Monday's Class

Today in class we reviewed I, Coriander and listened to Chapter 32. We took notes from Chapter 3 of Religious people in the Renaissance. Students began to work on their Romeo and Juliet Comic assignment. We will continue working on them tomorrow.

Friday's Class

Interims were handed out in class today. They are to be signed by parents and returned by Wednesday December 3. Students may hand in missing assignments on Monday December 1.

We reviewed chapter 30 and listened to I, Coriander chapter 31 and 32 in class today. We finished watching Romeo and Juliet.

Students are reminded to continue reading their Renaissance novels. They should be finished their novels by December 10 which will give them a week to complete their novel study activities.

Thursday's Class

Today in class we reviewed chapter 29 of I, Coriander and listened to chapter 30. Students read their novels until the end of first period. Novel study is due December 18 with all activities completed as well. Students should be reading their novel outside of class time as well.

Second period we reviewed the first half of Romeo and Juliet and watched the second half.

Wednesday's Class

Today in class we reviewed Chapter 28 of I, Coriander and listened to Chapter 29. Students' read their Renaissance novels silently until the fire drill. We returned to class and watched Romeo and Juliet for our second period today.

Monday's Class

Today in class we reviewed I, Coriander Chapter 27 and listened to chapter 28. Chapter 3 vocabulary was due as well as November's citizenship log.

We watched a video on Leonardo the inventor and wrote his resume which was handed in and we began working on a Religion and the Renaissance work sheet.

Friday's Class

Today in class we listened to Chapter 27 of I, Coriander. We studies vocabulary and played the ReiffenReview game with the chapter 3 vocab words.

Ch3 B-Thrild was due today but can still be handed in on Monday
Ch3 Vocabulary is due on Monday
November Citizenship log is due on Monday with signatures and reflections completed. Link: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcbdzc94_75dg37pcf7

RENAISSANCE NOVEL STUDY IS TO BE COMPLETED BY FRIDAY DECEMBER 18, 2008- NO EXTENSIONS.

Wednesday's Class

Today in class we wrote out chapter summaries for I, Coriander. We also listened to chapter 26 from the book. As a class we decided the due date for the Renaissance novel study is December 19 with no extensions. Students read their novels. We watched a cartoon of Romeo and Juliet and made a 15 point timeline today in class.

Tuesday's Class

Today in class we listened to 2 chapters of I, Coriander. We watched a video called Shakespeare's Stratford, and we worked on Chapter 3 Vocabulary.

Monday's Class

Today in Class we listened to I, Coriander and worked on Chapter 3 B-Thrild. B-Thrild is due this Thursday

Wednesday's Class

Today in class we finished presentations for the People of the Renaissance, took notes on the Education and Marriage in the Renaissance and reviewed for the Chapter 2 test tomorrow.

Updates

My apologies for my lack of posts last week but it was a terribly busy week at school.

Please note the following:
Interim Reports for Humanities were sent home today. Parents please sign the bottom of your child's interim report and return with your son or daughter to me by Friday, November 7.

Citizenship Logs- Students have until tomorrow to hand in their citizenship logs from October. This is worth 10% of their report card mark. The November citizenship log is due November 24 and will be on Report Card #2.

Report Cards will be sent home Friday November 14

Spooky Assignment was due today- Students should have answered the questions from the story "The Tell Tale Heart" by Edgar Allen Poe. I will still accept this assignment.

Chapter 2 Test Thursday November 6- study vocabulary, important people, handouts and fill in the blank worksheets covered for this chapter. Wednesday November 5 will be a review day for the test.

Important People of the Renaissance- Interviews will be presented to the class tomorrow (Tuesday).

Thursday's class

Homework for the weekend: Citizenship logs are due on Monday. Logs can be reprinted from the following link: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcbdzc94_75dg37pcf7

Wednesday's Class

Today in class students were given a spelling test to determine their grade level for spelling. Parents can see students results by contacting Ms. R or coming to parent teacher interviews in November.

For second period we went to the library to begin an interview research project on an important person from the Renaissance. We will present these to the class late next week or early of the following week.

