Hello Students!

7th:

Great job on The Westing Game! We had a wonderful time at our party. Please be sure to collect your prizes this week. We are now reading "Flowers for Algernon," a short story by Daniel Keyes. We will be watching the film Charly when we come back from the long weekend. If students enjoy the story and would like to read the novel, we can order it, so please let me know!

8th:

We are approaching the midpoint for Romeo and Juliet. We will be continuing to take notes on the language of Shakespeare and we have several vocabulary exams ahead. After we complete the play, we will take our final exam and then watch the 1968 film.

Have a great week!

Mrs. Rubasch

New Units

Hello Students and Parents,

We are beginning our drama unit in 8th grade and wrapping up our 7th grade mystery unit this week. Here's what to expect:

8th:

We are reading Romeo and Juliet and studying the structure of the five act play. We will also explore the life and times of William Shakespeare.

7th:

We are finishing The Westing Game this week and will have our literature party next Wednesday to celebrate. Next we will move into a nonfiction unit and will explore several different selections of nonfiction from our Literature and Language text books.

Have a terrific week!

Mrs. Rubasch

New Quarter

Welcome back from Fall Break!

8th: We have just finished reading Lord of the Flies and are finishing the film this week. We will have a final exam on the story, followed by our "Island Party." Next we will be doing unit 1 in our Buckle Down books. Then we will begin our drama unit. Any students in 8A who did not take the predictive test for Acuity will make it up this week in class.

7th: We are reading The Westing Game and are about half way through. We will be continuing to read and analyze this mystery novel, but will also begin working in our Buckle Down books this week.

I hope you all enjoyed your break!

Mrs. Rubasch

8th: We are continuing to read William Golding's classic novel, Lord of the Flies. We are discussing symbolism and characterization at length this week. Friday we will have a vocabulary test on the following words:

compelling, assent, vivid, horrid, derisive, lamentation, decorum, tempestuous, appalled, incantation

7th: We have just begun our utopia building project that will be done in art class. Students are building 3D models of the utopias they designed in their essays. We are now reading The Westing Game, by Ellen Raskin. The spelling and vocabulary words are:

confidential, coo, aviator, righteous, marred, bramble, tenant, podiatrist, boundless, upholstered

Have a great week!

Mrs. Rubasch

Off to a Great Start!

Hello Students and Parents,

We are having a wonderful year so far! Progress reports went out today. Make sure to get in any missing work immediately so that you can still get credit for it. Congrats to all 8th graders who won the costume contest at the Outsiders party! Hope you enjoyed our trip to Little Anthony's Diner. We just began reading Lord of the Flies in 8th grade and are continuing on with The Giver in 7th. We are more than halfway through The Giver and will begin discussing a special project that we will be doing when we reach the end of this novel.

The words for this week are:

8th:

multitude, solemnly, proffer, prominent, efflorescence, immerse, omen, strident, furtive,
suffusion

7th:

vigilant, luxuriating, pervaded, hearth, ecstatic, perceived, grotesque, implore, immobile, overwhelmed

Have a great week!

Mrs. Rubasch

Hello and Welcome back from the break!

8th: We are finished reading The Outsiders and will be watching the film, learning about life in the 1950's and having our annual "Outsiders Party" this week. Lots to look forward to! We will have homework packets due each day, but no journal work or vocab this week.

7th: We have our first test on The Giver on Tuesday. We will continue reading this week in class and will have two homework assignments on Wednesday and Thursday. If you have a book out, please return it so that you are not charged a book replacement fee.

Vocab Words:

annex
exasperated
profound
recollection
successor
integrity
mercy
immense
tentative
commerce

Have a great week!

Mrs. Rubasch

Hello! This week on August 31st is Open House. Please come by to view your child's classrooms and see what we have been doing in school so far this year. The vocab words for the week are:

8th:

testify
survey
timid
aghast
exploits
hesitate
falter
divert
racking
resemblance

7th:

hover
bewildered
dwelling
rehabilitation
committee
indicating
exuberant
relinquish
correspond
discard

8th: We will finish The Outsiders this week and begin a fun-filled week of celebration when we return from the long weekend! 7th: We are having our first test over The Giver on Thursday, Sept. 1st.

