Updated 5/22/09: Thanks to everybody for making this year, at least in the classroom, a great one. 8th Graders, we will miss you terribly..so come visit in the future. 7th Graders, we will miss you for a few weeks, then academically challenge the heck out of you come mid-August.
Here are some photos from our Independent Study this week. See...it IS possible to have both fun and learn something. Really....
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Hey, here's some Mock Trial Photos (a wider assortment can be found below as a link)
Appropos of nothing but films, here are photos of the winners in our recent Guild Film Festival!
1st Place Winner Receives $50
The Two 2nd Place Winners Will Split $20
Our 3rd Place Winners split $10
And the "Oh So Close" 3.5 Place Winner takes home $5
But what about mock trials you ask?...here is a huge repository of pictures from this year's trials
And hey...here's some photos from our In-HouseMock Trial Extravagonzo in March
Upcoming Due Dates:
The "Macbeth Playhouse"May 14-15
Final Exam on Animal Farm May 15
Week Thirty-Seven: May 18 - 22
Monday, 5/18:
All Students: Day One of our Independent Study Presentations (also, 7th Graders must turn in their Animal Farm Final Exams)
Tuesday, 5/19:
All Students: Day Two of Independent Study Presentations.
Wednesday, 5/20:
All Students: Day Three of Independent Study Presentations
Thursday, 5/21:
All Students: "Cliff's Day". Please do not ask your humble webmaster what he thinks of this day.
Friday, 5/22:
All Students: Final Day of Independent Study. Now that I think about it, it's the final day of the school year!
Important Documents
Book Reports:
Book Project/Review Information (includes 7th/8th Grade examples of quality Book Reviews)
Independent Study Project Descriptions:
7th Grade Independent Study Issue Research Paper
7th Grade Independent Study Creative Person
8th Grade Independent Study Position Paper
8th Grade "Famous Dead People" Paper
Evaluation forms
7th Grade Issue Paper/Presentation
7th Grade Creative Script/Presentation
8th Grade Position Paper/Presentation
8th Grade "Famous Dead People" Evaluation Forms
Bibliographic Information:
Bibliographic "Template" for your IS Research Papers
How to properly fill out those "Source Cards" and "Fact Cards".
8th Grader Note: What about this "A-List Book" Thing? In case you're wondering, here are two links to list o' great books, each of which is (almost) automatically considered an "A-List Book":
At the same time, the pesky tendency of writers to write new books makes lists such as those above inherently incomplete. So we add books to the "List" as we hear about them and their "A List" qualities. Lastly, there is a bit of wiggle room when it comes to an "A-List" designation. We individualize based on the past reading history of a student. For instance, a student who has been reading R.L. Stine since the 2nd grade might have their newfangled choice of Stephen King's The Stand counted as "A-List". An 8th grader who read Homer's The Odyssey over the summer in Ancient Greek probably isn't going to have Stephen King count as "A-List". And, of course, there are exceptions to all rules and exceptions to those exceptions. Students/parents are highly encouraged to email Mr. Scot with questions on this subject.
2008-2009 Room 114 Photo Gallery
Example photos from our recent Independent Study Presentations
And here are a bunch of other photos from these Independent Study Presentations
Photos from our August 2008 "Fairy Tale Seminar"
Previously on Judd/Key Humanities...
Week Thirty-Six: May 11 - 15
Monday, 5/11:
7th Graders: More Animal Farm
8th Graders: We just about finish "Macbeth" and get ready for our "Playhouse".
Tuesday, 5/12:
7th Graders: Animal Farm
8th Graders: More "Macbeth"
Wednesday, 5/13:
7th Graders: Animal Farm: The Movie
8th Graders: A day of full-practice for "Macbeth"
Thursday, 5/14:
7th Graders: Animal Farm: The Movie
8th Graders: "Macbeth Playhouse" Performances due today, both videotaped and "live".
Friday, 5/15:
7th Graders: Final Exam on Animal Farm
8th Graders: Some possible stragglers for "Macbeth Playhouse" and/or viewing of our video contest (prize money noted above in several photos involving "Jacksons", "Hamiltons" and "Lincolns".
Week Thirty-Five: May 4 - 8
Monday, 5/4:
7th Graders: More Animal Farm
8th Graders: We take a break from "Macbeth" to figuring out just what the Heck Shakespeare is talking about via an in-class vocabulary assignment.
