Hopefully you have arrived her because your student brought home a slip with the blog info. Please sign the slip and have your student return it to me on Thursday 9/29.
This week has been a bit "wonky" --- Magazine Drive....Q6 Field Trip...finishing MAPS Math....make up MAPS...and working on our WA st. maps --- not exactly a regular schedule but we are trying to get a few things done!
English: We turned in our first choice book reviews today --- next week we will start Shakespeare's Secret in class and enjoy a visit from Dr. Michael Delahoyd. He will be talking with us about Shakespeare conspriracy theories :)
WSH: WA state map building is well underway --- all the work is done in class so you won't be seeing any of this at home ---- you should however see your student studying for the upcoming PNW map test on Tues. 10/4 --- this covers WA, OR, and ID and will be worth a whopping 50+ points! They need to study!!!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
OK - if you've found this blog....GOOD FOR YOU!!! :) This past week in class we checked off ch. 2 WSH questions and took a quiz - most students did quite well. We are beginning our group map project this week - and will continue into, and finish up next week. Students will have a 3 state map to complete - this material will be convered on a 50 point test 9/30 --- the state of Washington - in more detail - will be constructed with clay, or candy, or other materials in class. Students have the instructions for this project if you are interested in the details.
In English - choice books that they have been reading for weeks now (many students have finished multiple books - but some are still on #1) need to be completed so that a book review may be written by next Tues. 9/27. We are using a handout from OWL (online writing lab) Purdue --- these reviews should be info packed - but short and sweet (no more than a page). We are creating a notebook of reviews for student use in class. Next up ---- Shakespeare's Secret - a novel :)
In English - choice books that they have been reading for weeks now (many students have finished multiple books - but some are still on #1) need to be completed so that a book review may be written by next Tues. 9/27. We are using a handout from OWL (online writing lab) Purdue --- these reviews should be info packed - but short and sweet (no more than a page). We are creating a notebook of reviews for student use in class. Next up ---- Shakespeare's Secret - a novel :)
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
If you're reading this you have obviously found this blog on your own. I am still working with the district tech folks to get my link added to the staff page. Hopefully that will happen sometime soon!
In the meantime - we had our first quiz in Washington State History last week. Most students did quite well. If your student earned a score that you or they are not pleased with, I would encourage them to study - or change how they study. Many middle schoolers are just beginning to aquire "study" skills. Doing the assignment at this level is simply not enough. Adding flashcards, having someone quiz them etc...is often more effective. We moved on to chapter 2 yesterday - questions are due on Thursday - quiz to follow next Tuesday 9/20.
In English - we are turning in the final draft of their Music & Me essay today. We will conduct a "read-around" and then a few of the kids want to share a sample of their music and their essays for fun and extra credit.
MAPS testing begins this Friday for Reading....Math will be next Friday.
Be on the look out for requests for simple supplies for a group Map project for WSH. This project will start next week.
Finally....your student should be reading a choice book at home!!! Encourage at least 15 - 30 minutes of reading each night.
P.S. ask for a demonstration of the Earth shaping forces of the PNW :)
In the meantime - we had our first quiz in Washington State History last week. Most students did quite well. If your student earned a score that you or they are not pleased with, I would encourage them to study - or change how they study. Many middle schoolers are just beginning to aquire "study" skills. Doing the assignment at this level is simply not enough. Adding flashcards, having someone quiz them etc...is often more effective. We moved on to chapter 2 yesterday - questions are due on Thursday - quiz to follow next Tuesday 9/20.
In English - we are turning in the final draft of their Music & Me essay today. We will conduct a "read-around" and then a few of the kids want to share a sample of their music and their essays for fun and extra credit.
MAPS testing begins this Friday for Reading....Math will be next Friday.
Be on the look out for requests for simple supplies for a group Map project for WSH. This project will start next week.
Finally....your student should be reading a choice book at home!!! Encourage at least 15 - 30 minutes of reading each night.
P.S. ask for a demonstration of the Earth shaping forces of the PNW :)
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
A new year!!! 8th grade 2011/2012
Welcome to another year! This blog will provide "blurbs" regarding what we are doing in class each week (or at least most weeks) and significant dates for larger projects and tests. I will use the blog to give you enough information so that you and your student can have conversations regarding what they are learning (or at least being taught) in class. The first couple of weeks of class have been filled with much of the usual "schtuff" that the first weeks require....rules, procedures, text book check out, etc.... We have managed to complete a few things though.
They already turned in a Life Map with 6 paragraphs describing memorable/significant events in their lives.
We have choice books selected and are making progress with reading and journaling.
And finally, we are working our way through the first chapter of the Washington State History text.
So far, so good and thanks for checking in! :)
*** Look for work on a Music and Me essay and a quiz on chapter 1 WSH
They already turned in a Life Map with 6 paragraphs describing memorable/significant events in their lives.
We have choice books selected and are making progress with reading and journaling.
And finally, we are working our way through the first chapter of the Washington State History text.
