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Welcome to our new school year!
 
25 Books on Food Tank's Summer 2021 Reading List – Food Tank
 
School Theme: Strength for the Journey
 
My name is Mrs. Casey Hadjis and this is my eleventh year at St. Joseph Catholic School. I currently teach sixth through eighth grades Reading/Literature including Latin & Greek. I earned my undergraduate degree from Marquette University and my master's degree in education from DePaul University.  I look forward to another wonderful year with my sixth, seventh, and eighth graders!
 
 
 

 

 

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Week at a Glance: April 22-25, 2025

Sixth Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue nonfiction study of The Boys in the Boat including main characters, setting changes, Joe's childhood and coaches.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 17.
  • Students will read independent novels.
Seventh Grade Reading:
  • Students will create a biography for Dorothy Vaughan from Hidden Figures.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 17.
  • Students will read independent novels.
Eighth Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue novel study of To Kill a Mockingbird including character development and themes.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 17.
  • Students will read independent novels.
 

Week at a Glance: April 14 - 17, 2025

Sixth Grade Reading:
  • Students will complete the anticipation guide and research rowing positions for nonfiction novel, The Boys in the Boat.
  • Students will begin nonfiction study of The Boys in the Boat including setting, characters, and critical thinking of society in the 1930s.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 16.
  • Students will read independent novel.
Seventh Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue nonfiction study of Hidden Figures including conditions at NACA and the speed of sound.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 16.
  • Students will read independent novel.
Eighth Grade Reading:
  • Students will begin novel study of To Kill a Mockingbird including characters, plot exposition, and use of humor.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 16.
  • Students will read independent novel.
 

Week at a Glance: April 7 - 11, 2025

Sixth Grade Reading:
  • Students will check comprehension of The Lions of Little Rock.
  • Students will complete story pyramid for The Lions of Little Rock.
  • Students will summarize a nonfiction text.
  • Students will perform a readers' theater of "War of the Worlds."
  • Students will complete Latin & Greek unit 16.
  • Students will read independent novel.
Seventh Grade Reading:
  • Students will complete timeline of flight in the 20th century.
  • Students will begin nonfiction study of Hidden Figures including characters and time period.
  • Students will complete Latin & Greek unit 16.
  • Students will read independent novel.
Eighth Grade Reading:
  • Students will work on To Kill a Mockingbird centers including author study, Great Depression, Dust Bowl, and Scottsboro Boys.
  • Students will complete Latin & Greek unit 16.
  • Students will read independent novel.
 

Week at a Glance: April 1-4, 2025

Sixth Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue novel study of The Lions of Little Rock including character, plot development, vocabulary, and comprehension.
  • Students will create a story pyramid based on the novel.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 15.
  • Students will read independent novel.
  • Students will complete i-Ready Reading lesson.
Seventh Grade Reading:
  • Students will research War of the Worlds radio broadcast.
  • Students will summarize a nonfiction text from Scope Magazine.
  • Students will read a paired nonfiction text and infographic.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 15.
  • Students will read independent novel.
  • Students will complete i-Ready Reading lesson.
Eighth Grade Reading:
  • Students will research War of the Worlds radio broadcast.
  • Students will summarize a nonfiction text from Scope Magazine.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 15.
  • Students will read independent novel.
 

Week at a Glance: March 17 - 21, 2025

Sixth Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue novel study of The Lions of Little Rock including vocabulary, comprehension, and compare/contrast.
  • Students will perform a readers' theater.
  • Students will prep for Latin & Greek 15 quiz.
  • Students will read independent novels.
Seventh Grade Reading:
  • Students will check comprehension of the novel, Fever 1793.
  • Students will complete a final project on Fever 1793.
  • Students will perform a readers' theater.
  • Students will prep for Latin & Greek 15 quiz.
  • Students will read independent novels.
Eighth Grade Reading:
  • Students will complete nonfiction study of Phineas Gage.
  • Students will complete a final project on Phineas Gage.
  • Students will perform a readers' theater.
  • Students will prep for Latin & Greek 15 quiz.
  • Students will read independent novels.
 

Week at a Glance: March 10 - 14, 2025

Sixth Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue novel study of The Lions of Little Rock including vocabulary, comprehension, and cause/effect.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek 14.
  • Students will visit the school library.
  • Students will read independent novels.
Seventh Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue novel study of Fever 1793 including vocabulary, comprehension, summarizing, and story sketches.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek 14.
  • Students will visit the school library.
  • Students will read independent novels.
Eighth Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue nonfiction study of Phineas Gage including Phineas's death/autopsy.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek 14.
  • Students will visit the school library.
  • Students will read independent novels.
 

Week at a Glance: March 3 - 7, 2025

READ-athon this week! Fill out your reading minutes Google form every night!
 
Sixth Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue the novel study of The Lions of Little Rock including vocabulary, comprehension, sensory details, alliteration, and conflict.
  • Students will complete Latin & Greek unit 14.
  • Students will read independent novels in class as part of this week's READ-athon.
Seventh Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue the novel study of Fever 1793 including vocabulary, comprehension, plotline, and connections.
  • Students will complete Latin & Greek unit 14.
  • Students will read independent novels in class as part of this week's READ-athon.
Eighth Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue nonfiction study of Phineas Gage including different parts of the brain, Localizers v Whole Brainers, and Phineas's life after the accident.
  • Students will complete Latin & Greek unit 14.
  • Students will read independent novels in class as part of this week's READ-athon.
 