Tuesday, 5/5:
7th Graders: Animal Farm
8th Graders: More "Macbeth"
Wednesday, 5/6:
7th Graders: More Animal Farm
8th Graders: "Macbeth"
Thursday, 5/7:
7th Graders: Book Reports!! Book Reports!!
8th Graders: Book Reports!! Book Reports!!
Friday, 5/8:
7th Graders: Perhaps some straggler book presentations (although they are all due on 5/7)
8th Graders: Perhaps some straggler book presentations (although they are all due on 5/7)
Week Thirty-Four: April 27 - May 1
Monday, 4/27:
7th Graders: We begin Animal Farm
8th Graders: We start "Macbeth"
Tuesday, 4/28:
7th Graders: More Animal Farm
8th Graders: More "Macbeth"
Wednesday, 4/29:
7th Graders: More Animal Farm
8th Graders: "Macbeth"
Thursday, 4/30:
7th Graders: More Animal Farm
8th Graders: More "Macbeth"
Friday, 5/1:
All Students: Expert letters for Independent Study #3 are due. Like today.
7th Graders: Even more Animal Farm
8th Graders: Even more "Macbeth"
Week Thirty-Three: April 20 - 24
Monday, 4/20:
All Students: Trial #1: State of New Mexico v. Julie Starr
Tuesday, 4/21:
All Students: Trials #2 & #3: State of New Mexico v. Julie Starr
Wednesday, 4/22:
All Students: Trials multiply...Trials #4-6: State of New Mexico v. Julie Starr
Thursday, 4/23:
All Students: More trials..this time #7-#9, #9, #9: State of New Mexico v. Julie Starr
Friday, 4/24:
All Students: A literature-based debrief of our mock trial experience.
Week Thirty-Two: April 13 -17
Monday, 4/13:
All Students: Preparation for our upcoming case: State of New Mexico v. Julie Starr
Tuesday, 4/14:
All Students: Preparation for our upcoming case: State of New Mexico v. Julie Starr
Wednesday, 4/15:
All Students: Preparation for our upcoming case: State of New Mexico v. Julie Starr
Thursday, 4/16:
All Students: Preparation for our upcoming case: State of New Mexico v. Julie Starr
Friday, 4/17:
All Students: Preparation for our upcoming case: State of New Mexico v. Julie Starr
Week Thirty-One: April 6 - 10
Monday, 4/6:
All Students: Day One of Mock Trials, State of New Mexico v. Julie Starr
Tuesday, 4/7 (Testing, Day Four):
All Students: Day Two of Mock Trials for 1st/2nd Period
Wednesday, 4/8 (Testing, Day Five):
All Students: Day Two of Mock Trials for 3rd Period
Thursday, 4/9 (Testing, Day The Final):
All Students: Day Two of Mock Trials for 1st/6th/7th Period
Friday, 3/20:
No School for "Vernal Holiday"...since when are we so Astronomically conscious?
Week Thirty: March 30 - April 3
Monday, 3/30:
7th Grade: HOTS/Check-out
8th Grade: Fast Food Nation: Chapter Nine
Tuesday, 3/17 (Testing, Day One):
7th Grade: Discussion
8th Grade: JMS Cafeteria Assignment Prep, testing
Wednesday, 3/18 (Testing, Day Two: Son of Fast Food Nation):
7th Grade: Testing
8th Grade: JMS Cafeteria Assignment Prep, testing
Thursday, 3/19:
7th Grade: Testing
8th Grade: JMS Cafeteria Assignment Prep, testing
Friday, 3/20:
7th Grade: Reading of the new mock trial case. I have the case ready to post here...but I'm waiting....
8th Grade: JMS Cafeteria Assignment Due
Week The Nothing: Spring Break
Week Twenty-Nine: March 16 - 20
Monday, 3/16:
7th Grade: A film on bullying8th Grade: A mock trial debrief, an introduction to Independent Study #3, and an introduction to our next literary examination: Fast Food Nation
Tuesday, 3/17: 7th Grade: Discussion 8th Grade: Readings from Fast Food Nation
Wednesday, 3/18: 7th Grade: I.S./House of the Scorpion8th Grade: Readings From Fast Food Nation
Thursday, 3/19: 7th Grade: House of the Scorpion 8th Grade: Fast Food Nation
Friday, 3/20:7th Grade: Review Due
8th Grade: Open Reading/In-class work on our upcoming Cafeteria assignment.
