Due Thursday:

1. Complete handout below reflecting on the film “A Simple Justice” (pasted in below)
2. Bring your copy of Three Cups of Tea (if you have it at the home where you are)
3. Get your “Acceptable Use” and “Permission to Leave and Reenter the School Building After Dismissal” forms signed
4. Book Talks: Core All: Lenny and Taliana; 8A: Will, Cheyenne, Danica; 8B: Ivo, Benno
5. CATHERINE , IVO, NATHANIEL, LOGAN: Please have your trip cards filled in and return tomorrow!

Eighth Grade Core                        Name________________

Film: “A Simple Justice”
The Story of Brown v. Board of Education
Directions: On a separate piece of paper, answer the following questions in complete sentences using your most thoughtful and specific writing.

Part I: Tracing the Development of Someone Who Chooses to Participate
The theme for eighth grade Core that runs throughout the curriculum is “Choosing to Participate.”  Throughout the year, we’ll be looking at individuals and groups who chose to stand up and make a difference, against the odds and in the face disagreement, danger, and even death.  Thurgood Marshall is one of those people who chose to jump in and take on the Supreme Court of the United States of America.  He did not, however, know he was going to do this.

Trace Thurgood Marshall’s development in the film from when we first meet him playing craps and being smart-mouthed on the first day of class to the last scene when he is celebrating the victory of Brown v Board of Education and takes the phone call from opposing counsel.

Questions to address as you write about his development:
a.    How did he become someone who did what he did?
b.    What three things had the most impact on him in the film and how do you think they affected him?
c.    How did he deal with obstacles and barriers?
d.    How would you describe the man he became by the end, and why would you say so?
e.    What can you take away from his journey and apply to yourself or your life?
Part II: React
Record your reaction to the film.  You may want to write about the casting, scenery, the plot, and/or the history itself.  It may help you to think about what you think was most memorable about the historical facts and/or about the film itself. Be sure to use specifics to explain your thinking.

Part III: Imagine
Choose a scene that you found particularly striking from the film.  Imagine that you are one of the characters in it.  In writing, record what were you thinking as this character.  What interior dialogue were you having?  Write down your thoughts, feelings and observations about the events in the scene.

Due Wednesday:

Complete the handout pasted in below on the video “Eyes on the Prize.” It says to read a selection on a handout which I gave out in class and can not post on here so I hope each of you has it!

Eighth Grade Core                                                                                               Name______________________

Video Series
Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years 1954-1965
Segment 2: Fighting Back 1957-1962

Directions:
After reading the selection describing the background of the video, please answer the following questions thoughtfully on a separate sheet of paper.

1.    When Governor Faubus in Arkansas and Governor Barnett in Mississippi refused to comply with the desegregation decision, they claimed that the real issue was not segregation, but states’ rights versus federal authority.

a.    In your own words, do your best to explain what this means (you may ask for help, if needed!).

b.    Do you think the underlying reason for the governors not complying with the Supreme Court’s decision was states’ rights versus federal authority?  If yes, why?  If no, what do you       think the underlying reason was?

2.    As you watched the real news clips of the Little Rock Nine and the events that unfolded around them, what came to your mind?  Record your reactions, using specific references to the film.

3.    The white woman who helped Elizabeth Eckford get to the bus and to safety represents an interesting figure in the drama.  This woman was present at a protest against integration, meaning we might be able to assume she did not want it to go forward (although perhaps she was there as an observer).  In the midst of the mob’s threatening behavior, she stepped up to shield Elizabeth, help her get on the bus, ride home with her, and therefore probably saved her life.

How do you explain this woman’s actions?  Should she be considered a hero?  Why/why not?  What might we learn from her?

(Also: Is there anything in Warriors Don’t Cry that tells us more about her?  If you think so, please locate the passage and share it with us!)

4.    What questions do you have?  What does the video make you wonder about?

OPTIONAL BONUS QUESTION:
How does the conflict between states’ rights and federal authority connect to slavery and the Civil War?

WOW! What an exciting day to see the President twice! Thank you for enjoying that amazing moment with me and as a community!

Due Tuesday, September 15:

• Final book talk due!
• “Eyes on the Prize” Preparation Worksheet, which I will paste in below because this blog has a new format and I am unable to load as attachment!

Eighth Grade Core                                                Name_____________

 Key Terms for Eyes on the Prize

I know one thing we did right was the day we started to fight.

 Keep your eyes on the prize hold on, hold on.

                                                                        -From a Traditional Civil Rights Song

We will be viewing a portion of the video series Eyes on the Prize, which examines the Civil Rights Era in the United States. The segment we will see deals specifically with the desegregation of southern schools. During this period in American history, more legislation was passed, more court decisions made, and more social change decided in the name of civil rights than ever before.

The video mentions some of the following key terms that will be important for the rest of the year. Using the Constitution, a dictionary, the encyclopedia, the internet, and your own knowledge, write definitions to the terms below.  You may use note form and you may work with a partner, but you each must write the answers separately so each have them in your binders.

