Mr. Turner's Corner

Spelling words for December 12-16

2011-12-12T06:57:00.000-06:00

This week's words have prefixes that tell size and amount.

microwave- Wendy heats leftovers in her microwave oven.

microcomputer- Bob does his homework on a microcomputer

multiplication- The multiplication of those numbers will give you the answer.

magnify- Telescopes magnify images of stars and other celestial objects.

multicolored- Flo's multicolored costume won the prize at the party.

magnitude- We were surprised by the magnitude of the art collection.

equality- One of the goals of the French Revolution was equality for all.

multitude- A multitude gathered to watch the parade.

microscope- He looked at the insect through a microscope.

equation- One side of the equation was 4 + 6 and the other was 10.

multimedia- A multimedia campaign was used to promote the new product.

equator- The equator divides Earth into two hemispheres.

microorganism- The microorganism that causes that disease has been found.

multicultural- The fair had an obvious multicultural theme.

magnificently- The hall was magnificently decorated.

equivalent- The bracelet and the necklace are equivalent in value.

Spelling words for December 5-9

2011-12-05T07:21:00.000-06:00

This week's words are nouns and verbs spelled ending with the suffix -ate.

debate- The debate was about the pros and cons of year-round schooling.

regulate- The city needed extra police officers to regulate traffic.

decorate- We used balloons to decorate the party room.

estimate- We estimate that the room is 14 feet long.

hesitate- Steve didn't hesitate for a minute before diving into the icy water.

demonstrate- We watched the pilot demonstrate a perfect takeoff.

investigate- We hired a detective to investigate the cause of the accident.

delegate- Every delegate will have a chance to address the assembly.

concentrate- With the radio on, Mark couldn't concentrate on his homework.

mandate- His sweeping victory gave the new leader a mandate for change.

eliminate- It is not easy to eliminate sugar from your diet.

advocate- I advocate that we add a bicycle lane to the narrow road.

simulate- Our model will simulate conditions in a tropical rain forest.

participate- Everyone was encouraged to participate in team sportts.

negotiate- The warring countries finally decided to negotiate a treaty.

phosphate- Some cities and states ban the use of phosphate in detergents.

Spelling Words for November 28-December 2

2011-11-28T07:06:00.000-06:00

This week's words have the prefixes ab, sub, trans, and extra.

subway- The subway in London is the longest underground railway in the world.

subjected- The coach subjected the players to long, hard practice sessions.

subtracting- We practiced adding and subtracting two-digit numbers.

transportation- Airplanes provide one of the safest, fastest means of transportation.

abstract- Her illustration made the abstract idea easier to understand.

transaction- Each transaction at the bank took about five minutes.

absolute- Kathy was in absolute shock when she won the race.

extravagant- Jackson is always extravagant with his money.

subdued- The speaker's calm words subdued the angry crowd.

abolished- The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery in the United States.

translation- I looked for an English translation of the Japanese folktale.

submerged- The tidal wave completely submerged the village near the shore.

transferred- I transferred my books from the damaged locker to another one.

transient- The hotels in this area are filled with transient guests.

extraordinary- A tightrope walker needs an extraordinary sense of balance.

extraterrestrial- Do you think extraterrestrial creatures may exist?

Second quarter checklist- November 14

2011-11-14T07:43:00.002-06:00

The following assignments should be in the students' folders at this time:

-Writers' workshop

-Horror story

-Good teacher paper

-Bad teacher paper

-Death penalty paper

Spelling words for November 14-18

2011-11-14T07:39:00.002-06:00

This week's words have the prefixes "pro," "tele," inter," or "under."

protested- Colonists protested the tax on tea by dumping tea into the harbor.

undertake- He will undertake the responsibility of caring for a pet.

telegram- If your message is urgent, you can send a telegram.

telegraph- Before the telegraph was invented, people relied on messengers.

provisions- The provisions for our camping trip were ready to be packed.

international- The United Nations is an international organization.

interview- It's a good idea to arrive early for the interview.

telescopes- Astronomers used telescopes to study stars and planets.

underlying- We searched for the underlying cause of the problem.

underneath- We found the house key underneath the doormat.

profitable- The owners worked hard to make their business profitable.

proceeds- The proceeds from the car wash will be used to buy uniforms.

intermediate- John joined the intermediate swimming class.

prosperity- They wished us happiness and prosperity for the new year.

interrupted- The director interrupted the actors in the middle of a scene.

intercept- Jamie tried to intercept the ball before the opposing team caught it.

Assignment checklist for second quarter

2011-11-09T08:37:00.000-06:00

Students in my eighth grade communication arts classes should have the following assignments in their folders:

-Ten-Year reunion letter

-Good teacher paper

-Bad teacher paper

-Spelling tests

-Writers' workshop

-Death penalty paper (by the end of this week)

Lessons for October 10-14, 2012

2011-10-10T07:40:00.000-05:00

MONDAY, OCTOBER 10

Writers'Workshop

Spelling Pre-Test

Spelling Test for 7th Hour

Discussion- The qualities of a good teacher

Writing assignment- 1/2 page- Describe a "good" classroom.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11

Writers' Workshop

Discussion- The qualities of a bad teacher

Writing Assignment- 1/2 page- Describe a "bad" classroom.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12

Writing Assignment 1 1/2 pages- Describe the qualities of a good teacher.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13

Writing Assignment- 1 1/2 pages- Describe the qualities of a bad teacher.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14

Writers' Workshop or complete good and bad teacher papers

Spelling Test

Language/Proofreading Exercises

Spelling words for October 10-14

2011-10-10T07:22:00.000-05:00

This week's list features words with adjective endings:

1. horrid- I refuse to ride on that horrid roller coaster ever again!

2. stupid- John felt stupid when he realized he had forgotten his keys.

3. crooked- Driving on such a crooked road could be dangerous.

4. electronic- Mario is working on a new electronic invention.

5. historic- Abraham Lincoln made a historic speech at Gettysburg.

6. ragged- We used old, ragged towels to wash the car.

7. magnetic- Compass needles point to the magnetic north, not to true north.

8. barefooted- They couldn't enter the store because they were barefooted.

9. democratic- We follow democratic principles in our club.

10. passionate- Barbara is quite passionate about the piano.

11. rigid- The deer stood rigid with fear, staring at the bright light.

12. contented- My cat is most contented when curled up in my lap.

13. poetic- The words to that song are really poetic.

14. undersized- That undersized basketball player is not even six feet tall.

15. metallic- We used a metallic gold paint for the trim on the cabinets.

16. confederate- John's speech proved he was a confederate in our cause.

Spelling words for October 3-7

2011-10-03T08:45:00.000-05:00

This week's words are from the French:

pigeon- That pigeon is the only one that is afraid to eat from my hand.

perfume- Perfume bottles come in all sizes and shapes.

depot- Judy met John at the train depot downtown.

elite- I can't afford the clothes in that elite shop.

suite- The family of four took a suite at the hotel for their vacation.

matinee- After the matinee, we talked about the movie for an hour.

blouse- My new blouse was ruined in the washing machine.

debris- The gardeners forgot to pick up all the debris in the backyard.

surgeon- A surgeon must have very steady hands.

embarrassed- Sam was embarrassed when he forgot his mom's birthday.

chauffeur- When she could no longer drive, Marla hired a chauffeur.

croquet- One of my favorite outdoor games is croquet.

amateur- The Olympics used to be open only to amateur athletes.

crochet- Phil plans to crochet a blanket for the new baby.

plateau- The view from the plateau was spectacular.

coup- It was quite a coup for David and Diane when they won the election.

Spelling words for September 26-30

2011-09-26T09:45:00.000-05:00

arrested- We saw a shoplifter get arrested by the police at the mall.

improved- Planting those flowers really improved the appearance of the yard.

included- A free drink is included in the price of the movie ticket.

irrigated- The farmer irrigated his crops with water from the river.

inspection- We had to stop for an inspection by the border patrol.

insisted- Chet wanted to pay his own way, but Jo insisted on paying for him.

illustrated- This book was illustrated by a famous artist.

advice- The best advice I can give you is to choose your friends wisely.

approved- All members of the club approved the plans for the parade.

agreeable- Sonny has a very agreeable smile.

investigated- The chemist investigated the pollutants in rain water.

announcement- The announcement was made over the loudspeaker.

impressed- Ms. Parker was very impressed with David's good manners.

accomplished- Allan has accomplished a lot in just four years.

affectionate- The best thing about my dog is its affectionate nature.

irresponsible- It was irresponsible of you to leave your coat outside.

Lesson plans for September 12-16

2011-09-12T07:10:00.000-05:00

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

Writers' Workshop- Students will work on their own personal writing projects. These can be anything from poetry to short stories to journaling to writing a novel.

Alternative to writers' workshop- Students can write about what they did over the weekend.

Spelling Pre-Test

Language Exercises

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

Writers' Workshop

Alternative Prompt- What is the best movie have you ever watched? Why do you consider it to be the best movie?

