Students in Reading are focusing on the Oral Tradition - the sharing of stories, cultures and ideas by word of mouth. We've read folk tales, legends, fables, and myths about diverse cultures and have learned new vocab terms. Today/Monday, students will be reading an African-American folk tale, "The People Could Fly" and comparing it to the traditional song "I'll Fly Away." The one page response is due next class. Most students did well on the vocabulary quiz, and the grades will be posted once the B Day students test on Monday.
Looking ahead: September 6/7 - Oral Tradition Unit Test
Friday, August 26, 2011
What's Going on in Writing?
If your student is in one of my two Writing class, he/she has been keeping very busy! We've started the year with a short review of basic sentence structure and will be beginning a new sentence diagramming unit next week.
The first grammar test will be Aug 30/31. Students need to:
1 - Find and label the subject of the sentence
2 - Find and label the verb of the sentence
3 - Find and label compound subjects & compound verbs
4 - Be able to draw a vertical line between the complete subject (the subject & words related to it) and the complete predicate (the verb and words related to it)
We are also in the process of our first major writing project, a personal narrative (a story about yourself) about something that makes your student happy. So far, we have brainstormed for ideas, narrowed down our thoughts to one topic, created a graphic organizer of our story, and started writing the rough draft. We will begin typing the rough draft today, and a completed handwritten draft is due next Tues/Wed.
The first grammar test will be Aug 30/31. Students need to:
1 - Find and label the subject of the sentence
2 - Find and label the verb of the sentence
3 - Find and label compound subjects & compound verbs
4 - Be able to draw a vertical line between the complete subject (the subject & words related to it) and the complete predicate (the verb and words related to it)
We are also in the process of our first major writing project, a personal narrative (a story about yourself) about something that makes your student happy. So far, we have brainstormed for ideas, narrowed down our thoughts to one topic, created a graphic organizer of our story, and started writing the rough draft. We will begin typing the rough draft today, and a completed handwritten draft is due next Tues/Wed.
Follow By Email Option
While I do typically send out an email reminder when I update the blog with critical information, there is now an option to receive immediate notification each time that I create a new post. Simply type your email address into the "Follow By Email" box on the right of the screen, and you'll never miss out!
Friday, August 19, 2011
Million Words Assignment
Thanks so much to those of you who took the time to complete the million words assignment and filled me in about their student. I always enjoy any extra insight I can get! I know that you're all very busy, but I sincerely appreciate the time and attention you gave it. If you think of anything else throughout the year that you'd like to share, please don't hesitate to send it to me. Thanks again!
AR Project #1 Options for Reading
This week, students received a copy of the first AR project options for first quarter. The options are listed below. Please check with your student to see which project he/she chose to complete. Because this is the first project, I will be giving some extra silent reading time - in addition to the regular 10-15 minutes each day - to help students progress through their book. The first AR project is due September 14/15.
AR PROJECT #1 OPTIONS FOR READING:
1 – Pretend you are Mrs. Allen and create your very own version of a test over the book that you read. Your test needs to have a minimum of 25 questions. You should try to have a variety of question types – short answer, multiple choice, true/false, matching, essay, etc. – as well as questions that increase in difficulty. Your test should look like a real test that I would give. It needs to be between 1 ½ and 2 pages and should either be typed or written neatly in blue or black ink. You will also need to include an answer key on a separate sheet of paper.
2 – Create a collage showing pictures or 3-D items that related to the book, and then write 2-4 sentences beside each one to show its significance. Your collage needs to have a minimum of 12 items – although you are encouraged to have more! Your collage should be neat, colorful, creative and be placed on a posterboard.
3 – Create a series of four postcards to send to a character in your book from another character. The front of the postcards should feature pictures of the setting of the book that you create. On the back, you should write a short note (5-10 sentences) to the character that mentions the major events of the novel as well as the character’s reaction to them.
All projects MUST include the full title of the book and the author’s name somewhere on the project. You must also attach a completed reading log bookmark to your project. If you don’t include the reading log, you will lose 10% of your grade – so please don’t forget!! Please see me if you have any questions on your options. Good luck!
AR PROJECT #1 OPTIONS FOR READING:
1 – Pretend you are Mrs. Allen and create your very own version of a test over the book that you read. Your test needs to have a minimum of 25 questions. You should try to have a variety of question types – short answer, multiple choice, true/false, matching, essay, etc. – as well as questions that increase in difficulty. Your test should look like a real test that I would give. It needs to be between 1 ½ and 2 pages and should either be typed or written neatly in blue or black ink. You will also need to include an answer key on a separate sheet of paper.
2 – Create a collage showing pictures or 3-D items that related to the book, and then write 2-4 sentences beside each one to show its significance. Your collage needs to have a minimum of 12 items – although you are encouraged to have more! Your collage should be neat, colorful, creative and be placed on a posterboard.
