In the spirit of the season, classes viewed part 1 of Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol (version with George C. Scott), with the intent of sharpening observations on the following: mood, theme and character traits. Students are taking brief notes on these items, with the goal of completing an essay after the holiday break.
All Rifka work must be turned in by tomorrow!
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Rifka Exam I & II
Yesterday and today students took the Rifka exam. Some may finish essays at home, but there was enough time given for most to finish.
Response journals and question packets are also being collected. Please make sure answers in question packet are in complete sentences and punctuated.
Students have until Friday to hand all work in.
Rifka books must also be returned.
Response journals and question packets are also being collected. Please make sure answers in question packet are in complete sentences and punctuated.
Students have until Friday to hand all work in.
Rifka books must also be returned.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Poetry I
Om: freewrite
Took last weeks spelling test.
We began a poetry unit today. Reviewed some basic vocabulary (alliteration, simile, metaphor). I read a short poem to the classes called "Rainy Daze". We discussed what the poem was about on the surface (rainy days) and, by analyzing the words and images used by the author, determined the poem was really about depression.
We'll be reading more poetry and practicing how to reach the deeper meaning.
Tomorrow we take the Rifka test. Response journals and question packets are also due.
Took last weeks spelling test.
We began a poetry unit today. Reviewed some basic vocabulary (alliteration, simile, metaphor). I read a short poem to the classes called "Rainy Daze". We discussed what the poem was about on the surface (rainy days) and, by analyzing the words and images used by the author, determined the poem was really about depression.
We'll be reading more poetry and practicing how to reach the deeper meaning.
Tomorrow we take the Rifka test. Response journals and question packets are also due.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Math Benchmark
Math test today. See yesterday's post for what's up for next week.
Reminder... Spelling/vocab test will be on Monday. No new spelling list, though.
Reminder... Spelling/vocab test will be on Monday. No new spelling list, though.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Assessment Practice: Reading/Writing VI & VII
Didn't post yesterday!
Yesterday's class was pretty much the same as today. We wrote in journals about Rifka and worked on the essay. Most are done and those who didn't must finish it for homework.
Checked response journals today. Classes should be around page 120 in Rifka, and should plan on finishing the book this weekend.
Students are taking a math benchmark tomorrow, so spelling test will be Monday.
Grades close tomorrow. All overdue work must be in.
Homework:
~Continue Rifka, questions and response journals.
~Finish essay
~Study spelling/ vocab
Look ahead:
~No spelling next week.
~Interim reports completed by Tuesday.
~Test on Rifka Tuesday. Questions and response journals will also be due. The second five week period will, therefore, start off with three major grades. Please check response journals and question packets for complete sentences!
Yesterday's class was pretty much the same as today. We wrote in journals about Rifka and worked on the essay. Most are done and those who didn't must finish it for homework.
Checked response journals today. Classes should be around page 120 in Rifka, and should plan on finishing the book this weekend.
Students are taking a math benchmark tomorrow, so spelling test will be Monday.
Grades close tomorrow. All overdue work must be in.
Homework:
~Continue Rifka, questions and response journals.
~Finish essay
~Study spelling/ vocab
Look ahead:
~No spelling next week.
~Interim reports completed by Tuesday.
~Test on Rifka Tuesday. Questions and response journals will also be due. The second five week period will, therefore, start off with three major grades. Please check response journals and question packets for complete sentences!
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Assessment Practice: Reading/Writing V
OM: Describe Rifka's relationship with Pieter. Use details from the story to support your answer.
I noted to the classes that we are on track to finish the Rifka by the weekend, so the exam will be next Tuesday. Response journals and question packet will be awarded major grades at that time. Also, response journals will be checked and given a monor grade this Thursday.
Periods 1 & 2:
We continued with assessment practice. Explained using the planning page for the essay, and that choosing the text examples and ideas you are going to use before writing is important.
Planning page was completed, essay begun.
Period 3: 8th graders had an assemply in the auditorium on the importance of the upcoming ELA assessment, and incentives and rewards were discussed for good performance.
Note: Grades close for interim reports this Friday. (Yes, already!)
HW:
~Same Rifka assignments
~Study Spelling/vocab
I noted to the classes that we are on track to finish the Rifka by the weekend, so the exam will be next Tuesday. Response journals and question packet will be awarded major grades at that time. Also, response journals will be checked and given a monor grade this Thursday.
Periods 1 & 2:
We continued with assessment practice. Explained using the planning page for the essay, and that choosing the text examples and ideas you are going to use before writing is important.
Planning page was completed, essay begun.
Period 3: 8th graders had an assemply in the auditorium on the importance of the upcoming ELA assessment, and incentives and rewards were discussed for good performance.
Note: Grades close for interim reports this Friday. (Yes, already!)