Week at a Glance: February 24 - 28, 2025

Sixth Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue novel study of The Lions of Little Rock including vocabulary, prediction, use of figurative language and sensory details.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 13.
  • Students will read independent novel.
Seventh Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue novel study of Fever 1793 including vocabulary, comprehension, and summarizing.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 13.
  • Students will read independent novel.
Eighth Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue nonfiction study of Phineas Gage including funstions of the brain, what science understood at the time, and different schools of thought about the brain.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 13.
  • Students will read independent novel.
 

Week at a Glance: February 10 - 14, 2025

Sixth Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue study of The Lions of Little Rock including comprehension, vocabulary, close reading, and use of cliffhanger in writing.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 12. 
  • Students will read independent historical fiction novel.
Seventh Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue study of Fever 1793 including comprehension, vocabulary, and connections.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 12. 
  • Students will read independent novel.
Eighth Grade Reading:
  • Students will read about and research stress and create an informational pamphlet.
  • Students will complete lit centers for Phineas Gage including anticipation guide, optical illusions, brain teasers, neurons, and the adolescent brain.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 12. 
  • Students will read independent realistic fiction novel.
 

Week at a Glance: February 3 - 5, 2025

Sixth Grade Reading:
  • Students will share out lit centers for The Lions of Little Rock.
  • Students will begin novel study of LOLR including characters, setting, and vocabulary.
  • Students will complete Latin & Greek unit 12.
  • Students will read independent novel.
Seventh Grade Reading:
  • Students will begin novel study of Fever 1793 including characters, setting, and summarizing.
  • Students will complete Latin & Greek unit 12.
  • Students will read independent novel.
Eighth Grade Reading:
  • Students will identify text features and text structures in a nonfiction text.
  • Students will perform a readers' theater.
  • Students will complete Latin & Greek unit 12.
  • Students will read independent novel.
 

Week at a Glance: January 27 - 31, 2025

Sixth Grade Reading:
  • Students will begin lit centers for The Lions of Little Rock including author study, Little Rock HS, Women's Emergency Committee, Quapaws, and lions.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek 11.
  • Students will begin novel study of The Lions of Little Rock including characters and setting.
  • Students will read independent historical fiction novel.
Seventh Grade Reading:
  • Students will finish "Who Is" biography project.
  • Students will begin lit centers for Fever 1793 including author study, city of Philadelphia, role of women in colonial times, coffeehouses, yellow fever.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek 11.
  • Students will read independent novels.
Eighth Grade Reading:
  • Students will create more poetry including shape. haikus, selfie, and I Remember.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek 11.
  • Students will read independent realistic fiction novels.

Week at a Glance: January 21 - 24, 2025

Sixth Grade Reading:
  • Students will discuss author's use of foreshadowing and mood in a short story.
  • Students will complete Latin & Greek unit 11.
  • Students will visit the school book fair.
  • Students will complete i-Ready Diagnostic 2.
  • Students will read independent novels.
Seventh Grade Reading:
  • Students will complete biography project on "Who Is" book.
  • Students will complete Latin & Greek unit 11.
  • Students will complete i-Ready Diagnostic 2.
  • Students will read independent novels.
Eighth Grade Reading:
  • Students will write alliterative and shape poems.
  • Students will complete Latin & Greek unit 11.
  • Students will visit the school book fair.
  • Students will complete i-Ready Diagnostic 2.
  • Students will read independent novels.
 

Week at a Glance: January 13 - 17, 2025

Sixth Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue identifying character types in short stories.
  • Students will check comprehension of character types.
  • Students will visit the school library to choose a historical fiction book.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 10.
  • Students will complete i-Ready Reading Diagnostic Test 2.
  • Students will read independent novels.
Seventh Grade Reading:
  • Students will continue identifying character traits in Remember the Titans.
  • Students will begin reading Who Is book.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 10.
  • Students will complete i-Ready Reading Diagnostic Test 2.
  • Students will read independent novels.
Eighth Grade Reading:
  • Students will analyze Kobe Bryant poem paired with retirement letter from Michael Jordan.
  • Students will create some original poetry.
  • Students will check comprehension of Latin & Greek unit 10.
  • Students will complete i-Ready Reading Diagnostic Test 2.
  • Students will read independent novels.
 

Week at a Glance: January 7 - 10, 2025

Sixth Grade Reading:
  • Students will identify and match character traits.
  • Students will apply character types to short stories.
  • Students will complete Latin & Greek unit 10.
  • Students will read independent novel.
Seventh Grade Reading:
  • Students will use characterization charts to identify characters in the movie, Remember the Titans.
  • Students will visit the school library for a "Who Is/Was" book.
  • Students will complete Latin & Greek unit 10.
  • Students will read independent novel.
Eighth Grade Reading:
  • Students will begin poetry unit by defining key terms.
  • Students will visit the school library for a realistic fiction book.
  • Students will complete Latin & Greek unit 10.
  • Students will read independent novel.
 

Week at a Glance: December 16 - 20, 2024

Sixth Grade Reading:
  • Students will identify character types in stories.
  • Students will create characters based on pictures.
  • Students will read independent novel.
Seventh Grade Reading:
  • Students will practice direct and indirect characterization.
  • Students will identify character traits in independent novel.
  • Students will create characters based on pictures.
  • Students will read independent novel.
Eighth Grade Reading:
  • Students will watch the movie version of "The Outsiders."
  • Students will check comprehension of The Outsiders.
  • Students will read independent novel.