Oh, hi! Didn't see you there!

It's been a bit.  Hope you are well!

Happy Independence Day!

Next year we'll be reading a lot of nonfiction.  I'm actually considering analyzing this as a class...and it is really nice to hear it read out loud.  There is a lot of antiquated and difficult vocabulary, but you still get the gist, and it sounds quite beautiful and poetic when you hear it.  So, pour a cup of coffee, plug in your earbuds, and give it a listen!

A little video for the incoming 8th-graders!

Hello firs off to my students this year...I made a little welcome video for the next year's 8th-graders, but you can feel free to check it out as well!  Have a great rest of the year...I'll see you around!

-Mr. Stowell

AND HERE IT IS...

THE LAST ASSIGNMENT OF THE YEAR!!!!!

SCENES ARE TO BE PERFORMANCE READY BY JUNE 5, 2014 

COMPARE/CONTRAST ORIGINAL VS. REMAKE RUBRIC

GROUP MEMBERS
ORIGINAL SCENE
NEW TIME PERIOD (different from original) 25 pts
APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE (changes for time period) 25 pts
CONSISTENCY OF STORY (some change acceptable, but could I tell which scene you chose if I didn’t already know) 25 pts
DELIVERY (character, volume, any additional props, costumes, theatrics) 25 pts

TOTAL POINTS _____________________

REMINDER

MULTIGENRE PROJECTS DUE 5/16

 MULTIGENRE GRADING RUBRIC

Points Possible	Content 90-100	Content 80-89	Content 70-79	Content 60-69	Content 0	Presentation 20 pts possible
MG #1	Hero’s Journey element(s) are clearly expressed in a creative and original genre	Hero’s Journey element(s) are identifiable with some help	Hero’s Journey element(s) are vague and require explaining	Hero’s Journey element(s) are missing	Genre is not turned in	Work is presented neatly and shows effort
MG #2	Hero’s Journey element(s) are clearly expressed in a creative and original genre	Hero’s Journey element(s) are identifiable with some help	Hero’s Journey element(s) are vague and require explaining	Hero’s Journey element(s) are missing	Genre is not turned in	Work is presented neatly and shows effort
MG #3	Hero’s Journey element(s) are clearly expressed in a creative and original genre	Hero’s Journey element(s) are identifiable with some help	Hero’s Journey element(s) are vague and require explaining	Hero’s Journey element(s) are missing	Genre is not turned in	Work is presented neatly and shows effort

Content Points (Up to 100) + Presentation Points (Up to 25)/ 125 possible points = Grade

Three grades - one for each project

MG #1

MG #2

MG #3

BTW.....

Final Free Rice Project Totals:

Total grains of rice donated - 695,780.

It takes 5600 grains of rice to make one serving.

That means we fed 124.25 people, or one for each member of our team.

This translates into 579 hours of community service for Team 11.

 

In 5th place Pd 1 - 79,470

In 4th place Pd 2 - 102, 260

In 3rd place Pd 6 - 136,965

In 2nd place Pd 5 - 162,005

And in 1st place, Pd 7 with 215, 080

Individual class leaders for each period

Pd 1 Natalie Zucco 25,100

Pd 2 Thomas Polhemus 60,000

Pd 5 Joe Antonelli 60,000

Pd 6 Tyler Cote 28, 790

Pd 7 Lucas Blood 44,620

Color me proud. Thanks for all the support.

Just in case you were looking for ideas...

Multigenre projects (3 expressions) are due 5/16/14

Multigenre  is an alternative to the traditional five paragraph essay. It emphasizes the use of multiple genres to represent a given topic. A genre is a specific type of art including literature, speech, drawings, music, etc. With this type of project, students are expected to research their given topic and then present the information they gathered using a variety of genres.

A Brief (and by no means complete) List of Genres

• Journal Entries
• Personal Letter
• Greeting Card
• Schedule/Things to Do List
• Inner Monologue Representing Internal Conflicts
• Classified or Personal Ads
• Top Ten List/Glossary or Dictionary
• Poetry
• Song Lyrics
• Autobiographical Essay
• Contest Entry Application
• Business or Correspondence Letter
• Biography
• Speech or Debate
• Textbook Article
• Lesson Plan
• Encyclopedia Article
• Short Scene from a Play
• Dialogue among Two or More People
• Short Story
• Adventure Magazine Story
• Ghost Story
• Myth, Tall Tale, or Fairy Tale
• Talk Show Interview
• Recipe or Holiday Event
• Character Analysis
• Comedy Routine or Parody
• Liner Notes
• Picture Book
• Chart or Diagram
• Brochure or Newsletter
• Map
• Magazine or TV Advertisement
• Restaurant Menu
• Travel Brochure
• Wedding, Graduation, or Special Event Invitation
• Birth Certificate
• Local News Report
• Pop-Up Book
• Review and Poster for a Movie, Book, or TV Program
• Board Game
• Comic Strip or Graphic Novel Excerpt
• Web SIte
• Letter to the Editor
• Obituary, Eulogy, or Tribute

Upcoming Quizzes, Tests, Assessments:
4/15 Chapters 4-6 Quiz
4/17 Multiple Choice Test Chapters 1-6
5/2 Final Assessment -  3-5 Paragraph Critical Essay

THE PEARL by John Steinbeck

VOCABULARY                   

Chapter 1                           

pulque: traditional Mexican alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of the maguey plant.

bougainvillea:     a flowering plant

alms: charity, donations

indigene:native person; indigenous person

suppliant: full of prayer; begging, pleading

avarice: excessive greed

indigent: poor, needy

Chapter 2

estuary: inlet, mouth of the river where it meets the ocean

mirage: illusion, false image

bulwark: embankment

poultice: compress for medical purposes

hummock: mound, hill

bow: front of a boat

stern: rear of a boat

mangroves: trees or shrubs that grow in coastal/tropical areas

Chapter 3

distillate: condensation, concentrated

subjugation: suppression

Chapter 4                                               

countenanced: allowed, tolerated

graft: implant

dignity: self-respect

rampart: fortification; protection

stalwart: strong

collusion: secret agreement; conspiracy

lethargy:weariness; fatigue   

Chapter 5

leprosy: a disease that causes skin lesions; it can cause damage to skin, nerves and eyes; leprosy has long held a strong social stigma.

Chapter 6

cleft: indent

escarpment: cliff

freshets: freshwater stream

petulant:  grumpy

threshed: flailed; thrashed