Mrs. Dalton's 7th and 8th Grade Language Arts

August 7

2010-08-06T16:49:00.000-07:00

Summer is fading fast! There is already the feel of fall in the air. There is a coolness in the morning and evening I didn't notice even a week or two ago. THis is good and bad. Summer is a wonderful time to rejuvenate! Swimming, biking, lazing about on a hammock... These are just a few of the things I love about summer. Fall has its own treasures. Football, volleyball, and colorful leaves are some things we can look forward to very, very soon. SO, I will see you all in a few weeks. Enjoy the next few weeks and get ready - because from experience, I know, the school year is coming REALLY SOON :-)

Kid2Kid Ends - Vacation Begins :-)

2010-03-12T12:36:00.000-08:00

Our Kid2Kid Biography Project ended with a final exhibit on Tuesday, March 9. Great Job, kids! It was a lot of fun, and it was great to have a chance to look at everyone's hard work.

Now, we are all going to be enjoying a little rest and relaxation! Please have a safe and happy spring holiday! I look forward to seeing you all back here soon! For now, Enjoy your time off!

Monday, February 22

2010-02-22T06:32:00.001-08:00

The MHLT Olympics last Friday afternoon were absolutely fantastic! The weather was warm and sunny and the enthusiasm in the whole middle school was truly great. It was a nice chance to show our school spirit.

Now, we are back to the classroom with much to do. Seventh graders are reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, and the discussion has been very insightful and interesting. We are also finalizing our Kid2Kid Biography project - which will end in an exhibit on Tuesday, March 9.

Eighth graders have finished their spring writing assessment, which was quite challenging, and will now begin their mythology unit. That will end in them making videos where they remake the famous myths in a modern day setting. First, we need to read several classical myths. Then, we will see what the kids can do!

Finally, we have a trip for all 7th and 8th graders to watch Beauty and the Beast at the high school on Wednesday afternoon. Obviously, we have much fun and learning this week!

Monday, Febrauary 8

2010-02-08T07:16:00.000-08:00

This week in 7th grade, we will be working on vocabulary. The students will be able to choos between studying 10 or 20 words from our novel, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Students will be filling out vocabulary webs to help them study and learn their new vocabulary. This is an indepth study of each word.

In 8th grade, we will be working on a video to promote kindness around our school! We will also continue to work on word study.

Monday, Jan. 25 - Friday, Jan. 29

2010-01-29T08:50:00.000-08:00

The new semester has begun! It is hard to believe that the school year is already half over. Today, we listened to a speak, Brian Williams, who challenged our school to make kindness a part of our everyday life! It was really inspirational, and what a great way to begin our new year and our new semester. He also challenged us to collect used shoes to help children in the world who have no shoes. The presentation was very powerful.

I look forward to a great semester full of learning and fun!

"Let's Make Up" Workshop

2010-01-20T13:42:00.000-08:00

Missoula Children's Theater came

to the 7th grade classroom to teach us about stage make up. What Fun!

January 6 - 10, 2010

2010-01-07T13:44:00.000-08:00

Welcome Back!!! Christmas vacation was a great time to see family and take a breath. Now, we have a ton to do in this new year! We started strong in seventh grade with viewing, planning and producing book trailers to advertise the books they read before break. It is a fun way to celebrate the end of the project.

Eighth graders have been reading editorial pieces and articles in Teen Ink and our local newspaper. They are also choosing issues and writing their own opinion articles. We have been focusing on organization and ideas and they are doing a great job.

Remember: Your Essay is DUE Tomorrow!

2009-12-17T13:19:00.000-08:00

7th Grade End of Novel Essay Assignment:

END OF THE NOVEL ESSAY

Using the novel you just finished reading, analyze the main character. How did the main character change from the beginning to the end of the novel? What lesson did the character learn about life? What experiences in the book helped bring about this change? Write a five paragraph essay explaining how the main character changed using examples and quotes from the novel to support your ideas.

Remember our example essay in class and organize your own essay in the following way:

*Title: A clever, snappy title can help grab the reader’s attention.
*The first paragraph is the introduction. In this paragraph, grab the reader’s attention and then be sure to state your thesis.
*The second paragraph should begin: “In the beginning of the story,…”
*The third paragraph should begin: “Later in the story,…”
*The fourth paragraph should begin: “By the end of the story,…”
*The fifth paragraph is the conclusion. In the conclusion, you should wrap up your essay. You could restate your theme in other words. Leave us with something to think about.

