Ms. Ashley West's Language Arts Page

May 16th - 20th

2011-05-16T13:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to another wonderful week in Language Arts. It is hard to believe that this is the last full week of school, but the mounting excitement can be felt all over Bromley!

This week, in the eighth grade (and one lucky seventh grade class), students will be presenting to the class, the novels that they have been reading for the past quarter. Students have been given the opportunity to choose a book that interested them and then now share this wonderful story with the rest of their classmates. Students were given the choice of using their technological prowess to create a PowerPoint presentation, or stretch their creative muscles to create a poster presentaion. Either way, I know that we are in store for some fabulous fiction! What a great way to put together a summer reading list!

The seventh grade will be wrapping up their very last creative writing assignment for the year. Students are putting their wild imaginations to good use in order to create a character surrounded by mystery and intrigue . . . a spy! I know that these stories will be sure to thrill!

May 9th - 13th

2011-05-09T14:07:00.000-07:00

I seems hard to believe but we a re very nearly at the end of our school year. It hardly seems as though nine months have passed, and I know that the next two and a half weeks will fly by!

This week, the eighth grade will conclude Shakespeare's tale of tragic love, and continue to work on their final projects. I cannot wait to see some of the wonderful and creative things that this class will think up!

The seventh grade will be reviewing literary terminology and moving forward with a fun and exciting writing assignment.

What a great way to close the year!

April 25th - 28th

2011-04-26T13:45:00.000-07:00

Hello all!

While Europe was wonderful, I am so happy to be back at Bromley with all of my wonderful students!

This week, the seventh grade will be working on their final projects for our Anne Frank unit. Students had the ability to choose a project that was particularly interesting to them, from a many exciting options. I can't wait to see the finished products!

The eighth grade will continue their reading of the classic tragedy, Romeo & Juliet. It has been an absolute blast watching the kiddos act and seeing them grasp the material in such an advanced way. Perhaps we have the next Shakespeare in the room!

It looks to be an exciting week, and I am looking forward to every second of it!

April 4th - 20th

2011-04-06T13:34:00.000-07:00

Hello students and parents, as most of you already know, I will be out of the country for the next few days. I will be returning to the sates on April 21st, but until then, I leave my students and classroom in very capable hands. Ms. Miller will be filling in for me while I am away and I know that she is going to do a wonderful job! While I am gone, I will not be able to update the blog page, or the grade book, so do not be surprised y a lack of activity. Should you need to get in touch with me during this time, you may send me an email. While it will not be every day, I will try to check my mail as often as possible and get back to you as soon I can. Ms. West

March 21st - 25th

2011-03-22T13:28:00.000-07:00

Well Spring is in full swing and so in the CSAP. While it is nice for the kiddos to have a chance to show the world how brilliant they are, I do miss seeing them all!

Unfortunately, I will not get the chance to see many of the eighth graders much this week. In the limited time that we have, we will be learning about one of the most famous authors in all of history. Yes, that's right, the Bard himself . . . William Shakespeare! We will be learning about this incredible man so that we may better understand the base for our next unit, Romeo and Juliet.

Luckily, I get to see all of my seventh grade classes this week, and we will be doing some pretty exciting stuff! One class will be stretching their creative muscles to invent an island and then . . . strand themselves there! They will then have the chance to write about their experience while stranded in this perils place! Another class will be finishing up their "Unity Project." A truly wonderful experience indeed. Lastly, another class will be returning to their reading of Anne Frank. Just like an old friend, it has been too long since we have heard from her.

What a week!

March 7th - 10th

2011-03-07T13:59:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe, but we have begun the final week of our third quarter! Time really flies when you are having fun! Don't worry though, it only gets better from here!

The eighth graders this week, as well as one of the seventh grade classes, will be presenting their choice books to the rest of their class through an entertaining and informative presentation. Some students have chosen to stretch their craft muscles and create beautiful poster projects, while others have chosen to use their tech savvy to compose their presentations. However they have chose to do so, this is a great opportunity for students to use the literary language they have been learning all year, and express their opinions about literature. I can't wait!

