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Mrs. Duffy Annette Duffy » Posts

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7th and 8th grade Plan Your Own Project

With testing the last couple weeks, we haven't had much actual class time. We are busy working on Plan Your Own projects.  The students plan the project, decide if they want to work in a group, or independently.  The students are responsible for designing their project, complete with a calendar to show what they will do every day, a rubric created to score their project and all materials needed.  The students are working very hard, they stay on task and the problem solving taking place is amazing to watch.  The students have a real life deadline; all projects must be completed by the end of the school year.  Ending a great school year with students involved in their own education, actively working and enjoying themselves....... what could be better than that?????
Watch for pictures to follow....
 

Weekly Objectives 04/18/17

 

Weekly Objectives for the week of 4/18/2017

Due to the shortened week, there will not be any Vocabulary Tests this week.

6th grade:  The students will continue working on the Research and Informative-writing unit this week.  The students were working on their rough drafts at the end of last week.  They will finish the rough drafts at the beginning of the week.  The students will revise, specifically checking organization, including introductions, conclusions, and text structure.  Students will check word choice, changing from passive to active verbs and using the correct cue words for the text structure of the paper.  When finished students will do a peer review, and proofread. The final copy of the paper will be due on Friday. The students will have a new word list on Thursday. 

CCSS w6.2, W6.4, w6.5, w6.6, w6.7, w6.8, w6.9, w6.10

 

7th grade: The students will practice writing using and punctuating interjections correctly.  Students proofread a short essay and a sample of their own writing.  Students will have a test on Thursday over the correct use prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.  They will write a short paper demonstrating their knowledge.

CCSS L7.1, L7.2, L7.3, L7.4

8th grade: The students will continue with persuasive writing this week.  Using the prewrite from Thursday, the students will write their rough draft.  Students will revise checking word choice, organization, claim and evidence to back the claim.  Students will look at their sentence structure, making sure to include phrases and clauses correctly. They will do a Peer Review and proofread their paper. The paper is due on Friday.

 CCSSW: W8.1, W8.4, W8.5, W8.6, W8.7, W8.8, W8.9

 

Weekly Objectives 04/10/17

Weekly Objectives for the week of 04/10/17
 
 
 

6th grade:  Students will continue the unit on Research this week.  Students will review good research practices.  The students will select essential research questions from their Science book.  The students will practice paraphrasing as they take notes.  Organization is important in informational text, both while reading and writing.  The students will discuss text structures and use graphic organizers to help them organize their research.  The students will write a rough draft, using the notes from their Science books.  They will revise the paper for organization, correct use of sentences, and word choice.  Students will proofread making sure they used correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.  The students will have a Vocab Test on Thursday, with the new cards due Monday.

CCSS w6.2, W6.4, w6.5, w6.6, w6.7, w6.8, w6.9, w6.10

7th grade: Students will continue the unit on phrases and clauses this week. They will continue discussing prepositional phrases. They will practice placing phrases and clauses within sentences, recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers. The students will have a vocab test on Thursday, with new cards due on Tuesday.

CCSS L7.1, L7.2, L7.3, L7.4

8th grade: Persuasive Writing, what is it, and why study it? The students will continue the unit on Persuasive writing this week.   As students develop personal reasons to improve their own persuasive powers, they will have a class discussion titled, “Is Knowing Obsolete?”  As students develop their reasons for the discussion, the class will divide. The students will write a summary statement, with reasons to support their claim.  Preparing for a short debate, the students will find facts to back up their opinions.  The students will NOT have a vocab test this week.

CCSSW: W8.1, W8.4, W8.5, W8.6, W8.7, W8.8, W8.9

Weekly Objectives 04/06/17

6th grade:  Students will continue the unit on Research this week.  Students will review good research practices.  The students will select essential research questions from their Science book.  The students will practice paraphrasing as they take notes.  Organization is important in informational text, both while reading and writing.  The students will discuss text structures and use graphic organizers to help them organize their research.  The students will write a rough draft, using the notes from their Science books.  They will revise the paper for the organization, correct use of sentences, and word choice.  Students will proofread making sure they used correct spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.  The students will have a Vocab Test on Thursday, with the new cards due Monday.
 

