Monday, May 11, 2009

Calculators

Remember to bring in your calculators to me before Friday of this week. I will label them and keep them for you to use on the EOG. They will be returned after the Science EOG.
Thanks
Ms. T.

Math Learning Lab

Reminder......I will be available after school every day this week and Monday of next week for EOG help. Let me know in the morning if you plan on attending.
Ms. Taliaferro

Friday, May 8, 2009

Mrs. Lane - English Language Arts - May 8, 2009

Sixth Grade - Students are working on literature circles; the class has been divided into 4 groups reading The Midwife's Apprentice, Bud, Not Buddy, The Great Gilly Hopkins, and Maniac Magee. We are also working on a unit in literature books, most of which we are doing in class. We will also prepare for EOG's next week in class.

Seventh Grade - We have finished a unit in the literature books, and students are taking a test today. We will use next week to prepare for EOG's and to finish reading for book reports.

Eighth Grade - Students should be finished with When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Tuesday. We will prepare for EOG's next week as well.

Friday, May 1, 2009

Mrs. Lane - English Language Arts

The following is a note I sent home today:

EOG’s are coming! Students in 3rd through 8th will be taking EOG’s during the week of May 18th. Our students have been working hard on learning and preparing for these all year. In middle school language arts we are currently in the process of doing extensive review during the school day.

In addition to our daily review, I would like to offer review sessions after school during the 2 weeks prior to the testing. I will meet from 3-4 pm on these days:
Tuesday, May 5
Tuesday, May 12
Thursday, May 7
Thursday, May 14
Monday, May 18 (if any student requests this day)

These sessions will be aimed at reviewing those topics in Reading with which the class as a whole is still struggling. This will give the students one more opportunity to review and practice these skills.

Every student in the class may attend these sessions. I encourage attendance for any student concerned about his or her performance.

Thank you,
Michelle Lane

Also, for your information, sixth grade book reports are due on or before May 11th - AR tests.
Seventh and eighth grade book reports are due on or before May 15th - also AR tests.
(Students chose AR tests for book reports. All students will have one more book report before the end of the year.)

Seventh and eighth graders have compositions due on Monday for a writing contest. Other than that, students have no homework except for reading over the weekend.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Mrs. Lane - Test Reminders

Seventh Grade Students will have a unit test (Do the Righth Thing) on Thursday.

Eighth Grade Students will have a final test on the poetry unit on Thursday.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

The Spring Fling

ITS TRUE!!! Nick News will be filming at our dance for their documentary on Tweens! Hope to see EVERYONE there and on their BEST BEHAVIOR!!!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Mrs. Lane - English Language Arts

Sixth Grade - Students are taking a test on the "Justice for All" unit in textbooks. We will begin a new unit in literature tomorrow.

Seventh Grade - Students read and discussed "After Twenty Years" out of their textbooks. Students should read the short story "A Mason-Dixon Memory" for tomorrow.

Eighth Grade - We are working on the poetry unit in textbooks this week. The goal is to finish this section and take a test before the end of the fifth grading period next week.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Mrs. Lane - English Language Arts

There is no written homework for any of my classes, but I encourage everyone to read.

HAVE A GREAT SPRING BREAK!

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Mrs. Lane - English Language Arts

Eighth Grade Book Reports due Today!!

Reminder to all students: You may receive extra credit grades this week for turning in submissions to the school literary magazine, and you may earn extra credit by doing AR tests before the end of the grading period.

Sixth Grade - Students did a multiple-choice worksheet on the two stories we read together yesterday ("The Sneetches" and "All Summer in a Day"). Students should read "The Gold Cadillac" for Wednesday.

Seventh Grade - Students will have a worksheet on "Oni and the Great Bird" and "Master Frog" on Wednesday. They should read "Sealskin, Soulskin" for Thursday. We will also finish vocabulary unit 13 this week with exercises on Wednesday and a quiz on Friday.

Eighth Grade - Students are working on the poetry unit in textbooks. We did questions 1 and 2 under Check Your Comprehension, 1 and 2 under Critical Thinking and the Reader's Response on page 829 and questions 1 and 2 under Check Your Comprehension and 4 under Critical Thinking on page 831 today. Students also took notes on vocabulary unit 12.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Middle School Dance

The "Spring Fling" will be held on April 17th at the Highlands Inn.
The Dance is from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. and
includes Dinner!
Dress in semi-formal (No jeans Please!)
Admission is $3.00

Friday, March 27, 2009

Mrs. Lane - English Language Arts - Friday Update

Progress Reports go home today; parents, please sign and return.

