Thursday 4/29/10

IN CLASS:
All classes (minus 6th hour) were shortened today due to the early release. All classes today checked through the vocab assignment for lesson 14. Then I passed back graded work to students. Hours 7 and 8 had some time for a vocab review game. Because hour 6 was long, we had time for independent reading after lunch. For tomorrow, all students should be prepared for the vocab quiz over lesson 14.

ASSIGNMENT:

• Vocab Quiz 14 tomorrow
• Bring Independent Reading Book

Wednesday 4/28/10

IN CLASS:
In class today we began talking about some background knowledge surrounding World War II and the Holocaust. I provided a time line putting Anne Frank's story into a historical context, and students had time to share their ideas, knowledge, and questions.




For more information, visit the following sites:
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Holocaust Survivors
The Anne Frank House
The Diary of Anne Frank on PBS

ASSIGNMENT:
Vocab Lesson 14 due tomorrow

Tuesday 4/27/10

IN CLASS:
Hours 2, 5, 6--Today students took a grammar exam over direct objects, indirect objects, predicate nouns, and predicate adjectives. Then, after they finished, I gave them some time to work on the vocab packet for this week. We are beginning to read parts of Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl, so the vocabulary packet will help up to make sense of the larger picture of the Holocaust. We ended class by learning this week's root words (see below).

Hours 7, 8--Today students took a grammar exam over direct objects, indirect objects, predicate nouns, and predicate adjectives using the clicker response system. This took nearly the full hour.

Root Words from Today:

• DECEM=ten (as in decade, decimal, decagon)
• CENTUM=hundred (as in century, centennial, cent, centigrade, centimeter, centipede (see photo)
• MILLE=thousand (as in millenium, millennium, millemeter, mile (originally, a thousand paces --2 steps=one pace), millipede (click here to see a YouTube video of a millipede--yes, it's kind of gross)

For more information on centipedes and millipedes from The Texas A&M University System, click here.


ASSIGNMENT:
Vocab is due THURSDAY (sorry for the change again this week). The vocab quiz will still be on FRIDAY.

Monday 4/26/10

IN CLASS:
Today all classes checked their worksheets covering Predicate Nouns and Predicate Adjectives. Reminder, a sentence will NOT have both a PA AND a PN. It will have one or the other. Both classes did some reviewing of all four complements (DO, IO, PN, PA). There is an exam tomorrow so it would be a good idea to review notes (notes will NOT be available during the exam tomorrow). For extra practice, click on the ONLINE WORKSHEETS link in the upper right hand corner of my blog to do some online practice through my webpage.

ASSIGNMENT:
Review notes and do some online practice to prepare for the exam tomorrow.

Friday 4/23/10

IN CLASS:
Today all classes had 15-20 minutes of independent reading time. After that, we correct grammar worksheets in hours 2, 5, 6, and then did practice on the clickers. In hours 7, 8 students are going to go over their worksheets and bring them back on Monday. All students have a two sided worksheet on Predicate Nouns and Predicate Adjectives due on Monday.

Today was also the last day I provided in the lab to finish and submit iMovies that were due last Friday.

ASSIGNMENT:
All Hours: Two-sided worksheet on Predicate Nouns and Predicate Adjectives due Monday.

Thursday 4/22/10

IN CLASS:
Today all classes are working on Predicate Nouns (sometimes called Predicate Nominatives. Root Word Review...Nomen = Name) and Predicate Adjectives. The class included taking some notes and practicing using the clicker response systems. You can download the notes from today's class below. Also, click on the link to watch a video explaining the notes.

A new rule has been instated in my class. Many students have become careless with the clickers. I make them clear off their desks to make plenty of space for clickers, but students are still tossing them around and therefore dropping them. Some are beginning to have problems (the clickers, not the students). In order to encourage students to use them properly, I am now charging students $.25 for each time they drop their clickers. They have been warned.

Downloads from today:
Predicate Noun and Predicate Adjective Notes










Video from today:
Watch a video explanation of today's notes

ASSIGNMENT:

• Hours 2, 5, 6--For those who did not have their homework done today, finish it! For those who did have it done, nothing.
• Hours 7, 8--Predicate Noun/Predicate Adjective worksheet. Due tomorrow.

Wednesday 4/21/10

IN CLASS:
Today students finished the MCA test for math. After that we had hours, 2, 3, 6, 4, 5 (in that order). Hours, 2, 5, 6 did some more work on Linking Verbs and received a worksheet for at home practice. The worksheet is due tomorrow.

ASSIGNMENT:

• Hours 2, 5, 6--two page worksheet on Direct Object, Indirect Object, Linking Verbs, and Action Verbs. Due tomorrow.
• Hours 7, 8--worksheet assigned on Tuesday is due tomorrow.

