Friday, September 27, 2013

Welcome to another Friday! I apologize for not updating my blog on a daily basis.  Hopefully, students have been doing their job and using their iPads to set reminders of due dates and assignments, as well as communicating the happenings of class to their parents.  I know it is nice to have my blog as a back-up in case these things don't happen, so I will be sure to try harder to update it more regularly.  Here is the latest update:

Advanced Math
Quite a few students have been struggling with some important concepts (slope, y-intercept, linear equations), which are imperative to understand with the current book we are studying.  We have spent a bit of time this week reviewing these ideas, and we had a quiz today.  Students should have completed the below assignments.  The assignments that were turned in for completion points are also noted below. Please see your Skyward account for a specific update on your math grade.

       Recent Math Assignments

• Problem 1.1 and 1.2 (Both of these should have been turned in.)
• Problem 1.3 (I did not collect this.)
• ACE Questions for Investigation 1, pages 1-6 (I did not collect this.)
• Problem 2.1 (I did not collect this.)
• Problem 2.2 (This should have been turned in today)
• ACE Questions for Investigation 2, pages 3-8 (I did not collect these.)
• Due Monday: 2 slope worksheets

Language Arts
We have been reading several "spooky" stories and discussing the various elements (plot, setting, character, mood, word choice) of writing, as well as viewing corresponding short films with these stories.  After viewing these movies, we compare and contrast the two, which is the focus of one of Common Core standards. (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.7 Compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its audio, filmed, staged, or multimedia version, analyzing the effects of techniques unique to each medium (e.g., lighting, sound, color, or camera focus and angles in a film).

Students have made a plot outline to write their story, and they have created a story map to help develop the various elements.  The first copy of student's stories will be due on Tuesday of next week.  The students will then move into a focus of persuasive writing and persuasive reasoning (particularly ethos, pathos, and logos), which will develop into an assignment to write a persuasive business letter.

On Monday, we will have a panel of three guests, who will be discussing the roles of spirits in their cultures.  Students will have time to finish up their spooky story rough drafts on Tuesday.  This is a busy quarter for Language Arts! Please let me know if you have any questions.

Reading
Different reading classes are focusing on different "stems" related to the Common Core standards and to our spooky story unit in Language Arts.  Students in Mrs. Ivey's class have been reading about the history of Halloween and superstition.  Mr. Sprain's class has been reading and analyzing spooky poetry, and my class started out by reading a version of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," and now we are dissecting articles about vampire bats and other equally "spooky" real-life subjects.

Upcoming Important Dates

• October 9-- Early release day
• October 10 & 11-- Fish Hatchery field trip (1/2 the group will go on Thursday; the other half on Friday)
• October 21--No school (Parent-Teacher Conferences)
• October 23, 24, 25--Camp Salem field trip (1/2 the group will attend from Wednesday to Thursday; 1/2 will attend Thursday to Friday)
• October 28--No school (Parent-Teacher Conferences