Reading and Books

Link to a daily almanac about books:

http://childrensbookalmanac.com/

Note: You can search past posts by age group.

The Wonder of Books!

Thursday, December 19, 2013

For your A1 and B1 classes, don't forget to bring a dollar for the Basketball Games!   We will have regular class  A3 and A4.

If you need to revise and resubmit your PowerPoint or other late work, you may do so through Friday-- tomorrow -- December 20.

If you did not hand in your viewing chart from last time, do it now.

We will have a READ-A-THON on January 10!  Plan to bring a book --  and treats, if you wish.

 Thursday – Friday without CAVE Time

     1^s Lunch                                          2^nd Lunch                                                                 

A1/ B5	8:15-9:40		A1/ B5	8:15-9:40	85 minutes
A2/B6	9:45-11:15		A2/ B6	9:45-11:15	90 minutes
Lunch	11:15-11:45		A3/ B7	11:20-12:45	85 minutes
A3/ B7	11:50-1:15		Lunch	12:45-1:15	30 minutes
A4 /B8	1:20-2:45		A4/B8	1:20-2:45	85 minutes

1. Individual Reading and Reading Log

2. Partner Fluency Practice

A4 Other Reading activities

3.  Practice with the reading strategy of scanning- Word Search with your names

4.  Computer Lab to finish up anything not done.
If you are all finished and have completed and turned in EVERYTHING, you may play on FreeRice or Fun with Words.

http://freerice.com/#/english-vocabulary/1495

http://www.fun-with-words.com

http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/poetry/poetry_engine.htm


http://www.scholastic.com/ispy/games/index.htm
or any of these: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/clf/tguidesitemap.htm

http://www.kerpoof.com/


Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year!

A3 Present and View Power Points.
        Make sure you complete and hand in the viewing chart.
        Don't forget to select three best PowerPoints.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

1. Individual Reading and fill out your reading log.  If you need to make-up reading work, pick up one of the pink make-up sheets. 

2. Prepare to present your PowerPoints -- Lab 211

3.  Present your PowerPoints in class.  
You will also earn points by viewing and evaluating your classmates' powerpoints. 

(A3 will present their PowerPoints next time.  Please be ready with completed PowerPoints.)


If you need to revise and resubmit your PowerPoint or other late work, you may do so through Friday,  December 20.

Friday, December 13, 2013

Happy Lucky Friday the 13th!   

Announcements and Reminders:   On Tuesday we will share the PowerPoints.  Make sure yours is ready. Your PowerPoint is due -- turned in to Edmodo -- by the end of this period.  Have your grades up and bring a dollar to attend one of the Charity Basketball Games next week on Thursday and Friday -- first period each day.  I'll send in a Scholastic Book order on the 20th, the last day of school before Christmas Break.

Class Activites: 1. Individual reading and fill out your log. 2.  Saving documents --  a couple of hints. 3. Sample PowerPoint:  Margaret Thatcher.ppt 4.  Computer lab to work on PowerPoint -- Yours should be finished by the end of this period.

If you were absent: Finish creating your PowerPoint at home.  Use the template on Edmodo under the PowerPoint assignment.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Announcements and Reminders:  Your PowerPoint is due by the end of class next time, DECEMBER 13, this Friday. Before you work on your PowerPoint, you will need plenty of notes and your citations. If you are behind, make up the work during cave time in lab 223, make an appointment with Ms. Dorsey for after school, or complete it at home.  You may take your packet home, or download the packet pages from this blog:  See the tab above for "Famous Person Project: Instructions and Downloads."  If you miss a day, don't forget to make-up the reading time using the pink make-up chart, or using your own paper.

Class Activities: 1. Individual Reading and Fill out Reading Log We viewed a sample PowerPoint and went over how to open the template and  do a few things on the PowerPoint.  Sample:  Bethannee PowerPoint!.ppt 2. Computer lab to work on Hero Research Papers.  You need to complete four of the five.      PLEASE READ THE TEACHER COMMENTS.

