Week 36: May 2-6, 2016

Welcome back to Language Arts - now that SAGE testing is completed, we can have fun reading a novel you've all been waiting for - Deathwatch.

Last Friday, you learned about hunting bighorn sheep in Utah and about hunting ethics. Both of these topics are important background knowledge for this suspense story.

Here's what we'll do this week:

Monday: We'll recap Friday's learning, look at the skills good readers use, and begin the novel. Sorry, any students who haven't finished the SAGE reading test will do this today in the B-lab.
Tuesday: We'll start with 10 minutes of SSR and passing-off i-Reads; remember number 9 is due this Friday, and then we'll continue the novel, paying special attention to the strategies authors use to make the story come alive.
Wednesday: Again, we'll start with 10 minutes of SSR and passing-off i-Reads. Then we'll get deeper into the novel. For those of you in 4th and 5th, you will have a sub; Mrs. Schmutz will be with you, so I know you'll have a great time.
Thursday: We'll start with 10 minutes of SSR and passing-off i-Reads, read more in Deathwatch, looking at the imagery the author creates in our minds.
Friday: We'll start with 10 minutes of SSR and passing-off i-Read #9 and continue our novel reading.

Watch for surprise novel activities all week as we get to crucial points in the story!!!

Week 35: April 25-29, 2016

Week 35 is a really important one for the students -
*It will be the week they finish the Language Arts Reading portion of their SAGE testing - and it will be the final segment.  Students have worked really hard to review and improve their mastery of their reading and language skills. They are going into this week VERY WELL-PREPARED, and I'm sure they'll all do really well.
*Because there will be no new homework (after the Monday Language packet), this gives students the time and opportunity to complete any late or missing work.  Please check power school to see what is missing.
*The i-Read 40 club party eligibility deadline is May 9th and those who are nearly there have already brought in permission slips so they can attend.
*Trimester 3's i-Read #8 is due this Friday, April 29th.
Here's the week at-a-glance:

Week 35 All  classes: April 25-29, 2016	Monday April 25	Tuesday April 26	Wednesday April 27  FLEX priority	Thursday April28	Friday April 29
	*SAGE reading prep: Figurative  language * Final Prep	*SAGE reading	*SAGE reading	*SAGE reading	*SAGE reading = finish-make-up *i-Read #8 due  .

WHO IS THE MOST POPULAR SUPER HERO? SURVEY

http://goo.gl/forms/Rbhiz73jsU

Week 33: April 11-15, 2016

Week 33 will be full of reading, listening, and language activities. 

These are important life-long skills to have and use - - 

in & out of school.

Here's what we plan to accomplish this week:

• Monday: We'll finish our Killer Smog post-reading "questions" game, go over the story's  advanced organizer, and have free-reading time.
• Tuesday: We'll start with free reading time and then complete a "listening comprehension" activity. 
• Wednesday:  We'll start with free reading time and then complete an activity using a variety of informational texts.
• Thursday: We'll start with free reading time and then complete an activity using reading comprehension strategies.
• Friday: We'll start with free reading time and then complete an activity using editing and language skills.

     This week's Important Dates to remember:

• April 15: i-Read #6 is due

     Remember to get these things taken care of:

• i-Reads
• Utah Compose/Google Doc Essays
• Explanatory and Argumentative 
• CFA resubmissions/retakes
• Super Hero Essay = CFA #5
• CFA #6 = Prompts, Keywords, ACES/OREO

     Future Fun Activities you want to be eligible for:

• May 18th: Gecko Gold Day 
• = to go you must have all passing grades (academic and effort) without any missing assignments. 
• May 23 or 24: 7th Grade Party
•  = to go you must have all passing grades (academic and effort), all fines paid, and all LRI materials returned.

Week 32: April 4-8, 2016

      This will be a great week for students. 
Monday - April 4)
*This is a short but important day. (PLC training for teachers) School day ends at 11:45
*SAGE writing = final day for those who need to finish
*FREE READING or Putting-together Puzzles for those who have finished testing

Tuesday - April 5)
*Utah Compose writing = Students will finish the Explanatory essay they started the week before the SAGE writing test.

Wednesday - April 6)
*Utah Compose writing = Students will finish the Argumentative essay they started the week before the SAGE writing test.

Thursday - April 7)
*Fun Reading Comprehension class activity. = Great help for the up-coming SAGE reading test.

Friday - April 8)
*Another Fun Reading Comprehension class activity. = Great help for the up-coming SAGE reading test.
*i-Read #5 is due.

Remember - Deadline to qualify for the i-Read 40-Club is May 6. Please spend lots of time reading so we have a huge club of life-long readers.

