Tuesday, October 9, 2007

We really started our Heritage unit today, delving into our new shared reading book, American Mosaic. The book is a collection of transcribed monologues from people who have immigrated to America from all over the world. Most of the pieces are very short and life-like, but their experiences are fascinating. We read about a little girl who grew up in Germany during World War II today, Hilda Gerhart. Her experience in the USA was not as fulfilling as she would have liked. We are hoping to transcribe our own monologues by the end of next week, if possible.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL 29
Poetry
Lit. Circles
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 29
Poetry
American Mosaic: “Hilda Gerhart,” p. 148
The American Immigrant Experience Chart
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 29
Poetry
American Mosaic: “Hilda Gerhart,” p. 148
The American Immigrant Experience Chart
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Monday, October 8, 2007

It has been a crazy but fun Monday. My ELD class is getting much more used to the routine of switching groups and reading, which is great. My 8th grade classes were rewarded for doing their work with an art project: making little pinwheels, the easiest whirligigs I could find online. They were fun, but a number of people who hadn’t finished their homework were disappointed ….

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL 28
Poetry
Shining Star Green, TB pp. 12-13; WB pp. 2-3
Shining Star Red, WB pp. 1-11
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 28
Poetry
Put The Book Back on the Shelf
Pinwheel Whirligigs
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 28
Poetry
Whirligig
Put The Book Back on the Shelf
Pinwheel Whirligigs
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Friday, October 5, 2007

Today was Fun Friday, though it was also a mad push to finish Whirligig in my 8th grade classes. I think that Whirligig is one of the most difficult books most of the 8th graders have ever read; it is very adult in theme and vocabulary, not to mention the fact that it references all sorts of cultural norms that many of us have never experienced. Nevertheless, we finished the book and have completed our challenge!

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL 27
Poetry
Independent Reading
Check Reading Logs
Make-Up Work / Games

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 27
Poetry
Independent Reading
Check Reading Logs
Whirligig

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner; Family Tree and My Life Story due Monday

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 27
Poetry
Independent Reading
Check Reading Logs
Whirligig

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner; Family Tree and My Life Story due Monday

Thursday, October 4, 2007

We worked on pro/con lists for graphic organizers in class today. I think that students were really interested in the fact that they didn’t have to use the same graphic organizer all the time, and that different ones might be better for different uses. I like that thought; I find graphic organizers to be cumbersome, but I know that other people need them, especially those who need to organize their writing.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL 26
Poetry
Lit. Circle Review
Lit. Circle Sheets
Lit. Circles

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 26
Poetry
Graphic Organizers: Telling My Life Story
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner; Family Tree and My Life Story due Monday

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 26
Poetry
Graphic Organizers: Telling My Life Story
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner; Family Tree and My Life Story due Monday

Thursday, October 4, 2007

We worked on pro/con lists for graphic organizers in class today. I think that students were really interested in the fact that they didn’t have to use the same graphic organizer all the time, and that different ones might be better for different uses. I like that thought; I find graphic organizers to be cumbersome, but I know that other people need them, especially those who need to organize their writing.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL 26
Poetry
Lit. Circle Review
Lit. Circle Sheets
Lit. Circles

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 26
Poetry
Graphic Organizers: Telling My Life Story
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner; Family Tree and My Life Story due Monday

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 26
Poetry
Graphic Organizers: Telling My Life Story
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner; Family Tree and My Life Story due Monday

Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Today was a pretty good day. We are working on some new curriculum in my ELD class and it might be really useful. In my other 8th grade classes we are working on our Heritage unit. Students should be working on their family tree this weekend. I love this stuff.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL 25
Poetry
“The First Americans”
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 25
Poetry
Family Trees: Our Own
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner; Family Tree due Monday

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 25
Poetry
Family Trees: Our Own
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner; Family Tree due Monday

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Well, today was interesting. The news that Horace Mann would be consolidated into an ECE-8 school didn’t really matter that much to my students, since most of them (we hope!) will move on to high school next year. It’s been a rollercoaster for the teachers, though, especially after last year. But I think that it will be an excellent change, one that is good for both students and community.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL 24
Poetry
Assembly
Intro to Shining Star

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 24
Poetry
Family Trees: George Washington
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 24
Poetry
Family Trees: George Washington
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Monday, October 1, 2007

A new week; we’re starting a new unit as we phase out some of what we’ve done before. I’m excited about this unit; it’s all about telling one’s own story in various ways. Students will have an opportunity to write a monologue from an interview, a poem explaining their heritage, and a research study of their own name. It should be a great unit – I almost worry that we can’t get everything done in just six weeks!

