready to learn.  We have three weeks left of first semester.  It is hard to believe that half of the year is already passed us by.
•  Second semester will begin test prep and a switch of classes.  Long periods will become short and short will become long. I am looking forward to getting to know everyone more in depth this second half of the year.  
•  **Parents**Please feel free to contact me anytime.  You can email, or call the school.  I want to make sure we are working together to achieve the best possible education for your child. 
•   **Students** Make sure to ask questions if you are not sure.  The only way to succeed it to understand.  If not, you will just create a vicious circle. 
•   **Everyone** Make sure to check my regular website – there you will find information on tests, quizzes, test prep, activities etc.  I also am taking advantage of engrades extra features.  There you will find what we are doing in class (almost) everyday! Enjoy!!  
• Mrs. L

Create a “Pirates Today” Powerpoint

Skull and crossbones buccaneers have resurfaced with “Terminator”-style tactics, shining a spotlight on an age-old crime that some experts warn could inspire terrorists.

Unlike the pirates of yore, today’s bandits of the sea use computers and satellite technology to track their prey. Then, under the cover of darkness, they sneak up alongside ships in powerful speedboats. Armed with machine guns, rocket launchers, and grenades, gangs of pirates board the vessels by clambering up poles or grappling irons hooked onto the skips’ railings.

PowerPoint Requirements
8 informative slides, plus title and ending slides (10 slides TOTAL)
4 main ideas supported by research
4 graphics highlighting your ideas
Appropirate transitions
Appropriate animations
Ideas organized well

Link to rubric: RUBRIC

We are begining our fantasy unit. This unit is treated a bit differently. The students are split into four different groups and are reading four different books. They reach all aspects of fanasty and a bit of science fiction. They will be reading in a literature group fashion and will each have a different role per meeting. The roles have been chosen by the students and they have already had their first meeting.

We will meet on Tuesdays and Fridays for the next three weeks to wrap up the book. During the week of testing (April 28-May3) we will wrap up the unit with short stories from our literature book.

Role Description

Discussion Director - responsible for writing down 5 thought-provoking questions for the purpose of group discussion based on that day’s reading assignment. As group facilitator, it is also this student’s job to direct the group discussion, keep track of the student work, and rate the group’s “Habits of Work”.

Literary Luminary - responsible for choosing parts of the story that he/she wants to read out loud to the group. The idea is to help the students remember some interesting, powerful, puzzling, or important sections of the text being read. You might decide on passages or paragraphs that are worth being read aloud. You must justify in writing the reason for selecting them. Additionally, if the Discussion Director is absent, this student will serve as stand is Facilitator.

Connector – responsible for finding connections between the text his/her group is reading and the outside world. This means connecting the reading to the following: his/her own life, happenings at school or in the community, similar events at other times and places, other books or stories, other writings on the same topic, or other writings by the same author.

Character Captain - responsible for revealing specific personality traits of the charater(s) within the novel. This means he/she will find examples in the assigned reading of behaviors/actions that help the group members to know the character(s).

Vocabulary Enricher – responsible for finding especially important vocabulary in the story. Vocab is selected should focus on words that are unfamiliar, interesting, important, repetitive, funny, puzzling, descriptive, vivid or those used in an unusual way.

We are starting a unit on the novel Treasure Island! Arrrrr, it do be hard mateys but it be worth it all in the end. Okay, seriously, this is a good book and we will learn a lot about the time period as well as the history of pirates and character portrayal in novels. Good pirates versus bad pirates. There is also the poor little kid aspect in many types of novels. We will also research the BLACK SPOT.

On each one of these sections I am listing at least one website that will give you information about each of the topics listed above. Use each site to get at least three interesting facts for each topic. You will use this information to write a short informative essay on pirates. Click on the links listed under each topic to get your information. These are the sites that I have approved for you to get your information.

Activity 1: Pirates
DUE:_____________

Go to www.infohio.org and click on 6-8. Type in the word piracy. Use this site to answer the following questions.

Other useful links: http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110360/history.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/J0110360/biography.htm

1. What is the definition of piracy?
2. What is piracy often confused with and why?
3. What type of crime is piracy considered?
4. When did piracy first start?
5. What is privateering?
6. What are the names of the two women who were pirates?
7. Blackbeard. Who was he?

Activity 2: Research a Pirate Poster
DUE:_____________

You are to research three pirates; one of these should be a woman. Your poster must include:

1. A title that reflects your topic
2. A table of at least 5 facts or interesting trivia that deals exclusively with your pirates
a. Should be created in a Word Document
3. Drawings and graphics of the pirates you choose

a. Use markers or colored pencils.
b. Poster should be bright and colorful.
c. Printed items and pictures must be mounted first to construction paper then placed on display board.
d. Be creative and original

Helpful Links:
http://www.ebs.hw.ac.uk/EDC/CAC/pirates/pirate.htm
http://www.powerup.com.au/~glen/pirate1.htm
http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/qar/HISTORY/history1.htm
http://members.tripod.com/cathreese/DefiantWomen/pirates/
http://library.thinkquest.org/16438/old/tourof.html

Activity 3: Create a Jolly Roger: Pirate Flag
DUE:_____________

Use this site http://www.blackbeardlives.com/day1/jolly.shtml to answer questions about how the flag of pirates was developed!

1. What is one of the ways historians think the name Jolly Roger came from?
2. What was the purpose that pirates flew this particular flag? What message was it supposed to send to other ships?

In modern society we use license plates to identify our vehicles. Pirates didn’t have license plates, they used Jolly Rogers. A Jolly Roger was the flag pirates flew from their ships. Much like personalized license plates Jolly Rogers not only identified the ship, they told any other ships they encountered a little bit about the pirate in command of the ship.

Getting the idea:
1. On a piece of paper draw a circle with your name in the center.
2. Radiating out from the circle web as many things as you can think of that are important to you such as identifying characteristics or hobbies.
Making the design:
1. Using ideas from your web, design a Jolly Roger that is uniquely you!
2. Make sure to use pizazz.
Recommended Materials:
1. felt, burlap, heavy demin
2. attach the flag to a dowel

More info. on the background of the Jolly RogerJolly Roger

Jolly Roger Examples

Black Spot: What is the Black Spot and what does it mean?

You will be working in partners and are under the honors stystem that both of you do the same amount of work for the piece. You will both receive the same grade.

Here is the link to the assignment.

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry – Editorial