What's Going on in Writing?

Writing students have been focusing on their career research paper.  By now, students have found multiple book and web sources with information about their career choice.  We've begun using Noodletools.com, a very cool online site that allows students to digitally store their bibliography and notecards. If you remember carrying a stack of index cards for your own research papers, you'll quickly understand why students are loving Noodletools so much.  Students are able to create the notecards, link them to their outline and even "pile" all of the relevant cards together.  Noodletools is a subscription-based service that students will continue to use through middle school and high school. 

We're now entering the drafting stage of the research paper.  Students are learning to use facts, cite them with parenthetical citations according to MLA formatting rules, and then explain the factual information in their own words.  Students have already written the intro, pros and job duties paragraphs - and will finish the rough draft early this week.

Last AR Project of the Year - Due May 10/11

It seems hard to believe, but this is the last AR project of the year.  Students can choose any type of project they'd like as long as they include the three areas that are listed below.  These projects are due May 10/11.

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 finish the book, you have the option of creating a project that demonstrates your knowledge and understanding of the book.

The type of project that you choose is entirely up to you. You can make a video, dress as your character, create a PowerPoint, build a webpage, design a quote collage or create any other interesting project you would like.

While you have absolute freedom, there are a few requirements: You must include information about:
 The main characters
 The conflict of the novel
 The theme or moral that the author is trying to convey.

Be specific, include good details, and completely convince me that you not only read the book but understand every single thing in it! All projects 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!

B Day Reading Classes

Students in B day Reading classes have been busy working on their Literature Circle novels.  In Literature Circles, small groups of students gather to read and discuss a novel.  Groups have been reading one of six possible novels:

A Mango Shaped Space
The Giver
Esperanza Rising
Among the Hidden
A Wrinkle in Time
The Westing Game

Students have a group packet they complete each day where they are responsible for discussion topics, vocabulary, completing group work, and other important activities.  The final project for the Literature Circles unit will not be a traditional test. Instead, students will be asked to create their own wiki.

A wiki (think Wikipedia, for example) is a website that is easily edited by multiple people. Each group is creating their own web pages that will cover the major characters, important themes, interesting vocabulary and pertinent author information.  The students are picking up on the tech skills very quickly, so I'm excited to see what they can do.  Ask your student to show you the start of their character web page!

A Day Reading Classes

My A day Reading classes have been working on the novel, The Watsons Go to Birmingham.  Students have studied the 1960s and learned more about the fight for equality during the Civil Rights Movement.  Our focus has been on some of the lesser known figures of the movement.  Most students recognize Rosa Parks and know a handful of facts about Martin Luther King, Jr. Our goal was to introduce other individuals and groups who contributed to the movement - like the Freedom Riders, Medgar Evers, James Meredith, and the marchers on "Bloody Sunday."  Students have been researching these topics and are creating posters with a timeline, pictures, and a summary of the individual's contribution to the overall movement for justice and equality.  Students will have time in class today and next Tuesday to put the posters together, before presenting next Thursday.  The Watsons unit test will be April 25.

Hunger Games

As you may have heard from your student, the movie version of the very popular YA dystopian novel The Hunger Games premieres in a few weeks. To prepare for the movie's arrival, Ms. Ochs, the MS/HS librarian, is offering several events to celebrate the release including:

* A trivia contest where the top scoring students at the 7th and 8th grade level will compete in a Jeopardy-style competition.

* A t-shirt decorating contest where students are encouraged to interpret the Hunger Games costumes into a t-shirt design.  Students will wear their shirts to school on Friday, March 16 and be entered into a drawing for a movie theater gift card.

* A movie poster contest where students will design a new movie poster and be entered into a drawing for a Hunger Games movie poster. 

Many students are very excited about these events, so please encourage your student to participate if he/she is a Hunger Games fan! 

Pasta for Pennies Update

Thanks so much to those of you who helped contribute to our Pasta for Pennies coin drive! This year, students in grades 5-8 raised $1,312.11 to benefit the great work of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Ms. Cheatham's 6th grade AP was the winning classroom. 

What's Going on in Writing?

In Writing, students have just finished up their city projects. I was very impressed by the creativity that so many students showed. One of the reasons why I enjoy the city project so much is because it gives students the opportunity to take charge of their own learning, set their own goals and hold themselves accountable to those goals. We will take a break from the longer writing assignments to enjoy several smaller writing opportunities from now through Spring Break. 

When we return from break, students will begin a research paper over a future career opportunity.  If you have the chance, please take the time to talk to your student about what it is exactly that you do at your job, what training or schooling did you need to attain to get your position, and what type of salary or benefits one could expect from a job in your field.  All of this information will help your student have a better real-world perspective as they begin researching their dream job. 