Week Twenty-Eight: March 9 - 13
Monday, 3/9:All Students: More preparation for mock trials, focusing on the role of the "direct" attorney and witness
Tuesday, 3/10: All Students: Continued mock trial preparation, this time looking at the "cross-examination" in its many, attacking forms.
Wednesday, 3/11: All Students: Some last minute preparation for our mock trials.
Thursday, 3/12: All Students: Mock Trial Day #1
Friday, 3/13:
All Students: Mock Trial Day #2, with trials in both Room 114 and Room 124
Week Twenty-Seven: March 2 - 6
Monday, 3/2: All Students: Day one of our mock trial experience
Tuesday, 3/3: (Parent Conferences, Day 1) All Students: Work with teams on mock trial concepts
Wednesday, 3/4: (Parent Conferences, Day 2) All Students: Continued work with mock trials, particularly direct examinations
Thursday, 3/5: (Parent Conferences, Day the Last) All Students: We switch into cross-examinations and other mock trial details
Friday, 3/6: All Students: We conduct some actual rehearsal of a typical direct/cross-examination
Week Twenty-Six: February 23 - 27
Monday, 2/23:
7th Graders: House of the Scorpion
8th Graders: Our Short-Answer Final Exam on To Kill A Mockingbird
Tuesday, 2/24:
7th Grade: More House of the Scorpion
8th Grade: Our in-class TKAM Playhouse assignment comes to fruition with a ton of films/plays from the book
Wednesday, 2/25:
7th Grade: House of the Scorpion
8th Grade: After all our work of recent days/weeks, we sit back and watch the 1962 film version of "To Kill A Mockingbird"
Thursday, 2/26:
7th Grade: House of the Scorpion and some silent reading
8th Grade: Watching "To Kill A Mockingbird" and discussion of our own mock trials
Friday, 2/27:
7th Grade: We continue to Book Report Presentations
8th Grade: We complete "To Kill A Mockingbird"
Week Twenty-Five: February 16 - 20
Monday, 2/16:
A holiday for all of our Presidents. Well almost all of them.
Tuesday, 2/17:
7th Grade: A variety of lingering Independent Study Presentations and some reading from House of the Scorpion (HOTS)
8th Grade: We revisit To Kill A Mockingbird and introduce our TKAM Playhouse assignment (due 2/24)
Wednesday, 2/18:
7th Grade: More HOTS and the odd Independent Study Presentation to finish up
8th Grade: More reading from To Kill A Mockingbird
Thursday, 2/19:
7th Grade: More HOTS
8th Grade: Wrapping up some To Kill A Mockingbird loose ends
Friday, 2/20:
7th Grade: We continue to Book Report Presentations
8th Grade: Our final day of preparation before our Final Exam on To Kill A Mockingbird next Monday. H
Week Twenty-Four: February 9 - 13
Monday, 2/9: Day One of our Independent Study Presentations
Tuesday, 2/10: Day Two of our Independent Study Presentations
Wednesday, 2/11: Day Three of our Independent Study Presentations
Thursday, 2/12: Day Four of our Independent Study Presentations
Friday, 2/13:7th Graders: Day Five of our Independent Study Presentations
8th Graders: We're done with Independent Study, so let's switch gears and turn in our Book Reports for this quarter
Week Twenty-Three: February 2 - 6
Monday, 2/2:
7th Graders: Rough Drafts returned, a bit of discussion
8th Graders: Rough Drafts returned. Silent reading of To Kill A Mockingbird
Tuesday, 2/3:
7th Graders: We get back to reading House of the Scorpion
8th Graders: We see a documentary film on the horrible case of Emmett Till
Wednesday, 2/4:
7th Graders: House of the Scorpion
8th Graders: A bit of reading To Kill A Mockingbird
Thursday, 2/5:
7th Graders: Final papers due for Independent Study.
8th Graders: Final papers due for Independent Study.
Friday, 2/6:
7th Graders: More HOTS
8th Graders: A vocabulary test on Part One of To Kill A Mockingbird
Here's a list of the words we are studying for the vocab quiz.
