Vocabulary:
I have yet to implement my "Vocabulary Squares" technique to my RR middle school English students. However, we are about to start reading "The Outsiders" by S.E. Hinton so there is going to be opportunities to practice this strategy in the near future.
Reading/Literature:
The "All Quiet on the Western Front" unit is almost half complete. My RR high school English students just completed Ch. 1-5 of the World War I novel. Along with the reading, they completed a study guide with personal response and response to literature questions. They were able to give their opinions on how they thought the soldiers were feeling and how they would feel if they were in their position. To wrap up the first five chapters, the students had to either create a propaganda poster for the war or write a brief news bulletin explaining the first bombardment the soldiers faced.
Writing:
The autobiography project my RR high school English students had to do is complete. See Personal Goals 1 blog to see feedback and results.
Grammar:
I try to implement grammar into every lesson I teach, especially to my middle school students. As we read a passage, I point out certain sentences and ask the students if they can identify the parts of a sentence, i.e. what is the noun/verb (subject/predicate). My middle school students are having a Unit 1 assessment tomorrow and there are a couple grammar questions they'll have to answer. Hopefully they do well!
Research/Technology/Presentation:
Recently, I had my RR high school English research the many propaganda posters during WWI to help them with their projects. I also had them look up how news bulletins are formatted, pointing out their headlines and lead-ins.
Assessment:
The grading sheets I used for the autobiography project/presentation worked well. The students knew what I was expecting before the assignment was due and they understood exactly what points were lost by each section. I also left comments on the grading sheet explaining my logic for the grade the students received. I will definitely use something of this nature again for future projects.