Tuesday's Class

Today in class we watched a video called Renaissance Culture and Math. Students wrote down 15 points from the video and handed it in for marks.

Students finished their posters for Language arts on Metaphors, similes, personification, etc. and began working on chapter 2 questions when they were finished.

Monday's Class

Today in class we watched a documentary on Hannah Taylor who is a 12 year old and is helping the homeless. After the video the class brainstormed about ways that they could make positive changes to society to improve it and boost their marks on their citizenship logs.

For our second period we marked our fill in the blanks activity from last week and then we took notes on the Scientists, Mathematicians, and Writers from the Renaissance.

PLEASE NOTE: There will be no school for students on Friday as it a Professional Learning Day for teachers.

Wednesday's Class

Today in class we went to exchange our library books. We came back and watched a Renaissance video called Art, Music and Literature and answered questions to go with it.

For our second period we worked on fill in the blank activities to go with page 57-68 for Our Worldview textbook.

Tomorrow Chapter 2 vocabulary is due and the first page of fill in the blanks handout.

Tuesday's Class

Today in class we looked at my reading blog website and students chose which novels they wanted to read for their novel study. The novel study will begin next week.

Reading Blog: http://hum8readingblog.blogspot.com/

For second period we worked on Chapter 2 Vocabulary. This is due Thursday October 16.

Friday's Class

Today in class we talked about the election, students completed the student vote in the library 2nd period today. We also listened to chapter 14, 15, and 16 from I, Coriander on CD.

Ch2 B-Thrild's were due today, students who did not complete them have until Monday to get them in.

Citizenship Log- We decided as a class to extend the deadline for the citizenship log until Monday October 27. That means Students have an extra week to get all those tasks done and completed. Don't forget to get signatures for activities and fill in reflections before handing in your log.

Thursday's class

Today we focused on the upcoming election. We worked on our election booklet in the classroom for the first period then went to the computer lab to continue our research. The student vote will be taking place on Friday in our library.

Wednesday's Class

I apologize for not keeping up on my blog this week. Today we went to the library and did our weekly book exchange. Chapter tests were marked and handed back. The class average was 79.5%, great work everyone! We started chapter 2 B-Thrild and students decided that this Friday was the best due date to hand in this assignment. Students worked on Language arts taking notes and making posters on metaphors, similes, personification, etc.

Monday's Class

Today students were given new logs for their Citizenship logs and Reflections. They are due October 20 and are for work completed between October 1-20.

We also spent time writing multiple choice questions which were used to play the Reiffen Review game. Chapter 1 Test is tomorrow.

Thursday's Class

Today I asked students for their Interim Progress Report with a parent signature, they are due tomorrow.

We spent our two classes today on Language Arts. We wrote in Journals for 10 minutes using the Stream of Consciousness writing method. Next we looked at examples of student work and used the following PowerPoint to learn how to edit work when Peer-Editing.

Peer Editing PowerPoint: http://www.readwritethink.org/lesson_images/lesson786/tutorial.pps

Homework for tonight is to study for the Chapter 1 test next Tuesday. Tomorrow we will be listening to I, Coriander in class.

Interim Progress Report

An Interim Progress Report will be sent home tomorrow with each student in 8-1. This is for work completed thus far in Social/ELA (Humanities). I intend to send one home at the end of every month to keep you updated on their progress.

Parents, please read and sign that you acknowledge the mark they have received and return to me by Friday October 3.

Tuesday's Class

Today in class we watched a video from the Renaissance for Students Series called A history of the Renaissance. Students had to answer questions from the video. We then completed the Fling the Teacher online game that we played last class. For our second period we took notes on City States of Italy and began working on a fill in the blanks assignment from the text book.

Tomorrow we will be going to the library for our book exchange and continuing on with the fill in the blanks assignment on city states. The Middle Ages Social Structure Questions are due tomorrow as well.

City States PowerPoint: http://docs.google.com/Presentation?id=dcbdzc94_195d362md8k
City States of Italy fill in the blanks: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcbdzc94_201n2d7pfdj

Chapter 1 Test Announment

CHAPTER 1 TEST WILL BE NEXT TUESDAY OCTOBER 7.
STUDY YOUR VOCABULARY, NOTES, HANDOUTS, AND B-THRILD.