Language Exercises

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Acuity Testing

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

Acuity Testing continues

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

Writers' workshop

Spelling Test

Discussion

Spelling words for September 12-16

2011-09-12T07:05:00.000-05:00

This week our words are closely related to each other

awful- The alarm made an awful noise

drama- Tim would like to take a drama class next year.

strain- The strain was showing on Jim's face as he lifted the heavy weights.

awfully- Stan was awfully glad to see his friend Carol after all those years.

continue- The party will continue even after Hank leaves.

profession- One day Dora will enter the medical profession as a doctor.

dramatic- The next scene is the most dramatic one in the play.

despair- A feeling of despair suddenly came over her.

awe- I was in awe of such a talented writer.

professionally- Glen always behaves very professionally at work.

continuous- A continuous flow of conversation kept the party interesting.

strenuous- That kind of work is too strenuous for a young child.

continuously- Jane talked continuously, but no one listened.

dramatically- When sales go up dramatically, everyone is happy.

desperately- We tried desperately to clean the house before the guests arrived.

strenuously- As a fitness trainer, Glenda works out strenuously every day.

Spelling words for April 4-8

2011-04-04T08:48:00.000-05:00

This week's words come from other languages:

landscape- The artist's landscape showed fields of flowers.

cargo- We watched the dock's workers unload the ship's cargo.

piano- I learned to play my favorite song on the piano.

opera- I had not seen this opera, but I was familiar with the story.

carnival- The carnival included a magic show and amusement rides.

chipmunk- The chipmunk gathered nuts and seeds for winter.

parakeet- Our parakeet has bright green feathers and an orange beak.

monsoon- The summer monsoon brought rain to the dry region.

hickory- The hickory tree produces wood that is extremely strong and hard.

heroic- Sarah's heroic rescue of her brother proved her great courage.

skeleton- The museum displayed a model of a dinosaur's skeleton.

spaghetti- My cousin made a delicious sauce for the spaghetti.

walrus- A walrus uses its tusks to defend itself from polar bears.

yacht- The yacht with the yellow sail won the race.

macaroni- We had macaroni and cheese for lunch.

barbecue- Tonight we'll cook outdoors on the barbecue.

Spelling words for March 28-April 1

2011-03-28T08:52:00.000-05:00

This week's words have Latin roots:

conducted- The orchestra leader conducted the symphony with great skill.

educate- A teacher's job is to educate the students.

container- Please put the leftover stew in this large container.

adjust- The car will not be safe until you adjust the brakes.

detained- Billy is being detained for an hour after school today.

sentimental- The locket I lost had great sentimental value.

productive- Sandra is the company's most productive employee.

deceived- When Jim found out that he had been deceived, he was quite angry.

attended- Several thousand people attended the performance last night.

adjustments- Pat paid the bill after the adjustments had been made.

justice- When the thief was sent to jail, we felt that justice had been done.

acceptable- It is not acceptable behavior to argue at the table.

sensation- Dotty's pet snake caused quite a sensation at the party.

sensory- I experienced a sensory overload in the perfume shop.

perceived- Even in the darkness, we perceived another presence in the cave.

Lesson plans for March 14-18

2011-03-14T07:53:00.001-05:00

MONDAY, MARCH 14

Writers' workshop

Spelling pre-test

Language Exercises- Compound and complex sentences

TUESDAY, MARCH 15

Writers' workshop

Discussion- Nancy Cruzan

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16

Writing Assignment- 1 1/2 pages over Nancy Cruzan discussion

THURSDAY, MARCH 17

Writers' Workshop- Alternate, complete Wednesday's writing assignment

Spelling Test

Proofread, Edit writing assignment

Begin work on second draft due beginning of the hour Monday

FRIDAY, MARCH 18

No school. Parent-teacher conferences

Spelling Words for March 14-18

2011-03-14T07:26:00.000-05:00

This week we have words that feature suffixes in combination.

aimlessly- The puppy was wandering aimlessly through the neighborhood.

carelessly- Dorothy threw her coat carelessly across the couch.

peacefulness- The sound of the rain gave me a feeling of peacefulness.

loneliness- Gary suffered the terrible feelings of loneliness when he first moved.

historically- Many historically important buildings are being preserved now.

favorably- The sun shone favorably on the day of our trip.

eventually- If you treat the cat nicely, eventually she will trust you.

governmental- Many people in this city work for governmental agencies.

fortunately- Traffic was heavy, but fortunately there were no accidents.

economically- To prosper economically, most people must work hard.

architectural- The architectural plan for this building was drawn by Carl.

sensationally- They drove sensationally and won the race.

naturalization- The process of naturalization can be a lengthy one.

significantly- The crime rate has dropped significantly in our city.

mysteriously- Amy mysteriously disappeared for a week.

rhythmically- Clara tapped her shoes rhythmically on the sidewalk.

Lesson plans for March 7-11

2011-03-07T07:14:00.000-06:00

Monday, March 7

Final Draft of Research Paper is due today

Spelling Test

Spelling Pre-Test

Writers' Workshop

Language Exercises- Commas

Tuesday, March 8

Writers' Workshop

Language Exercises- Commas

Wednesday, March 9

Writers' Workshop

Discussion

Thursday, March 10

Writing Assignment over Wednesday's discussion

Friday, March 11

Writers' Workshop

Spelling Test

Peer Editing

Spelling words for March 7-11

2011-03-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

This week, we have words from other languages:

parka- Because it was so cold, Annie used the hood on her parka.

mammoth- The artist was famous for creating mammoth statues.

pretzel- Mustard is very good on a fresh, hot pretzel.

waffle- The waffle is served with strawberries and whipped cream.

igloo- You could be surprised at how warm it is inside an igloo.

karate- For self-defense and physical fitness, Henry is taking a karate class.

harpoon- A harpoon was used by the hunters.

kimono- While I was in Japan, I bought a beautiful kimono to wear.

kindergarten- Andrew started kindergarten before his fifth birthday.

caucus- At the caucus, the election committee nominated Bob for president.

toboggan- We coasted down the snow-covered hill on our new toboggan.

kayak- Judy used her kayak to travel down the river.

tundra- The tundra had no trees or other landmarks to help show us our way.

persimmon- The persimmon was sour because it was not ripe yet.

hibachi- Our hibachi is big enough to hold four hamburgers at a time.

haiku- William's haiku about the bird won the poetry contest at our school.

Lesson plans for February 28-March 4

2011-02-28T07:36:00.000-06:00

Monday, February 28

Spelling pre-test

Writing assignment- 1 1/4 page on teachers calling students names

Writers workshop

Proofreading exercises

Tuesday, March 1

Writers' workshop

Proofreading/Language Exercises

Wednesday, March 2

Peer Editing

Rewrite Papers

Thursday, March 3/Friday, March 4

Computer Lab

Type final draft of third quarter research paper

Students who have already finished their final drafts will have enrichment activities involving computer research.

Spelling words for February 28-March 4

2011-02-28T07:14:00.000-06:00

This week's words come from Latin roots:

confined- The dog felt confined when it was inside.

territories- Hawaii and Alaska used to be territories of the United States.

refining- Melinda, the jeweler, spent many years refining her skills.

terrace- Kurt was trying to grow tomatoes in a big pot on his terrace.

duplicate- Sharon made a duplicate key to the door of her apartment.

financial- Eric's interest in financial matters will someday make him rich.

complicated- The directions for putting the bicycle together were complicated.

vocal- We strained our vocal cords by yelling during the baseball game.

conjunction- The two groups worked in conjunction to solve the problem.

infinite- The mother of that demanding child seems to have infinite patience.

vocabulary- In Spanish class today, we added ten new words to our vocabulary.

vocational- The vocational training will help you get a good job.

definitely- We are definitely going to Alaska in the summer.

territorial- We are not allowed to fish in the territorial waters of that country.

juncture- At this juncture, we must seriously consider our options.

applicable- When you fill out this form, check all the applicable boxes.

Deadline for final draft is one week from today

2011-02-28T07:02:00.000-06:00

The deadline for the final draft for the third quarter civil rights research paper is one week from today, Monday, March 7.

The bibliography must be turned in at the same time.

Anyone who has not turned in the first draft needs to get it to me as soon as possible so that I can go over it and get it back to you to write the final draft.

Lessons plans for week of November 29-December 3

2010-11-28T16:56:00.000-06:00

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29

Writers' Workshop

Students will write about whatever they want. If they are not working on a particular project, they can write about what they did over their extended Thanksgiving break.

Spelling Pre-Test

Students will take a practice spelling test and will use the results as their list for this week's test, which will be given on Friday.

Language Exercises

Students will do language exercises concerning the use of pronouns.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30

Writers' Workshop

Language Exercises

More work on pronouns

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1

Writers' Workshop

Discussion

Preparation for Writing Assignment

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2

Writing Assignment

Students will write a 1 1/2 page paper based on Wednesday's discussion.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3

Peer Editing

Students will divide into small groups and peer edit Thursday's writing assignment

Rewrite papers

Following the peer editing, students will work on the second draft of their papers.

Spelling words for November 29-December 3

2010-11-28T15:53:00.000-06:00

Spelling words for November 14-18

2010-11-15T08:54:00.000-06:00

propose- The mayor of our city will propose a new program for summer jobs.

proposition- Voters defeated the proposition to ban sidewalk vendors.

disposed- Factories disposed of dangerous chemicals in special locations.

disposition- Jenny is known for her smile and sunny disposition.

combine- To make pancake batter, combine flour, eggs, and shortening.

combination- We used a combination of dark and bright codes in the mural.

patriots- The patriots defended their country's independence.

patriotic- That is a patriotic song.

distribute- We helped distribute food and clothing to hurricane victims.

distribution- We hired extra workers to assist in the distribution of food.

repeated- I repeated my instructions, since no one had heard me the first time.

repetition- The repetition made the song easy to memorize.

oblige- Traffic safety laws oblige us to wear seat belts.

obligation- Bicycle riders have an obligation to observe traffic laws.

medicine- The cough medicine worked quickly.

medicinal- Many herbs and plants have medicinal value.

