Michelle Johnson
Hello HMS Family! Thank you for going on this journey with us as we try to go to school this fall. Who would have thought it would be so hard to go to school!
I have been an 8th grade English teacher for 27 years at HMS. I graduated from Carroll College, have a Masters degree in Instruction, and taught at Havre Middle School for 5 years also. This is my 32nd year of teaching middle school. Certainly the strangest start of a school year ever!
I have four boys and my husband teaches US History at Helena High. Two of my boys live in Billings and one is at the Naval Academy and one is a sophomore at MSU.
Please keep yourself healthy and safe at this difficult time. Let’s try to communicate as much as possible. I appreciate your patience with lessons, technology, and all the new things that will pop up.
Michelle Johnson
8th Grade English
Welcome to 8th Grade English!
READING
(We often read these stories, and we will try learn with as many of these titles as possible this crazy year! :))
This year we will read several classic stories such as:
- “The Monkey’s Paw” by WW Jacobs
- “The Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
- “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- “To Build a Fire” by Jack London
- “The Diary of Anne Frank” – a play version
- “The Outsider” by HP Lovecraft
- “The Gift of the Magi” by O Henry
WRITING
In English class we will write clear sentences and paragraphs to create personal narratives, informational essays, and argumentative essays. Vocabulary development and grammar comprehension will help us as building blocks to becoming better writers and readers. We will annotate text to help us comprehend more difficult material and make sense of it for writing and understanding.
HOMEWORK
Please check the link to the weekly agenda for all classes. TEAMS and PowerSchool will have updated information as well.
SUCCESS
8th grade is an important springboard to success in high school. We will work hard so the students feel confident and ready!
Hang in there as we navigate this unprecedented time in education! Don’t hesitate to ask questions and do the best you can; that’s all we can all do right now!