Contact Team
May 20 – May 23
Monday: Mars Project
Tuesday: Mars Project
Wednesday: Morning picnic
Thursday: shortened class periods, group lunch and activities. Yearbooks will be given out today.
Friday: no school for students
May 13 – May 17
Monday: Mars Project
Tuesday: Mars Project
Wednesday: Mars Project
Thursday: Mars Project
Friday: Mars Project
May 6 – May 10
Monday: Return the research papers on Humanitarians. Discuss comments and overview corrective loop if needed. Aaron’s Gift pg. 242-253 Flashback – how does his understanding of his Grandmother’s past give him the courage to act in the present?
Tuesday: The Mysteries of Harris Burdick free writing activity for the story called: “A Strange Day in July” He threw with all his might, but the third stone came skipping back.
Wednesday: Book project quizzes are due. Kids will take each other’s quizzes. Creator of the quiz will score the quiz. Papers will be turned into the basket today. This is the last day for late work. All redo assignments must be turned in by 12:10. Story from The Chronicles of Harris Burdick by Chris VanAllsburg (Sherman Alexie’s version of “A Strange Day in July”)
Thursday: Mysteries of Harris Burdick - Creative writing activity.The Mysteries of Harris Burdick free writing activity for the story called: “Under the Rug” Two weeks passed and it happened again.
Friday: Introduce the Mars Project
April 29 – May 3
Monday: Computer lab: 3 paragraph papers are to be typed in Google Docs and ready for final tweaking. We will work on proper citations and bibliography in class today. Gold outline papers should be completed and turned in today with 3 rough draft paragraphs and webs stapled to them. Final papers taken home to be signed by a parent/guardian. Final papers are due on Tuesday.
Tuesday: Computer lab – Turn in final papers. We will be working on the Book Project. Students are typing up questions for their final writing project. If students are finished with their 10 question quiz, they are reading a book from the classroom book cart.
Wednesday: McDougal Littel – Nadia the Willful p. 336 – 346 1-4 and a triple venn diagram with Nadia, Hemed and her dad.
Thursday: G4W pgs. 103 and 106 Will be done in class and turned in for a score.
Friday: binder check and library
April 22 -26
Monday: Outlines are due. Web activity and rough drafts will be worked on in class. G4W pgs. 90 and 93 Will be done in class.
Tuesday: Early years rough draft due for proof reading activity. Second paragraph rough draft will be discussed and worked on in class. G4W pgs. 95 and 100 Will be done in class.
Wednesday: Second paragraph rough draft due for proof reading activity. Third paragraph rough draft will be discussed and worked on in class.
Thursday: Legacy paragraph (third paragraph) rough draft is due for proof reading activity. Students will be going to the computer lab to type up the rough draft of all three paragraphs. Checklist and reflection paper handed out and explained. Transition suggestions are on the back of the checklist document.
Friday: Literacy Book project today. Questions 5 and 6 are to be finished and ready for proof reading.
April 15 -19
Monday: Computer lab. All persuasive essays should be entered in My Access as per the homework on the board on Friday. Persuasive essay analysis and student reflection activity will occur in the lab, students take the final paper home for parent/guardian signature prior to turning in the assignment on Tuesday. Unsigned papers will not be scored. Humanitarian brief summaries will be completed today. Outline paper handed out and discussed with each class.
Tuesday: Turn in persuasive papers(must be signed by an adult). Computer lab- CORE testing.
Wednesday: humanitarian discussion and computer time for further research. Outline to be worked on after the CORE testing is complete.
Thursday: Persuasion papers are handed back. Step 1…make corrections and take final paper home for parent signature for resubmittal. Step 2….The bright yellow outline paper is due on Monday. You have computer time today to finish your outline. Step 3….if your outline is finished, please start typing your Book Project Quiz in Google Docs using: LA.last.first.bookproject.
Friday: binder check and library
April 8 -12
Monday: Students will create a school appropriate topic for a persuasive essay and list two supporting details. The details must be on the “same side” of the issue. Include Loaded language, emotional appeal, or appeal by association. Listed on pg. 886 of the McDougal Little book. The notes for this assignment go in the persuasive packet. McDougal Littel : No Thought of Reward pg. 908 – 913
Tuesday: McDougal Littel : New Packet: No Thought of Reward pg. 908 – 913; Introduce the list of humanitarians: Martian Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Jimmy Carter, Princess Diana, Dana and Christopher Reeves, and Michael J. Fox.
