tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49560144899126904832024-03-14T00:16:31.232-05:00Blue Jay Englishtmmaerkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00330601876214144492noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-73328440191524569532015-04-03T09:20:00.003-05:002015-04-03T09:20:51.507-05:00make your own MAP test<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hey, we're making our own MAP test questions!</div>
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What's a better than preparing for the MAP test, than using practice questions as mentor questions to write our own questions using our own reading books?</div>
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Sharing the Google Docs and commenting on each other's questions and answers is a great opportunity to collaborate and learn about other books, too.</div>
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We will be ready for the MAP test! And our kids will do great! </div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-57902922415421900712015-01-21T07:51:00.002-06:002015-01-21T07:51:51.339-06:00Poetry<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
Last week we began our study of poetry with a simple discussion focused on four questions:</div>
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1. What do you already know about poetry?<br />2. What do you like about poetry?<br />3. What do you dislike about poetry?<br />4. How can learning change our thinking about poetry?</blockquote>
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Students discussed these questions at their team tables, and then after some time shared their answers with the whole class. I took notes on the board (see pictures for each class below) to gather this information as our starting point for our study of poetry. As we study poetry--learning about elements of poetry, reading lots of poetry, analyzing poetry, comparing/contrasting poems--it will be interesting to see how (if at all) the answers to these questions may change. That reflection won't come until the end of the quarter though, so stay tuned. </div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-48051411187384519122015-01-09T21:17:00.000-06:002015-01-12T07:13:26.031-06:00iReady Reading TestThursday and Friday of this week we spent time working at different stations that would hopefully help students more closely and tightly connect the learning we've done throughout the first semester. There were four stations at which students used the computers and four stations at which students either read or worked through scenarios in discussions.<br />
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I like the idea of reinforcing learning, with something like a review, but I also really like the idea of stations, to allow students quick opportunities to connect different learning objectives. All of these stations dealt with reading skills, but different skills. On the computer, there was: comparing/ contrasting fictional passage elements presented in print and video, citing textual evidence in nonfiction, prefix vocabulary practice, and determining methods to go about finding answers in various texts. Away from the computers, there was: silent reading time, two different scenarios analyzing author purpose and character motivation, and then conferencing about previous test scores.</div>
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I feel good about how this went, but would like to better prepare students for the mindset and attitude necessary to get the most out of the experience, without having a teacher standing over their shoulder telling them what to do. To help students achieve a mindset where they understand learning takes place better without me, amongst their peers, would provide better learning opportunities in the stations. At least that's my thinking. </div>
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I'm thinking I'll do stations at least two more times this year. It's not easy to plan or prepare for, but hopefully the more we do it the bigger the benefit will be. We shall see. </div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-84024819028538568612014-12-09T09:20:00.000-06:002014-12-09T09:20:21.575-06:00Hour of Code<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
The class participated in the <a href="http://hourofcode.com/us" target="_blank">Hour of Code </a>on Monday, December 8th. It seems like the entire world was also participating at the same time, since the internet was (basically) broken, but it was still a lot of fun. Several of the online tutorials and learning games were overwhelmed with traffic, which means we couldn't get them to work, but we did get to do some pretty fun stuff. </div>
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Below are some pictures of students coding throughout the day. My greatest learning "take-away" was that immediate feedback was helpful, but the "games" forced me/us to identify our mistakes and then to make revisions if we wanted to proceed, or advance, in the game. The code was the method by which we could advance. As a teacher, I loved the immediacy of the feedback, and the opportunity for revision. Honestly, I'm not great at getting feedback quickly to my students, especially with writing, but I try to do it well. I do, however, emphasize revision just about every class period, because I believe in it wholeheartedly. </div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-10111199045000380462014-12-04T08:57:00.001-06:002014-12-04T10:10:08.041-06:00Canvas Discussion Feedback<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday we participated in our first full-class discussion on Canvas/SPS Online. We used Fantastic Mr. Fox and our learning regarding fictional stories and literary elements as the prompts for the discussions, and things went well. But that doesn't mean we can't improve our practice in school discussions. </div>
