Explorers' Language Arts

Monday, Feb. 6th - Friday, Feb. 10th

Monday - Write sentences for each vocabulary word. Vocabulary list with definitions provided in class today. Words were first presented last week. Finish tri-fold if it was not completed in class today.

Tuesday - Write a paragraph with 8 of the vocabulary words. Character AR 5 project due tomorrow. AR 5 computer test tomorrow.

Wednesday - Poetry response for two assigned poems in poetry book assigned in class today. Study for vocabulary quiz tomorrow.

Thursday - Poetry response for two assigned poems in poetry book.

Monday, Jan. 30th - Friday, Feb. 3rd

Thursday: grammar test units 8-11

Friday: vocabulary test

Homework:

Monday - read AR 5 & work on project

Tuesday - read AR 5 , work on project , finish classwork (if needed), study for tests: units 8 - 11 (Thurs.) and vocabulary test (Fri.)

Wednesday - read AR 5 & work on project / Study for test(s)

Thursday - bring project outline example of character page as discussed in class. Read AR 5 & work on project. Study for vocabulary test tomorrow

AR 5 character project due February 8th / testing in the library February 8th / check out new AR 6 book February 8th

Tuesday, January 24th - Thursday, January 27th

WCPSS writing papers were completed Tuesday. Students had 3 full class periods to write the four paragraph essay. The paper will be worth a project grade. Concepts for next test will be cumulative covering: subjects, predicates, direct object, indirect object, helping verbs, verb tenses, pronouns, antecedents & prepositions. Any student struggling with these concepts should utilize the helpful websites I have posted.

Homework

Tuesday - Read 30 minutes (February 8th is when the character book project is due and the AR computer test must be taken by then)

Wednesday -Read 30 minutes & write a sentence for each of the 15 vocabulary words. Handout on words was handed out in class.

Thursday - Read 30 minutes & write a paragraph using 8 of the 15 vocabulary words.

Tuesday, January 17th - Thursday, January 19th

Tuesday - Read 30 minutes and write one paragraph about what your book is about so far.

Wednesday - Read as needed. Complete handout pages 142 & 143

Thursday - Read as needed. Complete handout pages 145 & 147

Monday, January 9th - Friday, January 13th

Monday - Time to work on AR4 related work (all 3 assignments, due Wednesday, are listed below).

Tuesday - AR4 project is due tomorrow (two copies: test and test with answers filled in), computer test on book must be taken tomorrow, chapter reflections on each chapter of the AR4 book are due tomorrow.

Wednesday - Fill in your reading log with information from your AR4 book (you should now have 4 entries). Read new AR5 book 30 minutes. Write chapter reflections and complete the new AR5 book analysis form. The completed form will be due tomorrow.

Thursday - Read new AR5 book 30 minutes.

Tuesday, January 2nd - Friday, January 6th

Tuesday - worksheet pg. 345 & 349

Wednesday - worksheet pg. 365 & 373

Thursday - worksheet pg. 381 & 385

Friday - Work on AR 4 reading, chapter summaries and project (all are due Wednesday, January 11th)

Monday, December 19th - Wednesday, December 21st

Monday - Study for The Christmas Carol Vocabulary Test. Must know how to spell words and definitions by memory.

Tuesday - Study for The Christmas Carol (the drama) test. Use the notes you created during class after listening to each scene.

Wednesday - When we return from break we will watch The Christmas Carol movie. Students will have a literary analysis test on the movie which I will show Tuesday and Wednesday. The tested concepts include: author's purpose, point of view, conflict type, central message, mood, protagonist, character analysis of round/flat/static/dynamic, antagonist identification, genre, setting and moral. These are all previously taught and tested concepts.

Monday, December 12th - Friday, December 16th

Monday - finish reflection sheets for Farewell to Manzanar. Study for test on Farewell to Manzanar tomorrow.

Tuesday - Read magazine literary detective handout - write a well developed response as the directions indicate.

Wednesday - Read the Charles Dickens article "How it all Began" - create 5 questions one for each paragraph and provide answers. Write a original sentence for each of the vocabulary words defined on the back of the sheet.

Thursday - Vocabulary practice - write each word three times. Students will be tested on spelling and knowledge of the term. Study Prepositions using study guides. Test tomorrow.

Friday - Preposition test

In addition to the homework assignments below, AR 4 book reading should be done throughout the week. The amount of needed reading time varies with each student. The AR 4 assignment outline is posted under rubrics.The book and assignments all must be completed by January 11th.

Monday, December 5th - Friday, December 9th

Monday - Complete Egyptian paragraph and collage assignment that was started during Smart-Lunch (outline for the Ancient Egypt assignment is located under rubrics). Finish vocabulary chart from class.

Tuesday - Write sentences for the first seven FTM vocabulary words. After writing sentences diagram sentences: underline the subject once, underline the predicate twice, draw a line through the prepositional phrases and identify: helping verbs, objects of the preposition and direct objects.

Wednesday - Write sentences for the the last seven vocabulary words and diagram them as explained above.

