Welcome to Chisholm Trail Middle School! On this page, I like to include
detailed information about upcoming and current projects as well as due
dates for major projects, papers, and tests.
You can check the Calendar Link for due dates as well. I also usually include
dates for IPRs, the end of a Sixth Weeks, Early Release Days, and Holidays.
The Lesson Plans Link includes an overview of my lessons for the week
along with the lesson's objectives. Lessons can (and will) change as the
week goes by because I want to review or touch on other things as I see fit
when I assess my students. The lesson plans follow the 5E model. This link is
not intended for student/parent use. The 5E Lesson Plans are for
administrators, instuctional coaches, and my colleagues to see what exactly
I'm doing in class, but you are welcome to look at them.
The Homework Link is simple, what I expect the students to do at home.
Usually it's reading their chosen novel, but they can read other things as
well like articles from the newspaper, online sources, magazines, poetry,
etc. They should be working on responses to their reading (this let's me
know if they're actually reading and comprehending). Other homework can be
writing in their writer's notebook as well as finishing up final drafts for
essays or stories they did in class. I give them a lot of class time to work
on their writing but, at times, students need extra time at home.
The supply list/teacher's wish list is self-explanatory.
The About the Teacher Link just has a little information about me.
The Schedule Link has my daily schedule as well as my tutorial times.
The "Links" link has links to my blog and other websites that I have
used in the past with my students and I may or may not use them again this
school year. The links are fun and informative.
The Poem of the Week Link is just for parents and students to read for
fun! I try my best to pick a poem and post it for the week. Just a hobby of
mine to get people exposed to more contemporary poetry. It also gets me to
read at least one poem a week.
I know this is going to be a great year at CTMS!
8/23: Be sure to have a notebook for Language Arts by Wednesday night, since
we will begin discussing/using our notebooks on Thursday!
Since "The Outsiders" will be the 1st Six Weeks novel for the six weeks novel
project, I suggest getting a copy of your own from the public library or
store (the book usually costs between $5-8). I do have copies, but not enough
to give one to every student to read at home. The copies will be in our
classroom. Students will be given time to read and write everyday since I use
the workshop approach. Our goal is to have about 30 minutes of work time
everyday in class. Remember, after "The Outsiders", students will be choosing
their own novel for the six weeks novel project!
9/2: Next week's shorty story(our first of the year) will be Gary
Soto's "Seventh Grade" on page 34 in your lit textbook. I will explain on
Tuesday what we will do with our weekly short stories. If you want to get a
head start and read it at least once, go ahead and get started!
***I didn't get a chance to explain today because of our visit to the
library, but I will explain tomorrow after the "what drives a story" mini-
lesson. Look under "daily agenda/homework" for more information.
9/19: I will be reading your Writer's Notebooks tonight and tomorow night and
maybe Wednesday night. I will be evaluating the questions & responses
to "Seventh Grade" and "Thank You M'am" as well as Reader Response #1 and #2
for "The Outsiders."
This FRIDAY(9/23), I will pick up your notebooks to grade the "writer's
pages" ( you should have at least 5- not counting the responses)as well as
the questions to "Zebra" and RR #3 that was due today (Monday).