Gretchen Buis - Language Arts

Somehow the last 3 weeks have been a bit chaotic.  Diversion, however, is fun and other than exams, I hope students have enjoyed themselves.  I will send home exams if parents would like to see them.  Please sign and return them.  The exams were a combination of "givens," questions students knew would be on the exam (approximately 60%) and essays which involved character, plot, setting, and theme which are the components (thanks to Aristotle) of our literary discussions.  In between spirit days, and snow days, we have returned to Dickens for the eights.  They have the timetable for when 5 sets of answers are due (several should have been submitted by now).  Within the next week, we will also turn to Shakespeare's Macbeth.  I would like to finish both of these works by early March in order to begin work on the process of writing a term paper.  Sevens are working on Tom Sawyer, Tuck Everlasting, and Roll of Thunder.  Grammar work will continue as will vocabulary work. Within the next week, I will also have the sevens work on an abbreviated paper again with the focus on the process.  The subject tentatively will be an author of their choice. The sixes are working with grammar, Steinbeck's The Red Pony, and vocabulary.  Realizing the sixes are working on a paper for history, I will hope to supplement Mr. Kelleher's directions and will work with them on both their bibliographical cards and notecards. The entire process of writing research  papers easily is overwhelming.  As does Mr. Kelleher, I try to reassure students by reiterating that they take such papers one step at a time.  Finally, vocabulary is an ongoing assignment.  All students are completing Lesson 8 this week.  We will continue now covering one lesson per week; i.e. next week's assignment is Lesson 9.  The goal is not to dash through the exercises accompanying each lesson but rather to understand and use the vocabulary words both in their speech and writing.  The more parents can be aware of the vocabulary and use or point out the words whenever possible, the more students will help both their writing and reading comprehension.  Though there is lots of work ahead of us, to me your children happily are still children, young enough to have a wonderful time in the snow.  May we all savor their spirit.  Enjoy the weekend !