Okay, campers. Rise and shine. (I need to stop referencing this movie).
Tomorrow is when the work starts to count. For those of you that have done the work up until this point, we have been keeping track. For those of you that haven’t, your grade won’t be hurt, but you won’t possibly receive any sort of added benefit (I’m still mulling over how I want to do this). However, you don’t need to go back and do that work if you haven’t done it already. I’d rather you focus on the work that we are starting now.
I’m posting the first assignment today around noon per Mr. Martin’s directions (yes, I’m aware it’s Sunday) so that you can familiarize yourselves and have any questions prepared for our mandatory check-ins (see below). The assignment is to read the first chapter of The Glass Castle, which tells a brief story from the author’s life about when she caught on fire, and fill in the notetaker that is attached to the assignment on Google Classroom.
Here is a link to a suggested pacing guide/schedule. You’ll also find there the times for the mandatory check ins and optional office hours, which will be held via Google Meet. I’ll have a link on each Google Classroom ready for you.
Monday and Tuesday check-ins are MANDATORY. That means that you have to check in at some point. I will post an “agenda” as well as what I expect from that check in first thing tomorrow morning. The Wednesday and Thursday office hours are optional and not required.
The schedule for Monday and Tuesday check-ins are as follows:
Monday (and Wednesday optional office hours) –
1st Hour
1:00-1:40 pm
2nd Hour
1:40-2:20 pm
3rd Hour
2:20-3:00 pm
Monday and Wednesday Google Meet schedule
Tuesday (and Thursday optional office hours) –
4th Hour
1:00-1:40 pm
5th Hour
1:40-2:20 pm
6th Hour
2:20-3:00 pm
Tuesday and Thursday Google Meet schedule
You will not be required to stay for the full 40 minutes. As long as you get the information you need, sign in for attendance, and meet any requirement I have for that check in (this will be minimal), then you’re golden.
I will have the assignment itself posted at noon. I appreciate your patience during all of this. I’m so glad we finally have some direction and the work will actually count.
It feels good to have some guidance, yeah? I hope all of you have seen Mr. Martin’s message regarding what the rest of the school year is going to look like.
So, the work will start to count. Our first assignment for the upcoming week will be posted tomorrow around noon, and I will have some more specific guidelines at that point as to what I expect from the required “check-ins” that we need to have as well as what that schedule will look like. I’ll probably use the recommended schedule that Mr. Martin included in his email, but I’m still kind of mulling that over.
If you get that movie reference, you get extra credit. In my mind.
And, again, I don’t have answers as far as what our plan is. We should know in the next day or two. I promise I’ll let you know as soon as I am able (that means both having the information AND the permission to inform you). I understand that might be frustrating, but we’ll figure it out.
Today’s journaling assignment is a bit more specific. We have some questions about how things have been going so far — how you’ve been feeling, how you spent your spring break…but also logistical questions as far as how this online enrichment has been for you.
Hope your “spring break” was restful and well spent.
Before you ask about what I’ve heard regarding what the rest of the school year looks like…
Elmo doesn’t know either.
We should have more information in the middle of the week, but until then, I don’t have any information for you. I’ll update you as soon as I can. In the meantime, if you ever at any point have any concerns about online learning as a whole (access to technology, access to a solid Internet connection, etc) that you want me to know about, please let me or Mrs. A know. I understand that asking about technology access via a blog is a bit ironic, but I’m just putting that request out there in every way that I can.
I am posting another mentor sentences practice on Google Classroom. This one is focusing on commas in a series and commas before FANBOYS.
Feel free to reach out if you want to touch base. Miss you guys!
UPDATE ON NEWSELA SIGN IN ISSUES: For the few of you that have said you’ve struggled signing in, Newsela is working on the issue.
It’s so wild to think about how we’ve been at this social distancing thing for three weeks already. Time flies when you’re…having…
Nope, that doesn’t entirely work. I mean, hopefully you’re still having fun during all of this though!
I’ve posted another article on Newsela and Google Classroom. Highlight and solve roadblocks, and then answer the multiple choice questions under the “Activities” tab.
This article is about stress eating, which I think is really important to keep in mind during this time. Not only stress eating, but boredom eating too. It’s important to keep yourselves healthy during all of this!
REMINDER: Mrs. A and I will do a video chat today so we can touch base with you all. We’d love to see you and hear how you’re doing!
Since next week is “spring break” (staycation anyone?), this is the last blog post until we come back. Find ways to take care of yourself and have fun this next week!
UPDATE: Mrs. A and I will be having a lunch chat over Google Meet tomorrow, Friday April 3rd, at noon! Join us if you want to check in. If you have questions that’s fine and we will definitely answer them, but we also just want to see how you’re doing!
Happy Thursday!
Just a heads up: Governor Whitmer is conducting a press conference at 10:30 am if you want to tune in. Hopefully, after that, we will START to have a better idea of what the rest of the school year is going to look like.
However, as I’ve said before, until we get that solid directive, it’s business as usual.
I’ve posted an assignment asking for you all to respond to yesterday’s article. Tell me your thoughts on it while using introductory dependent clauses and parallel structure in your writing.
For those of you that are still saying that you can’t sign into Newsela — you have to create an account. When you do, there will be an option to create an account using your Google account. Click that option. I don’t know how else to instruct you on this, guys.
I’m going to continue working through some of your writing today and giving feedback, so be on the look out for that. If I return your work to you, you should go look at my comments!
For those of you that are sticking with this enrichment thing regardless of what may or may not count as a grade, I appreciate you. For those of you that can’t for one reason or another, I hope you’re doing okay.
