Week of September 21st

We concluded our mythology unit this past Wednesday, and on Thursday we began our new novel The Giver by Lois Lowry. We are also nearing the end of the "CARE" for your writing unit.
This week we will continue reading The Giver, and we will begin a unit on capitalization and punctuation. Don't forget that book reports are due on September 28th and that each class has its own due date for the mythological monster project.
Be sure to check Blackboard for a link to a vocabulary review game.

Homework:

Monday- Spelling
Tuesday- Finish any incomplete "CARE" worksheets
Wednesday-Chapters 1-5 vocabulary quiz from The Giver
Thursday- Spelling contracts are due and quiz tomorrow
Friday- None

Week of 9/13/10

This week we will be finishing up our study of mythology, and "CARE-ing" for our writing.

Homework:

Monday- Finish mythology test study guide

Tuesday- Mythology test tomorrow, all myth packets should be complete

Wednesday- None (Early dismissal)

Thursday- Spelling test, and contract are due tomorrow

Week of 8/23

Phaeton study Guide
1. Who is Phaethon’s mother?

2. What request does Phaethon make of the Sun? Why does he make this request?

3. Give three reasons why the Sun’s daily journey is difficult.

4. Why does Apollo have to keep his promise to Phaethon?

5. Why do the horses run wild?

6. What happens to Phaethon?

7. How were the deserts made, according to this myth?

8. Explain the words written on Phaethon’s tomb.

9. Describe Phaethon’s character.

10. What is the underlying theme of this myth?

11. Is Phaethon’s fearlessness heroic or foolish?

12. What qualities of a hero does Phaethon have? What heroic qualities does he lack?

II. Literary Elements

Personification- giving non-living things the characteristics of life. Explain the following examples
1. “It is said that it was then the Nile fled and hid his head, which is still hidden
2. “You will have to pass beasts, fierce beasts of prey….The Bull, the Lion, the Scorpion, the great Crab, will each try to harm you.”

Conflict- opposing forces; there are 2 basic types of conflict – internal and external.
What is the main conflict that drives this story? Explain.
What is the internal conflict Apollo faces?

Welcome Back

It is hard to believe, but summer is already drawing to an end. I look forward to working with you this year. In order to make sure that everyone is successful, I have included a link on this page to the class syllabus, our first spelling contract, and the video permission form that needs to be signed and returned to school. Additionally I have also included a link to a welcome letter that your parents may want to read.

First Nine Weeks "Think-Tac-Toe"
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/29444Weekly%20Spelling%20Think-Tac-Toe.doc

Lesson One Spelling Contract
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/41304Spelling%20Contract%20Lesson%201.doc

Video Permission Form
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/41302Video%20Permission%2010-11.doc

Class Syllabus
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/41303ENG7%20syllabus%202010-2011%20Gish%20Pre-AP.doc

Welcome Letter
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/41306Parent%20Welcome%20Letter.doc

LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL!!!!!

PRE-AP: DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT ON TWO OF YOUR CLASSMATE'S BOOK REPORTS. YOU MUST DO THIS PRIOR TO JUNE 10TH!!!!
http://dgish.podbean.com/

EXAM SCHEDULE
TUESDAY 1ST/2ND
WEDNESDAY 4TH/5TH
THURSDAY 5TH/6TH

Week of May 24th

Link to book report:

http://dgish.podbean.com/

Week of May 3rd 2010

This week in class we will be finishing up our study of poetry by making poetry books. Pre-AP classes will be writing a book about their 7th grade experiences and general will be writing various forms of poetry such as Haiku, and Limerick.

We will also spend a great deal of time on SOL review, and we will have a last minute "crash course" in test taking skills.

This year has gone by so quickly it's hard to believe that we are already on the downward slope. If you would like to spend some online time practicing for various tests, don't forget to check out the link below.

https://mail.rcs.k12.va.us/owa/redir.aspx?C=804379f452c044a1967f704f33d74af5&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwbmstechtalk.weebly.com%2fsolutions.html


HOMEWORK:

MONDAY- SPELLING, POETRY BOOKS ARE DUE FRIDAY FOR PRE-AP
TUESDAY-POETRY BOOKS ARE DUE TOMORROW FOR GENERAL
WEDNESDAY-NONE
THURSDAY-POETRY BOOKS FOR PRE-AP AND SPELLING FOR ALL
FRIDAY- REST AND BE PREPARED FOR SOL'S NEXT WEEK

CLICK HERE FOR THIS WEEK'S SPELLING GAME

http://www.quia.com/jw/382300.html


CLICK HERE FOR THIS WEEK'S SPELLING CONTRACT

Week of April 26th 2010

We are getting really close to SOL time!!!!! We have finished our unit on propaganda, and the Novel Tuck Everlasting.