If you were absent: Read the announcements and reminders above. Pick up one of the pink make-up sheets for reading, and read a book or magazine at home for twenty minutes, fill out the form, and get a parent or guardian signature. Work on your Hero Project at home.  Make sure you are caught up.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Announcements and Reminders:  Hero Research #5 is due by the end of the period today, but you may choose between Hero Research #4 and  Hero Research #4, and complete just one of them. The other will not count on your grade.    Make sure you have completed #1-#3 also.  If you cannot find your hero on either World Book or SIRS, watch for the yellow highlighted directions to follow.  Next time we will begin working on the PowerPoints, which are due  by the end of class on DECEMBER 13, this Friday. Before you work on your PowerPoint, you will need plenty of notes and your citations. If you are behind, make up the work during cave time in lab 223, make an appointment with Ms. Dorsey for after school, or complete it at home.  You may take your packet home, or download the packet pages from this blog:  See the tab above for "Famous Person Project: Instructions and Downloads."  If you miss a day, don't forget to make-up the reading time using the pink make-up chart, or using your own paper.

Class Activities:  1. Individual Reading and Fill out Reading Log 2. Partner Fluency Practice 3. Computer lab to work on Hero Research Papers.  You need to complete four of the five.     PLEASE READ THE TEACHER COMMENTS.

If you were absent: Read the announcements and reminders above. Pick up one of the pink make-up sheets for reading, and read a book or magazine at home for twenty minutes, fill out the form, and get a parent or guardian signature. Work on your Hero Project at home.  Make sure you are caught up.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Activity 1:  Individual Reading and fill out your reading log.

Activity 2:  Partner Fluency Practice

Activity 3. Computer Lab 
 Learning about plagiarism
(In case you are absent, here is the handout to print if you would like to complete this at home: Plagiarism Computer Exercise Worksheet2012.doc 

Computer lab for Plagiarism exercise
Part I:  
1. Learning about Plagiarism
2.  Receive the  document:     Plagiarism Computer Exercise  







a. Use the link here to go to  http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/school/plagiarism.html#
b. Listen to and read along with the information about plagiarism.  (Yes, you may turn on the sound on your computer!  The room will be noisy, but sometimes that's okay.)
c. Answer the questions on the worksheet. 

Part II.    (You are still using the same worksheet.)

Is this Plagiarism? 

Use the link here  to go to 
http://www.loislowry.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=67&Itemid=196

Answer the questions on the worksheet.  Leave this site open for the next part.   

Part III.  Bibme for Creating a Bibliography 
This is the easiest bibliography maker I've found. 

bibme.org

If it isn't working use workscited4u.com or  easybib.com.

Follow the instructions on your worksheet to create a bibliographic citation for the Lois Lowry site. 
http://www.loislowry.com/

Part IV.  Work on your hero research papers. 

https://www.edmodo.com/

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

1. Individual reading/Project Remediation in small groups

2. Plagiarism

3. Work on the Hero Project

Hero Research Documents #1, #2, #3 are due or past due by the end of class today.

Michael Vey Assembly on Friday, December 6

For more information, download this document;
Dec 6 Assembly.pdf

Skyward Outage

I am continuing to grade student work, but with the Skyward outage, do not know when I will be able to update grades.  Like you, I will be busy with family activities over Thanksgiving, so will try to find a time when my schedule and Skyward availability mesh!

The Hobbit

Check out this review of The Hobbit by CS Lewis from 1937: He says that The Hobbit belongs "to a very small class of books which have nothing in common save that each admits us to a world of its own—a world that seems to have been going on long before we stumbled into it but which, once found by the right reader, becomes indispensable to him." 

November 26, 2013

Announcements and Reminders: If you are behind, make up the work during cave time in lab 223, make an appointment with Ms. Dorsey for after school, or complete it at home.  You may take your packet home, or download the packet pages from this blog:  See the tab above for "Famous Person Project: Instructions and Downloads." Have a Beautiful Thanksgiving! If you miss a day, don't forget to make-up the reading time using the pink make-up chart, or using your own paper.

Pick up your folder.
Turn in your disclosure document if you haven't yet -- to the top wire basket for A4.

Activity 1. Individual Reading Time and Fill in your Reading Log for today.

If you are absent, read for 20 minutes at home, record it, obtain a parent signature, and bring it to attach it to your log here. 

Activity 2:  Fluency Parter Practice

Activity 3:  Using Reading Strategies to read directions.  

Fix-Up Strategies  

Use Reading Strategy Tools!

Read directions one step at a time. 

If you don't get it at first use these fix-up strategies:

1. Check your own inner voice.

      Are you paying attention to the text, thinking about it, or are you thinking about something else?  If you are focused on the text, FOCUS.

2. If you didn't get it the first time, focus on it, and read it again.

3. If you still don't get it, try reading it out loud.

4. If you still don't get it, try reading ahead a bit.

    The next sentence or so may help you understand what you just read. 

