1. August 27, 2012 Title: What can I expect in 8 th grade language arts this year? Warm Up: Read syllabus, underlining anything that is confusing to you, and making a list of question in the margins. Homework: Finish your letter to Mrs. Lucero – you may write it neatly or type it and print it, or use letter generator link below and print it. letter generator Objective: understand the 8 th grade LA prospectus Incorporate elements of a business letter to create personal recommendation Agenda: 1.Agendas/forms/lockers 2.Syllabus 3.Summer Reading – Due Fri, Sept. 7 4.Letter of recommendation

2. August 28, 2012 EQ/Title: “We Wear the Mask” What are some elements of poetry that help us understand the meaning? Warm Up: Vocabulary activity worksheet Homework: Paraphrase “We Wear the Mask,” making sure to reword everything on each line of poetry. Revise Summer Reading Project Notes: Summer Reading Project section 1 Poetry reading, preparation for paraphrasing Closure:

3. August 29, 2012 EQ/Title: “We Wear the Mask” How can analysis of historically relevant poetry help us understand about ourselves? Warm Up: Finish side 2 of Vocabulary Worksheet Homework: Complete TPCASTT, revise Summer Reading Project Notes: Summer Reading Project section 2 Notebook organization Read the biography of Paul Laurence Dunbar, listing 5 elements from his life that may have influenced his writing. Discussion of line-by-line paraphrasing. TPCASTT Closure:

4. August 30, 2012 EQ/Title: What are the challenges we face when reconciling our external mask with our inner self? Warm Up: Quickwrite – what do you “wear” as your public mask? What about you is not something you always want people to know/see? Homework: Complete planning for your mask – including 5 symbols for each side, and begin decorating. Notes: Maya Angelou reading of “We Wear the Mask” Summer Reading Part 3 – Mask making activity Springboard tear out – – Glossary – Unit 1 through page 52 Intro to challenges Closure: What people know/see about me- who the world sees Personal things that are not as evident to others

5. August 31, 2012 EQ/Title: What defines a hero? Warm Up: Tear out SB pages 1-52, then write your name on the binder of your SB book and return it to the shelf. Put the pages in your Springboard section. Homework: Complete mask and reflection, revise Summer Reading Project Notes: Archetypes video – write down the names and definitions of archetypal characters as you hear them Summer Reading project – last section Archetypes pre-assessment Notebook check Springboard pages 4-5 Closure:

6. September 4, 2012 EQ/Title: What are some strategies I use to face life challenges? Warm Up: Put SB 2-6 in Sept 4 section. Read and highlight SB4, putting a question mark next to unfamiliar concepts Complete SB5 Homework: Revise summer reading project - check Notes: Intro to Challenge of Heroism Mask presentations SB6 – independent work Challenges group activity Closure:

7. Challenges With your group, discuss your responses to SB6 Write the word “Challenges” in large letters – Draw at least 2 visuals that help understand the meaning of the word – List at least 5 synonyms – Write a definition in your own words – Make it visually appealing, and be prepared to share with the class.

8. September 5, 2012 EQ/Title: What are some human personality traits that are represented by archetypal characters? Warm Up: SB 7-8 Homework: Archetypal characters worksheet Notes: Archetypes powerpoint Bring in picture books that have archetypal characters for Sept. 6, 2012 Closure:

9. September 6, 2012 EQ/Title: How does our understanding of archetypes make stories more meaningful? Warm Up: SB 9 Homework: Paraphrase “A Man” SB 10- remember to be detailed in finding synonyms/ phrases for every important word in every line. Notes: Finish Archetypes notes Archetypes are everywhere activity Closure:

10. September 7, 2012 EQ/Title: Why are so many archetypes present in picture books for children, and what does this teach them about life? Warm Up: TPCASTT SB 10 “A Man” Homework: Paraphrase “Moco Limping” SB 13 Notes: Review “A Man” Archetypes are everywhere activity Closure:

11. September 10, 2012 EQ/Title: Who would you consider a hero, and why? Warm Up: TPCASTT SB 12 “Moco Limping” Homework: Write a final draft of Hero definition paragraph. Type – double spaced, and PRINT - Notes: Review “Moco Limping” Hero definition essay Closure:

12. What defines a hero? Character Map – decide on traits, and what evidence you would use to support it. Decide on 2 or 3 traits that you would like to focus your paragraph on. Make sure you have evidence from the sources listed on the back of your character map. You must have evidence from at least 3 sources. BE SURE to cite your sources!!!! Write topic sentence, complete essay planner, and write 12 sentence paragraph.