Friday, December 11

2009-12-11T12:32:00.000-08:00

In seventh grade, everyone should be done with their novels. Due to the snow day, students can turn in their plot diagram on Monday, Dec. 14. Today, I went over the expectations on the final essay and read an example. I will give some class time next week to work on the essay.

In eighth grade, students are making the finishing touches on their book jackets. They have been working hard on these projects and will present them in class next week. We are also continuing our unit on short stories with a story by Ray Bradbury that opens up many questions on technology and society's role in using technology.

It is a crazy time of year, and I know we are all busy with school, sports, and preparing for the upcoming holiday. I have been trying to give class time to work on our projects so students won't get too overwhelmed. A few people are behind (mainly due to absenses). Most are doing really well and making great progress. Progress reports were put into the mail today, so please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Friday, Dec. 4

2009-12-04T12:36:00.000-08:00

We are now almost halfway through the second quarter! Progress reports for each seventh grader will be sent out next Wednesday, Dec. 9. Eighth graders who are earning a D or an F will also be getting a progress report. Be sure to check on line to see if you are missing any assignments!
In seventh grade, we have a lot to do in the next two weeks before Christmas vacation. First, we are going to finish our Kid2Kid biographies. The project is really coming along, and we only have three more days in the computer lab to complete these books, so we need to make the most of our time. We must also finish our Independent Novel Project. Everyone should be done with their novels by Friday, Dec. 11. The students completed work on the vocabulary from the book they're reading. This week, we will focus on plot and everyone must complete a plot diagram. Next week, we will be writing an essay on the characters in their book.
In eighth grade, we also are reading an independent novel. This class should be working on a book jacket for their novel. They will need a cereal box to display their book jacket. The final product will be displayed outside on the classroom bulletin board.
As you can see, we are very busy, but I hope everyone still takes time to enjoy this season. The weather is definitely looking more like winter. Although the students have much to keep them busy, I am giving quite a bit of class time to work on these projects so no one should be swamped with English homework!

Tuesday, November 24

2009-11-24T07:14:00.001-08:00

Well, it's been a short week, but a very productive week! The seventh graders have been in the computer lab working on their Kid2Kid Biographies. They are really making progress. These finished projects are going to be really cool. The students should be very proud; I know it can be frustrating to bring all the elements of a good final product together. They are learning about layout, design, and good writing for a specific audience.

Eighth grade should be busy reading a novel. They will be working on a book jacket for this novel when we get back from Thanksgiving Break!

Have a safe and happy holiday! I'll see you all next week.

Friday, November 13

2009-11-12T08:05:00.000-08:00

We have just completed reading novels in the 7th and 8th grade classes. It is important to keep reading, but we are not going to be working on a novel together with the whole class in the next month. Instead, 7th graders are beginning their Independent Novel Project. This means, they will choose a novel (from several choices) and read that independently. There will be about three other students in each class reading the same book. Each student will produce a booklet on their specific novel that will be due before Christmas. In early December, 7th graders will work in small groups to produce a vidoe book "trailer" advertising the novel they read. I am looking forward to this unit, and students really seem to enjoy it. It is important to keep up with the reading and work; much of this is homework that needs to be done throughout the next month! In class, we are going to be working sentence structure and parts of speech.

In 8th grade, students need to begin reading a novel and they will complete a book jacket on this novel which will be due near the end of second quarter. In class, we will be looking as the power of three as it pertains to good writing. We will review grammar and usage as well. Finally, 8th graders will reading and studying short stories in class.

Obviously, second quarter will be busy. One final note for second quarter. It is flu season. Please, try to stay healthy, and if you are absent be sure to make up any work you missed as soon as possible. You are responsible to complete the make-up work in a timely fashion!

Guidelines to Consider when Writing your Kid2Kid Bio

2009-11-10T11:13:00.000-08:00

KID2KID Biography

CONTENTS:

1. Picture of Little Kid
2. Table of Contents
3. Mind Map
4. Chapter 1: All About the Kid
5. Where I’m From Poem
6. Chapter 2: Holidays
7. Chapter 3: Your Choice of Topic
8. EXTRA (Here you could do a variety of things – have another poem about the kid, i.e. an acrostic poem, a kidpik, a letter to your kid or from your kid, a photo montage
9. About the Author

Monday, November 9

2009-11-07T10:52:00.000-08:00

We are now in the first full week of the second quarter. I imagine that the second quarter will go just as quickly as the first did. We accomplished quite a bit in the first quarter of this year. Both seventh and eighth graders finished at least one classroom novel. Eighth graders have begun The Outsiders, and soon the seventh graders will begin their second classroom novel of the year. Before we do that, I plan to spend a little more time on discussing The Ranger's Apprentice and this particular genre before we move on.