This week we will focus on Poetry! Students will read a variety of poetry and work individually and in groups to analyze and discuss different types of poetry.

CLICK BELOW FOR THIS WEEK'S QUIA GAME
Spelling 27- Using Just Enough Letters- for Quia
http://www.quia.com/hm/655860.html

CLICK HERE FOR THIS WEEK'S SPELLING CONTRACT
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/39776Spelling%20Contract%20Lesson%2029-%20Using%20Just%20Enough%20Letters.doc

Homework this week:

Monday- Spelling Contract
Tuesday- None
Wednesday- None
Thursday- Spelling test tomorrow and poetry quiz


If you would like to view last week's Pre-AP Commercials for our propaganda project follow the links below. More Commercials will follow next week!

Week of April 12th

SOLs are almost upon us! Who can believe that? If you want a head start, and you want to practice online, follow the link below

http://www.virginiasol.com/test_grade7.htm

This week in class we will focus on media and propaganda. This will help us prepare for our upcoming brochure/commercial project for Tuck Everlasting. We will also continue to read and discuss the novel.

Homework: Spelling Contract 26
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/39327Spelling%20Contract%20Lesson%2028-%20Latin%20Roots%202.doc

ENJOY YOUR SPRING BREAK!!!!!!!!

Week of March 29th

This week we will continue to read and discuss Tuck Everlasting. We will also be writing a "How To" essay. Spelling this week focuses on number prefixes.

HOMEWORK:

MONDAY-Spelling, Tuck Quiz tomorrow
TUESDAY- How To parargraphs and drawings are due tomorrow
WEDNESDAY- Final copies of "How To" essays are due tomorrow. Spelling contract and test.
ThURSDAY- Have a great spring break!

CLICK HERE FOR THIS WEEK'S QUIA GAME!
http://www.quia.com/jw/377070.html

CLICK HERE FOR SPELLING 25
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/38968Spelling%20Contract%20Lesson%2027-%20Number%20Prefixes-One.doc

EGG TEMPLATE LINK
http://www.momsbreak.com/printable/easter/freeblankEasterEggtemplate.shtml

VozMe

Week of March 22nd

This week all calsses will begin reading Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit. This exciting fantasy story is full of action, adventure and romance! We will coninue sentence diagramming and hopefully will finish up by the end of the week. There is a new spelling "Think-Tac-Toe" this nine weeks with some very exciting new options. Several of these new options involve technology, so I have included links at the top of this page to help you get started.

CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW THINK-TAC-TOE

Fourth Nine Weeks "Think-Tac-Toe"

http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/38740Weekly%20Spelling%20Think-Tac-Toe-4th%20Nine%20Weeks.doc

CLICK HERE FOR

Lesson 24 Spelling Contract

http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/38739Spelling%20Contract%20Lesson%2026-%20Related%20Words%20Two.doc

CLICK HERE FOR SPELLING 24 GAME

http://www.quia.com/jw/375894.html

Homework this week is the same for all classes.

Sentence diagramming quiz on Thursday

Spelling contract/quiz Friday

Week of March15th

This week in spelling our focus is words from many different cultures! Watch out we have some interesting spelling this week. In grammar we will continue to diagram. This week we will diagram prepositional phrases and compound subjects and verbs. We will review the novel Night and have a test on Thursday, so begin studying early!

Homework:

Monday- Spelling, Night test Thursday
Tuesday- Complete Night study guide if not finished in class
Wednesday-Test tomorrow on Night-all novel guides/study guides are due
Thursday- None- Enjoy the long weekend!
Friday- No school

CLICK HERE FOR THIS WEEK'S SPELLING CONTRACT
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/38652Spelling%20Contract%20Lesson%2025-%20Words%20from%20Many%20Cultures.doc

CLICK HERE FOR THIS WEEK'S QUIA SPELLING GAME

http://www.quia.com/hm/628854.html

CLICK HERE FOR NIGHT STUDY GUIDE
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/38654Night%20Test%20Study%20Guide.doc

In general English this week we will continue our focus on short stories. We will continue to practice making inferences. We will also continue to diagram and our spelling words will also come from many exciting cultures!

Homework:
Only Spelling-enjoy!

Week of March 8th 2010

Pre-AP
This week we will finish the novel Night.We will complete several activities on plot, tone, and point of view.

In grammar we will be sentence diagramming all week! Hopefully this will enable students to gain an appreciation of word relationships.

