Mr. Miller

8th Grade English

8th Grade Honors English

The goal of the English Program is to foster in each child an enthusiasm for reading, writing, and thinking critically while focusing on the California State Standards for Language Arts.

Email: dmiller@fc.spusd.net              Phone: 626.441.5830 ext 3206

THIS WEEK IN MR. MILLER'S CLASS

(Students and parents, plans and homework are subject to change.)

WEEK OF AUGUST 22, 2011

All Classes

Thursday

Agenda:

• Introductions
  

• Goal Setting with John Wooden's Pyramid of Success
  

Homework:

• Read Mr. Miller's Site
  

• Read 8th Grade Rules/Expectations (extra copy here)
  

• Read School Rules in Binder Reminder
  

• TEST MONDAY on the above three reading assignments
  

Friday

Agenda:

• Finish Goal Setting
  

• "I Am Mine" Concrete Poem--Due Tuesday/Wednesday
  

Homework:

• Study for reading quiz on Monday!
  

• "I Am Mine" Concrete Poem--Due Tuesday/Wednesday
  

Week of August 29, 2011

All Classes

Monday

Agenda

• Rules/Expectations Quiz
  

• Work on Goal Setting
  

• Wolves Assembly
  

Homework:

• Concrete Poem Tuesday/Wednesday
  

Tuesday/Wednesday

• Write Letters (follow-up on Wolves Assembly)
  

• Concrete Poems--Gallery Walk
  

• Literature Devices
  

Thursday/Friday

• Literary Devices
  

• Begin reading Watson's go to Birmingham
  

Week of September 5

Monday

• Labor Day--NO SCHOOL!
  

Tuesday/Wednesday

• Literature Devices Quiz
  

• New Vocabulary--Check Vocabulary Thursday/Friday---Test Monday
  

• Watson's Go To Birmingham
  

• Finish reading Chapter 1
  

• Write Summary for Chapter 1
  

• Find at least 2 Lit Devices in Chapter 1
  

Homework:

• Vocabulary--definitions due Thursday/Friday
  

WEDNESDAY NIGHT

• Back-to-School Night--6 PM
  

Thursday/Friday

• Review Vocabulary--Test Monday
  

• LMC--Check out Watsons Go To Birmingham
  

• Read Chapter 2
  

• Write a Connection Paragraph for Chapter 2
  

• Find at least 2  Lit Devices from Chapter 2
  

Weekend Homework:

• Study Vocabulary--Test Monday
  

• Read Chapter 3, write a one-paragraph summary of Chapter 3 (put summary in your English Journal)
  

Week of September 12

8th Grade English

Monday

• Vocabulary Test
  

• New Vocabulary
  

• English Journal Check
  

• Watsons--Read Chapter 3
  

Tuesday

• Review Vocabulary
  

• Watsons--Chapters 4-5
  

• Work on Literary Devices
  

Thursday

• Watsons--Chapters 6-7
  

• Work on Literary Devices
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• Vocabulary Test
  

• New Vocabulary
  

• English Journal Check
  

• Watsons--Read Chapter 5
  

Wednesday

• Review Vocabulary
  

• Watsons--Literature Circles
  

• Work on Literary Devices
  

Friday

• Watsons--Literature Circles
  

• Work on Literary Devices
  

Week of September 19

8th Grade English

Monday

• Vocabulary Test
  

• New Vocabulary
  

• Tall Tales (Period 1 only)
  

• Watsons--Read Chapter 7
  

Tuesday

• Review Vocabulary
  

• Work on Literary Devices
  

• Watsons--Read Chapters 8
  

Thursday

• Work on Literary Devices
  

• Watsons--Civil Rights Lesson/Read Chapters 9 and 10
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• Vocabulary Test
  

• New Vocabulary
  

• Read Chapters 11
  

Wednesday

• Review Vocabulary
  

• Work on Literary Devices
  

• Watsons Chapters 12, 13 and 14
  

Friday

• Work on Literary Devices
  

• Civil Rights Lesson
  

• Watsons--Finish the Book
  

Week of September 26

8th Grade English

Monday

• Vocabulary Test
  

• Lit Circles with Chapters 8, 9 and 10
  

• Homework:  Read Chapter 11
  

Tuesday

• Lit Devices
  

• Finish Lit Circle work with chapters 8, 9 and 10
  

• Homework: Read Chapter 12 and 13
  

Thursday

• Read Chapter 14 in class
  

• Civil Rights Lesson
  

• Homework: Finish "Sunday School Bombing" work--Due Monday
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• Vocabulary Test
  