Tuesday 4/20/10

IN CLASS:
Today we worked more on Indirect Objects. Students in hours 5, 6, 7, 8 took a formative assessment using the CPS clicker systems on both Direct and Indirect Objects. Then we began working on differentiating between action and linking verbs. Hour 2 did not have class today.

**Please note: Some students have not yet turned in their iMovies. I sent emails to parents today regarding this. I will be available in the lab after school from 2:30-3:30 on Friday.

ASSIGNMENT:
Hours 2, 5, 6--nothing
Hours 7, 8--Worksheet (2 sided) on Direct & Indirect Objects, Action & Linking Verbs (due Thursday)

Monday 4/19/10

IN CLASS:
Today in class students took the vocabulary quiz over lesson 13. Then we reviewed our work on Direct Objects and started working on Indirect Objects. I had after school time today in the lab for students to complete their iMovies and turn the in. If students have not turned them in, the last day I will be in the lab is Friday. Since this project has to be completed in the lab due to computer specific programs, it is very important that students be there to submit the assignment.

ASSIGNMENT:
None

Friday 4/16/10

IN CLASS:
Today students submitted their iMovies to the homework dropbox on my website. There was a self evaluation form to fill out, and once that work was finished, we enjoyed watching the movies created in class. The only homework for Monday is to review for the vocab quiz.

Downloads from Today:
Self Evaluation for iMovie project
Instructions to Submit iMovie to Homework Dropbox

ASSIGNMENT:
Review for Monday's vocab exam over lesson 13

Thursday 4/15/10

IN CLASS:
Today we checked vocab assignments, learned three more root words (see below), and did some more direct object practice. Most classes are getting quite good at it! Tomorrow will be a big day filled with Independent Reading Time (bring your book!), submitting iMovies (make sure they're done!), turning in a direct object worksheet (assigned today, due tomorrow!), and doing some self evaluation for the iMovie project. And you thought the MCAs were hard!

This Week's Root Words:
SEPTEM = seven as in septuplets, september, siete
OCTO = eight as in octogon, ocotmon, octogenarian
NOVEM = nine as in november, novemdigitate

ASSIGNMENT:

• Bring Independent Reading Book tomorrow
• iMovie due tomorrow (lab time available after school Thursday)
• Direct Object worksheet due tomorrow

A note on the names of months to quell the disagreement in 8th hour:

The Roman calendar originally began with the month of March. As such, September would have been the 7th month, October the 8th month, and November the 9th month. It is true that July was named for Julius Ceasar, and August was named for Augustus. However, this did not push September to the 9th month. These months were REnamed from Quintilis (the fifth month) and Sextilis (the sixth month). This is not what changed the number of months from 10 to 12.

According to tradition, the Roman ruler Numa Pompilius added January and February to the calendar in the 7th Century BC. The current Gregorian calendar, the internationally accepted calendar, "was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582" (Calendar Through the Ages).

Bibliography:
"Calendar Through the Ages." Web Exhibits. U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute for Standards and Technology, 2008. Web. 15 Apr. 2010.

Wednesday 4/14/10

IN CLASS:
Hour 2: Students began with a review of the parts of speech and parts of a sentence. Then we moved onto direct objects. Students took some notes and began with some practice identifying direct objects in a sentence.

Hour 5: No class today due to MCA testing

Hour 6: Students got a bit more time to work on their iMovies. This is the last time they'll have before presenting the poems in class on Friday.

Hours 7, 8: Students began with a review of the parts of speech and parts of a sentence. Then we moved onto direct objects. Students took some notes and began with some practice identifying direct objects in a sentence. We ended class with more practice using the clicker response systems. The questions were littered with vocabulary from past units.

ASSIGNMENT:

• Vocab Lesson 13 is due tomorrow
• iMovies due Friday (lab time available Thursday after school)

Tuesday 4/13/10

IN CLASS:
Today we had hours 5, 6, 7, 8 due to MCA testing (there was no hour 2 class).

Hours 5 & 6 started some new grammar work on complements--specifically working on direct objects. We did some practice as a class and then did some individual practice using the clicker response systems.

Hour 7 received their champion essays and poetry exams and then had time to work on their iMovies in the lab.

Hour 8 had a visit from Mr. Bork who was there to answer questions about the district reconfiguration and transition and what it will mean for the students to have the 6th grade join the junior high next year. The students had a LOT of questions, and I hope they feel like they got some answers.

ASSIGNMENT:
More MCAs tomorrow. Go to bed early. Get up and eat breakfast. Read carefully. Try your hardest!

Monday 4/12/10

IN CLASS:
Today we tried to finish up iMovies by completing the text and adding a voiceover. If students did not finish, they will need to stay tomorrow (Tuesday) after school. We will be presenting them on Friday during class.

