Ms Cattapan's blog

Grade 6: In LA, we brainstormed ideas for our character contest.  Then we began to fill out the contest forms.  In reading, we examined elements of mystery stories and began Murder on the Orient Express.  Homework: Finish character contest form.  Finish reading ch. 1-3.

Grade 7: In LA, we wrote preliminary outlines for our science fair papers and organized our note cards into topics.  In reading, we discussed the ending of "The Cask of Amontillado."  We also started the next story, "The Pit and the Pendulum."  Homework: Final Draft for free choice essay due Monday.  Finish "The Pit and the Pendulum."

Grade 8: In LA, we correct the source card worksheet from Wednesday.  In reading, we looked at several of the themes in Lord of the Flies.  Homework: Read ch. 7-8.  Finish the "Big Ideas" worksheet if you didn't finish in class.

Grade 6: In LA, we brainstormed ideas for our character contest.  Then we began to fill out the contest forms.  In reading, we examined elements of mystery stories and began Murder on the Orient Express.  Homework: Finish character contest form.  Finish reading ch. 1-3.

Grade 7: In LA, we wrote preliminary outlines for our science fair papers and organized our note cards into topics.  In reading, we discussed the ending of "The Cask of Amontillado."  We also started the next story, "The Pit and the Pendulum."  Homework: Final Draft for free choice essay due Monday.  Finish "The Pit and the Pendulum."

Grade 8: In LA, we correct the source card worksheet from Wednesday.  In reading, we looked at several of the themes in Lord of the Flies.  Homework: Read ch. 7-8.  Finish the "Big Ideas" worksheet if you didn't finish in class.

Grade 6: In LA, we worked on identifying transitions and adding them into paragraphs.  In reading, we took our next vocabulary quiz and identified allusions that the author made in Children of the Lamp.

Grade 7: In LA, we reviewed each other's free choice essays.  In reading, we took our vocabulary quiz and began reading "The Cask of Amontillado."  Homework: 35 science fair note cards due Friday.  Final draft of free choice essay due Monday.  Finish reading "The Cask of Amontillado."

Grade 8: In LA, we practiced filling in source cards using proper APA format.  In reading, we finished The Sword in the Stone and wrote both literal-level and higher order thinking questions for ch. 1-4 of Lord of the Flies.  Homework: Read ch. 5-6.

Grade 6: In LA, we worked some more on our writing packet for organization.  In reading, we discussed the questions we wrote yesterday for our novel, and we exchanged our vocabulary crossword puzzles.  Homework: Study for vocabulary quiz.

Grade 7: In LA, we worked on rough drafts for our free choice essay.  In reading, we reviewed our vocabulary words and read "The Tell-Tale Heart."  Homework: Study for vocabulary quiz and finish rough draft.  Remember that 35 note cards for the science fair paper are due on Friday.

Grade 8: In LA, we discussed why source cards are important and how to fill them in using APA format.  In reading, we continued our PMI charts for The Sword in the Stone.  Homework: Finish reading ch. 1-4 of Lord of the Flies by tomorrow.

Grade 6: In LA, we took the nouns test and discussed writing packet pp. 27-28.  In reading, we wrote discussion questions for the novel and began making crossword puzzles for the vocabulary words.  Homework: Finish crossword puzzles.

Grade 7: In LA, we took notes on Personal Pronouns and Indefinite Pronouns.  In reading, we read a Chicago Tribune article on the death of Edgar Allan Poe.  We also read and discussed "The Raven."  Homework: Complete word web for your given vocabulary word.  In the Write Source book, finish p. 475 #2-5.

Grade 8: In LA, we took the pronouns test and evaluated a website for research purposes.  In reading, we watched a few scenes from The Sword in the Stone and took note of "pluses," "minuses," and "interesting points."  Homework: Read ch. 1-4 of Lord of the Flies by Wednesday.

