Week of June 1st, 2015

Happy June!!!


DO NOW: Independent Reading! Take out your books and get lost!!!

ENGLISH 8 AWARD CEREMONY!!!

For this second to last week of school, we will be preparing for our own award ceremony. You will be assigned a classmate. It is UP TO YOU to create an award for this classmate to celebrate his or her work this year and to highlight all of the qualities that will may him or her successful in High School!!!

REMEMBER: This is an award from the heart. No put downs or "side" compliments will be tolerated and will result in immediate points lost on your final grade. This is no place to put each other down, but to support each other instead. "I was just joking" is not an excuse and you will lose points and receive further consequences if you need to be reminded even once. 



Format: You will start your award by answering the following questions in your notebook. Copy questions and answers.

Who is the recipient of your award? 

How long have you known this person?

List at least three things you notice this person does well in class.

List at least three things you notice this person does well outside of class.

What do you respect and admire about this person? 

Now, give an award title. For example, "The Super Organized Award" or "The Kindest Heart Award." Your award title should highlight the success of your recipient this year.

Finally, write a 5-7 sentence paragraph about your recipient that you will present to him or her. Describe all the things you admire and how each of these talents and strengths will serve him or her next year in High School. We will decorate these drafts tomorrow and Wednesday to present! Keep it a secret if you can until the big day!!!

Closing: Students will share out the start of their awards to a mesa partner. 

May 11 - May 15th, 2015

Monday, May 11th, 2015

HOORAY TO BEING FINISHED WITH THE SBAC!!! YOU STUDENTS ROCKED IT! WAY TO STAY FOCUSED AND DRIVEN DURING DIFFICULT STANDARDIZED TESTING!

DO NOW: Please take out your independent reading book 

and begin reading!

 

Vocabulary: wary – watchful; on guard against danger 

sinister – evil or threatening

pursue – to follow in order to capture; to chase

(review)

divert – to send in a different direction; to distract

insane – not of rational mind; senseless

preserve – to keep alive; to keep safe from harm

Read-Aloud: The Pearl Chapter 6 pp. 73-78

Discussion Questions: Is Kino being too paranoid when it 

comes to the trackers and their abilities?  Or is he being

 smart and cautious?  Why does Kino think it would be better

if he were taken?  Why does Juana disagree? Why is she

suddenly speaking up against and disobeying Kino?  Do you

think they will be caught by the trackers?  Why or why not?

WHAT ARE SYMBOLS? In pairs, brainstorm 5 modern symbols and what they represent. 

Group Session

Assignment #25: Students will work with their group 

members to determine what Steinbeck might be symbolizing

or representing by showing certain characters and objects 

inThe Pearl.  For each symbol, students will argue what it

could represent in the story and provide a reason or textual 

evidence as support.

Summary/Closing

Students will share their responses during a whole class 

discussion.  They will discuss what each symbol could 

represent and provide support as to why they think that 

using valid reasoning and/or textual evidence.

HOMEWORK: Identify three SYMBOLS you see in day-to-

day life and three SYMBOLS you see in The Pearl. Write 

them down in your notebook. This will be checked tomorrow. 

Reminder: a SYMBOL is something, usually a visual image 

or object, that represents something more. 

Tuesday, May 12th, 2015

DO NOW: Please take out your independent reading book 

and begin reading! Have your homework out on your desk for a 

homework check!

 

Do Now: What do Kino and Juana disagree about while on 

the run from the trackers?

Vocabulary: 

foliage – leaves, flowers, and branches

weary – physically or mentally exhausted from hard work

Read-Aloud: The Pearl Chapter 6 pp. 78-84

Discussion Questions: What kind of person has Kino 

become on the run?  

How do readers know this?  What can happen if Coyotito 

makes noise?  What is Kino’s plan regarding the three 

trackers?  Do you think Kino will kill again 

to save himself and his family?  Why or why not?

Group Activity # 25 continued from 5/11/15

Week of April 20th, 2015

Monday, April 20th, 2015

DO NOW: Please take out your independent reading book 

and begin reading!

