Laurie Humphries

Week of February 8-12, 2010
Monday, February 8

1. Students divide into 8 groups. Each group will focus on one comma rule and share examples for the specified rule with the members of the small group. The group will then select the best personally written example and the best published example.
2. Each group shares out with the whole class in order to fully understand the various comma rules.
3. Students turn in the comma rules flip books.
4. Students will now focus on spelling rules. Students should attempt to recall any spelling rules from elementary school. After a brief dialogue, students will receive a packet (yellow paper).
5. For each word listed, student must supply a definition (in order to distinguish it from homonyms), a sentence using the word, and a sketch to help remember the spelling.
6. HOMEWORK: The first page of the packet is due tomorrow.

Tuesday, February 9:
1. Students will have approximately 15 minutes to work on the yellow packet.
2. Students will receive a pink handout to complete regarding spelling rules and a white handout to apply comma rules.
HOMEWORK: Complete any of the handouts not finished (yellow, pink and white).

Wednesday, February 10: Early release day
1. Students turn in the yellow packets.
2. Complete a butcher paper with the words created for the various spelling rules using examples students wrote on the pink handout.
3. Turn in the pink handout.
4. Grade the white comma sheet and turn in.
5. Ba, Da, Bing lesson--students will view how to write these sentences and then practice.
6. Sentence combining practice.
NO HOMEWORK.

Thursday, February 11:
Students will evaluate previous TAKS essays to better understand the assessment and quality writing. Students will use a rubric, highlight key terms on the rubric, and then group to apply the rubric. Essays will be issued and read, scored and discussed. Students will find out if their evaluation matched what the trained scorers rated the student writings.
NO HOMEWORK

Friday, February 12:
After a week of understanding sentence construction, spelling, and traits of quality of writing, students will grasp the concept of truisms.

Truisms are statements that are universally shared by humans. The TAKS writing prompt is based on the understanding that all humans can relate to the topic. The prompt will not be specific; instead, it will be something that kids can reflect upon personally and then create a story.

Students will go through a PowerPoint to understand the value of creating characters and a plot focused on a truism. Students will write the truisms based on pictures. This lesson is modeled after Gretchen Bernabei's Reviving the Essay and Lightning in a Bottle instructional references.
NO HOMEWORK

HAVE A HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Week of February 1-5, 2010

Monday, February 1:

1.      Set-up: Students create a frame to chart the topic of the research, two-three facts, and a place for positive feedback. Example:

Multimedia Presentations are about:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Multimedia presentations are important because ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

2.       Students will present the multimedia presentations to their peers. The “audience” will take notes during the presentations and write down positive feedback to share later. The teacher will assess the students using the multimedia project rubric.

3.       During the last minutes of the period, students will walk around sharing their positive feedback with their peers.

Homework: Study for vocabulary test on Thursday.

Tuesday, February 2:

1.         Introduction: Students will get out their frames created yesterday or create a new one on the back of the paper used yesterday.

2.       Students continue to present the multimedia projects while those watching take notes.

3.       The end of the period will be sharing time. Students will turn in the frames for a daily grade.
Homework: Study for vocabulary test on Thursday.

Wednesday, February 3:

1.       Focus: Read aloud Eat, Shoots, and Leaves by Lynne Truss.

2.       Explain the importance of having knowledge of commas.

3.       Provide a copy of the comma rules sheet. Issue each student five sheets of letter-size copy paper, preferably in various colors. Students will create flip books with the comma rules glued on the pages.
4.       For each rule, students will create an example sentence applying knowledge of the rule.

HW:  Finish the flip book. VOCABULARY TEST 6 TOMORROW

Thursday, February 4:

1.       Issue the vocabulary test.

2.       Provide sentence strips or use any other materials to write sentences down.
3.       Each student will select two sentences from the examples written in the flip book and copy them onto the sentence strips (or other materials).
4.       ½ of the class will be rovers and the other ½ will remain seated. All students need to have their flip books in hand. At the teacher’s signal, the rovers will partner with a stationed student. The students will be invited to notice each other’s sentences. Using the flip book, the students will choose which rule the partner used for their examples and vice versa. If there is a disagreement, the two should come to a consensus and the student can note the correction in his/her flip book.
5.       The teacher will continue signaling a change of partners throughout the remainder of the period.
6.       Students will turn in their flip books.