Lesson plans for November 8-12

2010-11-08T16:42:00.000-06:00

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8

Writers' Workshop

Students will work on writing of their own choosing. Those who do not have a project will journal about what they did over the weekend.

Alternate Assignment

Students who did not finish Friday's writing assignment ( 1 1/2 page opinion paper over Westboro Baptist Church discussion) may work on it and then do Writers' Workshop when they are finished.

Spelling Test

Students will take a test over last week's spelling words.

Spelling Pre-Test

Students will receive a pre-test to see if they know how to spell this week's words and to give them the word list.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9

Writers' Workshop

Proofreading Exercises

Students will correct grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling errors in paragraphs on the Smartboard.

Language Exercises- Adverbs

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10

Writers' Workshop

Discussion- Is school too easy?

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11

Writing Assignment- 1 1/2 page paper over Wednesday's discussion "Is School Too Easy?"

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12

Writing Prompt- Evaluate the Veterans Day Assembly. Those who were absent Thursday will do Writers' Workshop.

Spelling Test

Peer Editing- "Is School Too Easy" papers

Spelling words for November 8-12

2010-11-08T06:54:00.000-06:00

This week's words have Latin roots.

exported- Most of the oil in Saudi Arabia is exported to other countries.

imported- The 13 colonies imported many goods from England.

migrate- Some birds migrate thousands of miles when the seasons change.

portable- Many people bring portable radios to parks and beaches.

predicting- Scientists are predicting a large growth in the world's population.

dictator- A dictator seized control of the country.

supported- The roofs of ancient Greek buildings were supported by columns.

verdict- The jury returned to the courtroom to announce its verdict.

dictionaries- Many dictionaries give histories as well as definitions of words.

reservation- My Native American friend lives on a reservation.

preservation- People keep photographs to ensure the preservation of family history.

conservation- The city issued guidelines for water conservation.

observatory- We went to the observatory to study the stars.

indictment- The indictment charged the company with violating safety laws.

emigrate- A famine forced thousands of people to emigrate.

immigration- This book is about a family's immigration to the United States.

Spelling Words for November 1-5

2010-10-29T08:47:00.000-05:00

This week's spelling words come from the French language.

pigeon- That pigeon is the only one that is afraid to eat from my hand.

perfume- Perfume bottles come in all sizes and shapes.

depot- Judy met John at the train depot downtown.

elite- I can't afford the clothes in that elite shop.

suite- The family of four took a suite at the hotel for their vacation.

matinee- After the matinee, we talked about the movie for an hour.

blouse- My new blouse was ruined in the washing machine.

debris- The gardeners forgot to pick up all the debris in the backyard.

surgeon- A surgeon must have very steady hands.

embarrassed- Sam was embarrassed when he forgot his mom's birthday.

chauffeur- When she could no longer drive, Marla hired a chauffeur.

croquet- One of my favorite outdoor games is croquet.

amateur- The Olympics used to be open only to amateur athletes.

crochet- Phil plans to crochet a blanket for the new baby.

plateau- The view from the plateau was spectacular.

coup- It was quite a coup for David and Diane when they won the election.

Lesson Plans for November 1-5

2010-10-29T07:51:00.000-05:00

Monday, November 1

Writers' Workshop

Students will write on subjects of their choosing. If they do not have a particular project, they will write about what they did over the weekend.

Spelling Test
This is the test that was originally scheduled for Friday.

Spelling Pre-Test

Students will take a pre-test on this week's spelling words, with the actual test scheduled for Friday.

Language Exercises

Students will work on indefinite pronouns, taking notes, and doing practice sentences.

Tuesday, November 2

Writers' Workshop

Language Exercises

Pronoun Review, Exercises, Test Scheduled for Friday

Wednesday, Nov. 3

Writers' Workshop

Discussion

Students will discuss the Westboro Baptist Church case and what it means as far as the First Amendment and decency to grieving families are concerned.

Thursday, November 4

Writing assignment

Students will write a 1 1/2 paper over Wednesday's discussion on the Westboro Baptist Church and the First Amendment.

Friday, November 5

Writers' Workshop

If students have not completed Thursday's writing assignment on the Westboro Baptist Church and the First Amendment. they can work on it instead of Writers' Workshop.

Spelling Test

Pronoun Quiz

Lesson plans for October 25-29

2010-10-22T08:56:00.000-05:00

MONDAY, OCTOBER 25

Spelling Test (postponed from last week)

Writers' Workshop

Spelling Pre-Test

Language Exercises

Students will learn the definitions of demonstrative, interrogative, and relative pronouns. After that, they will identify those types of pronouns in sentences.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26

(Class will be held in Room 300, Computer Lab)

Writing Assignment

Students will complete the salute to veterans paper.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27

Writers' Workshop

Students will work on writing projects of their own choosing.

Discussion

Students will discuss First Amendment freedom of speech rights of American students after hearing of the Supreme Court case involving an Alaska student who was suspended for displaying a sign that read "Bong Hits for Jesus."

Preparation for Writing Assignment

Students will prepare for tomorrow's writing assignment, which will be over today's discussion.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28

Writing assignment

Students will write a 1 1/2 page paper analyzing the First Amendment Freedom of Speech rights they have. The paper will be based on the discussion held Wednesday, October 27, as well as on personal experiences of the students.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29

Writers' Workshop

Students will work on writing projects of their own choosing.

Spelling Test

Students will take a spelling test over science and technology words. The spelling list can be found on this blog.

Language Exercises

Students will learn about indefinite pronouns, then work on sentences to master the concept.

Spelling words for October 25-29

2010-10-22T08:28:00.000-05:00

This week's words come from science and technology:

radar- The police officer used radar to determine the speed of the car

electrical- The electrical storm was quite a spectacular sight.

scuba- Scuba divers carry compressed air in tanks on their backs.

universe- Our knowledge of the universe is rapidly increasing.

chemical- The only chemical we use in our garden is one designed to fight snails.

scientists- The scientists discovered a cure for the disease.

sonar- Bats use a special kind of sonar to judge distance.

instruments- A surgeon's instruments have to be sterile.

atmosphere- Gravity helps keep our atmosphere from drifting into space.

experiments- Our experiments with the plants were successful.

hemisphere- In which hemisphere is the United States located?

environment- In a polluted environment, living things suffer.

laser- A laser was used to perform the eye surgery.

probability- The probability of winning the game is slim.

technological- Because of technological advances, riding in a car is safer now.

molecules- Water molecules consist of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen.

Lesson plans for week of October 18-21

2010-10-15T18:26:00.000-05:00

MONDAY, OCTOBER 18

Writing Prompt- (except for second hour) Analyze the effectiveness of Encore and Guided Study. Devise changes that would improve the program, keeping in mind the district's goals of improving reading and math scores.

Writers' Workshop

Students will be provided with an explanation of writers' workshop and what they will need to do during the second quarter.

Spelling Pre-Test

Students will take a pre-test on this week's spelling words, which have Greek origins.

Language Exercises/Pronouns

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19

Writers' Workshop

Students will work for the first 10 minutes of class on any type of writing that interests them. Checks on their work will be done on periodically. A prompt or journaling will be provided for students who do not have an idea for Writers' Workshop at this point.

Video- Veterans Day Tribute

Students will watch Veterans Day tribute video to lead into discussion about veterans and patriotism.

Discussion- Veterans

Students will discuss veterans in preparation for Veterans Day Contest paper.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20

Writing Assignment

Students will write a Veterans Day essay. The best essay will be read to the school as part of the November 11 Veterans Day Assembly.

Writers' Workshop

Students will work on their Writers' Workshop material when they finish the Veterans Day essay.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21

Writers' Workshop

Language Exercises- Students will continue to do language exercises to learn how to use pronouns properly.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22

No school. Parent-teacher conferences

Spelling Words for October 18-21

2010-10-15T16:58:00.000-05:00

This week;s words have Greek origins:

alphabet- The English alphabet has 26 letters.

arithmetic- Bob's favorite part of arithmetic is the long division.

heroes- The players on the winning team are treated like heroes.

stadium- The stadium was packed for the playoff game.

physical- Anita does not get enough physical exercise.

aroma- The aroma of the freshly baked apple pie filled the whole apartment.

episode- In the last episode of our story, the car had just run out of gas.

marathon- Mark was very thirsty after running the marathon.

chorus- After the star sang her solo, the chorus came in.

pneumonia- Betty was in the hospital with pneumonia for a week.

rhythm- The sound of the falling rain has a soothing rhythm.

labyrinth- We could hardly get through the labyrinth at the Fun Zone.

melancholy- Frank told 10 jokes to try to get Sue out of her melancholy mood.

philosophy- What is your philosophy about finding happiness?

phenomenon- An eclipse if an exciting phenomenon of nature.

architecture- Ron is studying architecture at the university.

Lesson plans for week of October 11-15

2010-10-08T07:32:00.000-05:00

MONDAY, OCTOBER 11

Writing Prompt- Which eighth graders do you think are the most deserving of receiving Talon Tickets? Why do you think those eighth graders are deserving?

