English 8

English 8 students worked on finishing up their first Schaffer paragraphs. We looked at some anonymous examples from other students and used this to evaluate what we could do to improve our own paragraphs.

Example 1

You can have a more successful year by doing these things. For an example turn in your work. When you turn in your work you get better grades. if you turn your work in your teachers will think you’re a good student. In addition if you work hard you can also have a more successful year. When you work hard you get good grades. you can get better at what you do. So thats how you could have a more successful year.

Example 2

There are various ways to have a more successful school year than you would normally. For example, paying more attention during class. Paying attention in class would ensure that you don’t struggle with the directions on the assignments as much as you would if you didn’t pay attention. Paying attention would also make your year more successful because if you pay attention you can do the assignments and most likely get an easy A or maybe even a B but either one is fine. In addition, Staying organized could really help you have a more successful year. Staying organized helps you be more successful because if you stay organized you won’t lose all of your papers that are sent home with you to study or keep up with so you can finish it the next day. Staying organized would also help you be more successful because maybe the teacher sends your notebook home for you to study for an open note test. If you are not organized you will most likely forget your notebook and you don’t get a good grade. In conclusion, there are various ways to have a more successful year than you would normally have.

Example 3

Since last year was an absolute disaster I think we should make this year a little bit more successful and by a little bit I mean a lot. For example, to make this year more successful is to turn in your work. I think this will make this year more successful because if you turn in your work you don’t have to worry about it. Also you would get actual grades instead of NHIs. in addition to making this year successful is staying organized. If you stay organized you won’t forget where things are like work assignments back to the thing about turning in your work. and it makes finding things easier. So this is what would make a pretty successful year in my opinion.

Example 4

To make my 8th grade year the most successful year I can do multiple things. For example I can try to stay focused in class. Trying to stay focused will help me become better at listening. It will also make me more punctual in turning things in. In addition I could ask more questions. Asking more questions might give me a better understanding of the assignments I’m given. That in turn will expand my knowledge on the subject(s). To conclude, staying focused, and asking questions will help me achieve my goal of a very successful 8th grade year.

Afterward, sixth period, which is just a little ahead of fifth period, turned to our next task in mastering Schaffer: using quotes from the text as the heart of our concrete details.

Our planning:

Our paragraph:

In the story “Thank You, Ma’am,” the protagonist, Mrs. Jones, helps Roger because, despite the harm he tried to inflict on her, she saw herself in him. For example, when she’s talking to him as she prepares dinner, she admits that she has “done things too” which she “would not tell [him] nor admit to God.” Perhaps she did the same thing as he did: perhaps she tried to rob someone and got caught. That’s not clear in the text, but it’s safe to assume that she did something at least equally as bad. In addition, when she’s captured him and asks “Will you rutn if I turn you loose,” he admits that he will. This shows a surprising level of honesty because he has the chance to escape but sabotages this himself by admitting he would indeed run. Mrs. Jones likely sees herself as honest, and at the very least admires his honesty. This is why she sees herself in him.

English I

Students in English I finished their first analytic Schaffer paragraph. Afterward, we started the next analytic section looking at perspective, narration, and point of view.

We did it in a kind of strange way.

We’ll be using our observations tomorrow as we delve into the fascinating world of untrustworthy narrators and other meta-fictional elements.

Homework

• English 8: turn in the first Schaffer paragraph at Google Classroom.
• English I Honors: turn in the first Schaffer paragraph at Google Classroom.