5. If you still don't understand, look for any words that may be getting in your way.

    Are there terms you don't understand?   
1. Is there something in the context that gives you a clue about what they mean?  
2. Can you look them up? 
3. Could you ask someone who would know what they mean?  

6. If you've really tried all of these strategies, and you still don't understand, ask someone who can help you.

 Leave your folder on your desk, but take the project packet with you to computer lab 223.  Also take your thumb drive. 

Today's Agenda:  In the Computer Lab - Lab 223 

https://www.edmodo.com/    

Most sign in as  

      lastnamefirstname

      student number

1. Complete the Practice Assignment if you have not. (page 2 in the packet)
2. Sign up for your hero if you have not. (page 5 in the packet)  "IMPORTANT: SIGN UP FOR YOUR HERO"   
1. Include the hero's name and the URL from BRC.
3. Complete Hero Research #1 -- evaluating and taking notes on your hero.  
1. Open the document:  If you already started and saved it on Edmodo, open the the file you saved!
2.  Finish filling it in, following directions on the document.
3. Then click on the Turn In button to turn it in on Edmodo under the assignment "Hero Research #1: Evaluating and Taking Notes on An Article from Biography Reference Center"
4. Complete  Hero Research #2: Using Pioneer Library and an online encyclopedia.  
1. Fill it in, following directions on the document. 
2. Turn it in whether you finish or not.  
5. If you have finished Hero Research #2, go on to #3: Using Pioneer Library and a database called SIRS Discoverer.  

Save your work often. 

This is a sample of the PowerPoint you will do after you have completed your research: 

Larry Bird by Fielding C.ppt

Parent-Teacher Conference

If you were not able to come to our Parent-Teacher Conference, you may want to look at this document with helps for using our online resources including class blogs, Edmodo, and My Access (for English classes).

PT Conference Computer Directions.doc  

Other Hints for Parents:

• Check Skyward together -- parent and student -- at least once a week.
• If needed, set a day once a week to work together on organizing the backpack and/or binder. 
• Encourage your student to read.  Reading is the best thing a student can do to improve both reading and writing skills. 

How was Parent-Teacher Conference for you last night? 

Friday, November 22, 2013

In the Classroom

Hand in your disclosure signatures.

Pick up your folder! 

You have assigned seating today.  Look for the charts on desks at the front and back of the classroom. 

Activity 1. Individual Reading Time and Begin a New Reading Log

If you are absent, read for 20 minutes at home, record it, obtain a parent signature, and bring it to attach it to your log here. 

Activity 2: Fluency Practice  -- Poems

Fill out your graph.  

DATE	11/22/13
PASSAGE #	TOF
WPM	[Your WPD]

If you did not fill out the top of the graph for previous days, it should look like this:

DATE	[the date]
PASSAGE #	SCSS
WPM	[Your WPD]

http://www.online-stopwatch.com/candle-timer/full-screen/

http://www.online-stopwatch.com/dynamite-timer/full-screen/

Activity 3: Reliability and ways to check for it!
Complete the explorers activity and filling out the evaluation form for that site.

Fill out the white worksheet, titled "Lewis and Clark – Important Information for Your U.S. History Class Next Year" using this link:

http://allaboutexplorers.com/explorers/lewis-clark/ 

If you'd like more information about these explorers, see
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/meriwether-lewis-is-shot-in-the-leg 

 Leave your folder on your desk, but take the project packet with you to computer lab 223.  Also take your thumb drive. 

Today's Agenda:  In the Computer Lab - Lab 223 

https://www.edmodo.com/    

Most sign in as  

      lastnamefirstname

      student number

1. Complete the Practice Assignment if you have not. (page 2 in the packet)
2. Sign up for your hero if you have not. (page 5 in the packet)  "IMPORTANT: SIGN UP FOR YOUR HERO"   
1. Include the hero's name and the URL from BRC.
3. Complete Hero Research #1 -- evaluating and taking notes on your hero.  
1. Open the document:  If you already started and saved it on Edmodo, open the the file you saved!
2.  Finish filling it in. 
3. Then click on the Turn In button to turn it in on Edmodo under the assignment "Hero Research #1: Evaluating and Taking Notes on An Article from Biography Reference Center"
4. Begin work on Hero Research #2: Using Pioneer Library and an online encyclopedia. Turn it in whether you finish or not.  

Save your work often. 

This is a sample of the PowerPoint you will do after you have completed your research: 

Larry Bird by Fielding C.ppt