Sixth Grade: Students finished watching Hoot today in class. The only homework for students is to read for book reports.

Seventh Grade: Students did a worksheet in class on the last two Cinderella stories we read, and students had a grammar practice sheet. Students have no homework except to read for book reports, which are due next Friday.

Eighth Grade: Students did a worksheet in class on the poems we have been reading together, and students did vocabulary unit 11 exercises. There is no homework except to work on book reports, which are due next Tuesday.

Try to stay dry this rainy weekend!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Mrs. Lane - English Language Arts - Tuesday Update

Sixth Grade - Students have the following questions on Hoot:
Hoot
Final Reading Questions – Due Wednesday

Use your books in order to answer each question in 2 – 4 complete sentences on your own paper. This is a quiz grade, so do a good job!

1. How is Roy’s family different than Beatrice and Mullet Fingers’ family? What influence did the characters’ families have on their own actions?

2. There is a lot of humor in this book. Find one of the parts you thought was funny and write about it (summarize and tell why it’s funny).

3. Who is your favorite character in the book, and why?

4. Describe a scene in the book that made you angry.

5. If you had to give this book a new title, what would it be and why?

6. Once Roy learned of Mullet Fingers’ plan to save the burrowing owls, he wanted to help. Which boy’s method do you think was more effective? Why?

7. At the end of the novel, Roy begins to feel more at home in Florida. Why do you think this is?

8. Mrs. Eberhardt tells Roy, "Honey, sometimes you're going to be faced with situations where the line isn't clear between what's right and what's wrong. Your heart will tell you to do one thing, and your brain will tell you to do something different. In the end, all that's left is to look at both sides and go with your best judgment." Have you ever been in a situation like Roy's mother describes? What did you do?
9. What is a major theme of the novel, and how is it shown?

10. What was your overall reaction to the book? Did you like it? Why or why not?

Seventh Grade had the final writing assessment today, so they have a break from homework tonight.

Eighth Grade has been watching a documentary on the Holocaust. Students should be working on their book reports, which are due next Tuesday.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Mrs. Lane - English Language Arts Thursday

Sixth Grade - Students have a vocabulary quiz tomorrow in class. Students need to bring their notes to class. They also need to read chapter 17 for tomorrow, 18-19 for Monday, and finish the book for Tuesday.

Seventh Grade - Students finished watching "Brian's Song" today and wrote about their opinions and the differences in the movie and original teleplay. They also took the AR test and took notes on vocabulary unit 12. Tomorrow we will discuss Tuesday's final writing assessment.

Eighth Grade - We finished "The Diary of Anne Frank" in class today, did Reader's Response, Thematic Focus, Journal Writing, #5 and #6 on page 769 for homework. The final test is tomorrow; students should bring textbooks since there will be an open-book component.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Mrs. Lane - English Language Arts

Monday, March 16, 2009

Sixth Grade should continue their reading in Hoot; be through chapter 13 for tomorrow, 14 and 15 for Wednesday. We worked on vocabulary today and will finish tomorrow in class.

Seventh Grade finished reading Brian's Song during class and did questions 1, 3, 9, 10, 11, and Reading Check at end of play. Students will have a test tomorrow, and we will watch a PG-rated version of the movie.

Eighth Grade will have a vocabulary quiz on units 9 and 10 tomorrow. We are also continuing our reading of The Diary of Anne Frank.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Mrs. Lane - English Language Arts - Friday the 13th

Sorry that I haven't updated since last week! Here's the latest:

Sixth Grade: Students have been reading Hoot, and we have done some in-class writing and worksheets. Students should read through chapter 12 for Monday, and I will post a new reading schedule on my website link.

Seventh Grade: We have been reading the screenplay of Brian's Song in the textbook. We will finish it on Monday, take a test, and watch the movie next week.

Eighth Grade: We have been reading the stage play version of The Diary of Anne Frank in class, as well as working on vocabulary units 9 and 10.

Be sure to check my website for new book report dates and assignments. Have a great weekend!

Thursday, March 5, 2009

SGA Coat Drive

The Middle School SGA is sponsoring a coat drive to benefit the needy in the Cashiers & Highlands area. Please send your clean, used coats to school by Friday, March 13th. You may but them in the collection box in the lobby or bring them to Ms. Taliaferro's room. Thanks!

