Mrs. Mixon's Messages

Detective DeFors Visits Classrooms

2012-02-17T10:10:00.000-08:00

In 8th grade, we are starting to read Monster, but Walter Dean Myers. The students had a ton of questions regarding the law. Today, Detective DeFors visited the classrooms to answer them.

Spirit Week

2012-02-12T18:33:00.000-08:00

Teacher Spy Requirements

2012-01-20T12:53:00.000-08:00

Just as a reminder, 8th grade teacher spy papers are due on Monday, 1/23. Below is the order in which papers put together. These should be in order by the time you walk into the door.

10 - Extra Credit

9 – Data collection (yellow)

8 – Response work sheet (red)

7 – Introduction draft

6 – Body paragraphs drafts

5 – Conclusion draft

4 – First full draft with edit marks with structure check W.S.

3 – Second draft with ratiocination marks

2 – Peer edited third draft with peer edit work sheet

1 – Final draft

Double Spacing

2012-01-13T12:48:00.001-08:00

When you are ready to double space your work, highlight your paragraphs. Remember to not include your heading. Then you have two choices:

Choice 1: Right click on the highlighted portion of your paper. Click line spacing and then click on double.

Choice 2: Click on format at the top, then paragraph, then line spacing, then double.

Remember not to add extra spacing between paragraphs.

8th Grade Reading Project

2012-01-04T06:08:00.001-08:00

Hello 8th Grade Parents,
We are contacting you today to explain an exciting, new activity we will be using that is connected to students' independent reading selections. This year, we will be using Edmodo.com as a virtual classroom discussion board.
For the next four weeks, students will respond to literary questions posted on our private virtual classroom discussion board. Additionally, students will respond to discussions started by their peers. This should create an open atmosphere of literary discourse. Students will have about 5 days to post responses to the discussion questions.
We are sending this e-mail to let you know that your child will be setting up an Edmodo account that will be monitored by the 8th grade Language Arts Department. We will have full access to each child's posts. We would also like to extend an invitation for you to join us. Please note that your participation will be limited to communication with your child and your child's teacher. If you're interested, please contact your child's LA/Reading teacher who will give you your parent code.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about Edmodo or the requirements.

Sincerely,
Jen Cerney, Joy DeFors, and Kristy Mixon

Winter Break

2011-12-15T11:41:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone enjoys their time off. When we get back from break on Tuesday, 1/3, here's what we'll be working on:

7th Grade
LA:
Partner speech-more to come on this topic

Reading: Continuing reading The Cay

8th Grade
LA: Teacher character sketch

Reading: excerpts from the literature textbook, focusing on descriptions

Thanksgiving Break

2011-11-22T10:06:00.000-08:00

When we get back from break, students will be working on...
7th Grade
LA: verbs
Reading: Beginning to read The Cay

8th Grade
LA: a persuasive unit
Reading: Continuing to read The Outsiders

Memoirs

2011-11-04T11:27:00.000-07:00

Upcoming Stuff

2011-10-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

7th Grade
LA: Final drafts of character sketch are due on Wednesday 11/2. Be sure to have all papers in order and ready to turn in on Wednesday.

Reading: We're continuing reading Drums. Next book report is an AR quiz. Students will pick books on Monday, 10/31.

8th Grade
LA: Modifier quiz on Tuesday, including a writing application.

Reading: Continue reading biographies and taking notes. A note check will be done on Wednesday for a grade.

Sample ERR Flowers for Algernon

2011-10-19T07:58:00.000-07:00

Flowers Example ERR Charlie Gordon

Walking in Someone Else's Shoes

2011-10-07T07:58:00.000-07:00

This week the 8th graders were focused on a quote from To Kill a Mockingbird.

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

Students discussed the quote and the following day when they walked into class, each student had a shoe placed on top of the desk. For 35 minutes, students journaled about the owner of the shoe. They answered questions to help them create the owner of the shoe. The next day, students reviewed the elements of a narrative in preparation for writing their first big essay of the year. The owner of the shoe they wrote about became the main character of their narrative. Today and next week, students are writing their rough drafts so that they are prepared to revise/edit by the end of next week.

9/26-9/30

2011-09-23T11:13:00.001-07:00

7th Grade
LA: Students are working on the senentece unit. We will be taking notes using the English textbook as well as practicing using finding the subjects and predicates.

Reading: Students will be giving their book report presentations this week.

8th Grade
LA: We will be working on dialogue this week to prepare students for the upcoming narrative piece.

Reading: We will be finishing up the short story unit and also be presenting book reports.

Week of 9/19-9/23

2011-09-19T10:01:00.001-07:00

7th Grade

LA: This week we are finishing up the personal narratives. Students have had time to draft and revise/edit with a partner, adding in smiley face tricks were appropriate. The final typed drafts are due on Wednesday 9/21. We'll be moving into using prepositions correctly and on Friday, students will apply their knowledge through a creative picture prompt.

Reading: We are taking the short story test on Monday. Then students will have time to work on their storyboards that are due on Monday, 9/26. We will then be moving into our first novel, Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie.

8th Grade
LA: This week we are beginning using prepositions appropriately. Students will be taking notes from the textbook as well as completing practice exercises. Finally, students will apply their knowledge through a creative picture prompt.

Reading: We are reading The Tell Tale Heart. Students will then have time to work on their book reports that are due on Wednesday 9/28.

This Week

2011-09-09T09:30:00.000-07:00

8th Grade

LA: In language arts, we are beginning our first grammar unit, nouns. This will be a quick unit and will include notes, practice exercises, a quiz and a creative writing assignment to assess whether students can apply the concepts.

Reading: We are continuing our short story unit. This week we'll be reading The Lady or the Tiger and Raymond's Run. With each story, students are learning new vocabulary words as well as practicing reading strategies to comprehend the stories. We are focusing on the components of a short story and will be asking students to demonstrate their understanding through comprehension questions as well as creative writing prompts.

7th Grade

LA: We are still working on narrative writing. Students will be focusing on writing their body paragraphs and conclusions for the narratives. They will also be working with the ISAT narrative writing rubric to assess each others writing.

Reading: We are moving forward with our short story unit. We will be reading one more story this week and students will have a short story test on Friday. A great way to prepare for this test is to review the main parts/events of each story as well as review the vocabulary words. Perhaps students can make flashcards to help them review the words.

Welcome Back Everyone

2011-08-25T08:41:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a great summer and is rested and energized for the school year. I spent my summer hanging out with my son Cash. I'm looking forward to an exciting and productive school year!

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Welcome to eighth grade! We are looking forward to an interesting and enjoyable language arts and reading program this year! Our classes will experience individual, as well as group learning, participate in discussions, and further develop reading, writing, speaking and thinking skills. Our ultimate goal is to prepare your child for high school, making the transition from 8th grade to freshmen English, a smooth and successful one. The following is a brief overview of our grading scale, heading, textbooks used, and classroom rules. Please read through the material and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us at 985-2700 ext. 5016/5001 or via e-mail at jcoppoletta @ccsd66.org/kmixon@ccsd66.org

*Please be sure to check out our weekly blogs.
*Blog website address: http://lakeview8thlareading.blogspot.com/

Sincerely,

Miss Coppoletta & Mrs. Mixon

Expectation for written work:
We ask that students use the following heading in the upper right corner for all assignments:

Name
Date
Subject/Period
Assignment

Eighth grade language arts and reading texts and workbooks:

English - Houghton Mifflin
The Language of Literature - McDougal, Littell
Buckle Down (Reading and Writing)– Buckle Down Publishing

The district grading scale is as follows:

92- 100 = A 78 - 79 = C+ 60 - 61 = D- 90 - 91 = A- 72 - 77 = C 59 and below = F
88 - 89 = B+ 70 - 71 = C-
82 - 87 = B 68 - 69 = D+
80 - 81 = B- 62 - 66 = D

Course Outlines:

Reading
This year in reading, we will be doing novel studies, a short story unit, poetry, mythology, drama, ISAT test preparation, vocabulary development, and book reports.

Language Arts
This year in L.A., we will be doing speeches, debates, grammar, sentence structure, usage, subject-verb agreement, and A LOT of writing!

