Week of April 30th

After a very busy month of April, we are in the home-stretch of the school year: May! The temperatures are rising and the flowers are blooming and all this new life and activity might help to reinvigorate us to finish the school year with the same dedication that we started it with. We are not slowing down yet in English class. Instead, we are a few steps into our last major writing assignment for the year, the research paper. 

So far, all students have chosen topics for their papers and conducted 3 days in in-class research. At this point, all students should have all sources printed out, all source cards complete, an outline complete and a thesis written. This week we will take the next steps.

English 7

This week your 4 source cards are due. You will have one last day to find and print sources on Monday and I will collect the source cards on Tuesday. We will work on the outline and thesis Tuesday in class. Your thesis is due on Wednesday. A thesis is one sentence telling the reader what your paper will be about. It should include your 3 main ideas from your outline. These 3 main ideas will become your 3 body paragraphs.

On Wednesday we will write our introduction paragraph and the rest of the week will be spent working on body paragraphs. We will review as a class on Thursday how to incorporate evidence into our own sentences and paragraphs, while being sure to give the original author credit.

Papers should be 5 paragraphs long and are due on Friday, May 11th. See me for a pass to the library during your Academic Prep  if you need time outside of class to complete your work.

Homework

Monday: Complete all source cards, print 4 sources

Tuesday: Finish outline and writing thesis

Wednesday: Finish introduction 

Thursday: 

Friday: Finish body paragraphs

English 8

Your 4 source cards were due on Friday and you began creating an outline for your paper that day. Monday will be devoted to making sure your outlines are complete and our theses are written. Remember, a thesis is one sentence telling the reader what your paper will be about. Your thesis should include 3 main ideas. These 3 main ideas will become your 3 body paragraphs.

On Tuesday, we will move on to writing the introduction paragraph. This paragraph will begin with general information about your topic and main ideas and end with your thesis. We will move on to writing the body paragraphs on Wednesday and Thursday. You will have time on Friday to finish the body paragraphs and work on your conclusion paragraph. The entire research report should be 5 paragraphs long and is due on Wednesday, May 9th. See me for a pass to the library during your Academic Prep  if you need time outside of class to complete your work.

Homework

Monday: Finish outline and thesis

Tuesday: Finish introduction paragraph

Wednesday: 

Thursday: Finish body paragraphs

Friday: Finish conclusion