13. September 11, 2012 EQ/Title: Who were the heroes of 9/11? Warm Up: Grammar pre- assessment Homework: Complete graphic organizer (see Writing section of website) Write paragraph defining archetypal character #1 (may not be a hero). Notes: Discuss Archetypes project – due Sept. 24. Review Hero definition essays Overview of 9/11/01 Jigsaw: read article and fill out WWWWWH chart Create poster explaining your hero of 9/11, and be ready to share Closure:

14. September 12, 2012 EQ/Title: What are the signs that something “big” is about to happen to you? Warm Up: Grammar Books – Read page 66 & 67, complete Exercise 11, only writing down prepositions. Homework: Complete graphic organizer (see Writing section of website) Write paragraph defining archetypal character #2. Notes: Discussion of prepositions Peer editing of essays Begin Hero’s Journey – Stage I Closure:

15. Peer editing checklist 1.Read the paragraph once to get an idea of what it is about. 2. Read again and create a graphic organizer using the information in the paragraph… is it well supported without any “holes”? 3. Read the essay a third time and check for: – run-ons, fragments, and proper punctuation – 1 st or 2 nd person (no I, you, we, our, etc.) 4. Mark the essay with revisions and suggestions. 5. Conference with the author.

16. September 13, 2012 EQ/Title: What are some test taking strategies to help me be successful? Warm Up: Formative Exam Homework: Complete graphic organizer (see Writing section of website) Write paragraph defining archetypal character #3. Notes: Formative Exam Closure:

17. September 14, 2012 EQ/Title: What are the signs that something “big” is about to happen to you? Warm Up: On a NEW piece of paper in your grammar section, use pgs. 66 & 67 to write a definition of a preposition, and copy the lists of prepositions in your notebook. THEN do exercise 12 on pg 68, writing the prepositional phrases and underlining the preposition. Homework: Complete graphic organizer (see Writing section of website) Write paragraph defining archetypal character #4. Notes: -Review of prepositions -Check on Archetypes project progress -Hero’s Journey – Stage I Closure:

18. Monday, September 17, 2012 September 17, 2012 EQ/Title: What do you do to prepare for a huge event in your life? Warm Up: Check answers for Friday’s warm up – Create a new sentence with your table, adding prepositional phrases to the sentence “Gladys walked.” Homework: Complete graphic organizer (see Writing section of website) Write paragraph defining archetypal setting #1 Notes: Prepositions practice Show exemplars for Archetypes projects. Review Continue with hero’s journey, Stages I and II Closure:

19. Tuesday, September 18, 2012 September 18, 2012 EQ/Title: Why is it so important to divide a big project into smaller pieces? Warm Up: Worksheet #7. Complete, and be prepared to trade and grade. Homework: Complete graphic organizer (see Writing section of website) Write paragraph defining archetypal setting #2 *** be ready for notebook quiz. Notes: Prepositions quiz Continue with hero’s journey, Closure:

20. Wednesday, September 19, 2012 September 19, 2012 EQ/Title: When you get yourself in a “jam,” what can you do to get yourself out of it? Warm Up: Create NOUN page in grammar notebook – copy definition from pg 25, and complete exercise 1 on pages 25-26… do a table check Homework: Type and print all paragraphs for character archetypes. Be prepared to share with classmates for peer editing Notes: Review nouns Explain HW – prepare/edit character essays Finish Hero’s journey Closure:

21. Thursday, September 20, 2012 September 20, 2012 EQ/Title: Warm Up: Add to NOUN page in grammar notebook – copy definition for compound nouns, and complete exercise 2 on page 27 Homework: Type and print all paragraphs for settings archetypes. Be prepared to share with classmates for peer editing. Notes: Review compound nouns Explain HW – hero’s journey paragraph Finish Hero’s journey Closure: