Grade 7: Literature Circles Have Begun!

We are reading various mystery themed novels for our Grade 7 literature circles. Students are expected to be reading each night to ensure that they have completed their predetermined page numbers/chapters by Friday of each week. On Fridays, groups will be discussing their reading and participating in various reading strategy skill building activities.

Please see the Google Docs for each group below to access the link to the audiobook, weekly reading breakdown, along with access to the One-Pager Final Project.

Alex Rider: Stormbreaker Group Google Doc

The Westing Game Group Google Doc

And Then There Were None Group Google Doc

 

Note: The One-Pager Final Project is due on Wednesday, June 12th. You will need to work on this project at home over the course of the next three weeks to ensure that you have adequate time to complete the assignment. 

One-Pager Final Project Instructions

Grade 8: Lord of the Flies Final Project (Due: Monday, June 3rd)

Last week we finished our class novel study of Lord of the Flies. Attached below you will find the final project for Language Arts for the Grade 8 class. Students are being asked to choose ONE of the various project descriptions. Remember that the purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the text. Each project should also include an analytical component, along with an incorporation of direct quotations from the text, and explanation. Each student will present their project to their peers.

Presentations will begin Monday, June 3rd. Please feel free to reach out with questions, comments, and concerns.

Note: This assignment will be completed primarily at home. This assignment should be considered homework for the next three weeks. 

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Public Speaking: The Results Are In!

Middle school students presented their speeches today at the Public Speaking Finals! Judges, parents, teachers, and peers were all thoroughly impressed. The judges had a very difficult decision to make. Thank you to all who participated in the finals. Each speech was delivered with a unique style and passion. I look forward to seeing what is in store for next year’s public speaking competition.

2019 Public Speaking Finals Results:

Gold- Jessica Ages

Silver- Talia Cherun

Bronze- Yamaya Newman

Public Speaking Finalists!

All of the speeches this year were incredible! Each and every student should be proud of their accomplishments. As a judge it was incredibly hard to choose who would be moving on to the finals.  Remember that these events are opportunities to grow and further your develop your learning skills.

This Friday we are eagerly anticipating the Grades 4-8 final public speaking event. Parents are invited and encouraged to come and listen to the speeches!
Here is the schedule:
9:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. – Grade 6, 7 & 8 speeches 
11:05 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Grade 4 & 5 speeches
In no particular order…here are the finalists from the 2019 Public Speaking Competition:
Grade 6:
Jenny Peters
Jordana Wyczynski
Yamaya Newman
Grade 7:
Ben Leinwand
Jessica Ages
Talia Cherun
Grade 8:
Julia Kingstone
Oliver Kolatacz
Eliana Mitzmacher

Grades 6-8: Public Speaking Here We Come!

I hope everyone had a great Passover break! This week we will complete our in-class speech presentations. By this point you should be practicing your speech, creating flashcards, and preparing to dazzle your peers. Below you will find the link for the presentation order. Monday and Tuesday will be used to practice in-class with partners and add any final touches to your speech. I will not be re-reading any speeches in their entirety prior to the presentations. If you have a specific question, please feel free to email me. I look forward to seeing all of your hard work come alive in the classroom!

Link: Public Speaking Presentation Order

Grades 6-8: Public Speaking Update/Learn How To Create a Proper Citation

The month of April is quickly coming to an end! This week our middle school speech writers should be completing their rough drafts of their speeches. The conclusion paragraph due date has been pushed back a day (now Thursday 4/18). Feedback will be coming in waves throughout the week.

Today we reviewed how to properly cite our sources. Students will be required to create a Works Cited page at the end of their speech. In-text citations will also be inserted to avoid plagiarism. Please remember to use MLA format for the in-text citations and Works Cited page. 


Here is the link to the slideshow that was used in class: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1KYC0mOUkwRFr0BOnjCgaWt-zL5WNWMTJadQTKUJpWaw/edit#slide=id.g566e4de188_0_148 

Links that can be used to create the Works Cited Page. Please remember that Works Cited Page should be an additional page at the end of your speech document. You will not need to recite/include the in-text citations when you are giving your speech. However, when I am reading your speech and grading the content, please include both in-text citations and the Works Cited. Be sure to consult the MLA format on these sites. 

http://www.easybib.com/style

http://www.citationmachine.net/mla/cite-a-website/manual 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Will we lose points for being over or under time?

A: Yes, depending on the amount of time you are over or under. Students will lose one mark for every 10 seconds over/under the required time frame. Remember that speeches need to be between four and five minutes in length.

Q: How long should my paragraphs be? How many paragraphs do I need?

A: There is no exact length for each paragraph. Paragraphs are typically not shorter than six sentences. Your speech should include a minimum of five paragraphs. Depending on how you organize your content you could have more than five.

Remember: You need to preview your three main points in your introduction. Your three body paragraphs should be written in the same order as they were previewed.

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Grade 8: Lord of the Flies (Read and Respond) due: Thursday 4/18

Today we read Ch. 9 of Lord of the Flies in class. As we continue to progress through the novel, we are continuing to analyze various themes. The assignment attached below is due on Thursday.

Please remember that you need to write a minimum of two paragraphs. You also need to refer back to the book and provide specific examples.

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Grade 8: Lord of the Flies Chapter 8 Video Summary

Students will be working in groups to create videos summarizing and demonstrating their understanding of chapter eight. You can choose to record the video on any platform of your choosing.

Flipgrid classroom code: g8ojcs

Each video must include: 

Summarization of the chapter (referencing key plot examples)

Prediction (stating what they believe will happen next in the book)

Please feel free to add to your own creative spin on the video. 

 

Grades 6-8: Who Needs Help With Public Speaking?

Students have been working diligently to prepare their speeches. This past Wednesday, students submitted the first draft of their introductory paragraph. On Monday, the first body paragraph will be submitted. Please make sure that all of the paragraphs are written in the same Google Doc.

Mrs. Thompson has shared a few informative videos that can be used as a tool to further refine each speech. These videos break down each task (intro, body, and conclusion) into more manageable segments. Please watch these videos for homework and continue to edit your speech! I have also included documents that provide ideas/suggestions for each portion of the speech. Feedback will continue to be provided electronically via comments.

 

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It’s Book O’clock at OJCS!

Let’s get ready to read! The Scholastic Book Fair has arrived at OJCS. I had the chance to preview the book fair this afternoon and we have some great novels available. Tell your parents, tell your friends, tell your Rabbi…the books are here!

Book Fair Class Visit Schedule:

Wednesday Pd. 7:   Grade 6 (with Mr. Washerstein)

Thursday Pd.3:      Grade 8 (with Mr. C and Madame Scharf)

Thursday Pd. 8:     Grade 7 (with Mrs. Cleveland)