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    December 1, 2008

As we scramble towards the Winter Break, our activities will include the following assignments, most of which are not new to the schedule.  The items that say "re-quiz" are only for those students who did not pass them the first time.  I will be reminding all students whether or not they should prepare, but they should already know whether or not the list will include their own names.

THURSDAY/FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4/5:

·        aVOCAB 13/14 HOMEWORK

·        VOCAB 13/14 QUIZ

·        EDGE OF SURVIVAL VOCAB QUIZ

MONDAY/TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8/9:

·        VOCAB 9/10 RE-QUIZ

·        VOCAB 11/12 RE-QUIZ

·        “MATT. HENSON ...” RE-QUIZ

WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10/11:

·        REVIEW QUIZ, UNITS 7 – 12

THURSDAY/FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11/12:

·        aVOCAB 15/16 HOMEWORK

MONDAY/TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15/16:

·        PERFORMANCE DAY

Just a couple of other things:

1. One of the organizations at JMS is collecting non-perishable food

items to donate to the Salvation Army, for those in need.  I have already purchased and set aside about 15 items to bring and share.  If each of my students brings only one item, we could have over 100 items to share with someone who really needs the assistance.  I am well aware that many of you already contribute to other organizations, but if your child could accept the challenge to bring one item, I would be grateful.  I have not mentioned this to the students, but I plan to do so in the next two days.  Thanks!
2. There is still time to sign up for the 2009 Spring Break Field trip to Italy and Greece.  Please email me if you are interested in this trip, for yourself or your child. 

 That's all for now, folks!

21 November 2008

This is just a "heads up!" regarding progress reports, which will likely be distributed today.  First, do not panic!  In most cases the grades are lower than you would expect to see.  I fully expect almost all students to improve their grades before the actual Report Cards are completed.  One of the reasons for the low grades is that I have stopped recording failing grades for most literature and vocabulary quizzes.  Instead, I am assigning AIP, followed by an opportunity to retake the quiz.  As we have not had time to redo some of the quizzes, there are still a fair number of grades of "0" that will need to be "repaired".  This will have to occur after Thanksgiving.  During the first week of December, I plan to begin the re-quizzes, and I plan to re-distribute all of the papers I have collected from your children since the beginning of the school year.  That will give us the opportunity to review what still needs attention.  Please email me if you have questions.                                                                

Two reminders about our upcoming very short week:

1. Book orders are due by Tuesday, and I will be awarding a free book to each child whose parents order online. 

2. Geography Book Reports are due on Monday/Tuesday.

3. We will check the Vocabulary Review of Units 1 - 10 (pages 42 - 47 in the workbook) on Monday/Tuesday. 

Here is an newly assigned upcoming assignment.  Students in periods 1, 2, and 3 haven't even heard about it yet!

PERFORMANCE ASSIGNMENT FOR PERIODS 1, 2, 3, AND 5 (G/T READING)

On December 15/16 your Reading assignment will be to do some sort of appropriate performance in class.  The requirements are as follows.

• You will 2 minutes to complete your performance, so practice ahead of time and time yourself.
• You may work alone or with partners, but classroom time will not be set aside for you to practice in class.  If you work with a partner(s), your performance may be a total of 2 minutes per person.  There is not a limit to the number of partners, but they must be from your class.
• The material may be original or previously published.
• It may be something you have performed for another class, but that is not required.
• It may be related to the holiday/season, but this is not required.
• When you enter the room, you will need to turn in a 3x5 card briefly explains your performance and why reading is relevant to it.  (Reading music does not equate with reading words.)  If you are not prepared ahead of time with your card, points will be deducted.
• If you know ahead of time that you will be absent that day, due to any reason, you must let me know ahead of time and you must do your performance the previous week.
• You may use simple costumes (not required), but you may not use class time to put them on.  (They should be easily put on over your other clothes.)
• You must bring necessary instruments, costumes, props, etc. to class, and be on time.  If you have to have a pass to go get what you need, you will lose points.  So, be prepared!  Items may be brought to my classroom in the morning.  Arrive to class on time! 
• Your performance may include, but is not limited to  song, dance, artwork, performance on a musical instrument(s), reading of poetry or short story, comedy routine, theatrical performance (skit, for example), gymnastics, or a combination of these activities. (For your safety, you must provide protective flooring and/or safety equipment.)

·                    Have fun with this assignment!

This is the end of new informaiton for 21 November 2008.

                                         HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

J J J J J J J J J J J

 14 NOVEMBER

SOME REMINDERS:

• The Geography Book Report will be due November 24/25.  Instructions are somewhere below.
• I have 2 remaining What's the Word? books.  They are $12. 
• I hope to have the new Scholastic book orders ready to distribute early next week.  For this order only, I am offering one free book, from my personal collection of new books, to any student who places an order online!  If you do not have internet access at your home, and your child orders a Scholastic book from a catalog and brings me the money, he/she can have a new book, if you will write a note to the effect that you do not have Internet access at home. 
• The 2008 - 2009 Lilterature Assignments, Part 2 will be distributed next week.  It is perfectly okay for students to read ahead in the book, but your child should be sure to review the story just prior to the due date, so information will be fresh in his/her mind.  The work should be done in a spiral notebook. 
• I have noticed that recently many students are not studying for their vocabulary quizzes.  Although these words are not easy, they have multiple opportunities to work on them.  In addition to the workbook pages and the flash cards each child prepares for him/herself, they view a video review of all of the words and their meanings, along with an additional context for each word, AND we discuss the words in class.  Since some students are becoming negligent in studying for the bi-weekly quizzes, I am now assigning AIP if students fail any of the quizzes, because they have failed to study, which is a regular assignment.  After they attend AIP, they will have the opportunity to re-take the quiz so they can earn a passing grade.
• IMPORTANT: I am generally (about 95% of the time) available to help students with vocabulary, literature, or anything else they need help with at these times:  before school from about 8:00 A.M. until 8:20; after school many days (check with me ahead of time); on Wednesdays until 6:00 P.M., as I will be here with the Chess Team at that time.  I can also be available during SPARK, but you'll need to check with your SPARK teacher, and make arrangements.  You can email me at any time with questions.  I check my school mail several times on weekends.  
• Please note that the date for the Review Test for Vocab Units 7 - 12 had been delayed.  
• Please remember that the Vocab Review in the textbook, pages 42 - 47 will be checked on November 24/25.  If you are not finished on time, the best grade you will get is a 50, as well as AIP.  You should know the words by now!
• Have a great Thanksgiving!                                   

NOTE TO PARENTS:  Some students are ignoring their literature        ssignments, resulting in low quiz grades, as well as lack of learning      some important vocabulary words and some                                           literature concepts.   Quizzes for Literacy are not announced, and       all students have been given copies of due dates.  Please discuss     this   with your child and let me know if I can be                                       of assistance.                                                                                               

 10/28            

                        a.      timeliness

     10. On the due date, do not tell me about how somebody “messed up” your project, you left it in your          

            mamma’s car, you couldn’t do it.  All problems must be solved ahead of time. 

What questions do you have about this assignment? ______________________________
______________________________

Following is a chart of the new assignment dates.  Students received a copy of the original list the first week of school.  The dates that have been changed are in italics.

UPDATED: 2008 – 2009 SCHEDULE FOR HOMEWORK AND QUIZZES FOR WHAT’S THE WORD? VOLUME I

SIXTH GRADE GIFTED/TALENTED READING; PERIODS 1, 2, 3, AND 5

OTHER ASSIGNMENTS