8th Grade Core     

Welcome to Core!

Core-Cooperation, Organization, Responsibility and Excellence

              COOPERATION. We will work together as a group on many efforts in Core class. It is expected that each student will demonstrate respect for each other and our classroom.

              ORGANIZATION. It is important to recognize how critical it is to manage time well and keep all materials organized. Everyone is expected to be present, punctual and prepared.

              RESPONSIBILITY. Students are responsible for all class material and homework assignments. Students are also responsible for keeping communication open with me as well as keeping parents informed of progress.

              EXCELLENCE. Each student is expected to master the material to the best of his or her ability. I will provide the structure and organization for learning. I will also keep students aware of progress and facilitate your understanding of the material. Each student is expected to put forth 100% effort in reaching Core goals.

These goals include becoming an independent learner as well as learning to work in small groups; therefore emphasis will be placed on:

              Study skills

              Reading and Writing methods

              Note taking

              Test taking skills

              Research skills

              Computer skills

We are going to have a great year! If you have questions, comments or concerns, call at 667-4070 extension 482 or email at cfarrell@jbha.org or stop in the middle school office.

Sincerely,

Mrs.Farrell

LINKS

Find more information at the Core Information link or the Parent Information link.

The presidential race

Thesis paper writing

Current Events Rubric

One Book, One Philadelphia

Second Semester Long Term Projects

Poetry Workshop

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS

THE LAST FULL WEEK OF CORE! JUNE 2-6

F day- Monday June 2nd

ALBD Chapters 29-31

Letter to self will be explained- yellow page 118

A day- Tuesday June 3rd

Short Story “If We Must Die” BLUE pages 167-176, YELLOW page 50

Questions assigned in class for page 50

B day- Wednesday June 4th

Styles of Dissent pages RED pages 216-222, YELLOW page 45

              Black Panthers RED page 222A        

              Malcolm X RED pages 223-226, Poem BLUE 260-261

              Black Power RED pages 227-230, 232-233

C day- Thursday June 5th

Poem in Two Voices for ALBD due, instructions in the yellow photocopy pages 92-93

Please hand in the rubric on 94-95 with your poem, as well as your ALBD folder.

Leonard Pitts article –“Telling America’s Story”-copy to be given in class.

D day- Friday June 6th

Dorney park permission slip and $ due today

Students will need blue photocopy for class today -poetry

Materials for letter to self needed today.

Revised outline and opening paragraph (please include first draft) due today along with thesis folder

NO SCHOOL MONDAY JUNE 9TH AND TUESDAY JUNE 10TH

E day- Wednesday June 11th

Evaluations-Yellow page 116-117

ALBD folders and Thesis work returned today

Field Day 6-8th period-wear your red or blue!

F day- Thursday June 12th

Dorney Park trip

Have a wonderful and relaxing summer!

Remember to check the Barrack website for summer reading assignments!

May 27th -May 30th

Monday May 26th

Memorial Day- N0 School

Tuesday May 27th

Integration of Central High School, Little Rock, Arkansas pages RED 177-186, YELLOW page 44

