District Middle School Grading for CM 4 2020

According to the district’s continuity of learning plan for the current marking period:
Letter grades for all students will be one of the following: A, B, C, G, N

G=Reasons outside of their control (ex: lack of technology), or unable to reach the family despite numerous attempts
N= No credit due to deliberate lack of participation

Letter grade of D is not assigned due to MDE language stating that grading is not punitive during the shutdown*.

*Since grades are automatically calculated by Mi-Star, the number of points received is divided by the number of points possible, what you are seeing is that calculation.
In light of what everyone has gone through during this time, as well as the above grading system, grades may be individually adjusted based on documented effort and documented circumstances. The resulting grade, with of all these factors considered, will show on your report card and transcript that you will receive by mail. Please be patient until then.

Important Announcement

IMPORTANT-PLEASE READ!!!!!
This is just a friendly reminder that you all have 3 final assignments due tomorrow by midnight. These three assignments equal 145 formative points and will go a long way to helping your grade, if they are turned in on time and done to the best of your ability. All assignments and directions can be found in google classroom.
I want to remind you that plagiarism (submitting work that is not 100% your own) will result in partial or NO credit, depending on the extent of the plagiarism, with no chance for resubmission. Also, just hitting submit, without doing the work will not get you points; I do look at every assignment.
Finally, the late work spreadsheet closed on Monday and it will NOT be reopened for anyone. The opportunity for late work submissions was very fair and generous; you were given mutiple announcments and warnings of your missing assignments, along with WEEKS to finish incomplete work and many of you chose not to do so.
I will make one exception; if you wish to submit the final “Literary/Reflection Letter” that was due on 5/29, I will accept that for late credit, if it is received by Sunday, June 7th, at midnight. Please email me directly, if you submit the letter.

“Rest of the Year at a Glance”

ELA Distance Learning for the Rest of the Year

Weekly Announcements: 

  • Be sure to read this entire agenda FIRST.
  • All assignments and directions are posted on the blog on TUESDAY morning (after Memorial Day) and Google Classroom. Grades are updated weekly on MI-Star. 
  • If you have questions, after reading all assignment directions, please email me directly.  I don’t see your comments on google-classroom until I am checking work.
  • Academic Honesty is required for all work done. This means when you submit work you are saying it is solely your work.  Photos, screenshots, or scans of work will not be accepted.
  • THE LAST DAY TO TURN IN LATE WORK FOR THE YEAR WILL BE MONDAY, JUNE 1st (work must be received by 8 am).  I have posted a new spreadsheet for late work.  If you want partial credit for any of the listed assignments, please fill out the appropriate information by the end of day, Monday, June 1st.

I WILL NOT BE UPDATING LATE WORK THE MOMENT YOU DO IT

  • OPTIONAL-Dress Like a Soc or Greaser: Now that we know how the greasers and Socs dressed, it’s your turn to dress like a greaser or a Soc with items you have around the house. Once you do, snap a pic of yourself (be sure it is appropriate for school as it is going in the traditional 8th grade slideshow) and send it to bryant8th2020@gmail.com  by Sunday May 31st. We know we can’t be together to do this, but this is a new way to keep the tradition alive. Can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Overview:

As the story continues to unfold and concludes, we will see how the decisions that characters made/make could affect the rest of their lives, as well as the lives of others.  Think about how these actions (or inactions) help to develop themes of the story.

WEEKLY-REQUIRED WORK FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR (all will be posted on Google Classroom)-

 WEEK ONE-May 26th-29th                                                               

  1. Journal Prompt Chapter 7-9- Choose one of the given prompts and complete the paragraph journal response BEFORE your reading and questions are completed. Due Friday, May 29th.
  1. Chapter 7-9 The Outsiders.  Read all 3 chapters focusing on how the characters actions and decisions can affect their future. Make predictions as you read. 
  1. Final Literary/Reflection Letter-Write a letter reflecting on your year of reading.  Due Friday, May 29th. This is a SUMMATIVE assessment.
  1. The Outsiders Interactive Notebook: Remember, this is part of an ongoing project. (Add any new information you have to slides 2-12 and begin to work on slides 13-19)

      Suggested Pacing Schedule (what to do each day): 

Monday: Memorial Day-Just RELAX

Tuesday: Journal Prompt for Chapter 7-9

Wednesday: Read Chapter 7-9. 