Classroom rules:
1. Be in your seat ready to begin when the bell rings.
2. Be prepared for class. Bring all needed materials with you.
3. Raise your hand and wait to be called on when you want to speak.
4. Stay in your seat and in the room unless you request teacher permission.
5. Treat others as you wish to be treated yourself.

Week of 5/23

2011-05-20T12:51:00.000-07:00

Well, we are coming into the home stretch now, however, we are still working away and getting things done in both sixth and seventh grades.

In sixth grade reading, we will go back to the literature text to begin reading an adaptation of the book, The Phantom Tollbooth. Students will be keeping a "map" of the protagonist's journey through a strange and glorious land of grammar.

In language arts at the sixth grade, speech outlines and bibliographies are due on Monday for all students. We have spent three class periods in the IMC guiding students through a step-by-step process on how to put together these components correctly. We will allow some time for practicing of speeches in class, before the presentations begin. For all particulars on this assignment, ask you child to see his speech packet. It has all the requirements and dates listed clearly.

In seventh grade language arts, we will be sharing the students' theme songs for their seventh grade year - but only with those students who want to share. The completed assignment is due for all students on Monday. We will immediately begin an introduction to the radio programs that used to be broadcast into our homes before the TV and video game took over. After listening to parts of some of these old shows, the students will work in groups to write and perform a "radio" broadcast of their own, complete with sound effects. Requirements and the grading rubric can be found on Mrs. Hayes's blog.

In reading, we continue with the Ray Bradbury short story unit. We have another story in the literature book, and a section in that book about his style of writing. Students are enjoying the mastery of plot and language in Bradbury's tales.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Adams

Week of 5/16

2011-05-16T04:58:00.000-07:00

Sixth grade will be working on culminating activities for the novel Maniac Magee, summarizing what lessons the book might have gotten across to each individual. Then, we will be viewing the movie adaptation of the book.

In language arts, we will be completing the writing of students' demonstration speeches on Monday, and then learning the proper form for outlines and bibliographies. Students will have class time to type their outlines and bibliographies, and practice their 3 - 5 minute speeches which will be delivered next week.

Seventh graders will share the comic strips they have been working on in class, and were to complete over the weekend. Next we will be asking them to think about their seventh grade year, and come up with a theme song that encompasses the experience for them. They will be asked to create a pamphlet with the song lyrics and an explanation of how those lyrics relate to events during the school year. Requirements and a rubric for this activity is available on Mrs. Hayes's blog.

In reading, we are beginning a mini-unit on Ray Bradbury's short stories.

Week of May 9th

2011-05-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

Sixth graders are coming to the end of their novel, Maniac Magee. The life of Maniac (Jeffery) Magee has had some cruel twists and turns in the last week, and we are all rooting for him to rise above his adversity and come out on top. Close to giving up, he has just realized that a lot of kids who have a parent or parents have it a lot worse than he does as an orphan. We are anxious to see if he will be triumphant and find a family to call his own.

In sixth grade language arts, students have received a packet to guide them through their research of a hobby or sport, which they will eventually turn into a speech in front of the class. Each student must choose an aspect of the activity they have chosen to demonstrate to their classmates. Introduction to proper research and sources in the IMC began today. We will have additional time in the IMC to locate appropriate materials for each student's topic next week. An outline, the form of which will be taught in class, and a bibliography and visual aide will also be required for each student.

Seventh grade reading is finishing up with Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie. We should complete the book next week. A culminating activity, rather than a test over the novel will be given.

In language arts, we will be administering the district writing assessment for all students on Tuesday. Students are provided a prompt, and have forty minutes to write about the topic presented. The rest of the week we will be working on creating a comic strip. Requirements and the rubric to be used to score students' efforts are available on Mrs. Hayes's blog.

Enjoy better weather, and a good week-end.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Adams

Week of May 2nd

2011-04-28T13:04:00.000-07:00

With all those April showers, we surely will be getting lots and lots of May flowers. Meanwhile, in sixth grade language arts, students will be continuing with diagramming sentences on Monday and Tuesday. It is our hope that this activity has helped to clarify grammatical structures and the uses of the various parts of speech for most of the class. On Wednesday, we will be taking the district writing assessment, an essay that the students will write from a prompt given them at the beginning of the class period. They will have the forty minutes of the class to complete their writing. On Thursday, we will be introducing the upcoming demonstration speech sixth graders will be required to give. It will begin with research in the IMC, to be discussed on Friday, and progress to the writing of the actual speech to be delivered in front of classmates in approximately three weeks. More on this assignment to come.

Sixth grade continues reading the adventures of Maniac Magee, the runaway boy who brings together a town. Activity sheets to accompany the novel are assigned after each chapter.

In seventh grade we will be taking on prepositional phrases in grammar. We will be assigning accompanying workbook pages while discussing where the prepositional phrase belongs in a sentence, and whether it is an adjective or adverbial phrase. We end the week with idioms, and students will be asked to illustrate the literal and figurative idiom of their choice.

We continue reading Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie in seventh grade. Students will be asked to reflect upon what they have read so far with a character change sheet, journal entry, and questions that summarize the events in book to this point.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Adams

Week of 4/25

2011-04-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

Next week students will be taking the spring MAP tests in their social studies classes. Homebase teachers met with their students individually to review scores from the fall and winter, and to set goals for improvement. When the scores for this round of testing come in, homebase teachers will once again meet with individuals to see if their goals have been met. Please encourage your son or daughter to do his or her best on this test!

In sixth grade, we are just beginning diagramming simple sentences. This skill utilizes all the grammar lessons in parts of speech and sentence parts from the entire year. We hope to be able to identify subjects, predicates - consisting of helping verbs and the main verb, and direct and indirect objects by the end of the week. Students will have practice sentences to dissect (label with the sentence part), and diagram each night.

We continue reading Maniac Magee in sixth grade. Questions about each chapter are assigned for homework after we have completed the reading in class.

In seventh grade, we are getting ready for speeches on Monday, making sure students are prepared with their outlines, bibliographies, and rubrics. Band students, who will be leaving for their trip on Thursday, were given the option of giving their speech on Tuesday or Wednesday. On Monday, time will be provided to practice and time yourself with a partner, however, students should be preparing at home, too. Please check Mrs. Hayes's blog for requirements for each part of this project.

In reading, we will continue with Chapters 12 and 13 of our novel. Later in the week, we will be visiting the library to take out a book, for what will probably be our last book report of the year. It will take the form of an AR, and will be due before Memorial Day.

Sincerely,
Carole Adams

Week of 4/18

2011-04-17T06:49:00.000-07:00

This week will be full of fits and starts. On Monday, the sixth graders will be taking the OLSAT during first period. Sixth graders will also have a field trip this week, where they will be treated to the dramatization of some of the short stories we have been reading. On Thursday, students have early dismissal, and there is no school on Friday! That won't stop us from accomplishing some pretty interesting things in our classes this week, however.

In sixth grade, we have concluded the unit on prepositions with our "quest" on Friday. This week, we begin the introduction of diagramming sentences. Some of you parents may remember tackling grammar in this systematic way. For many students, the visualization of the various components of each part of a sentence that diagramming provides, is the key to understanding and bringing together what they have learned about parts of speech and the correct construction of sentences throughout the entire year.

Sixth graders have begun the novel Maniac Magee, by Jerry Spinelli. Maniac's adventures, and the story of the healing affect he has on the segregated community in which he finds himself, is a favorite of students.

This weekend, seventh graders should have been working on gathering more information for their speeches on the career they have chosen. We spent one of the two periods in the IMC last week, helping them to put together sources and notecards, but we encouraged additional work at home in order to insure that each student had adequate information about his or her topic. The final notecard check, a minimum of twenty (20) cards, will be conducted in class on Monday. We will then begin the outline, from which the speeches will be given. Students will be provided class time to type their outlines. A visual aid for each speech is also required. Requirements for notecards, sources, deadlines, the bibliography and outline, and the speech, itself, were distributed to students two weeks ago, and are available on Mrs. Hayes's blog.

In reading, the seventh grade continues reading Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie. Vocabulary and questions for each chapter are begun in class, and should be completed for homework each day. Also, comparison book reports, in the form of a poster, which the students began in class last Friday, will be due on Thursday, 4/21.

