It's Spring... and time for Rabbits!

After some hibernation, I feel really anxious to greet the students for the last waltz in their 8th grade year.
(Students:  You should be really worried :)

Our return will see us beginning our study of poverty and the Great Depression.  Students will be working outside of class on their projects on poverty.  In class, we will be focusing on reading Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men."  (Hence, the rabbits.)

Monday- Introduce Projects on Poverty.  All work is due 9:00 AM on Friday, 4.12.
Tuesday- Introduce Steinbeck, Social Realism, and student obligations.  HW:  All projects are due on 4.12 at 9:00 AM.
Wednesday- Read Chapter 1 from "Of Mice and Men" in class.  HW:  All projects are due on 4.12 at 9:00 AM and Steinbeck Reflection Sheets are due on 4.15 at the start of class.
Thursday- Read Chapter 2  from "Of Mice and Men" in class.  HW:  All projects are due on 4.12 at 9:00 AM and Steinbeck Reflection Sheets are due on 4.15 at the start of class.
Friday- Read Chapter 3  from "Of Mice and Men" in class.  HW:  All projects are due on 4.12 at 9:00 AM and Steinbeck Reflection Sheets are due on 4.15 at the start of class.

Over the next couple of weeks, our students will be interacting with some great literature and the close reading that accompanies it.  I hope you will allow me the opportunity to help me help your students emerge into the pantheon of scholarship.  Many of them are well on their way!

If I can be of any further help or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
All best.
Mr. Kannan

Tommy Guns', the 1920s, and the completion of work: Two out of three from the Jazz Age Ain't Bad!

Prior to going over what is on tap next week, all students are reminded of the following:
1)  Completed World War I Assessment- Even if this was not submitted for a grade in second trimester, it is needed in order to go to Tommy Guns.
2)  "Midnight in Paris" Enrichment Sheet- Numbers 1, 3, 6, and 11 are needed.
3)  Study Guides for Chapter 22, sections 1- 4 (Pages 9, 11, 13, and 15 of yellow packets)
4)  Enrichment Sheet for Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams"- Starts on page 51 of packet.
5)  Identification for a person or concept of the 1920s- Paragraphs must include three facts about the subject matter, two reasons why the subject matter is relevant to the decade, and a theme from the 1920s to which it connects.
6)  Completed Clive James Enrichment Sheet on "Fame in the 1920s"- Found on pages 71 and 72 in packet as well as the page towards the end of the packet with questions 1-10 on it.
All of these need to be done by Monday, 3.11 as students will have additional work assigned from Monday of next week.  All permission slips and money is due on 3.15.

For the week of 3.11, we begin our station rotation of the 1920s.  This will consist of 15 stations where students will spend time absorbing different aspects of the time period.  We have stations that deal with Gershwin on a train, the Marx Brothers going to another part of the country, Madonna "Voguing," as well as Bessie Smith crooning, the Klan protesting, the Harlem Renaissance battling, and nostalgia waxing.  Students will be exposed to varied items of the time period that helped to make the Jazz Age "Roar."  There are questions assigned to each station and what is not finished in class is completed for homework.  This will constitute the last two stamps from Social Studies, along with the declaration of figure for Tommy Guns.  With students completing a Stock Market Project in Math, students should have all of their work in for Tommy Guns by Friday.
Please let me know if I can of any further assistance as we explore a time period in which celebrity "roared."
All best.
Mr. Kannan

Week of 3.4 to 3.8: ISATs Await!

With this week of ISATs, here lies the work for Social Studies:
3.5- In class reading of James' "Fame in the 20th Century."
3.6- Continuation of In class reading of James.
3.7- In class work on Enrichment Sheet and James Questions.  HW:  Finish by Monday.
3.8- Ensure all James questions are done, ready for a stamp on Monday.

All best with this your last standardized test in District 97.
Mr. Kannan

Bronx Cheers, Flappers, and having "It:" Welcome to the 1920s!

From the fragmentation of World War I, we enter the 1920s.  The Roaring '20s starts this week and we have a great deal on tap to open our first full week of study in this exciting and vibrant unit:
Monday- Start reading Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams."
HW:  Finish notetaking guides for Chapter 22, sections 1 and 2.  Notetaking guides are in packet.  Know when your World War I assessment is due.
Tuesday- Continue reading Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams."
HW:  Finish notetaking guides for Chapter 22, sections 3 and 4.  Know when your World War I assessment is due.
Wednesday- In class viewing of "Midnight in Paris" and complete enrichment sheet.
HW:  See you at the Science Fair tonight!  Know when your World War I assessment is due.
Thursday- Finish "Midnight in Paris" and complete enrichment sheet.  Assign work from Fitzgerald's "Winter Dreams" enrichment sheet.
HW:  Enrichment sheets need to be done.  Know when your World War I assessment is due.  Options 1 and 3 are in Friday morning at 9:00 AM.
Friday- In class identification writing day.
HW:  Get caught up and get right with the 1920s work.  Option 2 people, your World War I assessment is due before noon on Sunday.

The Tommy Guns permission slip will be handed out to students on Thursday.  If students wish to go, they should do their best to return the permission slip and money as soon as possible.  At the same time, students must finish the work in the unit if they wish to go.  If they do not finish the work, they will not be attending the field trip.

