Springboard Preview

Today we dove in to Springboard -- predictable wasn't it-- by doing a worksheet where the students learned the setup of their book. Tomorrow, we start with the real work.

Homework:
Read RC

Springboard Prep and Term 1 Papers

Today we prepped for the start of the new Springboard curriculum by passing out the books, getting group responsibilities settled, and making our portfolio. We will look at how the book is organized tomorrow. After getting ready for Springboard, we went into the computer lab and looked at the errors on the term one papers. Students wrote the errors they made on a sheet of paper and made the corrections. Hopefully, this lesson will get them to remember mistakes and not make them on their next paper.

Homework:
Read RC

RC

Today students had time to take RC tests, go to the library to borrow books, and get some reading in. These days may be limited as we will begin the Springboard lessons in the next couple of days.

Homework:
Read RC
Get Springboard letter signed

First Day

Today was the first day back and we finished up The Outsiders from last term. Afterward, I went over the letter sent home with students about the new curriculum called Springboard. I will be passing out the books next week and we will get started with the activities.

Homework:
Read RC

RC and Papers

Today was the last day students could work on their papers and a few did. The others had time to work on RC as points are due Wednesday.

Work in class:
RC reading
Finalizing paper

Homework:
Read RC

Peer Edit

Today students paired off and edited essays.They read their essays to their partners and then the partner read the essay to check for spelling. The final essay is due tomorrow through Google Docs.

Work in class:
Peer edit essays

Homework:
Read RC

Formatting Paper

Today we took advantage of having the computer lab to format our essays by checking the spacing, font type and size, and the heading. We will proof read tomorrow and get everything squared away for the due date on Friday.

Work in class:
Format paper

Homework:
Read RC

Conclusions

Today we worked on the final part of our essay - the conclusion. We don't have a lot of time to go over conclusions in-depth, but we covered enough so the students can write a proficient/advanced conclusion. We will go into the computer lab tomorrow to work on editing and and finalizing our drafts.

Work in class:
Conclusions - Click here for the handout

Homework:
Read RC (points due next Wednesday)
Work on conclusion

Organizing the Essay

Today we worked on organizing our essays because after correcting them over the weekend, many students still haven't made a thesis statement and plan. Students need to use their papers to make a tree map so they can see if their papers are organized and detailed. I gave the students an example of advanced, proficient, and novice type of paragraphs. We are almost done with the papers. We will do an easy conclusion tomorrow and use the rest of the week to revise, revise, and revise.

Work in class:
Went over problems on first draft
Started to tree map essay

Homework:
Read RC (points due next Wednesday)
Tree map essay

RC and Paper

Most students had the opportunity to do RC today as there is only a week and a half left in the quarter. A few in each class needed time to finish the body of their paper and share it with me. We'll be finishing up the paper next week.

Work in class:
Read RC
Finish body of paper

Homework:
Read RC

Typing Paper

I haven't been in class the past couple of days, but the students should be done with the body of their papers.  There will be some time tomorrow along with some time for RC.

Work in class:
Type body of paper

Homework:
Read RC

Transitions and the Body of the Essay

Today we spent some time in the computer lab to improve on the introductions written last week. Comments made on the students' papers should help make the introductions proficient. Afterward, the students needed to choose one of the introductions for the final paper and start the body. In the body, students are to use transitions to have the information flow from one idea to another. I passed out an example with both sentence transitions and basic transitions. I also passed out the rubric for the paper. Students will have the next two days in the computer lab to finish the body of their paper.

Work in class:
Sentence transitions - click here
Rubric - click here

Homework:
Read RC
Improve Introduction

Portfolio

Today we organized our portfolios by going over all of the inferencing test we took during the reading of The Outsiders. Students reflected on the learning done by comparing scores on the two formatives and on the summative. Hopefully they saw where the mistakes were made.We will continue writing our essays tomorrow by going over the body.

Work in class:
Portfolio

Homework:
Read RC

Introductions and Thesis Statements

Over the past two days, we have been working on the introductory paragraph for our 5-paragraph essay. Yesterday, I went over the three different types of introductions: using a quote, telling a story, and asking a question. Students are writing all three as a way to practice them. Today, we focused on the thesis statement and plan. This is the idea of the paper and lays out everything the reader will read. The introduction is due tomorrow.

Work in class:
Yesterday - Introductions - Click here
Today - Thesis statements - Click here

Homework:
Read RC

Pre-Writing

Today we continued our pre-writing for our five paragraph essay. Students narrowed down their topics to one and brainstormed all possible ways the person or the event shaped them into the people they are now. We will start writing our introductions tomorrow.

