6th Grade ELA - Mrs. Andres & Miss Packer
Third quarter has been off to a great start so far! The students have been working hard to master the skills that we have been continuously practicing throughout the year. We recently began their informative essays, which is our genre of study this quarter. With the tools and instruction previously learned, students will be able to write with guided independence. Additionally, pronouns, one of our parts of speech, will continue to be a focus in writing. The students will be able to write ensuring that the pronouns are not ambiguous, but clear and exact.
Directly aligned with the qualities of our informative essay, our two literature studies this quarter will be nonfiction: Port Chicago and Freedom Walkers. As students analyze the information presented in these novels, other skills will also be reinforced: Greek/Latin root study, responding in detail and elaboration to specific questions that contribute to the topic, and finally, gaining an understanding of multiple perspectives.
Reminder: Parents, please encourage your children to work on their quarterly goals. Vocabulary.com & AR- these goals are due March 8th
6th Grade Reading - Mrs. Stroh
Welcome to second semester reading! We have had a great start to the quarter in reading. Students are learning how to use “text evidence” to support written response answers. They are also learning to use “inferencing” skills to understand what the author is implying. We are working daily to read short informational passages and identify facts from the passages. We have switched roles several times and the students have become the teacher. They score different “RACE” writing responses during this activity. It is always fun to see how strict the students are when grading these responses. Looking forward to the rest of the semester with this great group of kids!!!
7th Grade ELA—Miss Rogers and Mrs. Sohns
Seventh-grade ELA students started the third quarter by learning about refugees throughout the world and history. We specifically learned about Jewish refugees during World War II, Cuban refugees in the 1990s, and Syrian refugees in the 2000s. We learned about them because each of the three main characters in our book, Refugee, comes from one of these periods. Even though they are from different time periods and areas of the world, the stories of the three main characters are tied together. Students have been enjoying the book so far. In addition to literature, we have also been working on capitalization skills in grammar. Students have also been working hard on improving our RACE writing skills by completing weekly writing assignments.
7th Grade Honors/Advanced
For the third quarter, honors and advanced students are reading Salt to the Sea. The setting of the book is World War II, and the characters are fleeing danger in the Baltic area. Before we started to read the book, students conducted research about a significant figure or event during the time. Students worked with a partner and taught the class about their selected topic. They all did a great job! We are about one-third of the way into the book, and we are loving it so far! In addition to literature, we have also been working on capitalization skills in grammar. Students have also been working hard on improving our RACE writing skills by completing weekly writing assignments.
7th Grade Reading - Mrs. Mersmann
Hello, parents and guardians. Reading is a semester class, so I have enjoyed getting to know your student. Together with support from home, I am optimistic that these students will excel beyond my expectations. To start off the semester, students explored central idea in nonfiction articles. Finding the central idea requires supporting evidence, and students searched diligently to find text evidence to back up their answers. Currently, students are continuing to work on finding the strongest text evidence to support an answer. To reinforce the students' understanding of these skills, we will use the RACES method for constructing short responses and the UNPACK method. In the next few weeks, your student should be able to craft a 6+ sentence response to any prompt with ease. I am proud of the work and progress students have made in understanding the state standards thus far. To support your child's learning at home, please encourage them to read a variety of reading materials. Please reach out to Mrs. Mersmann if you have any questions remersmann@sunmandearborn.k12.in.us
8th Grade ELA - Mrs. Bevis and Mr. Wagner
January is the perfect backdrop for White Fang by Jack London. We are examining the setting, characters, and the characters’ motivations as we read this adventurous tale that takes place during the gold rush in the Yukon Territory. The vocabulary for this novel is a bit challenging, so students are strongly encouraged to study using Vocabulary.com. In addition to reading the novel, we are continuing to work on grammar usage and mechanics and decoding words based upon their Greek or Latin origins. Students should also be reading their own Accelerated Reader books to reach their individual goals by March 8, 2024.
8th Grade Advanced ELA - Mr. Wagner
There’s nothing quite like a titillating “whodunnit” novel for a gripping winter read. Naturally, one must turn to the “Queen of Crime” herself, Agatha Christie, to find such thrills. Students in my advanced ELA classes have just finished Part 1 of 3 in Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express. In English class, we constantly teach the value of making both inferences and predictions, as well as engaging in close reading. Never do these skills become more useful than when one reads a murder mystery. I look forward to seeing the students develop their own unique theories concerning the killer and his or her motive before we reach the story’s resolution. Students should also be reading their independent AR books to meet their goal by March 8th.
8th Grade Honors ELA - Mr. Wagner
I think poet Christina Rossetti said it best when she first penned the line “In the bleak mid-winter,” for that’s precisely where we find ourselves. Without it is cold and dreary; however, within Room 108 students in honors ELA are enjoying the warmth and are currently exploring the exposition of our novel, October Sky by Homer Hickam, Jr. This memoir contains endless life lessons about perseverance, the power of knowledge, and most importantly, realizing what’s most important in one’s life before it is too late. Along with analyzing the plot, we have been investigating the numerous historical events that occurred during the time of this story. Students should be diligently working on their Quarter 3 creative writing assignment and be waist-deep in a marvelous book for AR. Happy reading!
