As a part of the Red Ribbon Week festivities, the National Junior Honor Society here at WLMS will be sponsoring our annual food drive next week. The food drive holds a special place in my heart and I hope that you will strongly consider supporting the effort!
The food drive benefits the Helping Hands Food Bank, a local organization that provides food and clothing to families in need. Because of the tough economic times, more families than ever are turning to Helping Hands, and they are in desperate need of increased donations. All donations will be kept local and any assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated. The top 12 contributors at the MS level will also earn a pizza party for their hard work.
Below is a list of the items that are most needed, but any donation - no matter how small - is helpful and appreciated.
Food - Spaghetti and spaghetti sauce, canned tuna and chicken, peanut butter, rice, noodles, Hamburger Helper or other boxed meals, soups or stews.
Personal Items - Facial soap, shampoo & conditioners, deodorant, toilet paper, baby wipes, lotion, paper towels, or toothpaste.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
What's Going in Writing?
Students are continuing to improve their sentence diagramming skills, and we've added prepositional phrases to the mix. I've been very impressed at how students are able to take the basics they've learned last year and expand upon it this year.
I'm very excited to be introducing NaNoWriMo - or National Novel Writing Month. Throughout the month of November, we will be participating in the Young Writer's Program sponsored by the NaNoWriMo group. We are currently working on developing interesting characters and will be creating exciting plots, detailed settings, and interesting dialogue for our novels. Soon, students will be setting an appropriate word count goal and we'll officially start writing our novels on November 1. Last year, some students wrote over 10,000 words in one month! All students who meet the word count goal they set for themselves will earn a promo code to have a free proof copy of their novel published. It's an exciting opportunity and I hope that many students are able to enjoy the prize!
I'm very excited to be introducing NaNoWriMo - or National Novel Writing Month. Throughout the month of November, we will be participating in the Young Writer's Program sponsored by the NaNoWriMo group. We are currently working on developing interesting characters and will be creating exciting plots, detailed settings, and interesting dialogue for our novels. Soon, students will be setting an appropriate word count goal and we'll officially start writing our novels on November 1. Last year, some students wrote over 10,000 words in one month! All students who meet the word count goal they set for themselves will earn a promo code to have a free proof copy of their novel published. It's an exciting opportunity and I hope that many students are able to enjoy the prize!
Monday, October 17, 2011
What's Going on in Reading?
As we finish up our reading of The Devil's Arithmetic, students will be watching firsthand accounts of survivors who were able to overcome the horrific conditions of the concentration camps. The Devil's Arithmetic test will be on October 19/20. The test itself will include matching, true/false and short answer questions as well as an essay question. There will also be a section focusing on the vocabulary from the novel.
Our next unit will focus on non-fiction literature and students will learn skills and strategies that can be applied not only in our classroom but also in history, math and science classes.
Our next unit will focus on non-fiction literature and students will learn skills and strategies that can be applied not only in our classroom but also in history, math and science classes.
Barclay Library Events
Middle School Art Classes - Registration Required
Barclay Library's Budding Artist program, funded by a grant from Target, is a series of after-school watercolor painting classes for 6th-8th grade students. These classes will be held on Wednesdays, November 2nd, 9th, and 16th at 4:00 PM. The final session will be an art show and reception for family and friends on Wednesday, November 30th at 6:00 PM. Classes are Free, but registration is required, as space is limited. 672-3621
Pumpkin Party - Saturday, October 22nd 10:30am - Noon
It's our annual pumpkin decorating party! Drop-in with the family anytime between 10:30am and Noon to decorate a pumpkin! Pumpkins and supplies provided. Snacks too! Sponsored by Black Bart's Pumpkin Patch
Spooky Stories: a family storytime - Saturday, October 29th 10:30 am
Featuring Storyteller, Camille Born. Join us for pumpkin donuts, apple cider and spooky stories! Suitable for all ages.
Barclay Library's Budding Artist program, funded by a grant from Target, is a series of after-school watercolor painting classes for 6th-8th grade students. These classes will be held on Wednesdays, November 2nd, 9th, and 16th at 4:00 PM. The final session will be an art show and reception for family and friends on Wednesday, November 30th at 6:00 PM. Classes are Free, but registration is required, as space is limited. 672-3621
Pumpkin Party - Saturday, October 22nd 10:30am - Noon
It's our annual pumpkin decorating party! Drop-in with the family anytime between 10:30am and Noon to decorate a pumpkin! Pumpkins and supplies provided. Snacks too! Sponsored by Black Bart's Pumpkin Patch
Spooky Stories: a family storytime - Saturday, October 29th 10:30 am
Featuring Storyteller, Camille Born. Join us for pumpkin donuts, apple cider and spooky stories! Suitable for all ages.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
AR Project #1 for Second Quarter
Rather than writing a standard book report, you will instead create a book report project that will accurately explain and describe the book that you have read. As always, this project will be equal to a test grade and should be taken seriously. For this project, you will need to read one book. It can be either fiction or non-fiction. After you take the AR test, you will need to complete the following project:
Create an A-Z list for your book. For each letter of the alphabet, come up with an important person, place, term or event from your book. Your A-Z list should show a depth of understanding and creative thinking. Below are examples from Devil’s Arithmetic – which you can’t use, so don’t even ask :)
For Example:
C – Chosen. When the Nazis use the term “chosen,” it means that they have chosen the prisoner to die.You can be chosen for talking back, not working, standing too close to a Greek, or getting sick. At the end of the novel, Rivka is chosen for not working, but Chaya takes her place so that Rivka can live.