Week Twenty-Two: January 26 - 30
Monday, 1/26:
Day One of our Chocolate Seminar
Tuesday, 1/27:
Day Two of our Chocolate Seminar
Wednesday, 1/28:
7th Graders: Our biggest Independent Study deadline...the submission of rough drafts. Be sure to include your bibliography with your rough draft.
8th Graders: Our biggest Independent Study deadline...the submission of rough drafts. Be sure to include your bibliography with your rough draft.
Thursday, 1/29:
Day Three of our Chocolate Seminar
Friday, 1/30:
The Fifth and Final Day of our Chocolate Seminar
Week Twenty-One: January 19 - 23
Monday, 1/19:
No school for MLK, Jr. Day
Tuesday, 1/20:
7th Graders: The reading of House of the Scorpion augmented with some Inauguration coverage.
8th Graders: The reading of To Kill A Mockingbird augmented with possible Inauguration coverage.
Wednesday, 1/21:
7th Graders: Our third Independent Study deadline of the semester comes due with students needing 15 note cards on their issue/"creative person"
8th Graders: Our third Independent Study deadline of the semester comes due with students needing 20 note cards on their "famous dead person"
Thursday, 1/22:
7th Graders: More HotS
8th Graders: More TKAM
Friday, 1/23:
7th Graders: More HotS
8th Graders: More TKAM
Week Twenty: January 12 - 16
Monday, 1/12:
7th Graders: House of the Scorpion
8th Graders: To Kill A Mockingbird
Tuesday, 1/13:
7th Graders: More HotS
8th Graders: More TKAM
Wednesday, 1/14:
7th Graders: Our second Independent Study deadline of the semester comes due with students needing 15 note cards on their issue/"creative person"
8th Graders: Our second Independent Study deadline of the semester comes due with students needing 20 note cards on their "famous dead person"
Thursday, 1/15:
7th Graders: More HotS
8th Graders: Vocabulary II (in-class) for Chapter 5 - 11 of TKAM
Friday, 1/16:
We take a day off to have our teachers test their mental limits of consciousness when it comes to unbelievably boring meetings. No school.
Week Nineteen (the real one): Beginning of Side Two, January 5-9
Monday, 1/5:
7th Graders: We begin reading House of the Scorpion
8th Graders: We begin reading To Kill A Mockingbird
Tuesday, 1/6: 7th Graders: More HotS
8th Graders: More TKAM
Wednesday, 1/7: Silent Reading as we take a break from House of the Scorpion
7th Graders: Our first Independent Study deadline of the semester comes due with students needing 15 note cards on their issue/"creative person"
8th Graders: Our first Independent Study deadline of the semester comes due with students needing 20 note cards on their issue/"creative person"
Thursday, 1/8:
7th Graders: More HotS
8th Graders: TKAM Vocabulary In-Class, Chapters 1-4
Friday, 1/9:
7th Graders: Field Trip for most....silent reading for others
8th Graders: More TKAM and a very non-special field trip
Week Nineteen: December 15 - 19
Monday, 12/15:
7th Graders: A Vocabulary Assignment
8th Graders: We, finally, get back to Sherman Alexie and find out what happened to Arnold, Rowdy and the gang in AATDOAPTI"
Tuesday, 12/16:
7th Graders: Kurt Vonnegut
8th Graders: Snow Day
Wednesday, 12/17:
7th Graders: Our first Independent Study deadline comes due with students needing to know their "creative person" or "issue" and creating six focusing questions.
8th Graders: Our "Halls of Jefferson" assignment is due. Really...as we move it from the "Snow Day".
Thursday, 12/18:
All Students: Our twice-annual viewing/judging of films for the Jefferson MS Film Festival
Friday, 12/19:
7th Graders: Chess
8th Graders: Our first Independent Study deadline comes due with students needing to have identified their "Famous Dead Person" and writing six facts they know about the person and six questions they have to guide their research.
Week Eighteen: December 8 - 12
Monday, 12/8:
All Students : Day Six of "Distance Learning: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Internet"
Tuesday, 12/9:
All Students : Day The Last of "Distance Learning: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Internet"
Wednesday, 12/10:
7th Graders: Introduction to Independent Study, also bring a book to read for "Independent Reading"
8th Graders: A little assignment in which we measure the length of books in our homes, and bring the number of total inches to class for a bit o' charting. Also, an introduction to Independent Study.
