Week of November 23rd

November 19th, 2009

Monday IC: Students recite poetry! :-) *Explore/read novel together in class*Treasure Island: Chapters 13 and 14

Sounder: Began Chapter 8* Students did a great job reciting their poetry today!

Monday HW: Gators must finish their pirate story using 5 of their vocabulary words

Tuesday IC: Explore/read novel in class, discussing the plot.*Make predictions!

Tuesday HW: Enjoy your break! Have a Happy Thanksgiving! :-)

Wednesday -Friday: No school! See you on Monday, November 30th!

Week of November 16th

November 15th, 2009

Long-term assignments for Q2: AR quiz is due on December 10th! The genre for this novel is the student’s choice, but the novel must be the appropriate reading level. All of the students were given their reading levels and their suggested range. I wrote these levels and ranges in their agendas. I have explained to them the importance of reading at the upper end of the range. Please check with the CMS library to see if we have the AR quiz for your novel. ***Students will recite poems on November 23rd!

Tigers, Bulldogs, and Gators are currently reading Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. Students may take their 12/10 AR quiz on this novel. Please try to purchase The Tiger Rising by the end of November. I moved the date back since Hooked on Books had to order more copies. We are going to complete a group project with the novel as soon as we finish Treasure Island.

The Vols are currently reading Sounder by William Armstrong. Students may take their 12/10 AR quiz on this novel.

All students will recite poetry on November 23rd! :-) Tigers, Bulldogs, and Gators will recite “The Tiger” by William Blake. The Vols will recite “Hope is the Thing with Feathers” by Emily Dickinson.

Monday IC- Introduce clauses with BrainPop video*Complete group activity

Monday HW- Finish skill sheet on clauses

Tuesday IC- Library with Mrs. Petersen! :-) Great lesson focusing on the following terms: bibliography, table of contents, appendix, jargon, index

Tuesday HW- Finish skill sheet if you did not on Monday night

Wednesday IC- Check clause skill sheet*Provide class practice with clauses*Read/explore novel

Wednesday HW- Finish clause skill sheet

Thursday IC- Check clause skill sheet*Review clauses*Read/explore novel, discussing the plot as it unfolds*Review novel vocabulary terms*Complete Making Meaning questions for novel and discuss answers

Thursday HW- *Quiz tomorrow on novel vocabulary and novel comprehension of material read this week.

Friday IC- Administer novel vocabulary and comprehension quiz*Provide class practice with clauses and appositives*Read/explore novel

Friday HW- Finish any classwork not finished in class today: clause skill sheet, appositive skill sheet*Study your poem! Students must recite poems on Monday! :-)

Week of November 9th

November 9th, 2009

Reminder: Field Trip money is due tomorrow, 11/10!

Long-term assignments for Q2: AR quiz is due on December 10th! The genre for this novel is the student’s choice, but the novel must be the appropriate reading level. All of the students were given their reading levels and their suggested range. I wrote these levels and ranges in their agendas. I have explained to them the importance of reading at the upper end of the range. Please check with the CMS library to see if we have the AR quiz for your novel. ***Students will recite poems on November 23rd!

The CMS Book Fair is tomorrow night at Barnes and Noble from 5-8! What a great night to get out and shop for books! We do not have school on Wednesday in honor of Veteran’s Day! Please support our school and attend the Book Fair Tuesday evening! I’d love to see you there! :-)

Monday IC- Students will take the Think Link Two Assessment. All of our assessments are paper assessments this year. The results for the first assessment should be available soon.*Students will complete Making Meaning questions for their novels after the TL assessment.

Monday HW- Finish Making Meaning questions

Tuesday IC- Discuss Making Meaning questions*Read/explore our novels*Review vocabulary terms*Introduce appositives

Tuesday HW- Go to the CMS Book Fair at Barnes and Noble from 5-8! It’s going to be a FUN time! :-) See you there!

Wednesday IC- Veteran’s Day (No school today)

Thursday IC- Read/explore our novels*Discuss the plot as it unfolds!*Review vocabulary terms for quiz tomorrow.*Review for comprehension quiz as well.*Review appositives

Thursday HW-Finish appositive skill sheet

Friday IC- Administer quiz on novel vocabulary terms*Administer novel comprehension quiz*Review appositives

Friday HW- none

Week of November 2nd

November 2nd, 2009

The CMS Book Fair is next Tuesday evening at Barnes and Noble in Collierville! What a great night to get out and shop for books! We don’t have school the next day since we are out for Veteran’s Day! :-)

Long-term assignments for this nine- week period for all classes:

Students have finished their novel assessments for the classic or historical fiction novels. A few students still need to take an AR quiz on the novel, and these students need to try to go to the library during AM homeroom to do this.

