November 16- 20, 2009

Standards

ELA7R2 The student understands and acquires new vocabulary and uses it correctly in reading and writing.
ELA7R3 The student reads aloud, accurately (in the range of 95%), familiar material in a variety of genres, in a way that makes meaning clear to listeners.
ELA7RC3 The student acquires new vocabulary in each content area and uses it correctly.
ELA7C1 The student demonstrates understanding and control of the rules of the English language, realizing that usage involves the appropriate application of conventions and grammar in both written and spoken formats.

Monday- Reading logs will be graded. Students have a word of the day test. Students will work on a Point of View foldable with two characters from the novel, "Among the Hidden."

Homework- Students should be wrapping up their cereal box book review. This project is due Thursday. NO LATE PROJECTS will be accepted. See last weeks notes for explicit directions. We visit the library tomorrow as a class. Please see that students have their library card and AR book with them.

Tuesday- We will hopefully finish the novel "Among the Hidden". It is our class day to visit the library.

Wednesday- Quiz on the novel addressing the elements of a short story. Fourth block will debate the "Two Child Policy" and government control.

Homework- Book reviews are due tomorrow. NO late projects will be accepted.

Thursday- Students in first block will debate the "Two Child Policy". Book reviews will be presented.

Friday- Book reviews will be presented to classmates.

November 9-13, 2009

Standards

 ELA7R2 The student understands and acquires new vocabulary and uses it correctly in reading and writing.
ELA7R3 The student reads aloud, accurately (in the range of 95%), familiar material in a variety of genres, in a way that makes meaning clear to listeners.
ELA7RC3 The student acquires new vocabulary in each content area and uses it correctly.
ELA7C1 The student demonstrates understanding and control of the rules of the English language, realizing that usage involves the appropriate application of conventions and grammar in both written and spoken formats.

 Monday- We are discussing China's one child policy. Students are working in journals on discussion topics.

Activity: You are a chief propaganda officer of the Population Police. Create a bumper sticker or billboard reminding ordinary citizens that third children are against the law.     

Homework- Students need to bring in an empty cereal box to use on Thursday.

Tuesday- We will have a grammar review and work on essay questions from "Among the Hidden".

Wednesday- NO SCHOOL!

Thursday- Students will create a persuasive sign that Jen can use at the shadow children rally. Students were handed back their 212 essay and asked to make corrections. These corrections are due Monday for my first block classes.

 Homework- **1 week** to complete Due November 19th. No late projects will be accepted.

This week students selected a teacher-approved fiction chapter book from the library. Over the next 1 week, students will read their self-selected book and create a cereal box book report at home. Students will decorate a real cereal box with illustrations and information related to the book they read using the directions below. 

Front of Box: Use a piece of white or light colored paper to cover the front of your cereal box. (You will probably want to create the cover before gluing it on your box.) Include the name of the cereal and a picture. Invent a name for the cereal that is related to the title of the book and sounds like a cereal. Do not use the exact title of the book. Choose a shape for the cereal as well as colors and ingredients that all relate to the book. For example, “Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone”, you might invent a cereal called Wizard Wands, a toasted oat cereal in the shape of miniature lightning bolts.

Right Side: Make a list of ingredients that includes the story elements Characters and Setting. Under the heading “Ingredients”, list the main characters and write a sentence about each one. Then describe the setting. You can  cover the side with white or light colored paper and do it in your own way. Just make sure that you include the main characters and setting.

Left Side: Write a summary that describes the main problem and the solution of the book. Try to use words that will “grab” the reader’s attention and make them want to “buy” your cereal. 

Back of Box: Design a game that is based on the story. It can be a puzzle, a word search, a word scramble, a crossword puzzle, a hidden pictures illustration, or any other fun activity that might be found on the back of a cereal box. Make sure it includes information from the book.

Top of Box: Include the title, author, number of pages, and number of stars you would give this book if you were a book critic. The maximum number of stars would be 5. You should or create the top of the box yourself, as long as you include all of the things listed above.

Prize: Cereal boxes often include a prize. Your prize must be something the main character could have used in the book or something that reminds you of the main character. You can even include a picture of the prize on the front of your box to let the reader know what is inside the box.

Friday- Students will have a word of the day test on Monday. We will continue to read "Among the Hidden" and compare shadow children to life as a Holocaust victim. Reading logs will be graded on Monday. 

November 2-6, 2009

Extra Credit

Tonight Monday November 2, the Falcons VS. Saints is on Monday night football. Students can write a summary of each quarter for 25 points per quarter. They must use complete sentences, proper capitalization, subject verb agreement and descriptive words. The game starts at 8:30 which means it will be a late evening. I understand students have a bed time and thus am offering the 25 points per quarter a maximum of 100 points.  I will only accept this extra credit Tuesday November 3rd.

Monday- Students will work in their journals for "Among the Hidden". They will become familiar with new vocabluary words by using context clues to help figure out their meanings. We will read chapters 7-9 in class. Reading logs will be graded.

Tuesday- If the Saints win, we will play grammar basketball. Students will work out of their Grammar, Usage and Mechanics book. We will cover prepositions, adverbs and conjunctions.

Homework- GUM book pages 32, 33,34, 35,36.

Wednesday- We will continue our reading and discussion on "Among the Hidden" and vocabulary building.

Homework- Reading log

Thursday- We will review demonstrative, common and proper adjectives, and articles. We will continue our reading in "Among the Hidden".

Homework-

Friday- We will work in "Among the Hidden" journals.