3 – Create a series of four postcards to send to a character in your book from another character. The front of the postcards should feature pictures of the setting of the book that you create. On the back, you should write a short note (5-10 sentences) to the character that mentions the major events of the novel as well as the character’s reaction to them.
All projects MUST include the full title of the book and the author’s name somewhere on the project. You must also attach a completed reading log bookmark to your project. If you don’t include the reading log, you will lose 10% of your grade – so please don’t forget!! Please see me if you have any questions on your options. Good luck!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Changes to AR
One of the most common questions I hear from 7th grade parents is about Accelerated Reader (AR). Undoubtedly, AR has caused a bit of stress for you - and your student! - over the last several years. It's my hope that we can simplify the process, and reintroduce the concept that reading is fun and should be enjoyable.
In my Reading classes, I ask students to read two books per quarter. I'm not concerned about the number of points they earn or even the exact reading level (as long as it's comparable to what they should be reading). For each book, students will do two activities. First, they will take the AR quiz over their book so that I can verify that they have, in fact, read the book. Next, they will be asked to complete a short project over the book. In most instances, I give students a choice of three potential projects and it's up to them to choose the option that best fits their abilities and interests. Usually, there is a written option, a creative response, and an analytical choice. I try to encourage students to not pick what seems to be the "easiest" but instead choose the project that they think will showcase their knowledge the best.
In order to help students reach this goal, the first ten to fifteen minutes of each class will be devoted to silent reading. Students are expected to bring their AR book with them each day and to be actively reading. Your student will have a Reading Log bookmark which he/she will use to keep track of the number of pages read each day.
When it comes to grades, each AR book is worth a total of 100 points. Fifty of those points come from the percentage they score on the AR quiz, and the other 50 come from the grade they earn on their project. In order to help students plan ahead, they will receive the AR deadlines for the entire quarter at the start of each quarter. You can also find this info listed under "Important Dates" on this blog. If at any point you have questions about AR, please be sure to let me know as soon as possible so we can keep your student on the path of success.
In my Reading classes, I ask students to read two books per quarter. I'm not concerned about the number of points they earn or even the exact reading level (as long as it's comparable to what they should be reading). For each book, students will do two activities. First, they will take the AR quiz over their book so that I can verify that they have, in fact, read the book. Next, they will be asked to complete a short project over the book. In most instances, I give students a choice of three potential projects and it's up to them to choose the option that best fits their abilities and interests. Usually, there is a written option, a creative response, and an analytical choice. I try to encourage students to not pick what seems to be the "easiest" but instead choose the project that they think will showcase their knowledge the best.
In order to help students reach this goal, the first ten to fifteen minutes of each class will be devoted to silent reading. Students are expected to bring their AR book with them each day and to be actively reading. Your student will have a Reading Log bookmark which he/she will use to keep track of the number of pages read each day.
When it comes to grades, each AR book is worth a total of 100 points. Fifty of those points come from the percentage they score on the AR quiz, and the other 50 come from the grade they earn on their project. In order to help students plan ahead, they will receive the AR deadlines for the entire quarter at the start of each quarter. You can also find this info listed under "Important Dates" on this blog. If at any point you have questions about AR, please be sure to let me know as soon as possible so we can keep your student on the path of success.
Posting Comments
One of the best things about using a blog format as my parent newsletter is the ability to start a dialogue with you - the reader. If at any point you have a general comment or question that you think might benefit other parents, please feel free to comment away! To protect the validity of the site, however, you must log into Blogger to comment. You simply need to click on create an account, and use your current email address to create a Google account. If you have a Gmail account, you're already all set. I look forward to reading your comments!
Welcome Back!
Greetings! I'm quite excited to officially be kicking off the 2011-2012 school year. Over the last several years, I've been utilizing a parent newsletter to help keep parents up-to-date, and I'm looking forward to continuing to develop this blog into an entertaining and informative tool for you and your student.
This year, I will be teaching all sections of 7th Grade Reading as well as two sections of 7th Grade Writing. You will find information about both classes covered in this blog. If your student is in Ms. Cheatham's Writing class, please feel free to disregard whatever info doesn't pertain to your student.
I'm hoping that this blog will be a way for us to connect and to keep tabs on your student's progress in the classroom. As always, if you have questions, please let me know!
This year, I will be teaching all sections of 7th Grade Reading as well as two sections of 7th Grade Writing. You will find information about both classes covered in this blog. If your student is in Ms. Cheatham's Writing class, please feel free to disregard whatever info doesn't pertain to your student.
I'm hoping that this blog will be a way for us to connect and to keep tabs on your student's progress in the classroom. As always, if you have questions, please let me know!
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