Students are required to read a novel for AR this nine -week period just like the first nine -week period. This novel can be any genre, but it must be at least a 6.0(+) level for Tigers, Bulldogs, and Gators. The level must be 5.0(+) for the Volunteers. The students were given their reading levels, and I have explained to them that they should stay in the upper end of their range for this novel. The due date for ALL AR quizzes was sent home at the beginning of the year with the students. The best time to take an AR quiz is during AM homeroom.The due date for the AR novel quiz this nine-week period is December 10th.

Tigers, Bulldogs, and Gators: ***Reminder: Please purchase The Tiger Rising by this Friday, 11/6. We will read the novel at the END of the nine-week period and complete a group project with the novel. Hooked on Books behind Corky’s has copies of the novel.

VOLS: We started the novel Sounder today, 11/4. Students must bring their novel to class every day.

***My Enriched classes will be reading Treasure Island, and we are starting the novel on 11/3.

ALL students need to bring in a novel folder by Friday of this week. (pockets and brads) Students can take their 12/10 AR quiz on these novels.

Monday IC- Finish and proofread novel assessments

Monday HW-none

Tuesday IC- Vocabulary Review and quiz for Enriched LA classes* Standard LA will proofread novel assessments for errors.*Introduce novel

Tuesday HW- Write one paragraph predicting your novel’s plot.

Wednesday IC- Check prediction paragraphs*Introduce novels*Explore biographical information concerning the author.*Provide a glossary for novel vocabulary terms. ***Enriched classes had a quiz on the benevolent list today. Today was Club Picture Day, so students were coming and going throughout the day.

Wednesday HW- Remember to get a novel folder! :-)

Thursday IC- Explore novel*Read novel together in class and discuss characters as we are introduced to them.

Thursday HW- Remember to get a novel folder! :-)

Friday IC- Read novel together in class, stopping to discuss the plot as it unfolds. *Review vocabulary terms.

Friday HW- none


Week of October 26th

October 25th, 2009

Longterm assignments for this nine- week period for all classes:

Book Report assignment was given Tuesday, 10/6. The genre for this nine- week period is historical fiction or classic literature. Once again, the students will take an AR quiz on the novel by October 30th. In addition to the AR quiz, the students will also write an essay discussing the plot elements of the book IN CLASS on October 30th. I will discuss the details of the written report with the students this week in class.

Students are also required to read a novel for AR this nine -week period just like the first nine week period. This novel can be any genre, but it must be at least a 6.0(+) level for Tigers, Bulldogs, and Gators. The level must be 5.0(+) for the Volunteers. The due date for ALL AR quizzes was sent home at the beginning of the year with the students. The best time to take an AR quiz is during AM homeroom.The due date for the AR novel quiz is December 10th.

Tigers, Bulldogs, and Gators ONLY: New five vocabulary page will be assigned on Monday along with a writing prompt. Both assignments will be due on Monday, November 2nd. The vocabulary quiz will be administered on Monday as well.

Monday IC- Tigers, Bulldogs, and Tigers: Deliver persuasive speech

Vols: Share descriptive essays

Begin grammar review sheet 55*Discuss book report written response for 10/30.  Students will complete this report IN CLASS on Friday, October 30th.

Monday HW- Finish 55…Library tomorrow! Finish your novel tonight, and you can take your AR quiz tomorrow! :-)

Tuesday IC-Library! :-) Hand out skill sheet 83/85 discussing written expression

Tuesday HW- Finish 83/85*Only diagram #1 and #2

Wednesday IC- Check 55 and 83/85 with ball toss*Complete skill sheet 87 on written expression with group members

Wednesday HW- Finish 87*Quiz tomorrow on written expression

Thursday IC-Check skill sheet 87 with ball toss*Administer quiz on written expression*Provide class practice with written expression

Thursday HW- Novel assessment is tomorrow IN CLASS

Friday IC- Students will respond to novel questions focusing on the literature elements we have discussed in class this year. *Explore/read new selection: “After Twenty Years”

Friday HW- Finish reading “After Twenty Years”*Quiz on Monday on the reading selection

Week of October 19th

October 18th, 2009

Longterm assignments for this nine- week period for all classes:

Book Report assignment was given Tuesday, 10/6. The genre for this nine- week period is historical fiction or classic literature. Once again, the students will take an AR quiz on the novel by October 30th. In addition to the AR quiz, the students will also write an essay discussing the plot elements of the book IN CLASS on October 30th.