HW:
~Same Rifka assignments
~Study Spelling/vocab
Monday, December 11, 2006
Assessment Practice: Reading/Writing IV
OM: Describe one character trait of Rifka's. Use details from the story to support your answer. (thesis-proof)
We discussed the definition of 'character trait' briefly, with particular attention to the fact that a 'trait' is not a temporary condition. For example, Rifka was depressed because she couldn't go to America with her family. Rifka, however, is not a depressed person. Some traits shared were clever, kind, generous and brave.
We continued with the reading/writing assessment practice: Discussed the contructed response question for the poem, "The Things That haven't Been Done Before", wrote and shared answers. Students were strongly urged to use specific examples from the text to make sure the question is fully answered.
HW:
~Vocab definitions
~Continue Rifka
~Rifka, another 10 pages. (Should be somewhere from page 900 to page 100.)
~Response journals. (should have 14-17 by now)
~Questions
We discussed the definition of 'character trait' briefly, with particular attention to the fact that a 'trait' is not a temporary condition. For example, Rifka was depressed because she couldn't go to America with her family. Rifka, however, is not a depressed person. Some traits shared were clever, kind, generous and brave.
We continued with the reading/writing assessment practice: Discussed the contructed response question for the poem, "The Things That haven't Been Done Before", wrote and shared answers. Students were strongly urged to use specific examples from the text to make sure the question is fully answered.
HW:
~Vocab definitions
~Continue Rifka
~Rifka, another 10 pages. (Should be somewhere from page 900 to page 100.)
~Response journals. (should have 14-17 by now)
~Questions
Friday, December 08, 2006
Spelling Quiz/ Assessment Practice: Reading/Writing III
Took the spelling quiz (Much better grades this week!).
Read a poem, "The Things That haven't Been Done before" by Edgar guest, discussed main ideas, verse titles and meaning.
Keep reading Rifka over the weekend!
Here's next week's spelling list. Do Monday's homework for 20 bonus points!
regret
regretted
admit
admitted
occur
occurred
equip
equipped
label
labelled
(Note: Labelled had been mispelled. Thanks to NF for pointing that out.
Read a poem, "The Things That haven't Been Done before" by Edgar guest, discussed main ideas, verse titles and meaning.
Keep reading Rifka over the weekend!
Here's next week's spelling list. Do Monday's homework for 20 bonus points!
regret
regretted
admit
admitted
occur
occurred
equip
equipped
label
labelled
(Note: Labelled had been mispelled. Thanks to NF for pointing that out.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Assessment Practice: Reading/Writing II
Late post!
Om: What is the most important part of Rifka so far? Why?
I checked response journals. Many were outstanding but some were very disappointing. Each response should be 8 to 12 lines, although I will consider the average as long as most are within acceptable lengths, and edited for punctuation and grammar. Many students had responses 2 or 3 lines. Not acceptable.
I told everyone that I will improve the grade awarded if they are rewritten.
We went over the passage read yesterday, discussed paragraph titles and identified important details referring to the main character. Classes went well with high participation and focus.
HW:
~Spelling/vocab quiz tomorrow!
~Rifka, another 10 pages. (Should be somewhere from page 70 to page 80.
~Response journals.
~Questions
Om: What is the most important part of Rifka so far? Why?
I checked response journals. Many were outstanding but some were very disappointing. Each response should be 8 to 12 lines, although I will consider the average as long as most are within acceptable lengths, and edited for punctuation and grammar. Many students had responses 2 or 3 lines. Not acceptable.
I told everyone that I will improve the grade awarded if they are rewritten.
We went over the passage read yesterday, discussed paragraph titles and identified important details referring to the main character. Classes went well with high participation and focus.
HW:
~Spelling/vocab quiz tomorrow!
~Rifka, another 10 pages. (Should be somewhere from page 70 to page 80.
~Response journals.
~Questions
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Assessment Practice: Reading/Writing
OM: What impact did having ringworm have on Rifka's journey? Use as many spelling words as you can in your answer.
With a little over a month until the state assessment, and the third benchmark coming up the week after Christmas break, we'll be concentrating on the reading/writing portion of the test. We reviewed thesis-proof and will try a slightly different strategy for titling paragraphs in the reading. Instead of struggling over a proper title, student will underline important details and the main idea in each paragraph, ask themselves, "What is this paragraph about?", then write what comes to mind in the margin. They are not to take more than 3 seconds to do this. If an answer doesn't come to mind, keep reading.
It is important manage time wisely during the assessment. The last thing we want is students rushing through the end of the test, or not finishing at all, because they've spent too much time on titling.
Students read a passage according the above directions and finished the first constructed response. We'll continue tomorrow.