Week 31: March 29-April 1, 2016

This is a great week for students; they started off with a short week and now they finally get to show their "stuff" when it comes to writing argumentative and explanatory essays...and they really know their stuff. So, as you can guess, this week is our SAGE writing test. We will spend the entire 4  days this week completing the 2 required essays.
Homework for this week:

• Get in the Super hero essay
• Read, Read, Read

Week 30: March 21-14, 2016

This week is our last opportunity to prepare for the SAGE writing test. It will start when we come back from Easter break on March 29 and run through April 1.
Students ARE ready! They know how to read, organize, and write for different audiences and purposes. Writing an argumentative and explanatory essay will be a snap if students have worked hard to learn the strategies in class.

Here's our week at-a-glance:

Week 30   All classes March 21-24, 2016	Monday March 21	Tuesday March 22	Wednesday March 23  FLEX priority	Thursday March 24	Friday -Monday March 25-28th
	*Introduce ACES – explanatory essay = Utah Compose: Elephants, Penguins, or Plastic bags GOAL: read articles & fill-out foldable	*  ACES – explanatory essay = Utah Compose: Elephants, Penguins, or Plastic bags GOAL: type into a Google Doc	*  ACES – DUE explanatory essay = Utah Compose: Elephants, Penguins, or Plastic bags GOAL: past typed essay into Utah Compose, revise/resubmit as necessary	*CFA #6: Prompts, keywords = ACES & OREOS *i-Reads = reading & Check-offs	No School School Resumes Tuesday March 29. SAGE WRITING = March 29 – April 1

Week 29: March 14-18, 2016

We will be working hard this week, writing another argumentative essay. This will help students be completely prepared for the SAGE writing test that's scheduled for March 29-April 1.  Please make sure students are in school. Thanks so much for your supports

Here's the week at a glance.

Week 28:  1st-5th periods March 14-18, 2016	Monday March 14	Tuesday March 15	Wednesday March 16  FLEX priority	Thursday March 17	Friday March 18
	* SSR *Return Work *Superhero revision instructions *OREO/argumentation foldable practice	* Begin new argumentative essay = Utah Compose	*argumentative essay = Utah Compose	*argumentative essay = Utah Compose	*argumentative essay DUE = Utah Compose *i-Read #3 = due

Week 28: February 28 - March 4, 2016

      Wow! So many students met the "Have your Super Hero Essay in by Friday" challenge!!!! I'm going to be bringing donuts for a lot of students. Darn, I wish it was for all the students, but those who didn't meet the challenge can at least smell the delicious treat.
      Even though the donut challenge was fun, the argumentative writing is the important thing. To make sure all students can write an argumentative essay successfully, Mrs. Gubler has arranged for me and the other 2 7th LA teachers to have subs Tuesday so we can conference with each student about their essay. So I hope those who don't have theirs finished will hurry and do so; that way we can conference about the finished product and not just a work-in-progress.
     Remember students, the Super Hero essay is an  important assignment; it's one of our major essays/skills required, it's our 5th Common Formative Assessment, and it's really great prep for the SAGE writing test that will be in the next few weeks.
 
     Also, i-Read #1 is due Monday!!!! This week we'll also be going to the library, reading and writing, and compiling some class Super Hero stats. All-in-all, it will be a fun week before we all take off for Spring Break!!

Here's the week-at-a-glance

Week 28:  1st-5th periods February 29-March 4, 2016	Monday February 29 i-Read #1 due	Tuesday March 1 Sub	Wednesday March 2  FLEX priority	Thursday March 3	Friday March 4 Tomorrow Spring break begins
	* Donuts for students who finished their Super Hero essay Friday + Free reading or puzzles for them. *Those who did not finish – repentance day.	* Writing Conferences *Scope Magazine = reading and comprehension quiz.	* SSR *Super Hero class Stats + OREO paragraph	* SSR * Stake your “claim” challenge	* Library Day = change from Tuesday!!! i-Reads = #2due * Read-read-read

   REMEMBER, SPRING BREAK STARTS SATURDAY MARCH 5TH & STUDENTS WON'T COME BACK TO SCHOOL UNTIL MONDAY, MARCH 14TH....SO, PLAY HARD SO YOU'RE READY TO WORK WHEN YOU COME BACK.

Week 27 - Trimester 3 begins: February 22-26, 2016

We will begin the 3rd trimester with a really fun unit - The Battle of the Super Heroes.  Students will learn how to write an effective argumentative essay using their favorite comic heroes as the lens. But, no matter which hero they personally love, they must fight this battle of words with facts they can cite from the experts. It will be fun to see who wins.