Thursday:  Write Reflection Letter.

Friday: Work on Interactive Notebook, slides 13-19

WEEK TWO-June 1st-5th 

  1. Chapter 10-12 The Outsiders.  Read all 3 chapters focusing on how the characters actions and decisions can affect their future.  Make connections as you read and try to “tie together” all of the events and things that happened to the main characters. After reading, fill in the chart and answer 2 of the Chapter 10-12 reading questions.  Due Friday, June 5th
  1. Senior Letter – Write a letter to your future self and I will mail it to you the spring of your senior year.  Due Friday, June 5th.
  1. The Outsiders Interactive Notebook: The Notebook should be completed this week.  Due Friday, June 5th.

Suggested Pacing Schedule (what to do each day): 

Monday: Read Chapter 10-11. Begin writing letter to yourself

Tuesday: Read Chapter 12. Answer Chapter 10-12 Questions.

Wednesday: Continue/Finish writing a letter to yourself.

Thursday:  Complete The Outsiders Interactive Notebook

 Friday: Proofread and submit ALL WORK

WEEK THREE-JUNE 8th-12th

  1. OPTIONAL-The Outsiders Movie (1983) -Watch the original movie on one of the listed platforms and write your review in google classroom.  Sorry, there is no free version.
  1. OPTIONAL-Book Recommendation for summer reading-Share with your classmates your favorite book of the year, giving them ideas for what to read over the summer.

You are welcome to complete all of this work as soon as you want, but it will be due by the given dates and graded weekly.  If you wish to finish the book and the rest of the work early, you are welcome to do so!!!

Work Overview for the Week of May 11th, 2020

ELA Distance Learning for Week of May 11th

Weekly Announcements: 

  • I have posted a spreadsheet where you can notify me of any late work you have done, so I know to go check it.  

I WILL NOT BE UPDATING LATE WORK THE MOMENT YOU DO IT

If you want the grade right away, do the assignment by the due date.

  • By now, you should have joined your advisory teachers “Remind” group. 

Let me know if you need the link.

  • I will continue to post all assignments and directions  on the blog on Monday morning and Google Classroom (no more emails).
  • There will be no google meetings this week per the district. To support your learning, I have/will provide instructional videos on Google-Classroom.
  • If you have questions, after reading all assignment directions, please email me directly. 

I don’t see your comments on google-classroom until I am checking work.

Overview:

Now that you have become familiar with the main characters and setting of The Outsiders, it’s time to continue on through the next section of the story.  Remember, if you didn’t get your own copy of the book, there are two versions available to use on Google-Classroom along with the corresponding audio version.

REQUIRED WORK (on Google Classroom)-

  1. Chapter 3-4 The Outsiders. Review video lessons on paradox and symbolism to help prepare for the reading. Then read both chapters and answer all questions. Due Friday, May 15th. 
  1. Journal Prompt- Choose one of the given prompts and complete the paragraph journal response AFTER you complete all reading. Due Friday, May 15th.
  1. CONTINUE work on Interactive Notebook (update slides 2-7 with new found information where you can, and work on slides 8-12).  Remember, this is part of an ongoing project.

.

Suggested Pacing Schedule (what to do each day): 

Monday: Watch paradox and symbolism videos

Tuesday: Read Chapter 3 and complete Chapter 3 Questions, 

Wednesday: Read Chapter 4 and complete Chapter 4 Questions 

   Thursday & Friday: Complete journal prompt and then add details to Interactive Notebook slides 2-7 and begin work on slides 8-12.

You will not be able to complete all of this week’s work in one night, please do not put it off until Friday.

REQUIRED-SSR:

  1. READING FOR THE WEEK CANNOT BE THE OUTSIDERS
  2. Read daily. I suggest 30 minutes a day. You can make daily annotations on a sticky note or notebook paper. See the bookmark posted on Google Classroom under SSR weekly Reflections
  3. At the end of the week (up until Sunday) write a SSR Weekly Reflection on Google-Classroom.