J - J18202. This is the number that was tattooed on Rivka’s arm. When the Jews first arrived in the concentration camps, they received a tattoo so that the Nazis could identify them. Prisoners were told that they needed to learn their number because it was taking the place of their name. Rivka memorized her number by giving each digit a special significance – like 1 stood for Rivka and 8 was the number of people who used to be in her family.
You can present your list in whatever format you choose – but your list should be creative, colorful, neat, extremely detailed and show a strong understanding of your book. Correct grammar and spelling is crucial. Your project should include the full title of the book and the author’s name somewhere on the project. Please see me if you have any questions on your options. Good luck!
Create an A-Z list for your book. For each letter of the alphabet, come up with an important person, place, term or event from your book. Your A-Z list should show a depth of understanding and creative thinking. Below are examples from Devil’s Arithmetic – which you can’t use, so don’t even ask :)
For Example:
C – Chosen. When the Nazis use the term “chosen,” it means that they have chosen the prisoner to die.You can be chosen for talking back, not working, standing too close to a Greek, or getting sick. At the end of the novel, Rivka is chosen for not working, but Chaya takes her place so that Rivka can live.
J - J18202. This is the number that was tattooed on Rivka’s arm. When the Jews first arrived in the concentration camps, they received a tattoo so that the Nazis could identify them. Prisoners were told that they needed to learn their number because it was taking the place of their name. Rivka memorized her number by giving each digit a special significance – like 1 stood for Rivka and 8 was the number of people who used to be in her family.
You can present your list in whatever format you choose – but your list should be creative, colorful, neat, extremely detailed and show a strong understanding of your book. Correct grammar and spelling is crucial. Your project should include the full title of the book and the author’s name somewhere on the project. Please see me if you have any questions on your options. Good luck!
Updated Important Dates
FYI - As we prepare to begin second quarter, please notice that the Important Dates section on the right has been updated for the new quarter.
Thanks Again!
It was great to be able to talk to so many of you over the last two nights at Parent-Teacher Conferences! The importance of involved adults in a middle schooler's life cannot be emphasized enough, and I'm glad that you were able to stop by and take a minute to talk about your student's progress thus far. If you think of any additional questions - or if you weren't able to stop in, but would like to check in with me - please feel free to send me an email. Thanks again!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Scholastic Book Orders
I recently passed out the first Scholastic Book order forms of the year. Many of the students were very excited to have the chance to flip through and check out the new books. If you would like to order a book, you now have two options:
* Visit www.scholastic.com/bookclubs and enter a one-time class activation code of H789J. This will allow you to view the current catalog and order online using a credit card. As a bonus, any online order earns our class an extra book!
* Return the order form with your cash or check (made payable to Scholastic) to me in the next week or two.
Note: If you would like to order a book but need to wait until a particular date (like your next pay day, for example), just let me know and I can make it work.
If you have any questions or difficulties ordering online, please let me know.
* Visit www.scholastic.com/bookclubs and enter a one-time class activation code of H789J. This will allow you to view the current catalog and order online using a credit card. As a bonus, any online order earns our class an extra book!
* Return the order form with your cash or check (made payable to Scholastic) to me in the next week or two.
Note: If you would like to order a book but need to wait until a particular date (like your next pay day, for example), just let me know and I can make it work.
If you have any questions or difficulties ordering online, please let me know.
Don't Let Your Student Forget!
THE FINAL AR PROJECT OF FIRST QUARTER IS DUE ON OCT 10/11. Students should choose one of the three project options - lifesized model, character interview and book talk - and also take an AR test over their book. If the book is not an AR book, they must complete the AR alternative form instead.
Scroll down for more specific instructions!
Scroll down for more specific instructions!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Reminder about Conferences
A Quick Reminder About Parent-Teacher Conferences:
If you're planning on stopping in for a conference next week, please call Mrs. Goeckner in the office at 672-3321 in order to get signed up. Conferences are 3-6:30 on Tuesday, Oct 11, and 2:30-6 on Wednesday, Oct 12.
If you're planning on stopping in for a conference next week, please call Mrs. Goeckner in the office at 672-3321 in order to get signed up. Conferences are 3-6:30 on Tuesday, Oct 11, and 2:30-6 on Wednesday, Oct 12.
What's Going on in Writing?