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL 23
Poetry
Discovery Quick Write
Reading Processes Review
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 23
Poetry
Heritage Quick Write
Reading Processes Review
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 23
Poetry
Heritage Quick Write
Reading Processes Review
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Friday, September 28, 2007

Friday can be fun if you’ve turned all of your work into me. I allowed the students who turned in both their writing pieces and their reading logs to play games. I have Scrabble, Bananagrams, Apples to Apples, Chess …. I’m hoping to get more. In the meantime, I hope that this encourages students to turn in all of their homework.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL 22
Poetry
CHECK READING LOGS
Independent Reading
Games / Makeup Work

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 22
Poetry
CHECK READING LOGS
Independent Reading
Games / Makeup Work

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 22
Poetry
CHECK READING LOGS
Independent Reading
Games / Makeup Work

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Today students’ first publishable piece of writing was due. I had about 60% of them turned in on time, which is disappointing. I’m hoping that some of them come in fairly soon.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL 21
Poetry
Independent Writing, Due TODAY
Literature Circles
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 21
Poetry
Independent Writing, Due TODAY
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 21
Poetry
Independent Writing, Due TODAY
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

I find that all classes are not the same when it comes to working. In fact, I have found that it very much depends on the students as to what we finish, or at least my relationship with the students. Everyone has their first piece of writing due tomorrow, and I am very curious as to who will finish it and who will amaze me. I have some good guesses already.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL Test
Poetry
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
Literature Circles

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL Test
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL Test
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Today was an excellent day. All my classes were well behaved, with very few exceptions, and we got a lot of work done. We talked about reading letters today, which will be one of our biggest grades this year. Students will have to write 4-6 paragraphs about a book they have read or are reading, and I write back to them. I love the personal communication about reading and books that this creates.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL 20
Poetry
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
Reading Letters Examples
Literature Circles

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 20
Poetry
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
Reading Letters Examples
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 20
Poetry
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
Reading Letters Examples
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Monday, September 24, 2007

Today was a crazy day. There were discipline problems, it hailed, and we had a lock-down. Thankfully, everyone is OK and there were no major developments.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL 19
Poetry
Vivid and Precise Language
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
CHECK READING LOGS!
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 19
Poetry
Vivid and Precise Language
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
CHECK READING LOGS!
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 19
Poetry
Vivid and Precise Language
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
CHECK READING LOGS!
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Students have a three-day weekend while we, the teacher grade their tests. In the meantime, we are trying to finish up a lot of extra work so that we can switch units fairly soon.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL 18
Poetry
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 18
Poetry
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 18
Poetry
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

It was National Talk Like A Pirate Day today, and so we celebrated with some pirate talk and pirate poetry. I have to say that one student, who sang the pirate poetry for the day, made me happy. He did a great job.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL Talk Like a Pirate Day
Poetry
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL Talk Like a Pirate Day
Poetry
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL Talk Like a Pirate Day
Poetry
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

I was sick all weekend. I slept most of Saturday and Sunday, not to mention Friday night. I’m still not quite on my game these days, but I’m trying! I will try not to get anyone else sick ….

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL 17
Poetry
Triggers for Writing
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
SWBTS (Someone Wanted But Then So)
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 17
Poetry
Triggers for Writing
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
SWBTS (Someone Wanted But Then So)
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 17
Poetry
Triggers for Writing
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
SWBTS (Someone Wanted But Then So)

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Monday, September 17, 2007

I was sick all weekend. I slept most of Saturday and Sunday, not to mention Friday night. I’m still not quite on my game these days, but I’m trying! I will try not to get anyone else sick ….

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL 16
Poetry
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
Independent Reading Logs
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 16
Poetry
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
Independent Reading Logs
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 16
Poetry
Independent Writing, Due 9/27
Independent Reading Logs
Whirligig

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Friday, September 14, 2007

Friday, and the classes were

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL 15
Poetry
Spelling Test
Games / Mad Libs – check Reading Logs!

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 15
Poetry
Independent Reading
Mad Libs -- check Reading Logs!

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
Assembly: Rudy Balles and Peace Jam

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Thursday, September 13, 2007

We finished official Benchmark Testing! We spent one last class period working on the second draft of our Writing Tests, and now all we have left are make-ups, though we have many of those. In other news, most of the classes were wonderful today – attentive and so brilliant. There were a few that weren’t, but we’ll work with those.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
Poetry
Reading Groups
Benchmark Writing Test, Part 2

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
Independent Reading
Benchmark Writing Test, Part 2
Whirligig

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
Independent Reading
Benchmark Writing Test, Part 2
Whirligig

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

The second day of Benchmark Testing for the District. These tests help us, as teachers and a district, determine what to teach and focus on throughout the year. It provides the teachers with real data about students and what they understand and what they don’t understand. The Benchmarks were created by the Princeton Review, one of the main prep course providers for the SAT and ACT in high school, specifically for Denver Public Schools in an effort to mimic CSAP. Ahhh, testing. Students were OK today – the writing prompt is a difficult question this test, one that assumes students are familiar with certain English idioms. Oh well.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
Poetry
Reading Group Preparation
Benchmark Writing Test, Part 1