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The first bit of feedback that I must offer is the picture above. Whenever I find myself in a new situation, I often quote this saying to myself. It's a great statement because it applies to everyone in basically every situation. This picture was taken by my father when visiting, I think, Yosemite National Park. He visited a very nice lodge, and this sign was posted. But I think it can also apply to school, and even our Canvas discussions. </div>
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So, whenever you're using Canvas/SPS Online, please remember to conduct yourself in a manner that is consistent with the intended use. Canvas/SPS Online was created as an online learning management system, for Springfield School students to engage in meaningful learning online. So, let's make sure our time spent on Canvas/SPS Online is educational in nature. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If we keep that in mind, then I'm sure our discussions will become rich opportunities for us to think, write, and interact in new ways. I can't wait to see. </div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-48275496183266887042014-09-28T08:41:00.000-05:002014-09-28T08:41:32.961-05:00paragraphing<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
On Wednesday, we spent some time in class talking, discussing, observing, and hopefully learning about paragraphing. It was a fun lesson for me, as a teacher, and I thankfully got lots of good feedback from students as well. I took some pictures of the notes, of which two are below. </div>
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We started thinking about what teachers tell students about paragraphing. That's listed in the top picture in blue. Students came up with things like: must be 5 sentences, must indent, essays must be 5 paragraphs, and in some classes students pointed out the names of different paragraphs--opening or introduction, closing or conclusion, and body in the middle. It was nice to hear that students remembered some of what they've been taught, even if it doesn't always make it to the page or I don't agree with it. </div>
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Then I asked the students to guess how many paragraphs might be on any random page in a "normal" text (what a librarian might call a chapter book maybe, either fiction or nonfiction). Those numbers are in the top picture, in the grid on the left. Then I had the students turn to a random page and count the number of paragraphs. I didn't keep that list of numbers, but you can see that the average was a bit higher than their original guess. We then did the same for nonfiction articles--their guesses are the second column and the article counts are the far right. The averages are significantly different, which is exactly what I wanted the students to see.</div>
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After we made these observations, we needed to try to answer some questions, so we could learn from the texts and apply that learning to our own writing. So I basically just asked the question: why? Why are there more paragraphs in fiction than we originally thought? Why are there so many paragraphs in a nonfiction text? This led to another question--how do we know there's a new paragraph?</div>
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The answers were all based on observations from students, and I'm super proud of them. The class went well, and lots of focused discussion took place. Meaningful questions were raised, and observations from our books led us to some answers. But the answers are not right/wrong or black/white. The answers could apply in one situation, but not in another. And that makes me happy as a teacher, because it means the students are understanding that there are nuances to writing based on the situation, which is likewise based on the audience and purpose. Did I say it was a good day?</div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-28228383017979879992014-09-17T18:32:00.000-05:002014-09-17T18:32:06.911-05:00self-awarenessFrom a September 10th Freewriting Reflection:<br />
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<span style="background-color: yellow;">Question: </span><br />If you were to score this piece of writing for the writing skill and thoughtfulness it shows, what score would you give it, and why?<br /><span style="background-color: yellow;">Two Student Answers:</span><br />1 - "I would give myself a 3 out of 5 because it might not be clear to some, and I usually don't see some things I need to correct."<br />2 - "I would give it a 5/10. I just wrote not caring what I wrote." </blockquote>
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I chose to showcase these two student responses for the self-awareness that they display. Eighth graders that display this level of self-awareness are well on their way to achieving their goals, because they have the ability to accurately assess their situation. Much too many eighth graders inaccurately assess their ability in everything, including school-specific skills like organization, study habits, or content specific knowledge.<br />
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Beyond self-awareness though, each student makes a great "writing" connection in their respective responses.<br />