Spelling Pre-Test

Proofreading Exercises Competition

Students will split into groups and compete to see who can do the best job of proofreading sentences and finding mistakes in grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12

Writing Prompt- You have been placed in charge of discipline at East Middle School. What punishments should be given for various violations of school rules.

Quick Quiz- Nouns

Language Exercises- Pronouns

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13

Quick Quiz- Pronouns

Discussion- Cheating in School

THURSDAY- OCTOBER 14

Writing Assignment- 1 1/2 pages over cheating in school discussion

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15

No Writing Prompt

Spelling Test

Peer Editing- Cheating in School Papers

Spelling Words for Oct. 11-15

2010-10-08T06:45:00.000-05:00

This week's spelling words have Greek word parts:

telephones- We have four telephones in our three-bedroom house.

cycle- The formation of clouds is part of the water cycle.

recycle- We recycle our aluminum cans, newspapers, and glass bottles.

phonograph- This old phonograph is a real collector's item now.

symbolic- Waving the flag is a symbolic act.

microphone- Please speak into the microphone so that we can hear you.

generation- Every generation creates its own kind of music.

cyclone- The cyclone that came through here lifted our boat off the lake.

symptoms- One of the symptoms of measles is red spots on the body.

genius- Albert Einstein was a scientific genius.

synonyms- How many synonyms can you think of for the word large?

generator- When the electricity went out the emergency generator took over.

synthetic- I would rather wear cotton than any synthetic fabric.

genes- Both of Sarah's parents have genes for brown eyes.

sympathetic- When I told Dad about my problem, he was sympathetic.

symphony- The Danish symphony will play first tonight.

Spelling words for October 4-8

2010-10-03T20:57:00.000-05:00

This week's list features words with adjective endings:

1. horrid- I refuse to ride on that horrid roller coaster ever again!

2. stupid- John felt stupid when he realized he had forgotten his keys.

3. crooked- Driving on such a crooked road could be dangerous.

4. electronic- Mario is working on a new electronic invention.

5. historic- Abraham Lincoln made a historic speech at Gettysburg.

6. ragged- We used old, ragged towels to wash the car.

7. magnetic- Compass needles point to the magnetic north, not to true north.

8. barefooted- They couldn't enter the store because they were barefooted.

9. democratic- We follow democratic principles in our club.

10. passionate- Barbara is quite passionate about the piano.

11. rigid- The deer stood rigid with fear, staring at the bright light.

12. contented- My cat is most contented when curled up in my lap.

13. poetic- The words to that song are really poetic.

14. undersized- That undersized basketball player is not even six feet tall.

15. metallic- We used a metallic gold paint for the trim on the cabinets.

16. confederate- John's speech proved he was a confederate in our cause.

Lesson plans for week of October 4-8

2010-10-03T20:50:00.000-05:00

LESSON PLANS FOR WEEK OF OCTOBER 4-8

MONDAY, OCTOBER 4

Writing Prompt- Describe in full detail a place you were at this weekend and everything you did while you were there.

Spelling Pre-Test

Language Exercises- Nouns

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5

Writing Prompt- What are your favorite songs. Why are they your favorite songs? Describe any memories associated with those songs.

Language Exercises- Nouns, Compound Nouns

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6

Writing Prompt- What do you see yourself doing when you become an adult. Describe your adult life as you picture it.

Discussion- The disappearance of small town America

Preparation for writing assignment

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7

No writing prompt

Writing assignment- Students will write a letter to a friend they have not seen since high school, filling that friend in on what has happened in the 10 years since they graduated.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8

Study for spelling test

Finish writing assignment- letter to friend

Language Exercises- Nouns, Common Nouns, Proper Nouns, Concrete Nouns, Abstract Nouns

Lesson plans for week of September 27-October 1

2010-09-27T07:11:00.001-05:00

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

Writing prompt- What did you do over the three-day weekend?
Alternate: What do you wish you had done over the three-day weekend?

Spelling pre-test

Spelling Test (Sixth and seventh hours)

Language Exercises- Subject-verb agreement

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

Writing prompt- Should all 18-year-olds be required to serve two years in the military or two years of public service? Explain your answer.

Language Exercises- Subject-verb agreement continued

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

Writing Prompt- Describe the best memory you have involving a teacher.

Discussion- The qualities of good and bad teachers

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

Writing Assignment- Comparison/contrast paper- The qualities of good and bad teachers

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1

Study for Spelling Test

Spelling Test

Writing Assignment- Complete comparison/contrast paper on the qualities of good and bad teachers.

Those who finish writing assignment can either work on assignments from other classes or get caught up on assignments from this class.

Spelling Words for September 27-October 1

2010-09-27T06:59:00.000-05:00

arrested- We saw a shoplifter get arrested by the police at the mall.

improved- Planting those flowers really improved the appearance of the yard.

included- A free drink is included in the price of the movie ticket.

irrigated- The farmer irrigated his crops with water from the river.

inspection- We had to stop for an inspection by the border patrol.

insisted- Chet wanted to pay his own way, but Jo insisted on paying for him.

illustrated- This book was illustrated by a famous artist.

advice- The best advice I can give you is to choose your friends wisely.

approved- All members of the club approved the plans for the parade.

agreeable- Sonny has a very agreeable smile.

investigated- The chemist investigated the pollutants in rain water.

announcement- The announcement was made over the loudspeaker.

impressed- Ms. Parker was very impressed with David's good manners.

accomplished- Allan has accomplished a lot in just four years.

affectionate- The best thing about my dog is its affectionate nature.

irresponsible- It was irresponsible of you to leave your coat outside.

Lesson plans for week of Sept. 20-23

2010-09-19T20:01:00.000-05:00

Monday, September 20

Writing Prompt- What invention is most important in your life? Why?

Spelling Pre-Test

Preparing to Write a Descriptive Essay Notes, - practice descriptive paragraph, prewriting

Tuesday, September 21

Writing Assignment- Descriptive essay, review basic concepts, write one-page descriptive essay

Wednesday, September 22

Writing Prompt- Barbie, Rainbow Brite, and Lindsay Lohan get into a fight. Which one wins and why?

Parts of speech- Review rules on nouns, pronouns, do sample exercises.

Thursday, September 23

Writing Prompt- How important is the First Amendment to you? (Preceded by brief discussion on First Amendment)

Spelling Test

Parts of speech- Continue work on nouns and pronouns

Spelling words for Sept. 20-23

2010-09-19T19:48:00.000-05:00

This .week's words are ones that are easily confused:

breath- After running a mile, Mark could hardly catch his breath.

finally- The concert was finally over.

bazaar- We bought many interesting items at the bazaar.

antidote- Jerry took an antidote after being bitten by a snake.

conscious- "I think he's becoming conscious," said the doctor as Ray opened his eyes.

excess- Pete made pillow covers from the excess fabric.

bizarre- Grace's dinosaur costume is quite bizarre.

finely- The recipe calls for finely chopped onions to be added to the mix.

breadth- The breadth of the barn is twice as much as its height.

persecuted- If you are persecuted, you are mistreated for no good reason.

conscience- Sally's conscience was clear because she was telling the truth.

prosecuted- He will be prosecuted for breaking the law.

futile- In a futile attempt to remove the stain, Wendy bleached the shirt.

access- The stairs provide access to the attic.

anecdote- Karen entertained us with an anecdote about her trip to Canada.

feudal- Under the feudal system, only the lords could own land.

Lesson plans for the week of Sept. 13-17

2010-09-13T07:02:00.000-05:00

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

Writing prompt- Describe what would happen if wedding rings were replaced by onion rings.

Spelling pre-test

Language Exercises- Colons and semi-colons

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Writing prompt- Create a new holiday.

Peer editing- Miller-Belluardo papers

Writing assignment- Rewrite Miller-Belluardo papers

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

Writing prompt- Describe your feelings about the new Encore and Guided Study programs.

Discussion- Should the drinking age be lowered to 18?

Preparation for Writing Assignment

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

Writing assignment- Write a letter to a state representative asking either that the drinking age be lowered to 18 or that it remain at 21.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

Language Exercises- Students will begin the class period doing proofreading exercises from the smartboard.

Study for Spelling Test

Spelling Test

Spelling Words for Sept. 13-17

2010-09-13T06:44:00.000-05:00

Lesson plans for week of September 7-10

2010-09-07T07:03:00.000-05:00

Tuesday, September 7-

Writing Prompt- Describe what you did over the three-day weekend. Alternate- Describe what you wish you had done over the three-day weekend.

Spelling Pre-Test- This week's words are made by adding endings to common words.

Notes- Students will take notes on colons and semi-colons

Language Exercises- Students will practice the proper use of colons and semi-colons.

Wednesday, September 8

Writing Prompt- Rewrite Charles Green papers.

Video- "Incident at Goose Creek"

Discussion- Over video "Incident at Goose Creek"

Thursday, September 9

Writing Assignment- Describe a time when you and/or your friends have been falsely accused of doing something that you did not do. Alternate assignment- Paper over video "Incident at Goose Creek."

Friday, September 10

Writing prompt- Describe what would happen if wedding rings were replaced with onion rings.

Spelling Test

Language Exercises- Students will work on properly placing colons, semi-colons, and commas in sentences.