• Lit Circles on rest of Watsons
  

Wednesday

• Lit Devices
  

• Lit Circle Work
  

• Watson's Focus Questions--Due Monday
  

Friday

• Lit Circle Presentations
  

• Work on Lit Devices
  

• Work on Focus Questions
  

• Homework: Focus Questions--Due Monday
  

Week of October 10

8th Grade English

Monday

• Turn in Focus Questions (w/ Rough Draft)
  

• Turn in your copy of Watsons to to Birmingham
  

• Check out House on Mango Street
  

• Begin reading House on Mango Street
  

Tuesday

• House on Mango Street
  

• Read up through page 28
  

• Vignette writing
  

• Work on Lit Devices
  

Thursday

• House on Mango Street
  

• Read up through page 76
  

• Vignette writing
  

• Work on Lit Devices
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• New Vocabulary (Pick 5 words from House on Mango Street..group activity Wednesday)
  

• House on Mango Street
  

• Read rest of book by Wednesday
  

• Work on Lit Devices
  

• Write a vignette about an event (share Wednesday)
  

Wednesday

• Vocabulary Activity
  

• House on Mango Street
  

• Vignette writing
  

• Introduce Lit Device Book
  

Friday

• Focus Question
  

• Vignette writing
  

• Work on Lit Device Book
  

Week of October 17

8th Grade English

Monday

• New Vocabulary
  

• Lit Devices
  

• Read Pg 76-91
  

Tuesday

• Vocabulary Activity
  

• Lit Devices
  

• Vignette Writing
  

• Read Pg 92-110
  

Thursday

• Vocabulary Activity
  

• Lit Device Book
  

• Vignette Writing--Humor
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• Vocabulary Test
  

• New Vocabulary
  

• Work on Lit Device Book
  

Wednesday

• Review Vocabulary
  

• Vignette Writing--Revision
  

• Work on Lit Device Book
  

Friday

• Vignettes Due
  

• Short Story
  

• Work on Lit Device Book
  

Students, click here for a copy of the Lit Device Book Template

Week of October 24

8th Grade English

Monday

• Vocabulary
  

• Work on Lit Device Book (Period 3 introduce project)
  

• Writer's Workshop
  

Tuesday

• Writer's Workshop--Essay Structure, Vignette Writing
  

• Lit Device Book
  

• Short Story
  

Thursday

• Vignettes Due
  

• District Writing Prompt
  

• Work on Lit Device Book
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• Vocabulary test
  

• Turn in Lit Device Book
  

• Work on Vignette
  

Wednesday

• Turn in Vignette
  

• Essay Structure
  

• Short Story
  

Friday

• District Writing Prompt
  

• Short Story
  

Week of October 31

8th Grade English

Monday

• Short story--"the Tell-Tale Heart"
  

• new vocabulary
  

Tuesday

• Plot structure/theme--"the Tell-Tale Heart"
  

• review vocabulary
  

Thursday

• Short story--"Moon Face"
  

• plot diagram
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• Read--"Up the Slide"
  

• New vocabulary
  

Wednesday

• Review vocabulary
  

• analyze "Up the Slide"
  

• Short Story Writing Activity--Rough Draft due Friday
  

Links to short stories:

• "Moon-Face"
  

• "Lamb to the Slaughter"
  

• ("the Tell-Tale Heart" is on page 522 in your Literature Book)
  

Friday

• Writer's Workshop
  

• Into activity for Touching Spirit Bear
  

Week of November 7

8th Grade English

Monday

• New Vocabulary
  

• Read "Lamb to the Slaughter"
  

Tuesday

• Review Vocabulary
  

• Review "Lamb to the Slaughter"
  

• Writing Activity
  

• Links to short stories:
  

• "Moon-Face"
  

• "Lamb to the Slaughter"
  

• ("the Tell-Tale Heart" is on page 522 in your Literature Book)
  

Thursday

• Writer's Workshop
  

Work on Writing Activity

Rough Draft Due Tuesday, November 15

Final Draft Due Thursday, November 17

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• New Vocabulary
  

• Begin Touching Spirit Bear
  

Wednesday

• Review Vocabulary
  

• Turn in Short Story writing assignment
  

• Read Touching Spirit Bear
  

Thursday

• Read Touching Spirit Bear
  

• Focus Question
  

Homework:  Touching Spirit Bear Focus Question--Due Wednesday, November 16

Week of November 14

8th Grade English

Monday: No School

Tuesday:

