8 -- Reviewed simple sentences. Discussed one poem from the WWI poems. 
7 -- Wrote scripts for Poetry Podcast project.

Homework:
8 -- Review the WWI poems. Think about the perspectives from which the poems were written. Write a poem about the Colombian histroy event you have chosen.
7 -- Complete your podcast script.

Upcoming:
7&8 -- Wed. Vocabulary quiz
7 -- Thurs. Podcast
8 -- Event Poem
   -- Book Launch Team SMART Goals

Great work today, everyone!  Many of you accomplished a lot in class. 
8 -- 7 Research Questions on Colombian historical event.  These seven questions should be answered completely tomorrow. Remember, you should have information from your research sources that supports your answers.
7 -- Poetry Podcast mini project -- 5 Research Questions and information outline should be completed by tomorrow. You all worked well in class. Many of you are already working on the scripts!  We will finish those in class tomorrow. Then you will just need to revise and practice, practice, practice!

Homework:
7&8 --- Simple sentences practice
8 -- Colombian Poem Perspective - discussion board (on Schoology).  Answer the following questions on the discussion board on Schoology when you have chosen the perspective from which you will write your poem.                 In the discussion write the following:
                               --Topic
                               --Perspective
                               --Why you chose to write from this perspective

Upcoming:
Vocabulary quiz next Wednesday!

It is great to be back and SEE you all so well!  Today each class chose what to work on. Read below carefully because it has the days when everything should be finished for this week.

8A -- MAP
8B -- Worked on your Colombian history topic. All 7 research questions should be completed before class Thursday.

7A -- Poetry Rotations
7B -- Today you all worked on your Poetry Podcast research.  You all did a great job of staying focused. Most of you are into your script already!  Script due Thursday!

Due today: Vocab 4: 10-18 example sentences (post to Schoology)

Homework:
8 -- 7 research questions due Thursday
7 -- Poetry and poet 5 research questions and script due Thursday.

Upcoming:
Wednesday, November 4: Vocabulary 4 quiz -- be able to identify when the homophones are misused and be able to use them correctly.

8B -- MAP testing. You all worked hard during the MAP today. Great work. I know that kind of testing can be very draining. 
8A -- Today many of you made some headway with your Colombian Poet Laureate event research. Excellent work. Remeber to use the links on our Poet Laureate page under Writing & Projects. You can find credible sources there. 

7A -- MAP testing. You all had day two of MAP today. Great job on the math section. I know many of you pulled up your score from the spring!
7B -- Poem and Poet Podcast. Today I introduced this mini project to you all, and it looks like many of you got off to a good start. 

Homework:
Due Friday: 50 simple sentences (take pictures of this and submit it to Schoology. There is a specific assignment, so please place it there!)
Due Friday: 8th grade -- Poet Laureate Team application letter.

​Due Monday: Vocab. 4: homophones -- 10-18, 3 sentences for each word.

Upcoming:
For the next week you will be working with the vocabulary and simple sentences outside school. In class we will focus on the research and poetry.

7B -- MAP testing today. You all did a great job in the testing. Way to focus so hard during that hour of intense reading!
7A -- Nice round of Memory today! As a class, you all ROCKED the memory game. During class you should have decided on a poem you like and the poet.  You will spend this week completing the research packet on the poem and poet. *Remember, there is a teacher example in the Google Drive folder. 

8 -- You all received your Colombian eras today. Over the next few days you will be focusing on one event during this time. You choose the event. You will need to answer the 7 research questions I passed out to you today. *Remember to write and submit your one-paragraph application letter for the Poet Laureate Project!  Due Friday.

Homework:
7 --Due Friday:  50 simple sentences
8 --Due Friday: 50 simple sentences; Application letter for Poet Laureate Project job

Upcoming:
Monday -- 2nd 1/2 of Vocabulary 4 sentences

7 -- Reviewed the simple sentence structure; worked on 50 simple sentences
8 -- Reviewed the simple sentence structure; worked on 50 simple sentences; reviewed job descriptions for Poet Laureate Project.

Homework:
Due Wed. -- 3 example sentences for each vocabulary 4 words 1-9.
Due Fri. -- 50 simple sentences (Submit to Schoology. Take a picture and submit if you wrote them.)
Due Fri. -- 8th -- Application letter for Poet Laureate team (Use application submission form to the right) -->

Due Mon. -- Vocab. 4 words 10-18 -- 3 example sentences for each vocabulary word.

Upcoming:
8 -- Researching Colombian history topic.
7 -- Researching Poem and Poet

Today most everyone had their Independent Reading for the quarter. If you did not have yours in class today, have it here text Tuesday when you are back. Nice work on your "Memory" cards. I saw some great representations of the homophones we are studying. If your group did not finish your cards, please bring those compete Tuesday as well.

Homework:
Due Tues. -- Sentence Structure: Simple Sentences video
Due Wed. -- Vocabulary sentences (write 3 sentences for each of the first 9 vocabulary words.)

Upcoming:
8 -- Application letters for Book Launch Team

7&8: Today we took notes on poetry structure and wrote a free verse poem. I really enjoyed reading many of the poems you all wrote. Some are so hilarious and others are quite thoughtful and emotional.

DUE TOMORROW: Vocabulary 4: Homophones chart; Independent Reading book.

Upcoming
Sentence structure: the Simple Sentence

Below is the full TED Talk video we watched in class.

7 and 8: We read and analyzed various poems in order to create class definitions of what a poem is. If you want to read the poems again, you can find them above under Writing & Projects: Poet Laureate Project (both 7 and 8).

Homework
Due Friday: Vocabulary 4: Homophones chart; Independent Reading book

Upcoming
Sentence structure. We will be looking at different sentence structures this quarter beginning with the simple sentence.

More poetry to enjoy:

Hello everyone. I hope you all left class today with a little bit of excitment and not too much fear! I am really looking forward to working on the Poet Laureate Project with you all, and I know you are going to come away with an amazing project at the end of the quarter that you can be proud of for years to come.

Because I know my introduction to the project was less than stellar, and I'm not always the best with my words, I've embedded a video for you to watch below. It is of a middle school student (your age) performing his own work...and it is pretty cool to see. I hope you enjoy it.

Homework
Due Friday: Vocabulary 4: Homophones; Independent Reading book

I hope you all had a nice break and rested well. I enjoyed some time in beautiful Villa de Leyva and of course the green mountains of Manizales. I am ready to be back with you all at Granadino, though!

This quarter we will be focusing on poetry. You can see below the Prezi presenting the overall idea and Poet Laureate Project for the quarter. I am really looking forward to working on this project with you all!

Homework
​ 7&8: Vocabulary 5: Homophones (chart for Friday); Independent Reading book for Friday