WEEKLY BULLETIN: GRADE 8 LEARNING SUPPORT

FEBRUARY 10, 2012

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL MANILA

This Week in Grade 8

ENGLISH: Students will be nishing up their literature circle novels next week and will begin focusing on writing a 5 paragraph essay literary response to their novel. They chose specic questions from topics addressing character, predictions, theme, plot, connections to the world, etc. They are utilizing graphic organizers to support them through the organization of their essay prior to writing in paragraph format. SOCIAL STUDIES: We are continuing learning about the People Power Revolution of 1986 and students are in the initial stages of organizing their information from documentaries and articles into a structured writing
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER: * Feb. 17 - no school; faculty inservice training * CWW is coming up! - Feb. 20-24

template to help guide them through the process of writing a 5 paragraph essay. The persuasive essay will focus on Was the People Power Revolution a success or a failure? They will work on this next week. SCIENCE: Students did a fantastic job building and testing their simple machines for the performance task. We are now beginning a new unit on Power - specically looking at introductory level Chemistry. MATH: Students have completed the Statistics unit and will be beginning the Pythagoras unit next week.

UPCOMING ASSESSMENTS & DUE DATES: * Social Studies - students should have 20 read & responds completed in their google.docs for Mr. Willey.

IMPORTANT WEBSITES USED IN CORE CLASSES: Google Docs brainpop.com Noodle tools - research skills & notecards

Strategy Instruction Class

Skill & Strategy Areas of Focus: Vocabulary Development: - Developing strategies to help determine meaning of new vocabulary & expanding students vocabulary base - Using context clues - Categorizing/Classifying - Understanding words with Multiple Meanings - Prex & Sufx meanings using these to help determine word meaning - Root Words/Base words - for meaning The Writing Process: - We are beginning to look at the structure of a persuasive paragraph or essay - how to support your opinion with valid reasons and organize them into a strong persuasive paragraph Research Strategies: - using templates to organize information - Noodle tools online - Paraphrasing skill practice Study Skills: - Note-taking strategies: we are using the Cornell method which is the 2 column notes method (main ideas on left side; supporting details on right) - difference between facts and opinions
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Study Skills Time Management Self - Advocacy Paragraph Writing Summary Writing Editing Strategies Interactive Reading Learning Styles

Time Management: - chunking long term/ large assignments into smaller due dates

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