HOMEWORK:

MONDAY- SPELLING AND FINISH DIAGRAMMING SENTENCES IF NOT COMPLETED IN CLASS.
TUESDAY- Complete point of view activity if not done in class.
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY- Active Reading worksheets
FRIDAY- Test on Night next Wed. -Study vocab

CLICK HERE FOR SPELLING 22

http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/38393Spelling%20Contract%20Lesson%2023-%20Including%20All%20the%20Letters.doc

SENTENCES TO FINISH DIAGRAMMING
1. Do you read many novels?
2. I really like lengthy books.
3.Long stories provide much entertainment.
4. Are they buying paperbacks
5. That tall woman writes good poetry.
6. Does she sell her work?
7. The bookstore carries that series.
8. Have you bought it?
9. I enjoyed her poems.
10. The critics like them.


General

We will continue our study of short stories with a focus on elements of a short story and making inferences. In gammar we will also be diagramming sentences.

HOMEWORK:
MONDAY- SPELLING
TUESDAY-NONE
WEDNESDAY-NONE
THURSDAY-NONE
FRIDAY-NONE

Week of March 1st, 2010

In pre-AP this week we will continue to read and discuss Night. We will also review adjectives and adverbs in preparation for a test on Thursday.

HW:
Monday- Spelling
Tuesday- Test Thursday on adjectives and adverbs
Wednesday- Quiz tomorrow on ch 3-5 vocab for Night
Thursday- Spelling
Friday- None

In general we will read a series of short stories while focusing on SOL prep. We will also review adjectives and adverbs

HW:
Monday- Spelling
Tuesday- Begin studying for adjectives and adverbs test
Wed- None
Thursday- Spelling
Friday- None


CLICK HERE FOR SPELLING CONTRACT 21
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/38228Spelling%20Contract%20Lesson%2022-%20Easily%20Confused%20Words.doc

CLICK HERE FOR THE SPELLING 21 GAME
http://www.quia.com/jw/371491.html

Week of February 22, 2010

Pre-AP
Book report presentations will begin Monday (2/22) and will finish on (2/23). Spelling will focus on people suffixes with a concentration on the suffixes -ian, -ant, -ent, and -ist.
We will continue reading and discussing the novel Night by Elie Weisel. We will begin and finish an adverbs review with a test likely to occur early next week. Additionally Dawn Bowyer one of the gifted resource teachers for Roanoke County will be with us on Wed/Thurs this week to begin a debate project!

HOMEWORK
Monday-spelling
Tuesday- Define section four vocab and answer study guide questions
Wednesday- Begin studying for a quiz on sections 3-5 vocabulary on Friday. Active reading guides.
Thursday- Spelling contract and quiz tomorrow, also vocab quiz tomorrow.

General
This week we will finish our study of the novel Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. We will finish this novel by focusing on sequence and theme. Classes should expect a test on Thursday. We will finish up parts of speach with adverbs.

HOMEWORK
Monday- Spelling (Test Thursday on Hatchet)
Tuesday- None
Wednesday- Test Thursday on Hatchet
Thursday- Spelling contract and quiz tomorrow
Friday- None


CLICK HERE FOR SPELLING 20 QUIA GAME
http://www.quia.com/hm/619051.html

CLICK HERE FOR SPELLING 20 CONTRACT
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/37770Spelling%20Contract%20Lesson%2021-%20People%20Suffixes.doc

CLICK HERE FOR THIRD NINE WEEKS SPELLING CONTRACT
http://www.classnotesonline.com/teacher/classfiles_list.php?cl_id=10705&intAction=4

Week of February 15th

Seems like we never get through a complete week of school these days, but I am hopeful that this week will be different.

This week in pre-AP we will take the "Hound" test on Monday. Please check the archives, for a list of vocabulary to study, and be sure that your novel guides are complete and ready to be turned in on Monday. Beginning Tuesday, we will be reading a new novel called Night. This novel is a memoir of a holocaust survivor. This goes nicely with your upcoming history unit, as you will be covering the holocaust aspect of World War II beginning Tuesday as well.

In grammar we will finally finish up adjectives, and will begin adverbs.

CLICK HERE FOR SPELLING CONTRACT 19
http://www.quia.com/files/quia/users/dsgish/Spelling-Contract-Lesson-20--Latin-Roots-1.doc


CLICK HERE FOR TWO DIFFERENT QUIA SPELLING GAMES FOR LESSON 19
http://www.quia.com/cz/309358.html

http://www.quia.com/jw/370080.html

Homework this week:

Monday- Test today on "Hound
Tuesday-Define vocabulary for sections one and two
Wednesday-Active Reading Worksheet/ Quiz on section 1&2
Thursday -Active Reading worksheet/Study guide questions. Spelling contracts are due tomorrow.

