In Language Arts today the students continued to peer edit focusing on word choice and fluency. After peer editing, the students were given time to edit their writing.

After peer editing, the students took their quiz on nouns, verbs, and interjections.

With the remainder of class time, the students were given the opportunity to finish reading “The Jacket” and identifying the figurative language in the story. They were also given time to work on identifying figurative language in the story, Party in Room 302. We are going to be going over both of those things in class tomorrow. If they finished both of them during class, they were given time to finish up their IXL, Moby Max, and Read Theory. If any of these tasks were not completed during class, they must be completed tonight for homework.

At this point, I am in the middle of grading. None of my students’ grades are completely updated. I will not be done grading until tomorrow evening. I promise to send a Remind when I am finished. Grades appear low while I am in the middle of grading because the computer automatically assumes the assignment was not turned in until I submit a score. Do not panic!

Have a great evening!

Homework:

1. Read for 20 minutes
2. 5 Read Theory Quizzes due Tomorrow
3. Party in Room 302 due Tomorrow
4. Moby Max and IXL on Interjections due Tomorrow
5. Figurative Language in “The Jacket” due Tomorrow

Today in Language Arts the students presented their vocabulary words from yesterday to the class. Then, we spent time reading “The Jacket”. We did not finish this in class today so we will continue to read tomorrow.

The students were also given time for SSR. They had the choice between reading their good fit book and working on Read Theory. Afterwards, they wrote about what they read.

Lastly, the students selected either their “All Summer in a Day” ending or their personal narrative to take through the editing process and submit as a final draft. We will be working on this a little bit each day for the next couple of weeks. Today, we peer edited for ideas and organization.

Tomorrow is the quiz on nouns, verbs, and interjections. MAKE SURE YOU STUDY! This quiz is challenging if you do not know the grammar rules for nouns, verbs, and interjections. Make sure you study tonight and specifically focus on possessive nouns, plural nouns, helping verbs, linking verbs, and past/present participles. Use IXL and Moby Max to help you study if you have not done your homework or the extra credit. Your notes in your interactive notebook will help you too!

Have a wonderful Wednesday! (Alliteration)

Homework:

1. Read for 20 minutes
2. Study for your grammar quiz on nouns, verbs, and interjections tomorrow!
3. 5 Read Theory Quizzes due Friday
4. Moby Max and IXL Interjections Practice due Friday
5. Party in Room 302 Figurative Language Practice due Friday

During Language Arts today the students were given time to go to the library since we did not have a librarian available yesterday.

The students also continued to practice with interjections. The IXL and Moby Max lessons for interjections are due on Friday and can be used to help you study for your quiz on Thursday. There is one lesson on each website.

We began looking at a new story titled, “The Jacket”. Today we worked with a partner to look at vocabulary words we do not know.

With the remainder of class time, the students were given the opportunity to work on their writing. Now that they are more comfortable with figurative language, they were asked to add two pieces of figurative language to the ending of “All Summer in a Day”. If they did not finish it in class, it was assigned as homework. They were also given time to work on their personal narrative rough draft which is also due tomorrow.

Homework:

1. Read for 20 minutes
2. Add two pieces of figurative language to your ending of “All Summer in a Day”-This is due TOMORROW!
3. Personal Narrative Rough Draft due Tomorrow
4. Study for your grammar quiz on nouns, verbs, and interjections on Thursday
5. Party in Room 302 due Friday
6. Moby Max and IXL Interjections lessons due Friday
7. 5 Read Theory Quizzes due Friday

Today should have been our library day. Unfortunately, our librarian is sick and no substitute was available to run the library. Therefore, we will be going to the library tomorrow. Sorry for the inconvenience!

During class time, the students were given time for SSR. Then, they logged what they wrote. Afterwards, we spent time organizing our writing notebooks. I will be collecting these tomorrow to do a notebook check. We have been doing a lot of writing on the computer and filing things in our writing folders in class so there is not a lot to be organized and checked.

The students also continued to learn about figurative language by identifying various types in movie clips. I have attached the video clip we watched to this blog post.

The students also spent time in class participating in a gallery walk. They traveled in groups of three, read short stories, identified the figurative language, and explained the meaning behind the examples to their classmates. They were then given a short story to practice with on their own called Party in Room 302. We will go over the answers to Party in Room 302 in class on Friday.

With the remainder of class time, the students were given the opportunity to work on their personal narrative rough drafts. These must be completed by the time students come to class on Wednesday.

I had quite a few students who submitted their one-pagers late today. While I appreciate that the assignment was turned in, everyone was given eight to ten weeks to complete these including the break. Grading the ones that were turned in on time is my top priority. If I have time, I will grade the late ones too but I cannot guarantee I will have time to grade the late ones before report cards need to be submitted since the City Meet for the swim team is also this week which means I will be very busy after school. Remember, turning work in late should be done in an emergency situation, it should not be something that is done on a regular basis, especially since all late work for the marking was due last Friday.

Have a great evening!

Homework:

1. Read for 20 minutes
2. Writing Notebook Check Tomorrow
3. 5 Read Theory Quizzes due Friday
4. Personal Narrative Rough Draft due Wednesday
5. Grammar Quiz: Nouns, Verbs, and Interjections on Thursday
6. Party in Room 302 Figurative Language Practice due Friday
7. Interjections Practice on Moby Max and IXL are both due Friday

In Language Arts today the students were given time for SSR. Afterwards, they wrote about what they read in their writing notebooks.

The students also spent time in class learning about idioms and allusions. Examples videos we viewed in class have been added to this blog post.

