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11/20/08
GT Students Only:
We will be moving the Holocaust Memorial Evening to January 21st to allow more time for work on
projects and presentations.
11/19/08: OPEN NOTEBOOK QUIZ
An open notebook quiz is coming next week. Students are able to use their Interactive Notebook to
answer questions about the concepts we have learned in class so far in Unit Two. Students should
also make sure that they have updated their Table of Contents (time will be given for this in class
this week).
11/18/08:
GT Students - you have a new blog! (NOT REQUIRED)
Some of your classmates requested a place to leave notes about their research topics, websites they
have found, and questions they are working on for their project. Use this blog under the titles for
the persons you are studying.
Again.. it is NOT a requirement, but rather an option for more help from your peers on research ideas.
Also, GT students - your timeline for reading Anne Frank is given to you on a weekly basis. Check
the Anne Frank blog site for page requirements for each class/week. Remember that in general you are
reading 30 pages per week.
11/14/08:
Research begins next week! Check with your students about having a list of questions - this was a
class activity - and a person of interest to research.
Don't forget about the Autobiographical Poster Project: Details and work dates are posted online.
Look under Class Notes/Study Guides. Posterboard is available from Mrs. Ault.
A, C, E: Novels should be finished by the end of next week... keep on reading!:)
11/12/08:
Quiz Reminder... see below! List on the Class Notes/Study Guides page...
Historical Fiction Reminder: A, C, and E classes: Novels should be completed by the end of next
week. We will be visiting the Media Center to complete the research portion of the project next week
as well as the week of conferences. Following Thanksgiving break, students will be starting the
prewriting and drafting stages of the writing project.
Please note that students are NOT required to use the Historical Fiction Book Blog. Since so many
students have chosen individual topics as opposed to working in groups, this is not a reasonable
requirement. Students certainly have the option of using the blogs to generate ideas for research
and to talk about their reading with friends.
GT Students and Parents:
Holocaust Memorial Night: 12/17/08
Please save the date... more information to come home next week.
11/5/08:
Parents, please use the Parent Survey - at the bottom to your left on the menu bar - to share with
me your thoughts on this first quarter. I greatly appreciate your support; I can only grow as a
teacher with your collaboration! If I receive your survey, your child will be rewarded with 2 MASH
CASH dollars!
11/5/08:
Autobiography/Biography Vocabulary Quiz
A: 11/14
C: 11/13
D: 11/13 * Students should also use the blog vocabulary list as well
as words they have been recording on their own.
E: 11/14
GT Classes:
Students will be starting the research portion of the study of Anne Frank's diary this week. Please
monitor your child's progress at home through discussion of information found and encourage online
posting.
10/24/08:
Students should use their "Writer's Notes" page - next to the Table of Contents for Unit Two - to
record their list of questions while reading. These are the questions they will later use to
research the main character or another historical figure from their novel.
10/22/08: Historical Fiction Clarification
Hello curious parents! I am afraid that I was not as clear as I wanted to be in my unit letter
regarding the process of this next unit. Here is one more try!:)
Students are reading a historical fiction novel as an example for the style of paper they will be
asked to write. While they are reading, they will be creating a list of questions surrounding the
main character(s) or other historical figures/events in the book. The research will then focus on a
single person that did in fact live during the time period of the historical fiction novel they have
read. Using that research, students will then develop their own historical fiction short story with
that real life person as the main character.
*Note: For GT students, the only difference is that they are not reading historical fiction, but
rather a diary. Students will still complete the research portion of a historical figure from that
time period and then develop the historical fiction story based upon their research.
Currently, the only expectation for students is that they are choosing the novel they are going to
read. All classes have now visited the media center and had an opportunity to discuss the process in
class. Next week, we will start developing the list of questions and discussing the research
process. The following weeks will involve the in-class research. No research should be needed at
home as long as students are diligent during class.
Once the writing portion begins, students will also be expected to complete the writing
predominantly in school. The entire project is geared to be complete prior to Winter Break.
10/20/08: Assessments
Quarterly Assessments will be given in English, Science, Social Studies, and Math at the end of next
week. I have posted on the Study Guides Page a set of flash card starters for students to use in
their preparation. There are a few concepts we will be covering this week listed on those cards.
Most of the English Assessment is an application of skills learned in both English and Reading
classes. The schedule for Assessments is below:
A: 10/29
B: 10/30
C: 10/30
D: 10/31
E: 10/31
10/10/08: Historical Fiction Dates
Novel Chosen and Parent Signature: A/E: 10/27 C: 10/28 B/D: TBA
Novel Completed/Essential Questions Complete: Week of 11/24
Paper and Presentations: Week of 12/15
9/17/08:
BOOK BLOG
Another great Extra Credit opportunity! Students who post good, quality discussion questions and/or
comments may be eligible for extra credit at the end of the quarter. This only applies to the
section labeled "Book Blog" since other postings related to our novel studies will be required.
WHAT'S GOING ON?
Another blog opportunity! This one is not for extra credit, but rather a place to ask questions that
may benefit your classmates about current assignments, topics in class, and/or upcoming projects.
9/16/08: A QUIZ IS COMING!
Traits of Writing Quiz: notes are on page 6 (page 4 for A class) and in the Vocabulary section of
the students' Interactive Notebook. While the quiz will be multiple choice/selected response,
students will be asked to apply their knowledge of the traits, not identify a definition.
A: 9/26
B: 9/24
C: 9/22
D: 9/23
E: 9/26
9/5/08
Topic Time Paragraph Homework:
If your student has forgotten their spiral or what to do for this assignment, you can find some help
on the Class Notes/Study Guides page. Students can use this sheet to get an idea for their
paragraph's topic. Choose just one! :)
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Welcome back! I'm glad that you have found your way to the English webpage! This site along with
Teacherease.com will be the single most important resource during the school year. I will post all
of the communication sent home here on the web under Letters/Parent Information. Class notes, study
guides, homework assignments, etc will also be loaded for you to use at home.
Please register your email address with your child's name using the button below. You will only need
to do this once. By registering your email address, you will receive an alert each time this site is
updated.
Unit One: The Strategic Writer
Students will be starting the year with a strategic writing unit. The goal of this unit is to teach
students to write strategically, purposefully, to express a personal idea through a personal
narrative (story). We will work on each of the 7 stages of the writing process as we learn the 6 + 1
Traits of Writing - our common vocabulary for writing. More information will be coming home in the
next few days.
EXTRA CREDIT: The Possibilities are Endless!
Students can earn extra credit throughout the quarter by including new pages in their Interactive
Notebook titled "Writer's Notes". This week students were introduced to the extra credit opportunity
in class. Anytime a student finds an example of something we have discussed in class, they place it
in their notebook with a SHORT explanation of how it connects to our class.
These pages could be in a special section created by the student or stacked onto an existing page
containing the notes they are referring to in their explanation. Many classes have already labeled
an extra page next to the Table of Contents for "Writer's Notes".
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OUTDOOR EDUCATION NEWS:
Students brought home the Outdoor Education packet last week with all the information needed to get
ready for Camp Letts 2008. Please send volunteer forms back to your child's homeroom teacher by
September 5th. Permission slips and money should also be returned to the homeroom teacher by
September 25th.
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