The seventh grade will continue their study and reading of Anne Frank and her iconic diary. Students have gotten the chance to view the war and the Holocaust through the eyes of someone who experienced it first hand, and to identify with Anne, as a typical teenager with her emotions, confusion and thoughtful contemplation.

February 28th - March 4th

2011-02-28T14:25:00.000-08:00

It finally feels like spring is on its way, and we are all ready to spring right back to all of the amazing things we are doing in Language Arts!

This week, the eighth grade will continue their study of poetry, focusing on narrative poetry and found poetry. We will also begin working on our final project for this unit. How exciting!

In the seventh grade this week, we will continue our reading of Anne frank and working on our summarizing and inference skills.

February 22nd - 25th

2011-02-22T13:31:00.000-08:00

Welcome back!

I hope that everyone enjoyed our (very) long weekend, and has returned to school ready to dive back into Language Arts!

In the eighth grade this week, we will continue to study poetry, focusing our efforts on narrative poetry. Students will learn the purpose and form of this particular form of poetry, as well as the many different places it can be found. Students will also have the opportunity to create their own narrative poem, taking inspiration from a very unusual place.

In the seventh grade we will continue our reading of Anne Frank's diary and fine-tune our summary-writing skills. Students will also continue to add to their lexicon through our study of vocabulary.

While this may be a short week, we will surely be busy!

February 14th - 17th

2011-02-14T09:55:00.000-08:00

Love is in the air . . .

love for Language Arts, that is!

In the eighth grade this week, we will continue to work with poetry and various forms of poetic language and devices. Students will continue to pen some amazing and original works, while reading some of the best poems this world has to offer!

Seventh graders will continue their reading of Anne Frank's diary, examining her short, tumultuous life and make connections to their own.

A couple of quick reminders:
there is no school this Friday or the following Monday.
Parent / Teacher conferences are this Tuesday - Thursday, 4:00 - 8:00 pm.

Have a fantastic week!

February 7th - 11th

2011-02-07T13:43:00.001-08:00

I must say, with so many of our eighth graders gone at Sea camp, our halls and classrooms feel a bit lonely. While they may be having fun in San Diego, we're having just as much fun here, in Language Arts!

The eighth graders this week will have the opportunity to participate in some fun and creative writing activities. I can't wait to see the things they will come up with.

The seventh grade will continue our reading and viewing of Anne Frank. I think that our students are really beginning to connect with Anne and her plight.

Who needs San Diego when you can be here in LA!

January 31st - February 4th

2011-01-31T17:08:00.000-08:00

While the groundhog has yet to alert us whether or not spring is on its way, it sure feels a lot like winter today! Brrrrrrrrr!

This week, the eighth grade will continue with their poetry unit, exploring many more poetic devices and literary terminology, all while creating their own fantastic works!

The seventh grade will continue their reading of Anne Frank's iconic diary. They will respond to their reading and use their reasoning and inference to gain a better understanding of Anne herself, as well as the world she lived in.

Woo-h00, what a week!

January 24th - 28th

2011-01-24T17:14:00.000-08:00

Well January is coming to an end, but we are still in full swing here in Language Arts!

In the eighth grade, we are continuing our study of poetry. This week we will be focusing on figurative language and poetic devices. Students will have the opportunity to pen some more of their own awe-inspiring poetry using, personification, onomatopoeia and much more.

In the seventh grade, we will continue reading Anne Frank. Students are reading Anne's words and practicing their summarizing skills, as well as their ability to draw conclusions and make conclusions.

What a great week we have to look forward to!

January 17th - 21st

2011-01-19T13:49:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to another short week!

I hope that everyone had a great three-day weekend, and has returned to school ready to learn!

In the eighth grade this week we ill be continuing our study of poetry. Students will have the opportunity to explore the different kinds of rhyme that occur in poetry by examining one of the great Gothic poems, Poe's "The Raven." In addition to reading some fantastic poetry, students will have some fun with tongue twisters while learning about alliteration. Once our tongues have un-twisted, students will examine figurative language and create their own metaphorical poetry!

In the seventh grade, we will begin our reading of Anne Frank's diary. Students have spent the past two weeks learning the necessary background information and we are ready to begin! Students will have the opportunity to see 1940's war-torn Europe through the eyes of a very insightful 13 year old girl. This will no doubt be quite a moving experience.