Mrs. Adams Takes Over

2011-04-11T12:16:00.000-07:00

Hello Parents and Students,

Sorry I did not have this blog up last week, but we ran into some technical difficulties. I am very pleased to say that classes are off to a good start, and the students and I are getting to know each other. Luckily, I had been in to visit the classrooms in the weeks prior to getting the call that Mrs. Mixon's baby, Cash, had decided to arrive early, so I was able to hit the ground running, as they say. Some of you may know that I taught in District 66 for many years, and took a long term subbing position at Prairieview last year. Being back at Lakeview has truly been like coming home for me.

Now for your update:

Seventh grade students are doing research for the Career Unit. Last week, each student filled out a computerized survey which suggested several fields s/he might want to look into for further study. After choosing a career of interest, Miss Hagensee familiarized students with various resources and internet searches that would help them with the research of their chosen profession. This week, we are in the IMC for language arts, while students compile notecards (6-10 cards due tomorrow, a minimum of 20 for the project). The final product will be a 5-8 minute speech in class. Speeches will be given April 27, 28, and 29th. All students have been given a Career Unit Requirements sheet with all details, deadlines and expectations outlined. Ask your child to see his or hers if you are curious, or visit Mrs. Hayes Blog for more specific information.

In seventh grade reading, we are continuing with the novel, Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie, by Jordan Sonnenblick, discussing the various aspects of the novel as we read. We will also spend some class time on a poster for the next book report. The books chosen each had some connections with aspects of the Sonnenblick book, and students will be asked to show how those connections were developed.

Sixth grade language arts is studying prepositional phrases, including adjective and adverbial phrases. In reading, we are reading and listening to hair-raising short stories by authors such as Poe and Jacobs in preparation for a field trip that will enable students to see some of these famous tales performed as plays. Book reports for this month, which will be in the form of paper "tweets," are due on 4/14.

It will be a pleasure to work with your students for the remainder of the school year. And if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to email me directly at cadams@ccsd66.org. I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Sincerely,

Carole Adams

6th Grade Week of 4/4-4/8

2011-03-25T11:18:00.001-07:00

LA: Students will be working on sharing their compare/contrast essay when they get back from spring break. Then we are moving into our preposition unit. Students will have homework each night that will help reinforce the concepts taught in class.

Reading: Students will begin reading Maniac Magee. Throughout this unit, students will be focused on different themes they discover throughout the novel. They will also practice applying reading strategies to help comprehend the text.

7th Grade Week of 4/4-4/8

2011-03-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

LA: Students will begin their career unit. This will be a project that will be going on for a few weeks. Students will be spending time researching a specific career and then moving towards creating an outline that will be used for their final presentation, which is a speech.

Career Unit Requirements

Checkpoints

Reading: Students will be continuing to read Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie in class. They also will have an independent book report that they will have some class time to work on.

Comparison Book Report

6th Grade Twitter Book Report

2011-03-22T05:27:00.000-07:00

Twitter Book Report

Week of March 21-25

2011-03-18T12:42:00.001-07:00

6^th Grade

Reading: We have been working on reading short stories from the literature book and analyzing character traits. We will be continuing this next week as well. At the end of the week, we'll introduce students to what an ode is and after reading an example, have students write their own ode to share on Friday.

LA: We have been working on using pronouns in writing. Students will be reviewing on Monday and taking a test on the concepts on Tuesday. Then we are moving into a brief unit on the compare/contrast essay. We'll show students a model example and have them create their own based on the example.

7^th Grade

Reading: We are going to continue reading Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. Students have been reading this book in class and working on key vocabulary words. They have also had comprehension questions to answer after reading the chapters. Students have also focused their attention on the main character, Steven, and how the story is told from his point of view. In RtI, students have been analyzing how certain parts of the story would be different if told from another character's point of view.

LA: We are going to be preparing students for their upcoming research project that will begin after spring break. In class, we'll be previewing how to create an outline and make notecards for the research they'll be collecting after spring break.

Book Trailer Projects

2011-03-11T12:21:00.001-08:00

Over the past two weeks, our students have been working on creating book trailers for their literature circle selections. Much like movie trailers, the purpose of a book trailers is to "plug" a book so people are motivated to read it! Here are a few examples:

Week of March 7-11

2011-03-03T11:10:00.000-08:00

6^th Grade

LA: Next week we will be working on pronouns. Each day students will be taking notes on the lesson as well as completing practice exercises. Students will have homework each night to reinforce the grammatical concepts discussed in class.

Reading: Students will be continuing their work on the book trailers. On Thursday, students will be presenting their final products. Also, students will have time in the IMC for book check out at the end of the week.

7^th Grade

LA: Next week we will be working on proper uses of pronouns. Students will have homework each night to reinforce the grammatical concepts discussed in class. Some of the homework may include a worksheet, while other homework may include writing applications.

Reading: We will be working on their final Wanderer project. (see attached rubric/explanation) We will be introducing the project on Tuesday and each day, students will be working on completing the various steps in class. Although time will be given to work in class, some students will not finish the steps and will have homework. Please check in with your son/daughter to see where they're at according to their contract. The projects are worth 80 points and due Monday, 3/14.

Wanderer Final Project

6th Grade Book Trailer Rubric

2011-02-28T12:38:00.001-08:00

Book Trailer Rubric

Week of February 28-March 4

2011-02-24T13:45:00.000-08:00

6^th Grade

LA: Next week we will be working on homophones and pronouns. Students will be making signs to illustrate the correct use of homophones and pronouns, and there will not be homework due to ISAT testing.

Reading: Students will be working on their book trailers. They finished their literature circle books and for their culminating project, they are creating book trailers that will be used by other 6^th grade reading classes to view before they read the books. They are working in groups; therefore the work is done during class. Students will be in the IMC using the computers to create these book trailers. There will be no homework due to ISAT testing.

7^th Grade

LA: Next week we will be working on some writing components that we felt students needed to be reminded of. These components include using commas correctly and using direct/indirect quotations. Students will demonstrate their understanding of these grammatical components through a writing prompt at the end of the week. Students may or may not having language arts homework depending on how they do in class with the lessons.

Reading: We will be finishing up The Wanderer. Students will have comprehension questions to answer to demonstrate their understanding of the chapters. Students should also be reading their independent book for their next book report, which will be an Accelerated Reader quiz. Students could choose any book they wanted, fiction/nonfiction, as long as it's an AR book. The book report will be due March 18.

Memory Makers Session 2

2011-02-18T12:25:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder that the second session of Memory Makers meets this Wednesday, 2/23 from 3-5. We will be making our first visit to the nursing home to meet the buddies. The schedule for this second session is below. Please let me know if you have any questions or if you are still interested in joining.

February 23 3-5 Visit

March 2 3-4 Classroom

March 9 3-5 Visit

March 16 3-5 Visit

March 23 3-5 Visit

April 6 3-5 Classroom

April 13 3-5 Visit

ISATs are Almost Here!!!

2011-02-11T13:46:00.001-08:00

ISAT testing starts the week of Feb. 28. For the next two weeks in both 6th and 7th grade, we will be reviewing for the test. Some things we'll cover include test taking strategies, reading strategies, and a review of how to write an extended reading response (ERR). While we know these strategies have been covered throughout the year, we felt a review would be a good idea.

Spirit Week

2011-02-04T13:53:00.000-08:00

Because of the snow days this week, spirit week has been moved. The schedule is as follows...

Wed. 2/9-Gold Day

Thurs. 2/10-Pattern Day

Fri. 2/11-Wacky Hair Day

Mon. 2/14-TuTu Monday

Tues. 2/15-Green Day

7th Grade Updates

2011-01-28T11:24:00.000-08:00

Students have a book report that is due this Monday, 1/31. Students will need to turn in both the projects and their rubric in order to receive credit. They will also have a reading quiz over chapters 1-22 in The Wanderer this upcoming Thursday. In order to prepare, students can start studying the vocabulary from the chapters. They can also study their comprehension questions.