BLUE page 257, Short Story in BLUE “The Cheerleaders” pages 180-184

Wednesday May 28th

Sit Ins RED pages 187-188, YELLOW page 44

Freedom Riders RED 189-193 to # 2, YELLOW page 45

March on Birmingham RED pages 193-197

March on Washington RED pages 197-202 BLUE page 258

Thursday May 29th

ALBD Chapters 21-28

Revised opening paragraph

Friday May 30th

Freedom Summer RED pages 203-212, YELLOW page 45

Voting Rights Act and Voting history RED pages 213-216

Outline Due

Thesis Paper

Working Bibliography/Initial Research- 4/30

Narrowed Topic- 5/1

Note cards (25) 5/5

Thesis Question –5/6

Note cards (25) 5/9

Thesis Statement/Opening Paragraph- 5/20

Outline for Paper - 5/30

A Lesson Before Dying

Introduction April 29th Blue Photocopy needed

Chapters 1-10 pages 3-79 May 7th A day

Chapters 11-20 pages 80-159 May 19th C day

Chapters 21-28 pages 160-225 May 29th C day

Chapters 29-31 pages 226-256 June 2nd F day

Poem in Two Voices June 5th C day

Core Assignments May 19-23th

Monday May 19th

ALBD Chapters 11-20Williamsburg Assignment A

Tuesday May 20th

Thesis statement/Opening Paragraph

Emmett Till RED 166-167, YELLOW page 44

Williamsburg Assignment B

Wednesday May 21st

 Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott pages RED 169-172, 174-175, YELLOW page 44

Thursday May 22nd

Short Story in Blue “The Test” pages 164-166, YELLOW 51-52

Outline for Paper started in class

Friday May 23rd

Williamsburg Assignment C-please leave this on my desk in the middle school office before Lag B’Omer

Core Assignments May 5th-9th

During the week of May 5th, students will prepare for the Williamsburg trip through a variety of activities including a map project, readings, a computer effort and a film. Come prepared this week for any questions you have regarding the trip.  Written work for Williamsburg efforts, except the map project and film questions, is to be word processed and kept in a folder marked WILLIAMSBURG.

Be sure to bring your novel- A Lesson Before Dying to class every day this week, we may have time for SSR.

 Also be sure to bring research folder, we may have time for research and note cards.

Monday May 5th

25 Note cards

8-2 Finish Williamsburg computer effort tonight, if not completed in class

Tuesday May 6th

Thesis question

Williamsburg readings due, pages announced in class

Map effort finished, if not completed in class

Wednesday May 7th

ALBD Chapters 1-10

Williamsburg readings due, pages announced in class

Friday May 9th

25 Note cards , or you may hand in cards Monday May 12 before the trip

Film questions for A Story of a Patriot to be completed for homework if not finished in class.

Williamsburg Preparation

Week of May 5th -See Packet and Booklet handed out in class

Due dates listed above

Core Assignments April 30-May 2

Wednesday April 30th

Working Bibliography to be handed in and Initial Research in folder

Review information and questions for Jane Pittman film pages 63-65 in yellow

Thursday May 1st

Narrowed topic for thesis paper

Assigned Jane Pittman questions, answered in copybook

Friday May 2nd

Civil Rights Timeline RED page 154

Brown v Board of Education RED pages 155-165, YELLOW page 44

CORE ASSIGNMENTS April 14-16

Monday 4/14

Family history due

In class survival game to introduce the civil rights movement

Pack of 100 blank index cards due today for research paper note taking

You will need a folder for research materials for the library on Tuesday 4/15

Tuesday 4/15

Research time in the library for thesis paper

By the end of the double period you should have a working bibliography started and articles copied that you will need to actively read and create note cards for background research for your paper.

Wednesday 4/16

Poetry in class, bring blue photocopy

Locker and Classroom clean-out

4/17-4/28-HAVE A RELAXING AND ENJOYABLE SPRING BREAK!

CORE ASSIGNMENTS March 31-April 11

Due Monday 3/31

Parent Student Book Report

Due Tuesday 4/1

In class we will review the Plessy v. Ferguson case, finish our discussion the short story The Wife of His Youth and create a chart for the African American visionaries we read about in class on Monday.

Due Wednesday 4/2

Red photocopy- Actively read pages 147-150, 150A-150L

Name and Map for Family History due today- Green Photocopy p. 157

Due Thursday 4/3

The short story Rat Joiner Routs the Klan found in the blue photocopy pages 133-139. Questions in the yellow photocopy page 48-49, questions will be assigned in class

Friday 4/4 -No School-Records Day

Monday 4/7

Lifeline Due Green Photocopy p. 158

Research Project will be explained in class

Finish Rat Joiner Routs the Klan short story discussion

Tuesday 4/8

In class we will review for the test

Wednesday 4/9

 TEST

Below is a list of the topics that will be on the test scheduled for April 9th. Please review your homework questions, notes, handouts and active reading assignments.    