Thanks and have a wonderful week!

Mrs. Rubasch

This Week in English

Hello Students and Parents!

What a great first two weeks we had! Here is what's in store for the upcoming week:

8th: We are continuing to read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and we will be teaming up with Mr. Jones to do a writing assignment. We will also have a quiz, vocabulary words, and packet #2 all due this week.

Vocab words:

gallant
unceasing
fiend
aloof
ruefully
indignant
elite
premonition
wince
eluded

7th: We will begin reading The Giver this week and will continue to discuss the elements of story and reading comprehension strategies. The spelling and vocabulary words of the week are:

apprehensive
palpable
jeer
tunic
wheedle
distraught
nurture
supplementary
aptitude
chastise

Have a great week!
Mrs. Rubasch

Welcome Back!

Hello Students and Parents,

Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year. Remember to check this blog weekly for current news and homework. Make sure you bring in the items on the supply list to your homeroom teacher as soon as you can. The first day of school is approaching fast, be sure you are prepared for class!
It is imperative that you have a journal and pencils/pens to write with from your first day forward. Also, there are some forms you and your parents must read and sign by August 19th regarding some new book and disciplinary policies our school is adopting this year, so make sure you get that done in a timely fashion. I look forward to working with each of you. Have a great year!

8th Grade:

We will be reading The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton and discussing the elements of fiction. Our vocabulary words for the first week are:

sarcasm
bickering
stalked
loping
innocent
law-abiding
fiery
rebellious
nonchalantly
savvy

7th Grade:

We will be reading several short stories during our first two weeks and discussing the elements of fiction. We will also be reviewing some reading comprehension strategies. We will have quizzes and short writing assignments that reflect our in-class readings. All work must be completed in your Reading journal. Journals will be graded every Friday.

Good luck guys,
Mrs. Rubasch

Next Year

Dear Parents and Students,

Here are some things you need to be aware of for the upcoming school year.

Junior High Supply List:

1) 5 spiral notebooks for journal work in each subject
2) 2 packages of pencils
3) 2 packages of pens (blue or black ink)
4) 1 package of colored pencils
5) 1 box of Kleenex
6) 1 ruler
7) 2 packages of loose leaf college ruled paper
8) 1 dictionary
9) 1 package of note cards
10) 1 personal pencil sharpener
11) 1 package of glue sticks

8th Grade Summer Reading List:

1) The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury
2) Animal Farm, by George Orwell

7th Grade Summer Reading List:

1) Milkweed, by Jerry Spinelli
2) The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare


*The Nurse’s office needs the following supplies:

7th Grade Boys: 1 bag of cotton balls, 1 package hard peppermint candy
7th Grade Girls: 1 bag of cotton balls, sanitary pads
8th Grade Boys: 1 package of chapstick, 1 ace bandage
8th Grade Girls: 1 package of chapstick, sanitary pads

Have a Great Summer

Hello Students and Parents,

We are winding down with just one week left of school. This week we will be having our annual knowledge bowl with the 7th graders while the 8th graders go on their trip to Six Flags. Monday, May 23rd is Field Day in the morning and the eighth graders will rehearse for graduation in the afternoon. Tuesday, May 24th is the 8th grade graduation ceremony at 10:00 AM at Grace Chapel. Wednesday, May 25th is the last day of school and we will have an end-of-the-year party, so please bring snacks and drinks to share. Have a great summer and stay safe!
Mrs. Rubasch

Year End

Hello Parents and Students! We have two and a half weeks of school left and it is important that all work is turned in, all make-up tests are taken, and any extra credit is completed before Friday, May 13th. In 7th grade we are finishing The Westing Game and will soon have our Westing Game literature party. The following week we will have our annual knowledge bowl for the seventh graders. We will team up to answer questions from each subject area and the team to answer the most questions correctly will win a pizza party. Eighth graders are reading To Kill a Mockingbird all of next week and we will watch the film the following Monday. The 8th grade trip will be from the 17th to the 19th of May and the 8th graders who will not be attending will participate in the knowledge bowl with the 7th graders. Jr. high will have a field day on May 23rd in the morning. 8th grade will rehearse for graduation in the afternoon on that day as well. Enjoy the rest of the year and have a great summer!