Work in class:
Brainstorm topics

Homework:
Read RC
Organize essay

Inference Summative and Start of Writing Unit

I couldn't post last night as I went to the UH football game and came home a little late. So here is yesterday's info. We took our inference summative that ends The Outsiders. Today, we started brainstorming ideas for our 5-paragraph essay on someone or something that has shaped you into the person you are today. We read a chapter from The Ultimate Gift to give the students an idea of people and events that can change people.

Work in class:
Read ch.3 of The Ultimate Gift- Click here to see it
Brainstorm ideas for essay

Homework:
Read RC
Continue brainstorm and paring down topic for essay

The Outsiders RC Test and Google Docs

Today the students took the RC test for The Outsiders, so many now have some points. After tomorrow's summative, we will be all done with The Outsiders and starting our new unit on writing a 5-paragraph essay. To get ready, we set up our Google Docs accounts so students will be able to use the program to write their papers.

Work in class:
RC Test
Set up Google Docs account

Homework:
Read RC

Done With The Outsiders

Today we finished up The Outsiders and did a discussion on the word choice of the author. It turns out it seemed a little feminine because S.E. Hinton was a 16 year old girl. So many of the interactions between the guys in the story were a little more touchy-feely than most boys would do. We will take the RC test tomorrow as a class. The computer lab opened up so we will be going in there tomorrow instead of doing our summative.

Work in class:
Read Ch. 12

Homework:
Read RC

Inference Formative 2

Today we took another formative to practice for our inferencing summative on Wednesday. Early indications are better than the first attempts at inferencing. Most of the students made inferences, but they were rather simple and obvious. So now it comes down to thinking a little less elementary, and a little more secondary. We will finish The Outsiders tomorrow.

Work in class:
Inference formative

Homework:
Read RC

At the Library

Today we finished up our library orientation and now the students should know how to use the library--if they didn't learn it over the past two years. Students were given the opportunity to look for and borrow RC books.

Homework:
Read RC

Chapter 9

The climax of The Outsiders happened today as the Greasers and the Socs had it out in a big rumble. Also, the death of Johnny brought a hush to the class. Afterward, the students had some time to write their summaries.

Work in class:
Read Ch. 9

Homework:
Read RC

More Inference Practice

Today we spent the day practicing making inferences. I returned the inference formative from last week so students know what they need to work on. I gave a presentation to go over the problems and also show the students examples of good answers. Then we did a practice where students looked a a picture and made inferences about what happened based on the evidence. Then, we read a passage from a book and the students made inferences based on it.

Work in class:
Inference presentation -- Click here to see it
Inference picture practice -- Click here
Paragraph inference on Mollie -- Click here

Homework:
Read RC

The Outsiders Chapter 8

Today we read chapter eight in The Outsiders. We are almost there as there are only a couple of chapters left. I updated edline today to include the grade for the inference formative. Results were not the greatest, so we will do a couple of more practices before we take the summative.

Work in class:
Read Ch. 8
Summarized Ch. 8

Homework:
Read RC

Chapter 7 and Movie Night

Just got home from movie night and for our first activity, it was very successful with about 65 students showing up. Hopefully there will be more activities to come.
In class today we read chapter 7 and it was a long one. Many interesting inferences could be made in this one. Soda's girlfriend going to Florida and Randy being figured by Pony as a possible hero; many interesting twists. Have a great three day weekend.

Work in class:
Read Ch. 7
Summarize Ch. 7

Homework:
Read RC
Summarize ch. 7 if not finished in class

Inference Formative

Today the students took the inference formative. Early indications don't look promising. We'll have to do a couple more lessons to get many up to speed on inferences. Many students wrote details. Afterward, students were given time to go to the library and read RC.

Work in class:
Inference formative
RC reading

Homework:
Read RC

Formative Prep

Today we worked on inferencing by correcting the inferences we made about Pony and Johnny's friendship.The students partnered up, exchanged papers, and used the rubric to grade the paper. In the end, it seemed as though the students graded a little higher than they should have. I went over what is considered "Advanced, Proficient, Partially Proficient, and Novice" answers so I hope it helped. Formative tomorrow.

Work in class:
Inference review
Continued chapter 7

Homework:
Read RC

Chapter 6

Today was a reading day as we read chapter six together. Afterward, students summarized the chapter.