Homework:
~Study spelling/vocab
~Keep reading Rifka, at least another 10 pages
~response journals
~question packet
With a little over a month until the state assessment, and the third benchmark coming up the week after Christmas break, we'll be concentrating on the reading/writing portion of the test. We reviewed thesis-proof and will try a slightly different strategy for titling paragraphs in the reading. Instead of struggling over a proper title, student will underline important details and the main idea in each paragraph, ask themselves, "What is this paragraph about?", then write what comes to mind in the margin. They are not to take more than 3 seconds to do this. If an answer doesn't come to mind, keep reading.
It is important manage time wisely during the assessment. The last thing we want is students rushing through the end of the test, or not finishing at all, because they've spent too much time on titling.
Students read a passage according the above directions and finished the first constructed response. We'll continue tomorrow.
Homework:
~Study spelling/vocab
~Keep reading Rifka, at least another 10 pages
~response journals
~question packet
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Letters from Rifka II + Portfolios
Notes:
~I attended a conference yesterday. Students continued reading Rifka in class.
~Grades on last weeks spelling/vocab test were generally poor. Students must take the time to ensure they know the spelling and the definitions. Too many low spelling/vocab grades will drag down the minor grade average.
OM: What is Rifka's relationship like with Saul? Use details from the story to support your answer.
Rifka Progress:
Students in periods 1 & 2 should be in the vicinity of page 60 by the end of the day, with 8 response journals completed.
Period 3 should have about 50 pages and 7 response journals completed.
Students were given a packet of questions to be answered as they are reading. Answers should be little more than one, complete sentence.
Response journals will be examined tommorow for completeness. A minor grade will be awarded for completeness, neatness and editing.
Generally, students are finding the story enjoyable so far.
Lots of work was handed back today, including 6 assignments which were added to the student portfolios.
HW:
~Study spelling/vocab!
~Continue reading Rifka (see above for where they should be)
~Response Journals
~Question packet
~I attended a conference yesterday. Students continued reading Rifka in class.
~Grades on last weeks spelling/vocab test were generally poor. Students must take the time to ensure they know the spelling and the definitions. Too many low spelling/vocab grades will drag down the minor grade average.
OM: What is Rifka's relationship like with Saul? Use details from the story to support your answer.
Rifka Progress:
Students in periods 1 & 2 should be in the vicinity of page 60 by the end of the day, with 8 response journals completed.
Period 3 should have about 50 pages and 7 response journals completed.
Students were given a packet of questions to be answered as they are reading. Answers should be little more than one, complete sentence.
Response journals will be examined tommorow for completeness. A minor grade will be awarded for completeness, neatness and editing.
Generally, students are finding the story enjoyable so far.
Lots of work was handed back today, including 6 assignments which were added to the student portfolios.
HW:
~Study spelling/vocab!
~Continue reading Rifka (see above for where they should be)
~Response Journals
~Question packet
Friday, December 01, 2006
Letters from Rifka
Students received the book Letters from Rifka by Karen Hesse and completed book cards, then took the spelling/vocab quiz.
The book was introduced. We read and discussed the Author's Note. Our goal is to finish the book and all related activities before the holiday break.
Students are to keep a 'Response Journal' for this story. It can be a separate notebook, a section in their ELA notebook or kept on separate sheets of paper in a folder (not advisable).
They are to write a Response Journal entry for each letter in the book. (The book is separated into letters, not chapters.) The response can be an explanation of the connection between the letter's opening quote and the letter's content, or what is considered the most important part of the letter can be selected and explained. Each response should be numberered and be around one half side of the paper, about 8 to 12 lines, in length. These responses should not be summaries.
Homework for Monday:
Periods 1 & 2 are to read up to page 32 (4 response journals).
Period 3 is to read up to page 25 (3 response journals).
Next weeks Spelling list: Do definitions for 20 bonus points!
1. immigrant
2. foreign
3. country
4. journey
5. citizenship
6. passport
7. famine
8. discrimination
9. disease
10. government
The book was introduced. We read and discussed the Author's Note. Our goal is to finish the book and all related activities before the holiday break.
Students are to keep a 'Response Journal' for this story. It can be a separate notebook, a section in their ELA notebook or kept on separate sheets of paper in a folder (not advisable).
They are to write a Response Journal entry for each letter in the book. (The book is separated into letters, not chapters.) The response can be an explanation of the connection between the letter's opening quote and the letter's content, or what is considered the most important part of the letter can be selected and explained. Each response should be numberered and be around one half side of the paper, about 8 to 12 lines, in length. These responses should not be summaries.
Homework for Monday:
Periods 1 & 2 are to read up to page 32 (4 response journals).
Period 3 is to read up to page 25 (3 response journals).
Next weeks Spelling list: Do definitions for 20 bonus points!
1. immigrant
2. foreign
3. country
4. journey
5. citizenship
6. passport
7. famine
8. discrimination
9. disease
10. government
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