Students are also required to read a novel for AR this nine -week period just like the first nine week period. This novel can be any genre, but it must be at least a 6.0(+) level for Tigers, Bulldogs, and Gators. The level must be 5.0(+) for the Volunteers. The due date for ALL AR quizzes was sent home at the beginning of the year with the students. The best time to take an AR quiz is during AM homeroom.The due date for the AR novel quiz is December 10th.

Tigers, Bulldogs, and Gators: New enriched vocabulary list will be given on Monday, 10/19* Quiz over these terms on Friday, 10/23*Creative writing prompt  using new five due on Friday, 10/23. (Must be one page in length, typed, no larger than 12 font) If you have printer issues, you may email the story to me. :-) * Highlight your vocabulary terms in the story

Monday IC- Check guided notes on conjunctions and interjections*Provide class practice with conjunctions and interjections*Check Collection 1 Skills Review*Complete Collection 2 Skills Review*Clean out binders!

Monday HW-Finish workbook pages

Tuesday IC- Check workbook pages*Introduce “Echo and Narcissus”*Explore vocabulary terms for new selection

Tuesday HW- Finish vocabulary definitions and sentences* Finish reading the story*OPEN HOUSE! :-)

Wednesday IC- Tigers, Bulldogs, and Gators: Begin adapting persuasive essay into a persuasive speech and discuss rubric for speech* Volunteers: Adapt descriptive essay for oral presentation*All classes will have a quiz on “Echo and Narcissus”*Listen to story on CD

Wednesday HW- none

Thursday IC- Answer Response and Analysis questions for selection*Discuss writing prompt for Friday test*Review vocabulary terms*Provide class time to work on oral presentations

Thursday HW- Test tomorrow!

Friday IC- Administer test on “Echo and Narcissus” *Complete Collection 3 Skills Review* Final preparations for oral presentations on Monday, 10/26.

Friday HW- Tigers, Bulldogs, and Gators: Prepare to deliver your persuasive speech on Monday!

Volunteers: Prepare to share your descriptive essays on Monday!

****Try to finish your book report novel (historical fiction or classic) this weekend. We go to the library next Tuesday, 10/27, and you can take your AR quiz at that time.

October 14th, 15th, and 16th

October 14th, 2009

Longterm assignments for this nine- week period for all classes:

Book Report assignment was given Tuesday, 10/6. The genre for this nine- week period is historical fiction or classic literature. Once again, the students will take an AR quiz on the novel by October 30th. In addition to the AR quiz, the students will also write an essay discussing the plot elements of the book IN CLASS on October 30th.

Students are also required to read a novel for AR this nine -week period just like the first nine week period. This novel can be any genre, but it must be at least a 6.0(+) level for Tigers, Bulldogs, and Gators. The level must be 5.0(+) for the Volunteers. The due date for ALL AR quizzes was sent home at the beginning of the year with the students. The best time to take an AR quiz is during AM homeroom.

Students will recite poetry again during the second nine -week period. The poem will be given out next week with a recitation date of Tuesday, 11/10.

Wednesday IC- Discuss short story element review quiz taken before Fall Break*Discuss essay assignment:Vols are writing a descriptive essay; Tigers, Bulldogs, Gators are writing a persuasive essay

Wednesday HW- Tigers, Bulldogs, and Gators: Cite two facts to back up your persuasive essay topic. These must be actual facts/statistics from articles or web sites. CITE YOUR SOURCE! If you collect your information from an internet site, I must have the URL address.

Vols: Write your thesis statement for your descriptive essay*Finish your collection one skills review if you did not in class

Thursday IC- Check assignments regarding essay assignments*Check the collection one skills review*Complete rough draft of essay assignment and proofread with a partner

Thursday HW- Finish rough draft if you did not in class*Parent Teacher Conferences are tonight! Open times are from 4:00-5:30. Scheduled times are from 5:30-7:00.

Friday IC- Write final draft of essay in blue or black ink, cursive writing and submit*Complete guided notes on conjunctions and interjections and complete class practice

Friday HW- Read your book report novel! :-)

OPEN HOUSE IS OCTOBER 20TH! SEE YOU THERE! :-)

Week of October 5th

October 4th, 2009

Long-term assignments: We will go to the library on Tuesday, 10/6. Students will check out their book report novel for the second nine-week period. The genre for the second nine weeks must be classic literature or historical fiction. Students must finish the novel by October 30, giving them 3 1/2 weeks to read the novel. They will take an AR test for the novel and write an essay report in class. The two grades will be averaged together. Happy Reading! :-) Students should always have their novel in class. Unfortunately, students receive a conduct mark when they do not bring their novel to class. :-(

Monday IC- *Review prepositional phrases*Review short story elements covered this nine-week period*Create flashcards for short story elements covered this nine week period

Monday HW- Finish flashcards*Library tomorrow!

