Other than vocabulary, cores 1 and 3 continue to read Night. All classes completed two freewrites, one about who they really are and one where I provided four strange, real headlines and they wrote the news story they thought could go with it. I'm seeing the use of "vivid vocabulary" and figurative language increase in much of their writing.
Students also worked on creating their plans for a project of their own choosing. I've told them this isn't just a traditional research paper, but an opportunity to do something that captures their own interest. Two students are writing a puppet show and creating puppets to perform for younger students. One is researching and cooking "odd" chili recipes and preparing a dish for the class. Two are researching the history of the town of Mt. Jackson. One is writing a science fiction novella. Some are producing slideshows, videos, pamphlets--this is a rare opportunity to explore a topic of their own choosing and deliver it in their own way. As with any research project, one of the biggest challenges is to lead them to narrow topics so their coverage is narrow and deep rather than wide and shallow. Another is that they aren't used to having this much choice, so they have trouble thinking outside the box. Many are also rolling their eyes at having to complete a plan before beginning, but I think most who have started that process are seeing why it helps them thoroughly think through what they are going to do and how they are going to do it. Each student also has to create his own rubric to score successful completion since each student's project is different.
Each student has to write and revise two choice essays this quarter. The topics are all persuasive in nature, but I've shown them how any topic can be made persuasive, if they don't see one they like among the hundreds I offered in a shared document.
ECO continues as an assisted study hall at the moment, and Mrs. Zimmon and I are seeing those students complete more work and have more academic success. In Encore, students began writing essays after we finished the last novel, and they are experiencing how I communicate with students using the comment feature in Google Docs to help them revise their essays.
Important Dates
February 27: Interim Reports
March 10-13: Writing SOL (Day 1: Multiple Choice; Day 2: Writing the essay; Day 3: make-ups for absentees)
March 17: Spring picture day
March 31: End of Q3
English 8 Due Dates--all assignments turned in on Google Classroom
February 13: Create Your Own Project: Plan due (found on pages 3 and 4 of the project hand-out
February 20: Choice essay #1 due
March 5: Choice essay #2 due
March 20: Powtoons Project Due
March 31: Create Your Own Project: Project due