Writing students are continuing to focus on getting more descriptive. In Grammar, we've been busy learning to diagram both adjectives and adverbs. After a bit more review, students will be taking a diagramming quiz on Oct 10/11. We're also beginning a new writing project based on the Diary of a Spider series that includes Diary of a Fly and Diary of a Worm. After discussing the importance of writing for a particular audience, students will be creating a short book geared toward children that will showcase information about an animal of their choice (including everything from sloths to clownfish!) in a fun and amusing style similar to the original books. This project will allow students to merge fictional characters with factual information to create an entertaining story.
Students are also receiving their first major paper - the personal narrative over something that makes them happy. The paper is worth a total of 100 points. 50 of those points come from the grade of the final draft while the other 50 points come showcasing the writing process by having evidence of prewriting, rough drafts, editing worksheets & a final draft. Those grades will be entered in later today.
Students are also receiving their first major paper - the personal narrative over something that makes them happy. The paper is worth a total of 100 points. 50 of those points come from the grade of the final draft while the other 50 points come showcasing the writing process by having evidence of prewriting, rough drafts, editing worksheets & a final draft. Those grades will be entered in later today.
What's Going on in Reading?
Students in Reading are continuing to work their way through The Devil's Arithmetic. In order to alleviate the time crunch, we've decided to postpone using Edmodo until second semester. Many students are taking a new interest in WWII and the Holocaust. In the MS Library, Ms. Ochs has set up a display of related books and materials that can not only be used as support for the extra credit projects (listed below) but also as future AR books. The final AR project of the quarter is due on October 10/11. I've been doing periodic status checks on AR progress and many students have already completed the project and are on to reading books for second quarter. If your student is interested in the project info for the first AR project for second quarter, I do have that info available - but I will wait to pass it out to everyone until after Oct 11.
Reading Extra Credit Opportunity
As we wrap up first quarter, students in Reading class have an opportunity to help further their knowledge and raise their grade. I am offering an extra credit project opportunity that allows students the chance to dig deeper into the Holocaust and present the information that they find. Students will complete one of four potential project options listed below and have the opportunity to gain up to an additional 30 points of extra credit. Students received this information last week, but I wanted to share it with you as well. Projects are due on Oct 17/18 and no late projects will be accepted for any reason.
PROJECT 1 – During the Holocaust, Jews weren’t the only people forced into concentration camps. Create a poster that uses at least one graph (bar, line, pie, etc) to explain who was imprisoned, and at least two maps to describe where the camps were located.
The Auschwitz Concentration Camp was created in 1940 and would become one of the largest concentration camps of World War Two. Approximately 400,000 prisoners were sent to Auschwitz. That included:
200,000 Jews
140,000 Poles (people from Poland)
20,000 Gypsies
10,000 Soviet prisoners of war
10,000 Other prisoners of war from different countries
Over fifty percent of those at Auschwitz died of starvation, disease, overwork, executions, medical experiments, punishment or horrific living conditions.
PROJECT 2 – Learn more about what life was actually like inside the concentration camps. Look at the pictures and imagine yourself facing those conditions. Create a poster that shows your findings – the equivalent of three or four paragraphs written in your own words. You will want to include a few pictures and at least one quote from a survivor.
PROJECT 3 – Write a poem based on your emotions while you read this novel and pictured yourself within the world of concentration camps. It should be at least twenty lines long and accurately reflect the novel. Attach your poem to a poster with pictures or images that represent the tone and/or ideas of your poem.
PROJECT 4 – On a poster, create a collage of quotations (not pictures!) from the novel that reflect Hannah/Chaya and her experience as well as her personality. Collages should be artistic and appealing.
You will be graded on your creativity, enthusiasm, quality of finished product, and the correctness of the information you present.
PROJECT 1 – During the Holocaust, Jews weren’t the only people forced into concentration camps. Create a poster that uses at least one graph (bar, line, pie, etc) to explain who was imprisoned, and at least two maps to describe where the camps were located.
The Auschwitz Concentration Camp was created in 1940 and would become one of the largest concentration camps of World War Two. Approximately 400,000 prisoners were sent to Auschwitz. That included:
200,000 Jews
140,000 Poles (people from Poland)
20,000 Gypsies
10,000 Soviet prisoners of war
10,000 Other prisoners of war from different countries
Over fifty percent of those at Auschwitz died of starvation, disease, overwork, executions, medical experiments, punishment or horrific living conditions.
PROJECT 2 – Learn more about what life was actually like inside the concentration camps. Look at the pictures and imagine yourself facing those conditions. Create a poster that shows your findings – the equivalent of three or four paragraphs written in your own words. You will want to include a few pictures and at least one quote from a survivor.
PROJECT 3 – Write a poem based on your emotions while you read this novel and pictured yourself within the world of concentration camps. It should be at least twenty lines long and accurately reflect the novel. Attach your poem to a poster with pictures or images that represent the tone and/or ideas of your poem.
PROJECT 4 – On a poster, create a collage of quotations (not pictures!) from the novel that reflect Hannah/Chaya and her experience as well as her personality. Collages should be artistic and appealing.
You will be graded on your creativity, enthusiasm, quality of finished product, and the correctness of the information you present.
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