Lastly, the students spent time working in stations to complete assignments. I will have grades updated to reflect late work by the end of the day. However, grades will not be accurate over the weekend because scores for One-Pagers will not be put in.

Have a great weekend!

Homework:

1. Read for 20 minutes
2. Personal Narrative Rough Draft due Wednesday
3. Grammar Quiz on Nouns, Verbs, and Interjections Thursday
4. Moby Max: Interjections due Friday, January 17th
5. IXL: Interjections due Friday, January 17th

In Language Arts today the students practiced identifying interjections in sentences.

The students also learned about alliteration and symbolism. I have attached the example videos to this blog post.

With the remainder of class time, the students were given the opportunity to work on their personal narrative. Many students finished planning out their writing and began their rough draft. Students who did not finish planning their writing are expected to do it tonight for homework.

Don’t forget One-Pagers Three and Four as well as all late work you have for 2nd Marking are due tomorrow. Read Theory is due Tomorrow too! We will be doing stations in class so if you need fifteen minutes or so to finish something up, you will have that time. Otherwise, you must complete these assignments tonight for homework. Many students have already turned their assignments in! Seeing your responsibility and organizational skills flourish is so exciting!

Have a great evening!

Homework:

1. Read for 20 Minutes
2. 50 Read Theory Quizzes due Tomorrow (Your start date should be 11/2 and your end date should be 1/10. If this is done, it means you will get full credit for all your Read Theory for the marking; even the missing ones!)
3. One-Pager Three due Tomorrow
4. One-Pager Four due Tomorrow
5. All Late Work for 2nd Marking due Tomorrow

Today in Language Arts the students continued to learn about figurative language by focusing on onomatopoeia and personification.

The students also took the next step in their narrative writing process. They selected one of the twelve topics they have brainstormed this week to turn into a narrative writing piece. Today in class we worked on planning out all of the events, characters, and setting that would need to be included in the writing piece. If students did not finish this in class, it was not assigned as homework. They will be given more time in class tomorrow to work on it.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Homework:

1. Read for 20 minutes
2. All Late Work for 2nd Marking due Friday
3. One-Pager Three due Friday
4. One-Pager Four due Friday
5. 50 Read Theory Quizzes due Friday (This should be from the entire marking starting with 11/2 and ending on 1/10.)

Today in Language Arts the students were introduced to interjections. We talked about how interjections are added to a sentence to give the sentence more flavor and personality but that the sentence would still make sense without this part of speech. We looked at examples of interjections and watched the Schoolhouse Rock video about interjections. I have attached it to this blog post. The students have been assigned on lesson on Moby Max and one lesson on IXL to practice with interjections. They need to get a 100% on the IXL lesson in order to receive credit and 80% or higher on the Moby Max lesson. There is also an extra credit lesson about interjections on Moby Max for students who want to do it. These assignments will be due next Friday.

The students also continued to learn about figurative language during class. We focused on imagery and hyperboles today. I have attached the videos we watched in class to this blog post.

With the remainder of class time, the students continued to practice brainstorming for a narrative by thinking about six of their greatest memories. They also got to share a time they overcame a fear or a challenge today in class if they wanted to. If their brainstorms were not completed by the end of class, they were assigned as homework.

Have a great evening!

Homework:

1. Read for 20 minutes (You should have finished 4 Good Fit Books at this point in the year!)
2. My Greatest Memory and Overcoming a Fear or Challenge Brainstorms due Tomorrow
3. All Read Theory for 2nd Marking due Friday (This should be 50 quizzes total from 11/2 to 1/10 if you have done them all.)
4. All Late Work for 2nd Marking due Friday

In Language Arts today we reviewed expectations of students while at school and the classroom rules the students came up with at the beginning of the school year. We also played Heads Up Seven Up to interact with the classmates we haven’t seen in two weeks.

The students were given time to read their good fit book or work on Read Theory during SSR. The students should have 50 Read Theory Quizzes completed with a start date of November 2nd and an end date of January 10th. If they have been doing their Read Theory assignment each week, they should not have any of the 50 quizzes to make up for the marking period.

Today the students were introduced to our new unit, Figurative Language. We will be focusing on what figurative language is, what it means, and how to use it in writing over the course of the next few weeks. Today we started with similes and metaphors.

The students are also continuing to learn about narrative writing by brainstorming six times in their lives where they had to overcome a fear or a challenge. If they did not finish this in class, it was assigned as homework.

Before the break, the students took their Unit 2 Test. Grades were posted to reflect test scores prior to leaving for break. Any student who would like to retake this test must sign up in class by the pencil sharpener. Remember, you are not eligible for a retake if you have any missing or incomplete assignments. You must have a note signed by a parent and you must bring it to the retake in order to be eligible. Also, whatever you get on the retake will be your score, I do not average the two scores together since someone should not do worse on a test they are taking for a second time. Since I am coaching swimming after school, the only retake time I have available is this Friday in my room at 7:20am.

Have a great evening and welcome back to school!

Homework:

1. Read for 20 minutes
2. Overcoming a Fear or Challenge Brainstorm due Tomorrow
3. All Late Work for 2nd Marking due Friday
4. One-Pager Three due Friday
5. One-Pager Four due Friday

In Language Arts today the students watched the movie version of “All Summer in a Day”. Those who needed to complete work had time to do so too. At this point, grades are completely updated based on what I have received.

Have a wonderful break and I will see you all next year!

Homework:

1. Read for 200 minutes
2. 10 Read Theory Quizzes due Monday, January 6th
3. One-Pager 3 due Friday, January 10th
4. One-Pager 4 due Friday, January 10th
5. All Late Work for 2nd Marking due Friday, January 10th