please refer to mrs. dornan's website. I had a great time with you in february! I'll be in at least twice a week to see your progress. I'm excited for you to bridge to middle school!

agenda

friday, february 27, 2015

1. Word Study

*Grammar Quiz
*Use a Post It note to mark ONE of the Watsons Cornell notes FROM THIS WEEK that you would like us to assess.
*Use a Post It note to mark ONE of the Picture of the Day Inference paragraphs FROM THIS WEEK  that you would like us to assess.

2. Readers Workshop
*Picture of the Day
*Review the notes you took yesterday on Expository Text Features
*We'll apply what we know so far about annotating expository text by reading about...Chicken Nuggets!

3. Writers Workshop
*Complete your two tasks from the February Bingo Sheet
*Write a letter to Mrs. Dornan and Ms. Gunter about how you feel you are progressing in your reading, writing, stamina, and time management. Include what goal(s) you have for next trimester. (We'll model how to do the letter and how you use the rubrics to help you write this letter.)

weekly homework

Due next Monday, March 2: Have a "just right" independent reading book for Reader's Workshop in March. May be purchased or borrowed from public or school library. Suggestion: Get a few to see what you like.

Picture of the Day Courtesy: National Geographic

thursday, february 26, 2015

agenda

1. Word Study

*Complete Weekly Grammar Day 4
*Study the Weekly Grammars for Weeks 1-4 for tomorrow's quiz

2. Readers Workshop

*Picture of the Day
*Watch this presentation and take notes on your foldable. I have provided a picture, so you can see what the title of the notes should be and what the first box will be like. You will finish it up. When everyone is finished, we will go over as a class.

3. Writers Workshop

*Dollar Bill Gallery Walk
*Finish 2 prompts from the February Bingo Writer's Workshop Sheet
*Teacher Time: Writing about literature (demo and guided practice)

Click to set custom HTML

weekly homework

Due Friday: Quiz on Weekly Grammar Material (Weeks 1-4); finish AT LEAST 2 prompts from the February Bingo Writer's Workshop Sheet

I COULDN'T POST PICS OF TODAY'S WORK OR THE WEEKLY GRAMMAR BECAUSE I LEFT THEM IN THE CLASSROOM. :(

Due next Monday, March 2: Have a "just right" independent reading book for Reader's Workshop in March. May be purchased or borrowed from public or school library. Suggestion: Get a few to see what you like.

Picture of the Day!

wednesday, february 25, 2015

agenda

1. Ch. 12 and 13 Quiz 

2. Word Study

*Weekly Grammar Day 3
*Pick ONE word from Ch. 12 and 13 that you think is a good, strong word and do the vocabulary word flip chart and put in notebook

3. Readers Workshop

*Picture of the Day (Inference Skills)

4. Writers Workshop

*Choose AT LEAST TWO items from the February Writing Menu to add to your notebook--this is part of Writer's Workshop
*Teacher Time: Adding dialogue to make your Dollar Bill story AWESOME!

Picture of the Day

weekly homework

Due Thursday: Dollar bill story for Gallery Walk! Include artwork of your choice to go with the writing.

Due Friday: Quiz on Weekly Grammar Material (Weeks 1-4)

Due next Monday, March 2: Have a "just right" independent reading book for Reader's Workshop in March

tuesday, february 24, 2015

agenda

See Mrs. Dornan's website or white board.
**I am coming in to do a mini-lesson on what to do if you're stuck before writing, during writing, or after writing. See anchor chart in class. Photo will be posted later.

Teacher modeled a "think aloud" so that students could hear the interior monologue that plays in a writer's head when he/she gets "stuck" before writing, during writing, and even after writing if he/she reads the story over and decides the story is "blah" and needs revamping. This is the Sensory Description Web strategy.

Teacher modeled a "think aloud" so that students could hear the monologue that writers say in their heads as they're trying to "get unstuck" when they're "stuck" writing. This is The List strategy. Simply list everything you can think of about your topic and then the details will guide inspire you to write your story.

weekly homework

Due Wednesday: Read and notes Ch. 13 and Ch. 12 and 13 quiz

Due Thursday: Dollar bill story for Gallery Walk! Include artwork of your choice to go with the writing.

Due Friday: Quiz on Weekly Grammar Material (Weeks 1-4)

Due next Monday, March 2: Have a "just right" independent reading book for Reader's Workshop in March

monday, february 23, 2015

agenda

1. Word Study: Grammar of the Month #4 and Weekly Grammar Week 4, Day 1
2. Readers Workshop: 

• Text Feature Practice (use your foldable for help)
• Info Text Structure Foldable (yes, more cutting and taping/gluing)
• Read and notes Ch. 12
• Teacher time: We will circulate and talk with groups about note-taking for lit

3. Writers Workshop:

• Narrative Prompt (Dollar Bill)
• Expository Writing--Writing about literature (Writing about Characters)
• Make a list or write an info text about an object in one of your lists

Write a narrative about this prompt. We'll share our stories on Thursday!

weekly homework

Due Tuesday: Read and notes on Ch. 12 (use Cornell notes format we did in class and get info about setting, characters, and complications). See pic below. 

Due Wednesday: Read and notes Ch. 13 and Ch. 12 and 13 quiz

Due Thursday: Dollar bill story for Gallery Walk! Include artwork of your choice to go with the writing.