With so much to do, I am sure that this short week is going to fly by!

January 10th - 14th

2011-01-10T13:19:00.000-08:00

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Well, I know that everyone was very relieved this Monday morning to find that school was NOT canceled due to the snow. No one wants to miss out on a moment of Language Arts!

This week, in the eighth grade, we will begin our study of poetry. Students will have the opportunity to jump right in, and start creating their own poetry right away! I can hardly wait to see what these talented minds will come up with!

In the seventh grade, we will be starting our unit: Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. Students will receive important background information before reading this powerful account of a young life, tragically lost, during the time of the Nazi occupation.

With so much to do, this week will surly fly by!

January 4th - 8th

2011-01-04T14:12:00.000-08:00

WELCOME BACK!

I hope that everyone had a fun and restful Winter Break! While sleeping, staying in PJ's all day and watching hours of cartoon was fun, I am so happy that we are back and so excited about what this new semester holds for us!

December 13th - 17th

2010-12-14T16:44:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the last week of the quarter, the last week of the semester, and the last week of school for the year 2010!

This week, students are ending 2010 with a bang!

The eighth graders have spent the past two weeks engrossed in Frank Stockton's revered tale, The Lady or the Tiger. The only thing that is lacking in this story is that it does not have an ending. Well, have no fear, the eighth grade is here! Every eighth grade student has penned their own riveting conclusion to Stockton's original story and will spend this week deep in the editing process to make sure it is absolutely perfect before handing in their final drafts on Friday. I can't wait to see how it ends!

All of the eighth grade classes, as well as one seventh grade class will be brave enough to stand at the front of the room (a space normally occupied by our fearless leader... yours truly) and present to the class the novel that they have spend the past seven weeks reading. What a great way to get a recommendation for a good book to read over break!

Also in the seventh grade, we will continue our study of short stories with the holiday classic, Gift of the Magi, as well as honing our own story-telling skills though the creation of mini-storybooks and fine-tuning our summary writing to utter perfection.

An eventful week indeed!

December 6th - 10th

2010-12-06T14:31:00.000-08:00

Brrrr, it's beginning to look like winter and the count-down to winter break has begun!

In the eighth grade, students are taking on the tremendous responsibility of composing the long-awaited conclusion to Frank Stockton's classic short story, The Lady or the Tiger. Students will be able to say definitively, once and for all, what was behind that mysterious door.

In the seventh grade, We begin to wrap-up our short story unit with a couple more short stories just in time for the holidays!

November 29th - December 3rd

2010-11-29T17:24:00.000-08:00

All the turkey has been eaten, all of the pies devoured and another fall break has come and past.

Do not fret, Language Arts class is always more fun than some silly, old break!

This week, in the eighth grade, students will have the opportunity to explore yet another of the great short stories this universe has to offer. Students will spend their time pondering Frank Stockton's timeless question (as well as the title of his famous story) The Lady or the Tiger?

In the seventh grade, we will continue our work with our book clubs, and class novels while further exploring the fascinating world of short fiction and literary terminology.

Who wants to be on break when you can be in Ms. West's class?!

November 22nd - 23rd

2010-11-22T13:48:00.001-08:00

Gobble, gobble, gobble!

Well we have quite a short week! Students will only have class on Monday and Tuesday due to the Thanksgiving holiday, although I doubt you'll hear too much complaining about it!

In the eighth grade, we will have the opportunity to see our most recent short story on the big screen. Students will be able to watch the 1932 classic, The Most Dangerous Game.

In the seventh grade, students will have the opportunity to show off their storytelling abilities by sharing their scary stories with the rest of the class. it will be a hair-raising good time!

November 15th - 19th

2010-11-15T13:56:00.000-08:00

It seems impossible that it is already mid-November. This year is just flying by!

In the eighth grade this week, we will continue with our persuasive writing assignment, now adding a creative twist. Students have used what they have learned about persuasive writing, as well as verbal irony, to create a piece convincing the general public to take a vacation to the "lovely" Ship-Trap Island, as the personal guest of General Zarroff himself. This week, they will be adding their artistic flair to this assignment by creating a travel brochure for the infamous island. I am sure that the reservations will start pouring in.