Also - please look for this trimester's i-Read schedule. It's on the right-hand side of the blog.

Here's the week at a glance:

Week 27: February 22-26, 2016	Monday Feb. 22	Tuesday Feb. 23	Wednesday Feb. 24  LA FLEX priority	Thursday Feb. 25	Friday Feb.26 i-Read #1 due
	*Intro Argumentation = Battle of the Super Heroes	*SSR * Argumentation = Battle of the Super Heroes	*SSR * Argumentation = Battle of the Super Heroes	*SSR * Argumentation = Battle of the Super Heroes	*SSR * Argumentation = Battle of the Super Heroes

Weeks 25 and 26: February 8-19

Week 26:   The 2nd Trimester ends this week. Please note that any late work must come in by Wednesday - NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THIS DATE.

Remember to keep reading. Stay on track with your i-Reads so you can get the required books, AND go the extra mile...get your bingo card filled + 4 more i-Reads...AND...you are a member of the 40 Club.

We start a really fun unit this week; students can learn how to write an Argumentative essay using the OREO formula. This will be lots of fun as we’re using “The Battle of the Superheroes” as our lens. So, get ready to “fight” for your superhero with FACTS.

Here's our week-at-a-glance

Week 26: February 15-19, 2016 FLEX –CFA4 + i-Reads	Monday Feb. 15	Tuesday Feb. 16	Wednesday Feb. 17  LA FLEX priority LAST DAY FOR LATE WORK	Thursday Feb. 18	Friday Feb. 19 End of Tri #2
	*No School = President’s Day	*Parts of Speech *Sentences *It’s a Job conclusion	*Commonly Confused Words *OREO essay intro –Battle of the Superheroes	*Commonly Confused Words *OREO essay–Battle of the Superheroes	*Commonly Confused Words *OREO essay intro –Battle of the Superheroes

Week 25: We'll have a fun week learning suffixes, and roots. We also learn about Parts of Speech, sentence types, and then apply these to careers: things people need to do their job, and how they use those things.

Remember - to get your work in!!!!

 Here's the week-at-a-glance

Week 25: February 8-12, 2016 FLEX –CFA4 + i-Reads	Monday Feb. 8	Tuesday Feb. 9	Wednesday Feb. 10  LA FLEX priority	Thursday Feb. 11	Friday Feb. 12
	*Wine on the Desert *Prefixes *Set-up sentences in Writer’s notebook	*Suffixes *Parts of Speech *Sentences *It’s a Job Intro	*Suffixes *Parts of Speech *Sentences *It’s a Job	*Parts of Speech *Sentences *It’s a Job	*Roots *Parts of Speech *Sentences **It’s a Job conclusion

Week 24: February 1-5, 2016

We are continuing our Literature unit, focusing on the skills good readers, writers, and thinkers use as they interact with literature. Students should be able to finish their work in class - if they use their time wisely - so, if they bring home work - ask what they did in class:)
Students will also present a "book Commercial" Friday, advertising (presenting to the class) a good book they have read this trimester.
Also, i-Read book #10 is due this Friday, February 5 and #9 will become a "0" on this same date.

Here's the week-a-glance:

1st – 5th periods Week 24: February 1-5, 2016 FLEX – CFA#4	Monday Feb. 1 Short PLC	Tuesday Feb. 2	Wednesday Feb. 3  LA FLEX priority	Thursday Feb. 4	Friday Feb. 5
	* Bear Attack = Lit Unit	*SSR *Intro Book Commercials = due Friday *Bear Attack + Extension	*SSR *Wine on the Desert	*SSR *Wine on the Desert + Scope Article	*SSR *Book Commercials = present *I-Read #10 Due

Week 23 - January 25-29, 2016

Students will enjoy this week as we finish-up the ACES essay and move into a new literature unit. Each day we will read a new and interesting story after we learn/practice using prefixes. In addition to this, i-Read book 9 will be due Friday. Book 8 was moved from last Friday (the 22nd) to Monday so students could work on their essay.

Here's the week-at-a-glance:

1st-5th periods Week 23: Jan. 25-29, 2016 FLEX – SAGE interim completion	Monday Jan. 25	Tuesday Jan. 26	Wednesday Jan.27  LA FLEX priority	Thursday Jan.28	Friday Jan. 29
	* last day in class = ACES essay *SSR = i-Read #8 Due	*SSR * Prefixes intro *The Accident	*SSR *Prefixes * The Coldest Place on Earth	*SSR *Prefixes * Lost in the Maine Wilderness	*SSR *Prefixes *I-Read #9 Due *Bear Attack