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Mrs. Lane - English Language Arts

Sixth Grade did pre-reading vocabulary in class today in order to prepare for our next novel Hoot.
Seventh Grade took notes on vocabulary unit 11 in class, and we continued our reading of Brian's Song.
Eighth Grade took notes on pages 705-711 in their textbooks yesterday and took an announced, open-notes quiz today. We will begin reading the dramatic version of The Diary of Anne Frank tomorrow during class.
Although I will be here after school on Thursday for anyone to make up final work, I will also be preparing for the Junior Beta Club induction service. So, I will not have a complete learning lab that afternoon; I will only be in my room for about 30 minutes.

Merit Party March 3, 2009

The following students attended today's merit party:

Eighth Grade

Autumn Chastain
Caroline Christy
Corbin Hawkins
Becca Johnson
Greg Palmer
Roy Pioquinto
Parker Sims
Austin Vinson

Seventh Grade

Ellie Cate Beavers
Olivia Dendy
Emily Dorsey
Emily Gabbard
Paige Moss
Jessie Palmer
Rebekah Parks
Emily Shuler
Ryan Vinson
Brittney Webb

Sixth Grade

Valarie Billingsley
Alli Bolt
Grace Brassard
Preston Chastain
Ann Marie Crowe
Veronica Garcia
Kenan Lewis
McKinley Moseley
April Moss
Philip Murphy
Ivy Satterwhite
Desiray Schmitt
Jessica Tilson
Kassie Vinson
Shannon Welch
Josh Wolfrey
Students must receive three merits for good conduct and class performance in order to attend. Keep up the good work!

Friday, February 27, 2009

Mrs. Lane - English Language Arts - Friday Update

Sixth Grade turned in book reports and had final test on Al Capone Does My Shirts. We will begin a new unit in literature next week, but students may begin reading for the next book report.

Seventh Grade had a vocabulary quiz on unit 10 and went to the library for new books. We will continue reading Brian's Song next week.

Eighth Grade had a great discussion about the conclusion of The House of the Scorpion. Final essays are due on Monday.
The House of the Scorpion – Final Essay Topics

Write a four to five paragraph essay on ONE of the following topics. Use the books in order to be as specific as possible in your examples.

Follow the directions:
1. Write your essay in black or dark blue ink.
2. Double-space your essay.
3. Write on one side of the paper only.
4. If you want to type your paper, double-space it in 12-point font.

What do you feel is the main theme of this book as a whole? Please remember that a theme is the message that the author wants to convey to readers. This theme could relate to several elements, including (but not limited to):
- the effects of scientific experimentation
- the prospect of human cloning
- the treatment of less fortunate groups of people
- the power of the individual
- the effect of excessive greed and power

Write a character sketch of one of the most important characters in the novel. This character does not have to be the protagonist Matt, but you may choose to focus on a minor character or an antagonist. Reveal this person’s main characteristics, how he or she reveals those characteristics, and how this character was important in the action of the book. Examples include:
Celia
Maria
Tam Lin
Tom
MacGregor
Esperanza
Chacho
Fidelito

Write a comparison/contrast essay on Matt and El Patron. Although they are essentially the same person, there are many differences in their characters, actions, and fates. Show specific examples of their similarities and their differences.

Write an essay in which you discuss the importance of the setting in this science fiction novel. What makes the setting believable, or does Nancy Farmer create a completely unimaginable setting? Which specific details about the setting were believable? Focus on the elements that were most memorable.

Discuss the importance of the limited third person point of view from Matt. How did this point of view affect the reader’s feelings about other characters? How did this point of view create suspense for the reader? Was this point of view effective for this type of science fiction novel?

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Mrs. Lane - English Language Arts - February 25, 2009

Sixth Grade - Students are to be finished with Al Capone Does My Shirts by tomorrow; there will be a final reading quiz and a review for the final test, which will be on Friday. Book reports are also due on Friday, but I have instructed any student who is having problems finishing the book report to discuss a postponement with me.
Seventh Grade - We are now finished with When Zachary Beaver Came to Town, both the book and the movie and have written about the differences between the two. We will now begin a brief drama unit on Brian's Song. Students will have a vocabulary quiz on unit 10 on Friday. Book reports are due next Monday.
Eighth Grade - Students are to be finished with House of the Scorpion by tomorrow, at which time we will review for a final test on Friday. Students will also have an assignment on vocabulary units 7 and 8 on Thursday.