Wednesday: Finish: Introducing the list of humanitarians: Martian Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Jimmy Carter, Princess Diana, Dana and Christopher Reeves, and Michael J. Fox. Notes for the people will be included on the No Thought of Reward packet.
Thursday: computer lab – My Access
Friday: Literacy Circle. Bring your book to class. You will need to read today. Create another two questions about your book (this will be the 3rd and 4th one). One must be a true / false question. One must be a multiple choice question.
April 1 -5
Monday: SBA practice test review, finish up your McDougal Littell pgs. 884-894
Tuesday: SBA testing
Wednesday: SBA testing
Thursday: SBA testing
Friday: binder check and library
March 25 – 29
Monday: Students pick a book for the quarter’s Literacy Circle book assignments. Book titles: Million Dollar Throw, Funny Business, Grimm Legacy, Son of the Mob, Red Pyramid, The Fire Within, or Eyes of the Emperor. You need to read the first chapter tonight for homework.
McDougal Littell: Video games that promote healthy exercise. Inside outside circle on your side of the video game issue. Answer the prompt ~ Is there a place for these games at a middle school physical education program?~ On a piece of paper, the heading will be First Name, Last Name, period number and persuasion. At the top of the paper, define persuasion. Readers Workshop: argument and persuasion p.884
Tuesday: Literacy Circle book assignment: The header on this paper is First Name Last Name, period number and Book Project. Hang onto this paper, it will be an ongoing project. Answer the following questions:
Title, author, page numbers, setting, antagonist and protagonist.
McDougal Littell: Readers Workshop: argument and persuasion. Answer the questions on p.884-894
Wednesday: Literacy Circle book assignment: create your first quiz question. Quiz questions will happen throughout the book. I have asked kids to take the number of pages, divide it by ten (they will be required to write a 10 question quiz with 5 multiple choice questions and 5 true/false questions for their final project). Question number one will be from the first chapter-ish. The second question will come from the next group of pages. The longer the book, the more they will need to read for each question.
McDougal Littell: Answer the questions on p.884-894
Thursday: The Violent Side of Video Games p. 895 – 899
Friday: Literacy Circle. Bring your book to class. You will need to read today. Create another question about your book (this will be the second one). One must be a true / false question. One must be a multiple choice question.
March 18 – 22
Monday: Inside outside paragraph share about two things that happened over spring break. Yellow McDougal Littell Lit book activity pgs. 416 -420. Most of the work is finished in class. If not, then it is homework.
Tuesday: Finish up pgs. 416 – 420
Wednesday: Pgs 786-795 Helen Keller
Thursday: Helen Keller finish the questions on page 794 1-5 and 1-4, page 795 1-4.
Friday: binder check and library
March 4 – 7
Monday: computer lab (work on final draft of Anne Frank paper….see yellow rubric checklist)
Tuesday: computer lab (work on final draft of Anne Frank paper….see yellow rubric checklist) Final drafts due for the Anne Frank paper!!
Wednesday: Final drafts due for the Anne Frank paper at 50%. The Ghost of the Lagoon By Armstrong Sperry (prediction exercise)
Thursday: Last day for quizzes. Read and return books to the classroom.
Friday: No School, Spring Break Begins
February 25 – March 1
Monday: Turn in Final draft of in hiding. Start the rough draft of Legacy (due on Wednesday)
Tuesday: G4W pg. 69 – 78 Pronouns
Wednesday: Proof read the rough draft of Anne’s Legacy
Thursday: Final draft of Legacy due…My Access in computer Lab…students will be working on transitions: http://www.asdk12.org/MiddleLink/LA/writing/StepUp/
and discussing the Rubric Checklist AnneFrank-RubricChecklist
Friday: Library with Mrs. Campbell.
February 18 – 22
Monday: No School
Tuesday: Rough draft: Anne’s life in hiding. Due tomorrow for peer editing. Drama/Play from 8th grade text: The Diary of Anne Frank (read aloud in class)
Wednesday: Peer editing Anne’s life in hiding.