Note : If you do not have your novel at home, or you are expecting to finish it soon, you may use any online platform available to you for access to books. You can find a list of sources in previous posts on my blog and Google Classroom.

Work Overview for the Week of May 4th, 2020

ELA Distance Learning for Week of May 4

Weekly Announcements: 

  • Later today, I will be posting a spreadsheet where you can notify me of any late work you have done, so I know to go check it.  

I WILL NOT BE UPDATING LATE WORK THE MOMENT YOU DO IT

If you want the grade right away, do the assignment by the due date.

  • By now, you should have joined your advisory teachers “Remind” group.  Let me know if you need the link.
  • I will continue to post all assignments and directions  on the blog on Monday morning and Google Classroom (no more emails).
  • There will be no google meetings this week per the district. To support your learning, I have/will provide instructional videos on Google-Classroom.
  • If you have questions, after reading all assignment directions, please email me directly. 

I don’t see your comments on google-classroom until I am checking work.

Overview:

Now that you have background knowledge of  The Outsiders you are ready to begin reading!

If you didn’t get your own copy of this classic book, there are two versions available to use on Google-Classroom along with the corresponding audio version.

REQUIRED WORK (on Google Classroom)-

  1. Introduction to The Outsiders. Watch the book trailer. Complete the paragraph journal response. Due Friday, May 8th.
  1. Chapter 1- 2 The Outsiders. Review video lessons on setting and character. Then read both chapters and answer all questions. Due Friday, May 8th. 

BEGIN work on Interactive Notebook (slides 2-7 only, for now); this is part of an ongoing project.

  1. The Outsiders Collage: Finish this project from last week to put together a visual display of what you learned from the WebQuest into a Google-slide collage. See Google Classroom (last week). Due Friday, May 8th.

Suggested Pacing Schedule (what to do each day): 

Monday: Introduction to The Outsiders 

Tuesday: Read Chapter 1 and complete Chapter 1 Questions, 

Wednesday: Read Chapter 2 and complete Chapter 2 Questions 

Thursday & Friday: Complete Collage and begin work on Interactive Notebook slides 2-7.

You will not be able to complete all of this week’s work in one night, please do not put it off until Friday.

REQUIRED-SSR:

  1. Read daily. I suggest 30 minutes a day. You can make daily annotations on a sticky note or notebook paper. See the bookmark posted on Google Classroom under SSR weekly Reflections
  2. At the end of the week (up until Sunday) write a SSR Weekly Reflection on Google-Classroom.

Note : If you do not have your novel at home, or you are expecting to finish it soon, you may use any online platform available to you for access to books. You can find a list of sources in previous posts on my blog and Google Classroom.

Work Overview for the Week of April 27th, 2020

Keeping in Touch: 

  • You should have been invited to join your advisory teachers “Remind” group. 

Let me know if you need the link.

  • All assignments and directions will be posted on Monday morning on the blog and Google Classroom(no more emails).
  • There will be no google meetings this week per the district. To support your learning, we have/will provide instructional videos on Google-Classroom.
  • If you have questions, after reading all the directions, please email me directly. 

I don’t see your comments on google-classroom until I am checking work.

Overview:

This week we will be building our background knowledge of the time period The Outsiders is set in, as well as learning about the author and the book as a whole.  We are 1 week away from reading the actual book, If you wish to order it, rather than read it online please do so.

REQUIRED WORK-

  1. The Outsiders Webquest: Discover the author, setting and novel. See Google Classroom. Due Friday, May 1st.
  1. The Outsiders Collage: Put together what you learned about  the author, setting and novel into a Google-slide collage. See Google Classroom. Due Friday, May 8th.
  1. IXL 

The following have been assigned to you (8th grade level):

Vocabulary: Q8  Words with -able and -ible         U1-Homophones

The goal is 80% or higher for mastery.

REQUIRED-SSR:

  1. Read daily. I suggest 30 minutes a day. You can make daily annotations on a sticky note or notebook paper. See the bookmark posted on Google Classroom under SSR+ weekly Reflections
  2. At the end of the week (up until Sunday) write a SSR+ Weekly Reflection on Google-Classroom.