Memory Makers Session 1 Party

2011-01-21T12:56:00.000-08:00

For the past 12 weeks, members of Memory Makers have been meeting with their buddies at Fairview Baptist Home to chat. During this time, students interviewed their buddies by asking them questions about their life. While the buddies responded, the students typed out their responses into a program that eventually turned into the buddy's life story. This past Wednesday, students presented their buddies with the life stories. It was a great experience for both the students and the buddies to learn about each other and to have their stories recorded. The next session of Memory Makers will begin on Wednesday, February 2.

6th Grade Literature Circles

2011-01-14T12:33:00.000-08:00

In 6th grade reading, we've begun our literature circles. During this time, students are reading a variety of books based on a character being different. Each book deals with situations characters must face and while reading these books in groups of 3-5, students are working on a the guiding question, "What does it mean to ______________(character's name) to be different?

Below is an example of the bookmark that must be turned in each discussion day in order for students to participate with the group.

1. Write two FAT discussion questions

2. Complete at least two of the items listed below. Be prepared to use the information to participate in your meeting, Please LABEL each task.

- questions about the text or to the author

- inferences made on the book

- unfamiliar vocabulary words

- illustration of an important scene

- favorite passages - advice to a character

- connections made - criticism

3. Complete a Summary on the back side of this bookmark. Your summary should be WICS and can include reactions/responses. Please write at least 5 sentences.

4. Vocabulary: Find 2 challenging words, define each word, and list the strategy used to define each word

6th Grade Literature Circles

2011-01-14T12:28:00.000-08:00

Below is an example of the bookmark that must be turned in each discussion day in order for students to participate with the group.

Name:____________________

Bookmark

Discussion Date:____________________

Chapters/Pages Read: __________________

1. Write two FAT discussion questions

2. Complete at least two of the items listed below. Be prepared to use the information to participate in your meeting, Please LABEL each task.

- questions about the text or to the author

- inferences made on the book

- unfamiliar vocabulary words

- illustration of an important scene

- favorite passages - advice to a character

- connections made - criticism

3. Complete a response on the back side of this bookmark. Your response should be WICS and can include reactions/responses. Please write at least 5 sentences.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

READING ITEMS

Journal Response for Chapters/Pages: _____

Summary________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

7th Grade Book Report

2011-01-08T10:20:00.000-08:00

Character Significance

Book Report

Due January 31^st

1. After you complete your book think about the main character(s).

2. Select 4-5 pictures that would have special significance to your character(s).

3. Pictures may be hand drawn, actual photographs and from a magazine or newspaper.

4. Arrange the pictures on a sheet of construction paper, poster board or white paper (no lined paper allowed).

5. Under each picture write 3-4 sentences explaining why the picture is important to your character.

6. At the top of your board have your heading in the right hand corner. Also, at the top of the page include the books title, author and amount of pages.

7. Once you are done with your book report please turn it in with your rubric. You can turn in your book report before the due date!

Name_____________________

Character Significance

Book Report Rubric

	Points Available	Points Earned	Comments
4-5 pictures neatly on board	5
Picture 1 Significance: 3-4 complete sentences using evidence from text to support picture	5
Picture 2 Significance: 3-4 complete sentences using evidence from text to support picture	5
Picture 3 Significance: 3-4 complete sentences using evidence from text to support picture	5
Picture 4 Significance: 3-4 complete sentences using evidence from text to support picture	5
Spelling, grammar and punctuation are all correct	3
Book title, author, number of pages and heading appropriately included on board	2

Total_________ Grade______

Happy Winter Break

2010-12-17T12:32:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone has a relaxing and enjoyable winter break. Get lots of rest!!

Pajama Day

2010-12-10T13:11:00.001-08:00

Today was PJ day. It was fun for both the students and the teachers to come to school in their comfy clothes today.

Cay Activity due Thursday

2010-11-30T12:17:00.002-08:00

Cay Activity: Your final product should be neat, creative and thoughtful.

Due Thursday

A and B – only select 1

A. There are no pictures in this book, only the book cover. Draw a picture of Timothy and Phillip cooking outside the hut, or doing some of their daily work. Write a short paragraph (5-6 sentences) telling why you decided to draw your particular image and the importance of your image in regards to the book.

B. Draw Timothy and Phillip tied to the palm tree and surrounded, sometimes, covered, by water. Write a short poem describing the experience. Your poem might include images (descriptions of what they see, what they feel, what they hear) as well as emotions.

C, D and E select 2 to complete.

Draw a picture of the fishing hole including the scene from Chapter 17. On the back of your drawing explain how you would have felt if you were in Phillip's situation or make a personal connection to the scene. 3 sentences.

Make a grave stone for Timothy. Put a very short saying or a symbol to represent Timothy. What made you want to select this option? Explain in 3 sentences.

E. Draw a picture of Stew Cat & the raft. Why did you draw the raft & Stew Cat this way? Explain your choices. 3 sentences.

Cay Quiz Tomorrow 12/1

2010-11-30T12:17:00.001-08:00

The Cay Vocab Ch. 17-19

bamboo

cleats

flayed

smoldering

tensely

tethered

Bully Beasts

2010-11-22T05:49:00.000-08:00

Over the past week, 6th grade students discussed bullying in their LA and Reading classes. We started off the week getting students acquainted with small groups they would be working for the duration of the week. Students watched a powerful ABC 7 interview about a boy and his family and the effects bullying had on them. Then students were presented with different scenarios/conflicts with which they had to resolve. Finally, we discussed the characteristics of abull-y and how they are much like that of the animal bull. We brainstormed other animals who share bully-like qualities. Students were tasked with the job to create a bully beast by cutting/pasting these animal parts together. They presented their bully beasts to the class, and we discussed how these beasts (funny looking as they may be) are seriously hurtful like a bully. We ended our discussion with a reminder of how bullying is inappropriate and will not be tolerated!

Monday's Cay Quiz

2010-11-19T13:53:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder students have a quiz on Monday. The following words will be on this quiz. We will be reviewing the chapters in class on Monday in case there are any questions about the chapters, keeping in mind we read the chapters and discussed them together in class.

shudder , hurricane, dishearten, calypso, receded, murmur, reef, catchment

Cay Quiz Tomorrow

2010-11-15T12:14:00.000-08:00

Students will be taking a quiz over chapters 9-12 in The Cay. The following words are vocabulary words students will need to know for the quiz.

1. squall

2. langosta

3. parched

4. voodoo

5. alabaster

6. stern

7. cay

8. schooner

**Extra Credit Question** In 1-2 sentences, explain how the roles Timothy & Phillip play changed in chapter 12. (How did they act towards each other in the beginning of the book and how do they act in chapter 12)

When you finish your quiz tomorrow, you can answer this extra credit question. However, you must remember the question; it will not be on the quiz. All you need to do is write down your response.

End of the Trimester

2010-11-14T19:18:00.000-08:00

Can you believe we've already finished the first trimester of the school year? Here are some helpful hints to keep yourself organized.

1. Clean out your lockers of any unnecessary stuff

2. Ask teachers if you can recycle papers after you've checked your grades. This way you are only carrying around materials for 2nd trimester. But remember to ask each of your teachers BEFORE you recycle anything.

3. Reflect on the past 12 weeks. Based on your reflection, create a few achievable goals for 2nd trimester. Try to make one academic and the other social.

4. Start off on the right track!!

Scaremony

2010-10-28T10:37:00.000-07:00

In language arts, students were working on a creative writing project. Each student viewed the same picture, one from the Harris Burdick collection, and wrote down details they saw. Using those details, students were asked to create a spooky story to share with the class. The stories needed to include a beginning, middle, and an end. We also encouraged students to incorporate smiley face tricks to spice up the story.

On Thursday morning, students volunteered to share their stories. It was a great way for students to show of a style of writing that they don't always have a chance to create.

MAP

2010-10-22T13:02:00.001-07:00

Measure of Academic Progress (MAP)

This coming up week students will be taking MAP tests in Language Arts and Reading. The MAP test is replacing the IOWA testing this year. Students will be taking a 40 question, multiple-choice test on the computer. They will be taking this test in the fall and spring, so we may track their progress throughout the year. Please remind students to eat breakfast and to get a good night's sleep!