Thursday: Final draft due Anne’s life in hiding.
Friday: Book Quiz / Book read day
February 11 – 15
Monday: Drama/Play from 8th grade text: The Diary of Anne Frank (read aloud in class)
Tuesday: Book Fair preview in library. Turn in your final draft of Anne’s early years. Drama/Play from 8th grade text: The Diary of Anne Frank (read aloud in class)
Wednesday: SLC (Student Led Conference Preparations) folder organization…sample of Anne Frank paper will be the work sample. Class periods 1-4 today before early release.
Thursday: SLC: Periods 5 – 7 and back to 4th to meet this morning. 4th period will be watching parts of the Diary of Anne Frank
Friday: No school….read, read, read!!!! Book quizzes are available online.
February 4 – 8
Monday: Drama/Play from 8th grade text: The Diary of Anne Frank (read aloud in class)
Tuesday: Drama/Play from 8th grade text: The Diary of Anne Frank (read aloud in class)
Wednesday: Drama/Play from 8th grade text: The Diary of Anne Frank (read aloud in class)
Thursday: Drama/Play from 8th grade text: The Diary of Anne Frank (read aloud in class) Write a Rough Draft of Anne’s early years. From birth to prior to hiding. Due on Friday. Rd must include a brain web…
Friday: Peer proof reading activity. Bring your rough draft to class. Final draft will be due on Tuesday of next week. Parent proof required. Staple final draft to the rough draft. SSR bring your current book to class. Quiz scores entered today!!!
January 28 – February 1
Monday: The 10 Days of Anne Frank by David Colbert. Add important dates to the timeline under Anne Frank.
Tuesday: The 10 Days of Anne Frank by David Colbert. Add important dates to the timeline under Anne Frank.
Wednesday: The 10 Days of Anne Frank by David Colbert. Add important dates to the timeline under Anne Frank.
Thursday: Alaska….add to the timeline how WW2 impacted this state.
Friday: Library with Mrs. Campbell.
January 22 – 25
Monday: No School
Tuesday: The 10 Days of Anne Frank by David Colbert. Add important dates to the timeline under Anne Frank.
Wednesday: The 10 Days of Anne Frank by David Colbert. Add important dates to the timeline under Anne Frank.
Thursday: The 10 Days of Anne Frank by David Colbert. Add important dates to the timeline under Anne Frank. Tryouts for the Spelling Bee will be today at lunch!
Friday: Book Share! Bring your current WW2 book to class today.
January 14 – 18
Monday: No School
Tuesday: Write a rough draft paragraph with a graphic organizer to the topic…Who was Adolf Hitler. The 10 Days of Anne Frank by David Colbert.
Wednesday: Revise rough drafts in class. Final draft (proofed by an adult in your life) due tomorrow. The 10 Days of Anne Frank continued, add dates to the time line.
Thursday: The 10 Days of Anne Frank
Friday: Library with Mrs. Campbell. This quarter’s syllabus was handed out today. 1st period: pdf syllabus p1 2013 2nd & 4th period: pdf syllabus per. 2 & 4
January 7 – 11
Monday: Introduce time-lines, discuss family members with a parent. Place one person on your U.S. History time-line.
Tuesday: Discus and label U.S. history time-line and Hitler’s time-line.
Wednesday: Discus and label U.S. history time-line and Hitler’s time-line.
Thursday: Discus and label U.S. history time-line and Hitler’s time-line.
Friday: The 10 Days of Anne Frank
December 17 – 20
Monday: 3 poems for holiday rotation project. Name Poem, Concrete Poem and Phrase Poetry. Purple Rubric handed back.
Tuesday: 3 poems for holiday rotation project. Name Poem, Concrete Poem and Phrase Poetry. Purple Rubric reviewed.
Wednesday: 3 poems for holiday rotation project. Name Poem, Concrete Poem and Phrase Poetry. Purple Rubric scored.
Thursday: Holiday Rotation. Volunteers needed.
December 10 – 14
Monday: Review final Out of the Dust assessment. Start Gombi and the Wild Ducks. Student text pp. 306 – 311. (understanding theme)
Tuesday: Continue with Gombi and the Wild Ducks.
