WolpertWorld: Where tweens come to read, write, and talk...
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Expectations
  • Contact Mrs WG
  • Resources
  • 8th Grade ELA 2019-2020

April 27 - May 1

This week, you will be engaging in a war of words between Wolpert’s ELA classes.  You will be drawing a topic out of a “hat” and writing a group-created persuasive essay.  Your essay will then be pitted against 1-2 teams from another class.  A judge will then determine which of the two essays is the most informative, highest level, and most persuasive of the two.  The class with the most winning essays will win a free day and treat, courtesy of Mrs. Wolpert.

Here is this week’s schedule:
MONDAY
Team selection
Topic selection
Research begins

TUESDAY
Research con’t

WEDNESDAY
Writing

THURSDAY
Writing - Pacing advice: have the rough draft completed by this time so you can spend Friday today commenting, editing, and revising.

FRIDAY
Writing Final Draft
DUE: Final Draft of Persuasive Essay Due by End of Class via submission form




April 20 - 24

MONDAY
Watch your choice of videos to learn how to make your foldable.  Select your paper and fold your exterior of your project so that you are ready to fill it in with content during the days we are not in the classroom.  DO NOT ASSEMBLE IT WITHOUT THE CONTENT FILLED IN.  We must keep transporting your project, so it needs to be able to lay flat.


TUESDAY (B207)
Whole class review of writing genres and elements of each genre


WEDNESDAY (B207)
Begin to Fill in elements of writing genres


THURSDAY (B207)
Completing our foldables projects


FRIDAY (B207)
DUE: Foldable completely assembled
Writing Elements Quiz




April 13 - 17

We are in E205 Tuesday - Friday.  On Tuesday and Thursday, our schedule is normal.  Wednesday and Friday, however, will go as follows:

1, 6, 7, 8, Lunch, 2, 3, 4.

MONDAY
Reading Genre Posters

TUESDAY
Reading Genre Posters

WEDNESDAY
Reading Genre Posters

THURSDAY
Reading Genre Posters

FRIDAY
DUE: Posters Due by end of class


April 6 - 10

Hey guys, 
It's a funky week with testing.  Here's a screenshot of our wacky schedule, if it helps understand anything.  
Picture
So what you're looking at is a normal Monday.  From there, Period 1 is the same all week.  From Period 2 - Lunch, you are in SBAC testing.  Lunch is the same all week.  Then, I see you two more times for 45 minutes each time.  Hope this helps!

MONDAY
Agenda Review
Extra Credit Review

TUESDAY
I don't see you guys this day.

WEDNESDAY
Who was Arthur Rackham?
Padlet Activity with Reading Genres 

THURSDAY
I don't see you guys this day.

FRIDAY
DUE: Galapagos Template
Reading Genre Poster Sketches Due



March 23 - March 27

MONDAY
App/Program Review
Pick programs
Begin Analysis

TUESDAY
Create Google Presentation
Learn programs
Fill in Worksheet Review Guide

WEDNESDAY
GABRIELINO TRIP

THURSDAY
DUE: Presentations about apps/programs

FRIDAY
CAREER DAY

March 16 - 20

MONDAY
DUE: Rough Draft of Literary Analysis
Peer Feedback

TUESDAY
Work Day

WEDNESDAY
DUE: Movie Poster Final Draft
Final Draft

THURSDAY
DUE: Final Draft 
Studying for your Book Club Quiz

FRIDAY
Book Club Quiz


March 9 - March 13

MONDAY
End of book unit project information: Movie Poster + Literary Analysis

TUESDAY
DUE: ALL LATE WORK
Creating a quiz based on your book: Inquiry with Literature

WEDNESDAY
Final Book Project Work Day

THURSDAY
Literary Analysis Work Day

FRIDAY
DUE: Questions about your Book
Literary Analysis Work Day




MONDAY
DUE: Rough Draft of Literary Analysis

TUESDAY


WEDNESDAY
DUE: MOVIE POSTER

February 23 - March 6

MONDAY
Reading
Padlet Vote on Persuasive Topic
Converting Key words into Thesis Statements