Grade 6: In LA, we reviewed for the nouns test.  In reading, we read the last two summaries for Children of the Lamp and discussed the second group of vocabulary words.   Homework: Nouns Test on Monday.  Vocabulary Quiz on Wednesday.

Grade 7: In LA, we rated some essays based on their organizational strategies.  We also began work on outlines for our free choice essays.  In reading, we read two short biographies on Edgar Allan Poe and took notes on his life.  We also created word webs for our vocabulary words.  Homework: Finish outline for free choice essay and make sure you have five source cards ready for Monday.  Vocabulary quiz on Wednesday in reading.

Grade 8: In LA, we reviwed for the pronouns test.  In reading, we took the vocabulary quiz, read the last summary, and discussed the book in small groups.  Homework: Pronouns test on Monday. 

Grade 6: In LA, we learned about prepositions and their objects.  In reading, we discussed ch. 10-19 and reviewed the first five vocabulary words from the novel.  Homework: Nouns Test on Monday.  Vocab Quiz on Wednesday.

Grade 7: In LA, we scored two sample essays based on their "ideas."  We also looked at some of the possible topics we brainstormed yesterday.  In reading, we identified how fear affected the characters in the three short stories we have read so far.  We also discussed ten vocabulary words from those stories.  Homework: 5 or more source cards for science fair project due in LA on Monday.  Vocab Quiz in reading on Wednesday. 

Grade 8: In LA, we reviewed the different types of pronouns.  In reading, we looked at two more summaries from the novel and reviewed our vocabulary words. Homework: Study for tomorrow's vocabulary quiz.  Pronouns Test on Monday. 

Grade 6: In LA, we took  notes on direct and indirect objects.  If you were absent today, you may want to see me about the worksheet we started in class.  In reading, we read through the first three summaries from Monday and began the next section of vocab.  Homework: Nouns Test on Monday.  Finish vocab worksheets for ch. 14-26.

Grade 7: In LA, we identified transitions and used them to improve some writing samples.  In reading, we read and discussed "The Monkey's Paw." Homework: 5 source cards due Monday.  Vocabulary for three short stories due tomorrow.

Grade 8: In LA, we worked on getting pronouns to agree with their antecedents.  We also worked on agreement with compound subjects and on identifying reflexive and intensive pronouns.  In reading, we discussed the rest of Book 1 and the beginning of Book 2.  Then we created word maps for our vocabulary words.  Homework: Pronoun Test on Monday.  Vocabulary Quiz on Friday. 

Grade 6: In LA, we identified predicate nouns and linking verbs.  In reading, we worked in groups to summarize sections of Children of the Lamp.  Homework: Vocab. for ch. 1-13.  Rewrites of "worst chore" essays may be turned in any time this week or next Monday.

Grade 7: In LA, we correct our source card examples from last week and discussed last Wednesday's writing packet.  In reading, we discussed and wrote about some famous sayings from Mark Twain.  We also wrote about our fear motivates and affects us.  Homework: Read "The Monkey's Paw."

Grade 8: In LA, we identified person, number, and gender with regard to pronouns.  We also examined indefinite pronouns.  In reading, we dicussed the role of knights in Camelot and checked our definitions for the vocabulary words for this novel.  Homework:  Vocab quiz on Friday.  Write a discussion question for Book 1 of Once and Future King.

Grade 6: In LA, we corrected the grammar packet p. 128 and discussed pp. 25-28 of the writing packet.  In reading, we discussed the review questions for Dies Drear and choose among four favorite quotes from our next book, The Children of the Lamp.

Grade 7: In LA, we reviewed how to fill in source cards and note cards for our science fair project.  In reading, we discussed the stories "The Necklace" and "The Jumping Frog of Calavares County."  Homework: Bring in field trip forms!

Grade 8: In LA, we looked at various writing samples and discussed how voice was (or wasn't) used within them.  In reading, we worked on two discussion questions for Once and Future King in groups and then shared our responses to the first question.  Second question will be discussed Monday.  Homework: Monday is the last day for rewrites of the influential person essay.