IWs

You may post the IWs in the comments below for your classmates. If you do post an IW, be sure to indicate your grade level. For example:

Grade 6
IW #1 —

Good to Great Sentences

A mentor of mine once told me, “If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse.” This stems from our having studied and implemented the philosophy of Jim Collins’ book Good to Great.  I’m always looking for ways to make improving yourself and your learning better or more meaningful, so I’ve come up with “Good to Great” Sentences. 

“Good to Great” Sentences

Learning Targets: I can…
create good, solid foundation sentences that contain the following parts:
       Subject – Action Verb Predicate – (Indirect Object) – Direct Object – (Object Complement)
       Subject – Linking Verb Predicate – Subject Complement (Predicate Nominative
       or Predicate Adjective).
enhance and manipulate syntax and maintain clarity when I incorporate phrases and clauses.

Foundation Sentence #1:  S – AVP – (IO) – DO – (OC)
L2: Create or rewrite a L2 sentence from previous writing assignments. Incorporate and be deliberate about the nouns and verbs (and adjectives) that you use. Focus on using powerful nouns and verbs before using vivid adjectives.
L3/4: Enhance and/or manipulate your L2 sentence by incorporating phrases and clauses. Be sure to maintain clarity.

Foundation Sentence #2:  S – LVP – SC (PN or PA)
L2: Create or rewrite a L2 sentence from previous writing assignments. Incorporate and be deliberate about the nouns and verbs (and adjectives) that you use. Focus on using powerful nouns and appropriate verbs before using vivid adjectives.
L3: Enhance and/or manipulate your L2 sentence by incorporating phrases and clauses. Be sure to maintain clarity.

Unit 6B – Wrap-up

Over the last two days, we’ve revisited the Visual Thesaurus activity from TLT, Chapter 1 to remind us of the “big ideas”.  You were also asked to create thematic statements for the following “big ideas” — responsibility and identity. Now that we have completed the novel and the unit, it’s time to reflect on the themes that you, the reader, were able to  identify.

Location: IRNies

Date                        TLT – Themes/SAR – Novel Wrap-up

Prompt: Identify a major theme in The Lightning Thief. Be sure to provide textual evidence and commentary.

 

Reminders:
Theme (“big idea” + “so what?” – TILL) – Univeral message from the author/text to the reader

SAR = Short Answer Response (has three parts)

A = Assertion: “answer” to the prompt
E = Evidence: textual support to “back up” your Assertion
C = Commentary: How does the Evidence connect to the Assertion? Provide insight that isn’t obvious. Commentary is not a restatement of the evidence.

Blogs and Twitter

Get ready to blog and tweet in full-force this semester! Reread the blogging protocol before Friday. After Friday, everyone’s blog will be connected to this blog site.

LTs: I can…
…enhance my communication skills through blogging.
…create opportunities for deeper connections to my classroom learning.
…connect and reflect on my classroom learning through real-world connections.

Blogs:  You will need to use the “student” blog that you created through www.edublogs.org. This should be different from the “personal” blog that many of you created.

Twitter: We will create this on Friday.

Happy New Year 2013!

Welcome, 2013!

I hope that you embrace all that 2013 will bring to you. Time goes by much more quickly than I would like. This year, I plan to enjoy each day to its fullest; to not let the little things get in the way of joy; to spend a portion of my day making someone else’s day brighter.

What do you resolve to do in 2013? I’d really enjoying reading your responses.:)

Hugs,
Mrs. Caskey

“Weekly” Homework over Break

Over the break, you are expected to keep up with the ongoing  assignments. Theses are not new assignments assigned to you over the break.

Grade 6:
1. YL/Stems:  Quiz YL 5 (Jan. 7) and Exam (YL 1-5 on Jan. 11)
2. Grammar: Review Levels 1 and 2 – Check out Chomp Chomp
3. IW: #6
4. IR: Q2
5. Literature/Reading:  Acquire A Wrinkle in Time
6. Writing: IWs — begin typing to get a head start; apply knowledge of Levels 1 and 2 and effective, powerful nouns/verbs, sprinkle with vivid adjectives/adverbs

Grade 7:
1. YL/Stems: YL15 Quiz; Cumulative YL exam (Jan. 14)
2. Grammar: Incorporate Levels 2-4 into IWs
3. IW: #6; begin typing final product
4. IR: Q2
5. Literature/Reading: Acquire Tangerine
6. Writing: IWs

Let’s End This Semester…Organized!

Homework Folder:
Front Pocket: “To Do”, “To Complete” — Contains all weekly and nightly homework.
Back Pocket: “Done”, “Completed” — Contains all weekly and nightly assignments that are completed and ready to be graded or to be turned in to Mrs. Caskey.  **Graded papers are kept in their “permanent” home (OWL, Stems/Grammar NB, IRN).

Prongs: Contains “6 Weeks Bundles” of the following information:
1. Agenda/Calendar for the “marking period/6 weeks”
2. Learning Targets (formerly kept in your OWL binder)
3. Homework Tracking Sheet

You should have three “bundles” so far as we finish the 3rd marking period/6 weeks.

Stems/Grammar NB:
1st half is for your Stems — YL followed by the quiz for the YL. Starting 2nd semester, the order will be YL, YL Quiz, Vocabulary Log
2nd half is for your Grammar — Handouts, Cornell Notes, Examples

English Paper Typing Guidelines

Grade 6: For your short story, you should have between 2-3 typed pages. Create your final draft accordingly.  Use the following guidelines for your “publishable” final draft.

NOTE: Line-spacing — set it for 1.5 line spacing for your short story instead of the double-spaced.

English Paper Typing Guidelines

*** For even more detailed information about formatting and style guidelines, click on this link: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/, our trusty Purdue OWL  resource.