TUESDAY
Reading
Converting Thesis Statements into Body Paragraphs

WEDNESDAY
Jog-A-Thon


THURSDAY
Reading
Adding Commentary to our essays

FRIDAY
DUE: Final Draft Argument Essay
Career Day
Reading


MONDAY
Peer Comments on Argument Essay

TUESDAY
8th grade Argument Essay Test

WEDNESDAY
8th Grade Argument Essay Test

THURSDAY
8th Grade Argument Essay Test

FRIDAY
Argument Essay Final Draft
DUE: Argument Essay at the end of class



Februrary 16 - 20

MONDAY
OFF

TUESDAY
Book Club Reading and Prep

WEDNESDAY
Book Club Reading and Prep

THURSDAY
DUE: Updated Digital Portfolio
Book Club Reading and Prep

FRIDAY
DUE: Character Bag + QRF
Book Club Presentations


February 9 - 13

MONDAY
OFF

TUESDAY
Book Club
Reading
Hook Focus
Business Letter Format

WEDNESDAY
Book Club
Reading 
Business Letter con't

THURSDAY
Book Club 
Reading 
DUE: Business Letter Final Draft

FRIDAY
Book Club
Character Focus


February 2 - 7

MONDAY
The Art of Argument


TUESDAY
College Day Survey


WEDNESDAY
Argument Topics and Teams


THURSDAY
Constructing Your Argument


FRIDAY
Jigsaw Argument Essay
DUE: Collaborative Argument (make sure you have a color coded key on the document!)

January 20 - 30

MONDAY
OFF

TUESDAY
Poetry: Billy Collins' "Introduction to Poetry"
Taylor Mali's "Totally, Like, Whatever, You Know"

WEDNESDAY
Poetry: John Norris' "For Julia, in Deep Water"
Jay Leeming's "Man Writes Poem"

THURSDAY
Poetry: Shakespeare's "Sonnet 116"

FRIDAY
Poetry: "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere"
DUE: Padlet Informal Assessment at end of class

MONDAY
QRF "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere"

TUESDAY
Movie Analyses: "The Song of the Sea," "Shakespeare in Love,"
Commercial Analysis

WEDNESDAY
DUE: Love Sonnet 
Poetry Analysis Begins

THURSDAY
Poetry Analysis continues
DUE: Rough Draft of Poetry Analysis via submission form


January 12 - 17

MONDAY
Presentations continue

TUESDAY
Poetry: All the World's a Stage

WEDNESDAY
Storyboard of Poem + Analysis

THURSDAY
DUE: Storyboard of Poem + Analysis at end of period

FRIDAY
Reflection on 1st Semester
DUE via submission form at end of period



January 5 - 9

MONDAY
United Nations Questioning
Final Prep for oral presentations

TUESDAY
Superhero League Presentations

WEDNESDAY
Superhero League Presentations


THURSDAY
Superhero League Presentations


FRIDAY
DUE: Country Facts Travel Brochure
Superhero League Presentations




Dec. 1 - Dec. 19

MONDAY
Introduction to Extra Credit
TEDxYouth - What makes a good oral presentation?
"ABOUT US" - each league member is responsible for writing a 3rd person biography of his/her superhero.  It should be approximately 500-1000 words and will be posted onto your Superhero League website - Begin Color Coding Website


TUESDAY
TEDxYouth - Analyzing oral presentations
What makes a good Powerpoint/Presentation/Visual?
Writing with Numeracy

WEDNESDAY
Writing our Speeches
DUE: "About Us" page

THURSDAY 
Writing our Speeches

FRIDAY
Writing our Speeches


MONDAY
TEDxYouth - Oral Presentations
Writing our Speeches
Transitions and Consistency between speakers


TUESDAY
Working on our website as a team
DUE: Infographics of your Issue (for assigned superhero only)

WEDNESDAY
DUE: Extra Credit
What  makes a good Powerpoint or Google Presentation?
Working on our visuals as a team

THURSDAY 
Working on our visuals
Finalizing Written Speeches
DUE: Written Speeches on Website
DUE: VISUAL of your presentation (for assigned superhero only)


FRIDAY
Introduction to the United Nations
Watching a Streaming Feed
Drawing Names

MONDAY
28 Acts of Kindness Challenge
Dates for Presentations Distributed

TUESDAY
Researching our countries
Persuasive Travel Brochures Begin

WEDNESDAY
Travel Brochures cont.