So far, so good and thanks for checking in! :)
*** Look for work on a Music and Me essay and a quiz on chapter 1 WSH
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Welcome to the week beyond testing :) The class has started a Civics unit on crime - they will be working through this with Jerry Harms and a Juvenile Justice video on the days I am gone for track.
We are also wrapping up our, "This I Believe" essays. One student asked me if I would take a look at his yesterday - he wasn't sure he was doing it "right" - it brought me to tears, so I think he did something correctly! I am wholeheartedly looking forward to hearing more of these personal essays on Thursday (that's when they are due!).
Today, the few students who are left at the school with the track team gone to Bi-State, walked with me down to daily grind where we snack, sip and learn a bit more about Midsummer Night's Dream --- nice change of pace after days of testing!
Good news for most of you - major assignments are largely behind us now - Midsummer Night's Dream will be almost exclusively done in class - so homework from here on out will be at a minimum - with the exception of a small Civics quiz covering ch. 16. Hope this works as well for you as it does for the kids and I!
We are also wrapping up our, "This I Believe" essays. One student asked me if I would take a look at his yesterday - he wasn't sure he was doing it "right" - it brought me to tears, so I think he did something correctly! I am wholeheartedly looking forward to hearing more of these personal essays on Thursday (that's when they are due!).
Today, the few students who are left at the school with the track team gone to Bi-State, walked with me down to daily grind where we snack, sip and learn a bit more about Midsummer Night's Dream --- nice change of pace after days of testing!
Good news for most of you - major assignments are largely behind us now - Midsummer Night's Dream will be almost exclusively done in class - so homework from here on out will be at a minimum - with the exception of a small Civics quiz covering ch. 16. Hope this works as well for you as it does for the kids and I!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
OK...this weeks' color is gray. In truth I think the color is, "Cold" - because that's what I "see" when I look out the window (but cold isn't really a color now is it?) ----
Sorry it has been awhile since the last post - 5 track meets in 9 days and 17 hours on a school bus had me running (literally and metaphorically speaking) ---
This week we are on track to finish up Animal Farm - the vast majority of students are keeping up with no problem. They should have a very tidy or typed packet with a paragraph for each chapter explaining how the story relates to our Cycle of Power hand out, in addition to a character log.
We have a quiz on the Cycle of Power today (they have had ample time to read/study in class) --- We have spent a lot of time discussing the differences between a dictatorship and a democracy -- looked at Parade Magazine's "Top 10 Dictators" list that they compile every year - and finally my practicum student shared a presentation on her trip to Guatemala -- I think the kids have a new appreciation for the blessings of democracy! ----
Mr. Grow will be in our room briefly today to give a testing pep-talk ---- and we will follow with a refresher tutorial for the MSP either today or tomorrow. ----
Next week we will begin Shakespeare and after a brief look at Apartheid...move on to juvenile's in the justice sytem in Civics. Stay warm....see warm....be warm!!!!
Sorry it has been awhile since the last post - 5 track meets in 9 days and 17 hours on a school bus had me running (literally and metaphorically speaking) ---
This week we are on track to finish up Animal Farm - the vast majority of students are keeping up with no problem. They should have a very tidy or typed packet with a paragraph for each chapter explaining how the story relates to our Cycle of Power hand out, in addition to a character log.
We have a quiz on the Cycle of Power today (they have had ample time to read/study in class) --- We have spent a lot of time discussing the differences between a dictatorship and a democracy -- looked at Parade Magazine's "Top 10 Dictators" list that they compile every year - and finally my practicum student shared a presentation on her trip to Guatemala -- I think the kids have a new appreciation for the blessings of democracy! ----
Mr. Grow will be in our room briefly today to give a testing pep-talk ---- and we will follow with a refresher tutorial for the MSP either today or tomorrow. ----
Next week we will begin Shakespeare and after a brief look at Apartheid...move on to juvenile's in the justice sytem in Civics. Stay warm....see warm....be warm!!!!
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Hello all....3rd quarter is behind us now - time for a strong finish! This week we have been finishing up our literature circles and discussion/work on our disabilities unit. My practicum student, Natalie Baydo, taught a lesson on the ADA (American Disabilities Act) on Monday that required the students to create a floor plan for a school per the legal guidelines for accessible buildings - lots of discussion and questions - made them think quite a lot about the ways in which they are "capable". We are also watching the movie I am Sam - also lots of opportunities for discussion. I showed a brief clip today on a young man named Patrick Hughes - quite inspirational if you want to Google him :) We will finish up the movie tomorrow - have our final discussion on the student's independent research and then assemble our bulliten board which will include sections of their lit circle packet and a place for students to pledge to omit the R word from their vocabulary - look up the r-word.org campaign on the Special Olympics web site. I will be out of the classroom for track and a writing curriculum day on Th. and Fri. - Mr. Harms will begin a brief unit in Civics on Foreign Policy. No homework for now :) Maybe later :( Hope you enjoyed the sunshine today!!!!
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