Monday's Class

I informed the class that I am completing my month end grades so I can send out and interim report to parents at the beginning of October. Students were given a list of what work they are missing and told they have until Tuesday September 30 to complete it.

Today in class we reviewed the Middle Ages Social Structure System. We then answered questions about the Middle Ages. They are due on Wednesday October 1. For our second period we took notes on the Crusades and the Plague and we then played a trivia game online called Fling the teacher.

Middle Ages questions: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcbdzc94_162fdvbxmhq
Crusades and Plague Power Point: http://docs.google.com/Presentation?id=dcbdzc94_163c492xxg8
Fling the Teacher Online game: http://www.schoolhistory.co.uk/games/fling/plague/index.shtml

Thursday's Class

Today in class students wrote in their journals what they thought their best 3-5 characteristics were. Students then created a seating plan in which they were to place all students where they thought they could work best in the class.

For the second class they were introduced to the Middle Ages Social Structure Activity. Students were assigned roles as bishops, nobles, lesser nobles, peasants and serfs. They role played what it would have been like to be in that situation during the middle ages. We will continue this activity on Monday.

Meet the Teacher Night and PD Day Friday

Thursday September 25 is Meet the Teacher night from 6:00-8:00 pm. Coffee/Tea and cookies will be served. I encourage you to attend to meet your child's teachers.

Friday is a Professional Development day for staff so there will be no school for students.

Wednesday's Class

Today in class we went to the library to exchange books. We will try to do this every Wednesday if it continues to be successful.

We made Astrolabes in class which we used to look at the stars that were posted around the room. Students had to make a chart and plot the degrees of each star and it's location. They were then asked to take 5 notes from page 18 and 5 notes from page 19. These were due at the end of class today.

A Merchant's Journal writing activity is due tomorrow at the beginning of class. Student's that wanted to continue writing with the calligraphy pens and inks were invited to come at lunch to finish their story. If they chose not to then they could finish their story with regular pens.

Monday's Class

Today is class we wrote a chapter 1 Vocab Quiz and marked the Silk Road questions and collected them.

We also worked on the Merchant's Journal activity and students are asked to have their rough copy one page journal entry completed for tomorrow. (See last weeks entry for link to sheet).

Friday's Class

Today in class we worked on the Character Sketches handout for the novel we are listening to on CD; I, Coriander. We will continue adding characters as they are introduced while listening.

Character Sketches: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcbdzc94_161d4snq8cn

Thursday's Class

Today in class we looked at a powerpoint on images and how they help us relate to telling stories. We discussed what the images were about and how they could portray a story.

PowerPoint: http://docs.google.com/Presentation?id=dcbdzc94_139g2xdd9g3

For our second part of class today we worked on writing a story called the Merchant's Journal. The story is to be based on the Silk Road trading activity we completed in class yesterday. Students should have their first paragraph completed for this assignment.

Assignment: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcbdzc94_159hmpdxwcg

Tomorrow students are to hand in their vocabulary for chapter 1 and their citizenship log if they have not already.

Wednesday's Class

Today in class we finished the Silk Road simulation game. Students answered the questions that related to the activity from their text. This is due tomorrow. We also read a excerpt from the book called The Adventures of Marco Polo. Tomorrow we will be writing a journal story from the perspective of a person who would have travelled the Silk Road.

Tuesday's Class

Hello everyone, I must apologize for missing my 4pm deadline for Tuesday's post. We worked on Chapter 1 vocabulary for the first period and then moved onto working on the Silk Road Simulation Game. Vocabulary words are due on Friday and we will continue the Silk Road Game on Wednesday.

Citizenship logs are to be handed in Wedneday for students that want a signature for completing all of their homework in the last 2 weeks.

Silk Road Game & Questions: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcbdzc94_97fb8jf8g2

Monday's Class

Today in class we discussed late or missing work that students have not turned in. It has been decided that students have until tomorrow to complete their version of the Novitiate story, Renaissance maps, and B-Thrild. If they are not finished they will be making calls home to inform their parents about their unfinished work.