THURSDAY
Costumes, Prepping, Practice Speeches
Timing our Speeches

FRIDAY
Final prepping for oral presentations


Nov. 12 - Nov. 21

This week, we are working on research for our advocacy speeches.  We should be blending everything we know at this point: informational writing, narrative description, argument and persuasive word choice, citing sources, hyperlinking, paragraph structure, variety of text structures, everything.

On Wed, you will decide who will be writing what part of your speech, but everyone will spend the week researching in order to help the level of overall presentation.  This means that you will also be creating a collaborative research library.  It will go on your League Website and each entry should be color coded to reflect each student's contributions.

WEDNESDAY
Look at feedback on Collaborative Problem Statement
Dividing up speech
Research continues - Focus on the timeline and history of the issue as it has grown as a problem

THURSDAY
Research - Focus on problem as it exists today and find evidence of the importance of the issue.  Perhaps find evidence that can help you predict the future of this issue if something isn't done about the problem.


FRIDAY
Research - Focus on solutions that already exist and brainstorm with your league ways to solve the problem.  Research and break down the cost of your solution.  Keep a spreadsheet of possible expenses. 

MONDAY
DUE: League Website Shell (must include the following: About Us, a page for each league member, Collaborative Research Library, etc...)
Newspaper article feedback and revisions

TUESDAY - FRIDAY
DUE FRIDAY, NOV 21: Collaborative Research Library (must be color coded to indicate each student's contributions)
8th Grade Performance Task 

Nov. 3 - Nov. 7

MONDAY
DUE: Complete the Collaborative Problem Statement during class and submit via submission form by end of class.

TUESDAY
2nd Quarter Checklist
Distribution of Responsibilities: What does that mean?

WEDNESDAY
Developing Infographics
Padlet of issue
LUNCHTIME: Information on Extra Credit

THURSDAY
Developing Infographics
Symbolism discussion

FRIDAY

Developing Infographics
DUE: Infographic posted on the FINAL DRAFT page of your portfolio


Next Week:
Paul Revere's Ride, TED Talks, and Beginning to write our Advocacy Speeches



Oct. 27 - Oct. 30

MONDAY
Collaboration Constitution

TUESDAY
Problem Statement Share and Commenting Activity
DUE: Collaboration Constitution in hard copy, signed by all league members

WEDNESDAY
Quarter #2 Checklist
DUE: Bring in a new independent reading book: Biography
SSR

THURSDAY
DUE AT END OF PERIOD: Collaborative Problem Statement: Should include a new piece of research from each member of league and a question developed by each member as well. Remember to update your MLA bibliography with the new input. (Submit it via a submission form that will be sent to you that day.  Points will be taken off the entire group if I am not granted permission to view.)

FRIDAY
Parent/Teacher Conferences


Agenda: Oct. 20-Oct. 24

MONDAY
CNN Student News
Current Event Discussions
Initial Research Begins


TUESDAY
CNN Student News
Problem Statements begin

WEDNESDAY
Problem Statements con't
DUE: Problem Statements by end of class (submit via submission form) - the only way you can join a superhero league is if you turn in a problem statement!


THURSDAY

Superhero League formation
Issue Decision


FRIDAY
DUE: Newspaper articles FINAL DRAFTS (posted into website AND submitted as a hard copy)
Quarter #2 Checklist








Oct. 13 - Oct. 17

MONDAY
Rough Draft of Article
Action Verbs Review

TUESDAY
Rough Draft of Article


WEDNESDAY
Minimum Day
CNN Student News Activity


THURSDAY
8th Grade Reading Comprehension Test


FRIDAY
DUE: Rough Draft of News Article
8th Grade Reading Comprehension Test con't
SSR - What are you reading these days?



Coming next week: Forming our Superhero Leagues!!!