In general English we will continue to read and discuss Hatchet. This week we will focus on plot structure, theme, sequence, and problems and solutions.

In grammar we will finish adjectives, and begin adverbs.

Homework this week:
Monday-Quiz tomorrow on chapters 1-10
CLICK HERE FOR STUDY GUIDE
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10704/37509Hatchet%20Review%20Chapters%201.doc
Tuesday-Find seven examples of similes, metaphors, or personification
Wednesday-Problems & Solutions WS due tomorrow
Thursday-Book reports are due tomorrow. Spelling contracts

Week of February 8th

Wow! We sure have missed a lot of school due to this crazy weather! Be sure to check the blog for accurate information. Check last week's blog for links to adjective and adverb games, spelling contract 18, and the Quia spelling game for lesson 18.

In pre-AP this week we will be reviewing adjectives, and begining adverbs. We have finished reading The Hound of the Baskervilles and students can expect a test on Friday! Hopefully this week we will also get to watch the film version of this movie, and share some of the student mystery stories, but with the forcast looking questionable again, it is hard to say.

Homework this week is:

1. Spelling-due 2/12/10
2. All novel guides for the "Hound" are due Friday
3. "Hound" test on Friday
4. Don't forget that book reports are due on 2/22/10- please don't wait to get started.
5.Pg 347 in the grammar book ex. 12 &13

Follow the links below for "Hound" study guides, vocab lists, etc.

VOCAB LIST
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/37219Vocabulary%20Study%20Guide.doc

DISCUSION QUESTIONS STUDY GUIDE
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/37219Vocabulary%20Study%20Guide.doc

CHAPTER QUESTIONS STUDY GUIDE
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/37221SHORT%20ANSWER%20STUDY%20GUIDE%20QUESTIONS.doc

HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK REPORT
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/37223Historical%20Fiction%20Newspaper%20Book%20Report%20Project.doc


In general we will also focus on reviewing adjectives and begining adverbs. We will continue to read and discuss Hatchet.

Homework for this week

1. Spelling
2. Book reports are due 2/19/10

Week of February 1st 2010.

Don't forget parent teacher conference day is on Monday, so school is closed!

Pre-AP classes will finish reading The Hound of the Baskervilles this week. A test should be expected on Monday February 8th. We will coninue our study of adjectives and will include adverbs this week. We will focus on critical thinking skills in preparation for the upcomming Hound of the Baskervilles test.

In general English this week we will continue our study of Hatchet continuing to focus on conflict and point of view, and problems and solutions.

Don't forget to follow the links below for spelling contracts, fun education games, etc....

CLICK HERE FOR SPELLING CONTRACT 18
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/36925Spelling%20Contract%20Lesson%2019-Suffixes.doc

CLICK HERE FOR SPELLING 18 GAMES
http://www.quia.com/jg/1850953.html

CLICK HERE FOR ADVERBS PRACTICE
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/410/grammar/adverb1.htm

http://www.quia.com/cz/307957.html?AP_rand=711336397

http://www.quia.com/rr/571132.html?AP_rand=1674384461

Week of January 25

This upcoming week will be very busy. We had some bad weather, which means we have some catching up to do! We will begin this week by taking our pronouns test.

Pre-AP will continue their study of Hound of the Bakservilles. We will also finish our mystery stories. We will begin a new topic in grammar. We will focus on adjectives this week.

ATTN: Mystery stories will be due on Friday!

General will read and discuss Hatchet. Our focus will be on vocabulary development and the literary element conflict. We will also begin adjectives.

CLICK HERE FOR NEW ADJECTIVES GAMES ON QUIA
http://www.quia.com/ba/357338.html

http://www.quia.com/ba/360772.html

http://www.quia.com/pop/389475.html

CLICK HERE FOR SPELLING 17

http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/36554Spelling%20Contract%20Lesson%2017-Compound%20Words.doc

CLICK HERE FOR THIRD NINE WEEKS TIC-TAC-TOE
http://www.classnotesonline.com/uploadfiles/classfiles/class10705/36683Weekly%20Spelling%20Think-Tac-Toe-3rd%20Nine%20Weeks.doc

CLICK HERE FOR SPELLING 17 GAME
http://www.quia.com/jw/368377.html

Week of 1/18/10- This week pre-AP students will continue to read The Hound of the Baskervilles. We will also finish our study of pronouns with a focus on reflexive, intensive, and demonstrative pronouns.

In general English we will also finish our study of pronouns. We will begin a new book by Gary Paulsen called Hatchet. This week our focus will be on cause and effect, setting, and figurative language.

Click here for Spelling 16

Click here for pronoun review