Friday, April 3, 2020

I’d normally say TGIF, but I will be thankful when this chaos and destruction is over. Instead, let’s simply be thankful for another day, and extend our immense gratitude and thanks to all doctors, nurses, grocery store people, and all those who are working to keep us safe, healthy, and supplied with essentials. I hope you were able to get out in your yard yesterday. I was not (I’ll try for this afternoon), BUT I was able to get Google Meet established for us today. I will post the link in GC at 11 a.m. today. If you are able to join us, great! If you aren’t, perhaps you can join us next time. Remember to follow PBIS expectations, core values, and MY expectations. 😉

Report cards will be ONLINE starting Monday. Mrs. Sabbagh will be posting information on how your parents can access them. Parents – please read and follow the directions carefully that Mrs. Sabbagh posts.

Spring Break is next week. 🎉☀️🎉 I will not be posting assignments.

• Read 30 minutes. Audible has opened up their library FREE OF CHARGE! 🎉📚🎉 Go find a great new book to crack open and lose yourself in!
• Help parents!
• Math: The MidModule Assessment will be posted in GC. Nothing to submit, but give it some honest work. You are cheating yourself if you don’t try to Learn and Succeed (get it? 😉) at the material. I will post the corrections on Monday after Spring Break.
• MathWarmUp #87: complete it on your own. Corrections are posted in GC for #86. Corrections for #87 will be posted on Monday after Spring Break.
• Language: Complete 180 Days of Language Day 5 in GC. NOTHING to submit to me today. Corrections and notes are also posted there.
• Reading: (1) 180 Days of Reading Week 25 Day 4 Corrections are posted. (2) Wayside: Quiz is posted. Complete it in the Google Doc and submit it by the end of today. Also, a couple of other fun things to complete are posted. Your quiz answers should be typed in a Google Doc and are due by the end of today. The fun things are simply for fun – nothing to submit to me.
• Science: Review all your information on the Water Cycle. Then, complete these online quizzes to check your comprehension and knowledge: (1) http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/earthguide/diagrams/watercycle/watercycleq.html (2) https://easyscienceforkids.com/water-cycle-quiz-free-interactive-general-quiz-questions-for-kids/ (3) https://www.ducksters.com/science/quiz/the_water_cycle_questions.php. (There is nothing to submit to me.)
• Virtual Spirit Week: submit a photo on how you are spending the time during this world crisis.

Google Meet

The Howard Staff had a virtual staff meeting today. After we were done, I was able to figure out some things on how to do this for our class (with Jude’s help – thank you, Jude!).

Tomorrow morning at 11 a.m., please look in Google Classroom for the invite to login. If it’s not working, it is because you aren’t logged in to your Google account. That is mandatory for it to work. You need to follow the district and my expectations about core values and being appropriate. If you aren’t, you will be removed from the Google Meet and Mrs. Sabbagh will be notified. I’m looking forward to seeing you honey bunnies tomorrow. Have a good evening – hope to “see” you tomorrow.

Virtual Spirit Day

Update on Schools – Personal Reflection

If you didn’t hear the formal announcement, Governor Whitmer signed an executive order closing schools for the remainder of this school year (unless restrictions can be put in place). I can hear some of you being happy about that. However, you being happy makes me very sad – it means you aren’t seeing the gravity/seriousness of this moment in time.

I am devastated. As your teacher, I have seen many of you grow immensely this year. I have seen your responsibility improve. I have observed the “lightbulb” going on for you. I have witnessed you taking charge of your learning, work, and behaviors. WE have worked hard together. I pray that you are still making strong decisions to stay focused with your learning that I am providing online. I am only one piece of your life puzzle. However, I know what it is store for you in middle school and beyond. I hope you see the importance and lesson of this world crisis.

I am sobbing, and I’m not embarrassed to tell you that. I am heartbroken.

Thursday, April 2, 2020

Happy Thursday! It is supposed to be BEAUTIFUL outside today! However, you still need to stay home. Go in your back yard, go in your front yard, but do not go anywhere else. I will be starting to clean out the flowers beds a little bit later this afternoon, once I get all my paperwork and classwork completed. I’m certain Stella will want to play fetch and Harley will want to simply soak up the sunshine. Enjoy today!

For those of you who are keeping up with the classwork, thank you VERY much! For those of you who aren’t, please catch up. No I won’t tell you everything that is missing – it is easier for you to go through the blog and Google Classroom and figure it out. If you submitted work, you will see it was submitted. Otherwise, it shows up as missing. I cannot control that. YOU need to submit it. (And not all of it was supposed to be submitted – some was supposed to be done mentally, on your own.) Thank you for going through your assignments on your own and taking responsibility!

My sincere apologies for this post being late – I had a couple of things to take care of first thing today.

Virtual Spirit Day today is (1) wearing crazy socks and (2) telling us how you are fighting the CoVid19 virus. Email me your photo/sentence to AlbertA@dearbornschools.org.

