Monday, December 18, 2017

Week of December 18 - 22, 2017

Friday HW
1.  We were supposed to have a quiz today on Mean, Median , and Mode.  I had 10 quiz writers absent today so I have postponed it.  The new date is Thursday January 11, 2018

Thursday HW
1.  Math Quiz on Mean, Median , and Mode tomorrow.  (This was listed in the agenda on Tuesday, but not on this blog.)

Tuesday HW
1.  News Journal Summary and Reflection
2.  Literature Circles continue tomorrow.  Students can read ahead and make notes for week three meetings which happen on the second day back from the break.
3.  Secret Santa for Thursday.
4.  Food Drive items  -- Thursday deadline.

Monday HW
1.  News Journal Summary and Reflection
2.  Literature Circles resume tomorrow.
3.  Secret Santa for Thursday
4.  Food Drive items.

Monday, December 11, 2017

Week of December 11 -15, 2017

Thursday HW
1.  Toy and Food drive donations.
2.  MMS page 71 ONLY.
3.  News Journal summary and reflection base on the presentation of either Olivia or Isobel today.  Every study had an opportunity to copy down W5H jot notes today to act as a baseline source for the one paragraph, half page summary of the article they heard about.  We also had at least 15 minutes of discussion after each presentation that would assist in the writing of the one paragraph, half page reflection on the presentations given.  A reflection would be a chance to make connections to the presentation, talk about your opinions on it, or tell how it makes you feel or what it reminds you about.  No student should be able to say they have no avenue into a reflection.
4.  Literature Circle reading and preparations continue today. 20 minutes of reading is assigned each night and the students have sticky notes and guidance about what their roles entail.  Students should be making "on-the-fly" notes they stick onto their novels which form the basis of a rough draft and later a good copy to be ready for meeting days (Day 2 or Day 3)
These are "look-fors" you can ask your child to show you if you are wondering about their progress..

Wednesday HW
1.  Toy and Food drive donations.
2.  MMS page 70 ONLY.
3.  Story of Stuff is due in class on Thursday, December 14 by the end of the day.  We will have laptop cart access tomorrow in class.
4.  Literature Circle group presentations continued today. After viewing two groups the readiness for the discussion emerged as a key point of difference in terms of achievement.  I assign 20 minutes of reading each night and the students were given sticky notes and guidance in what their roles entailed.  Students who performed well in the group session had lots of notes feathering out from their books and had a good copy from which to make their oral discussion points in the circle talk.  A significant number of students in the groups I moderated were unprepared:  no notes in evidence stuck to the novel pages, and sometimes not even a readable rough draft in the writing notebook.  These are areas you can ask your child to see if you are wondering about their progress..
**The reading material and folders can be taken home provided they are not left there or damaged in transit.  We use the books and folders almost every day.  If you foresee potential damage (water, juice, etc,) perhaps it would be a good idea to place the folder and novel in a ziploc bag in the backpack.

Tuesday HW
1.  Toy and Food drive donations.
2.  MMS pages 68-69
3.  Story of Stuff is due in class on Thursday, December 14 by the end of the day.  Students were given a good copy construction paper sheet yesterday and other construction paper was available today for additional design on the main page.  We will have laptop cart access tomorrow and on Thursday in class.
4.  Literature Circle group presentations started today.
The one page good copy of each student's role presentation should be finished in inside the Lit Circle folder on Wednesday.
Students have a schedule of their presentation dates.  The "Curses" and "Westing Game" novel groups present on day 2 each week and the "Dust" and "Egypt Game" groups present each day 3.  This cycle will continue for the next four weeks.  Students have a guide/outline of their role responsibilities with detailed expectations.  They each have a novel.  The work should be drafted first in the Writing notebook and then written as clean good copy on a single sheet of lined paper that I can provide.  The expected length is one side of paper, single spaced.  It should be paragraphed unless they are word definitions.
**The material can be taken home provided it is not left there or damaged in transit.  If you foresee potential damage (water, juice, etc,) perhaps it would be a good idea to place the folder and novel in a ziploc bag in the backpack.


Monday HW
1.  Toy and Food drive donations.
2.  Story of Stuff is due in class on Thursday, December 14 by the end of the day.  Students were given a good copy construction paper sheet today.  We will have laptop cart access tomorrow, Wednesday, and Thursday in class.
3.  Literature Circle group presentations start tomorrow.  Students have a schedule of their presentation dates.  Roughly speaking the "Curses" and "Westing Game" novel groups present on day 2 each week and the "Dust" and "Egypt Game" groups present each day 3.  This cycle will continue for the next four weeks.  Students have a guide/outline of their role responsibilities with detailed expectations.  They each have a novel.  The work should be drafted first in the Writing notebook and then written as clean good copy on a single sheet of lined paper that I can provide.  The expected length is one side of paper, single spaced.  It should be paragraphed unless they are word definitions.  Today was our fourth in-class period of reading, note-taking, and writing.
**The material can be taken home provided it is not left there or damaged in transit.  If you foresee potential damage (water, juice, etc,) perhaps it would be a good idea to place the folder and novel in a ziploc bag in the backpack.

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Week of December 4 - 8, 2017

Thursday HW
1.  20 minutes of reading.
2.  A schedule for the presentation dates of the Literature Circle reading groups and the News Journal oral presentations was created and handed out today.  It would be a good idea to check your child's presentation date for the News Journal since they are all on different days.  we practiced two News Journals in class ("The Birdman" and the "Teens Find Money at McDonald's" articles) as an introduction for what is expected.
3.  Unit three Geometry test on Friday December 8, 2017.  This test will be on all lessons.  Students were given a study sheet yesterday to complement the notes taken in class.  I checked to see if the kids still had them today and reminded the class about study materials as we exited the room at the end of the day.  Students should ensure they have their ruler, protractor, and compass for the test tomorrow.
4.  Story of Stuff is due on December 14.  Organizer #2 is due in class on Friday.  We worked on it yesterday and today with modeling provided.
5.  Food AND Toy Drive items can be brought to class.  The donations are rolling in!  Thank you
6.  Francophonie Brochure due Tuesday December 12.

Wednesday HW
1.  MMS pages 42-43.  We practiced isometric drawing on triangular dot paper today at length as well as drawings of the Top, Side and Front views of a rectangular prisms on grid paper.
2.  20 minutes of reading.  Book report is due tomorrow.
3.  Unit three Geometry test on Friday December 8, 2017.  This test will be on all lessons.  Students were given a study sheet today to complement the notes taken in class.
4.  Story of Stuff is due on December 14.  Organizer #2 is due in class on Friday.  We worked on it yesterday and today with modeling provided.
5.  Food Drive items can be brought to class.  We have had a great start!  Way to go class!

Tuesday HW
1.  Text practice pages 104, # 1.  We practiced isometric drawing on triangular dot paper today at length as well as drawings of the Top, Side and Front views of a rectangular prisms on grid paper.
2.  20 minutes of reading.  Book report is due this Thursday.
3.  Unit three Geometry test on Friday December 8, 2017.  This test will be on all lessons.  Students will be given a study sheet tomorrow to complement the notes taken in class.

Monday HW
1.  Text practice pages 99-101, # 1-7
2.  20 minutes of reading.  Book report is due this Thursday.