Week 4 Spelling/Vocbaulary Words

Here are Week 4 Spelling words and parts of speech.  You should have the word, part of speech, and definiton reflecting THAT part of speech in your Spelling Journal.  ALSO, you need to have ONE sentence per word that reflects your understanding of how to use the word in a sentence correctly (part of speech and definition)

subtle (adj)
chaos (n)
vague (adj)
dialogue (n)
vengeance (n)
ghastly (adj)
debris (n)
camoflage (n)
fatigue (n)
diaphragm (n)

Test for these words will be Friday (2/11) or Monday (2/14).

With all of the snow days we have been having, I am assigning the following activities to try and keep us moving forward as best as we can.  The first set of activities can be found in the grammar book that I issued the students at the beginning of the school year.  We are in the middle of discussing persuasive writing, so these activities will lead up to having a first draft essay written by Monday.  I have broken these assignements up as if we might assume that we may not have to take all 3 days.  So, here you go.

***ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS IS COMPLETE SENTENCES***

Assignment for Wednesday (due Thursday if we are in school):*P433-435: Read “Daydream Beleivers” and answer the questions at the bottom of p435.
*P436: Read the checklist
*P437-438: Read the Working Draft and answer the “Reading as Writers” questions on P438
*P439-440: Read the Final Draft and answer the “Reading as Writers” questions on P440

Assignment for Thursday (due Friday if we are in school):
*P441: Read “Start Thinking”. Read “Choose a Goal”. Complete #1 & 3
*P442: Read “Supporting Your Goal”. Answer “Think and Discuss”. Complete “Explore your Goal”
*P443: Read “Evaluating Your Reasons”. Complete “Explore Your Reasons”.
*P444: Read “Using Persuasive Strategies”. Complete “Explore Persuasive Strategies”

Assignment for Friday (due Monday if we are in school)
*P445: Read “Organizing Your Arguement”. Complete “Plan Your Persuasive Essay”
*P446-447: Read “Introductions and Conclusions”. Answer “Think and Discuss” (p446) and “Try It Out” (p447). Complete “Draft Your Introduction”
*P448: Read “Writing With Voice”. Complete “Draft Your Essay”.

Do not forget to skip line so that we can go through revising and editing when we return.

The link I have posted is a great blog article I ran across.  It addresses the effectiveness of the use of technology (and/or the lack thereof) in schools.  It is inevitable that all the “newfangled” technology that is out there is going to find it’s way into our classrooms. It is pretty cool to see the presentation in the video of where technology is taking us, and the article revolving around it is pretty enlightening….enjoy.

http://www.whiteboardblog.co.uk/2009/09/did-you-know-4-0/

Our classroom blogging excursions have been put on hold until further notice from the powers that be, BUT I am still planning on keeping this updated with random things, updates….whatever I can come up with that will keep us on our toes!  You never know what you might find on here in the coming months!! 

I thought that since we are all suffering from colds, the flu, and all the other crazy ailments that are being passed back and forth amongst out school, I would post this cute little reminder on how to cut down the spread of nasty germs (it says for H1N1, but this applies to anything, really)…….

GOALS FOR 7TH GRADE:

Now that we have been in school for a few weeks, I want to ask you to do the following things and record them in your blog response (or journal).

1.  Reflect upon your 6th grade year.

2.  What aspects of last year would you want to change?

3.  What can be improved upon now that you are in 7th grade?

4.  List 5 personal goals you have set for yourself for this year.  (they may be academic, extracurricular, personal, etc.)

Ok, so I found this really cool blog that has all these different poems and the patterns to create those poems.  I have found that I have some REALLY awesome creative writers in this class of 7th graders, so I am posting this “Just for FUN” activity for those who feel compelled to participate.

If you look under BLOGS I FOLLOW, there is a link that says MAD WORDS.  Click on that link and it will take you to the above mentioned BLOG.  Be sure to label the types of your poems you post.  Have fun!!!

Ok, so we have talked this week about our class blog and I can see that many of you have at least visited the site just to explore, which is very exciting!  Weekly blogging assignments will not be posted until I have all parental consents accounted for.  I can’t wait to get started, as I can already tell everyone is super excited about this new form of communcation.  I wanted to go ahead and explain how this will go, though, so you could be looking for it in the days to come. 

A Blog Response Assignment will have the following header (ASSIGNMENT WEEK OF x/x/xx).  Since I will be posting other tidbits of useful information, I want to make sure everyone realizes that the actual assignments will be labels as such.  Feel free to comments at any time, though….they are not just for the assignments!  I can’t wait to get this thing going in high gear!  It is gonna be awesome, I just know it!

Ok, here is our first assignment.  Read the quote below and in a few sentences tell me how it relates to you, individually.  Be sure to leave me your name (first and last) so I can give you credit for your entry.

Well, we (teachers) are officially back to school.  I am trying to convince myself that it will be good to get back in to my normal (whatever that means) routine.  I must say that one of my favorite parts of the  whole “back to school” excitement is getting my classroom ready, but, lets face it, there is only so much you can do creativity-wise in a (sort-of) square room.  I like to re-arrange, and one of my biggest quirks is trying to find cool and different ways to set up my room so it isn’t so traditional and boring.  So, for the past two days, I have moved things, and then moved them again, trying to find that “just-right” set-up.  I want to incorporate more collaborative learning in my class this year (as well as new technology), so hopefully, this will make it easy for us to be most efficient in each of our classes.  So…..let the countdown begin!  Open house is tomorrow night at 6pm,beginning with a meeting in the gym, and I can’t wait to meet my new students and get things rolling for the new year.

7th Grade Open House is next Thursday, August 13 at 6pm!!