Additionally, I made a few alterations to this week's schedule. Hours 2, 5, 6 received this week's vocab packets today. Because this is later than usual, I am moving the vocab due date for ALL CLASSES to Thursday, April 15. The quiz for lesson 13 will be Monday, April 19. All students should bring an independent reading book to class on Friday.

ASSIGNMENT:
Go to bed early, eat a good breakfast, and work hard on the MCA reading test tomorrow

Friday 4/9/10

IN CLASS:
Today we had 15 minutes of silent sustained reading time. Then we went to the computer lab to work on our iMovies. The students are creating some very interesting presentations of their poetic creations. I had time in the lab after school on Friday, and we will finish up on Monday.

ASSIGNMENT:
Read something and enjoy the beautiful spring weather!

Thursday 4/8/10

IN CLASS:
Today we watched two sample iMovies that I made, and I gave some instructions on how to create the files. Then, students typed up their poems, got them approved, and spent some time dabbling around in iMovie. So far, I am please with their creativity and focus for the project. Tomorrow we will start to add voice overs, images, and sound.

ASSIGNMENT:
none

Wednesday 4/7/10

IN CLASS:
Today in class we heard some emotion poems from students. I also suggested some improvements to make the poems stronger and more poetic. Starting tomorrow, we will be creating iMovies using these poems. Students can do a simple movie combining both audio and visual text, or they can get more creative adding images, music, and special effects. We will have one full day for this project and two part days. Tonight, students should begin thinking about what sorts of images or symbols might fit with their poems.

If they want to actually take pictures using a digital camera and bring them in, that is fine. I warned each class today about the dangers of bringing cameras to school (loss, theft, damage, etc.) and reminded students that they alone will be responsible for the items. I did offer to keep technologies locked in my desk during the day if they'd like.

My goal in this project is that students get to create and present their work, learn some skills for creating and editing using iMovie, as well as to get some practice reading and speaking in an expressive manner. This project will combine all those elements and wrap up the poetry unit for us.

ASSIGNMENT:
Select 4 images or symbols that might support the meaning of your poem

Tuesday 4/6/10

IN CLASS:
Today we looked at an example of an emotion poem, and then we spent some time annotating it or identifying the figurative language and other poetic elements within the poem. Some class then went on to complete some MCA practice.

Instructions for Emotion Poem assignment are available on Monday's blog entry.

Example poem from class:
Disappointment is an empty inbox at login.
Disappointment is like a roaring fire that has faded away to embers.
Disappointment is a rainy day in the sunny spring.
Disappointment is cold coffee that should be hot.
Disappointment shies away like a hidden, forbidden opportunity.
Disappointment is an empty binder where your homework should be.
Disappointment thinks of what could be, but not for me.
Disappointment lets me down.
Disappointment, I’m disappointed in you.

ASSIGNMENT:
Emotion Poem due Wednesday
(Instructions for Emotion Poem assignment are available on Monday's blog entry.)

Monday 4/5/10

IN CLASS:
It was back to the grind stone today. Today we started off by filling in agendas with important dates for fourth quarter. Here you go:

Wednesday, April 7--Emotion Poem is due
Friday, April 9--Bring Independent Reading Book to LA

Tuesday, April 13--Reading MCA tests
Wednesday, April 14--Reading MCA tests, Vocab lesson 13 is due
Friday, April 16--Vocab Quiz 13

Tuesday, April 20--Math MCA tests
Wednesday, April 21--Math MCA tests

Wednesday, April 28--Vocab Lesson 14 is due
Thursday, April 29--Early Release (12pm)
Friday, April 30--Vocab Quiz 14

Wednesday, May 12--Blue Team Field Trip to Minnesota History Center
Thursday, May 13--Vocab Lesson 15 is due
Friday, May 14--Vocab Quiz 15

Wednesday, May 26--Vocab Lesson 16 is due
Thursday, May 27--Late Start (two hours late)
Friday, May 28--Vocab Quiz 16, JH Variety Show

Monday, May 31--No School (Memorial Day)
Friday, June 4--Vocab Exam over lessons 13-16

Tuesday, June 8--Last Day of School

Ok, after all that, we did some MCA practice in hours 2, 5, 6. 7th hour had a fire drill, and 8th hour spent some time discussing MCA tests, No Child Left Behind, the district reorganization, and the changes they will see at the junior high next year.

ASSIGNMENT:
Emotion Poem due Wednesday, April 7

Your Task: Write a poem using figurative language to describe a feeling or emotion.

MUSTs
• Must be at least 7 lines long
• Must use simile, metaphor, and personification
• Must have rhyme and alliteration
• Must start each line with the emotion
• Must be creative

CANs
• Can be longer
• Can have meter
• Can use irony, hyperbole, or symbolism
• Can be handwritten or typed
• Can be embellished
• Can work solo or with a partner