February 2009
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009Important Note: Ever since we returned from Christmas break, I have noticed a significant drop in test scores and an increase with incomplete homework. Please remind your child of his/her academic responsibilities. The trimester ends on February 20th with report cards being issued on February 27th.
8th Grade: Eighth graders will be working on writing a persuasive research paper using the appropriate format, which is MLA style. This project requires a lot of effort and excellent listening, as most of the information is new and complex. Students will be learning about citations, works cited pages, MLA style, header/footer, bibliographies (and the difference between this and a works cited page), and analyzing resources. These skills are essential as students transition to high school! Notes will be taken and effective research is imperative. Even if all of their ‘pen and paper’ homework is finished, students are required to study their notes. In addition, vocabulary units 6, 7 will be our next unit of study.
7th Grade: This month, seventh graders will be finishing our mini-lessons on descriptive writing by using vivid verbs and spicy words, and we’ll start a unit on public speaking. During this unit, students will learn the skills of public speaking while also learning the format of a formal Roman numeral outline. Good notes and excellent listening are required in order to do well. In addition, vocabulary units 6, 7 will be our next unit of study.
