Week of February 9-13

Hi all,

This week, we are ALL doing research!

7th graders are all doing research on their choice of an artist, mathematicians, or engineers. They will eventually begin work on a multi-genre paper.

8th graders are doing research on their top 3 colleges. They will eventually create a formal research paper and their own resume.

For both grades this is what we will be focusing on for the next TWO WEEKS. This is classwork, homework, EVERYTHING. What is not finished in class, will need to be worked on at home for homework.

ALL STUDENTS should have all of their research FINISHED when they arrive at class on Thursday. I will check all research that day and give a classwork grade.

The final products are due Monday, February 23.

**On another note, the OCS Writing Center will begin this Wednesday, February 11. This will be a place where students can come to get help from peers on any and all writing assignments. This is available 5th-8th grade. I encourage all students to give it a try! We will be open every Wednesday during Tiger Time and lunch! **

Thanks,

Mrs. Coburn

Week of January 26-30

This week all classes are working on poetry analysis. We will be reading and interpreting poems using the TPCASTT strategy. All students also have a two page poetry pack for homework--due Friday.

There will be a TEST on poetry next Monday, February 2.

New Year! Week of January 6-9

Hi all! Welcome back to school for the new semester and new year! I have expressed to students the importance of finishing the year strong and because we are starting the second semester that expectations for work and behavior will be greater.

This week, 7th grade is working on writing a letter to a Holocaust survivor, which counts as a test grade. Their homework is to finish reading Prisoner B-3087 and complete Week 5 of their READON board. Homework and final drafts of letters are due Friday.

3rd period 8th grade is also working on a letter, which will count as a test grade for Night. They will need to be working at home some on this assignment. Letters are due Friday.

5 period 8th grade are all working on their author study compare and contrast essay. We are using class time to work on this essay, but they may also need time at home to finish and stay on track. We will have every day this week to work on these essays, but the final product is due Wednesday, January 14.

Thanks and as always if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to e-mail me at acoburn@orangecharterschool.org

--Mrs. Coburn

Week of November 3-7

This week, all classes are starting informational writing assignments. We will be working on these assignments for TWO WEEKS in class! All homework is working on/finishing those writing assignments. All classes have a calendar for what is due when, as well as some interim due dates just to keep on track with time management.

The final assignments are due MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17th. 

8th Grade has an additional assignment, the children's book, due this Friday the 7th. This is something we have worked on for a few weeks, but they should be finishing at home.

Thanks!! If you have any further questions, please let me know. All assignment sheets are posted under the 7th/8th tabs.

Mrs. Coburn

Week of October 13-17

This week we are starting to wrap up our novels.

On Friday, October 17, ALL GRADES are starting an in-class final assessment for novels. This will be an open-book and open-ISN short answer test.

7th Grade Homework:
Monday: Ch 21
Tuesday: Ch 22
Wednesday: Ch 23
Thursday: Ch 24

8th Grade Homework:
Monday: Ch 29-31
Tuesday: Ch 32- 34
Wednesday: Ch 35- 37
Thursday: 38-39

Students may need to finish a Bio Poem from homework on Tuesday night, Oct 14.

Week of October 6-10

All students are working on persuasive essays this week. The essays are related to the the content in Touching Spirit Bear and Mockingbird. We will work on these essays Monday and Tuesday and the essays will be due on Friday.

7th grade is reading chapters 14-20 in TSB. As always, the reading and questions are due on Friday and students may read as much as they like, but these are my suggestions:
Monday: Chapters 14-15
Tuesday: 16-17
Wednesday:18-19
Thursday: 20

8th grade is reading chapters 19-28 in Mockingbird. As always, reading, questions, and booklets are due on Friday and students may read as much as they like, but these are my suggestions:
Monday: 19-21
Tuesday: 22-24
Wednesday: 25-27
Thursday: 28

8B (5th period) should also be working on the author study project. There will be a project work day on Wednesday, the early release day. We will also have work days next Monday (Oct 13) and presentations will be October 14-15.

Week of September 29-Oct 3

This week, all classes are getting into reading their novels independently. There should be lots of reading going on at home! All students have accompanying comprehension/guiding questions to be completed for each chapter of their reading.

7th Grade needs to read chapters 7-13 of Touching Spirit Bear. Students may break up reading however they want, but ALL QUESTIONS for 7-13 are due on Friday. My suggestion is as follows:

Monday: Ch. 7-8
Tuesday: Ch 9-10
Wednesday: Ch 11-12
Thursday: Ch 13

8th Grade needs to read chapters 7-18 of Mockingbird. Students may break up reading however they want, but ALL QUESTIONS and BOOKLET PAGES are due on Friday. My suggestion is as follows:

Monday: Ch 7-9
Tuesday: Ch 10-12
Wednesday: Ch 13-15
Thursday: Ch 16-18

As always, let me know if there are any questions or concerns. Students may see me during "warm up" time during class, homeroom, during Tiger Time, or if necessary, before or after school if they are having trouble understanding/completing homework.

Thanks,
Mrs. Coburn