Thursday - Complete the preposition homework study guide. Study notes from class on direct objects. Quiz tomorrow. Study vocabulary words; there will be a vocabulary test on the words Monday.

Friday - Preposition Quiz (focus direct objects) 

Monday, November 28th - Thursday, December 1st

Homework:

Monday - Read as needed to complete the AR 3 novel of choice and complete the nonfiction Farewell to Manzanar related reading and questions.

Tuesday - Write a book summary paragraph on your AR 3 fiction novel. It must be completed by hand no computer work. We will build on this assignment in class and it will ultimately count as a quiz grade.

Wednesday - Read your new book and write a summary statement after each chapter. The number of statements will depend on the number of chapters in your book.

Thursday - Read and respond as needed also study for the grammar test tomorrow (use the notes created Mon. - Thurs. from class this week).

Friday - Grammar test

Monday, November 21st

Homework:

Monday - Read AR 3 book (as needed /test completed by Nov 30th), complete primary /secondary sources worksheet, study for the vocabulary test tomorrow.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving:)

Monday, November 14th - Friday, November 18th

Students will be going to the Book Fair this Thursday:)

Monday through Thursday - Students will have a vocabulary enrichment activity to complete each night. In addition, students who have not finished their AR 3 book should read their AR 3 book for 20 minutes each night. Students should write a main idea statement after reading each night. Those students who have finished may read a fiction book of choice and write a main idea statement on that book.

Friday - Author's purpose quiz (students have notes from class Tuesday to help them study). The vocabulary quiz will be next Tuesday.

Monday, November 7th - Thursday, November 10th

This week's Nonfiction Sharing Board activity is all based on the nonfiction book students chose to read. The rubric is posted under rubrics. Additional details about the rubric were discussed in class and should have been noted on their handout. The Nonfiction Sharing Board must be completed in ink or colored pencil on computer paper.

Monday - Complete the first three boxes of the Nonfiction Sharing Board and read the AR 3 fiction novel as needed.

Tuesday - Complete the two more boxes of the Nonfiction Sharing Board, read the AR 3 fiction novel and write a short paragraph summary of the AR 3 fiction reading.

Wednesday - Complete the last three boxes of the Nonfiction Sharing Board. The entire assignment is due tomorrow.

Thursday - Some students may need to read their AR 3 fiction book over the holiday break. Tests on the book must be taken by November 30th.

Tuesday, November 1st - Friday, November 4th

Students will be writing summary paragraphs and main idea statements (alternating between each one) after each reading session for the AR 3 fiction reading book.Tonight summary... next reading session main idea and so on.

Students will be reading their AR 3 fiction novel during Smart Lunch this week, to help provide additional reading time, since we are reading the nonfiction book as well. Most students will still need to read at home nightly. At this point students should have a good idea of what their pace should be and how much time they should invest nightly. 

Homework:

Tuesday - Write all prepositions, read your AR 3 fiction novel as needed and write a summary paragraph - if you didn't finish during Smart Lunch.

Wednesday - Write all prepositions in cursive, read your fiction AR 3 novel and write a main idea statement - if you didn't finish during Smart Lunch. Study for the nonfiction text structures test (use the 3 pages of notes created in class last week and flash card examples)

Thursday - Read 20 minutes and write a summary. Study for the nonfiction text structures test (use your notes and flash card examples)

Friday - Nonfiction text structures test. If you are a slow reader you may want/need to read over the weekend - no notes, just read:)

Monday, Oct. 24th - Friday, Oct. 28th

Monday - Write nonfiction text structures paragraph, make sure you are prepared for the book talk (it starts tomorrow), 

Tuesday - Write nonfiction text structures paragraph, make sure you have your AR 2 main idea notes ready to turn in tomorrow (quiz grade), AR 2 tests must all be taken by your class period tomorrow.

Wednesday - Write nonfiction text structure paragraph, study for WOW vocabulary words and grammar (subjects, predicates, helping verbs, direct object, indirect object, transitive and intransitive identification). Quiz on both Friday.

Thursday - same as above. Quizzes tomorrow.

Reading updates:Students checked out new AR 3 fiction novel and a nonfiction book of choice. Students were given the nonfiction book rubric on Tuesday. The AR 3 book rubric will be handed out next week. Students will again take notes with this book but the format will be a question answer format. 

Reference documents added: NF Text Structures chart to aid students in writing their 5 text structures paragraphs

Rubric Posted: NF project rubric posted for reference (The Sharing Board). Students should have notes from class on the other part of the non-fiction book assignment.

Monday, Oct. 17th - Friday, Oct. 21st

Monday - Read and take notes ( as needed), review helping verbs, complete narrative writing piece started in class (picture graphic organizer and narrative story).

Tuesday - Read and take notes ( as needed), review helping verbs, complete persuasive writing piece started in class.

Wednesday - Read and take notes ( as needed), review helping verbs, complete expository writing piece started in class.

Thursday - Read and take notes ( as needed), review helping verbs, finish text features notes (examples section)

Friday - Class: Helping Verb test. Home: Finish your novel and main idea notes over the weekend if you haven't already.