 

1. Emancipation Proclamation
2. Federal Authority
3. States’ Rights
4. A Moderate
5. A Radical
6. Integration
7. Anti-segregationist
8. Gradualism                                         
9. Mob rule
10. “Dixie”
11. 11. “With all deliberate speed” (term from Brown v. Board of Education. You may not find this term online; try to figure out what it means or how it was used in the Court’s decision. If you can not find it, take a guess!).
12. “Equal treatment under the law
13. Dwight D. Eisenhower
14.   The NAACP

Great job on your first three days of eighth grade! :)

Due Monday, September 14 

• Bring in your Warriors Don’t Cry book 
• Bring in your Warriors Don’t Cry summer writing
• Write a rough draft of your book talk
• Revise and type up your “Theme for English B” poem and bring it in with your rough draft with the peer edits on it

NOTES: 

• 8A: We will schedule you for your book talk slots on Monday
• Please bring in any forms you may be holding on to. 
• Fall sports begin Monday! Please bring proper clothing and your Athletics consent form so you can go to practice!

Due Tuesday, September 15

• Your final book talk is due! These people in 8B are scheduled to present in their split on this day: Ivo, Benno and Taliana!  

For Friday, September 11:

• Write your first draft of your own “Theme for English B” poem, using the assignment Langston Hughes did. It should be 12 lines long, minimum, and should give me a sense of who you are. If you imitate Langston Hughes or lift lines from his poem, be sure to give him credit at the end, as I did in my sample poem.

• Bring an independent reading book for independent reading on Friday afternoon. 

• NOTE: we will go to Washington Square Park at 12:30 for the September Concert Series in memory of September 11, 2001.  Please wear walking shoes and outdoor clothing, and bring rain gear just in case! We will gather, listen to great music, and sing and then come back to school by 2 pm or so. 

Due Monday, September 14:

• Bring in your Warriors Don’t Cry book

• Bring in your Warriors Don’t Cry written responses

WELCOME to EIGHTH GRADE CORE! It was so good to see you today! 

Due Thursday, September 10:

• Write me a one-page (or longer, if you are inspired!) handwritten letter introducing yourself to me. You may write about anything, and your letter should give me a sense of who you are. You might want to include something you think I should know or something I might not know otherwise.  I am already looking forward to reading each and every letter.
• If you have the actual books, bring in the two classics you read over the summer (the ones you chose from the list). If they are from the library or some such, don’t worry. 

For Friday, September 11:

• Bring an independent reading book for independent reading on Friday afternoon. 
• We will go to Washington Square Park at 12:30 for the September Concert Series in memory of September 11, 2001.  Please wear walking shoes and outdoor clothing, and bring rain gear just in case!

Due Monday, September 14:

• Bring in your Warriors Don’t Cry book
• Bring in your Warriors Don’t Cry written responses

Today was your last day of Middle School classes! YIPPEEE! Great job.

Monday is our Beach Trip! DO NOT BE LATE TO SCHOOL! You need:

• a lunch & drink

• beach stuff: bathingsuit & a towel, a change of clothes if you will swim so you can ride home dry

• sunblock, hat and a sweatshirt in case it’s cold by the water

• a pen to sign yearbooks with

• basketball(there are courts there), frisbee, football, etc.

Today was a GREAT poetry share! Thank you, eighth grade authors. Wow. :)

Moving Up Speech Revisions Needed by 8:20 AM THURSDAY: ***This is the last and final deadline for revisions.***

Dominic,  Thomas, Ava, Adam, Lily, Rene

*********ADAM: TKAM reprint NEEDED *******************

Due Thursday, June 11:

• Your two postage stamps with a 5-sentence explanation for each one. In the written portion, you should explain why it is an appropriate and compelling memorial, what the elements you selected mean and/or represent, and why the U.S. Postal Service should select yours.
• Bring in a bag to take home the contents of your locker, desk, and hanging file!

BOOKS! We are missing MANY FDR, Night and TKAM books. Please do a hunt at home!

Moving Up Speech Revisions Needed ASAP:

Dominic, Liam M, Thomas, Ava, Adam, Lily

Wednesday, June 10: Poetry Share and Celebration in Writing Workshop Splits!

Due Thursday, June 11:

• Your two postage stamps with a 5-sentence explanation for each one. In the written portion, you should explain why it is an appropriate and compelling memorial, what the elements you selected mean and/or represent, and why the U.S. Postal Service should select yours.
• Bring in a bag to take home the contents of your locker, desk, and hanging file!

PLEASE BRING IN BOOKS–Night, TKAM, FDR, and anything else for any of your subjects or from the library.  :)

Due Tuesday, June 9 (because I forgot to collect today–OOPS!):

• Poetry Self-Assessment and Titling--Today in class we completed this handout on our 5 best poems and turned it in with the poems! If you were absent, complete this on your own and turn it in!
• Your Five BEST REVISED MOST FAB POEMS!

Wednesday, June 10: Poetry Share and Celebration in Writing Workshop Splits!

Due Thursday, June 11:

• Your two postage stamps with a 5-sentence explanation for each one. In the written portion, you should explain why it is an appropriate and compelling memorial, what the elements you selected mean and/or represent, and why the U.S. Postal Service should select yours.
• Bring in a bag to take home the contents of your locker, desk, and hanging file!