Mrs. Rubasch

Home Stretch

Hello Students and Parents! We are in the home stretch of the fourth quarter. Seventh graders are reading The Westing Game, by Ellen Raskin for the next three weeks, while eighth graders read To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. We will be taking quizzes and vocabulary tests over these novels, so if you miss a day you will need to catch up on your reading at home. Almost done guys, hang in there! Mrs. Rubasch

AIMS Testing

It is the moment we have all been waiting for: AIMS week! Here are some tips that will help you do your best: 1) Eat a good breakfast! Your brain works better when you are well nourished with protein and carbohydrates. 2) Get a good night's sleep! You need your rest to be alert during the day. 3) Drink plenty of water. It is the desert and dehydration can give you headaches and make you tired. 4) Get some exercise after school. Exercise helps you sleep better at night, improves circulation and increases your energy level. 5) Relax. Don't stress over this. You are all very bright and capable of doing well! 6) Go with your gut. Don't second-guess yourself too much. If you have the instinct that an answer is correct, go with it! 7) Do not leave any answers blank. If you don't know an answer, make your best guess. If you leave it blank, it will be wrong, but if you guess, you could get it right. So always try and do your best. Good Luck! Mrs. Rubasch

Projects and Testing

What to Expect... 8th: You have all been doing very well on your Greek mythology presentations, keep up the good work! After we complete our presentations on Thursday, we will begin Unit 3 of our Buckle Down books. We will end the Buckle Down unit with a final practice exam and then it will be time to take the AIMS test. Testing will begin on April 11th. 7th: We are ending our folklore unit with a final project, due next Wednesday, April 6th. Students are expected to write their own folk tale, five pages handwritten or three pages typed. The stories will be made into mini books with a minimum of two illustrations. Rough drafts are due Friday, April 1st. This project will be completed during class, but if you wish, you may work on it at home too. Next Wednesday through Friday we will complete our Buckle Down books. The following week we will begin the AIMS test. Keep up the good work! Mrs. Rubasch

Welcome Back

8th: We are working on our Greek Mythology projects all week. Each team must turn in a typed two page essay on their god or goddess with a bibliography containing at least one book source and two internet sources that have been approved in class. A poster board or power point presentation with a five minute speech is to be given next Wednesday, March 30th in front of the class. The paper is also due at this time. The project is worth 200 points.

7th: We are now beginning our folklore unit and will be studying myths, legends, folk tales, and fables in class. We will then complete unit 3 of our Buckle Down curriculum.

Remember to return your signed report cards!

Mrs. Rubasch

Final News of the Quarter

Hello! We are almost done with the third quarter of our school year. Report cards go out tomorrow, March 16th, and must be returned with a parent/guardian's signature by Monday, March 21st. Unreturned report cards will result in a lunch detention.

8th grade:

We are continuing to study Greek mythology and will begin working on our team projects when we return from the break. Next we will do our final section of our Buckle Down books and one more practice test. The AIMS test will be given on the week of April 11th-15th.

7th:

We just learned how to play Almania, a game that teaches us how to utilize information from an almanac. This will conclude the reference materials portion of our nonfiction unit. We will have an Almania tournament next week and the winning teams will be invited to a pizza party at lunch! Then we will begin our folklore unit. We will finish our final section of our Buckle Down books just before the AIMS test. The test will be given the week of April 11th-15th.

Thank you,
Mrs. Rubasch

Two More Weeks!

Hello Parents and Students,

We only have two weeks left of this quarter to finish up our final units and turn in any late work. All work is due by Friday, March 11th. Report cards go out on Wednesday, March 16th. We will be doing CBM testing on the 14th and 15th.

8th: We have just concluded our unit on persuasive writing and have had several interesting class debates. Great job on your research presentations, too! We are now beginning Unit 2 of our Buckle Down books in preparation for the AIMS test.

7th: We had a great week last week with many wonderful (and delicious) cultural research presentations. Great job guys! This week we will be studying persuasive writing and debating several controvercial topics. Next week we will play Almania to conclude our study on reference materials. When we return from the break, we will begin Unit 2 of our Buckle Down books.