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The first student is aware that he doesn't "see" the things that he may need to correct, as a writer. I'm so glad that this is pointed out. Understanding what to look for, and how to see what you're looking for, is a skill that I still work on in my writing. Further, understanding that a writer can't "see" everything (that's why professional, paid writers have editors!), is important for students AND teachers. In class, we've been working on sentence level writing skills that incorporate using proper internal and end punctuation, with a proficiency in interchanging phrases and clauses to build a variety of sentence structures.<br />
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The second student is aware that caring about what you write usually has an affect upon the score that a writing will earn. This student gives himself (yes, it's a guy) a failing score. Hopefully the self-awareness mentioned earlier is rooted in a causal connection: not caring about your writing = bad writing. So what's the first step to improving writing? Caring about what you write. How do I get students to care about what they write? Give them choice. Give them time. Talk to them to help them find things they care about. I try all these things. It takes time, but it's valuable time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-8815182868838570382014-08-17T13:40:00.001-05:002014-08-17T13:40:10.345-05:00the beginning of a new yearA new school year has begun, and we've started with a flourish. We've started using the computers and the technology tools available to us on the first day, and have made use of them when possible.<br />
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Please use this website often to access the 8th grade team website, the Pleasant View Middle School homepage and the Library homepage, as well as Google, SPS Online/Canvas, and eSchool Plus--all of which are available on the right sidebar.<br />
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Let me know if you have questions or concerns. My contact information is available on the "Contact Information" button above.<br />
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Finally, each day the activities that we work through will be available on the "Assignments" button above. These lists only include bare descriptions, but wherever possible, I'll also include links to documents or other resources that could be used to complete the learning activity.<br />
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Let's work together to make sure this is a productive, enjoyable school year. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-75570340647159459752014-05-18T15:19:00.004-05:002014-05-18T17:46:14.882-05:00End of Year ReflectionsThere is some wise sayings about how we learn from our experiences. But instead of simply learning from our experiences, what some people call our mistakes, John Dewey, a famous education thinker and writer, once said, <span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"We don't learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience."</span><br />
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So, as we come to the end of the school year, we will do some reflecting on our experiences. It's a good thing to do. </div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1K9dHdCbh9KHei7FqND4jGxef4xVil_Gm7hXv7aOG0U8/viewform?usp=send_form" target="_blank">Writing Reflection</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1WhfZhZY4WHXgyP8oI4hRcG3LuAJ3GKttHyK1GGmpAhA/viewform?usp=send_form" target="_blank">Reading Reflection</a></b></span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-45375116055404870572014-05-12T08:15:00.001-05:002014-05-12T08:20:33.981-05:00you only get one shot<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Sorry I can't be there in class Monday or Tuesday, but I'll be back for Wednesday and the Reading Performance Series Testing. I'm in New Orleans, with my family. My father, who the picture is taken with, has been in the hospital since Tuesday night, so I drove down here to be with him.</div>
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Ms. Hagood is a wonderful sub, and as long as the computers and technology work, everything will go well. Do your best as you reflect upon how things have gone for Reading this year, so that you can prepare yourself to do well on the test on Wednesday. And remember that all Library books are due tomorrow. </div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-63369273333863997352014-04-26T09:24:00.001-05:002014-04-26T09:24:11.088-05:00maybe what it takes to be a geniusIt's a really <a href="http://www.edudemic.com/be-a-genius/" target="_blank">short article</a> and a neat little <a href="http://www.edudemic.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/grant-snider-genius.jpg" target="_blank">infographic</a>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-19552092019776230432014-04-25T13:42:00.001-05:002014-04-25T13:51:57.539-05:00MAP TESTINGSome things to know about MAP Testing.<br />
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Students will be testing according to their Math/Algebra class, as the picture shows (the writing in green tells). The schedule for the testing is also in the picture (written in black). </div>
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Students are encouraged to get a good night sleep and have a good breakfast. If they come ready to test, then we're sure that they can do wonderful if they focus on the test and do their very best. </div>