We "roar" on into the '20s.  I hope to see as many of you as possible during the Science Fair Wednesday night.
All best.
Mr. Kannan

"Shine on, you crazy scholar..." Pink Floyd and 8.2 Social Studies

The mere mention of the group's name conjures so much in the mind that might not necessarily be associated with middle school social studies.

Pink Floyd.

It's one of those proper nouns that functions as a declarative sentence.  It speaks volumes.  This week, we will try our best to appropriate Pink Floyd as we conclude the World War I.

"Shine on, you crazy scholar," indeed.

Some minor points:
1)  Students have declared or will be declaring their World War I assessment options- Students who chose options 1 or 3 will have their assessment due on Friday, 3.1 at 9:00 AM.  Students who declared option 2 will be submitting their work anytime before noon on 3.3.
2)  There are some (plenty) of extra credit writing assignments on this week's syllabus.  Encourage your student to be a better thinker and a better writer and a wealthier Social Studies student in terms of points by pursuing these opportunities.
3)  We start the 1920s this week and permission slips for the Tommy Guns Field Trip will be sent out Monday, 2.25.  It's time for us to start thinking about which figure in the 1920s is most appealing.

This week, our work resides in the following:
Tuesday- "Shine on" Sacco and Vanzetti.  HW:  Students should make sure that their World War I declarations are ready to go and they know their deadline.  Perhaps, students should work on their World War I assessments.
Wednesday- "Echoes" of the 1920s- We start the 1920s.  HW:  Work on World War I assessments.
Thursday- "Wish You Were Here" in the Themes of the 1920s.  HW:  Review themes and work on World War I assessments.
Friday- "Learning to Fly"- Chalk Talk and examination of 1920s culture through video iconography.  HW:  Work on World War I assessments.

"Shine on," indeed.
All best.
Mr. Kannan

The Trimester Ends in Three Weeks... Are we where we need to be?

While an introduction to what we are doing for the week of 2.11 is important, I believe that the following announcement is critical:

If students did not submit an enrichment sheet on Mansfield/ Foster, they need to speak with me immediately so some arrangement can be reached.  It was a big task.  Its absence hurts much in way of academic progress.  

With that out of the way, our work in Erich Maria Remarque's work continues this week.

Monday, 2.11- Continue in class reading of All Quiet on the Western Front.  Students should be working on annotating the work as well as completing their Themes Log.

HW:  Themes Log and continue reading All Quiet on the Western Front.

Tuesday, 2.12-  Continue in class reading of All Quiet on the Western Front.  Students should be working on annotating the work as well as completing their Themes Log.

HW:  Themes Log and continue reading All Quiet on the Western Front.

If we are still reading after this point, the homework will continue.  If we are done by Tuesday (which is what I anticipate with the pacing we are exhibiting...)
Wednesday, 2.13- Student choice- Finish reading parts not completed or work on Common Core Homework.
HW:  Finish Common Core Homework Assignment on Remarque's work.

Thursday, 2.14- Valentine's Day brings out the "heart" in everyone.  Discuss World War I Assessment and issue options.  Students will have to start making declarations.
HW:  Common Core Assessment tomorrow.

Friday, 2.15- Finish Common Core Assessments and then submit them with Themes Logs.  Declare your World War I Assessments. If you want to pick up your World War I Assessments after school today, you may.  If not you must pick them up Monday at the start of lunch.  That is the only time they will be available.

We are working so intensely on doing what is in the best interests of scholarship.  If I can be of any further assistance in this quest, please do not hesitate to contact me.
All best.
Mr. Kannan 

All Quiet on the Social Studies Front? Communique received...

It was wonderful to see so many of you at conferences.  One student said I was "too up on caffeine," but the long night aside, it was great to chat about your students, develop paths of success, and continue the good work already done.
This week, students will be placing their focus on two main sources:
1)  Turning in their Assessment on Mansfield's "The Garden Party" before Friday, 2.8, at 3:30.
2)  Ensuring that their focus is directed to thematically dissecting Chapter 6 of Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front.

It is to this end that our work is directed this week in Social Studies.  Please note that if students do not submit the enrichment sheet by Friday, the traditional 40% will not be present.  This one time, students will be issued the zero.  There will be an opportunity for students to earn back the 40% if students who do not submit the assignment make arrangements with me during lunch on Monday, 2.11.

Monday- In class analysis of particular World War I Primary Source.  In class annotating for themes.  HW:  Ensure that Assessment on Mansfield's "The Garden Party" is submitted before Friday, 2.8, at 3:30.

Tuesday:  In class analysis of particular World War I Primary Source.  In class annotating for themes.  HW:  Ensure that Assessment on Mansfield's "The Garden Party" is submitted before Friday, 2.8, at 3:30.

Wednesday:  Introduce  Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front.  Start reading in class.  HW:  Ensure that Assessment on Mansfield's "The Garden Party" is submitted before Friday, 2.8, at 3:30.

Thursday:  In class reading of  Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front. HW:  Continue reading Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front and annotate for themes.  Assessment on Mansfield's "The Garden Party" is submitted before Friday, 2.8, at 3:30.

Friday:   In class reading of  Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front. HW:  Continue reading Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front and annotate for themes

Our journey continues.  The bird flying in the air, we take note of its flight...

All best.

Mr. Kannan