 

Introduction

Do Now: Why isn’t Juana angry with Kino for hitting and kicking her?

Vocabulary: divert – to send in a different direction; to distract

Read-Aloud: The Pearl Chapter 5 pp. 63-67
Discussion Questions: What has Kino lost because of the pearl?  Why do Kino and his family pretend that they disappeared?  Why can’t their neighbors know the truth?  What does Kino mean when he says that “the pearl has become [his] soul”?  Why doesn’t he just destroy the pearl?

Closing:  Share out discussion questions in mesas and in whole groups.

Tuesday, April 21st, 2015

DO NOW: Please collect your things to review expectations for our library trip today.

Library Trip: We will be choosing new independent reading books and completing independent reading in the library. This will take twenty minutes and then we will return to class.

You are expected to: be quiet, be respectful, act in accordance with library rules and regulations.

The Pearl Essay: Students will annotate and become familiar with the essay assigned for The Pearl, in which they will analyze the differences in Kino’s life from before and after finding the pearl based on the information they compiled during the previous day’s lesson (Assignment #24).  They will write a 4-5 paragraph essay analyzing the changes in Kino’s life, using reasons and inferences supported by textual evidence.  The format for the essay is as follows:

Close Reading Annotation Symbols

Symbol	What this symbol represents...	What to write as your annotation
+	I agree with what the text/author says here!	Explain why you agree with the text/author.
	I disagree with what the text/author says here!	Explain why you disagree with the text/author.
underline	Important information, key ideas/concepts	Summarize or paraphrase the important information/ideas.
?	Information you are confused about or doesn’t make sense	Compose a question to express what confuses you.
=	Information that reminds you of something you’ve read/heard/seen before	Discuss the connection you are making between this information and previously read/heard/seen information
	Put a circle around words you are unfamiliar with	Look up the word and write a brief definition in the margin.

 Paragraph #1 – introduction (includes summary and changes)

 Paragraph #2 – explain first change (with textual evidence and

 Paragraph #3 – explain second change (with textual evidence and

 Paragraph #4 – explain third change (with textual evidence and

 Paragraph #5 – conclusion (what does all this say about the pearl

importance/implication)

Group Session

Students will write the introduction paragraphs of their The Pearl essays.  They will include the book’s title and author, as well as short summaries of the plot thus far.  They will also state the changes in Kino’s life (without
explaining them) that they will discuss in their essays.  These paragraphs should be 4-5 sentences.

Summary/Closing

Students will self-edit their introduction paragraphs using a checklist of questions to make sure they are ready for peer-editing when their first drafts are complete.  They will then share their introduction paragraphs with their group members.

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2015

Review The Pearl essay assignment (see above) and begin working on introductory paragraphs.

Thursday, April 23rd, 2015

Please take out your independent reading book and begin reading!

DO NOW: Take out your introductory paragraphs and read it to a mesa member. Mesa members will give one warm and one cool piece of feedback to their partner. 

Objective  Students will be able to:

 Compare the main character from different points of time in The 

 Cite textual evidence to support their comparisons.

 Draw conclusions about the importance and/or implications of these 

 Organize their thoughts and ideas in a coherent written format 

Pearl.

 9.RL.3  Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with 

 9.W.1  Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of 

 9.W.4  Produce clear and coherent writing in which the 

multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a 

text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or 

develop the theme.


Whole Class

Review The Pearl essay.  By now, everyone should be done with their introductory paragraphs and ready to move on to body paragraphs. We will use comparisons and textual evidence. Please reference assignment #24 as you write. 

The suggested format for body paragraphs is: 


 Sentence #1 – introduce the change in Kino’s life

 Sentence #2 – explain how this thing was before Kino found the pearl.

 Sentence #3 – explain how this thing is after Kino found the pearl

 Sentence #4 – provide textual evidence that shows this change? (quote and page number)

 Sentence #5 – conclude with the importance of this change and what implication or impact it will have on Kino and his family 



Group Session

Students will use the comparisons and textual evidence they compiled in their charts from Assignment #24 to begin writing their body paragraphs.  
These paragraphs will analyze the changes in Kino’s life, show the importance and/or implication of them, and provide textual evidence (direct quotes from The Pearl) that show them in the book.  Each paragraph should analyze one change only.  These paragraphs should be at least five sentences.