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
Poetry
Whirligig
Benchmark Writing Test, Part 1
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
Benchmark Writing Test, Part 1
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

We began the Benchmark today. Overall, I was very impressed with how seriously all of my students took it and how well they managed a 70-minute Reading Test so early in the year. We’ll see how it goes …. There’s always room for improvement.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
Benchmark Reading Test
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
Benchmark Reading Test
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
Benchmark Reading Test
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Monday, September 10, 2007

Another week begins before any of us are ready. There were SO many students gone today, it was strange. But I am VERY proud of three students in my 8/9 period class, because they mastered the spelling of the names of all the students in their class. We’re working on knowing all of them so that we can build our community in a respectful manner.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
DOL 14
Spelling Test Prep
Reading Groups: choosing groups, names, and books

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 14
Spelling Test: Class names
Shared Reading: Whirligig
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 14
Spelling Test: Class names
Shared Reading: Whirligig
Independent Reading
HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Friday, September 7, 2007

Fridays are always calmer than Thursdays – it’s so nice to come back after a hard day and get some real work and enjoyment done.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
Diagnostic Test: Intro
Diagnostic Test: B
(SRI)
Independent Reading
Games

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 13
Spelling Test
(SRI)
Independent Reading
Mad Libs

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 13
(SRI)
Where I’m From Poem

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Aieee! We switched schedules today and I have never seen such disrespectful behavior from students; I guess they really don’t like change very much. What can you do? Tomorrow is another day.

7th / 8th Grade English Language Development
The Rules
What is English Language Development?
Spelling Test, Part 1

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 12
Poetry 180
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 12
Poetry 180
Spelling Test
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Today was a little better. Some students felt like working, which makes me want to sing! To sing! We had a little chaos, though, because we’re trying to test every student with the Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI), a computerized leveled reading test. With such large classes, we have to send little groups up at a time, and that definitely disrupts the class.

7th Grade Literacy
DOL 11
Poetry 180
Hoot / SRI
Mad Libs ☺

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 11
Poetry 180
Whirligig / SRI

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 11
Whirligig / SRI

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Well, we all came back after the three-day weekend hyper and squirrelly. Sometimes students (and teachers) just act like squirrels – they chatter for no reason, they dash across small spaces, they climb the walls. It was a buy and difficult day, to say the least.

7th Grade Literacy
DOL 10
Poetry 180
Writing: Details
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 10
Poetry 180
Writing: Details
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 10
Writing: Details
Whirligig

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Friday, August 31, 2007

I can hardly believe that we have already been in school for two weeks. It was a pretty good week, though I can’t wait until we get a new schedule. So many students were absent today, it was like having different classes! I hope they make up their work ….

7th Grade Literacy
DOL 9
CHECK READING LOGS!
Poetry 180
Independent Writing
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 9
CHECK READING LOGS!
Poetry 180
Independent Writing
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 9
CHECK READING LOGS!
Poetry 180
Independent Writing
Whirligig

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Whew. I had to run out right after school Thursday, so am posting this late. I have renewed my CPR certification, though, so all is well with my soul.

7th Grade Literacy
DOL 8
Poetry 180
Planning: Pets
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 8
Poetry 180
Planning: Pets
Book Sort
Independent Reading

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 8
Poetry 180
Planning: Pets
Whirligig

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Oh! Tonight was Back To School Night, and it was so nice to meet parents and grandparents and siblings. School really is a collaboration between all involved, and when I know that parents are concerned, I know that both I and the student have some real support. If you weren’t able to make it, please feel free to call me!

7th Grade Literacy
DOL 7
Poetry 180
Mini-lesson: Planning
Independent Writing
Reading Log Explanation
Book check-out

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 7
Poetry 180
Mini-lesson: Planning
Independent Writing
Reading Log Explanation
Book check-out

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 7
Poetry 180
Mini-lesson: Planning
Independent Writing
Reading Log Explanation
Shared Reading: Whirligig

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Tomorrow is Back to School night, which is great. In the meantime, today was hot, humid, sticky, and the classes are so full, it’s painful. Ouch.

7th Grade Literacy
DOL 6
Writing Sample 1: Heroes, Pt 2

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 6
Writing Sample 1: Heroes, Pt 2
Genres
HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 6
Writing Sample 1: Heroes, Pt 2
Book Pass

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

Monday, August 27, 2007

Whew. I am so glad that the weather is supposed to get cooler, because I don’t know how much longer we can fit 45 people in my little classroom! Coming into the room from the hall is a little like entering a sauna. Ew.

