Grade 8 Assignments

First, listen to and read the story, To Be A Drum. You can find it on the LINKS page on the CALL website, under READING: Online Stories.  Choose the right story: To Be A Drum.

I like this story because I love to play drums.  Did you like this story? Why? What did you like about it? If you didn’t, please say why you didn’t like it.  Add a comment to this post.

Thanks to everyone who wished me a happy Teacher’s Day.  I appreciated the cards, guys!

Well, our new computers have finally arrived and you guys will be getting your chance to use them in the coming weeks.  There are still some problems with the new computers, but I hope I can solve those problems in the next few weeks. So, please be patient as I try to get everything working nicely. I especially want to be able to CHAT with each and every one of you, ONE-TO-ONE, using the HEADPHONES.

HEADPHONES

Boys and girls, please make sure that your headphones are:

1. big size (not earphones)

2. working (not broken)

We are going to be using them, I hope, a lot more this year.  So, be sure to bring them to every class.

NEW COMPUTERS

Things are a little different in the CALL classroom now. We have a new WHITEBOARD in addition to the new computers! The FLOOR is new, too! So, I hope you all feel comfortable with the new FLAT SCREEN MONITORS. That should give you more space to put your NOTEBOOKS on your DESK. You won’t need to break your back to plug in your headphones anymore, because the HEADPHONE JACKS are in the front of your computers. Additionally, you won’t need to SHUT DOWN the computers – I can do that from the teacher’s computer!!! But, please remember to push in your chairs and keyboard, and turn off the MONITORS before you leave your WORKSTATION. That would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THE NEW COMPUTERS. We want these to last a long time. Be especially careful when you PULL OUT your HEADPHONE JACKS, and please walk in the classroom, don’t run.

FREE TIME RULES

In grade 8, if you finish your assignment (or assignments if you didn’t finish one the week before) you can have free time.  What is free time?  Free time means you can do any of the following:

1. Browse on the CALL website LINKS, which includes the GEPT drills, English “FINISHED YOUR WORK?” games, reading and listening practice.

2. Do COMPASS READING or SPELLING

3. Yahoo Kids (in the LINKS)

4. Youtube videos – nothing vulgar

NOT ALLOWED: chatting online, online games (CS, Maple Story), Chinese email, surfing the Net, WRETCH

WITH PERMISSION (ASK THE TEACHER) or FOR A CALL ASSIGNMENT : your blog/photo album, English email

PLEASE FOLLOW THE RULES.  IF YOU DON’T, YOU WILL LOSE YOUR COMPUTER PRIVILEGES!

Library Research

The library research went off quite well, aside from a few students who didn’t finish in some classes.  But, most students did a wonderful job, and you learned how to use English ENCYCLOPEDIAS.  Good job!  Here are some examples.

Ashley from 805 did an awesome job on this detailed sketch

Winnie and Linda Chen (805) researched France's Charlemagne

805's Matt and Daniel Chen chose to research Egypt

I like Jim and Penny's (805) sketch of a church

804's Alina and Amy did a great job of researching Turkey!

I like Linda, Ingrid and Anita's topic in this visual: HORUS

Dear Grade 8s,

This is a simple powerpoint presentation. You will make one very similar to this one. Of course, yours should be different, because it is about YOU!

Your presentation should only have 5 slides (pages), like mine.

You can use “custom animation” to make it more interesting.

Don’t forget to save your powerpoint presentation on your computer’s desktop and then attach it to your email so you can find it next time.

Good luck!  If you don’t know how to use the powerpoint program, please come to ask me for help!  ; )

Hello Grade 8,

This is a video which I think you will find amusing (funny). Watch the video, and if you think you understand what happened, write a comment on this blog (look where it says COMMENTS above).

Write your name.

Write your email.

Don’t write where it says WEBSITE – just leave that blank.

Write a response to these questions:

What happened in the story?

What is the story about?

Is the story trying to teach us something? What is the video trying to teach us?

Do you like this video? Why or why not?