Mrs. Terry’s 8th Grade Language Arts Lesson Plans
Week of January 9, 2012
Last week Tuesday through Friday I asked my students to write response essays to pieces of literature. This is supposed to have been a practiced skill by the 8th grade year. I found that the students, with few exceptions, had no idea how to approach this type of answer even though I know they worked on this skill last year. This is a STAAR objective and life skill (college entrance essays, job essays, witness reports, etc.,) and it must be mastered this year. After looking at their first efforts on this writing style, I realized that I must back up and teach even the process of how to read and mark the question itself so as to ensure a complete understanding of what exactly is the question. I taught and modeled the thesis statement: insert the answer and restate the question in one concise sentence. I then taught and modeled how to use effective proof statements that tie directly to the answer. Then I gave them notes and examples of paraphrases and connection devices to fashion flowing effective paragraphs. I modeled two writings, and asked them to copy and/or clean up their own. Now the one I ask them to do in class Monday and Tuesday will count as a test grade.
Monday-Tuesday in class: Students will rough draft and bring to final copy one short essay question from a piece of writing.
Wednesday: Universal Screening Test to all students.
Wednesday-Thursday: Students will watch the movie to “A Wrinkle in Time,” the novel we finished just before Christmas. While the movie is showing, I will be conferencing with various students about their essay papers.
Friday: Group activity–Students will write a movie review using effective descriptive words and terms such as characters, plot, setting.
TEKS 8.15A, B, C, D, E, G, H: 8.16A; 8.18C, D; 8.16B, C, D, E, F; 8.1 7A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H; 8.18E, H 8.3A, B, C; 8.13A, B,; 8.6B;