6th Grade Greeting Card Project Steps

2010-10-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

Greeting Card Steps/Procedures

Step 1: Choose characters from story

Step 2: Decide on which type of card AND who will send it; think of all possibilities

Step 3: Decide which card would change the story the most, making it the easiest

Step 4: Write paragraph #1-choice paragraph

Topic sentence

Piece of evidence (the text states...)

Interpretation of evidence (this means that...)

Piece of evidence (the text states...)

Interpretation of evidence (this means that...)

Concluding sentence (restate main idea)

Step 5: Write paragraph #2-how story would change paragraph

Topic sentence

Evidence + futuristic thought

Connect to futuristic thought

Evidence + futuristic thought

Connect to futuristic thought

Concluding sentence

Step 6: Create greeting card from one character to another character, pretending to write from the character's perspective. Remember the card should have a standard message, along with a personal message to one character from another character.

If you forget anything, remember you have the directions as well as the rubric to guide you through this project.

7th Grade Book Report #2

2010-09-27T13:03:00.000-07:00

Today students went to the IMC to check out an AR Book (accelerated reader). The accelerated reader program tests students with comprehension questions about the book. Students will need to take and turn in the AR report by 10/22. Students must take the AR in a language arts classroom with either myself, Mrs. Hayes, or Mrs. Mastny present during a LA/Rdg. period or during study hall in my room.

If you are unhappy about your grade then you may do ONE of two options:

1. Select another book to read and replace that AR test with the one you did poorly on.

2. Complete a plot structure worksheet which will show that you have read/understood the book. Points will be added to the overall grade of the report.

AR book reports are worth 30 points.

News of the Upcoming Week

2010-09-24T11:11:00.000-07:00

6th grade: We will be continuing to read Taking Sides, focusing on characterization and using evidence from the text to support our thoughts related to the characters. In language arts, we are starting the narrative paragraph. The instruction will be scaffolded, allowing students to see the process of writing a "good" paragraph and then having time to practice.

7th grade: We are finishing up our short story unit and the test will be on Thursday. In language arts, we will be collecting narratives on Tuesday and moving into how to use prepositional phrases in writing.

7th Grade Name Activity

2010-09-10T12:03:00.000-07:00

“Names/Nombres”

Use the following websites to generate 10 facts regarding your first and last name:

www.ancestry.com

Go to Learning Center

On the lower right side of the page – type your name

Do this for your surname (last name) and first name

www.behindthename.com

Use this website to find additional facts about your name.

6th Grade Reading Conferences

2010-09-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

For our first book report, the 6th grade reading teachers decided on holding 5 minute conferences with students regarding the book they've chosen to read. Each Friday, names will be drawn to have a conference with the teacher. Students must be prepared to talk about their book for the 5 minutes, using the rubric to guide them through the conversation. We started today and the students that were picked did a fantastic job!

Individual Reading Conference Form

Student's Name Date

Book Title, Author, Page # ___

Fiction Fantasy Mystery Modern Realistic Fiction

Poetry Biography Informational Other

Child’s overall rating of book (1-5 stars)

Why did you choose to read this book?

Did this book remind you of any others?

Child’s comprehension of:	Great	Good	OK	Poor	Notes
Setting
Description of main character(s)
Problem, goal, or conflict
Major story events
Story outcome or resolution

What was your favorite part of the book? Why? ______

Which part of the book would you change? How? _____________ ____________________________________________________________________________________

Did the story end the way you expected? ______

Has anything in the book ever happened to you? _____________ ____________________________________________________________________________________

Did you notice anything that makes the author unique? ______

Who would you recommend this book to? ______

Other:

You have an opportunity to earn up to 25 points for this reading conference. Ten points will be for retelling what you’ve read so far to help your teacher understand what is going on in your story. The remaining 15 points come from the questions below. You will have 5 minutes with the teacher to discuss your book. You can pick which questions you’d like to respond to. Below you will find the questions you can pick from and how many points each question is worth.

Retelling Rubric for 10 points (5 times 2)

1	No response
2	Random thoughts unconnected to the text
3	Thinking is tied to text events/text content; may be inaccurate in relation to the text, more tied to personal experience; may identify problems during reading; may include a rough retell
4	Demonstrates two or three of the following skills; may generate questions; may identify conflict within the text; may infer; may discuss connections between text events and own experience; may make predictions about overall book meaning; may include a detailed retelling; may talk about how his/her thinking changed as he/she read
5	Clearly expresses own thinking; may speculate about theme, discusses how own thinking supports or inhibits comprehension

Three Point Questions

Do you like what you are reading? Why or why not?
Describe how the main character looks and acts.
What is the main problem so far in the novel? How can this be resolved?
What is your favorite part of the story so far? Why?
Who is your favorite/least favorite character? Why?
Give an example in the book that made the main character happy, sad, or angry.
What do you think will happen at the end of the story based on what you have read?

Five Point Questions

After reading a couple of chapters, what does the title mean to you?
Explain the characteristics of a character that reminds you of a real person you know and how they are similar in personality and/or appearance.
Have you made any personal connections to the book? If so, what are they? If not, why is this different than anything in your own life?
What is a prediction that you can make after learning about a character? Explain.
What lesson have you learned so far from the story?
What needs to be added or taken out of the book to make it more interesting to you?
Who are the important characters in the story? Why are they important?
Who would you recommend this book to and why?
What are three words that describe the main character? Explain using evidence from text.

Welcome Back!!

2010-08-27T12:31:00.001-07:00

I am so happy to be back at Lakeview starting the new school year. After this first week, I've enjoyed getting to know the new 6th graders and catching up with former students. My position is a little bit different this year. I'm now on the 7th grade team and co-teach language arts/reading with Mrs. Hayes. I also still co-teach 6th grade language arts/reading with Miss Coppoletta. I'm looking forward to an exciting and productive year!

Final Memory Makers Visit

2010-05-14T05:47:00.000-07:00

Students that were involved in Memory Makers had their final visit to the nursing home yesterday. There was a brief ceremony and then students shared stories that their buddies had told them. We ended with cake and ice cream. Thank you to those students that were willing to donate their time to share with the residents of Fairview!

Research Project

2010-05-11T12:04:00.000-07:00

The time has come to begin the 6th grade research project. This week, students are in the IMC researching a sport or hobby of their choice. They are taking notes from at least 3 different sources on notecards, following a strict format. They must have a minimum of 30 notecards by the time they finish. Wednesday, 5/12, is the last day of class for research. Anything else needs to be completed outside of class.

During the next few days in class, students will learn how to take their notes and format them into an outline to prepare their demonstration speech. The speech is to show the class ONE specific skill. For example, if my topic was basketball, I would give a speech about the history/origin of the sport and then demonstrate how to shoot a free-throw.

Mile Run

2010-04-29T15:01:00.000-07:00

Last week, some of the 6th graders began complaining about running the mile. As runners, Miss Coppoletta, Mrs. Mesker, and I decided we'd run with students during their class. Today was the day! Although it was extremely windy, we managed a mile with the 7th period class and a mile with the 8th period class. I am very proud as I decreased my time from the first mile to the second mile. Above is a picture of a student that was kind enough to keep running with me throughout the entire time, talking to me so time would pass by quickly!

Updates

2010-04-16T05:35:00.001-07:00

In reading, students are working in literature circles. So far, it's gone great! Both Miss Coppoletta and I love sitting in on the conversations within the groups, listening to what students are saying about a book.

Each meeting day, students are required to complete a bookmark that includes questions for discussion. It's also a quick check for the teachers to make sure students are keeping up with the reading. Students have the opportunity to earn 10 points for each bookmark and 10 points for the quality of their participation during the discussions. Students will be finishing up their books next week.

Seussical the Musical

2010-03-17T12:28:00.000-07:00

Today the 6th grade students traveled to Hinsdale South to see a performance of Seussical the Musical. I must say that as a big fan of Dr. Seuss, the students did an amazing job on stage. The music was done by students, the costumes were brightly colored, and I believe everyone in the audience had a great time. If you are looking for something fun to do this weekend, I would make your way to the school.