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We will provide students with a small snack during the testing days, but they will need to bring waters. Water will be the only drink allowed in the classrooms during testing. Also, students are encouraged to bring a reading book with them when they test, so that if/when they finish early, they will have something to occupy their mind. Students WILL NOT be allowed to use ereaders or read ebooks on their phones or other devices. </div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-61152307720164381462014-04-12T22:04:00.000-05:002014-04-12T22:04:12.681-05:00a new blog that is interestingI read lots of news and blogs via my Feedly app in Chrome. I like doing this on Saturday mornings because I've got a good chunk of time, and I get to be surprised by what the internet brings me. One of the blogs that I recently found is <a href="http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/" target="_blank">Farnam Street</a>. I don't know much about it yet, but I know that I like it. Here are a few of my favorite pages, so far:<br />
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<a href="http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2013/09/finding-time-to-read/" target="_blank">Finding Time to Read</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/how-to-read-a-book/" target="_blank">How to Read a Book</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/reading/" target="_blank">What I'm Reading</a><br />
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I like this blog because, as the <a href="http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/about/" target="_blank">About page</a> describes, the goal of the author, Shane Parrish, is to "master the best of what other people have already figured out." This involves lots of learning. And a lot of that learning happens through reading. As an English teacher, I love it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-91572405114120324452014-03-31T11:25:00.003-05:002014-03-31T11:25:34.316-05:00ten best sentences?I listen to the local NPR station, <a href="http://ksmu.org/" target="_blank">KSMU</a>, every day when I drive to and from school. I believe KSMU is a great asset to listeners in southwest Missouri. I also frequent the <a href="http://www.npr.org/" target="_blank">NPR website</a>, which I use for a wider variety of stories that are not carried on local programming.<br />
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Last week NPR ran a story about sentences which I really enjoyed. I figured that I would share that story here, as well as a few related stories, since this week we're looking very closely at sentence level writing and revision.<br />
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<a href="http://www.npr.org/2014/03/26/294823375/it-was-the-best-of-sentences" target="_blank"><i>NPR </i>article: "It Was The Best Of Sentences ..."</a><br />
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<a href="http://theamericanscholar.org/ten-best-sentences/#.UzlW36hdWSq" target="_blank"><i>The American Scholar</i> article: "Ten Best Sentence"</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.poynter.org/how-tos/newsgathering-storytelling/writing-tools/245081/why-these-are-the-ten-best-sentences/" target="_blank"><i>Poynter </i>article: "Why these are the 'Ten Best Sentences'"</a><br />
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What is your favorite sentence from a book that you've read. I'll add mine below in the Comments, and then you can add yours too.<br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-31253955623781187942014-03-26T16:12:00.001-05:002014-03-26T16:12:35.493-05:00a time to look back and gaze forward<a href="https://docs.google.com/a/spsr12.org/forms/d/1Vy2D2tQyO4iXD1Mc4uc6NdUfLneTv3PB3QPX1gWbil8/viewform" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Third Quarter Feedback Form</b></span></a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-27631508200589551572014-03-18T15:33:00.003-05:002014-03-24T16:19:54.515-05:00The Pirates of Penzance<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xqococyDl-9aIVCXx4XeDyjc9Af8yNYXA58kGRVKfB0/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank"><b>I Am a Pirate King</b></a> - song lyrics</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/a/spsr12.org/document/d/1Pefajr4wATYdLkjYj_Ypx-7r-wLK6ZYFRp3HWpUVTH8/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank"><b>Pirate Dictionary</b></a> - use to translate text into pirate talk</span><br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/a/spsr12.org/document/d/1P-XbMVwpdmaBDNR45y8T3w7IooUpgTolSKcDqOSBgII/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Building Background - articles to read</a></b><br />
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Field trip is scheduled for Friday, March 28, 2014. Students will leave Pleasant View at 11:45 and travel to Missouri State University to watch a portion of the musical <i>The Pirates of Penzance</i>. Students will return to Pleasant View at approximately 2:30.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-23407676706501843462014-03-03T20:15:00.001-06:002014-03-03T20:21:18.113-06:003rd Quarter Reading ReflectionPlease click on the link below and honestly and thoughtfully respond to all the questions.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/a/spsr12.org/forms/d/1SMfX6KdYR-Yz9EqcqwMTZN-37ZoeZvBsHlaXZnhKk4E/viewform" target="_blank">3rd Quarter Reading Reflection</a></span></b>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-82839658217475353722014-02-23T08:34:00.001-06:002014-02-23T08:34:21.863-06:00Poetry Presentation ProjectThis week we'll be working on our Poetry Presentation Projects. Students should have memorized their chosen poems already, and quite possible spent some time analyzing their poems on their paper. This will place them in good standing through the week, as we actually put the presentation together.<br />
