Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Tuesday, March 7th

Hello March! 

We sure are busy as we finish up this third quarter. The class has so many huge projects that they have been giving their all. I am extremely proud of each and every one of them. 

In projects we are finishing up our Great Depression websites this week. The last day to work on them will be the 14th, then on the 15th & 16th each student will have an opportunity to share their site to the class. Their pages sure are coming around, each kiddo has been working diligently on a collection of pages for their website that includes the causes of the Great Depression, daily life, the Dust Bowl, the role of government, as well as art and culture. I have been lucky enough to be keeping tabs on the sites along the way, but I am really looking forward for the kids to publish and share their hard work. 

Reading has been full of studying, arranging and formulating discussion points in preparation for out Outsiders  Paideia Seminar. I have been conferencing with students over the last handful of days and they have their topics of giving advice, theme, teen problems, and movie vs. novel down solid. On Wednesday and Thursday the kids will finally get to their chance to share their skills. I am looking forward to the discussions this group will have on one of our favorite books of the year! 

This week in writing we are powering through another state task. This time around it is an argumentative essay. The class will work together in groups on a collaborative essay this week, then an unassisted one next week using the skills we have practiced. A couple key ideas that we are honing in on with argumentative writing include making a claim, sticking to it, and supporting it with reasons and evidence. Another skill that they are asked to include in 7th grade is adding a counterclaim. So far they are rocking the assignment. 

8th grade reading has just about finished the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The class is getting better and better with having class discussions using habits of discussion. I am always impressed with the ideas and conversations they have about the topics of the book.