Note : If you do not have your novel at home, or you are expecting to finish it soon, you may use any online platform available to you for access to books. You can find a list of sources on previous posts and Google Classroom.
You can also still order books through Scholastic Bryant  Book Fair April16-29th https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bookfairs/cptoolkit/homepage.do?method=homepage&url=bryantmiddleschool2

Language Arts-Work for the week of April 20th, 2020

ELA Distance Learning for Week of April 20

Keeping in Touch: 

  • You should have been invited to join your advisory teachers “Remind” group for weekly Bryant school updates.  If you need your teacher’s “join code”, they are posted at the bottom of this page.  
  • YOU WILL NEED TO JOIN MY GOOGLE CLASSROOM FOR HANGOUTS-the class code for the new class will be available in your current classroom as an announcement.
  • I will continue to post all weekly assignments and directions on the blog and in google classroom every Monday morning.
  • Students may email me with questions, AFTER reading all directions for the given assignments.
  • Students may request a phone call from me to discuss assignment related problems that cannot be cleared up via email. I will begin making calls home to students/parents this week.

Overview:

                This week we will begin our unit on “Identity”

 Essential Questions:

  • How do people reveal their identity (who they really are)?
  • How do circumstances impact a person’s decisions/actions?
  • How do socioeconomic (money, class, ethnicity) differences create barriers between people?
  • In a culture where we are bombarded with other people trying to define us, how do we make decisions for ourselves?
  • Who am I now? Who do I want to become?

REQUIRED WORK-

Article of the Week:

  1. This week’s article, a memoir,  “I Escaped a Violent Gang” is posted on Google Classroom with directions to read and annotate. In addition, you will need to complete the 4 Square Graphic Organizer. 

SSR:

  1. Read daily. I suggest 30 minutes a day. You can make daily annotations on a sticky note or notebook paper. See the bookmark posted on Google Classroom.
  2. At the end of the week (up until Sunday) write a SSR+ Weekly Reflection on Google-Classroom.

Note : If you do not have your novel at home, or you are expecting to finish it soon, you may use any online platform available to you for access to books. You can find a list of sources on earlier blog posts and Google Classroom.

IXL 

  1. The following have been assigned to you (8th grade level):

Vocabulary: Q6  “Words with- ful”  

Vocabulary: Q7 Words with -less”

Vocabulary:S1 & 2Synonyms/Antonym

The goal is 80% or higher for mastery.

OPTIONAL WORK-

Movie:

“Freedom Writers” (available on NetFlix or Amazon Prime)- Find out more about the life of “Ana”, including her classes with Ms. Gruwell and how her students, including “Ana”, came to write memoirs of their experiences.

 Bored…looking for something to do besides more Netflix and 

video games, give one of these a try:

  1. Start (or continue) a journal about what life is like for you in this “quarantine” time period. It can help your mind, as well as perhaps serve as a primary source to others one day. 
  1. A former Bryant student, Bailey, has put together a nightly “History Bedtime Story” where she shares a story of some history from Detroit on her company website. Don’t let the title scare you off. The stories are quirky, little known facts about Detroit and only about 5 minutes each.  You can watch them anytime of the day, so give it a try.

On top of being an engineer at GM (I believe), she runs a tour company and club called Detroit History Tours and The Detroit History Club. I thought it would be interesting for you to hear from someone, who once sat in the same classrooms as you.

 VIDEO HISTORY BEDTIME STORIES — Detroit History Tours tour detroit

  1. Try  a podcast: Here are a few that sounded interesting to me. I’ve never listened to one, but I’m going to give it a try. I’m thinking it’s like listening to those radio shows from the old days… like “ The Hitchhiker” was a part of a weekly radio show. If you have any suggestions, email me.
  • The Radio Adventures of Eleanor Amplified is fiction story about a reporter going out after “The Big Story”

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/483123262/eleanor-amplified

  • Flyest Fable with Morgan Givens is a fiction story about Antoine, who is bullied, and a magical book takes him to another world. Reminds me of  The Lion and the Witch and the Wardrobe and the cupboard.

https://www.morgangivens.com/flyest-fables

  • The Allusionist explores the oddities of the English Language. Might be a fun way to understand our language.

https://www.theallusionist.org/

Advisory Teacher REMIND codes:

     Blake=@gbddgc4

·         Grodzicki=@kgrodz

·         Murphy= @f37428g

·         Corriveau= @corriveaua

·         Crawford=@cait2020

·         Brown= @3hh3f6

·         Beydoun=@fbeyd

·         Lessel=@hah8g9g

·         Farkas=@fkarkasa

·         Elder=@3bkaea3

·         Quine= @quinea

·         Charara=@charara00

Work for the Week of 4/13/2020

Please see below for suggested work for this week. Email me with any questions.