Tuesday IC- Library! :-) Bring your library books! We will check out our book report novel for the second nine-week period.

Tuesday HW- Finish flashcards from Monday.

Wednesday IC- Check flashcards*Review terms using flashcards with a partner.

Wednesday HW- none

Thursday IC- Provide class practice with prepositional phrases*Study flashcards and discuss examples for each from our previous stories.

Thursday HW- Study for your quiz!

Friday IC- *Administer quiz on literary elements from our previous stories*Read book report novel

Friday HW- Read your book report novel. You must complete the novel by October 30th. No school on Monday and Tuesday, the 12th and 13th. Enjoy your Fall Break!

Week of September 28th

September 29th, 2009

Long-term assignment reminders for this week: All classes must take an AR quiz on their AR book by Thursday, October 1st.  AM homeroom is a great time to take an AR quiz. If your child arrives at school at 7:45, they have until 8:05 to go to the library and take an AR quiz.

Tigers, Bulldogs, and Gators ONLY: Your Reflections Entry is due on October 8th. You may enter any category; you don’t have to enter the literature category. Have fun! :-) Your vocabulary flip chart (auspicious list) is due on Friday, October 2nd. Remember: Front flap has your word and the part of speech…Second flap has the definition…Third flap has a 10-word well-developed sentence with context clues;highlight your vocabulary word…Backsplash has the illustration completed with colored pencils. Quiz over these words on Monday, 10/5.

Monday IC- Review parts of speech already covered*Introduce prepositional phrases

Monday HW- finish skill sheet 105

Tuesday IC- Check 105*Provide class practice on prepositional phrases with 107* Discuss reading selection “Antaeus”*Listen to story*Review vocabulary words(resolute list)

Tuesday HW-Finish 1-5 at the top of page 107

Wednesday IC- Check 107*Finish 107 for class practice*Answer Response and Analysis questions and Reading Check for selelction*

Wednesday HW- AR quiz is due tomorrow

Thursday IC- AR quiz due today*Review selection and vocabulary terms for selection*Provide class practice with prepositional phrases and diagramming*

Thursday HW- Test tomorrow on “Antaeus” * Quiz on prepositional phrases* Complete Grammar Workbook page for review on prepositional phrases

Friday IC- Administer test on “Antaeus” *Administer quiz on prepositional phrases

Friday HW- none

Week of September 21st

September 21st, 2009

Long-term assignment reminders for Tigers, Bulldogs, and Gators ONLY:  Reflections contest entry due on October 8th. You may enter any category; your entry does not have to be for the literature category. *Vocabulary page for new six due on Wednesday, 9/23. Short story written with new six due on Wednesday, 9/23*Quiz on new six on Wednesday, 9/23.

Long-term assignment reminders for ALL classes: Your AR quiz for your AR novel is due on October 1st. Remember to print your AR quiz and place it in the AR caddy.

Monday IC- Introduce “The Smallest Dragonboy”* Copy vocabulary terms into binder*Introduce adverbs*

Monday HW- finish reading selection and finish notes on adverbs, finish Quick Check 5 on adverbs in Literature book

Tigers, Bulldogs, and Gators: Finish flashcards for enriched vocabulary list

Tuesday IC- Check the Quick Check 5* Check vocabulary terms and definitions*Review vocabulary terms*Provide class practice with adverbs*Listen to the selection on CD

Tuesday HW- adverb practice sheet

Wednesday IC- Check adverb practice sheet*Administer quiz on “The Smallest Dragonboy”*Answer the response and analysis questions and discuss answers*Provide class practice with adverbs

Wednesday HW- none

Thursday IC- Vocabulary activity for review*Provide class practice with adverbs*Discuss  short story elements for “The Smallest Dragonboy” and complete test review with partner*Discuss writing prompt for Friday test

Thursday HW-Test tomorrow on “The Smallest Dragonboy” *Quiz on adverbs! :-) *Finish adverb skill sheet

Friday IC- Check adverb skill sheet*Administer test on selection* Administer quiz on adverbs

Friday HW- Read your AR novel! :-) Have a great weekend!