Week 10/30-11/3

Last week, students read the short-story "Raymond's Run" by Toni Cade Bambara. They applied depth and complexity icons and did a close reading analysis of two of the quotes from the text in order to aid in understanding. We ended the week by adding information to our ELA Reference Notebooks in order to prepare for some of the upcoming reading and writing assignments.

This week, students are going to revisit the argumentative genre and "show what they learned" by completing an outline test (single period assessment). We will finish adding information to the ELA reference notebooks (literary terms). Midweek, we will move into the explanatory writing genre by writing a definition essay about the hero concept. This essay will include a personal, historical, and literary/fictional hero as their examples and evidence to prove their definition of the word hero. 

Monday
Argumentative Outline Test
Tuesday
ELA Reference Notebook: Literary Terms and Hero's Journey
Wednesday
Definition Essay Outline: What Is A Hero?
Thursday
Definition Essay Outline: What Is A Hero?
Friday
Definition Essay Outline: What Is A Hero?
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 earn 35 points by every checkpoint (12/13, 03/14, and 05/30). Please see the AR Log for more information. GOOD NEWS: Students only need to complete the front side to take an AR quiz!

Week 10/23-10/27

Last week, students updated their ELA Reference Notebooks to include literary elements which we will apply to our learning in the weeks to come. Students did the pre-reading for the short-story "Raymond's Run." One of the activities was to create and read aloud a narrative story using the vocabulary words and referenced information about the setting, author, and Down syndrome--please check them out here by going to your child's blog!

This week, students will read the short-story "Raymond's Run" and apply the depth and complexity icons focusing on plot, theme, character traits, and perspective. They will also complete a close reading (analysis) for a quote from the story. In addition, students will begin to explore the concept of a hero in order to write a definition essay.

Monday
Read "Raymond's Run"
Depth and Complexity Chart
Tuesday
Read "Raymond's Run"
Depth and Complexity Chart
Wednesday
Read "Raymond's Run"
Depth and Complexity Chart
Thursday
Read "Raymond's Run"
Close Reading Analysis
Friday
ELA Reference Notebook: Literary Terms
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 earn 35 points by every checkpoint (12/13, 03/14, and 05/30). Please see the AR Log for more information. GOOD NEWS: Students only need to complete the front side to take an AR quiz!

Week 10/16-10/20

Last week was intense, to say the least. One thing that I really saw was a community that came together and helped out in any way possible. People opened their homes, volunteered their time, and offered all the support they could muster and then some. It really made me appreciate the community where I work and live! I am truly thankful for our first responders that kept all of us safe during this devastating time and who work miracles day in and day out. 

This week, hopefully, we will return to some normalcy. I think we all need that! Accelerated Reader (AR) is due tomorrow (35 points). Students will be able to take tests before school, during class, and at lunchtime (tests can ONLY be taken in my room). We will focus on adding literary elements to our notebooks for reference purposes during short-stories and novels throughout the year. By the end of the week, we will preview the short-story "Raymond's Run" and write and record a vocabulary narrative that incorporates events from the author's life and the setting of the story.

Monday
AR Due (35 points)
ELA Reference Notebook: Emergency Procedures and Plot
Tuesday
ELA Reference Notebook: Characterization and Conflict
Wednesday
ELA Reference Notebook: Conflict and Theme
Thursday
"Raymond's Run" Pre-Reading Research
"Raymond's Run" Vocabulary Narrative 
Friday
"Raymond's Run" Vocabulary Narrative/Oral Reading (Flipgrid)
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 earn 35 points by every checkpoint (12/13, 03/14, and 05/30). Please see the AR Log for more information. GOOD NEWS: Students only need to complete the front side to take an AR quiz!

Week 10/9-10/13

Last week, students finished their multimedia campaigns, critiqued their peers' campaigns, and reflected on their own work. Click here to see some of the multimedia campaigns on their blogs! My top three favorite multimedia campaigns: 1) Julianna, 2) Zoe/Erin, and 3) Riley/Sajda.

This week, students will continue to add to their ELA Reference Notebooks by including information on plot, characters, conflict, and theme. These notebooks serve as a reference for upcoming assignments and projects. Accelerated Reader (AR) is also due this Wednesday--35 points for full credit (partial credit will be given for points earned). Please check Parent Portal to see how many points your child currently has for AR (I enter the points as soon as students take a quiz and turn in their AR logs).

Monday
Non-Student Day
Tuesday
GATE Science Field Trip: Catch-Up/AR Day
Wednesday
SCHOOL CANCELLED
Thursday
SCHOOL CANCELLED
Friday
SCHOOL CANCELLED

Week 10/2-10/6

Last week, students completed their multimedia campaign that addresses the issue of dress codes in order to persuade and challenge the reader to make a change. Many students created a Google Slidedeck and then used Screencastify to create their videos by recording their computer screen. While others decided to create their multimedia campaign using PowToon or even the more advanced video editor, iMovie, to create their videos. I can't wait to see these campaigns finished--they are going to be awesome!

This week, students are going to learn how to create an annotated works cited (it includes a summary and evaluation of the sources) to add to their project and then self-assess their overall multimedia campaign using a rubric. Students will then critique the multimedia campaigns using Blogger and reflect on the process using Flipgrid--all of this will be added to their blogs for you to see (click here for their blogs)! 

Monday
Multimedia Campaign: Dress Codes (Annotated Works Cited) 
Tuesday
KROC Center College and Career Day (Catch Up/AR Day)
Wednesday
Multimedia Campaign: Dress Codes (Critique)
Thursday
Understanding Elements of Argumentation
Friday
Multimedia Campaign: Dress Codes (Reflection)
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 earn 35 points by every checkpoint (10/11, 12/13, 03/14, and 05/30). Please see the AR Log for more information. GOOD NEWS: Students only need to complete the front side to take an AR quiz!