Wednesday 12/15/10

IN CLASS:
Today in all classes, we check the vocab assignment for lesson 23. Then we continued on with book talks.

ASSIGNMENT:
none

Tuesday 12/14/10

IN CLASS:
All hours--Today all classes began presenting book talks.

ASSIGNMENT:
Vocab Lesson 23 due tomorrow

Monday 12/13/10

IN CLASS:
*Today all classes had a substitute teacher.

Hours 2, 4, 8--Today students did a Find Someone Who activity looking at nonfiction terms and definitions for our upcoming nonfiction unit. Then they read an article looking at advertising in schools. There were some tasks to do during the reading as well as a paragraph to write at the end using direct quotations from the text. If you were not here, you need to get an article and instructions from me. The work is due tomorrow.

Hours 3, 5--Today students read two articles looking at cell phone usage. After reading the two articles, students should answer the following questions;

1. What do the articles have in common?
2. How are the articles different?
3. What is the main idea of each article?
4. Describe a time when someone broke a cell phone etiquette rule and it drove you crazy.
5. Does cell phone radiation concern you? Why or why not? Use at least 2 DQs from either article to support your response.

ASSIGNMENT:

• The reading and writing from class today is due tomorrow
• Book Talks and Book Pages should be ready to turn in tomorrow

The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet

The junior high winter play, The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet, opens tonight! All shows are at the St. Louis Park Senior High Auditorium.

Friday, December 10, 7:30pm
Saturday, December 11, 7:30pm
Sunday, December 12, 2:30pm

Tickets are available to purchase at the door: $4 for students, $6 for adults. See you there!

Friday 12/10/10

IN CLASS:
Hours 2, 4, 8--Today students had time for independent reading. Then we went over the root words for next week's vocab quiz. In addition to the roots we learned on Monday, here are three more:

• ARTIS=art or skill (artisan, artist, artistic)
• TECHNE=art or skill (technology, technique, technician, technophobe)
• INTER=between, among, amid (international, intern, interrupt)

Hours 3, 5--Today we started with two sentence teasers for book talks next week. Then students had 20 minutes to read. Finally, we ended with some nonfiction writing about St. Louis Park Junior High. This writing will be due on Tuesday.

1. What is the main idea about school?
2. What are three supporting details to expand on this idea?
3. Create a double bubble map comparing Language Arts to another class.
4. Write a paragraph describing an event or location in the school Be creative. Use at least 3 facts and 3 opinions in the paragraph.

ASSIGNMENT:
Hours 2, 4, 8

• Book talk and book page due Tuesday

Hours 3, 5

• Book talk and book page due Tuesday
• Nonfiction writing (see above) due Tuesday

Youth Radio Series MPR's Youth Radio: Undocumented teen says equality is everything

Wednesday 12/8/10

IN CLASS:
Hours 2, 4, 8--Today classes watched the middle section of The Outsiders. Some students are still working on finishing their essays.

Hours 3, 5--Today we continued talking about The DREAM Act. Students read some other articles and sorted through the conflicting viewpoints presented by varying sources. We also listned to a commentary form MPR's Youth Radio series where one Minneapolis teenager tells her story of living illegally in Minnesota. To read or listen to the articles from class, use the links below.

• Reid moves forward on DREAM Act (Politico)
• The High Cost of the Dream Act (Fox News)
• Congress can help young immigrants fulfill their promise through the DREAM Act (The Washington Post)
• Groups Make Late Push to Salvage Dream Act Bill Aiding Immigrant Students (The New York Times)
• Democrats Push DREAM Act; Critics Call It Amnesty (National Public Radi0)
• MPR's Youth Radio: Undocumented teen says equality of everything (Minnesota Public Radio)
  

ASSIGNMENT:
none, but keep in mind that your book project is due Tuesday, December 14th

Tuesday 12/7/10

IN CLASS:
Hours 2, 4, 8--Today we went over the guidelines for next week's book talks. Students turned in their essays today. Those who had it finished got to start watching the movie version of "The Outsiders." Those who didn't have it finished were sent to the lab to continue working.

Hours 3, 5--Today we continued looking at The Dream Act. Hour 3 did some synthesizing and evaluating articles to get a whole picture of the issue. In hour 5, students read one article and evaluated the positive versus negative view it took on the issue (checking for bias).

ASSIGNMENT:
none

Monday 12/6/10

IN CLASS:
Hours 2, 4, 8--Today we went over the root words for this week.

• CHRONOS=Time (as in chronological, synchronize)
• TEMPUS/TEMPORIS=Time (temporary, tempo)
• PARA=beside, along, with (parachute, paramedic, parallel)

Then we did some talking about revising papers before turning them in. Halfway through class we went to the lab to do some more work on essays. They are due tomorrow. The lab will be open after school for students who need more work time.

Hours 3, 5--Today we went over root words (see above). Then we started talking about bias. We read an assortment of articles dealing with the proposed DREAM ACT. Each article looked at the issue from a different angle or bias.

ASSIGNMENT:
Hours 2, 4, 8--Essay due tomorrow
Hours 3, 5--none

Wednesday 12/1/10

IN CLASS:
Hours 2, 4, 8--Today classes had time for typing and working on essays in the lab. Completed essays are due on Tuesday, December 7th. Tomorrow will be the last class time available for typing, but I will have the labs open on Friday and Monday until 3pm for students who need additional work time.

Hours 3, 5--Today we did some more work with the article on edible dirt. We also took a short clicker quiz looking at the difference between fact and opinion.

ASSIGNMENT:
Hours 2, 4,8--Essays due Tuesday, December 7th
Hours 3, 5--none