Thursday, 12/11:
All Students : Book Reports (Reviews and Projects) are due.
Friday, 12/12:
All Students : Perhaps some stray left-over book reviews to read. Otherwise we get to our readings.
Week Seventeen: December 1 - 5
Monday, 12/1:
All Students : Day One of "Distance Learning: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Internet"
Tuesday, 12/2:
All Students : Day Two of "Distance Learning: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Internet"
Wednesday, 12/3:
All Students : Day Three of "Distance Learning: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Internet"
Thursday, 12/4:
All Students : Day Four of "Distance Learning: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Internet"
Friday, 12/5:
All Students : Day Five of "Distance Learning: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Internet"
Week Sixteen: November 24 - 28
Monday, 11/24:
7th Grade: We watch the worst Francis Ford Coppola movie ever: "The Outsiders"
8th Grade: We get back to some Sherman Alexie, reading and thinking about the reading.
Tuesday, 11/25:
7th Grade: More bad Francis Ford Coppola. He should stick with making wine at this point.
8th Grade: Continued Sherman Alexie.
Wednesday, 11/26:
7th Grade: The Grand Finale of the worst Francis Ford Coppola movie ever.
8th Grade: Another day of relaxed Sherman Alexie reading...
Thursday, 11/27:
7th/8th Grade: We celebrate the harvest with excessive eating.
Friday, 11/28:
7th/8th Grade: We desperately try to revive the American economy by buying as much crap as we possibly can.
Week Fifteen: November 17 - 21
Monday, 11/17:
7th Grade: Weekly Focus #2 assignment. Continued reading of The Outsiders.
7th Graders: Not happy with your progress report? Earn extra credit by writing a letter to the editor regarding whether or not 6th graders should return to the elementary schools. Marty Esquivel, a school board member from Jefferson's district, and a parent of a 7th grader here, thinks that they should. What do you think? Due Monday, 11/17 in both print and electronic format to Ms. Judd.
8th Grade: We get back to some Sherman Alexie, reading and thinking about the reading.
Tuesday, 11/18:
7th Grade: Finishing up The Outsiders
8th Grade: Continued Sherman Alexie
Wednesday, 11/19:
7th Grade: More The Outsiders. And Independent Reading after that. Bring a book to read in class.
8th Grade: Continued reading of Sherman Alexie's book with a title too long to keep typing here.
Thursday, 11/20:
7th Grade: Weekly Focus #2 Due. We'll do some editing of these pieces in class.
8th Grade: More Sherman Alexie, and associated discussion.
Friday, 11/21:
7th Grade: Independent Reading. Bring a book to read in class.
8th Grade: We're flying through Alexie's Absolutely True Diary... Flying with the occasional "Pop"
Week Fourteen: November 10 - 14
Monday, 11/10:
7th Grade: More exploration of The Outsiders
8th Grade: Introduction of our fourth "Weekly Focus" of the year, this time dealing with audience. We'll also get started with Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
Tuesday, 11/11:
7th/8th Grade: No school in honor of the end of World War I.
Wednesday, 11/12:
7th Grade: More The Outsiders.
8th Grade: Continued reading of Sherman Alexie's book with a title too long to keep typing here.
Thursday, 11/13:
7th Grade: A return to that long-lost "literature" component of our classroom and The Outsiders.
8th Grade: More Sherman Alexie, and associated discussion.
Friday, 11/14:
7th Grade: More of The Outsiders.
8th Grade: Due date for our "Weekly Focus #4: Audience". Bring in your hard-copy rough draft and an electronic version to edit in-class.
Week Thirteen: November 3 - 7
Monday, 11/3:
7th/8th Grade: Debate Day 2008
Tuesday, 11/4:
7th/8th Grade: No school so that democracy can run rampant throughout the campus.
Wednesday, 11/5:
7th/8th Grade: Small group discussions on our Election Debate Seminar. Remember to bring your Seminar "ticket".
Thursday, 11/6:
7th Grade: A return to that long-lost "literature" component of our classroom and The Outsiders.
