So sorry for the long delay since my last post. As you may have heard from your student, I had the flu (despite having gotten the shot)....bummer.  As a result, Beatnik Day was moved to today --- it was a lot of fun! So great to see the kids really own their poems and so many all dressed up for the occasion.  We will finish up tomorrow.  If your student went in class today, their grades are up to date.  Block 2 still needs to have their ch. 5 quiz scored (another casualty of my absence)  This will happen tomorrow. A few kids will present tomorrow --- and then, we are done with 1st semester. Up next is To Kill a Mockingbird, Washington State History and MAPS testing 1/30 reading and 2/7 math. 

Happy New Year!  Please ask your student to practice reciting their chosen poem for you over the next couple of weeks --- Beatnik Day will be on January 15th (students have a grading criteria) - dressing as a Beatnik is encouraged but not required (we will discuss xtra credit possibilities) --- all students need to spend more time on the poetryoutloud.org website - they may look at poems, view videos, read tips on reciting etc.... --- also - 2nd quarter BOOK JOURNALS are due January 10th --- no extentions!  Students have a handout and have had weekly reminders to complete this task --- please check on the progress of this quarter long assignment.  We will be wrapping up Civics with a brief look at the justice system and how it works for juveniles in particular.  This topic and a bit more on the Constitution will be covered when we read To Kill a Mockingbird 3rd quarter. 

Reminders and Requests - Students should be completing their choice book and the corresponding journal (40 questions, comments, observations) --- also, please spend time perusing the www.poetryoutloud.org website --- look at the tips for reciting, sample recitations, poem collections and the scoring criteria for recitation (in our case; Beatnik Day).  Poems do not need to be chosen, but early selection of a 20ish line poem would allow more time for practice! 

Hello :)  For these final two days before a much anticipated vacation we will focus on our poetry unit.  Our in-class Literature text book is our primary source, but other works are being shared as we continue to work our way through various forms of poetry.  The bulk of our work will focus on analysis of peoms, but the students will be expected to write a few as well.  Today we will write poems that describe someone - our first attempt as a class at writing poetry - I truly look forward to hearing what they have to say! 

Additionally, we will spend some time with a variety of poetry books to help the kids select a poem for recitation.  Other than their choice book/journal for 2nd q. which is due January 10th, this is their only homework for break.  Please look at the Poetry Outloud web site for information on recitation evaluation.  Students should be prepared to share their poem from memory on Beatnik Day - January 15th (tentative date). 

Finally, Thank you all for sharing such amazing students with me - truly a pleasure to teach here in Pullman - I wish you all the best and hope you enjoy a fabulous vacation! :) 

www.poetryoutloud.com

POETRY! We will be using our text book in class for most of this unit - so, other than occasional writing assignments,  students will not likely be working on this at home - EXCEPT for needing to memorize and practice reciting with  feeling the poem they will be sharing with the class after break :) (this sharing day is called, "Beatnik Day" - students may wear black - turtle necks, berets, goatees etc.... we will sip hot chocolate or cider, play bongos, snap our fingers and say things like, "Cool Daddy-O"  all while listening to students share their chosen poems.  Good times :)

Finally - in Civics we will cover ch. 5 (the Legislative branch) and 7 (the Judicial branch) - short quizzes will likely follow each chapter.  Choice book reading and journaling should continue as needed as well. 

P.S. the Choice Book Journal for 2nd quarter (40 questions/comments/observations ---- 10 per 1/4 of the book) is DUE ON JANUARY 10th!

Here's to the whirlwind of learning between Thanksgiving and Winter breaks!  This week we will wrap up Animal Farm - the Cycle of Power and Chapter 6 Civics.  We will finish the AF video, do some group activities on the Cycle of Power while learning more about dictatorships. The reading checks for ch. 6 Civics will be finished by Thursday --- and our final test on the previously mentioned material will be Friday.  Whew.  In between all the Civics, we will work on a small poetry unit in our literature book - this will continue until break (each student will have a poem to memorize over break). Hopefull we are all good at finding all the energy we can muster! Welcome back :)