Spelling Words for Sept. 7-10

2010-09-07T06:45:00.000-05:00

This week's words come from endings added to common words:

potatoes- Would you rather have rice or potatoes with your dinner?

separating- I had trouble separating the egg yolks from the egg whites

harvesting- My favorite part of having a garden is harvesting the tomatoes.

contained- The envelope contained directions and a map to the treasure.

programming- The programming at the radio station is always changing.

refused- Mikey refused to eat any cereal that contained raisins.

omitted- Why was my name omitted from the guest list?

produced- The trees produced a lot of oranges this year.

acquired- Bryan has acquired a library of more than two hundred books.

abilities- Her abilities on the ice are well above average.

submitted- Cindy submitted all the proper forms to enter the contest.

justified- Winning the scholarship justified the long hours of studying.

forbidding- Didn't you see the sign forbidding fishing in this pond?

petrified- Alex has a collection of petrified wood.

nutrients- This salad dressing has many nutrients and few calories.

resources- Paula used all her resources to fix up that old house.

Lesson plans for week of Aug. 30-Sept. 3, 2010

2010-08-30T09:08:00.000-05:00

Monday, August 30-

Writing prompt- If you were told you had to move today and could take only three things with you, which three things would you take and why?

Spelling pre-test

Language Exercises- Commas

Tuesday, August 31

Writing prompt- What do you like the most about television? What irritates you the most?

Language Exercises- Commas
Students will work in groups to do sentences, using commas
properly, from the smartboard

Wednesday, September 1

Writing prompt- Have you ever said something to somebody that you immediately regretted saying. Explain the circumstances.

Video- "They Call It Murder"

Discussion- Over video "They Call It Murder"

Thursday, September 2

Writing assignment- 1 1/2 pages over discussion on video "They Call it Murder"

Friday, September 3

Writing prompt- If you could add one class to East Middle School, what class would it be and why?

Spelling Test

Comma Quiz/Test

Spelling words for the week of Aug. 30-Sept. 3

2010-08-30T08:59:00.000-05:00

his week's words are homophones, words that sound the same, but which are spelled differently:

border- Janet lives near the border of California and Nevada.

capital- Although he was innocent, Don was accused of a capital crime.

fowl- Many kinds of wild fowl fly over our neighborhood on their way south

principal- The principal of our school used to be a teacher here.

boarder- As a boarder in our home, you will need a key to the door.

bard- Sam might have been a bard had he lived in medieval times

stationary- Meg's favorite exercise machine is the stationary bicycle.

principle- An important principle in sports is fair play.

palette- The artist's palette held many shades of blue.

stationery- Paul ordered a thousand sheets of stationery.

burro- We each rode a burro to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

pallet- Al bought a new bed to replace his pallet on the floor.

Capitol- The Capitol in Washington is a large domed building.

burrow- The rabbit found safety from the hunter in its burrow.

foul- A foul odor came from the garbage dump.

barred- The castle door was barred to keep strangers out.

Spelling Words for Nov. 30-Dec. 4

2009-11-30T07:04:00.002-06:00

protested- Colonists protested the tax on tea by dumping tea into the harbor.

undertake- He will undertake the responsibility of caring for a pet.

telegram- If your message is urgent, you can send a telegram.

telegraph- Before the telegraph was invented, people relied on messengers.

provisions- The provisions for our camping trip were ready to be packed.

international- The United Nations is an international organization.

interview- It's a good idea to arrive early for an interview.

telescopes- Astronomers use telescopes to study stars and planets.

underlying- We searched for the underlying cause of the problem.

underneath- We found the house key underneath the doormat.

profitable- The owners worked hard to make their business profitable

intermediate- John joined the intermediate swimming class.

prosperity- They wished us happiness and prosperity for the new year.

interrupted- The director interrupted the actors in the middle of a scene.

intercept- Jamie tried to intercept the ball before the opposing team caught it.

Spelling words for Oct. 12-16

2009-10-12T08:04:00.002-05:00

horrid- I refuse to ride on that horrid roller coaster ever again.

stupid- John felt stupid when he realized he had forgotten his keys.

crooked- Driving on such a crooked road can be dangerous.

electronic- Mario is working on an electronic invention.

historic- Abraham Lincoln made a historic speech at Gettysburg.

ragged- We used old, ragged towels to wash the car.

magnetic- Compass needles point to the magnetic north, not to true north.

barefooted- They couldn't enter the store because they were barefooted.

democratic- We follow democratic principles in our club.

passionate- Barbara is quite passionate about the piano.

rigid- The deer stood rigid with fear, staring at the brighr light.

contented- My cat is most contented when curled up in my lap.

poetic- The words to that song are really poetic.

undersized- That undersized basketball player is not even six feet tall.

metallic- We used a metallic gold paint for the trim on the cabinets.

confederate- John's speech proved he was a confederate in our cause.

Spelling words for week of Oct. 5-9

2009-10-05T07:15:00.002-05:00

pigeon- That pigeon is the only one that is afraid to eat from my hand.

perfume- Perfume comes in all sizes and shapes.

depot- Judy met John at the train depot downtown.

elite- I can't afford the clothes in that elite shop.

suite- The family of four took a sutie at the hotel for their vacation.

matinee- After the matinee, we talked about the movie for an hour.

blouse- My new blouse was ruined in the washing machine.

debris- The gardeners forgot to pick up all the debris in the backyard.

surgeon- A surgeon must have steady hands.

embarrassed- Sam was embarrassed when he forgot his mom's birthday.

chauffeur- When she could no longer drive, Marla hired a chauffeur.

croquet- One of my favorite outdoor games is croquet.

amateur- The Olympics used to be open only to amateur athletes.

crochet- Phil plans to crochet a blanket for the new baby.

plateau- The view from the plateau was spectacular

coup- It was quite a coup for David and Diane when they won the election.

Spelling words for Sept. 21-25

2009-09-18T16:04:00.002-05:00

This week's words are ones that are easily confused:

breath- After running a mile, Mark could hardly catch his breath.

finally- The concert was finally over.

bazaar- We bought many interesting items at the bazaar.

antidote- Jerry took an antidote after being bitten by the snake.

conscious- "I think he's becoming conscious," said the doctor as Ray opened his eyes.

excess- Pete made pillow covers from the excess fabric.

bizarre- Grace's dinosaur costume is quite bizarre.

finely- The recipe calls for finely chopped onions to be added to the mix.

breadth- The breadth of the barn is twice as much as its height.

persecuted- If you are persecuted, you are mistreated for no good reason.

conscience- Sally's conscience was clear because she was telling the truth.

prosecuted- He will be prosecuted for breaking the law.

futile- In a futile attempt to remove the stain, Wendy bleached the shirt.

access- These stairs provide access to the attic.

anecdote- Karen entertained us with an anecdote about her trip to Canada.

feudal- Under the feudal system, only the lords could own land.

Spelling Words for Week of Sept. 8-12

2009-09-08T08:38:00.003-05:00

This week, we work on adding endings to words.

potatoes- Would you rather have rice or potatoes with your dinner?

separating- I had trouble separating the egg yolks from the egg whites.

harvesting- My favorite part of having a garden is harvesting the tomatoes.

contained- The envelope contained directions and a map to the treasure.

programming- The programming at the radio station is always changing.

refused- Mikey refused to eat any cereal that contained raisins.

omitted- Why was my name omitted from the guest list?

produced- The trees produced a lot of oranges this year.

acquired- Bryan has acquired a library of more than 200 books.

abilities- Her abilities on the ice are well above average.

submitted- Cindy submitted all the proper forms to enter the contest.

justified- Winning the scholarship justified the long hours of studying.

forbidding- Didn't you see the sign forbidding fishing in this pond?

petrified- Alex has a collection of petrified wood.

nutrients- This salad dressing has many nutrients and few calories.

resources- Paula used all her resources to fix up that old house.

Spelling words for Aug. 31- Sept. 4

2009-08-27T07:24:00.002-05:00

This week's words are homophones, words that sound the same, but which are spelled differently:

border- Janet lives near the border of California and Nevada.

capital- Although he was innocent, Don was accused of a capital crime.

fowl- Many kinds of wild fowl fly over our neighborhood on their way south

principal- The principal of our school used to be a teacher here.

boarder- As a boarder in our home, you will need a key to the door.

bard- Sam might have been a bard had he lived in medieval times

stationary- Meg's favorite exercise machine is the stationary bicycle.

principle- An important principle in sports is fair play.

palette- The artist's palette held many shades of blue.

stationery- Paul ordered a thousand sheets of stationery.

burro- We each rode a burro to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

pallet- Al bought a new bed to replace his pallet on the floor.

Capitol- The Capitol in Washington is a large domed building.

burrow- The rabbit found safety from the hunter in its burrow.

foul- A foul odor came from the garbage dump.

barred- The castle door was barred to keep strangers out.

Lessons for August 31-September 4

2009-08-27T07:06:00.002-05:00

Monday, August 31- Writing prompt- Describe the best and worst things about the first two weeks of school. Spelling pre-test, language exercises

Tuesday, September 1- No writing prompt- Reading assignment, followed by discussion, essay

Wednesday, September 2- Writing prompt- Are school dances really that important? Defend your answer. Discussion- Should drinking age be lowered to 18 in Missouri?

Thursday, September 3- No writing prompt- Writing assignment- Write letter to state representative on topic- Should drinking age be lowered to 18 in Missouri?

Friday, September 4- Writing prompt- Battle to the death: Barney vs. SpongeBob Square Pants- who wins and why? Spelling test, Begin work on verbs.

