Vocabulary: The words for the 2nd-semester  are general words, different for each grade, and the definitions will be dictionary definitions.  Tests will be on Thursdays, with the new cards due on Mondays. 

Standards: Vocabulary Acquisition and Use CCSS: L6.4, L6.5, L6.6, L7.4, and 7.5, L7.6 and L8.4, L8.5 L8.6

6^th grade:  The students are starting a new chapter this week. We will take a pretest over verbs, develop goals for the chapter based on the results, and decide on the definite material to cover.   We will discuss Action Verbs, and Linking Verbs, and practice using them in sentences.  Students will practice the song on Linking verbs, to help them as we move on with verbs.  The students will start a new Vocabulary List on Thursday and new cards will be due on Monday.

CCSS 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5

7^th grade: Starting 2^nd semester for 7^th graders, means they are halfway through middle school.   We are starting a goal-setting project, reflecting on the tremendous growth that has taken place, physically, emotionally and educationally. We will then look forward to their future, and spend time discussing both short and long-term goals.  Students will write a rough draft explaining their future goals, and what short-term goals they need to work on the rest of the school year. They will start to work on the revision of the paper. The students will start a new Vocabulary List on Thursday and new cards will be due on Monday.

CCSS W7.2, W7.4, W7.5, W7.6

8^th grade: The students will discuss the reading of the book A Christmas Carol, and the movie, Oliver Twist, both by Charles Dickens.  Students will analyze how watching a movie helps their understanding of the time, compared to reading the book. The students will write an informative essay, using the text structure, Compare and Contrast to organize their writing. During the prewriting stage, the students will complete graphic organizers, comparing the elements of literature between the two Charles Dickens works.  The students will determine the central idea of each text and analyze its development, and provide an objective summary of each text.  The students will write a rough draft, working on writing a good introduction, to introduce the topic, preview what is to follow; organize their ideas and information into broad categories based on the elements of Literature. The    Students will not have a vocab test this Thursday, they will start vocab back up next week.

Standards: CCSS L.8.1, L.8.4, L.8.6, SL.8.1, W.8.2, W8. W.8.7, W.8.8, W.8.9, RL8.1, RL8.2, RI8.2