8th ELA with Mrs. Hays Week 4

Email Mrs. Hays: KatieHa@spokaneschools.org

Welcome back everyone!

After Governor Inslee’s announcement of the decision to close school buildings

for the rest of the year, it is more important than ever that our communication

remains clear and open. Based on the governor’s announcement, I decided my 8th

grade classes will change directions. Last week, I offered you opportunities to read

and discover about the Holocaust—to prep for work around Holocaust novels. Since

the buildings are closed and we do not have plans for distributing the books, I would

like to focus our study on overcoming challenges through short stories instead. Thank

you for the work you did last week, and I apologize for any inconvenience or

annoyance this shift may cause.

Ultimately, I hope that we can come together and continue learning, despite

the challenges we currently face. The building may be closed, but we are still striving

to find ways to connect, teach and encourage learning. Email and Teams are the

resources I am focusing most of my energy into as a means to connect and provide

educational opportunities for my students. If you are unfamiliar with Teams, Parents,

here is a great description of what Teams is and what it has to offer our students.

Students, here is a video about how to get to Teams (you will need to log in using

your school email information), if you still haven’t been able to find it. Mrs. Coulson

created the video for her students, but the directions still apply. Just look for Hays

Great 8s, our team for 8th grade English.

I miss all of you and I hope to continue working with you. As always, please

don’t hesitate to connect with me via e-mail, TEAMS or through our class Remind!

Happy reading! Stay healthy! --Mrs. Hays

Remind App: Text @hayseights to 81010

Reading Goals this week:

Read “Raymond’s Run”

Find an independent novel to

read 20-30 minutes daily.

Recommended Materials:

• “Raymond’s Run” a short story by Toni

Cade Bambara

• “Raymond’s Run” assignments—

attached to this document and posted

to TEAMS (so you can complete work

digitally)

•

Access TEAMS:

Its just like accessing your e-

mail or a word document.

You just click the TEAMS

icon.

8th ELA with Mrs. Hays Assignments Week 4

Week 4 Breakdown Additional Activities

Monday

1st readthrough of “Raymond’s Run” by Toni Cade Bambara

Complete the Before Reading activities: a quickwrite and vocabulary

questions for Raymond’s Run. Then read the story and complete the

During Reading questions found in the text.

If you’re on TEAMS, please submit Before Reading work on TEAMS.

Creative Writing Bingo posted today on TEAMS and Clever!

Tuesday Read something of your choice—30+ minutes!

Complete the Creative Writing Bingo prompt posted yesterday! TEAMS meeting scheduled for 12:00 pm. Come say hi, ask questions and get help with our digital resources.

Wednesday 2nd readthrough of “Raymond’s Run” by Toni Cade Bambara

After reading “Raymond’s Run” again, complete the After Reading

questions and activities. If you’re on TEAMS, please submit work on TEAMS.

Thursday Read something of your choice—30+ minutes!

Complete the Creative Writing Bingo Prompt. Creative Writing Bingo posted today on Clever!

Friday Read something of your choice—30+ minutes!

Finish up any work for this class. If you’re on TEAMS, please submit work on TEAMS.

“Raymond’s Run” by Toni Cade Bambara

Before Reading: QUICKWRITE

Have you ever wanted something so badly you’d do anything to achieve it? If

so, you’ve felt motivation, the drive that causes people to strive toward a goal.

In the story you are about to read, a spunky young girl does what it takes to be

the fastest runner in her neighborhood.

Jot down a list of things you’ve been willing to work for. Choose a favorite and

write a short paragraph telling what motivates you. Remember a paragraph is

7-10 sentences.

Vocabulary

The boldfaced words help Toni Cade Bambara tell a story about a race that’s

important in more ways than one. Use context clues to figure out what each

word means. Write your answer, beside or below the sentence. Be sure to use a

different font or color (still easy to read though).

1. Teams of three or four usually compete in relay races.

2. The talented young sprinter was considered a track prodigy.

3. Mai’s teammate is also her good friend, or sidekick.

4. Ben is liable to get injured if he doesn’t warm up before the race.

5. At the start of a race, runners crouch close to the ground.

6. The winner might clutch the blue ribbon to her chest

8th ELA with Mrs. Hays Assignments Week 4

During Reading:

Refer to the story (below) and annotate the text based on the questions and

directions. If you are completing it digitally, then you will need to right click the text

boxes and click add text, so you can type your answer.

After Reading:

Please respond to the following questions in complete sentences. Be sure to use a

different font or color (still easy to read though).

1. Recall-What nickname have the big kids given Squeaky, and

why?

2. Clarify-Why does Squeaky feel the May Pole dance is a waste of

time?

3. Clarify-Describe Squeaky’s reaction when she sees Raymond

running parallel to her in the race.

4. Make Inferences-Review the inference you created as you read

the story. Use these inferences to answer this question: Why might

Squeaky react to other people the way she does? Support your

answer with text evidence.

5. Compare and Contrast-What are some differences between

Squeaky and Gretchen? What are some similarities?

6. Bonus: Inquiry and Research-According to Squeaky, Raymond has

a “big head.” Find out more about hydrocephalus, the condition he

has. With the medical advances of today, is there a treatment or cure

for hydrocephalus? What is known about the causes of it?

Vocabulary Review

Answer each question to show your understanding of the vocabulary words. Be sure to use a different font or color (still easy to read though).

1. Is a sidekick likely to be a friend or someone you just met?

2. If you were to clutch something, would you be tossing it away or

holding it close?

3. Which would you expect a sports prodigy to be—clumsy or

talented?

4. When are you more likely to crouch—picking a flower from the

garden or reaching for a glass in the cabinet?

5. If a person is liable to do something, does that mean it’s likely or

unlikely to happen?

6. What’s more important in a relay race—one good runner or a

team effort?

Academic Vocabulary

affect—conclude—evident—imply—initial

7. How does Squeaky’s attitude toward Gretchen change over the

course of the story? Using at least one Academic Vocabulary word,

compare Squeaky’s initial reaction to Gretchen to her feelings toward

her rival at the end of the story.

8th ELA with Mrs. Hays Assignments Week 4

As you read the following story, be sure to annotate by inserting your questions, comments, and

wonderings. Be sure to answer the questions provided in the margins as you read as well.

[Grab your

reader’s

attention

with a great

quote from

the

document or

use this

space to

emphasize a

key point. To

place this

text box

anywhere on

the page,

just drag it.]

example from the text.

8th ELA with Mrs. Hays Assignments Week 4

8th ELA with Mrs. Hays Assignments Week 4

8th ELA with Mrs. Hays Assignments Week 4

Story and questions courtesy of https://www.henry.k12.va.us/cms/lib/VA01000023/Centricity/Domain/1771/Raymonds%20Run.pdf