Assignments for the week of Aug. 24-28

2009-08-27T07:02:00.002-05:00

Monday, August 24- Writing Prompt- Describe what has impressed you the most about East Middle School. Spelling pre-test, language exercises

Tuesday, August 25- Writing Prompt- Define what friendship means to you. Discussion- Charles Green

Wednesday, August 26- No writing prompt, Writing Assignment- 1 1/2 pages- Who failed Charles Green?

Thursday, August 27- No writing prompt, peer editing on Who Failed Charles Green papers, rewrite papers.

Friday, August 28- Writing prompt- Is the roundabout an effective way to handle traffic? Spelling test, overview of six trait writing

Spelling words for the week of Aug. 24-28

2009-08-18T09:16:00.002-05:00

Spelling words for the week of Monday, August 24, through Friday, August 28, are compound words, or words that are spelled by joining two different words. This week's words are:

homesick- Susan gets homesick whenever she goes away on vacation.

evergreen- We decorate several types of evergreen trees in December.

well-wisher- A well-wisher waved to his friend as the train left the station

picnic basket- Wendy carried the picnic basket from the car to the beach.

homemade- Carl likes homemade bread, so he bakes it once a week.

long-term- Our long-term plans include adding a second story to our house.

underground- The underground tunnels in our city need some repairs.

handkerchief- Aunt Doris always carries a white handkerchief

large-scale- Building the new gym is a large-scale project

gingerbread- Henry made a huge batch of gingerbread cookies.

furthermore- It was a long movie; furthermore, it was boring.

heart attack- Eating less fat can help prevent a heart attack.

stagecoach- Our local history museum has a stagecoach on display.

good-natured- Allan has a good-natured dog.

headquarters- The headquarters for our catering business is Carol's house.

loudspeaker- You'll need a loudspeaker to amplify your voice.

Welcome to East Middle School!

2009-08-18T09:15:00.001-05:00

School starts tomorrow, Wednesday, Aug. 19, at East Middle School.

Welcome back, students. I am looking forward to a great 2009-2010 school year!

Spelling words for week of Dec. 1-5

2008-12-01T07:50:00.002-06:00

Words from science and technology

1. radar- The police officer used radar to determine the speed of the car.

2. electrical- The electrical storm was quite a spectacular sight.

3. scuba- Scuba divers carry compressed air in tanks on their backs.

4. universe- Our knowledge of the universe is rapidly increasing.

5. chemical- The only chemical we use in our garden is one designed to fight snails.

6. scientists- The scientists discovered a cure for the disease.

7. sonar- Bats use a special kind of sonar to judge distance.

8. instruments- A surgeon's instruments have to be sterile.

9. atmosphere- Gravity helps keep our atmosphere from drifting into space.

10. experiments- Our experiments with the plants were successful.

11. hemisphere- In which hemisphere is the United States located?

12. environment- In a polluted environment, living things suffer.

13. laser- A laser was used to perform the eye surgery.

14. probability- The probability of winning the game is slim.

15. technological- Because of technological advances, riding in a car is safer now.

16. molecules- Water molecules consist of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen.

Assignments, agenda for week of Nov. 10-14

2008-11-07T15:45:00.003-06:00

Monday, Nov. 10- No writing prompt, practice spelling test, MAP Practice- Reading of Alaska Supreme Court case

Tuesday, Nov. 11- Writing prompt: Today is Veterans Day. Write a half-page letter to a veteran expressing your appreciation for his or her service. Punctuation work

Wednesday, Nov. 12- Language exercises over punctuation, Discussion- "What Freedom Means to Me," in preparation for Elks Lodge Essay Contest,

Thursday, Nov. 13- Write Elks Lodge Essay Contest paper- "What Freedom Means to Me." The paper must be 250 words or less.

Friday, Nov. 14- Spelling test. Acuity practice over punctuation

Spelling words for week of Nov. 10-14

2008-11-07T15:21:00.002-06:00

More words with Greek origins:

1. alphabet- The English alphabet has 26 letters.

2. arithmetic- Bob's favorite part of arithmetic is long division.

3. heroes- The players on the winning team were treated like heroes.

4. stadium- The stadium was packed for the playoff game.

5. physical- Anita does not get enough physical exercise

6. aroma- The aroma of the freshly baked apple pie filled the whole apartment.

7. episode- In the last episode of our story, the car had just run out of gas.

8. marathon- Mark was very thirsty after running the marathon.

9. chorus- After the star sang her solo, the chorus came in.

10. pneumonia- Betty was in the hospital with pneumonia for a week.

11. rhythm- The sound of the falling rain has s soothing rhythm.

12. labyrinth- We could hardly get through the labyrinth at the Fun Zone.

13. melancholy- Frank told 10 jokes to try to get Sue out of her melancholy mood.

14. philosophy- What is your philosophy about finding happiness?

15. phenomenon- An eclipse is an exciting phenomenon of nature.

16. architecture- Ron is studying architecture at the university.

Assignments, agenda for week of Nov. 3-7

2008-11-03T07:07:00.002-06:00

Monday, Nov. 3- Writing prompt: Describe in full detail a place you were at this weekend and everything you did while you were there. Practice spelling test, Rewrite cheating papers. If time, commas, page 249 in textbook

Tuesday, Nov. 4- Writing prompt- Describe the most important task or tasks facing the next president of the United States. Use of commas, followed by language exercises.

Wednesday, Nov. 5- Writing prompt- Summarize your reaction to the presidential election results. Continue work with commas, punctuation.

Thursday, Nov. 6- Writing exercise- questions, description, details, over a room at South Middle School. Practice MAP test

Friday, Nov. 7- Writing prompt- What is your favorite television show. Why is this show your favorite? Spelling test- Continued work on punctuation

Spelling words for Nov. 3-7

2008-11-03T07:01:00.002-06:00

This week's spelling list features words with Greek parts.

1. telephones- We have four telephones in our three-bedroom house.

2. cycle- The formation of clouds is part of the water cycle.

3. recycle- We recycle our aluminum cans, newspapers, and glass bottles.

4. photograph- This old photograph is a real collector's item.

5. symbolic- Waving the flag is a symbolic act.

6. microphone- Please speak into the microphone so that we can hear you.

7. generation- Every generation creates its own type of music.

8. cyclone- The cyclone that came through here lifted our boat off the lake.

9. symptoms- One of the symptoms of measles is red spots on the body.

10. genius- Albert Einstein was a scientific genius.

11. synonyms- How many synonyms can you think of the word large?

12. generator- When the electricity went out, the emergency generator took over.

13. synthetic- I would rather wear cotton than any synthetic fabric.

14. genes- Both of Sarah's parents have genes for brown eyes.

15. sympathetic- When I told Dad about my problem, he was sympathetic.

16. symphony- The Danish symphony will play first tonight.

Spelling words for week of Oct. 27-31

2008-10-26T11:16:00.003-05:00

This week's list features words with adjective endings:

1. horrid- I refuse to ride on that horrid roller coaster ever again!

2. stupid- John felt stupid when he realized he had forgotten his keys.

3. crooked- Driving on such a crooked road could be dangerous.

4. electronic- Mario is working on a new electronic invention.

5. historic- Abraham Lincoln made a historic speech at Gettysburg.

6. ragged- We used old, ragged towels to wash the car.

7. magnetic- Compass needles point to the magnetic north, not to true north.

8. barefooted- They couldn't enter the store because they were barefooted.

9. democratic- We follow democratic principles in our club.

10. passionate- Barbara is quite passionate about the piano.

11. rigid- The deer stood rigid with fear, staring at the bright light.

12. contented- My cat is most contented when curled up in my lap.

13. poetic- The words to that song are really poetic.

14. undersized- That undersized basketball player is not even six feet tall.

15. metallic- We used a metallic gold paint for the trim on the cabinets.

16. confederate- John's speech proved he was a confederate in our cause.

Assignments, agenda for week of Oct. 27-Oct.31

2008-10-26T11:08:00.002-05:00

Monday, Oct. 27- Writing prompt- What did you do over the three-day weekend. Alternative writing prompt- What do you wish you would have done over the three-day weekend? Practice spelling test, Language exercises/classroom work

Tuesday, Oct. 28- Writing prompt- In honor of Halloween, what is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you. Alternative prompt- What is the scariest movie or television show you have ever seen? Discussion on cheating in school. Discussion will be centered around the recent Piper, Kansas, controversy in which the school board backed students who cheated on a biology test and had their grades restored.

Wednesday, Oct. 29- Writing assignment based on Tuesday's discussion topic.

Thursday, Oct. 30- Writing prompt- Is Joplin a safe town in which to live? Defend your answer. Spelling test (test is being given a day earlier this week since fifth through seventh hours will not be held Friday).

Friday, Oct. 31- No writing prompt- First through third hours will do peer editing on cheating paper. Fifth through seventh hours will not be held due to teacher meetings.

Come to parent-teacher conferences

2008-10-20T13:46:00.000-05:00

Any parent wishing to have a conference with Mr. Randy Turner, eighth grade communication arts teacher, can stop by between 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, or between 7:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 24.

You do not need to set up an appointment, but please feel free to do so if you wish.

No spelling words for week of Oct. 20-24

2008-10-20T13:45:00.000-05:00

Students in Mr. Randy Turner's eighth grade communication arts classes will not have any spelling words for the week of Monday, Oct. 20, through Friday, Oct. 24.