Remember, Tuesday is Parent/Teacher conferences and I hope to see all of the students and their parents are able to attend. If you can't make it that night, but would like to speak with me, please call and we can set up an alternative time. This conference is set up arena-style in the gym. That is also the time that first quarter report cards are available.

The Ranger's Apprentice comes to a close

2009-11-05T07:57:00.000-08:00

Seventh graders finished The Ranger's Apprentice this week! It is an awesome novel! Some of the eighth graders also read it last year, and one even decided to dress as a ranger for Halloween. Above is a picture of Jack Dern in his Halloween costume - a Ranger! What a great costume, Jack!

If any of you 8th graders haven't read the novel, you should consider it. It is a fast-paced fantasy novel with themes that we can all relate to. If you read and liked Eragon, The Book of Three, or The Lord of the Rings, you will probably really enjoy The Ranger's Apprentice. Also, if you like it, there are at least six more in the series. A movie is being made at the moment although there we don't know when it will actually hit the theaters.

Friday, October 30

2009-10-30T13:21:00.000-07:00

I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable Halloween. We ended our week of testing on a more relaxed note. Many students dressed in costume and we watched a movie. After the movie, we had a chance to thank Miss Musbach with a card, flowers, and cake.

I'll post some Halloween pictures next week.

Seventh graders: please look below for a grammar assignment that needs to be completed by the end of class on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Due Tuesday, Nov. 3: 7th Grade Assignment

2009-10-30T13:15:00.000-07:00

Copy and paste the following passage and correct all of the errors. The errors may include spelling, usage, capitalization, and grammar. After you are done editing and proofreading, post the correct version of this passage onto this post!

Early this months, I closed my closet door to hide the mess. then I began to keep my close in a orderly fashion. The cheif reason was that my Mother said she was going to trade my close for something she wanted. I new I could count on her to do it!

Wednesday, Nov. 4: Students really struggled to correctly edit this passage. I posted one correct passage which you can check out, but you can just look below and see the way it SHOULD be written.

Early this month, I closed my closet door to hide the mess. Then, I began to keep my clothes in an orderly fashion. The chief reason was that my mother said she was going to trade my clothes for something she wanted. I knew I could count on her to do it!

2009-10-28T08:16:00.000-07:00

21st Century Skills in the Language Arts Classroom

8th Graders' Assignment

2009-10-26T08:05:00.001-07:00

You read Chapter 4 for today! Now please read and answer the question below. You may use your book while answering this question. Remember to use the power of 3 in your writing.

Chapter 4:

If you were Johnny and Pony's lawyer, how would you defend them in a court of law? (Give THREE reasons for your defense).

Monday, October 26

2009-10-26T06:35:00.000-07:00

October is speeding to a close at incredible speed. I can't believe we are already in the last week of this month! We have a very busy week ahead of us. This week we will be working on WKCE State testing. This is very imnportant, and we want you all to do your best. Remember to get a good night sleep and eat a good breakfast each day!

Also, remember that Friday is a half day. It will be a nice break for you all after a hard week of testing.

Happy Monday!

Friday, October 16

2009-10-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

This week was so full it seemed to fly! The students are incredibly busy. In 7th grade, we are half way through The Ranger's Apprentice. There are several themes running through this novel, one being the issue of bullying. Bullying can be an issue in real life also, so its interesting to look at it from a few different perspectives. It really makes you think about what is the best way to stop bullying. We have started the conversation on what the character Horace should do about the boys bullying him in the story. The students have some great ideas. We are also continuing to work on our word study and writing. Finally, the project with the Little Kids has been so successful, both groups really enjoy the time working together.

In eighth grade, the class has finished the novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Today we began The Outsiders. They need to read the first two chapters by Monday. We are also continuing to work on our writing and word usage. Many were making mistakes with there, their and they're (an incredibly common error in student writing).

