Fourth Marking Period Preview

I want to welcome you to the fourth marking period of eighth grade: the time of the 8^th grade trip, NJASK, dress shopping (or snappy tie) for the 8^th grade dance, and high school level reading and responsibilities.

Starting this coming Monday, students will be taking NJASK 8.  Language Arts Literacy will take place on Monday and Tuesday.  We are completing a two-week review period of reading, writing, and test-taking strategies.  These skills and strategies have been consistently reinforced throughout the year and education in general, but I kindly request that you review the skills with your student in the coming days and during testing.  They have an A-Z review book.

Following NJASK, we will spend the month of May reading Daniel Keyes’ “Flowers for Algernon.”  The thematic unit will address multiple high-level and high-interest questions.  I urge you to discuss these questions in the big picture of the world as we explore them in text-related ways during class.  How does technology infringe on people’s medical, ethical rights?  What are the difficulties in caring for and taking responsibility for a person with a mental disability? Why is your personal past a necessary piece in the puzzle of your life?  How is our self-assuredness and self-confidence impacted by a materialistic society, dysfunctional family life, and insecure classmates? What is the correlation between academic intellect and emotional wellness? 

Following “Flowers for Algernon,” we will segue into Greek mythology.  The ultimate purpose of this unit of study is to examine the ways in which mythological figures and stories endure in modern (and classical) literature and language.  To prepare for the 9^th grade unit, “Larger Than Life: The Epic Poem and Epic Hero,” students will examine the ways in which (a) the Olympians rule the mortals and world, (b) demigods and heroes use their mortal status for good and evil, (c) the monsters, part man and part animal, terrorize mortals and immortals, (d) natural occurrences are explained with imagination and curiosity by oral history, and (e) the enduring effect of mythology in everyday life.  In the pursuit of exploring these aims, the students will develop an understanding of the basics of Greek mythology in order to have a foundation for next year’s Greek mythology cover of Homer’s The Odyssey.

In terms of the types of assignments, continue to expect the standard vocabulary assignments.  Blogs (open-ended responses) will take a back seat as book club discussions take precedence.  Students will self-select book clubs and self-plan a reading and assignment calendar.  Also continue to expect project-based learning and research synthesis essays. 

Assessments will continue to include open-ended responses, which follow a standard formula of RATE.  R=restate the prompt, A= answer the question, T= incorporate a textual quote (a standard skill across multiple academic classes and cycle classes) that supports the answer, E= extend with insight (text-to-text, text-to-self, text-to-world).  Students have been working with this standard since November and they can fill you in.  For full and complete credit, RATE must be applied in both paragraphs.  The rubric is an adapted version of the NJASK open-ended response rubric. The rubric can be found on the blog: http://theradicalridge.blogspot.com/2013/01/remember-this-rubric.html

Please continue to visit the RealTime Portal and class blog.  More importantly, kindly follow up with your students as they are the expert regarding what is going on in class.  It is most helpful to your child and me if concerns are expressed as they happen.  If you feel that your child would benefit from a National Junior Honors Society tutor, please contact Linda Walter or me.  I am usually available four days a week during lunch, with advance notice from the student.  Homework and reading calendars are always available in writing on the class whiteboard.

Typically, the fourth marking period does not lose any steam.  We work until the last days of school and expectations remain the same.  Students must remain committed to growth and academics.  Your help in keeping them on track is hugely appreciated.

Here we go… J