Assignments, agenda for week of Oct. 13-17

2008-10-10T15:18:00.002-05:00

Monday, October 13- Writing Prompt- Describe the stupidest thing you have ever done and how it came to happen. Practice spelling test. Interrogative and Demonstrative pronouns, page 70 in textbook.

Tuesday, October 14- Writing Prompt- Draw a comic strip about South Middle School; Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement, page 73-74 in textbook; exercises page 75.

Wednesday, Oct. 15- No writing prompt- Writing assignment- First quarter adventure, first quarter mystery, or first quarter romance, spelling test.

Thursday, Oct. 16- Type veterans papers in MAC Lab. (Final draft)

Friday, Oct. 17- No writing prompt. CA Olympics

Spelling word for week of Oct. 13-17

2008-10-10T15:09:00.002-05:00

This week, the spelling words consist of words that contain "ad" or "in," or "ed."

1. arrested- We saw a shoplifter get arrested by the police at the mall.

2. improved- Planting those flowers greatly improved the appearance of the yard.

3. included- A free drink is included in the price of the movie ticket.

4. irrigated- The farmer irrigated his crops with water from the river.

5. inspection- We had to stop for an inspection when we went to Canada.

6. insisted- Chet wanted to pay his own way, but Jo insisted on paying for him.

7. illustrated- This book was illustrated by a famous artist.

8. advice- The best advice I can give you is to choose your friends wisely.

9. approved- All members of the club approved the plans for the parade.

10. agreeable- Sonny has a very agreeable smile.

11. investigated- The chemist investigated the pollutants in rain water.

12. announcemenet- The announcement was made over the loudspeaker.

13. impressed- Ms. Parker was very impressed with David's good manners.

14. accomplished- Allan has accomplished a lot in just four years.

15. affectionate- The best thing about my dog is its affectionate nature.

16. irresponsible- It was irresponsible of you to leave your coat outside.

Assignments, agenda for week of Oct. 6-10

2008-10-06T07:06:00.003-05:00

Monday, Oct. 6- No writing prompt, practice spelling test, finish working on Why We Should Honor America's Veterans paper.

Tuesday, Oct. 7- Writing prompt- Which candidate do you support for president of the United States? Why do you support that candidate? Reflexive and intensive pronouns, page 68 in language textbook.

Wednesday, Oct. 8- Writing prompt- Describe what changes, if any, you would make in Eagle Time. Discussion- Good and bad teachers

Thursday, Oct. 9- No writing prompt- Writing assignment- 1 1/2 pages, good and bad teachers

Friday, Oct. 10- Writing prompt- Create the snack food for the next generation and explain why it should become the next popular item on the market. Spelling test. If time, proofreading exercises or interrogative and demonstrative pronouns

Spelling words for week of Oct. 6-10

2008-10-06T07:00:00.002-05:00

The spelling words for this week are words that are easily confused.

1. breath- After running a mile, Mark could hardly catch his breath.

2. finally- The concert was finally over.

3. bazaar- We bought many interesting items at the bazaar.

4. antidote- Jerry took an antidote after being bitten by a snake.

5. conscious- "I think he is becoming conscious," said the doctor as Ray opened his eyes.

6. excess- Pete made pillow covers from the excess fabric.

7. bizarre- Grace's dinosaur costume is quite bizarre.

8. finely- The recipe calls for finely chopped onions to be added to the mix.

9. breadth- The breadth of the barn is twice as much as its height.

10. persecuted-- If you are persecuted, you are mistreated for no good reason.

11. conscience- Sally's conscience was clear because she was telling the truth.

12. prosecuted- He will be prosecuted for breaking the law.

13. futile- In a futile attempt to remove the stain, Wendy bleached the shirt.

14. access- These stairs provide access to the attic.

15. anecdote- Karen entertained us with an anecdote about her trip to Canada.

16. feudal- Under the feudal system, only the lords could own land.

Links provided for Veterans research

2008-10-01T21:57:00.003-05:00

Communication arts classes will do research Thursday in the MAC Lab for our paper on "Why American Veterans Should Be Honored."

The following links could provide helpful information:

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall Page

Vietnam Oral History Interviews
Vietnam War Oral Histories

Rutgers Oral History Archives
Truman Museum and Library: The Korean War
Frontline: The Gulf War- War Stories
Tributes Honoring Veterans
VA Kids
Library of Congress Veterans History Project

Assignments, agenda for week of Sept. 29-Oct. 3

2008-09-29T07:06:00.001-05:00

Monday, Sept. 29- Writing Prompt- Describe one person who you consider to be a role model. What makes that person a role model? Practice spelling test, Proofreading exercises.

Tuesday, Sept. 30- Writing Prompt- What item or items do you think should be taken to the new East Middle School when we move? Object pronouns, pages 63 and 64 in language textbook

Wednesday, Oct. 1- Writing Prompt- Describe how you feel about America's veterans. Discussion- "Why America's Veterans Should Be Honored."

Thursday, Oct. 2- Research in MAC Lab- "Why America's Veterans Should Be Honored"

Friday, Oct. 3- Writing assignment- First draft- "Why America's Veterans Should Be Honored."

Spelling words for week of Sept. 29-Oct. 3

2008-09-29T07:01:00.003-05:00

Spelling words for the week of Sept. 29-Oct. 3 are:

RELATED WORDS

1. awful- The alarm made an awful noise

2. drama- Tim would like to take a drama class next year.

3. strain- The strain was showing on Jim's face as he lifted the heavy weights.

4. awfully- Stan was awfully glad to see his friend Carol after all those years.

5. continue- The party will continue even after Hank leaves.

6. profession- One day Dora will enter the medical profession as a doctor.

7. dramatic- The next scene is the most dramatic one in the play.

8. awe- I was in awe of such a talented writer.

9. despair- A feeling of despair suddenly came over her.

10. professionally- Glen always behaved professionally at work.

11. continuous- A continuous flow of conversation kept the party interesting.

12. strenuous- That kind of work is too strenuous for a young child.

13. continuously- Jane talked continuously, but no one listened.

14. dramatically- When sales go up dramatically, everyone is happy.

15. desperately- We tried desperately to clean the house before the guests arrived.

16. strenuously- As a fitness trainer, Glenda works out strenuously every day.

Assignments, agenda for week of Sept. 22-26

2008-09-22T07:15:00.002-05:00

Monday, Sept. 22- Writing prompt- Describe what you did over the three-day weekend. Students will take a practice spelling test. Proofreading exercises.

Tuesday, Sept. 23- Writing prompt- If you could change one rule at South Middle School, which rule would it be and why? Discussion over "Ugliest Girl at Agoura High School."

Wednesday, Sept. 24- Writing assignment- 1 1/2 pages over Tuesday's discussion.

Thursday, Sept. 25- Peer Editing of Ugliest Girl in School papers. Rewrite if there is time. No writing prompt.

Friday, Sept. 26- Writing prompt- What are your three favorite songs? Why are those your favorite songs? Finish rewrite of Ugliest Girl paper, if necessary. Spelling test.

Spelling words for week of Sept. 22-26

2008-09-22T07:08:00.002-05:00

Spelling words for the week of Sept. 22-26, all originally French words, are:

pigeon- That pigeon is the only one that is afraid to eat from my hand.

perfume- Perfume bottles come in all sizes and shapes.

depot- Judy met John at the train depot downtown.

elite- I can't afford the clothes in that elite shop.

suite- The family of four took a suite at the hotel for their vacation.

matinee- After the matinee, we talked about the movie for an hour.

blouse- Her new blouse was ruined in the washing machine.

debris- The gardeners forgot to pick up all the debris in the backyard.

surgeon- A surgeon must have very steady hands.

embarrassed- Sam was embarrassed when he forgot his mother's birthday.

chauffeur- When she could no longer drive, Maria hired a chauffeur.

croquet- One of my favorite outdoor games is croquet.

amateur- The Olympics used to be open only to amateur athletes.

crochet- Phil plans to crochet a blanket for the new baby.

plateau- The view from the plateau was spectacular.

coup- It was quite a coup for David and Diane when they won the election.

Assignments, agenda for week of September 15-19

2008-09-14T19:56:00.002-05:00

Monday, September 15- Writing prompt- Evaluate the acuity tests. Do they help prepare you for MAP testing? Practice spelling test. Language Book- page 57- Pronouns

Tuesday, September 16- No writing prompt, Language Book, pages 58-60, working with pronouns; discussion- should Missouri's drinking age be lowered to 18?

Wednesday, September 17- No writing prompt. Writing assignment- 1 1/2 page letter either for or against lowering of Missouri's drinking age to 18.

Thursday, September 18- Writing assignment is due. Writing prompt- You are told you have to move immediately and you can only take three possessions with you. Which ones would you take and why? Continue working with pronouns, page 60 in language textbook and writing exercise.

Friday, September 19- No school, faculty meetings

Spelling Words for week of Sept. 15-18

2008-09-14T19:49:00.002-05:00

The spelling words for the week of Sept. 15-18 are:

1. potatoes- Would you rather have rice or potatoes with your dinner?

2. separating- I had trouble separating the egg yolks from the egg whites.

3. harvesting- My favorite part of having a garden is harvesting the tomatoes.

4. contained- The envelope contained directions and a map to the treasure.

5. programming- The programming at the radio station is always changing.