That said, we are beginning Reading Logs now. Students should all bring home their planners and should read half an hour a night. We had a raucous book pass in the hopes that everyone would find a book to read. I can’t wait until testing is done and until our classes are finalized.

7th Grade Literacy
DOL 5
Writing Sample 1: Heroes
Book Pass

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 5
Writing Sample 1: Heroes
Book Pass

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 5
Writing Sample 1: Heroes
Book Pass

HW: Read for 30 minutes; parents sign in planner

August 24, 2007

Good news for those who want smaller classes: we are hoping to have a new schedule within a week or so. As a teacher I just find that any class over 30 is difficult to teach – I like to give more attention to each student if possible.

All in all, though, it was a very good week. Lovely, just lovely.

7th Grade Literacy
DOL 4
Poetry 180
Independent Writing
Hoot

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 4
Poetry 180
Independent Writing
Whirligig

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 4
Poetry 180
Independent Writing
Reading Survey

HW: Reading Survey (if not completed)

August 23, 2007

Well, routines are definitely coming around. I have to say that the more I get to know my students, the more I like them. Today, in all three classes, we compiled our Writing Territories. This is a list of people, places, objects, things, or ideas that we know or that interest us. In the future we will be able to look back at this list and pick something we know well, or something we love, to write about. This is one of my favorite lessons ever, though it’s a little more difficult with so many students in one room!

7th Grade Literacy
DOL 3
Poetry 180
Writing Territories
Hoot

HW: Materials List, Due 8/24
Expectations and Parent Letter, Due 8/24

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 3
Poetry 180
Writing Territories
Whirligig

HW: Materials List, Due 8/24
Expectations and Parent Letter, Due 8/24

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 3
Poetry 180
Writing Territories

HW: Materials List, Due 8/24
Expectations and Parent Letter, Due 8/24

August 22, 2007

Whew! I have never seen so many students in such a little room! Last year we were so worried about our lack of students, but now we’re practically overflowing. It’s exciting but a little challenging for all of us here at Horace Mann.

7th Grade Literacy
DOL 2
Poetry 180
Notebooks
Hoot Prediction
Hoot

HW: Materials List, Due 8/24
Expectations and Parent Letter, Due 8/24

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 2
Notebooks
Expectations and Parent Letter
Whirligig

HW: Materials List, Due 8/24
Expectations and Parent Letter, Due 8/24

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 2
Notebook
Expectations and Parent Letter
Reading Survey

HW: Materials List, Due 8/24
Expectations and Parent Letter, Due 8/24

August 21, 2007

Second day, and I feel much better about everything that’s going on. I hope that everyone else agrees with me. School will soon be routine and we will know what is expected and what we can do.

Without further ado,

7th Grade Literacy 1/2
DOL 1
Tour of the Room
Rules, Expectations, and Parent Letter
Materials List
Reading Survey

HW: Materials List, Due 8/24
Expectations and Parent Letter, Due 8/24

8th Grade Literacy 4/5
DOL 1
Tour of the Room
Reading Survey
Two Truths and A Lie

HW: Materials List, Due 8/24
Expectations and Parent Letter, Due 8/24

8th Grade Literacy 8/9
DOL 1
Sentence Completions
Tour of the Room

HW: Materials List, Due 8/24
Expectations and Parent Letter, Due 8/24

August 20, 2007 - The First Day of School

The first day of school! It was a massive rush of changes and scheduling, with classes so full and so hot that I thought we all might melt. But we made it. We listened to Principal Ludwig as he navigated everything. It was a good start.

So, every day I’ll write some thoughts and then just remind us all of what we did today, so parents can know – or at least ask me about things – and so anyone who was absent had an idea about what we did.

7th Grade Literacy
Emergency Cards
Respect: Crumpled Souls – George
Shared Reading: First Day Jitters
Sentence Completions

8th Grade Literacy
100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know: Definitions
Emergency Cards
Respect: Crumpled Souls – Nivea (4/5 period) and Lulu (8/9 period)
Sentence Completions (4/5, not 8/9)
Two Truths and A Lie
Materials List – pick up by Friday, August 24

Preparing for Day One

School starts on Monday, August 20! I am sitting at my desk in my new classroom. It’s decorated and clean, waiting for students to come and inhabit it. I checked my roster a few minutes ago and am so excited to see students again on Monday – I just hope that I have enough desks for everyone!

I look forward to a good year. This will be my second year of teaching here at Horace Mann Middle School; I love this school, its students, and its staff. Whoo-hoo!

Alpha

We all need a beginning, and all beginnnings come from an ending. Summer is almost over, and in that ending I've deiced that I need a place where I can talk to my students if they want to listen. Here we are, then -- a blog! It is the first, and so I will, as the Greeks did, refer to it as my alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet.