After reading a short biography on Kobe Bryant - whose middle name, "Bean," was inspired by his father's "Jellybean" nickname - 8th graders read and watched the animated video of Kobe Bryant's retirement letter, "Dear Basketball." Through a mimic poem writing assignment in which students wrote to their own beloved hobbies or favorite things, students reviewed friendly letter format and were introduced to the literary device of apostrophe (when a narrator/speaker addresses an abstract idea or inanimate object as if were capable of hearing, understanding, and responding). As an tactile and sensory component to Writers' Workshop, students enjoyed some jellybeans - due to the inspiration behind Kobe's middle name! - as they filled out a brainstorming graphic organizer and a fill-in-the-blank draft template.

With blue baby bottle-shaped Kool-Aid, cheesecake, cheese and crackers, and green pea snack crisps, 8th graders delighted in a baby shower-themed party based on Roald Dahl's short story, "Lamb to the Slaughter," while comparing and contrasting the original 1954 story to a film adaptation. Students dressed down in either pink or blue to represent their guess about the gender of Mary Maloney's baby - a detail about the protagonist's six-month pregnancy only mentioned in the film adaptation! 

8th graders donated canned food items specifically linked to an essential setting - Sam's Grocery Shop - from Roald Dahl's short story, "Lamb to the Slaughter," to not only bring the setting to life in the classroom, but to extend the story into the parish community. To create her alibi in the story, protagonist Mary Maloney visits a local grocery shop and inquires about "a can of peas" and some Idaho potatoes to help her cook an impromptu Thursday night dinner for her husband, Patrick. Students recreated this scene by donating 7 cans of peas, 8 cans of split pea soup, and 15 potato soup varieties to HNOM's parish pantry.