Third Trimester Begins

2010-03-08T07:23:00.001-08:00

Woohoo, ISATs are officially over, unless a student was absent last week. Today is the first day of the new trimester, and spring is in the air. In RtI reading, students are working together in a literature circle. We are reading, Doing Time Online, and each student has picked a specific role to focus on during our discussions. Students will be leading the discussions throughout the next two weeks in preparation for the literature circles with Miss Coppoletta.

Literary Graffiti

2010-02-26T12:40:00.001-08:00

Graffiti in the Classroom????

Next week students will be working on creating literary graffiti. This literary activity combines the process of drawing with analytical thinking about a text by pairing drawing space with writing prompts. This small-group activity will be used as a culminating activity for the Maniac Magee novel study. It will evoke whole-class discussion of the novel, where students use "graffiti," symbols, drawings, shapes, and colors to construct a graphic of a quote from Maniac Magee. Then students will think analytically about the significance of the quote to the story and the world around us.

Trimester coming to an end

2010-02-19T11:36:00.000-08:00

Miss Coppletta & I wanted to clear up any confusion regarding our gradebook. Because we have split the class up, we have been working on different assignments according to what the group needed to work on the most. For example, if the group working with me needed practice finding evidence in the text to support their response to a question, their homework would involve practicing this strategy. If students working with Miss Coppoletta needed practice using context clues to define unknown words, their homework would involve practicing this strategy.

If you are looking at your child's grades in Language Arts and Reading and you see an "X" under a column, this means your child was excused from the assignment because they were working on something different. However, if you see a "0" under a column, this means either the student did not complete the work and/or has not turned it in. Regardless of the reason, the student needs to bring the completed assignment to class as soon as possible.

The second trimester ends in just two weeks from today on March 5.

Hats for Haiti

2010-02-05T11:15:00.000-08:00

Today was the final day to raise money to donate to the Red Cross to help with the Haiti relief efforts. Teachers and students could donate a dollar in order to wear a hat throughout the day.

Spirit Week

2010-01-28T10:31:00.000-08:00

Today was the first day of spirit week. Those that chose to participate today dressed up like someone else. I was twins with Miss Coppoletta. Tomorrow is PJ/Snuggie Day. I hope all students and staff participate in any and all days.

Next week:

Monday: Ugly shirt day

Tuesday: Teacher Institute

Wednesday: Green day

Thursday: Gold day

Weekly Update

2010-01-22T11:31:00.000-08:00

This week in Language Arts, students worked on adverbs. I reminded them that their test is on Thursday 1/28. Students can start studying this weekend by creating a notecard using their notes from the past 2 weeks. They also got their persuasive compositions back yesterday. All students have the opportunity to rewrite if they are not satisfied with their grade. They must see me next week during study hall or before school to chat about what they can do in order to improve.

In reading, we are continuing to read Maniac Magee. In RtI, students created bodies of the characters and will be working on them next week to help other students understand three of the main characters.

Week Update

2010-01-15T12:31:00.001-08:00

In Language Arts this week, students finished their persuasive compositions. In reading, we started reading Maniac Magagee. We've read the first 10 chapters and the students seem to be into it. They are enjoying hearing the language Jerry Spinelli uses.

Remember that the second Rebecca Caudill AR quiz is due Thursday 1/21.

Welcome Back!

2010-01-04T09:22:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone is well-rested and ready to be back. Here are a couple of upcoming assignments for language arts and reading.

Rebecca Caudill #2 AR due Thursday January 21. Remember that if a student did not do well on their first quiz, they can read an extra Rebecca Caudill to improve their score.

Poetry books are due on Friday January 8. They must be typed. Students have three days to work on their book during class.

We are starting to write persuasive compositions in language arts. Students will be working on outlining and composing their drafts this week.

Pajama Day

2009-12-11T07:32:00.000-08:00

Today was pajama day and I am very proud of all students that participated in this spirit day!

Poetry Unit

2009-12-07T10:27:00.000-08:00

In reading this week, we'll be starting our poetry unit. We read a number of poems last week and discussed terms that poets use. For the next few weeks, we'll be discussing a variety of poems and having students practice writing them. During the first week back from winter break, students will be in the IMC typing their poetry books.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-24T11:40:00.000-08:00

I want to take this time to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving. Many of us have some many things to be thankful for, and many times we forget this. I hope everyone enjoys the long weekend. For the students, I hope they come back well--rested to start off second trimester on top of things.

Students should be working on reading their Rebecca Caudill books. Each student will be reading at least three of the books in order to vote in March for their favorite.

For the Week

2009-11-16T06:59:00.000-08:00

Over the past few weeks, Miss Coppoletta & I have noticed students struggling to write extended reading responses. Although we've gone over this before, we are planning on spending time this week reviewing the process. Each day, students will have the opportunity to review each part of the response and then practice before going home and writing their own. By the end of the week, students will be revising a previously written ERR to hand in for a grade.

Book Report

2009-11-06T13:54:00.000-08:00

Last week, students had to choose a book for their upcoming book report. Since the previous book reports were creative projects, we decided to make this one an Accelerated Reader quiz. For this, students must read their book and when they complete it, they must take the quiz on the computer. Students will be learning/reviewing how to do this next week in the IMC. This project is due by November 24.

Fairview Residents visit Lakeview

2009-10-23T11:10:00.000-07:00

This is a reflection from a student, Sam Cho, a member of the Memory Makers Club.

On Tuesday we had the residents of Fairview Nursing Baptist Home take a trip to Lakeview. Everyone who came got their own personal tour of the school and bonded a little more with their Memory Maker Buddy. Many people would stress to me that the residents should get out more and enjoy the outside world other than what goes on in the nursing home and that’s exactly what happened. It’s a new experience for everyone. Many of us learn new things along the way, whether it’s about the past or it’s about judgment and wisdom.

My personal buddy said, “This school is big! They must keep you busy!” That’s when those words touched upon me that life now compared to then was much different. All the residents, I think, teach us that it’s a privilege to have all that’s handed to us and not a given right.

I think Memory Makers as a group appreciates the time we get with the residents. Along the way we all learn something deeper within. Something that I have noticed every meeting is that every child seems to bring out the juvenile side of a resident and every resident seems to bring out the best in each child. To me Memory Makers is about finding yourself and helping the greater good. It’s amazing what can happen with two minds. It was definitely a pleasure having them and I hope they’re reminiscing about their childhood and the new world.
- Samantha Cho

Marathon Finish

2009-10-14T12:49:00.000-07:00

I can officially check running a marathon off my lists of things to do in life. I did end up finishing, a bit longer than I had wanted, but I completed it. Miss Coppoletta was kind enough to run some of the miles with me. She helped me get through some of the toughest miles by talking to me, getting my mind off the pain I was feeling. My mom ran the last hill with me, which of course made me smile. And after I crossed the finish line, Mrs. Kasher placed the medal around my neck. I'm so thankful I had my family there to support me and cheer me on at the different miles, because it was that support that allowed me to finish.

Chicago Marathon

2009-10-09T09:19:00.000-07:00

This past summer was the first time in my career I didn't work or take grad. classes. In order to keep myself busy and sane, I decided to train for the marathon. After months of running very very early in the morning, I am ready to see what I can do. This Sunday is the Chicago marathon, where I have the pleasure of running 26.2 miles in hopefully under 5 hours. So if you have no plans for Sunday morning, come on down and join the excitement! (dress warmly though, it's supposed to be chilly)

Greeting Card Project

2009-10-02T12:45:00.000-07:00

We have a new book project coming up in the next few weeks. Students learned about this project today and should have a book chosen by next week in order to get started.

Directions:Think about the characters in your novel. Imagine that one character is sending a card to another character. What kind of card would the character send and why?

Choices of cards: Birthday, Sympathy, Thank You, Get Well, Friendship, Anniversary, Retirement, New Baby, Valentine's Day, Miss You

Task: There are TWO parts to this project.
Create a card to one character in your novel from another character.
On a separate sheet of paper, include the following:
The title and date of publication
In one paragraph, explain why you created the card you did.
In one paragraph, explain the importance of this choice and how the novel would be different if the card had actually been sent.

examples of Paragraphs

I chose to send a friendship card to the big bad wolf from one of the three little pigs. I know that the throughout the story, the wolf was lonely and there is no evidence that he ever had any friends. I would want someone to do something to show that they cared for me if I did not have any friends. The text also never said anything about the wolf's family. I consider my friends to be my family, so I think it would be a wise decision for one of the pigs to send a friendship card to the wolf.

