Week 5/1-5/5

Week 1 of testing is done and the kiddos rocked it! While they said that it was long and tedious, they also said that it was pretty easy--they are super smarties. This week students are going to take the performance task test for English. This test includes reading multiple articles, answering short response questions, and planning, writing, and editing an essay (either argumentative, explanatory, or narrative). Click here to view an example performance task! 

Once again, it is important that they get a good night's sleep, eat a well-balanced breakfast, take some quiet snacks to have during the test (including even mints and gum), and that they try their best. This test is just a snapshot of what they are capable of (since a test can't measure how awesome they really are), so please tell them to R-E-L-A-X before, during, and after the test! Click here to view the testing schedule!

Interested in being part of a carpool for the 2017-2018 school year? Fill out this short form to get connected with other parents who are interested in carpooling too.  Click here to fill out the short form!

Monday
SBAC Testing 135
Tuesday
SBAC Testing 246 
Wednesday
SBAC Testing 135 
Thursday
SBAC Testing 246 
Friday
SBAC Testing 123456

School Newspaper Volume 1, Edition 22

Week 4/24-4/28

Testing, testing, and more testing! This week students are going to take the adaptive test for English. This test includes multiple choice, multiple select, hot text, evidence-based selected response, and constructed response questions. All that is fancy for varying types of multiple choice questions and short answer questions. They are MORE than prepared and I know that they are going to rock this test! Click here to view the released practice questions!

It is important that they get a good night's sleep, eat a well-balanced breakfast, take some quiet snacks to have during the test (including even mints and gum), and that they try their best. This test is just a snapshot of what they are capable of (since a test can't measure how awesome they really are), so please tell them to R-E-L-A-X before, during, and after the test! Click here to view the testing schedule!

Some parents are already thinking about high school and how they are going to get their child to and from school. I have created a form for those interested in being part of a carpool for the 2017-2018 school year. Information will be shared with those that respond to plan high school carpools. Click here to fill out the short form!

Monday
SBAC Testing P135
Tuesday
SBAC Testing P246 
Wednesday
SBAC Testing P135 
Thursday
SBAC Testing P246 
Friday
SBAC Testing P123456

School Newspaper Volume 1, Edition 21

Week 4/17-4/21

Last week, we finished the first part of Speak. Students added to their blogs and participated in another successful #tollchat. They have such insightful perspectives--please check out some of what they said! Click here for blog and Twitter links!

For the next three weeks, we will take a break from Speak in order to prepare for and complete the SBAC state testing. This week we will focus on preparing for the SBAC by reviewing and applying the different question and writing types. 

Monday
Non-Student Day
Tuesday 
Structured Writing: Week 3
SBAC Prep: CAT Question Types
Wednesday
Structured Writing: Week 3
SBAC Prep: PT Essays
AR Log Check (Log-5 entries/Signature)
*Students need to be reading an AR book that has a reading level of 3.5+ for 30 minutes 5 nights per week (students need to have the front side of the AR log completed prior to taking an AR quiz). Students need to earn 35 points at every quarter checkpoint (Quarter 4 is due 6/2). Please see the AR Log for more information. 
Thursday
Structured Writing: Week 3
SBAC Prep: Speak Question Types Practice
Friday
SBAC Prep: Speak Writing Types Practice

School Newspaper Volume 1, Edition 20

Week 4/10-4/14

Another fabulous week! We are becoming a Gold Ribbon School, which honors outstanding public education schools--we are beyond thrilled and it is all because we are an awesome team.

Last week, students started reading, analyzing, and reflecting on the novel Speak. Please check out their Student Blogs and Twitter accounts  (these are embedded in their blogs) to see their published work. Also, they have been Tweeting a lot, check out the depth of what they can say in 140 characters (or less) at the class hashtag #toll1617.

This week, we will continue to read and discuss the novel. Students will analyze different aspects of the novel by creating dialectical journal entries (extended responses-one paragraph or more) and Tweeting (concise responses-140 characters or less) in order to demonstrate understanding of the novel in relation to characters, plot, themes, literary elements, and the ability to connect the novel to the real world. At the end of the week, we will have another #tollchat to assess the learning (they wanted this instead of an essay--I am not complaining!).

Monday
Structured Writing: Week 3
Speak: Character Sketch Front/Back
Blog: Choice Dialectical Journal #3
Tuesday 
Structured Writing: Week 3
Speak: Character Sketch Front/Back
Blog: Choice Dialectical Journal #3
Wednesday
Structured Writing: Week 3
Speak: Character Sketch Front/Back
Blog: Symbolic Life Representation
AR Log Check (Log-5 entries/Signature)
*Students need to be reading an AR book that has a reading level of 3.5+ for 30 minutes 5 nights per week (students need to have the front side of the AR log completed prior to taking an AR quiz). Students need to earn 35 points at every quarter checkpoint (Quarter 4 is due 6/2). Please see the AR Log for more information. 
Thursday
Blog: #tollchat Marking Period 1 Assessment
Friday
Non-Student Day

School Newspaper Volume 1, Edition 19

Week 4/3-4/7

Last week was fabulous! I loved coming back from break and seeing my students. You really do have amazing kiddos and I am lucky that I get to be their teacher for an entire year!

I really enjoyed having the students set up their Student Blogs and Twitter accounts  (these are embedded in their blogs) for the novel Speak. All of their work will be published there, so please feel free to look at their accounts and follow our class hashtag #toll1617 and our class chat hashtag #tollchat from time to time. It is interesting and enlightening to see their thought process and perspective.

This week, we will actually start reading and discussing the novel. Students will be asked to analyze different aspects of the novel by creating dialectical journal entries (extended responses-one paragraph or more) and Tweeting (concise responses-140 characters or less) in order to demonstrate understanding of the novel in relation to characters, plot, themes, and other literary elements, and the ability to connect the novel to the real world.   

Monday
Structured Writing: Week 2
Speak: Character Sketch Front/Back
Speak: Pre-Reading: Themes Group Share-Out
Tuesday 
Structured Writing: Week 2
Speak: Character Sketch Front/Back
Blog: "Welcome to Merryweather High" Dialectical Journal
Wednesday
Structured Writing: Week 2
Speak: Character Sketch Front/Back
Blog: "Welcome to Merryweather High" Dialectical Journal Due
Blog: Choice Dialectical Journal
AR Log Check (Log-5 entries/Signature)
*Students need to be reading an AR book that has a reading level of 3.5+ for 30 minutes 5 nights per week (students need to have the front side of the AR log completed prior to taking an AR quiz). Students need to earn 35 points at every quarter checkpoint (Quarter 4 is due 6/2). Please see the AR Log for more information. 
Thursday
Structured Writing: Week 2
Speak: Character Sketch Front/Back
Blog: Choice Dialectical Journal Due
Friday
Structured Writing: Week 2
Speak: Character Sketch Front/Back
Blog: Comments/Feedback