Monday, Oct. 10th - Friday, Oct. 14th

Monday - Read and take notes as needed. Also, study new vocabulary words.

Tuesday - Read and take notes as needed, Make sure you have all of the four song prompts together and complete to turn in, complete the windowpane activity if not completed in class. Review vocabulary terms

Wednesday - Read and take notes as needed. Also, study for the vocabulary test Friday.

Thursday - Read and take notes as needed.

Homework: Monday, Oct. 3rd - Thursday, Oct. 6th

Monday - Complete music prompt journal assignment 1 from class. Read and take main idea notes as needed.

Tuesday - Complete music prompt journal assignment 2 from class. Read and take main idea notes as needed.

Wednesday - Complete music prompt journal assignment 3 from class. Read and take main idea notes as needed. Study for noun test tomorrow. (abstract, concrete, common, pronouns, compound nouns, possessive, plural, proper nouns, anticedents)

Thursday - Complete music prompt journal assignment 4 from class. Read and take main idea notes as needed. 

New rubrics posted:

*The Journal Prompt rubric is now posted under rubrics.

*The AR book 2 assignment is now posted under rubrics.

I will be out of the classroom starting this Friday (Early Release Day) and continuing through next Monday,Tuesday and again Thursday of the following week. If any concerns arise while I am away,  I will address them as soon as I am able when I return. While I am away the substitute will be instructing students on lessons centered on vocabulary enrichment and verb centered grammar lessons. The four music prompts will be collected for a quiz grade when I return. Students should continue reading their second AR novel and be taking main idea notes. 

Homework Monday, Sept. 26th - Wednesday, Sept. 28th

Monday - Complete page 4 of project. Bring to class a short written response to the question: What is the treasure you have that you value the most and why? Plot diagram test Tuesday - know the six literary elements.

Tuesday - Complet page 5 of your project. Bind all five pages to bring to class. The project is due tomorrow.

Wednesday -  Read your new fiction AR novel 20 minutes and take notes according to the taught notes format.

Teacher Workday Friday - no school:)

Enjoy the long weekend.

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Homework Monday, September 19th - Friday, Sept. 23

AR book projects and notes will be due Wednesday, Sept. 28th. The AR computer test must also be taken by the 28th.The rubric for the project was provided to students in class and is posted under rubrics and AR reading on my website.

Monday - Complete last two genre articles. You should have eight now. Compile all articles into the final copy ink format. It is due tomorrow and worth a quiz grade. 

Tuesday - Complete page one of your project. Read as needed and take notes

Wednesday - Complete page two of your project. Read as needed and take notes.

Thursday - Complete page three of your project. Read as needed and take notes. Study genres, if needed; test tomorrow

Friday - Genre types test

Thank you to my students who check Schoolnotes and let me know when resources aren't what I say they are. Not sure what happened, I posted Sunday night, but it disappeared. Here it is again, hopefully no disappearing this time. To meet student requests, I added genre explanation bookmarks that students can reference for the genre writing activity. The bookmarks are under reference documents.

Homework Monday, September 12 - Friday, Sept. 16th

Monday - POV manual due. Read and take notes as needed.

Tuesday - Start the genre newspaper articles. Write two of the eight. Rough drafts for first two due in class tomorrow. Read and take notes as needed

Wednesday - Write next two genre articles. You should now have four of the eight. Two new rough drafts due in class tomorrow. Read and take notes as needed

Thursday - Write next two genre articles. You should now have six of the eight. Two new rough drafts due in class tomorrow. Read and take notes as needed. Study for the sentence types, fragments, subject and predicate test tomorrow.

Friday - (Test) If you are behind on your book you may need to read this weekend:)

The AR book test must be taken by the 28th.

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Need to know: Tuesday students will go to the library and take the STARS reading test. Students will be sent home with their personal reading score report. Please review the report and keep for your records. The AR books students chose to read should be in line with the report score. AR reading dates, testing deadlines and additional information is posted under the AR reading section of my site. Please reference this information. Many grades are associated with AR book reading.

Homework: Sept. 6th - Sept. 8th

Tuesday: Subject/Predicate worksheet activity. Read new novel 20 minutes

Wednesday: Subject Predicate worksheet activity. Read new novel 20 minutes

Thursday: Subject/ Predicate worksheet activity, use subject / predicate practice website (posted on blog) to prepare for quiz tomorrow. Read as time allows.

Friday: Subject / Predicate quiz

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Homework: August 29th - September 2nd

Monday: Finish journal assignment from class. Journal prompt: Tell about your experience in language arts last year. Attempt to color code the parts of the paragraph as shown in class. If you don't remember how to color code just write the paragraph and we will work on the color coding during class.

Tuesday: Write two examples for each of the four sentence types. That will be eight sentences all together. Make sure you identify each sentence type.

Wednesday: Dear Mrs. Rigsbee letter assignment. Rubric provided in class and posted on line under Rubrics. Students are expected to complete the assignment by hand in pencil. No computer work accepted.

Thursday: Use your eight sentences from Tuesday's homework to complete this activity. You are to underline the complete subject once and the complete predicate twice.