In the seventh grade we will be finishing up with our very scary stories. We will continue through the editing process until they are absolutely perfect! Once we have our final drafts, we will have the opportunity to read to each other. Who will have the most terrifying tale? I suppose we will see!

November 8th - 12th

2010-11-10T16:24:00.000-08:00

It's Spirit Week!

This week is sure to be packed with fun, frenzy and, well . . . SPIRIT!

In the eighth grade this week, we will be learning more about irony, more specifically, verbal irony and how it is effectively used in writing. We will also be finishing our reading of The Most Dangerous Game.

Once finished with the story, students will have the opportunity to take all that they have learned and produce a piece of persuasive writing, using the story as the base. Once the writing itself has been completed, students will have the opportunity to add a creative flair to the assignment!

In the seventh grade, we continue our work on our scary stories. Students are using all that they have learned about mood and tone to create some truly creepy, yet creative, tales of terror!

November 1st - 5th

2010-11-01T14:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome back! Now that all of our stomachs are filled to the brim with candy, we welcome November and all of the great things that this month has in store for the seventh and eighth grade.

This week, in both the seventh and eighth grade, we will have the opportunity to peruse though some of the great classics of American literature in order to choose which one of these wonderful novels to read for the required novel. Students will be forming their own book clubs (all the rage these days) so that, while they are reading their novel, they will have others to share their ideas and questions with, while engaging in literary discussions.

In the eighth grade we will begin to read another magnificent short story, filled with danger and drama. The Most Dangerous Game, by Richard Connell will keep students on the edge of their seats and, in addition, they will be able to discover foreshadowing and suspense and see how they are effectively used in literature.

In the seventh grade, we have just finished our reading of Poe's spooky classic, The Tell-Tale Heart. Students will use what they have learned about mood and tone to create their own spine-tingling tale!

What an amazing week we have to look forward to!

Also, I will be sending home some additional information about the trip to Washington D.C. in the upcoming days and weeks. Make sure to get signed up, this is going to be a blast!

October 25th-28th

2010-10-26T20:40:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to anther exiting week in Ms. West's class. What a week we have ahead

In the eighth grade, we have recently completed the final draft of our analysis of one of the characters found in Dr. Heidegger's Experiment. Now that they have communicated our thoughts in words, students will have the opportunity to stretch their creative muscles, and show their knowledge of their character through the visual arts. This is a very exciting project and I am so very excited to see the wonderful things that I know our students will create!

In the seventh grade, we are focusing on the literary elements of tone and mood. We will have the opportunity to fully explore these concepts through our reading of one of the great tales of terror, The Tell-Tale Heart. We have also spent some time learning strategies known as context clues, that will help us in our reading when we come across a word that we do not understand.

I hope to see everyone at conferences this week as well. I have so many wonderful things to say about these students!

October 18th - 22nd

2010-10-18T14:49:00.000-07:00

It is official, we are 1/4 of the way through the school year. While we had a blast first quarter, I have a feeling that second quarter will be even better!

This week, in the eighth grade, we begin writing our analysis of one of the interesting characters that Nathaniel Hawthorne provides us with in his allegorical masterpiece, Dr. Heidegger's Experiment. Students will have the chance to study and analyze their character, and then present their findings to the world in a well written essay.

In the seventh grade, we continue to work with The Necklace, studying cause and effect relationships, as well as the literary ideas of theme and irony.

Here's to another great quarter!

October 11th - 14th

2010-10-12T13:52:00.000-07:00

This week, in both the seventh and eighth grade, we will continue our reading of some of the great fictions of our time!

The eighth graders will continue to be amazed by Hawthorne's symbolism while reading and discussing Dr. Heidegger's Experiment. After their reading they will have the opportunity to fully analyze and understand one of the allegorical characters found within, and stretch their creative muscles in the process.

The seventh grade will continue their reading of Guy De Maupassant's, The Necklace. A story full of suspense and turmoil for the unfortunate characters involved. Through this reading, we will be exploring new vocabulary, as well as leaning to use context clues to decipher the meanings of unfamiliar words.