Work done in class:
Ch. 6
Summary

Homework:
Read RC

Finishing Up Five

Today the students finished reading chapter five on their own and had to answer questions. Then, the students practiced making inferences, having details from the book to back up the inference, and explaining how the details prove the inference. Afterward, they summarized the rest of the chapter.

Work in Class:
Finish Ch. 5
Question and inference sheet - Click here
Summarize Ch. 5

Homework:
Read RC

The Outsiders Chapter 5

We read chapter five in class today and didn't quite get finished. we will finish it up tomorrow.

Work done in  class:
Read Ch. 5

Homework:
Read RC

The Outsiders Ch. 4

We continued reading The Outsiders today as a whole class. Afterward, the students had some time to work on their summaries and dialogue sheets. The main idea of the unit is inferencing and this week we have added details to back up the inference. No longer can students just make inferences with out some kind of detail for support.

Work done in class:
Read Ch. 4
Summaries
Dialogue sheet

Homework:
Read RC

Lit Circles Day 2

We continued reading chapter three today in our lit circles. The students had the same job as yesterday and those sheets were collected today. Afterward, students needed to do the summary of chapter 3 and also finish their dialogue sheet. One difference from the past on the dialogue sheet is now they need a detail to back up their inference. For those that were absent or need a book, click here for an online copy.

Work in class:
Lit circle sheets - See yesterday's post
Summary
Dialogue Sheet

Homework:
Read RC
Do any work not completed in class

Chapter 3 Lit Circles

Today we read chapter three in literature circles where every student had a job to do. As the reader would read, the discussion director, the connector,  the character tracker, and for a few groups the travel tracer, would listen for parts of the story that fit their job. After a couple of pagers, the students would discuss what they had written. We will continue the circles tomorrow. As for the sheets, I'm having a little trouble getting them uploaded, so I'll try tomorrow at school.

Work done in class:
Read Ch. 3

Lit circle sheets:
Character Tracker - Click here
Connector - Click here
Discussion Director - Click here
Travel Tracer - Click here
Vocabulary Enricher - Click here

Homework:
Read RC

Close Reading of Chapter 2

Today the students were on their own reading in class. There was a sheet of questions the students needed to answer. Afterward, they needed to continue their summarizing of the chapters on the same sheet as chapter one. For those that finished early, there was an extra section on the worksheet. NOT EVERYBODY WILL DO THIS SECTION. Only those who finished their questions and summaries. Those who did not finish the questions were able to check out a book with a green "Late Work" slip. Since some are slow readers, this gives them the opportunity to finish the work for full credit. If they took the sheet home, they do not need to do the extra work on the back......unless they want to.

Class work:
Read Ch. 2
Close reading questions - Click here to see them
Summarize chapter 2 on the same sheet with chapter one summary
Do extra section

Homework:
Finish questions
Finish summary
Read RC

The Outsiders

Today we finished reading chapter one and started reading chapter two. Midway through the chapter, we stopped and did another section on or dialogue sheet. We also discussed making inferences when reading. Today we made an inference on where we think the story took place and we used evidence from the story to back up our inference. We think it is somewhere in Texas because of references to rodeos and many of the characters say "ya'll." We will start making inferences and now using evidence to back it up.

Work done in class:
Dialogue sheet for chapter 2
Summarize chapter 1
Handed out RC packet

Homework:
Summarize chapter 1 - if not completed in class
Get RC packet signed

The Outsiders Chapter One

Today we started reading The Outsiders and read through two-thirds of chapter one. Afterward, we worked on analyzing dialogue to determine what it reveals about a character. Usually when students write, they explain  personalities whereas authors use dialogue as a way to convey different aspects of a character. It is a way to show the personality instead of telling.

Work done in class:
Read Ch. 1 in The Outsiders
Dialogue worksheet - Ch.1 - Click here to see it

Homework:
Read RC for 30 mins

Introduction to The Outsiders

To get us prepared for read The Outsider, we read and article on gangs and troubled youth in Hawaii. The article was about three high school aged teens and their change in attitude. Click here to read the article. The students also answered some questions on the article. Click here to see it. We will begin reading tomorrow.

Work done in class:
Article - Click here
Questions - Click here
Term 1 Calendar - Click here

Homework:
Read RC book

Reading Counts

Today the students took their Reading Counts, RC,  level set test to determine their goals for the quarter. RC is replacing AR and is about the same. The biggest difference is the amount of points books are worth and tests can be taken more than once. I should have the point goals for students by the end of the week.Be aware that since books are worth more, the goals will be higher. Don't be shocked when goals are in the 60-70 point range.

Work done in class:
RC test