7th grade: This week we will continue learning the conventions of Standard English grammar; students will start learning the function of phrases and move to clauses.  They will practice placing phrases and clauses within sentences, recognizing and correcting misplaced and dangling modifiers. The students will have a vocab test on Thursday, with new cards due on Tuesday.

CCSS L7.1, L7.2, L7.3, L7.4

8th grade: Persuasive Writing, what is it, and why study it?  The questions will guide the students, as we begin the unit on Persuasive Writing.   As students develop personal reasons to improve their own persuasive powers, they will have a class discussion titled, “Is Knowing Obsolete?”  As students develop their reasons for the discussion, the class will divide. The students will write a summary statement, with reasons to support their claim.  Preparing for a short debate, the students will find facts to back up their opinions.  The students will have a Vocabulary Test on Thursday.  We will not have a new list as we work on this unit. 

CCSSW: W8.1, W8.4, W8.5, W8.6, W8.7, W8.8, W8.9

 

Weekly Objectives 03/13/17

Weekly Objectives: 03/13/17

Mrs. Duffy’s English Classes

 

6th grade English:  The students are starting a new chapter this week. We will take a pretest over sentence writing; develop goals for the chapter, and practice writing different types of sentences.  The students will learn the 4 main types of sentences and use them in their future writing.  The students will learn the difference between writing good sentences and fragments.  They will figure out ways to fix fragments and create good sentences.  The students will have a vocabulary test on Thursday and new cards will be due on Monday.

CCSS 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5

7th grade English:  The students are working with verbs this week.  Specifically, we will review 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 continue working on Verb Tense, Singular and Plural verb usage.  The students will have a vocabulary test on Thursday and new cards will be due on Monday.

CCSS 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5

8th grade English:  Students finished working on Clauses, last week.  We will move on to the Verbals this week.  This is new material for the students and may be challenging for them.  The students will practice writing sentences using Participle phrases, Gerunds, Infinitive and prepositional phrases.  The students will have a vocabulary test on Thursday and new cards will be due on Monday.

CCSS 8.1,8.2,8.3,8.4

Weekly Objectives 02/27/17

Vocabulary Lists: same words as last week

6th grade:  Students are still working on the punctuation unit.  The students will practice using quotation marks, apostrophes correctly.  They will learn the rules for using hyphens, dashes, parenthesis, abbreviations and writing numbers.  The students will have a Vocab test over List 14 on Thursday, with the new cards due Monday.

CCSS: L6.1, L6.2, L6.3, L6.4 L6.5, L6.6

7th grade:  Students will begin the week with a test over basic sentences, on Monday.  The students will compare their pretest and posttest scores.  Discussing growth and what improvements they made, the students will complete a self-assessment. Students will take a pretest on sentences and clauses. Depending on the pretest results, students will either work on a writing project or complete the unit both essential, nonessential clauses, and complex sentences.  .  The students will have a Vocab test over List 14 on Thursday, with the new cards due Monday.

CCSS: L7.1, L7.2, L7.3, L7.4, L7.5, L7.6

8th grade:  Students will complete the unit on clauses and complex sentences this week.  Practicing using their new skills, students proofread a writing, correcting errors in sentences.  Students will take the test on sentences next week.  They will attend the job fair in the high school on Wednesday, to gain valuable experience in interviewing.  The students will have their Vocab Test on Friday this week. 

CCSS:  L8.1, L8.2, L8.3, L8.4, L8.5, L8.6

Weekly Objectives 02/13/17

Weekly Objectives 2/13

Vocabulary Words:

6th: Recede, Reconciliation, Reconnaissance, Refine, Refuge, Remorse, Renounce, Replenish, Repulsive, Retain

7th: Circumstance, Defiant, Desolate, Frail, Intimidate, Mobility, Modest, Nimble, Ordeal, Resilient

8th: Perish, Woe, Tranquility, Lurch, Hysteria, Humility, Anonymous, Awed, Wholesome, Valid

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

6th grade: Students will continue the unit on punctuation this week.  The students will learn rules for comma usage.  They will complete several assignments practicing correct comma usage. The students will practice using commas correctly in their writing.  Students will have a Vocab test on Thursday over List 13.  New vocab cards will be due on Tuesday 02/28.

