In Language Arts today the students continued to learn about text features and author’s purpose.  We created a note sheet in our interactive notebooks to help us with author’s purpose. We will refer back to this note sheet frequently throughout the school year.

Many of the interactive notebook sheets we work on in class cannot be posted to the blog because they are copyrighted but I do keep extra copies in the classroom for students in case they are absent.

The students were also provided with time to work on their article of the week.  They should be writing a paragraph about the main idea of the article.  This will be due on Monday but most students should finish the assignment in class this week because it has been an option during each round of Daily 5.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Homework:

1. Read for 20 minutes
2. Finish Author’s Purpose PIE Note Sheet if it wasn’t completed in class

In Language Arts today the students began learning about text features.  We discussed that text features are a great resource to help us better understand what we are reading.  Each day for the rest of the week we will be learning about two new text features.  Today we started with maps and charts/graphs.  We then checked our article of the week to determine if there were any text features within the article.

The students also began learning about authors purpose.  We learned that there are three reasons why authors write: persuading, informing, and entertaining. We will continue to build upon this idea tomorrow.

Lastly, today was our library day.  The students were able to go to the library and check out good fit books.  We will be going to the library one Tuesdays biweekly. Students are allowed to check out two books at a time from the library. They may be able to check out more later in the year. That is the librarian’s decision to make.  If students do not finish a book in the two week period, they will need to renew the book when we go to the library or it will be considered a late book. If students finish a book early or need a new one, they can quickly go to the library between 2:55 and 3:15 on Thursdays and Fridays.

Have a fantastic evening!

Homework:

1. Read for 20 minutes

In Language Arts today the students reviewed the third and final component of Daily 5 in a middle school framework, word work.  We discussed what this will look like in our classroom and we should be beginning our first word work activity later this week or early next week.

The students also learned about the last three components of the 6+1 Traits, Fluency, Conventions, and Presentation.  They also finished building the strategy board.  I am currently conferring with students about their reading and helping them set goals.  Once each child has a reading goal, I will begin setting writing goals and giving them strategies for that as well.

Lastly, the students were introduced to their article of the week.  Today we began by hovering for words we do not know.  This is a strategy we will use frequently during word work.  Later this week, the students will use the text features within the article to help them identify the main idea.  Identifying the main idea using a text feature will be the focus of our article of the week this week.  The one paragraph response on this topic will be due by the end of class on Friday. The students will have the entire week to get this done.

Tomorrow is also our library day! The students will be given the opportunity to go to the library and check out a good fit book. The limit the librarian has set is two books per child.

Have a great evening!

Homework:

1. Read for 20 minutes

In Language Arts today the students spent time in the library learning about the resources that are available to them here at Bryant.  On Tuesday, they will go back to the library and have the opportunity to check out good fit books.

The students also continued to build our writing board.  Second hour presented strategies for ideas and organization.  Third hour began building the voice and word choice sections of the board.  They will finish on Monday.  Fourth hour will be working on fluency and conventions on Monday.

The students turned in their first reading log and we continued to practice reading to self during Daily 5.  We also reviewed what work on writing should look like in our classroom.

Have a great weekend!

Homework:

1. Read for 20 minutes

In Language Arts today the students created their popsicle sticks that will be used on our reading and writing strategy boards.  They also began building the writing board and we discussed what read to self looks like in our classroom.  The students were then given time to practice reading their good fit books.

Have a great evening!

Homework:

1. Reading Log Due Tomorrow
2. Summer Learning Assignment Due Tomorrow

In Language Arts today the students reviewed Daily 5 and the CAFE model we will be using in our classroom.  The students spent time constructing the board and presenting various reading strategies to their classmates.

Our classes were a bit shorter today because a former professional Detroit Lions player, Rob Sims, came to our school this afternoon to discuss bullying with the students.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Homework:

1. Read for 20 minutes

In Language Arts today the students participated in a book exploration activity.  At each table, the students were given a stack of books that could become their good fit books.  They were given the opportunity to explore and discuss the books with the people at their table.  They then added any books they may want to read this year to their Book Wish List in their reading interactive notebooks.  Once this was done, they were given the opportunity to go to the other tables in the classroom and repeat the process.

Due to NWEA testing and picture day, my morning class is a bit behind my afternoon classes.  My afternoon classes did a pre-test to determine what they know about point of view and my morning class finished NWEA testing and getting their picture taken.  My morning class will have the opportunity to catch up tomorrow.

Over the summer, the district required students entering the sixth grade to read a book and write a summary.  I will be collecting these summaries on Friday.  Students who were unaware of the assignment or have come to us from a different district are being given the opportunity to make up the assignment by the end of the late work period for first marking.  That date is Friday, October 7th.

Have a great evening!

Homework:

1. Read for 20 minutes
2. Submit Summer Learning Summary by Friday, October 7th

In Language Arts today the students discussed good fit books and what it means to select a good fit book.  We talked about how we can use our NWEA scores to help us select good fit books.

Students who did not finish NWEA testing were given the opportunity to do so today in class.  Scores for NWEA testing will be written in the students’ planners under their learning plan.

The students participated in an activity to expose them to some of the books in our classroom as well as the library. If any of the books seemed interesting, the students were given the opportunity to write down the title and author on their Books I Would Like to Read list in their reading interactive notebooks. Next Tuesdays is our first scheduled library date and students will be allowed to check out books at that time.

Reading logs were given out today and will be due on Friday.  If students read over the weekend, they were given the opportunity to record their time. From this point forward, students should be reading for 100 minutes each week as it is crucial to their learning. On Thursdays, they need to have a parent or guardian sign their reading log in order for the students to receive credit in class on Friday.  The response on the back will be filled out on Friday morning in class. I have attached a copy of the reading log to this blog post in case anyone needs a copy.  I will also put it with the syllabus on the class blog.

Lastly, I am getting a lot of questions from both parents and students on my blog.  As stated in the syllabus and at Open House, the blog is not the best way to communicate with me. I only post and don’t check the comment section often.  Additionally, commenting on my blog is public and anyone can read what you say. I would hate for personal information to be exposed.  Please email me with the address provided on the syllabus if you have a question or something you need to discuss.  From this point forward, I will no longer check or respond to comments made on the blog.

Have a great evening!

Homework:

1. Read for 20 minutes

reading-log

Today I am posting for both Thursday and Friday of this week. The reason I am doing this is because the students are NWEA testing today and tomorrow.  They are taking the Language test today and they will be taking the Reading test tomorrow.  Any student who does not finish the tests will do so on Monday.

Have a fantastic evening and it was really nice to meet a lot of you at Open House last night!  I am very excited about this year and to be working with you and your families!

Homework:

1. Turn in Movie Permission Slip

In Language Arts today the students took their pre-test for argumentative writing.  Even though the atmosphere of the classroom was treated as a test, I do not want the scores to heavily impact students’ grades so I will be grading them as a formative assignment instead of a summative score. It does take me a while to grade essays because there are eighty-five students and only one of me but I will try to have the grades posted within the next two weeks.

The students were also given time to finish decorating their portfolios and they put a cover on their interactive notebooks.

Tonight is Open House here at Bryant.  Mr. Dennison will be speaking at 5:30 and teachers will begin presenting at 6:00. All sixth grade teachers will begin in the auditorium to meet with the sixth grade teachers and then they will be given time to visit classrooms. The students were given a schedule with their teachers’ room numbers on it for parents to use tonight.

I hope to see you this evening!