Work for the Week of April 13th

  1. I have assigned an article on Commonlit for you to read and annotate this week.  The title is “The Power of “Like”. Please read and annotate as you go. You will also need to do the guided reading questions and the assessment/quiz.   Completed work must be submitted by the end of day Friday, April 17th. Annotation guidelines are available on the blog and google classroom.
  1. IXL-go to IXL, 8th grade Language Arts and complete the following 5 lessons-

Z1 -Sentence Types (Declarative, Imperative, Interrogative, or Exclamatory)*

D1 -Compare/Contrast

O4 -Commonly Confused Words

Q4 and Q5 –Words with…

*There are four kinds of sentences.

A declarative sentence is a statement, and it always ends with a period.

An interrogative sentence is a question, and it always ends with a question mark.

An imperative sentence is a command. It makes a request or tells someone to do something, and it usually ends with a period. If the command shows a strong feeling, it ends with an exclamation point.

An exclamatory sentence is like a statement, but it shows surprise or strong feeling. An exclamatory sentence always ends with an exclamation point.

3. SSR Reading 

  1. Read daily. I suggest 30 minutes a day. You can make daily annotations on sticky notes, your phone, or notebook paper to help increase your comprehension. See the bookmark posted on Google Classroom under SSR weekly reflections for sentence starters/ideas.
  2. At the end of the week (anytime up until Sunday) write an SSR Weekly Reflection (posted on Google Classroom).

Note : If you do not have your novel at home, or you are expecting to finish it soon, you may use any online platform available to you for access to books, or use my favorite, cheap, online book site to buy a book, or two.  I have included some links below to help you get started, and the first 5 people (new customers only) to use the first Thriftbooks link will receive an additional 15% discount on their book purchase. If you have a Dearborn or Dearborn Heights library card you may get ebooks from the library, as well.

FREE online reading sources

https://rivetedlit.com/?s=full+reads

https://www.thriftbooks.com

More free reading resources from your school librarian Mrs. Harrison

Suggested Work for the Week of March 30th, 2020

Suggested Work for the Week of March 30th

  1. I have posted 2 articles on Newsela for you to read and annotate this week.  They are titled “Students Recreate March Madness” and “Why you Should Read Slowly”.  Please follow all directions given and complete your work by Friday, April 3rd.  Annotation guidelines will be available on the blog and google classroom.

SSR Reading 

  1. Read daily. I suggest 30 minutes a day. You can make daily annotations on sticky notes, your phone, or notebook paper to help increase your comprehension. See the bookmark posted on Google Classroom under SSR weekly reflections for sentence starters/ideas.
  2. At the end of the week (anytime up until Sunday) write an SSR Weekly Reflection (posted on Google Classroom).

Note : If you do not have your novel at home, or you are expecting to finish it soon, you may use any online platform available to you for access to books, or use my favorite, cheap, online book site to buy a book, or two.  I have included some links below to help you get started, and the first 5 people (new customers only) to use the first Thriftbooks link will receive an additional 15% discount on their book purchase. If you have a Dearborn or Dearborn Heights library card you may get ebooks from the library, as well.

FREE online reading sources

https://rivetedlit.com/?s=full+reads

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Kindle-Store-Teen-Young-Adult-eBooks/zgbs/digital-text/3511261011/ref=zg_bs?_encoding=UTF8&tf=1

Thriftbooks-an affordable site for NEW and used books-spend $10 and get free shipping-

https://www.thriftbooks.com/share/?code=aX0xC94TnKW%252bykZ%252fXSuQYQ%253d%253d

https://www.thriftbooks.com

More free reading resources from your school librarian Mrs. Harrison