Sectionalism The Civil War: Review the notes we took in response to the assigned questions 

The film "Glory"

Notes we took about the "paradox" that America presents before and during the war

Our timeline information 1860-1896

Emancipation Proclamation

Gettysburg Address

Reconstruction-Lincoln's plan v. the Radical Republicans, the condition of the South post war Freedmen's Bureau

Black Codes

Sharecropping

KKK

Presidency of Andrew Johnson

13th, 14th, 15th Amendments

Ulysses S. Grant

Compromise of 1877, ending Reconstruction

Plessy v. Ferguson

The Short Story- The Wife of His Youth

It may be helpful to review a little of this information each night so you are well prepared.DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO STUDY! The test will include a variety of objective questions-true and false, identifications, chronology and some short answers.

Due Thursday 4/10

Actively read in the red photocopy pages 152A-152C, 153-55

Due Friday 4/11

Bring all the edited and revised writing efforts for your family history to class, along with a scrapbook or binder and decorative materials. We will be spending class time putting together the family history project.

MARCH 17-21

There are no red photocopy readings this week. Please use your Core homework time this week to prepare for the test and continue with your parent student book report. It may also be a good week to be sure you are up to date on family history revision and editing and that you have a revised copy of your Of Beetles and Angels responsibilities emailed to jbha.org address.

DUE 3/17

CURRENT EVENTS #5-last summary due today

3/19

TEST- Africa-pre civil war. The test consists of 5 short answer questions, 5 identifications, a matching test and a chronology.

Information for studying should include; The Mandinko of Gambia, African Storytelling, The slave trade, slavery in America, timeline 1619-1861, spirituals, abolitionists, compromises, documents and laws pre Civil War regarding slavery.

DUE 3/20

FAMILY TREE-see green photocopy page 154 for directions

Please review answers to civil war questions so you are prepared for our class discussion today. We will have a guest speaker for both classes A5 in Room 11.

DUE 3/21

GLORY JOURNAL ENTRY- It may be helpful to look at the information and questions about the film on pages 60-62 in the yellow photocopy to write your journal entry.

MARCH 24-28

DUE 3/24

CURRENT EVENTS FINAL PROJECT-see directions in the yellow photocopy pages 112-114. Also review the notes about the project we took in class. READING AND QUESTIONS- Red 130-136 Reconstruction, Questions in Yellow 36

DUE 3/25

READING- Red 137-143 Black Codes

Answer the 3 questions on 141 in RED photocopy under the heading For Discussion and Writing

DUE 3/26

100-YEAR-OLD BIRTHDAY-see green photocopy page 155-156 for directions

READING AND QUESTIONS- Red 144-146 Plessy v. Ferguson, Questions -Yellow 36

DUE 3/27

READINGS AND QUESTIONS- Blue 125-133 The Wife of His Youth, Yellow 46-47, questions assigned in clas

A Look Ahead…

DUE 3/31-PARENT STUDENT BOOK REPORT- Yellow photocopy pages 69-75

DUE 4/2-FAMILY HISTORY NAME/MAP-Green photocopy page 157

DUE 4/7- LIFELINE- Green photocopy page 158

March 3rd-17th

All reading assignments are active reading assignments and answers to questions are completed in the copybook unless otherwise indicated.

