by Kathryn Fetter | Mar 26, 2020 | Blogs
Good morning, all!
We’re almost two weeks into this social distancing thing, so I hope you are all doing okay.
All I’m asking you guys to do today is write a response on Google Classroom to the article from yesterday while using beginning participial and appositive phrases. Just tell me what your thoughts on the article are.
Also, Mrs. A and I are holding office hours on Google Meet at noon! We’ll post information on how to join in on that on Google Classroom around then, so feel free to check in! We’d love to see you and answer any questions you have, or even just to hear about what you’ve been up to these past few weeks!
Also, I’m updating the FAQ today with questions that I got about using Newsela, so hopefully that will help when we do new articles in the future.
I did a ton of writing yesterday. For fun. Yes, I know. But it really is a great, productive way to spend the time. Even if it’s just journaling what you do each day — you might find that you’re glad to have that record once all of this is over. This is an unprecedented, historic situation to be sure.
Stay happy and healthy! 🙂
by Kathryn Fetter | Mar 25, 2020 | Blogs
Happy Wednesday!
Today, you’ve been assigned an article on newsela.com that you need to read, highlight and solve roadblocks, and then answer quiz questions. This should be done before tomorrow, as tomorrow’s writing will be related to this article.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!
P.S. Fun fact, I had “Tuesday” written on everything until just a few seconds ago…when I realized that it is not, in fact, Tuesday…it’s easy to lose track of your days during all this!
Stay hopeful and healthy!
by Kathryn Fetter | Mar 24, 2020 | Blogs
Good morning, all:
I posted a journaling assignment on Google Classroom. Take a look at the attached list of prompts and pick ONE to respond to. It doesn’t matter which one you pick, but you will have to pick a different one each week. I am not going to give you a specific length requirement to adhere to either — write as much as you need to in order to completely address the prompt.
I’m going to start going back through and giving feedback on your role sheets from last week for those of you that turned them in, so expect to see that in the next few days.
I hope you guys are finding a way to stay active. I’ve been doing yoga every day. On YouTube, there’s a channel called Yoga with Adrienne, and that has been a nice way to stay active despite staying indoors for the most part (also I’m obsessed with her dog Benji. So cute.)
Take care!
by Kathryn Fetter | Mar 23, 2020 | Blogs
Online learning is going to have to change — read the email I sent for a more specific explanation as to why.
Due to the current uncertainties surrounding online learning, we have been directed to focus on “enriching” skills that have already been taught as opposed to introducing new content.
For this reason, the literature circle unit we started last week needs to be put on hold.
I know this is frustrating, but our administration is figuring out this unprecedented situation as they go, and then we have to wait and find out from them what is expected. It’s a bit of a mess, but at least for the next few weeks, we now have a solid direction to go.
You can feel free to continue reading your literature circle book. It can only help you for when we go back to literature circles.
Before you ask: no, these “enrichment” activities don’t impact your grade. However, they are relatively short, interesting ways to pass the time that will also help strengthen your skills for when we are given the green light that this time can count.
Eventually, we will return to the literature circle unit. In the meantime, the other 9th grade LA teachers and I have come up with a new weekly routine.
This routine is as follows:
- Monday – Mentor sentences practice with previously taught sentence structures via a Google Form in which you will write specific types of sentences about pictures that we provide.
- Tuesday – Creative or reflective journal entry responding to one prompt you can select from a list that we provide.
- Wednesday – Short reading with a couple of multiple choice questions focusing on a specific skill.
- Thursday – Journal entry responding to Wednesday’s reading.
- Friday – Multiple choice questions focusing on a DIFFERENT skill using the same reading from Wednesday.
This will give us the chance to build up some of the skills we’ve focused on, and we can use the information we gathered from last week’s trial run of the literature circles to make it better and easier to understand for when we inevitably go back to it.
I will keep the current info in the FAQ, but I will add to it still as more questions arise regarding this new direction.
We will still hold office hours on Friday. I’ll let you know if we add other times for that as well.
I hope this finds you well. I miss you guys. I’d much rather be at school to hear your insights and joke around with you. While I’m doing just fine here in self-quarantine, I could always count on you all for a good laugh, good conversation, and to make the days go by quickly.
My roommate got a scary video game called Little Nightmares, and watching her play that after it gets dark has become one of my favorite new things to do most days. I’ve also finished reading two books so far, and counting…makes me wonder how much you all have been reading…hmm?
Anyway. I’ll be posting the mentor sentences assignment on Google Classroom shortly. Feel free to reach out if you have questions or if you just want to check in!
UPDATE 12:12 PM – I’ve created a new page where I will keep some positive extra readings and activities that I find and enjoy. If you want to look through them, they will be there, but they are not required.
by Kathryn Fetter | Mar 20, 2020 | Blogs
Good afternoon, all.
I hope you are all doing alright. There is still work up on Google Classroom with a scheduled due date of tonight before midnight. This is the discussion — make sure you read the example discussion before you post or reply to your group members.
Mrs. A and I held office hours on Google Meet from noon to 1 pm. It went pretty well for the few of you that popped in, and it was good to see you!
I hope your first week of this has been okay. Let me know if you need anything.