Summary/Closing

Students will self-edit their body paragraphs using a checklist of questions to make sure they are ready for peer-editing when their first drafts are complete.  They will then share their body paragraphs with their group members.

Week of April 13th, 2015

Monday, April 13th, 2015

DO NOW: Please take out your independent reading book 

and begin reading!

 

DO NOW: 

1. If you were Kino at this moment, what would you do with the pearl and why?

2.   How is Kino treated when trying to sell his pearl to the buyers?

Vocabulary: defy – to challenge the power of; to resist


Objectives:  Students will be able to:

Formulate possible and/or probable courses of action to be taken 

Analyze the viability of each course of action by examining its pros, 

Argue which course of action is best for the main character (using 

Cite textual evidence to support their opinions.


Organize their thoughts and ideas in a coherent written format 

by the main character in The Pearl (based on textual evidence).

cons, consequences, etc.

valid reasons and/or examples).

(paragraph).


Connection to Common Core Learning Standards

 9.RL.1  Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support 

 9.W.1  Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of 

analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences 

drawn from the text.




Read-Aloud: The Pearl Chapter 4 pp. 52-57

Discussion Questions: Why is Kino afraid to go to the capital?  What does Juan Tomas mean when he says that Kino defied “the whole structure”?  Why is he afraid for his brother?  Why doesn’t Kino want to throw the pearl away?  Is Kino being judicious?  Why or why not?  Why doesn’t Juana challenge Kino’s authority?

Vocabulary: defy – to challenge the power of; to resist

Group Session

Assignment #23: Students will work with their group members to brainstorm different courses of action that Kino can take regarding the pearl (i.e. going back to the pearl buyers, setting off to the capital, throwing the pearl away), as well as pros and cons of each. They will then write paragraphs arguing which course of action is best, using the pros and cons they brainstormed as supporting reasons.  The paragraphs should follow the format previously discussed in class.

Summary/Closing

Students will share their responses during a whole class discussion, referring to their paragraphs for support or reasons.  Remind students to study for  Quiz #6 on the week’s readings of The Pearl and their vocabulary.




TUESDAY, APRIL 14th, 2015

QUIZ #2 for The Pearl!!!


Wednesday, April 15th, 2015

Independent Reading

Read up to page 63 in The Pearl and write a seven sentence summary in your notebook.



Thursday, April 16th, 2015

DO NOW: Please take out your independent reading book 

and begin reading!

 

Do Now: How is Kino starting to treat Juana? Use examples.

Vocabulary: 

insane – not of rational mind; senseless 

preserve – to keep alive; to keep safe from harm

Read-Aloud: The Pearl Chapter 5 pp. 58-63

Discussion Questions: 

How has Kino changed as a man and 

as a husband?  

Why does Juana follow her husband?  Why does she need a 

man?  Why doesn’t she destroy the pearl and make Kino 

think that it was stolen by the thieves?

  

What does the hole in the canoe mean for Kino and his 

family?  

Why is killing a boat worse than killing a man?

Group Session

Assignment #24: 

Students will work with their group members 

to chart the specific differences between

Kino’s life before finding 

the pearl and after finding the pearl.  

For each difference, students must quote 

textual evidence directly from The Pearl and 

note the page number on which it appears. 

In addition, they will explain the importance 

of each change and the implication or impact 

each will have on Kino and his family.

Summary/Closing

Students will share their charted differences 

in Kino’s life and textual evidence during a

whole class discussion. They will discuss how

Kino has transfigured as a man, a husband, 

and a friend due to the pearl.

4/17/15 

MINIMUM DAY!


DO NOW: Please take out your independent reading book 

and begin reading!

 

ACTIVITY #1: Complete assignment #24 in

your mesa group!

ACTIVITY #2: Minimum day Free-write!