We listened to I, Coriander on CD for the first period and for second period we wrote Chapter 1 definitions from their Our Worldviews text.

Chapter 1 Vocabulary Sheet: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcbdzc94_96gvz33xq9

Friday's Class

Today in class we had housecleaning issues to take care of. By that I mean that we had to go to the library to get barcodes placed in agendas, mark an assignment, and hand in homework. Students who forgot their agendas will have to get a barcode on their own time. Students who got their barcode today were permitted to take out library books. Books are due back in 2 weeks. Maps were also due today, students spent the second half of class marking their maps using a map marking guide. B-Thrild's was due today so students handed in those assignments as well. Anyone who forget must get there work handed in on Monday.

**Note: Students who are handing their work in on time will be eligible to receive a mark by Ms. R in their citizenship log under the Academic Life section. I will sign them next Wednesday. Logs are due next Thursday.

For our remaining time today we reviewed I, Coriander and listened to 10 minutes of the story.

Have a pleasant weekend everyone. If you completed all your work for the week you have no humanities homework this weekend!

Thursday's Class

Today we watched a 25 minute video called Everyday lives of People in the Renaissance Students had to write 15 points from the video and answer a discussion question about the health of people during the Renaissance. This was taken in for marks today.

For the second period students worked on their B-Thrild Chapter 1 Assignment and their Maps. Both of these assignments are due tomorrow.

Wednesday's Class

Today we reviewed the story The Novitiate and students wrote a one page double-spaced response. They are due tomorrow if they weren't finished in class today. These are the rough copy and we will be typing them out next week in the computer lab.

Novitiate assignment and rubric http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dgg9kgjk_05zqzvwc2

For the second class today students worked on B-Thrild which is an excellent chapter overview. The first 2 pages of the booklet are due tomorrow.

B-Thrild Handout: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dgg9kgjk_1gpsz2mdj&hl=en

**A reminder that maps are due on Friday.

Tuesday's Class

Today in class we read the following handout- Guide to Reading Narrative:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcbdzc94_82ckxbn758
We read a story called The Novitiate by Jean Howarth and used the worksheet: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcbdzc94_83f5s5gt45 to answer questions based on the story.

For the second class today we worked on Renaissance Maps. The 3 maps will be due on Friday September 12. **Remember to follow the cartography rules of Mapping.

Monday's Class

Today in our double period student received notes on the proper way to create maps. They were told these are for reference and will be needed for the rest of the year. Students were given a Renaissance Mapping assignment and had the remainder of the first class to work on their maps. For the second class they were given the choice of working on their maps or working on their Writing Portfolios.

Mapping assignment: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcbdzc94_77g2nrbddv
The maps of Europe and the World can be downloaded at: http://www.eduplace.com/ss/maps/pdf/eur_countrynl.pdf
http://www.eduplace.com/ss/maps/pdf/world_cont.pdf

Citizenship Log and Reflections

The Citizenship log and reflections are worth 10% each reporting period and are to be handed in every 2 weeks. Students will have their log in a yellow duo tang and be requesting signatures for duties that they have performed in the area of Personal life, Academic, Contributing to the Community, and Global Awareness.

If a student loses their log they are responsible for replacing their yellow duo tang, printing off the sheets from this post, and tracking down their adult signatures:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcbdzc94_75dg37pcf7

Our Worldviews - Textbook

This is the text that students will be using for the full year. The three topics they will be studying are the Renaissance, Japan during the Edo and Meiji Period, and The Aztecs and Spanish.

Welcome Students and Parents

Welcome to my Blog. I will be posting updates and assignments here for your information about what is happening in class this year. Please feel free to visit the websites I have listed on the side bar of this page.

On Wednesday students were given the course outline and a Grade 8 student information sheet. I asked that they be brought back for Friday September 4. If students have forgotten their sheets they can be downloaded from:

Course Outline: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcbdzc94_72fkjvdpdj
Info Sheet: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcbdzc94_74gmh63fg6&hl=en