• Vocabulary Test
  

• Writer's Workshop--short story--final draft due Thursday
  

• Touching Spirit Bear--into activity, begin reading novel
  

Thursday

• Short Story Due
  

• Touching Spirit Bear--read, discuss characterization
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday: No School

Wednesday

• Vocabulary Test
  

• Focus Questions Due
  

• Touching Spirit Bear--read/discuss focus questions
  

Homework--Read up through chapter 8

Friday

• Touching Spirit Bear--chapter 6-8 quiz
  

• Read rest of Part I by Monday, November 21
  

Week of November 21

Have a great Thanksgiving Break!

Week of November 28

8th Grade English

Monday

• Check out Touching Spirit Bear (TSB)
  

• Read Chapters 3 and 4--write summaries of each chapter in English Journal
  

• New Vocabulary
  

Tuesday

• TSB--Review chapters 3 and 4
  

• Read chapter 5
  

• Review vocabulary
  

• Introduce TSB Physical Challenge Activity
  

Thursday

• Commit to a Physical Challenge
  

• Chapters 1-5 Focus Question
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• New Vocabulary
  

• Touching Spirit Bear (TSB) Focus Question #2
  

• Introduce TSB Physical Challenge
  

Wednesday

• Review Vocabulary
  

• TSB--read Part II
  

• Work on Focus Question #2
  

• Introduce Nature Walk Field Trip
  

Friday

• Focus Questions Due
  

• Totem Pole Activity
  

Week of December 5

8th Grade English

• Focus Question #1
  

• Touching Spirit Bear
  

• Reading chapters 6, 7, 8 by Thursday
  

Homework over the weekend:

• Physical Discipline
  

• Read up to the end of Part I (page 134)
  

8th Grade Honors English

Touching Spirit Bear

• Physical Discipline
  

• Finish the rest of the novel
  

• Nature Walk permission forms due
  

• Begin writing TSB essay--final draft due Friday, January 6
  

Week of December 12

8th Grade English

Monday

Touching Spirit Bear

• Focus Question #2--Due Thursday
  

• Read Chapter 14
  

• Continue Physical Discipline
  

Tuesday

Touching Spirit Bear

• Read chapter 15 and 16
  

• Circle Justice Activity
  

• Continue Physical Discipline
  

Thursday

• Focus Question #2 due
  

• Watch "Survivorman--Alaska"
  

• Continue Physical Discipline--discuss writing activity for this--Due Thursday, January 5
  

Homework over the break:

• Finish reading the rest of Touching Spirit Bear--we will start the essay when we reconvene in January
  

• Physical Discipline--reflection due Thursday, January 5
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• Vocabulary Test
  

• Touching Spirit Bear Essay--Writer's workshop on rough draft
  

Wednesday

• Nature Walk to Garfield Park--things to bring to class...
  

• English Journal/pencil or pen
  

• wear comfortable shoes
  

• wear warm clothing--we will be outside the entire period
  

Friday

• Nature Walk reflection due
  

• Movie TBD--focus on plot structure
  

Homework over the break:

• Touching Spirit Bear Essay--Final Draft Due Friday, January 6
  

• Physical Discipline--reflection due Friday, January 6
  

Week of January 2

Monday--No School--Holiday

Tuesday--No School--Staff Development Day

8th Grade English

Wednesday

• Touching Spirit Bear--Review and begin writing the essay
  

• Physical Discipline--Due Thursday!
  

Thursday

• Physical Discipline Due
  

• Touching Spirit Bear--Outline--finished outline due by Monday
  

8th Grade Honors English

Wednesday

• Touching Spirit Bear Essay--Peer Revision--Final Draft Due Friday
  

• Physical Discipline Due Friday
  

Friday

• Turn in Physical Discipline
  

• Turn in Touching Spirit Bear Essay
  

• Monster--Into Activity
  

Week of January 9

8th Grade English

Monday

• Touching Spirit Bear Essay
  

• Finish Outline
  

• Start writing Rough Draft
  

Tuesday

• Touching Spirit Bear Essay
  

• Finish Rough Draft
  

• Revise Rough Draft--focus on Ideas and Organization
  

• Homework--type Rough Draft
  

Thursday

• Touching Spirit Bear Essay
  

• Revise Typed Draft--Final Draft Due Tuesday, January 17
  

• Monster--Intro Activities
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• Turn in Touching Spirit Bear Books
  