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Students will be using Google Presentation, which is very much like Microsoft Powerpoint, to make the actual presentation. The pink piece of paper that details the entire assignment (this should be in the students' second section--Reading section--of their English binders) shows what should be included on each slide. Below are four links: two finished examples and two "templates" for students to use.<br />
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<span style="background-color: #ea9999;">PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE</span><br />
*ask questions when you're not sure about something<br />
*if you're worried about time limits, come in early or stay late--FRIDAY is our due date<br />
*I want all students to be successful--if you have concerns, talk to me. I can't read minds.<br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1h6FnutuLNCWCTD20eHdCUx2QWBoSRlrUD4_RkytesyE/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">FINISHED EXAMPLE - "Mama is a Sunrise" by Evelyn Tooley Hunt</a><br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1quxjZgiB-AGi_mRWtAnAxg47wMuYLfutGmHuacdSCXc/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">FINISHED EXAMPLE - "To Anthea, Who May Command Him Anything" by Robert Herrick</a><br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1IVcdUkdSZ4rkxI-LQRnqE1JoPqVK4JciHnRt5d34qU8/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">TEMPLATE - no theme, just headers with blank slides</a><br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19tQvyF8lN5GC_Qf0zz8HPmoenW8mEUGKvKZBpW95NJI/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">TEMPLATE - paper plane theme, just headers with blank slides</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-32415880383187670182014-01-18T17:03:00.001-06:002014-01-18T17:03:24.471-06:00online search stuffHere's a cool post from <a href="http://www.edudemic.com/" target="_blank">Edudemic</a>:<br />
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<a href="http://www.edudemic.com/research-search-engines/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">30 Search Engines Perfect for Student Researchers</span></a><br />
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It includes a really neat <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infographic" target="_blank">infographic</a> on online research methods.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-84820939259625339472014-01-15T07:15:00.000-06:002014-01-16T06:50:12.741-06:00poems for January 16thWe're going to dive headlong into poetry, first by seeing the direction we will be taking this quarter, and then by reading a bunch of really good poetry.<br />
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1KPQXytmtA0QV9XZllMajlxTzQ/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Poems to be read on January 16th.</span></a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-72693112344990896642014-01-12T19:53:00.004-06:002014-01-12T19:53:58.051-06:00the more they burn, the better they learn<!--BEGIN CDC WIDGET--><a href="http://makinghealtheasier.org/burntolearn" target="_blank" title="Burn to Learn"><img alt="CDC Burn to Learn" border="0" height="339" src="http://www.cdc.gov/makinghealtheasier/burntolearn/images/burn2learn_infographic.png" width="400" /></a>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-90173772978508162052013-12-16T16:48:00.000-06:002013-12-16T16:51:35.067-06:002nd Quarter Reading ReflectionThe 1st Quarter Reading Reflection was our first step in to these reflections. There are 21 questions in this reflection, and it should take at least 20 minutes to complete.<br />
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Please take your time.<br />
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Please represent yourself well.<br />
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Please be thoughtful and honest as you reflect upon your reading through this quarter.<br />
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The act of reflection can be immensely insightful in helping us get to know ourselves better, as individuals and readers. Let's learn from our experiences.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1y--H0KVAf6O_tej4FfOcUzQW0mHzuk4X20qnQO36gRc/viewform" target="_blank">2nd Quarter Reading Reflection </a></span></b>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-83383522492457121172013-12-11T14:52:00.000-06:002013-12-11T14:52:01.968-06:00OTC field trip reflectionIf you went on the field trip to OTC (Ozarks Technical Community College) on Thursday, December 5, please click on the link below and complete the survey.<br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/a/spsr12.org/forms/d/1iQe_MOvqsyrBInE4ow2fIcI2z4ufICn2OPjYAYvqfEQ/viewform" target="_blank">OTC Tour Reflections</a><br />
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Thank you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-12123947065651163842013-12-11T08:54:00.001-06:002013-12-11T14:25:41.599-06:00end of second quarter extra credit opportunity<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
The Performance Series tests will be the last "big" assessments that will go in to the grade book before the quarter ends. I like to finish the quarter with an opportunity for the students to earn some extra credit, so here it is. </div>
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When taking the Reading Performance Series test: if a student scored on or below grade level on the beginning of the year test, and is able to improve their Lexile score by 100 points, then they will earn extra credit; if a student score above grade level on the beginning of the year test, and is able to improve their Lexile score by 50 points, then they will earn extra credit. </div>