CCSS: L6.1, L6.2, L6.3

7th grade:  Students will continue working with writing sentences this week.  The students will identify subjects, and predicates, both simple and compound. They will learn ways to identify and fix fragments in their own writing.  Students will have a Vocab test on Thursday over List 12.  New vocab cards will be due on Tuesday 02/28.

CCSS: L7.1, L7.2, L7.3

8th grade: Students will start a unit on Clauses and Complex Sentences this week.  The students will complete a pretest to check their prior knowledge.  Using the results, we will decide what material each student needs to learn.  The students will learn to use commas and semicolons to correct errors in sentences.  They will practice writing simple, compound and complex sentences.  Students will have a Vocab test on Thursday over List 13.  New vocab cards will be due on Tuesday 02/28.

CCSS L8.1, L8.2, L8.3

 

Weekly Objectives 02/06/17

English

Objectives for the Week of 2/6

6th grade:  Students have completed the unit on Capitalization.  Through proofreading papers, capitalization will be reinforced as students refer back to their Capitalization Rulebooks. The students take a pretest to begin the unit on punctuation this week, with the results used to check students’ knowledge.  The students will discuss ending marks and start commas this week. Students will complete several daily assignments.  The Vocab Test is on Thursday over list 12.  The new cards will be due on Monday.

CCSS: L6.1, L6.2, L6.3

7th grade:  Presenting and reflecting on the Informative Science paper, students will set goals for their next writing project to begin the week. A common struggle in 7th-grade is sentence writing, as students write run-on or fragments instead of complete sentences. We will begin a review unit on Sentences this week.  The students will take a pretest, with the results being used to aid in class planning.  The students will review kinds of sentences and parts of sentences this week.  They will complete several daily assignments and practice writing good sentences. The Vocab test will be Thursday with the new cards due Monday.

CCSS: L7.1, L7.2, L7.3, W7.2

8th grade: Students will explore their futures this week, using a state website, My Life, for career exploration.  Giving the students advice on high school, future careers and job fair tips,  Mrs. Satter helps to prepare them.  The students will look back on their career exploration and goals from the beginning of the school year, and write a short reflective paper.  The students will have a vocab test over list 11 on Thursday with the new cards due on Monday.

CCSS: W8.2, W8.6, W8.10

 

 

 

Weekly Objectives 01/30/17

Weekly Objectives 01/17/30

Vocabulary Words: The words for 2nd semester are general words, different for each grade, and the definitions should be from a dictionary.  Tests will still be on Thursday, 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

6th grade: The students will complete the unit on Capitalization this week.  They have created a Capitalization Rule Book. This book will be a reference for students as they complete future writing projects.  The students will proofread a letter for practice, review the rules for capitalization and practice using them in short writings.  The students will have a posttest on Capitalization on Wednesday.  This test guides future instruction, as the goal is mastery of capitalization.  The vocab test is on Thursday and cards will be due Monday.

 CCSS L6.1, L6.2, L6.3

7th grade:  Students will start the week revising their Informative Science paper. The revision for this paper will focus on the use of Text Structures.  The students choose a text structure to try; will make changes to their paper, to increase their audience’s comprehension of their paper.  The students will complete a peer review, identifying the text structure used, effective transitions and key words. After proof reading their own papers, several students will act as Peer Editors.  The goal is to increase student’s motivation when proofreading his or her own papers.  The final paper will be due on Wednesday. The vocab test is on Thursday and cards will be due Monday.  Students reflect on informative writing and set goals for their next writing activity on Friday.

CCSS W7.2, W7.6, W7.7, W7.8, W7.10, L7.1, L7.2, L7.3

8th grade: Students will continue the unit on Research and Informative writing this week. The revision for this paper will focus on the use of Text Structures.  The students choose a text structure to try; will make changes to their paper, to increase their audience’s comprehension of their paper.  The students will complete a peer review, identifying the text structure used, effective transitions key words. After proof reading their own papers, several students will act as Peer Editors.  The goal is to increase student’s motivation when proofreading his or her own papers.  The paper will be due Wednesday. The vocab test is on Thursday and cards will be due Monday.  Joining us later in the week, Mrs. Satter will help as students revisit their goals, future career choices and job fair news.

CCSS W8.2, W8.6, W8.7, W8.8, W8.10, L8.1, L8.2, L8.3