• Review Legal and Court Terms #1--Test Friday
  

• Begin Reading Monster
  

Wednesday

• Read Monster
  

Friday

• Legal and Court Term Test
  

• Read Monster
  

Week of January 16

8th Grade English

Monday

• MLK Day--No School
  

Tuesday

• Touching Spirit Bear Essay Due (return Touching Spirit Bear to the LMC)
  

• Begin Reading Monster
  

Thursday

• Legal Terms #1 Test
  

• Continue Reading Monster
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• MLK Day--No School
  

Wednesday

• Watch 12 Angry Men--tie in with the court system and Monster
  

Friday

• Finish watching 12 Angry Men--answer focus questions
  

Week of February 7

8th Grade English

Monday

• Turn in 12 Angry Men questions
  

• Read Monster
  

Tuesday

• Check out Monster
  

• Read rest of prosecution's case
  

• continue taking notes
  

Thursday

• Felony Murder Rule--60 Minutes episode
  

• Read Monster--finish prosecution's case
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• Read rest of prosecution's case--test Wednesday
  

Wednesday

• prosecution's case test
  

• Monster Project--commit to your project.  Project due Wednesday, March 7 Monster Project guidelines here
  

• Read Defendant's case
  

Friday

• Continue reading Defendant's case
  

Week of February 13

8th Grade English

Monday

• Continue Reading Monster--Defense's Case
  

Tuesday

• Monster---finish reading Defense's Case, start reading Closing Statements
  

• Monster Project--Pick a project by Thursday, February 16...Final Project Due by March 22
  

Thursday

• Monster Project--commit to a project
  

• Finish reading Monster
  

Friday--No School

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• Continue reading Closing Statements
  

Wednesday

• Finish reading Monster
  

• Begin Monster Essay
  

Thursday

• Continue working on Monster Essay
  

Friday--No School

Week of February 20

8th Grade English

Monday--No School

Tuesday

• Finish reading Monster
  

• Begin Monster Essay
  

Thursday

• Work on Monster Essay
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday-No School

Wednesday

• Work on Monster Essay
  

Friday

• Utopian Short Stories
  

• "The Lottery"--by Shirley Jackson
  

• "Harrison Bergeron"--by Kurt Vonnegut
  

Week of February 27

8th Grade English

Monday

Finish outline for in-class Monster essay

Tuesday

Write in-class Monster essay

Thursday

Start Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Read chapter 1 in class. 

Start Reading Journal in class

Homework:

Finish chapter 1 journal entry

Read chapter 2 and write chapter 2 journal entry

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

Turn in reading questions

Utopia brainstorm

Wednesday

Utopia in-class project

Start Fahrenheit 451

Friday

Continue to read Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451 Extra Credit:

Attend one of the two lectures on Fahrenheit 451 at Cal Tech.  Write a one-page summary of what you learned.  Due by March 16

Lecture Information: (both at CalTech

http://library.caltech.edu/friends/

Sunday March 11 at 3pm at 101 Guggenheim

Matinee screening and then discussion

Monday  March 12, 7pm lecture and discussion

Week of March 5

8th Grade English

Monday--Teacher Professional Development Day--No School

Tuesday

• Review Vocabulary
  

Boy in the Striped Pajamas:

• Review Chapters 1 and 2
  

• Read Chapter 3 and 4
  

Thursday

• Vocabulary test
  

Boy in the Striped Pajamas:

• Read Chapters 5 and 6
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday--Teacher Professional Development Day--No School

Wednesday

• Vocabulary Test
  

• Monster Projects
  

• Work on Utopia Project
  

Friday

• Utopia Projects
  

F451

• Review pages 10-24
  

• Read pages 24-42
  

Week of March 12

8th Grade English

Thursday and Homework for the weekend

• In Class Focus Question covering chapters 1-8
  

• Read and do journal entries for Chapters 9-10.  Journal check on Monday
  

8th Grade Honors English

Friday and Homework over the weekend

• Test on "the Hearth and the Salamander"
  

• Read and do journal entries for "Part Two: The Sieve and the Sand" (pages 71-110)
  

