4th Quarter   Mar-May


Week 1

Monday: Labor Day
No School

Tuesday-Wednesday:
Sign out books. 
"Raymond's Run" by Toni Cade Bambara pg 3 (6 pgs)
"Raymond's Run" is a short story told from the point of view of a street-smart girl from Harlem. 

No vocabulary

Literary Terms:
Students should already be familiar with character, setting, and plot.  We will discuss theme, point of view, and the difference between internal and external conflict 

Thurs:
Each student should pick out a book from the shelf of books for eighth grade students.  The class will cover requirements for book reading.

Preview of "Taking a Quiz" and rubric for quiz essays

Other GLCE Goals:We will discuss the setting, characters, and events in this and every story that follows (R.NT.08.03-- see the GLCEs). 

Friday: This is how we Take a quiz.  I'll walk the class through the typical process of a reading quiz. 

Week 2
"Mrs. Flowers"
by Maya Angelou
pg 20  (2 3/4 pgs)
autobiography
Author link

Vocabulary
(R.WS.08.04)
benign
illiteracy
infuse
intolerant
taut
Review it

Literary Terms:
character,
setting,
plot,
theme,
point of view pg 26
imagery
(See pg 19 or English Terms.)

The Story: "Mrs. Flowers" is told from the point of view of an impoverished, rural girl named Marguerite, who has difficulty with shyness.  An older woman named Mrs. Flowers singles her out and makes a difference in her life. 

Other GLCE Goals:
After reading "Mrs. Flowers", each student will make a connections between this and the previous text (R.CM.08.03) comparing and contrasting the brash character of Squeaky with the inhibited Marguerite of "Mrs. Flowers".   The student will reflect on these two readings, find evidence, discuss, and then write a response about the connections they find (R.CM.08.03-- see GLCEs).

Week 3
"The
Landlady"
by Roald Dahl
pg 171  (7 pgs)
short story

Author link

Vocabulary
(R.WS.08.04)
blemish
conjured
congenial
emanate
façade
linger
rapacious
swanky
tantalizing
threshold
Review it

Literary Terms:
character,
setting,
plot,
theme,
foreshadowing (See pg 170 or English Terms.)

The Story: The little old lady in the tale "The Landlady" is stranger than she appears! 

This story tied for favorite story in 2006-2007.

Other GLCE Goals:
We will discuss the setting, characters, and events in this and every story that follows (R.NT.08.03-- see GLCEs). 

Week 4
"There will Come Soft Rains"
by Ray Bradbury
pg 215  (4 pgs)
short story


Poem link

Vocabulary
(R.WS.08.04)
oblivious
paranoia
sublime
tremulous
cavorting
hysterically
preoccupation
quivered
shrapnel
Silhouette
Review it

Literary Terms:
character,
setting,
plot,
theme,
personification (See p 214 or English Terms.)

The Story: This is a difficult piece--not only with some extended vocabulary, but a story that uses personification of a house rather than using actual characters (R.NT.00.04-- see GLCEs). 

Other GLCE Goals:
We will discuss the setting, characters, and events in this and every story that follows (R.NT.08.03-- see GLCEs).   

Week 5
"The Monkey's Paw"
by W.W. Jacobs
pg 185  (7 pgs)


Story link

Vocabulary
(R.WS.08.04)
placidly
presumptuous
credulity
prosaic
avaricious
averted
inaudible
apathy
resounded
reverberated
Review it

Literary Terms:
character,
setting,
plot,
theme,
suspense   
(See English Terms.)

The Story: This classic horror story that gives three wishes that go wrong. 

This story came in a close second place for favorite story in 2006-2007. 

Other GLCE Goals:
While reading this story, the student will begin to make meaningful predictions based on illustrations or portions of the text.  (R.CM.08.03-- see GLCEs).

Week 6
"Paul Revere's Ride"
by Longfellow
pg 537 (6pgs)
or
Poem link

Vocabulary
(R.WS.08.04)
belfry
defiance
gilded
impetuous
moorings
muster
somber
stealthy
sentinel
spectral
Review it

Literary Terms:
Paul Revere's Ride:
narrative poem
Poetry Presentation:
free verse
refrain
rhyme scheme
speaker
stanza
meter


(See English Terms.)

The Poem: "Paul Revere's Ride", our first long poem, was written by one America's early favorite poets, Henry Longfellow.  This classic interpretation of American history will help the student become familiar with literature that represents the American heritage we share (R.NT.00.01-- see GLCEs).

Choose a Poem for Oral Presentation
and be prepared to read and explain the poem in front of the class.

"Time to Talk" by Robert Frost, Pg 16
"If I Can Stop One Heart From Breaking" by Emily Dickinson,  Pg 77
"The Courage my Mother Had" by Edna St. Vincent Millay, Pg 108
"Legacy II" by Leroy V. Quintana, Pg 109
" The Secret Heart" by Robert P. Tristram Coffin Pg 112
"Grandma Ling" by Amy Ling Pg 135
"Grandma" by Shandin Pete, Pg 148
"Na Na" by Jaqueta Oliver, Pg 148
WARNING:
Presentations are due at the beginning of the hour Friday.  There will be no preparation time allowed--NONE! There will be no make-up! 

Week 8: The MEAP Tests

No vocabulary

Literary Terms:

Students will write about their novels using the literary elements we have been studying this quarter, namely:
character
setting
plot
theme
conflict
character development
foreshadowing
(See English Terms.)

Week 7 & 9
Student-Selected Novel
In the last weeks of October, we will be working on novel projects.

Review Checklist for the 1st Quarter Test
Our glossary is on pgs 705-718

Narrative Prose Text

Range of Genre
novel
short story

Literary Elements
character
plot
theme
setting
conflict
foreshadowing
imagery   
personification   
point of view
suspense

Informational Prose Text

Literary Elements

Poetic Text

Range of Genre
Narrative poem
free verse

Poetic Elements
meter
refrain
rhyme scheme
speaker
stanza