If this friendship card was actually sent, the story of the Three Little Pigs would be dramatically different. First, the wolf might have not viewed the pigs as food, but viewed them as friends instead. If this was the case, the wolf would not have eaten the pigs, since friends are kind to one another. I also think the wolf may have even helped the pigs build their houses, so it would have been a team effort. This friendship card could have saved the lives of all three pigs.

Memory Makers Club

2009-09-28T12:05:00.000-07:00

For the past few years, I've run a program that involved students learning about Alzheimer's disease and working with people that have this disease. The program has changed names to Memory Makers Club. The goal of the program is the same. What has changed is that students will be visiting Fairview Baptist Home 5 times throughout the next trimester and this time, the buddies will actually be visiting the school. If you have any questions about the program, please contact me. I will be running a spring session of the club as well.

Upcoming Test/Quiz

2009-09-18T12:57:00.001-07:00

Next week is our first test in Language Arts. Students reviewed today and will review again on Monday. The test covers unit one, which the students have notes for. Looking over their notes and workbook pages is a great way to prepare.

Next week is also the first quiz in reading over the first four chapters in Taking Sides. Students will review in class and should look over their comprehension questions to study.

Upcoming Stuff

2009-09-14T07:30:00.001-07:00

In reading this week, we'll be starting our new novel, Taking Sides. Students enjoyed this book in the past and we're hoping this group of 6th graders will have just as much fun. On Wednesday, students will be in groups working on short skits that deal with one themes from the novel. We hope that by previewing the themes, students will reflect on them while reading the novel.

Alzheimer's Fundraiser

2009-09-04T12:52:00.000-07:00

This morning, students were given information about the school-wide fundraiser Lakeview is participating in. The money raised goes towards research for Alzheimer's Disease. Throughout the next few weeks, students will be collecting money and the homebase that raises the most money will earn a breakfast the following week. The culminating event is a walk on Saturday, September 26 at Joliet. Students, parents, sibblings, etc. are welcome to meet at Lakeview and take the bus to the event. If you would prefer driving, you can still meet the Lakeview team and walk the 3 miles. Thanks for your support and I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on the 26th!

Smarty Pants Friday

2009-08-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

As we begin this school year, Miss Coppoletta & I have come up with a new method of helping students to be responsible. We are calling this Smarty Pants Friday. Each week, 3 names will be drawn during LA/Reading. Those students will have the opportunity to earn two extra credit points by doing the following:

Tell us their current percentage in both classes
AND
Show us all of their completed homework for the week

The goal is to have students checking their own grades on a weekly basis. We also want students to hold on to their papers in case there is an error in the gradebook. Each student will get an opportunity throughout each trimester.
We began this today and all three students were successful!

Final Memory Bridge Trip

2009-05-29T12:47:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that our last visit for Memory Bridge is this Tuesday, June 2. We will be having an ice cream social and hopefully the weather will be nice so we can take the residents outside!!

Bridge to Terabithia

2009-05-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

On the Thursday, June 4, the 6th grade team will be showing the 2007 Walt Disney movie, Bridge to Terabithia. Below you will find a brief overview of the movie and a link to the Disney website where information about the movie is provided. If you do not want your child to participate in this activity, please contact any member of the 6th grade team.Movie

Overview:Animation master Gabor Csupo directs his first live-action film in this adaptation of the novel The Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson, whose son David co-wrote the screenplay and serves as a producer. Jess (Josh Hutcherson) is misunderstood. Despite Jess' talents as an artist, the school bullies pick on him, his father (Robert Patrick) belittles his dreams, and his four sisters invade his space in the family's cramped house. Jess' bleak world changes when Leslie (Annasophia Robb) moves into the house next door. Bright, creative and outspoken, Leslie also finds herself an outsider in their school. Soon the two are thick as thieves, spending their after school hours exploring the woods beyond their backyards and on the others side of a creek, which Leslie deems the kingdom of Terabithia. Here, they create their own magical world, complete with a Dark Master and his minions, dragonfly soldiers, giant trolls and a tree house fortress. In Terabithia, the two friends let their imaginations run wild and control their destiny, far away from school bullies and the pressures of adolescence.http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/liveaction/bridgetoterabithia/

Body Biographies

2009-05-06T12:14:00.000-07:00

During RtI Reading this past week, students have been working on body biographies. The purpose of these bodies is to help students think critically about a character. For these specific bodies, students analyzed characters from the novel, Number the Stars. Included on these bodies are: quotes the character said, symbols to represent the character's personality and decisions throughout the novel, and two poems about the character. Some of the students even shared them in Miss Coppoletta's class to help the students review for their end of the book test. I am so proud of the work they created!!

Literature Circles

2009-04-30T12:33:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Miss Coppoletta & Mrs. Mixon started literature circles while reading Number the Stars. Each student was put into a group and given a variety of jobs to choose from for their group discussions. For example, one option is the “Literary Luminary.” This job requires the student to pay close attention while reading in order to highlight specific parts of the text. They are responsible for creating a discussion around these particular parts at the next meeting.

Each student is responsible for a different role each group discussion day. When the groups meet to discuss the chapters, the jobs students completed are there to guide their discussion. As we've seen recently, students are starting to have true, deep discussions about the text, rather than superficial responses to questions.

We've asked the students to reflect on themselves as well as the group after each meeting. Overall, we've had very positive feedback on this process. We hope to implement literature circles in the beginning of next year with the new 6th graders.

Life-changing moment

2009-04-26T17:55:00.000-07:00

In language arts last week, students were introduced to a new project. There are three steps to the final piece. The first is students wrote 100 adjectives that described themselves. Then, they wrote a short narrative about a life-changing experience. On Monday, students will be creating an image that represents that moment using their 100 adjectives for the design. Miss Coppoletta & I both look forward to the sharing of these stories and images on Tuesday.

Successful Biography Projects

2009-04-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

Miss Coppoletta and I are so proud of our 4th period reading students and their delivery of the biography project. Students were required selected a peer-partner and person to study. Each pair read a different biography about the same person and took Cornell Notes to record important information. The different perspectives provided an abundance of information from which students turned into creative interviews – one student taking the role of the person discussed in their biography, while the other student became an interviewer. Overall, students demonstrated an ENORMOUS amount of knowledge and creativity in their interviews.

Thank you to all parents who joined the class and observed the presentations!

We will put the pictures up as soon as possible.

Snuggy

2009-03-27T11:05:00.001-07:00

For the past few weeks, I've mentioned how great I thought snuggies were. One of my students, Christina Simirica, actually made me a beautiful green snuggy with zebra print on the sleeve. I am so impressed with her sewing abilities. I wore it proudly all day today!!

Myths

2009-03-24T12:11:00.001-07:00

For the past few weeks during reading, students have been reading myths, folktales, and fables. After discussing the characteristics of each type, students in RtI created their own myths to share with the class. Below are some examples written by the students.