4th Quarter AR Project #1 - Due April 3/4

4th Quarter AR Project #1 - Due April 3/4: 

For this project, you will need to read one book. It can be either fiction or non-fiction. After you finish the book, you have the option of completing one of two projects:

1 – Create a “real” newspaper about your book. You’ll need to include all the important parts of a newspaper – articles, advertisements, sports, comics and a letter to the editor. This newspaper should be at least four pages long and exceptionally creative. Your final product needs to be typed and demonstrate your understanding of the book – esp. specific details. You’ll be graded on meeting all requirements, having good details, being neat and legible, using correct grammar and punctuation, and appearing original and interesting.

2 – Write a song that demonstrates your creative response to the book you read. The song should have at least two verses and a chorus. Be sure to include specific details from your book. You will need to perform your song – either in front of the class or on a CD. You’ll be graded on meeting all requirements, having good details, being creative, and presenting a good performance.

All projects 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!

What's Going on in Reading?

As we come to the end of third quarter, our focus in Reading has shifted to preparing for the ISATs.  These annual exams are given each spring to students in grades 3-8.  As a seventh grader, your student will be testing in math, reading, and science.  There are three sections of the reading test which will be given over three class periods.  The first test includes only multiple choice questions, while the second and third test include both  multiple choice questions and an extended response question.  For the extended response, students are given a question about the passage they read and asked to write a short essay response that includes specific details from the text as well as connection to their own lives.  Students were taught a T-chart prewriting strategy to help them feel confident and be successful on the extended response portion.

Once we complete the ISAT test, there will be a shift in our reading schedule.  Students in A day classes will begin a literature circle novel unit, while students in B day classes will begin reading the historical fiction novel, The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963.  I will give more information about both options, but please be sure to check w/ your student whether they are an A day or a B day student to help you know which information to focus on. 

The final AR projects for third quarter were just turned in.  They look good, and I'll begin grading them tomorrow.  The new info for fourth quarter was just passed out and will be posted to the blog as well. 

Pasta for Pennies

We're officially 2/3 of the way through our Pasta for Pennies Coin Collection drive. While we've had great support, we've still got some work to do if we're going to make our goal.  Would you be able to help us get there? 

Pennies for Pasta is a coin collection drive to benefit the work of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to eliminate all blood cancers. Currently, students in grades 5-8 are busy collecting spare change and extra dollars to help the LLS. This year, WLMS is also competing directly against WLHS in a one-on-one challenge to see which group can donate the most funds to the Pasta for Pennies drive.

In addition to the classroom coin collection, we are also inviting parents, teachers, community members and other supporters of WL schools to participate in our online donation page. By visiting the link below, you will be directed to a secure page where you can make a tax deductible donation to benefit our campaign. Once there, you can also receive information if your workplace participates in a matching gifts program. If you are a parent, you can use the online donation tool to give credit to your student's class as well.

http://il.sy.llsevent.org/WarrensburgLathamElemMS

If you feel so inclined, please feel free to share this link with any friends, colleagues or family members who you think would be interested in supporting W-L's efforts to help the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Thanks again for your support.

Sincerely,

Melanie Allen and the members of the WLMS National Junior Honor Society

3rd Quarter AR Project #2

The second AR project of 3rd Quarter is due on Feb 27/28: 

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 finish the book, you have the option of completing one of three projects: 

1. Create a diorama of your book. A diorama is a 3-dimension scene from your book. It should include models of the people, places and things that made your book interesting or unique. It should focus on the main events of your book and be easy to understand. You can use whatever materials you would like to construct the diorama, but it needs to be at least as big as a shoebox. You will also need to attach a half page explanation of the scene.

2. Pretend that your book is being made into a movie. Create a movie poster that will convince others to come see the movie. Your poster should be bright, colorful and easy to understand and made on a poster board. Think about other posters you have seen. It should include a picture of the main character and other pictures or descriptions that relate to your book. Make sure to include the names of actors or actresses that might star in the movie. You will also need to attach a half page explanation of the book.

3. Write a letter to the author of your book. Explain at least two things that you did like about the book and mention at least one thing that you did not like in the book. You should give real examples from the book that showcase your point. For example, if you like the descriptions mention how the author described the autumn leaves in chapter six. When you mention something that you did not like, you should offer at least one solution to fix the problem. Your letter should be at least 1½ - 2 pages long and written in professional style.

All projects 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!

What's Going on in Writing?

In Writing class, we've officially wrapped up our sentence diagramming unit.  Students did amazingly well on diagramming and I'm so pleased to see how far they have progressed since the beginning of the year.  Those test grades are already posted online.  Next up, we will begin going over some of the specific types of phrases and clauses. 