Thank you,
Mrs. Rubasch

Update

7th: We are wrapping up our informative nonfiction unit by working on a group research project. Each group will research a holiday or custom from a culture outside of the U.S. They will write a formal, typed essay with a bibliography, give a 5 minute speech, make a power point or poster board visual aid, and prepare a traditional holiday dish from their country to share with the class. The project will begin on Monday, February 14th, and will be due on Wednesday, February 23rd.

8th: We are now beginning our informative nonfiction group research project. Each group must research the history, rules, training, and statistics of an olympic sport. They will give a speech, power point or poster board presentation, and write a formal, typed essay with a bibliography. This project is due on February 18th.

Mrs. Rubasch

Progress Reports

Progress grades will come out on Monday, February 7th. All work is due today, by 2:30 pm.

7th: We are studying literary nonfiction this week and will begin taking a look at informative nonfiction next week. Monday we are watching a documentary on the Titanic. A compare and contrast essay on the film and the reading "Exploring the Titanic" will be due next Tuesday, February 8th. We will soon have a group research project to work on, so begin thinking about customs and holidays from around the world that you would like to study.

8th: We just finished reading about Pompeii and writing a personal response to what we learned. We have covered our literary nonfiction unit and will begin our informative nonfiction unit on Monday. We will begin a research project the following week on the olympic sports.

Mrs. Rubasch

Moving Forward

Hello Students and Parents,

Here is what to expect for the next two weeks:

7th: We just finished our poetry unit and turned in our final manuscripts. If you have not turned yours in yet, be aware that you will lose 5 points per day it is late. (7C, your packets are due Friday, 1-21-11, so don't worry yet...) We will now begin our Buckle Down review for the upcoming AIMS test and continue working in our workbooks and discussing them as a class for the next two weeks. We must begin preparing early so that we all know what to expect and can do well on the test. We will have three review sessions like this, of two weeks each, to review any unfamiliar concepts that might appear on the test.

8th: We are wrapping up our poetry unit with free verse narrative and lyric poetry. Great job on your sestinas everyone! I know they were difficult. Next week we will be editing and typing the poetry we have written and by Friday, your final typed packet of poems will be due. Next we will begin our nonfiction unit. We will read samples of literary and historical nonfiction from our Literature and Language textbooks and work out of the companion workbooks. Then we will begin discussing functional and informational text. We will begin a research project that puts our new skills to work after we complete our second section of Buckle Down AIMS review.

Keep working hard!

Mrs. Rubasch

Class Assignments and Expectations:

7th: We are gearing up for our final poetry projects. Each student is responsible for turning in a typed packet of their poetry by next Wednesday, January 19th. The poems included are: 1 sonnet, 1 villanelle, 1 ode, 1 Limerick, 3 Haikus, and 2 free verse, (1 narrative, 1 lyric).
We have been learning about formal poetry and the requirements for each form in class, then practicing writing our own for homework for the last week and 1/2. Every student has a collection of poetry in his/her journal. We will conclude our unit with the Haiku and free verse narrative and lyric poetry.

8th: We have begun our poetry unit with the English sonnet. We wil be studying examples of the villanelle and the sestina over the next week and then we will study free verse poetry for one week. At the end of the unit, a final typed packet will be due. This will include 1 sonnet, 1 villanelle, 1 sestina, and 2 free verse poems. We will be practicing all of these forms for homework over the course of the unit. save all of your work and make sure you turn in your journal every Friday to be graded!

Thanks,
Mrs. Rubasch.

Welcome Back!

Hello Students and Parents! I hope you all enjoyed your break. Here is what to expect in the upcoming weeks:

7th: We are beginning our poetry unit this week with an introduction to formal and free verse poetry and the poetic elements. We have ten terms to study for our spelling and vocabulary test this Friday. In this unit we will study formal poetry in depth and practice writing the Sonnet, the Villanelle, the Sestina, the Ode, the Haiku, and the Limerick. Then we will study narrative and lyric free verse poetry and write some of our own free verse poems. The unit concludes with a final typed manuscript, which will be worth 50 points!

8th: We will have our final exam over Romeo and Juliet on Tuesday, January 4th! For the rest of the week we will continue working in our Buckle Down workbooks in preparation for the upcoming AIMS test. Next week we will begin our poetry unit.

Have a great quarter!

Mrs. Rubasch