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When taking the Language Arts Performance Series test: compared to the beginning of the year Scaled Score, if a student scores 50 points higher on this middle of the year test, then they will earn extra credit. </div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4956014489912690483.post-25636093553921147492013-12-03T07:19:00.001-06:002013-12-03T07:19:24.127-06:00second quarter quickly drawing to a closeThis won't be exciting--mostly just reminders.<br />
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The second quarter is quickly drawing to a close, and every single day will prove important for student learning and success. I recommend using the <a href="http://bluejayenglish.blogspot.com/p/assignments.html" target="_blank">Assignments</a> page to stay up to date on what is going on in class. We're all trying out a <a href="https://docs.google.com/a/spsr12.org/document/d/1_kC7GtI1sfs1XQTadhc17QhcEQWY2-AI2lYPpc5aQ3c/" target="_blank">team assignments document</a> to share exactly what graded assignments were completed each school day in the four core classes. Any feedback on this would be greatly appreciative.<br />
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This week, December 2-6, features work on a collaborative rocket unit centered on the question: what do good problem solvers do? In English, we'll be reflecting upon the history of rockets, the movie <a href="http://www.homerhickam.com/movies/" target="_blank">October Sky</a>, and the process the students go through to build their own water rockets in order to answer this question. On December 5th we'll be taking a field trip to <a href="http://www.otc.edu/" target="_blank">Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC)</a> to view the programs of study available there. It will be a fun and informative day. If students do not turn in their permission forms, they will be staying at school and working on alternative assignments. Other than the previously mentioned focus for learning, we'll be working through a few minilessons (capitalization of seasons, directional terms, family relationships; punctuating different titles; comma and semicolon use) to prepare for the Language Arts Performance Series Test.<br />
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The week of December 9-13 features <a href="http://edperformance.com/" target="_blank">Performance Series Testing</a>. This will be our middle-of-year round of testing, to measure improvement from the beginning-of-year tests, and to pinpoint what areas we still need to continue to improve upon. Students MUST complete this testing before December 19, so if a student is absent, they'll probably be pulled from other classes or have to come in early to complete the testing. We believe it is best for students to complete the testing with their English classes, so absences during this time should be avoided. This week is mostly consumed with assessment, but through the assessment we can still learn quite a bit. We will think about and discuss test taking practices; we will reflect upon previous learning and place it within the context of this situation; we will receive our new scores and look to focus our learning for the end-of-year test that we will take in May. <br />
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The final week, December 16-19, features work on a <a href="http://www.read.gov/letters/" target="_blank">Letter to Author</a> that students will have the opportunity to send off to a writing competition. I hope that students take the opportunity to enter their work in the competition; it's a great opportunity to send student work well beyond our walls in order to see how our writing compares. The learning that takes place this week is a culmination of work that has been completed through the quarter. Students will look back on their reading experiences this quarter in order to reflect upon their reading habits and discover further what type of a reader they are and are becoming. Helping students to learn about themselves is an important aspect of the reading that we do throughout the year, and that won't happen without a reflective process. The letter students will write to an author is another opportunity for reflection, but the focus this time being a text, rather than themselves. Following the format is important, and working through the process of reflecting and writing and revising and sharing and revising and writing provides so many individual opportunities for learning about the little things of being a reader and a writer and a learner. I really enjoy getting to work with students through these weeks, because it's more of a workshop during this time than any other point in the quarter. I wish we could do it more. <br />
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With all this in mind, the nitty-gritty element is that there will be five more graded assignments:
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<ul>
<li>--December 3--MLA citation of book/author choice for Letter to Author (10 points)</li>
<li>--December 10--Performance Series Testing Reading score (15 points)</li>
<li>--December 12--Performance Series Testing Language Arts score (15 points)</li>
<li>--December 17--Second Quarter Reading Record (60 points)</li>
<li>--December 19--Letter to Author (50 points)</li>
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Please let me know if you have questions or concerns. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0