Wednesday: Harry Houdini (Media Smart)
Thursday: Harry Houdini pp 801- 811
Friday: Introduce the end of the quarter project, the poetry section of it.
December 3 – 7
Monday: Continue with Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse.
Tuesday: Continue with Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse.
Wednesday: Continue with Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse.
Thursday: Are we out of the dust yet?
Friday: Library with Mrs. Campbell
November 26 – 30
Monday: Continue with Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse.
Tuesday: Continue with Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse.
Wednesday: Continue with Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse.
Thursday: Universal Screener in the Alder Pod computer lab.
Friday: Universal Screener in the Alder Pod computer lab.
November 19 – 21
Monday: Continue with Out of the Dust.
Tuesday: Quiz over information in poetry packet. Continue with Out of the Dust.
Wednesday: Review quiz results. For corrective loop: Students can meet with me during free time in the library, make all corrections in a colored pencil, quiz redo must be signed by a parent. (if the time in library is not enough, students can schedule a time at lunch with me to make corrections but the paper must be signed by a parent for credit) Library with Mrs. Campbell
November 12 – 16
Monday: Review poetry notes and grades on zang!e, show some examples of 20/20 final sonnet poems for page 9. Review Flanders Field with how to read a poem notes page 1. Continue with Out of the Dust.
Tuesday: Page 10 of the poetry packet notes. Continue with Out of the Dust.
Wednesday: Review “Abandoned Farmhouse” by Ted Kooser. Students will review the steps listed on page one of poetry packet. Continue with Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse on page 10.
Thursday: Review “Deserted Farm” by Mark Vinz. Students will review the steps listed on page one of poetry packet. Continue with Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse on page 10.
Friday: Review limericks as an opener in class….Continue with Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse.
November 5 – 9
Monday: Poetry notes on Sonnet. The published sample is William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18. Students have two days to work on their Sonnet. I will be collecting the poetry packets on Friday.
Tuesday: Sonnet and grades for poems written to this point.
Wednesday: Review Poetry Terms and Figurative Language Terms-due today. Work on final Sonnet.
Thursday: Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
Friday: Library with Mrs. Cambell – poetry notes due
October 29 – November 2
Monday: 10 pages of Notes stapled together in one packet:
page 1- How to read a poem HowToReadPoem-Notes 2; practice interpreting poetry with “Primer” page 218 . Define poetry terms page 2:
alliteration – the repetition of beginning consonant sounds.
assonance – the repetition of vowel sounds.
consonance- the repetition of consonant sounds anywhere within words, not just at the beginning.
foot- one unit of meter.
Tuesday: Types of poems: page 4 in 10 page packet: Cinquain Poems (syllable and word). define figurative language terms page 3:
simile- comparing two things using like or as
metaphor – comparing two things without using like or as
exaggeration – an overstatement stretching of the truth to emphasize a point
hyperbole- an extreme exaggeration
idiom- words used in a special way that may be different than their literal meaning
Wednesday: Types of poems: Free verse Poem page 5.
Define poetry terms page 2 continued:
internal rhyme- the rhyming of words within one line of poetry
meter- the rhythm or “pattern of accented and unaccented syllables” in the lines of a poem
quatrain- a four-line stanza with common rhyme schemes of aabb, aaba, abab
repetition-the repeating of a word or phrase to add rhythm or to focus on an idea
stanza- a division in a poem named for the number of lines it contains
verse- a name for a line of poetry written in meter
Thursday: Types of poems: Haiku Poem page 6
Define figurative language terms page 3:
personification- a figure of speech in which a nonhuman thing is given human characteristics
pun- a phrase that uses words in a way that gives them a funny effect. The words used in a pun often sound the same but have different meanings
sarcasm- the use of praise to make fun of or put down someone or something. The praise is not sincere and is actually intended to mean the opposite thing
onomatopoeia- the use of a word whose sounds makes you think of its meaning, such as buzz, gunk, gushy, swish, zigzag, zing, or zip.
Friday: Types of poems: Limerick Poem page 7 of notes
Practice: How to read a poem using Life Doesn’t Frighten Me. Page 282 – 284 class book.