Week of March 19

8th Grade English

Monday

• Review Vocabulary List #2--Test Thursday
  

• Read chapter 11
  

Tuesday

• 8th Grade Field Trip forms--forms due Tuesday, March 27
  

• Review chapters 9-11
  

• Read chapters 12-14 (journal check Monday)
  

Thursday

• Monster Projects Due
  

• Vocabulary Test
  

• Read chapters 12-14 (journal check Monday)
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• New Vocabulary
  

• Review Part II of F451
  

• Read pages 113-129
  

Wednesday

• Finish review of Part II of F451
  

• 8th Grade Field Trip forms--forms due Wednesday, March 28
  

• Read pages 129-145
  

Friday

• Word Roots
  

• Vocabulary Test
  

• Read pages 145-165
  

Week of March 26

8th Grade English

Monday

• Word Roots
  

• Boy in the Striped Pajamas
  

• Reading Journal Check
  

• Review Chapters 12-14
  

• Read Chapter 15-20 by Thursday
  

Tuesday

• Word Roots
  

• Boy in the Striped Pajamas
  

• Read chapters 16-20 by Thursday
  

Thursday

• Word Roots
  

• Boy in the Striped Pajamas
  

• Journal Check
  

• Review Chapters 15-20
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• Word Roots
  

• F451
  

• Journal Check
  

• Review Part III
  

• Read "Afterward" and "Coda"
  

Wednesday

• Word Roots
  

• F451
  

• Review "Afterward" and "Coda"
  

• F451 Final Focus Question--Due Friday, April 13
  

• Begin watching F451 movie
  

Friday

• Word Roots
  

• Watch F451 movie
  

Week of April 2

Spring Break!

8th Grade English:

Students, there is no homework over Spring Break; however, if you have not finished your reading journal for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, then you need to finish that over the break.  We will begin our essay when we return.

8th Grade Honors English:

Students, there is no homework over Spring Break; however, if you have not finished your reading journal for F451, then you need to finish that over the break.  We will begin our essay when we return.

Week of April 16

8th Grade English

Monday

• Prefixes
  

• Boy in the Striped Pajamas--Essay
  

• Poetry
  

Tuesday

• Boy in the Striped Pajamas--Essay (outline)
  

• Poetry
  

Thursday

• Boy in the Striped Pajamas--Essay (rough draft)
  

• Poetry
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• Poetry
  

Wednesday

• F451--essay--rough drafts due--writers workshop--Final Draft due Wednesday, April 25
  

• Poetry
  

Friday

• Poetry
  

Week of April 23

8th Grade English

Monday--Science Field Trip

Tuesday

• Writers Workshop-- Drafting Boy in the Striped Pajamas Essay
  

• Poetry-- Introduce project
  

• Work on Ode and Haiku
  

Thursday

• Writers Workshop--Revise Boy in the Striped Pajamas Essay
  

• Poetry--
  

• Work on Sonnets and Concrete Poetry
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday--Science Field Trip

Wednesday

• Turn in F451 Essay
  

• Watch "Obsolete Man"
  

• Work on Poetry Project
  

Friday

• Start The Pearl
  

• Poetry
  

• Concrete Poetry
  

ALL CLASSES:  Poetry Project guidelines here

Due Dates:

Periods 4 and 6: May 14

Periods 1, 3 and 5:  May 22

Week of May 14

8th Grade English

Monday

• The Outsiders
  

• Journal check--chapters 1-4
  

• Read and do journal entries for chapter 5
  

Tuesday

• Read and do journal entries for chapter 6
  

Thursday

• Read and do journal entries for chapter 7
  

• Begin Anthem
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• Poetry Project Due
  

Wednesday

• Poetry Projects
  

• The Pearl review
  

Friday

• The Pearl--Essay Questions
  

Be reading The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Week of May 21

8th Grade English

Monday

• The Outsiders--chapter 9
  

Tuesday

• Poetry Project Due
  

• The Outsiders chapters 10-12
  

Thursday

• Review The Outsiders chapters 7-12
  

8th Grade Honors English

Monday

• Finish Review of The Pearl
  

• Work on Essay--outline/rough draft
  

Wednesday

• The Pearl Essay--Writer's Workshop--Pearl Essay due Monday, May 28
  

• The Boy in the Striped Pajamas--finish reading by Monday, May 28
  

Friday

• Begin reading Tom Sawyer