Saturday, April 25, 2015

Earthquake strikes Nepal

It is with great sadness that I share with you the news of a powerful earthquake that has struck Kathmandu. As was the case of the natural disaster in Haiti several years ago, many of those impacted by the earthquake had so little to begin with. India's government is assisting the people of Nepal in rescue operations.


This is in Kathmandu.

Additionally, as you might imagine, this is also the beginning of climbing season on Everest. It appears that the earthquake has caused avalanches:

This is an excerpt of a story from Reuters, an international news association.  By, GOPAL SHARMA AND ROSS ADKIN
...An Indian army mountaineering team found 18 bodies on Mount Everest, where an avalanche unleashed by the earthquake swept through the base camp, where more than 1,000 climbers had gathered at the start of the climbing season.
Choti Sherpa, who works at the Everest Summiteers Association, was unable to call her family and colleagues on the mountain. "Everyone is trying to contact each other, but we can't," she said. "We are all very worried."
TOURIST TRAIL
A second tourism official, Mohan Krishna Sapkota, said it was "hard to even assess what the death toll and the extent of damage" around Everest could be.
"The trekkers are scattered all around the base camp and some had even trekked further up. It is almost impossible to get in touch with anyone."



Some of you may have seen that I hung our prayer flags on the field yesterday. I'd like to think that the positive energy you put into them will be carried on the wind across the miles to those who need it most. Refuah shlemiah.


Friday, April 24, 2015

Week of 4/27

As we turn the corner to May, we complete our novel studies and move to short stories, poetry and creative writing. We will begin the last grammar unit covering pronouns. Our last vocabulary unit will consist of figurative language terms. This week you have two assessments and your final draft of the Persuasive Essay due. Plan your time carefully. Extra time in class following a test may be used for any outstanding work you need to complete in language arts. If all work is completed, you will begin reading Greek Myths.

Monday: BizTown

Tuesday/Wednesday: Adverb Unit Test (this will include concepts covered in all previous units)

Thursday: Vocabulary and Roots Test Unit 12
                  We will begin the Pronoun Unit when the test is finished.

Friday: "B" Day begins at the Lower School for Kabbalat Shabbat as we wish the 8th graders n'siah tovah!

This week's "homework" is to use your time to make final edits to your essay and to STUDY!!!
Turn in TWO printed copies of your essay to me on Friday. Use your rubric!
You will have an Edmodo post due next week.

Friday, April 17, 2015

CTP IV week

This week we tackle standardized testing and have fun, too! Monday through Thursday will be a "B" schedule. On Thursday after testing we will celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut. This is a fun day filled with Israeli-related activities. On Friday we will have a regular schedule.

PLEASE: Get a good night's sleep each day and eat a healthy breakfast. You may bring a book to read if you have time in your testing room. You may use a simple calculator for Math part 2. Mr. Heyen will be the testing administrator for my (our) advisory. I will be with the eighth graders.

IN CLASS
Monday: Adverb Unit Review. You will receive the Study Guide for this unit's test, which will be on April 28/29.

Tuesday and Wednesday: Discussion of A Wrinkle in Time and When You Reach Me. We will cover allusion, foreshadowing, and flashback. We'll also talk about the discussion questions you completed in class, and will play the $10,000 Pyramid Game!

Thursday: Celebration of Yom Ha Atzmaut

Friday: Test on When You Reach Me/A Wrinkle in Time  You will not need to cite evidence for this test, but it will be open note, open book as always.

As you look forward to summer, there are several camps available for you and your parents to explore: SUMMER CAMPS

In honor of the $10,000 Pyramid Game, enjoy this comic! Be sure to look at the category name to understand the punch line.



Friday, April 10, 2015

Down the home stretch!

The title of this post refers to the last section of a race, in which the competitors (human, equine, canine, or other) are heading for the area of the track that indicates the end. We aren't yet to the end of the school year, but I can feel its approach. We still have some wonderful and exciting units to cover, so stay with me!


This week you will complete the Persuasive Essay (due Friday by the end of class) as well as the Adverb Unit. I will be out of school on Tuesday and Thursday, but you will be in the capable hands of Mrs. Klein on Tuesday and Mrs. Solmson on Thursday. Both are able to assist you with your editing.  Continue reading When You Reach Me and begin learning the Unit 12 vocabulary and root words. I hope you all enjoyed your break!

Day 1: Introductory Paragraph for the essay (funnel style with broad statement)
***NOTE: I have updated the Guideline Document accessible via the blog. It is titled Persuasive Essay Structure.***

            Adverb Unit pp. 187, 189, 191, 193 (ODDS only)
Day 2: In EG, pp. 195, 196, 198, 200, 201, 202, 205 ODDS are due FRIDAY (Day 4)
            Work on your essay, using your rubric as a guide.
Day 3: Work on your essay, using your rubric as a guide. EG pages due tomorrow.
Day 4: Double negatives, essay due at the end of class.

HOMEWORK: Read When You Reach Me, work on Unit 12 words (a few each day), EG pages listed above.

Note: The Adverb Unit test will be cumulative (including all grammar concepts learned thus far) and will be on 4/28 or 4/29 depending on your block. The Unit 12 vocab test will be on 4/30. There will not be a separate cumulative test on units 10-13. The cumulative assessment for those units will be included on the final exam.