8th Grade Language Arts Blog

The textbook selection “Harriet Tubman: Conductor of the Underground Railroad” gives us a vivid account of the struggles Tubman faced as she led slaves to freedom.  In order to learn about another account of slavery, listen to one of the podcasts from the Library of Congress that provide firsthand accounts of slaves’ stories.  In the interviews featured, three men, Fountain Hughes, Wallace Quarterman, and George Johnson discuss what life was like during slavery and after it ended.  The interview with Fountain Hughes even includes his observations of a slave auction.  In your comments, consider what you learned from these podcasts about slavery and why their perspectives are unique.

You may also choose to follow a virtual journey on the Underground Railroad.  As you follow the links through this site, you will learn about slaves’ lives on the plantation, how they planned escapes, and what it was like to finally reach safety and freedom.  In your comments, post information that surprised you or follow the prompts to write your own story on the last page of the journey.

Soon we will explore the works of Edgar Allan Poe.  To learn more about this author, take a look at the interactive website that features information about his life, a short film version of “The Tell Tale Heart,” and an illustrated version of “The Masque of the Red Death.”

Respond to one of the following:

Now that we have examined aspects of Poe’s life through the iPoe video clips and interactive map of his life, what do you find most interesting and surprising about his life?

Complete the “Tell Tale Writing Prompt” after the short film composing an epilogue that imagines what happened to the narrator next.

Visit the Writer’s Center and try your hand at writing a suspenseful story using the “Jack Poe” game.

In preparation for our reading of the play “The Diary of Anne Frank,” follow the link below to complete a web quest that directs you to several sites with information about her life and the time in which she lived.

The Diary of Anne Frank Web Quest.

For the 1st trimester book report projects, students read fiction selections and created movie proposals or trailers. Some of the trailers were completed as movies and others were podcasts.

Below is an example of a podcast book report. To stop the music press stop/pause.

“Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with shades of deeper meaning.”

Now that we have read an excerpt from Maya Angelou’s autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, take the opportunity to further explore her life and works. In “Mrs. Flowers,” Angelou lost her ability to speak until a trusted mentor helped her regain her voice.

• View a recent interview with Dr. Angelou in which she discusses the power of words. What do you think of Dr. Angelou’s opinions on how words affect people? How does she view rap artists’ use of words? Do you agree or disagree with her?

• You may also view Queen Latifah’s reading of Angelou’s tribute to Michael Jackson, a poem entitled “We Had Him.”  How does Angelou incorporate some of the literary devices that we’ve discussed? What is your opinion of her portrayal of Jackson?

In preparation for the school Poetry Slam, students created podcasts of their original poetry, song lyrics, and favorite poems. Click the link below to hear some samples.

The Trees (Poem Version)

Break Me Down 1

amazing poem