Happy weekend all you Smarties!
This week in class we spent the majority of our time looking at vocabulary from the stories we are reading (A Retrieved Reformation by O'Henry in Honors and Raymond's Run by Toni Cade Bambara). The literary elements I am focusing on for these two stories are 1. Identification of elements of plot (basic situation, setting, conflicts/complications, climax, resolution) and 2. Making predictions.
In grammar the focus this week was on common and proper nouns. We are beginning Word-A-Palooza with our vocabulary. For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, Word-A-Palooza is a vocabulary exercise that allows students to investigate words that they find interesting in a literary piece. Students begin by creating a list of words that catch their attention. On the list they have to copy the word, the sentence the word appears in (with open and end quotes, as well as correct capitalization and punctuation), the page number and the paragraph number.
Students then choose their favorite five words to put on index cards (students keep an evolving set of vocabulary flip cards in class that they study each week). For these five words they look up and copy the correct definition of the word based upon how it was used in the sentence from the story.
After, students gather in groups of three to combine lists and categorize their words. Students decide what ways in which they want to group words, rearranging and making changes until they have found a way to identify every word on their lists.
From these categories, students debate, compromise, and finally choose their combined favorite five words. Students use these five words to make 5x7 index cards (one side only). Each member of the group must work on a different aspect of each card (in other words one student is not to be doing the writing on all cards, another drawing the pictures on all cards...)
In the end, each finished card is a visual and verbal representation on the meaning of the word chosen. The word is written out on the card in a way that reflects its meaning (for example, the word 'bouncy' may be written with the letters bouncing all over the card), the background of the card depicts the words meaning (the card may have a playground with bouncing balls all over it), the part of speech of the word, the definition of the word, and the sentence from the text that uses the word (correctly cited and quoted).
The cards are then presented to the rest of the class. From the class cards all students choose the class favorite five, which they add to their vocabulary flip cards for study.
This is an in-class process and is usually spread over seven class days. This week we made lists and we defined and created flip cards for our favorite five words. We will be moving on next week!
We also continued to read and take notes on the book Schooled by Gordon Korman, we began our reading and writing folders, tried our hand at the online essay scorer, and went to a magazine drive assembly.
In history, we started the Reconstruction and spent a significant time in class learning how to do Cornell notes. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday students started Cornell notes with me in class and then were asked to complete them at home. We then went over them the next day. Our notes were focused on specific information. We were looking for information that would help us understand what the Reconstruction was, how it affected society (groups of people), and how it affected politics (rules and procedures).
Last week students were assigned a small research project on notable immigrants (history only). This project is due THIS FRIDAY 9/25. Students have a handout with a rubric. This is the only homework for the week. There is no homework this week in honors.
That said- students are ALWAYS to be reading- a minimum of 3.5 hours a week. Students are beginning to track their reading progress in the form of line graphs located in their reading and writing folders in class. If you would like to see your students reading and writing folder, please feel free to stop by A2.
At this point you should be noticing a homework pattern, light followed by not so light. This will continue all year. Also, I do not like to assign large amounts of homework over holiday breaks.
This Friday is the end of Quarter 1 progress. I will be sending home grade checks on MONDAY. Students need to have them signed by a parent and returned by Friday 9/25. Late work is due by FRIDAY 9/25. At the end of the day on Friday I will be sending grades to the office. Any students who have F's in either of my classes will be assigned AIM for study hall for the next five weeks. I also hold study hall on Wednesdays in A2 from 3-3:45pm.
Students will be finishing the majority of their work in school this week. It is my aim that they finish all of it in school with me so that we can work together and I can discuss their work with them.
Have a great weekend!
Mrs. A
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