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

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Advanced Math:  Today we went through the homework and took a quiz. No new homework. :)

Language Arts Blocks 1 and 2:   You should be working on your Draft 1 by now.  If you haven't had your Plot Planning Guide checked off or your Story Map approved, you need to do that first.

Language Arts Block 3:  You should come to class with your Plot Planning Guide finished.  We will be going through the ideas of mood, word choice, connotation, and denotation tomorrow.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

We had our first mega-block experience, complete with new class lists and all! I know that my new Block 1 class did a great job, and I suspect that the other classes did as well.  Here is an update for today:

ADVANCED MATH:  Your assignment was to finish 1.3 (pages 4-the end) and come prepared to discuss it tomorrow.  Those who are not finished at the beginning of the class will need to stay after school tomorrow to complete it.

LANGUAGE ARTS BLOCK 1:  You were the lucky ones who spent THREE hours with me today. :) If you didn't get your Plot Planning Guide approved, be working on the changes needed for that.  If you did get it approved, you should be completing the Story Map.  If you already did that as well, you can begin writing your spooky story. 

LANGUAGE ARTS BLOCK 2:  This is the group that had Mr. Sprain (and art) today.  You will have me for the mega-block tomorrow.  Please come to class with your Plot Planning Guide complete.  You will be behind your peers if you do not have this ready to go.

LANGUAGE ARTS BLOCK 3:  This is the group that had Mrs. Ivey today.  You will have Mr. Sprain (and art) tomorrow and then I will see you for the mega-block on Thursday.  Please come to class with your Plot Planning Guide complete on Thursday.  You will be behind your peers if you do not have this ready to go.

I believe that is all the updates I have for you! Please email me with any questions or concerns.