6. refused- Mike refused to eat any cereal that contained raisins.

7. omitted- Why was my name omitted from the guest list?

8. produced- The trees produced a lot of oranges this year.

9. acquired- Bryan has acquired a library of more than 200 books.

10. abilities- Her abilities on the ice are well above average.

11. submitted- Cindy submitted all the proper forms to enter the contest.

12. justified- Winning the scholarship justified the long hours of studying.

13. forbidding- Didn't you see the sign forbidding fishing in this pond?

14. petrified- Alex has a collection of petrified wood.

15. nutrients- This salad dressing has many nutrients and few calories.

16. resources- Paula used all her resources to fix up that old house.

Assignments/lessons for week of Sept. 8-12

2008-09-08T11:18:00.003-05:00

Monday, Sept. 8- Writing assignment: 1 1/2 pages- Who failed Charles Green?

Tuesday, Sept. 9- Writing prompt- Define what the word friend means to you. Describe someone who has been a true friend to you. Practice spelling test. Language Textbook- Page 36-37- Kinds of nouns. If there is time, we will do the writing exercise at the bottom of page 38.

Wednesday, Sept. 10- No writing prompt. Peer editing competition on Charles Green papers; begin rewrite of Charles Green papers.

Thursday, Sept. 11- Writing prompt- Describe your memories of Sept. 11, 2001, and what that date means to you. Rewrite Charles Green papers. Language Textbook, page 39- Singular and Plural Nouns. Exercises at bottom of page 40

Friday, Sept. 12- Writing prompt- Should fried chicken be named Missouri's official state bird? Defend your answer. Spelling test. Work in language textbook if there is time.

Spelling words for week of Sept. 8-12

2008-09-08T08:15:00.003-05:00

This week's words are homophones, words that sound the same but which are spelled differently.

1. border- Janet lives near the border of California and Nevada.

2. capital- Although he was innocent, Don was accused of a capital crime.

3. fowl- Many kinds of wild fowl fly over our neighborhood on their way south.

4. principal- The principal of our school used to be a teacher here.

5. boarder- As a boarder in our home, you will need a key to the door.

6. bard- Sam might have been a bard, had he lived in medieval times.

7. stationary- Meg's favorite exercise machine is the stationary bicycle.

8. principle- An important principle in sports is fair play.

9. palette- The artist's palette held many shades of blue.

10. stationery- Paul ordered a thousand sheets of stationery.

11. burro- We each rode a burro to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

12. pallet- Al bought a new bed to replace his pallet on the floor.

13. Capitol- The capitol in Washington D. C. is a large domed building.

14. burrow- The rabbit found safety from the hunter in its burrow.

15. foul- A foul odor came from the garbage dump.

16. barred- The castle door was barred to keep strangers out.

Assignments for week of Sept. 2-6

2008-08-29T07:10:00.003-05:00

Tuesday, Sept. 2- Writing prompt: Describe what you did over the three-day weekend. Alternate: Describe what you wish you would have done over the three-day weekend.
Rewrite School Surveillance papers. Writing paragraphs, if time.

Wednesday, Sept. 3- Writing prompt: Write a half-page horror story titled "Attack of the Tardy Sweeps." Peer editing on Miller-Belluardo papers. Workbook section on nouns, pages 31-32, if there is time.

Thursday, Sept. 4- No writing prompt. Rewrite Miller-Belluardo papers. If there is time, workbooks, pages 34-35, singular and plural nouns.

Friday, Sept. 5- Writing prompt- Are all of the drills we do necessary? Defend your answer. Discussion- Charles Green

No spelling words for week of Sept. 2-6

2008-08-29T07:08:00.001-05:00

We will not have any spelling words or test the week of Sept. 2-6. Spelling tests will resume the week of Sept. 9-13.

Spelling words for August 25-29

2008-08-22T07:19:00.002-05:00

Spelling words for the week of Aug. 25-29 are:

Compound words

homesick- Susan gets homesick whenever she is on vacation.

evergreen- We decorate several types of evergreen trees in December.

well-wisher- A well-wisher waved to his friend as the train left the station.

picnic basket- Wendy carried the picnic basket from the car to the beach.

homemade- Carl likes homemade bread so he bakes it once a week.

long-term- Our long-term plans include adding a second story to our house.

underground- The underground tunnels in our city need some repairs.

handkerchief- Aunt Doris always carries a white handkerchief.

large-scale- Building the new gym is a large-scale project.

gingerbread- Henry made a huge batch of gingerbread cookies.

furthermore- It was a long movie; furthermore, it was boring!

heart attack- Eating less fat can help prevent a heart attack.

stagecoach- Our local history museum has a stagecoach on display.

good-natured- Allan has a good-natured dog.

headquarters- The headquarters for our catering business is Carol's house.

loudspeaker- You'll need a loudspeaker to amplify your voice.

Assignments, schedule for week of Aug. 25-29

2008-08-22T07:09:00.002-05:00

Monday, August 25- Writing prompt (originally scheduled for Friday, Aug. 22) Explain what would happen if wedding rings were replaced by onion rings. Practice spelling tests. Six Trait Writing- coming up with ideas for writing.

Tuesday, August 26- Writing prompt- A seventh grader from Mountain Grove was suspended from school for wearing pink hair. Was the principal right in taking that action? Defend your answer. Language exercises on smart board.

Wednesday, August 27- Video- "They Called It Murder." Discussion over video. No writing prompt.

Thursday, August 28- No writing prompt. 1 1/2 page paper over Wednesday's video and discussion.

Friday, August 29- Writing prompt- The Summer Olympics ended last weekend. Describe a sport or activity you think should be added to the next Olympics games. It can be serious or silly as you wish. Study for spelling test, then take spelling test 20 or 25 minutes into the period.

Spelling words listed for Aug. 18-22

2008-08-18T11:28:00.003-05:00

Spelling words for the week of Aug. 18-22 are listed below. A pre-test will be given Tuesday, Aug. 19, with the final test scheduled for Friday, Aug. 22.

This week's words, all of which originated from proper names, are:

sandwich- Kim ordered a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch.

hamburger- John always orders extra pickles on his hamburger.

mercury- The mercury in the thermometer rose steadily all morning.

tuxedo- The tuxedo that Jake rented looked terrific on him.

spoonerism- In an obvious spoonerism, Lois she put a son of toil on her lawn.

malapropism- When Carol said she was wearing neon stockings, she wasn't using a malapropism.

sequoia- This sequoia has been growing for a very long time.

boycott- We decided to boycott the movie theater because the prices were too high.

mackintosh- My friend from England calls his raincoat a Mackintosh.

frankfurter- Would you like mustard on this frankfurter?

pasteurize- If we didn't pasteurize our milk, we might get sick.

Braille- This book has been printed in Braille so that it can be read by people who are blind.

Celsius- At a temperature of 100 degrees Celsius, water boils.

Fahrenheit- At a temperature of 212 degrees Fahrenheit, water boils.

odyssey- Dan had many adventures during his odyssey around the world.

zeppelin- A zeppelin is an airship shaped like a cylinder.

Assignments for Monday, Aug. 18-Friday, Aug. 22

2008-08-15T10:18:00.003-05:00

Monday, Aug. 18- Introduction to eighth grade communication arts. An overall view of the class will be provided. We will talk about what supplies are needed, how grading is done, the types of work we will do, classroom rules and practices.

Tuesday, Aug. 19- Writing prompt (one-half page), Describe what you wish you would have done over your summer vacation. Alternate- Describe what you did during your summer vacation. Take and grade practice spelling test. Description of six trait writing- conventions (spelling, grammar, capitalization, punctuation), ideas, organization, word choice, sentence fluency, voice

Wednesday, Aug. 20- Writing prompt (one-half page) Describe the best and worst things about the first two days of school. Class discussion over school surveillance

Thursday, Aug. 21- No writing prompt. Writing assignment: Write a 1 1/2 page opinion paper on the subject of school surveillance.

Friday, Aug. 22- Writing prompt (one-half page) Explain how the world would change if wedding rings were replaced by onion rings. Study for spelling test for 10 minutes. Take and grade spelling test.

Open house scheduled for Thursday night

2008-08-12T15:53:00.003-05:00

Open house for South Middle School is scheduled for 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday.

Students and parents can pick up their schedules and packets in the cafeteria from 6:30 to 7 p.m. Mr. Ron Mitchell, principal, will give the welcome and make opening remarks from 7 to 7:10 p.m. in the auditorium.

Parents can meet with teachers at their own convenience from 7:10 to 8 p.m.

Welcome to communication arts!

2008-08-12T14:42:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Mr. Randy Turner's eighth grade communication arts class. I look forward to a successful 2008-2009 school year.

Textbooks

Language Network (will remain in classroom)

Workbooks (will remain in classroom)

Supplies

Folders (will remain in classroom)
Pencil or pen
Paper

Rules

Be in class on time
Turn in your work
Bring your supplies every day
Check the right hand side of the board each day for your assignment and begin working on it immediately.

Writing

This class emphasizes writing, so be prepared to write each day. We will half-page writing prompts each day, except for those days when we have longer assignments.

This class will emphasize six trait writing, the method used throughout the Joplin R-8 School District.

Extra Credit
Students have the option of receiving extra credit for doing extra writing- poetry, short stories, plays, blogs, novels, song lyrics, etc. Ask Mr. Turner for specifics.