Road trip to Hawaii
"One day there was a beautiful couple that got married 11-11-11 at Chuckie Cheese and it was so fabulous that Chuckie was the preacher that told them to kiss. The after party was eating the cool Chuckie designs on the cake, the yummy pizza, and playing the crane game. They won a super Chuckie bouncy ball and a life supplies of tokens for Chuckie Cheese games. Then two weeks later Beyonce and Jay-z the wonderful couple went out to Ikea to pick out some new furniture. They picked out this bright orange couch with aqua blue pillows and two red egg chairs. When they were done they got the biggest Cinnamon rolls the size of their head at Ikea. Then they went to the grocery store,Ultra foods,to get some snacks for there trip to Hawaii for there honeymoon. They got some Twinkies, Lunchables, Doritos and some other delicious things to snack on for there road trip. Then it was 11-25-11 and were about to go on their trip on this foggy, icy, rainy, cold, gloomy day. They were singing “Don't you want me baby,” while riding in there brand new Sebring Convertible. Jay-z was eating a Twinkie and dropped it under the pedal. He went down to get it by taking his eyes off the road and Beyonce screams at Jay-z that there is a donkey in the middle of the road. He hits a patch of black ice because the car was out of control. The box of twinkies flew out of the window and Jay-z got so mad that he yelled out loud “ I spent $3.49 on those twinkies.” HE was really frustrated and was going 92 miles per hour on a 25 speed limit. Not only the car was out of control they were too! Not just that a bird pooped on Beyonce's head. She didn't notice because she had twinkie all over her hand. Then they were going over the bridge and hit the side of it with the car and scratched it good. They were so mad but right after that they hit the bridge again and bounced back to hit the donkey and they flew over the bridge. They landed on top of a lake of ice. SO about two seconds after that the donkey fell off the bridge on top of them and made them sink. Then sadly, the donkey survived somehow and Beyonce and Jay-z the beautiful couple sunk and died. They never made it to there honeymoon in Hawaii. So they missed out on the warm air,cold water and the biggest honeymoon bed room. It had a game room,a flat screen TV and the biggest hot tub in the world. Just because they were speeding and eating Twinkies at the same time. "
By Jacklyn Jelen and Rebecca Allen

BOBBYLOU.
Bobbylou is a naughty boy and gets into a lot of trouble. He has gotten coals for Christmas for now three years in a row from Santa Claus. He does not get along with his parents and who knows what is his punishment.
One morning, it was time for Bobbylou to wake up.
His mom said, “Bobbylou wake up! You have things to do.”
“No Ma! I don't want to get up now give me ten more minutes.”
“If you don't wake up you are going to get zombies in your closet!”
Ma left his room and went downstairs to fix him breakfast. Ten minutes later he woke up and was scared to open his closet door because what if his Ma is right? He opens the closet and zombie starts flying out. He screams and shut it and opens it again, he sighed with a relief. It was gone. He got dressed and went downstairs.
It was breakfast time. Today is pancakes with strawberries.
“Yes my favorite!” said Bobbylou. He starts chomping down on the pancakes with no forks.
“Use your manners! Use your forks and eat or else you will get a whipping.” says Ma
“ No I don't want to!” says Bobbylou.
And of course Bobbylou ended getting a whipping.
After eating his breakfast with his forks, he watched some cartoons.
“Clean up your room Bobbylou!” says Ma.
“No Ma I am watching my cartoons.” shouted Bobbylou.
“If you don't do it you will get a bad luck.”
“Ya right Ma”
After his cartoons he went up the stairs and fell down on his face and his nose started to bleed. He went in his room and started cleaning. He fell on his rug and his tooth fell out. It was Bobbylou's nap time. He obviously refused to listen to his mom as usual. When he finally took a nap he ended up getting monsters underneath his bed. And that's what he gets.
By: Christina Simirica.

St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-19T12:52:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, St. Patrick's Day, students in Memory Bridge traveled to Fairview for a visit with their buddies. Students played games, colored shamrocks, and ate green cookies and soda bread. Some of them attempted to take their buddies for a walk outside, but they ended up coming back in because of the wind. Below are some of the pictures from our visit.

BIOGRAPHY PROJECT

2009-03-09T10:22:00.000-07:00

Today, the students were introduced to the biography project they will be working on for the next few weeks. Each student has a partner and each person is reading a biography/autobiography on the same person of interest. As they are reading, the will taking notes using the Cornell note format. Students looked at an example of this format in class today. The purpose of the notes is to have students practice taking important information out of a text and writing it down in their own words. Then students create questions about the notes on the left side of the page. Finally, they will be writing a 4-6 sentence summary regarding the material. The hope is that through the note-taking, students are able to write this summary as a review of the material they've just learned.

During the first week back from spring break, students will be working together using their notes to create an interview that they'll be presenting on Thursday April 9. Miss Coppoletta and I are super excited about this project and cannot wait to see how the students do with taking notes and presenting the material they've learned.

Tableaux

2009-03-06T11:54:00.000-08:00

ISATS are finally over!!! With the ISAT test in mind, the 6th grade Language Arts and Reading team worked hard to design a week of meaningful instruction that allowed students the opportunity to “get up and move”, to be creative, and to have fun. This idea comes from a Shakespeare workshop I attended a few years ago. Students created group tableaux as an engaging way to prove reading comprehension. Tableau vivant (plural: tableaux vivants) is French for "living picture." The term describes a dramatic activity where students are asked to physically construct a scene from literature through body placement and facial expressions.

Student groups could choose their favorite scene, one they thought was particularly significant, or one they felt a connection to. They worked in class to construct their tableaux, and then presented to the class. These “freeze frames” invite the audience to identify the scene, its importance, and dissect the meaning behind the poses chosen. As you can see, demonstrating reading comprehension has never been SO much fun!

The princess rejects King Thrushbeard as the King sits in his throne in shock.

In embarrassment, the princess runs up the stairs and away from King Thrushbeard.

Happy Puncheky Day

2009-02-25T09:41:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Puncheky Day. When I mentioned it to my homebase, most of them had never heard of it before. Therefore, in order to bring some of my culture to them, I asked them to find out what a puncheky was and if they did, I would bring them in. Of course, I had at least 8 students find out and let me know. Above is a picture of us enjoying our sweet treat!

ISATs are Coming

2009-02-21T06:52:00.000-08:00

As you may know, ISATS begin Tuesday March 3. In language arts, students have been working on writing narratives, following the proper format. We conferenced with each student to let them know their strengths and weaknesses. Overall, we were very impressed with the narratives!

This upcoming week, students will be working on assessing writing, using student examples and the ISAT rubric for both persuasive and narrative writing. We hope that having students be familiar with the rubric will help them understand what is expected of them on this test.

Hope you all have a nice weekend and are enjoying the fresh coat of snow we are getting!!!

Persuasive Writing

2009-02-11T12:50:00.000-08:00

This week, students are reviewing the persuasive essay format to prepare them for the ISAT writing portion. Today in language arts, students wrote about whether or not they believe in the statement, "Winning is everything." Tomorrow and Friday, we will be conferencing one-on-one with students to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the essays. The goal is to let the students know how they're doing now before they take the exam in March.

Memory Bridge Session 2

2009-02-01T14:10:00.000-08:00

The second session of Memory Bridge starts on Tuesday, February 10 from 3-5. I reminded students that are interested in applying that they must be able to make all 12 sessions. I understand that many students want to try out for spring sports, but they need to make sure they let me know that ahead of time.

Updates

2009-01-23T12:54:00.000-08:00

During RtI 7th grade, the girls in the class finished the novel, Amandine. The overall feel from them was that they enjoyed the book, although it was about two dramatic teenagers that did strange things to get attention. The boys are still reading Fallen Angels, which is a difficult text. But they are doing a great job of talking about what they've read, checking to make sure everyone comprehended the material well.

Memory Bridge Hand-Casting

2009-01-12T12:21:00.000-08:00

For the past 11 weeks, students in memory bridge have been working on casting hands for their "buddies." Last Thursday, students finished decorated them and will be presenting them to their buddies this Thursday. We'll be making our final visit to Fairview and enjoying a pizza party together.

Welcome Back!!!

2009-01-07T06:07:00.000-08:00

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing holiday. As we get back into the swing of things, here's a couple of updates. For the 7th grade RtI class, they will be reading two separate novels. The students were able to choose which novel they were interested in reading. The girls picked Amandine, by Adele Griffin. The story is about two girls and the drama they create in high school. The boys picked Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers. This story takes place during the Vietnam War. This week, the students are working on the internet finding information about the war in order to gain some basic background knowledge of the war. This is the first time we're reading novels in the RtI class and I hope students prove they can take the skills and strategies they've learned thus far and apply them to the novel they chose.

Hexaduad

2008-12-16T11:05:00.000-08:00

BillyBob has a big nose
When he sleeps, it looks like a hose

It whistles like a choo choo train
It's so loud it hurts my brain

I plug it up with tissue and fur
He gets so mad it makes him grrrrrr

I throw a pillow at his face
He gets up and we have a race

We run around with cats at our feet
I do not stress, I got him beat

BillyBob is sad and sleepy
I feel bad and now I'm weepy

By: Mrs. Mixon's Study Hall