Remember that the end of the first quarter is this Friday. Students will not be attending school, so that their dedicated teachers can post their grades. It is hard to believe that we are already 1/4th of the way through the school year; time flies when you're having fun!

October 4th - 8th

2010-10-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

What an exciting week we have ahead of us!

In the eighth grade, we will continue our study of literary terminology as well as study of great short stories. This week, we will have the opportunity to read a story written by one of the greatest American authors, Nathaniel Hawthorne. We will use hi magnificent short story, Dr Heidegger's Experiment, to explore the ideas of symbol and allegory.

In the seventh grade, we will continue to examine parts of speech as well as diving into some interesting and thought provoking short stories!

Remember that Friday is STEMAPALOOZA!!

All book reports, for both seventh and eighth grade are due
THIS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6th!

September 27th - October 1st

2010-09-27T15:42:00.000-07:00

Well, fall is here and I know that the cooler temperatures, falling leaves and crisp air make me want to get comfy and cozy with some good reading. Lucky for our students, that is exactly what they will have the chance to do this week!

In the eighth grade we are finishing up our character stories. The students have been working on these for some time now, writing, editing, and writing some more. They should be extremely proud of their creativity and hard work. I am so excited to have the opportunity to read all of them!

We will also continue to study the language of literature by examining more of the literary terms associated with short stories.

In the seventh grade, we are honing our spelling skills and becoming even more familiar with the various parts of speech. We will also be furthering our understanding of literary language this week by looking at the idea of conflict within a story.

Get ready for another great week!!

Reminder: This Wednesday is picture day. If you did not receive an order form, make sure to ask your homeroom teacher for a copy. SAY CHEESE!!

September 20th - 23rd

2010-09-20T13:44:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to another short week!

In the seventh grade this week we will continue to examine the elements of short stories through reading and discussion. We will also continue our study of parts of speech , as well as spelling and proper grammar.

The eighth graders are hard at work on their character stories, editing and revising, all the while sharing their creativity and understanding of the six-traits with their classmates through the peer-editing process.

Reminders for this week:

There is no school for students this Friday, September 24th, so dress of choice day for the month of September will be Thursday the 23rd.

Remember all seventh and eighth graders, BOTH of your book reports are due on Wednesday, October 6th. Don't put it off to the last minute!:)

September 13th - 17th

2010-09-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to another wonderful week in Language Arts!

This week in the eighth grade, we will begin the process of composing our very first writing assignment. Students will use all the knowledge that they have gained about plot, character, characterization, and point of view to compose a magnificent work of fiction.

We will have the opportunity to share our work with members of the class in order to move through the editing process and make our stories the best that they can possibly be!

In the seventh grade, we will continue our work with the language involved in discussing literature. We will also have the opportunity to begin reading some of the best short stories that this planet has to offer.

We will also continue our study of the English language by looking at the different part of speech, as well as spelling.

I am so excited for another great week!

September 7th - 10th

2010-09-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome back after the long weekend! This week we will continue to examine the various elements of short stories, and the language that we must master in order to speak about literature as a whole.

We will continue to explore characters in our writing and reading, as well as examine the various points of view that authors use in their storytelling.

2010-08-30T14:21:00.000-07:00

August 30th - September 3rd

2010-08-30T14:12:00.000-07:00

This week we will be continuing our study of short stories. We will review what we have learned about plot and its various elements, as well as venturing into the worlds of character and conflict.

We will continue to work in our reader's and writer's notebooks, furthering our study of ourselves as students of the language arts.

August 23rd - 27th

2010-08-24T14:00:00.001-07:00

This week in the seventh and eighth grade we will be beginning our study of short stories. We will begin learning the "language of literature" and have a chance to begin reading our first stories as well.

This week we will be continuing to work in our Writer's Notebook, filling it with creative works and story ideas.

We will also begin using our Reader's Notebook this week. This will be a place where students will thoughtfully respond to the literature that we will be reading in class, as well as storing valuable literary information.

**Announcements**

Remember kiddos, this Friday is dress of choice day!