This week in 6th grade, students continued their work on research writing. Having previously chosen a topic that interests them learning about finding credible sources, this week they are discussing the parts of an introductory paragraph: Hook, Topic Introduction, Thesis, and Transition.  They practiced writing a thesis statement that encapsulates all the points they will be making, and also how to properly choose, introduce, and cite direct quotations. Learning these skills early in their academic careers will allow them to be further built upon in later classes as a properly researched, cited, and crafted research paper will be a cornerstone of their academic career.

7th grade continued their work on “The Outsiders.” They have gotten to know the characters and are building toward the climax of the novel. They took a brief pause to work on vocabulary studies for chapters 4-8. I anticipate finishing the novel sometime next week if we can work around school events.

8th grade continued their work on Sonnets. This is a challenging, if not the most challenging poetic form. The students have been challenged by the crafting of their own sonnets and this challenge has been met with varied responses; however; within the challenge lies the heart turning language from communication into art. They will be able to utilize these skills to examining and constructing not only form and rhyme in poetry, but also meter and rhythm. This can also be helpful for any musically inclined students who are interested in writing lyrics or who just wish for their writing to have more musicality and be pleasing to the ear.