Gretchen Buis - Language Arts

In preparation for Parent's Night Tuesday, students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades posted in the classroom assignments related to a "Who Am I" theme.  The sixes chose both to walk in and not walk in someone's shoes (the theme of Walk Two Moons: not fair judging someone until one has walked in his shoes). The sevens compiled a list of fun, light questions that by answering would introduce themselves. The pictures they chose could not be of themselves but reflections of themselves.  The eights began working on their quotations for the yearbook.  After working through the immediate "anything goes" stage, they really discovered more serious, humorous, and true sides of themselves than they initially perceived.  This week we are ( I am) still trying to establish our basic patterns and themes for the year. Vocabulary and grammar will be two structural staples. Everyone has a vocabulary quiz next week following  a two week period of working with words and exercises in the vocab workbook.  We will start working our way through a review of grammar basics this week.  These basics hopefully lead ultimately to writing clear, precise gramatically correct sentences.  Literature continues to revolve around summer reading right now focusing on Two Moons (6), The Giver (7),  and Animal Farm (8). Both  memory work (Tennyson and A.A.Milne) and journal writing have also been incorporated into this week's schedule. Thank you for all of your help. As you already know, your sons and daughters are wonderful!