8th Grade: We return some old Independent Study papers, and listen/read a short memoir piece by Sherman Alexie: "Because My Father Always Said He Was the Only Indian Who Saw Jimi Hendrix Play 'The Star-Spangled Banner' at Woodstock".
Friday, 11/7:
7th Grade: More return to the good 'ol days of Literature.
8th Grade: We return our old 1984 Final Exams, talk about JMS and Totalitarianism, and do some "independent" reading. Also, bring a book to read, if you have one already, for independent reading.
Week Twelve: October 27 - October 31: Check out these issue packets for our debates
Monday, 10/27:
7th/8th Grade: Debate Introduction. Here's a copy of the "ticket". Be sure to read through your packets quickly to get up to speed on your issue. Issues were assigned in class (sorry, we can't throw full names on the website, so the schedule isn't accessible here).
Tuesday, 10/28:
7th/8th Grade: Work in debate teams on the packet, assigning roles, etc.
Wednesday, 10/29:
7th/8th Grade: Continued work in debate teams on the packet, practicing speeches, etc.
Thursday, 10/30:
7th/8th Grade: Practice rounds in our Aff and Neg rooms. Students writing constructive speeches need to have rough drafts done.
Friday, 10/31:
7th/8th Grade: As the craziness of a Friday, Halloween and movie crew all descend upon us, let us remember to both keep working on our debate for next Monday ("Debate Day: 2008"), and some sense of calm serenity amid the chaotic din. At least we can try.
Week Eleven: October 20 - 24
Monday, 10/20:
7th/8th Grade: Independent Study Presentations, Day One
Tuesday, 10/21:
7th/8th Grade: Independent Study Presentations, Day Two
Wednesday, 10/22:
A day off for Parent/Teacher Conferences...c'mon by!
Thursday, 10/23:
7th/8th Grade: Independent Study Presentations, Day Three
Friday, 10/24:
7th/8th Grade: Independent Study Presentations, Day Four
And next week...our Election 2008 Debate Seminar Extravaganzaliciousosity!
Week Ten: October 13 - 17
Monday, 10/13
7th Grade: We return Independent Study Papers and get back to reading The Outsiders
8th Grade: Same as the above, with the exception that we are reading 1984 in anticipation of our final exam on the book this Friday.
Tuesday, 10/14:
7th Grade: More The Outsiders
8th Grade: More 1984
Wednesday, 10/15:
7th Grade: More The Outsiders
8th Grade: A final day to read 1984 in class, discuss ideas and get ready for the final on Friday
Thursday, 10/16:
7th Grade: No School for an In-Service.
8th Grade: Yikes! An In-service! Man, I despise In-Services! Help!!!
Friday, 10/17:
7th Grade: More The Outsiders
8th Grade: Our in-class final exam on 1984.
Remember when we had this stuff to do....
Some example sentences to get you going on your Indepdendent Study rough drafts
Book Reports (Review & Projects) are due October 2nd
Here's a great research site to find Independent Study information. Note: User Name: NM0045H Password: 87108 (Hat tip to Highland HS Librarian Tom Moppert for this one)
Bibliographic "Template" for your IS Research Papers
How to properly fill out those "Source Cards" and "Fact Cards".
Here's an example of the type of chart 8th Graders need to put into their Position Papers and Presentations
Week Nine: October 6 - 10 (Hey it's time for Nine Week Grades, and we're 1/4 done!)
Monday, 10/6
7th Graders: We start a classic book with "Socs" and "Greasers", S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders
8th Graders: Remember that book we were reading? The one with the "eye" on the cover? Yeah, it's back to George Orwell's
1984.
Tuesday, 10/7:
7th Grade: More The Outsiders
8th Grade: More 1984, as we get ready for tomorrow's Independent Study deadline (see Wednesday, 10/8 below)
Wednesday, 10/8:
7th Graders: The most important Independent Study deadline of all...the dreaded Rough Draft and Bibliography.
8th Graders: Same as above...Rough Draft and Bibliography due. We will be editing these in class after turning them in.
Thursday, 10/9:
7th Graders: Some independent reading to celebrate holidays, balloons and a three-day weekend.
8th Graders: More reading and discussion on 1984. A few students will be getting their Independent Study Papers back.