Agenda: Oct. 6 - Oct. 10

MONDAY
Superhero Punctuation Vote
Examining Newspaper Structure


TUESDAY
The 5 W's in Informational Articles
Article Notes


WEDNESDAY
Visitor Today
CNN Student News
 Article Notes con't


THURSDAY
The 5Ws and Your Superhero Article
QW: The first time your superhero was spotted
(Use the 5W's)
Article Templates

FRIDAY
DUE: Hard copy of an article that uses different text structures
CNN Student News





Agenda: Sept. 29 - Oct. 3

MONDAY
"War Party" continued
Note Taking

TUESDAY
"War Party" review and Peer Studies
Most Common Errors in our Origin Stories

WEDNESDAY
"War Party" test
DUE: "War Party" Notes by end of class (submitted via submission form)

THURSDAY
Bacon Grammar (yep, I said it)

FRIDAY
DUE: FINAL DRAFT OF YOUR ORIGIN STORY (posted onto the Final Draft page of your website)
Bacon Grammar con't



Agenda: Sept 15 - Sept 26

MONDAY: 
DUE: Research Library Check
Hyperlinking 
Resources on Google Drive
Works Cited and Footnotes in our Origin Stories


TUESDAY
The Norms of Video Conferencing
Norms of Being a Good Audience


WEDNESDAY
DUE: Rough Draft of your Origin Story (will be shared with me in class using a submission form + post on Works in Progress page)
Looking Back for Theme



THURSDAY
S.T.A.R. Revision Strategies
Instructions for Comments on Peers' Essays


FRIDAY
Guest Speaker via Skype!
Citing a video conference


MONDAY
DUE: Comments on Your Peer's Essay
Thank you recording!
Reflection on Guest Speaker
How will you incorporate what you learned into your narrative?


TUESDAY
20 Most Common Grammar Mistakes from Middle School Students
Grammar Wackiness begins


WEDNESDAY
Grammar con't
DUE: Grammar Matrix (Share with Wolpert at end of class)

THURSDAY
Reading Louis LʼAmour's "War Party" - exploring heroism in fiction


FRIDAY
"War Party" - further exploration of heroism




AGENDA: WEEK OF SEPT. 1 - SEPT. 12

MONDAY
OFF

TUESDAY
DUE: Hardcopy Picture of your Superhero in costume!
DUE: Character Analysis 
Hemingway and the 6-word Memoir (Title: 6-word Memoir)

WEDNESDAY
Scientific Research begins for your science-fiction origin stories!
Bibliographies and the Research Library
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01
http://www.easybib.com

THURSDAY
Research con't

FRIDAY
DUE: Google Screenshot (hard copy)
Pixar's Rules of Storytelling Activity - link document to your Works in Progress page
Plot Brainstorming for Origin Story

MONDAY
Hooks Review
Padlet.com activity

TUESDAY
Hyperlinking our scientific research into our origin stories
Research con't
Origin Story con't

WEDNESDAY
Due: 6-word story index card
Powerpoint: How to Write Dialogue

THURSDAY
Figurative Language and Sensory Details
Origin Story con't

FRIDAY
Portfolio Writing Assignment: What is the purpose of your portfolio? (post to the Homepage of your Portfolio)

MONDAY:
DUE: Research Library Check




AGENDA: WEEK OF AUG. 18 - September 3

MONDAY
Introduction to class
How to contact Mrs. WG
Introduction to www.Wolpertworld.com
Paperwork

TUESDAY
Introduction to Google Chromebooks
What is the purpose of school?  (see John Green video below)
Classroom constitution begins

WEDNESDAY
Classroom constitution con't

THURSDAY - 1/2 day
DUE: Science-fiction independent reading book
Introduction to Superhero Unit

FRIDAY
DUE: Signed Paperwork
Creating our Digital Portfolios on Google DriveSigning the Constitution


MONDAY
Checklist and dates for 1st Quarter assignments
Agendas in class for recording dates
 
TUESDAY
DUE: Blog post answering "What is the Purpose of School?"  (DO NOT EMAIL, SHARE, OR SUBMIT BEFORE I TEACH YOU HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS IN CLASS!)
DUE: Digital Portfolio Tabs and Website Shell Created
TedEd - The Science of Superheroes (2)

WEDNESDAY
TedEd - The Science of Superheroes (2)
Superhero character creation activity 

THURSDAY
TedEd - The Science of Superheroes (2)
www.marvel.com

FRIDAY
DUE: Blog post #2 "Which superpower would you most like to have, and which one would be a curse?" - remember to submit via the shared Google Form.
Posting your blogs onto into your portfolio

MONDAY
OFF

TUESDAY
DUE: Hardcopy Picture of your Superhero in costume!
What is the purpose of your portfolio?


WEDNESDAY
Research and Rough Drafts Begin!
Hemingway and the 6-word Memoir (Title: 6-word Memoir)