Due March 3rd

Current Events #3 (Typed, double spaced with citation)

Slave Ship Memorial Effort and Journal Entry (typed and double spaced)

Red Photocopy readings 70-75 Yellow photocopy page 22,questions assigned in class

Red Photocopy readings 75A, 76-77

Due March 4th

Red Photocopy “Firebell in the Night” pages 84-91, Yellow photocopy page 25

Due March 5th

Family History Acrostic Poem Green Photocopy page 153 (Typed, double spaced)

Due March 6th

Book Choice for next book report, Yellow photocopy page 69-75

Due March 7th

Red Photocopy 94-98 or 99-102, choice decided in class, Yellow photocopy page 25

Red Photocopy “Daring Words and Then a Raid” pages 107-110, Yellow photocopy page 25

Due March 10th

Current Events # 4 (Typed, double spaced with citation)

Lincoln and the Civil War Red Photocopy 113-123,129, Yellow Photocopy page 32

Due March 11th

Beetles and Angels Literature Circle Project (Typed, double spaced), Information given in class and can be found on the One Book, One Philadelphia link

Due March 13th

Read the first three paragraphs in Yellow Photocopy on page 60 about the movie “Glory”. We will be watching the film in class.

Due March 14th

Family History Gratitude Letter Green Photocopy page 153 (Typed, double spaced) This was first completed at Thanksgiving. Please be sure your final draft is polished and proofread.

Attention Core Students:

This weekend is a good time to catch up on final drafts of the family history pieces and read your parent student book for the report that is due on March 31st.

Also the final project for Current Events is due March 24th. Requirements for this final effort are in the yellow photocopy and will be reviewed in class.

Current Events #5 due March 17

FEBRUARY 19-MARCH 3

CURRENT EVENTS

Current Events #1 Due 2/19

Current Events #2 Due 2/25

Current Events #3 Due 3/3

MIDTERM TAKE HOME ESSAY

Due 2/22

ONE BOOK, ONE PHILADELPHIA

Of Beetles and Angels Section 2- 46-92 Comprehension questions on handout Due 2/19

Of Beetles and Angels Section 3- 95-138 Comprehension questions on handout Due 2/26

FAMILY HISTORY

A Poetry Gift Green page 151 Due 2/20

Medicine Bag Green page 152 Due 2/27

READINGS AND QUESTIONS

Questions will be assigned in class

The Mandinko of Gambia Yellow Photocopy 14-16 Yellow Questions12-13 Due 2/20

Slavery Readings Red Photocopy 26-37 Yellow Questions 19-20 Due 2/26

Slave Community Red Photocopy 49-64A Yellow 24 Due 2/28

Slave Laws/Defending Slavery Red Photocopy, 70-75-with questions in yellow on page 22 and Red Photocopy pages 75A, 76-77 Due 3/3

FILMS

Questions will be assigned in class

Roots I Yellow Questions page 58 Due 2/29

SLAVE SHIP

Directions will be given in class

Slave ship effort due 3/3

February 11-19th

This week in Core:

I will not be in school Monday and students should work on the African map project. This effort is due on Wednesday February 13th. 

On Tuesday, students will begin to read the “One Book, One Philadelphia” memoir-Of Beetles and Angels. Students will participate in literature circles in Core, examining the life of Mawi Asgedom and his American Dream. This story offers students a unique look at the life of a refugee. Using what they learned the first semester and where we are going for the second semester, they will reflect upon and draw thoughtful conclusions about this reading experience.

The first 44 pages and comprehension questions are due February 14th.

On Wednesday and Thursday students will spend part of the day participating in an in class poetry workshop. This fun and creative experience gives the students a chance to flex some creative writing muscle and offers a well-deserved break from midterm preparations. They will also have the opportunity to include the poetry that they write in their family/personal history folder. The due dates for poetry will be announced in class.

There is no school Friday or Monday. When students return to school on Tuesday February 19th, they are responsible for having read the next section of Of Beetles and Angels and completing questions for their literature circle portfolio.

Those pages include 47-92. Questions are on a handout distributed in class and are also listed in a link listed above.

Students will also have the opportunity to read some information about a recent history of the Sudan and the Sudanese “lost boys”. There are several opportunities through the “One Book, One Philadelphia” effort for students to hear talks about these experiences. I have distributed a calendar of events to each student and I encourage them to investigate one of the options.

Please check the Second Semester Long term projects link listed above for information about current events, family history, book reports and other projects for the second semester.