Life Doesn’t Frighten Me
by Maya Angelou
Shadows on the wall
Noises down the hall
Life doesn’t frighten me at all
Bad dogs barking loud
Big ghosts in a cloud
Life doesn’t frighten me at all….
This is just the first stanza of the poem…We will be looking at rhyme scheme and interpreting the poem.
October 22 – 26
Monday: Paragraph writing answering a prompt on bullies. Share in class. Finish letters to the troops.
Tuesday: Library with Mrs. Cambell; preview book fair.
Wednesday: Student Led Conference portfolio and practice.
Thursday: half day schedule: Periods 5 – 7 and 4 again.
Friday: No School
October 15 – 19
Monday: Final Story Diagrams will be handed back and then collected. Students continue with Tuesday of the Other June. Class textbook
Tuesday: Primer & Life Doesn’t Frighten Me poetry. Class textbook Turn in AVB note packet.
Wednesday: The Problem with Bullies Short story with comprehension questions. Class textbook
Thursday: Media Smart From: Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (understanding plot and conflict in movies)
Friday: No School / Inservice Day for staff
October 8 – 12
Monday: Go over rough draft of story plot diagram. Hand out gold rubric. LA-RubricStoryPlotDiagram1st-1 LAStoryPlotDiagram24
Tuesday: Practice grading rough draft with a rubric. Work on final draft.
Wednesday: Last day for class time on this project. Final project due on Friday.
Thursday: Tuesday of the Other June. Answer questions from text.
Friday: Final drafts due. Library with Mrs. Campbell.
October 1 – 5
Monday: Hand back papers, go over quiz…kids who need to come see me will need a pass for lunch. Wringer and AVB notes continued.
Tuesday: G4W pg.58; Wringer and AVB notes continued.
Wednesday: G4W pg. 60; Wringer and AVB notes continued.
Thursday: G4W pg. 63; Wringer and AVB notes continued.
Friday: G4W pg. 65; Wringer and AVB notes continued.
September 24 – 28
Monday: G4W: pg. 44 ; Story Plot Diagram in AVB/Wringer notes and continue with Wringer.
Tuesday: G4W: pg. 54; Story Plot Diagram in AVB/Wringer notes and continue with Wringer.
Wednesday: Review Quiz study guide in class.
Thursday: Quiz. (bring a book, you may finish early and I would like you to have something to do while you are waiting)
Friday: Library with Mrs. Cambell
September 17 – 21
Monday: G4W: pg. 24; Story Plot Diagram in AVB/Wringer notes and continue with Wringer.
Tuesday: G4W: pg. 27; Story Plot Diagram in AVB/Wringer notes and continue with Wringer. 1/2 sheet of paper progress reports will be passed out today in class. Please have parents sign and return on Wednesday.
Wednesday: G4W: pg. 37; AVB/Wringer notes and continue with Wringer.
Thursday: G4W: pg. 39; AVB/Wringer notes and continue with Wringer.
Friday: G4W: pg. 42; AVB/Wringer notes and continue with Wringer.
September 10 – 14
Monday: CORE test: universal screener
Tuesday: Story Plot Diagram in AVB/Wringer notes and continue with Wringer.
Wednesday: G4W page 20; 1-10 Continue with Wringer.
Thursday: G4W page 22; Continue with Wringer.
Friday: Library with Mrs. Campbell
September 3 – 7
Monday: Labor Day….no school
Tuesday: Review G4W and continue with pg. 8-11 Wringer continued.
Wednesday: Review G4W and continue with pg. 12-14 Wringer continued.
Thursday: Core Testing in the 6th grade computer lab
Friday:Core Testing in the 6th grade computer lab
August 22 – 31
This quarter will focus on fiction with the book Wringer by Jerry Spinelli read aloud in class. Units tied to our AVB curriculum will be used along with the book. Students will also study the parts to a story diagram.
Monday: Turn in Pod Art Project. Review reading strategies. Introduce Wringer, AVB and read around the text.
Tuesday: Review read around the text, Grammar for Writing (G4W) and continue with Wringer.
Wednesday: Continue with Wringer.
Thursday: G4W pages 7 & 9; 1-10 with discussion of parts of a sentence
Friday: Library with Mrs. Campbell