No homework

Friday, February 5:

1.      Invitation to Notice focus—Provide a few sentences using comma rules. Have students write down things they notice about the sentences and identify the rule. Students should write their own sentences modeled after the displayed sentences.

2.      Speed writing: Students will be given a series of prompts and only 5 minutes to write down anything that comes to mind about the subject/topic.

a.      Tell about a time when you felt unprepared.

b.      Write about a moment when you suddenly understood a concept or skill you had previously struggled with.

c.       Describe a time when you achieved a personal goal.

d.      Explain an experience that at first seemed bad but turned out good.

e.      Tell about a time when you stood up for something or someone.

f.        Explain how your personal rituals impact your activities or everyday life.

3.      Students should select one to share in a small group.

4.      Students will file the writings in their writing folders.

No homework

Week of January 25-29, 2010

Objectives:

·         The student demonstrates a basic understanding of culturally diverse written texts.

·         The student uses a variety of strategies to analyze culturally diverse written texts.

·         The student applies knowledge of literary elements to understand culturally diverse written texts.

·         The student applies critical thinking skills to analyze culturally diverse written texts.

·         The student will, within a given context, produce an effective composition for a specific purpose.

·         The student will produce a piece of writing that demonstrates a command of the conventions of spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar, usage, and sentence structure.

·         The student will recognize appropriate organization of ideas in written text.

·         The student will recognize correct and effective sentence construction in written text.

·         The student will recognize standard usage and appropriate word choice in written text.

·         The student will proofread for correct punctuation, capitalization, and spelling in written text.

Monday, January 25:

1.     Focus: Invitation to Notice—Students will view sentences and discuss the punctuation. Specific examples include: introductory phrases/clauses and the use of the comma, use of their/they’re/there, use of its/it’s, and use of proper nouns.

2.    Reminder of what good readers do—Preview title, predict, read, take notes, read questions, reread passage closely to look for context clues, answer question, and recheck answers.

3.    Students will begin the reading/editing district language arts benchmark.

4.    SPECIAL NOTE: The computer lab will be available during advisory if students need to complete their multi-media presentations that are due February 1.

Homework: Finish the vocabulary story using 7 of the 10 words for Vocabulary 6—due Wednesday.

Tuesday, January 26:

1.       Introduction: Address any student questions regarding the benchmark. Insure that all students have pencils, highlighters, cover boards, and the testing materials.

2.    Students continue to work on the reading/editing district language arts benchmark assessment.

Homework: The vocabulary story using 7 of the 10 words for Vocabulary 6 is due tomorrow.

Wednesday, January 27:

1.     Share vocabulary stories in small groups. Share a few in the large group. Turn in stories. Students should study the vocabulary 6 words for a test next Thursday.

2.    Students will receive the writing benchmark assessment. Students will have a writing prompt and must create a rough draft, make any revisions, and write a final draft. Students may use a dictionary or thesaurus during this process. The written product will count for a quiz grade.

3.    SPECIAL NOTE: The computer lab will be available during advisory if students need to complete their multi-media presentations that are due February 1.

HW:  Finish editing passage that was issued last Friday.  It is due on Friday.

Thursday, January 28:

1.     Introduction: Address any questions; remind students to utilize the 6 traits of writing.

2.    Continue the writing benchmark.

Homework: Editing passage due tomorrow.

Friday, January 29:

1.   Grade the editing passage. Turn in.

2.   Workshop period: Students will finish any portion of the benchmark as needed (editing, reading, writing).

3.   Students who have finished the benchmark assessment may read independently.

Homework: Multimedia presentations are due Monday. Students will present these to their class peers. A random drawing will determine the order of presentations.