After finishing our persuasive posters, students are beginning the always exciting City Project.  For this, students are creating their very own city. The town that they create should be the ultimate place to live and work and feature all of the amenities your student feels is important.  So far, they've made a list of the businesses they want to include in their town and are now in the process of laying out the map of their city.  The heart of the project involves students understanding the importance of writing for a purpose - in this case, to attract new residents to their town - and more information will be forthcoming.  (But rest assured, no 3D models will be involved!)

What's Going on in Reading?

We've just finished up our big Poetry Unit.  Students took their unit test and those grades have been published online for three of the four classes already.  Poetry can be difficult, and I was quite proud at how well many students did. 

Over the next two weeks, we are going to be preparing for the ISATs, the annual standardized testing that occurs each spring.  We will be taking time to go over some of the concepts that require a quick review.  Topics will include: synonyms/antonyms/homophones, genres of literature, author's purpose, mood and tone, point of view and context clues.  We will also be going over the format of the test, so that all students feel confident and prepared when we begin testing the first two weeks of March.

The next AR project for Reading is due at the very end of the month.  Students will have some additional in-class reading time to work toward that goal. 

Scholastic Book Orders

FYI: I just handed out new Scholastic book orders, and there's some really great books out right now.   If you want to order, just have your student return the form and money sometime to me next week.  If you need me to wait a bit longer - like your next pay day, for example -  just let me know.  We can make it work!

If you want to order online using a credit card, 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.

AR Projects Due Jan 25/26

As a reminder, the first of the third quarter AR projects are due on Jan 25/26. Students can create a book jacket, write diary entries, or create a new ending of the book.  You can find the detailed explanation posted back at the end of November if you need it. 

What's Going on in Writing?

Since we've been back from break, students have been busy putting their persuasive writing skills to the test.  They've completed several persuasive letters and essays - including debating whether child beauty pageants were harmful or worthwhile and if gifted students should be moved into higher level classes with much older classmates.  The final persuasive essay and poster project is a topic that your student felt was important to this school or this community.  After choosing his/her topic, your student devised a thesis statement, created a pro/con T-chart, and began drafting their essay.  Now we are typing the essays, beginning to peer edit, and creating the poster portion of the persuasive project. 

Please note: ALL Writing students must bring a poster board to class by next Monday! I've reiterated with your student that I'm not interested in fancy trifold boards or even foam boards. A simple, cheap posterboard is all they need. The instructions for the persuasive poster project is listed below: 

Since most middle school kids aren’t going to stop in the hallway and read a two-page essay about your persuasive topic, you will be creating a fun and eye-catching poster to get them to become interested in what you have to say.

Your poster should include:
 A creative title – not just “Bigger Lockers” or “No AR”
 A catchy slogan that will help viewers remember your topic
 Your typed essay attached to the poster
 Your 3 pros listed somewhere on the poster
 2-4 pictures – no more or no less
 Bright colors and appealing decorations

You will need to present your poster on a poster board. Remember, you can reuse the back of a board that you’ve previously used. You will also be responsible for a short (2-3 minutes) presentation of your poster where you explain your topic, why you think the change is important and your pros for making the change. The presentation counts for 20% of your overall grade, so be prepared. Absolutely no reading directly from the poster – or you will not receive credit for the presentation!!

One last thing:  For this project, students will be doing ALL of the work in-class. I'm very interested to watch them work their way through the project individually and how they deal with potential issues or problems.  Thanks for understanding!

Extra Credit Opportunity in Reading

As a part of our study of poetry, you will have the opportunity to memorize a piece of poetry and present it to the class. You may choose any poem you like – including those from your textbook, ones copied into your notebook, the poem you choose out of my books, or another poem you like – but it does need to be a minimum of 12 lines long.

When you present your poem, you will do so from memory without the aid of notecards. You will first tell us the title and author of your poem and then recite it for us. You will need to provide Mrs. Allen with a copy of the poem prior to your presentation.

You will have the opportunity to earn up to 20 possible extra credit points. Your grade will be based on the accuracy of your memorization and the quality of your presentation. Please speak with emotion and enthusiasm!

You will need to sign up to present your poem Jan 27 – Feb 7. Please see Mrs. Allen if you have questions!

What's Going on in Reading?

The first few weeks of third quarter have been very busy in Reading class.  We've started a new unit on poetry, and the students have been exposed to many different types and styles of poems.  They have written concrete and haiku poems, practiced identifying rhyme schemes and learned about figurative language and sound devices.  Students also took time to look through collections of poetry to find a poem that truly spoke to them. We will be doing some analysis of these poems as well as comparing the poems to the poems chosen by your student's peers. 

Please check out the above post for more information about an extra credit opportunity!