• Math: Review for MidModule Assessment to be posted tomorrow. I know what you’re thinking – I don’t have to review because Ms. Albertson can’t prove it. You are cheating YOURSELF! Review! I have helped YOU to develop your Math skills this – don’t cheat yourself now by not keeping up on the learning. Many of you are still behind on Zearn – catch up. (Marks noted on my checklist.) The answers for Topic B are in Google Classroom. This was probably tricky for many of you as it’s your first experience with functions and slopes of lines. Ask Mom or Dad if you can print out the answers and review what I have on the sheet – lots of learning on there! Pay extra close attention to the backside of the sheet – again – lots of explanations and learning on there.
• Math: complete WarmUp #86 in your Math folder. I will post answers on Monday. (Nothing to submit to me for this.)
• Wayside – Questions for Chapters 28-30 due today. Reread/review for the comprehension quiz tomorrow.
• Language: Days 3 and 4 due today. Make sure it is submitted in the proper spot in Google Classroom.
• Reading: 180 Days of Reading Week 25 Day 4 posted in GC. Day 3 corrections also posted in GC.
• Science – review everything on the Water Cycle. Watch these videos today: (1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWb4KlM2vts (2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oq8iCsV4woE. Pause and take more notes if you anything new to you is presented. (Most of it is review.)

Virtual Spirit Day

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Happy Wednesday! No April Fool pranks today – what is going on in the world right now is enough to deal with! Thank you to Minah, Leana, and Jude for sending in photos for yesterday’s Virtual Spirit Day. For today, send me a photo of yourself reading AlbertA@dearbornschools.org.

• read 30 minutes
• Help your parents!!!
• Math: You should have reviewed lessons 7-12 for Topic B quiz. It is posted in GC. There is nothing to submit to me. You can print it out at home for yourself, if you choose to. I will post answers probably tomorrow. Topic A answers are posted in GC – review those ideas. Start reviewing lesson 1-12 for the MidModule Assessment. It will be posted on Friday.
• MathWarmUp #85 corrections are posted in GC. Correct yours on your own. Nothing to submit to me.
• Zearn – Tomorrow, I will be marking on my checklist the lesson you are on. If you aren’t to the beginning of lesson 13, you are behind and I will mark you accordingly. Get caught up today! If you are caught up, go back and review lessons 1-12.
• Reading: As I stated yesterday, you need to finish Wayside. I will be posting questions today for the last chapters. They are due tomorrow – submit your answers to me in the GC assignment post. On Friday, I will be posting quiz questions.
• 180 Days of Language Days 3 and 4: Posted in GC, due tomorrow. Just as we did for days 1 and 2, type your answers only on a Google Doc and submit your doc in the assignment. Do NOT email it to me. Answers for days 1-2 will be posted in GC. Go through them orally and review the ideas.
• Science: Review your notes from the Hydrosphere/Water Cycle. Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncORPosDrjI. Pause and take notes on a fresh sheet, just as we do in class. (Most of it should be a review.)
• Reading: 180 Days Week 25 Day 3– posted in GC. Nothing to submit, but you should go through it orally using Q.A.R. and C.E.R. strategies. Answers for Week 25 Days 1 and 2 will be posted in GC. If you didn’t submit them by now, they are marked as missing on my checklist AND that will not be changed.

Virtual Spirit Day

“Rainbows over Michigan” for Coronavirus

National Crayon Day

In case you are struggling with an idea for participating in our Virtual Spirit Week today, here are a few ideas: https://created.crayola.com/HigherLogic/System/DownloadDocumentFile.ashx?DocumentFileKey=76b721bf-10a1-b59e-653f-0815c2ac146c&forceDialog=0&cid=OPT_EM&utm_medium=institutional&utm_term=NationalCrayonDay_DedicatedEmail&utm_source=53CD7053122F2ACEA6D6D8626FC499F6_20200331_D_RET_NTLCrayonDay

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Happy Tuesday! Yes, still happy. Keep perspective. Things could be so much worse.

• read 20 minutes
• Help your parents!
• Math: Module 6 Lesson 13 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HU_Uh3eicU, Learn and Succeed workbook problem for Lesson 13, Zearn Lesson 13
• Review lessons 7-12 for a Topic B quiz that I will post tomorrow. Just like with the Topic A quiz, there is NOTHING to submit to me. It will be posted in GC tomorrow.
• About half of you are still behind on Zearn. Catch up today. You should be up to lesson 13.
• 180 Days of Language and Reading – nothing new today – two were posted yesterday – both are due today on ONE Google Doc. I returned several Google Docs to students who didn’t follow the directions and submitted only 1 day. (And make a check on my list, too.)
• Science: We will be on the water cycle for a few days. Watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5G4NCwWUxY. Pause and take notes as you go through it, use a fresh sheet in your journal. Make sure you define each of the following words: water vapor, evaporation, condensation, clouds, precipitation (include details on the types), runoff, ground water, water table, drinking water.
• Reading: finish the Wayside book … I’ll be posting the last set of questions later this week
• Virtual Spirit Week: Thank you Zane, Minah, and Ava for submitting photos yesterday. You all look great! Miss you! Today, the challenge is “Create something and share a photo.” I saw this yesterday if you have the supplies (you can create anything – this is just an idea):
• Email photos with your creation.