Friday, 10/10:
No School for our one-day, everything slammed together "Fall Break"
Week Eight: September 29 - October 3
Monday, 9/29
All Students: Small group Seminar Discussions and the passing out & return of the Seminar "Ticket"
Tuesday, 9/30:
7th Grade: We go over recent book reviews written on the book, Thief of Always, and then read a short story.
8th Grade: We get back to "Literature" with a discussion on graphs/tables/charts in our Independent Study work.
Wednesday, 10/01:
7th Graders: Our last Independent Study Data Check, with 15 cards due for a total of 45.
8th Graders: Same as with the 7th Graders above, but with 20 cards each session this makes 60 "fact cards", 10 sources, 5 source types, one expert and a partridge in a graphically displayed pear tree.
Thursday, 10/02:
All Students: Our first Quarterly Book Report, with both art project and book review due. We'll talk about our work and the works that led to our work in class.
Friday, 10/03:
7th Graders: More discussion about books and book reports.
8th Graders: We might continue book reports, or we might not. We might discuss 1984, or we might discuss rough drafts.
Week Seven: September 22 - 26
Monday, 9/22
All Students: A multi-media introduction to our "Music and Pop Culture" seminar for this week.
Tuesday, 9/23:
All Students: Working in smaller groups, students plan their own multi-media extravaganza concerning a certain period in U.S. Pop Culture history in the last half-century.
Wednesday, 9/24:
7th Graders: We break from Seminar to tackle more note cards for Independent Study, 15 more.
8th Graders: Same as with the 7th Graders above, but with 20 as the required amount.
Thursday, 9/25:
All Students: More planning and tweaking for presentations on various time periods in U.S. Pop Culture.
Friday, 9/26:
All Students: Presentation Day. Groups illustrate Pop Culture elements throughout a time period using a variety of entertainment stimuli.
Week Six: September 15 - 19
Monday, 9/15
7th Grade: We introduce our first "Weekly Focus" for 7th Graders, which is due this Thursday. We also will have some masks presentations (see photos above), and return grades on submitted masks.
8th Grade: We find out how we did on Weekly Focus #2 ("What's So Funny?"), read a few out in class, and get back to reading Orwell's 1984.
Tuesday, 9/16:
7th Grade: A short story by Ellen Wittlinger: "Epiphany"
8th Grade: Who are the Thought Police? Orwell's 1984 read in class.
Wednesday, 9/17:
7th Grade/8th Grade: Our first "Data Check", with students responsible for 15/20 note cards as outlined in our Independent Study Project assignments (see below under "Important Documents".
Thursday, 9/18:
7th Grade: Weekly Focus rough draft #1 due. We will revise and resubmit in class.
8th Grade: More Orwell's 1984.
Friday, 9/19:
7th Grade: The final on Weekly Focus #1 is due. We will read "Heartbeat of the Soul of the World" by René Saldaña Jr.
Week Five: September 8 - 12
Monday, 9/8
7th Grade: Thief of Always. Bring an independent reading book for tomorrow.
8th Grade: We read a classic in satire, Dr. Jonathan Swift's 1726 essay, "A Modest Proposal...". Remember that homework assignment for tomorrow (click the link for details).
Tuesday, 9/9:
7th Grade: Finish Thief of Always, write a review in class, Independent Reading (did you remember to bring in a book?)
8th Grade: We do our in-class editing for Weekly Focus #2 "What's so Funny?"
Wednesday, 9/10:
7th Grade/8th Grade: Even more homework...remember to bring in your Independent Study topic/issue/person and have written six focusing questions (Independent Reading as well)
Thursday, 9/11:
7th Grade: On the anniversary of "9/11/01", we read a story dealing with the aftermath of that day: "Hum".
8th Grade: On the anniversary of "9/11/01", we read a story that arguably also deals with the aftermath of that day: George Orwell's 1984.
Friday, 9/12:
7th Grade: Thief of Always masks are due.
8th Grade: We finally get to reading 1984, and look at a highly simplified continuum regarding economic models
Week Four: September 1 - 5
Monday, 9/1
In honor of Labor, we don't.
Tuesday, 9/2:
7th: We get back to reading Thief of Always.
8th: We get back to our Weekly Focus papers (remember them?) by looking at the grades, discussing the writing and moving on to our next writing idea "What's So Funny?"
Wednesday, 9/3:
7th: Our introduction to Independent Study. Students have a choice this first time between a "Creative Person Presentation" and a more formal "Issue Paper"
8th: We begin year two of our Independent Studies (six total over 7th/8th Grade...collect them all!) with a description of our "Position Paper".
Thursday, 9/4:
7th: Thief of Always
8th: We get our next homework assignment (well besides bringing something in to class for Humor "Show & Tell" tomorrow. Weekly Focus #2: What's So Funny?. Click on the link to get a Microsoft Word copy of the assignment due next Tuesday, the 9th.
Friday, 9/5:
7th: Thief of Always
8th: It's "Show & Tell" Day in class, as students bring in something they think is really, really funny. It's homework to do this, so notice this is all in red.
Week Three: August 25 - 29
Monday, 8/25:
Both 7th & 8th: We go to our first "Seminar" of the year with an introduction to how Seminars work around here, and a brainstorm of possible Seminar topics for the year.
Tuesday, 8/26:
Both 7th & 8th: Seminar Groups read some versions of the eternally favorite "fairy tale" we know as "Little Red Riding Hood" (or "Little Red Hot Riding Hood" if you're a big Tex Avery fan)
Wednesday, 8/27:
Both 7th & 8th: Groups practice/rehearse for their full-scale theatrical interpretations of variations on "Little Red Riding Hood".
Thursday, 8/28:
Both 7th & 8th: We have our in-class theatrical extravaganza of "Little Red Riding Hood(s)". Pictures of the festivities sure to follow.
Friday, 8/29:
Both 7th & 8th: Our first Seminar Discussion of the year. Meeting in small groups we discuss the role of "fairy tales" and the lessons they try to teach. Students are required to have written a one page, typed modernization of a "fairy tale" and bring it along with their "ticket" to class discussion.
Week Two: August 18-22
Monday, 8/18:
7th Graders: Thief of Always
8th Graders: A discussion of David Sedaris' "A Shiner Like a Diamond" and our in-class writings about it. We'll also go over how we do our weekly writing assignments in this class, along with some continuums regarding books, reading interest,etc. and finish with our first formal writing homework assignment "Turning Swords Into Plowshares".
Tuesday, 8/19:
7th Graders: Thief of Always
8th Graders: We go to the Gothic South, and experience "black comedy" with Flannery O'Connor in "A Good Man is Hard to Find".
Wednesday, 8/20:
7th Graders: Thief of Always
8th Graders: Independent Reading...bring a book to read in class.
Thursday, 8/21:
7th Graders: Thief of Always
8th Graders: Our first writing homework, our "Swords Into Plowshares" Weekly Focus. Bring in one printed and one electronic version of your draft on this assignment.
Friday, 8/22:
7th Graders: Thief of Reading
8th Graders: A public reading of some pieces from Weekly Focus #1, and a discussion about violence, weapons and writing.
Week One: August 11 -15
Monday, 8/11:
A day for teachers to figure out what the heck to do this school year.
Tuesday, 8/12:
7th Graders: Housekeeping Items
8th Graders: An electronically submitted "mini-dossier" as way of introduction. Also, a list of what's important in the Literature component of our 8th Grade class. Students have homework...bring your all-time favorite book to class on Wednesday.
Wednesday, 8/13:
7th Graders: Read "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut- homework to bring props for tomorrow.
8th Graders: A discussion of favorite books, helped by students remembering their homework and bringing in their all-time favorites.
Thursday, 8/14:
7th Graders: Presentation of handicaps/talents- homework for tomorrow-bring a book to read.
8th Graders: A continued introduction to the 8th Grade version of "Literature", including some important rules/guidelines for our class.
Friday, 8/15:
7th Graders: Discussion of books/ book reports. Then Independent reading.
8th Graders: We also hope to actually getting around to some "literature", as we listen to David Sedaris read his piece "A Shiner Like a Diamond" and write in-class about it (among other things). Next week we'll have a more formal look at how we do our weekly writing assignments in this class, along with some continuums regarding books, reading interest and how we tend to grade stuff around here.
Miscellany....
Link to last year's page (2007-2008)
And finally, School Year 2004-2005
and here is this weird HTML that just won't go away (the link goes to a page about the author of "Flowers For Algernon"...
creepy...it just won't delete for anything...