Wednesday, October 14

2009-10-14T11:36:00.000-07:00

We woke to a cold, white world yesterday morning. I thought this may put a damper on our class fieldtrip to the school forest and the local landfill, but was I ever wrong! The school forest was blanketed with heavy white snow and the sun was shining. As the morning warmed, the snow fell in heavy clumps off the trees. Underneath, we could see the vibrant fall colors

Friday, October 2

2009-10-02T09:53:00.000-07:00

What a cold and rainy day! I look out the window at this bleak day and am thankful we went hiking last week. This was a good week to stay inside and get things done. We have certainly been busy in Language Arts class. We are almost half way through The Ranger's Apprentice. I hope everyone is enjoying it. The characters in the novel are faced with some grim circumstances at the moment, especially Horace. We also finally began our Word Study. Many kids misused there, their, and they're in the cloze test this morning. It is a sign that we need to spend some more time going over spelling and usage! I promise we will next week.

In 8th grade, we are continuing to work on writing and I'm impressed with some of the results. I received a few fantastic descriptive paragraphs which is really satisfying! We are also finished with Hugo Cabret and now need to take the time to discuss this unusual novel some more.

Have a great weekend everyone! Try to stay warm and dry. That may be difficult if you are involved in the Full Moon Tournament or going to the Football game tonight. Dress warm if you are and good luck at soccer tomorrow.

Friday, September 25, 2009

2009-09-25T11:33:00.000-07:00

I hope all you students enjoy your afternoon off! It is a great day to get outside and have some fun.

Once again, it has been a terrific week! We finished our Fall Writing Assessment early in the week. That is difficult work, and now our writing instruction will begin in full force. We also worked on vocabulary and took a quiz on that. The highlight of the week for me was the fieldtrip. Our seventh graders went on a fieldtrip to Black River Harbor. I actually woke up yesterday morning, glanced out the window at the beginning of a beautiful day and smiled. I love that fieldtrip! The colors were just beginning and the water of the rapids was incredibly low, but it was really a perfect day for hiking and learning about the geology of the Lake Superior area. We ended out trip looking at and identifying kinds of rocks on the shore of Lake Superior. Everyone I spoke with really enjoyed the day.

Most of the eighth graders in my class finished the novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret this week. We did some writing on it, which we will continue next week. We also finished our Fall Writing Assessment and began really looking at and analyzing what makes good writing. We were fortunate enough to have Ms. Ahlers come in to two of our class periods to work with us on how to write well! She is a wonder when it comes to writing instruction! Thanks, Ms. Ahlers.

Everyone have a great weekend and see you Monday!

Friday, September 18, 2009

2009-09-18T13:42:00.000-07:00

Another week has flown by. Summer came when school began, and the weather continues to be unbelievably warm and beautiful.

The seventh graders are making progress in their book. We have all completed the sixth chapter in The Ranger's Apprentice, and I think we are all wondering if Will will like learning from Halt. Is Halt a protagonist or an antagonist? We should find out soon how all the wards are doing in their new apprenticeships.

Seventh graders need to keep studying their vocabulary words because they will have a quiz on them next Wednesday. Everyone should now have flashcards that they can take out and study each day.

Finally, I'm looking forward to our fieldtrip at BlackRiver Harbor. I imagine that the fall colors will be close to peak. It should be a great time to take pictures.

Eighth grade continues to work on Hugo Cabret, as well as reading and test taking skills! They took their first vocabulary quiz today and seem to have a good grasp on word meanings, but I think we need to continue to work on writing quality, complex sentences. That can be a challenge!

Have a great week, and I look forward to continuing all our projects and novels next week!

Friday, September 4 - Reflecting on our First Week of School

2009-09-04T14:48:00.000-07:00

It was a great first week, and I'm looking forward to more fun and learning next week! First, in seventh grade, we completed our mind maps. They turned out great. After students present them on Tuesday, they will be posted on the classroom wall for everyone to see. I look forward to seeing the students mentoring and teaching these publishing skills to younger students in the school in just a few weeks. We also looked at and analyzed several different poems.

Eighth grade read the first chapter of The Invention of Hugo Cabret. I can't wait to continue it! The novel is set in Paris, France in 1931, so I thought this might be just the time to teach a bit of French language and culture - something I haven't done in a long time, but it brought back my great memories of my first years out of college when I taught French! Poetry played a part in the 8th grade class as well.

I hope everyone has a great long weekend and comes back rejuvenated and ready to take on new challenges!

2009-08-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Language Arts class! Here, you will work on all your communication skills: reading, writing, speaking, and problem solving. Technology will play a key role in our class. This is going to be an exciting year! We can learn and create together! I look forward to working and getting to know each of you!