Due Friday: Quiz on Weekly Grammar Material (Weeks 1-4)

Due next Monday, March 2: Have a "just right" independent reading book for Reader's Workshop in March

Don't forget to also take notes on the complications.

friday, february 20, 2015

agenda

1. Ch. 9-11 Quiz
2. Weekly Grammar Week 3, Days 3 and 4
3. Reader's Workshop

• Inference: Make inferences about Byron's personality. You may use the quotes/evidence/observations you underlined in the Byron Characterization from Ch. 1 sheet. I posted it on the right in case you put it in your notebook and I have your notebook. Or if you're feeling REALLY brave, you can find your own quotes from ANY of the chapters.
• Picture of the Day 4

4. Writer's Workshop

• Quickwrite #4
• Your story for your GLOW buddy
• Making lists or choice work (we'll start moving along the writing process to publish a final draft of your BEST piece by next Friday--it'll be awesome!)

5. Turn in your notebooks! Yay!

weekly homework

Have a great weekend! Thanks for letting us spend time with your notebooks this weekend. We'll return them on Monday and Gradelink will be updated by then, too.

thursday, february 19, 2015

agenda

1. Ch. 10 Reading Quiz
2. Weekly Grammar Week 3, Day 2
3. Reader's Workshop

• Notes and Example Article: Features of Expository Text (topic, topic sentence, supporting details, and main idea (you'll need scissors, glue, and crayons or colored pencils)

4. Writer's Workshop

• Minilesson: Planting Seeds (another way to gather ideas for writing)
• Choice: Work on making lists or a writing piece BASED ON one of the items in your list(s)

The Times for Kids article with the color-coding of the topic, topic sentence, and supporting details.

Topic Sentence

Supporting Details

weekly homework

Due Friday: Ch. 11 Notes and Quiz on Ch. 9-11; bring AT LEAST one seed

Topic

Main Idea

wednesday, february 18, 2015

agenda

1. Set up for your Ch. 9 Reading Quiz
2. February Grammar Practice and Weekly Grammar Week 3, Day 1 
3. Writer's Workshop

• Quickwrite #3:
• Mini-lesson: Making lists to generate ideas for writing

4. Reader's Workshop

• Picture of the Day 3
• Finish your Byron characterization activity from yesterday
• Ch. 10 Reading and notes

weekly homework

Due Thursday: Ch. 10 Notes and Reading Quiz; fix up your notebooks

Due Friday: Ch. 11 Notes and Quiz on Ch. 9-11

https://soundcloud.com/pbsnewshour/were-fearless-flying-hotdogs

tuesday, february 17, 2015

agenda

1. Do Now: February Grammar Practice
2. Reader's Workshop: 

• Characterization
  
• Inference with texts

3. Writer's Workshop: Building Stamina through Writer's Workshop (student choice)

weekly homework

Due Wednesday: Ch. 9 Notes and Reading Quiz

Due Thursday: Ch. 10 Notes and Reading Quiz

Due Friday: Ch. 11 Notes and Quiz on Ch. 9-11

thursday, february 12, 2015

agenda

1. Ch. 7 and 8 Quiz 
2. Do Now: Grammar Day 3
3. Reader's Workshop:

• Inference: Picture of the Day
• Inference: We'll transfer our inference skills from pictures to text (using Watsons)

4. Writer's Workshop:

• Introduction to Writer's Workshop 
• Let's start writing!
• Writing two paragraphs for Picture of the Day

weekly homework

Thursday due Friday: 

• Pick one of your vocabulary words for #11-20 and choose a creative and EFFECTIVE way to teach it to someone. Due FRIDAY.

wednesday, february 11, 2015

agenda

1. Reading check quiz on Ch. 8

2. Do Now: Grammar Day 2

3. Space Race! It's a game on Socrative with TEAMS. You'll get the code in class and be able to play. You won't know what team you're on until the game is over. The game will be about the Vocabulary #11-20.

3. Reader's Workshop:

• Exploring Expository Writing: Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Annotate this nonfiction piece. Follow the models we did for Christopher Paul Curtis and Life in the South in the 1960s.

Children Demonstrate for Civil Rights, ca. 1960 Photographs and prints division, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The NY Public Library

weekly homework

Tuesday due Wednesday:

• Read and do notes for Ch. 8 of Watsons. Due WEDNESDAY.
  
• Pick one of your vocabulary words for #11-20 and choose a creative and EFFECTIVE way to teach it to someone. Due FRIDAY.

Wednesday due Thursday: 

• Ch. 7 and 8 quiz. 
  
• Pick one of your vocabulary words for #11-20 and choose a creative and EFFECTIVE way to teach it to someone. Due FRIDAY.

Thursday due Friday: 

• Pick one of your vocabulary words for #11-20 and choose a creative and EFFECTIVE way to teach it to someone. Due FRIDAY.

tuesday, february 10, 2015

agenda

1. Do Now: Grammar Day 1
2. Reader's Workshop:

• Notes: Literary Term: Inference
• Read Ch. 8 to yourself and take notes

3. Gallery Walk! (sharing activity)
4. Writer's Workshop:

• Quickwrite #3: Mad Dad
• Write your own "About the Author" and put in the back of your notebook

weekly homework

Tuesday due Wednesday:

• Read and do notes for Ch. 8 of Watsons. Due WEDNESDAY.
  
• Pick one of your vocabulary words for #11-20 and choose a creative and EFFECTIVE way to teach it to someone. Due FRIDAY.

Wednesday due Thursday: 
Ch. 7 and 8 quiz. 

Thursday due Friday: Valentine for a character in Watsons (instructions given on Wed.)

monday, february 9, 2015

agenda

1. Do Now: February Grammar (10 minutes)
2. Reader's Workshop: Read Ch. 7 and do notes
3. Independent Work:

• Cell phone for character
• Vocabulary work

weekly homework

Monday due Tuesday: 
Complete front and back of Vocabulary for #11-20
Cell phone for character

Tuesday due Wednesday:
Read and do notes for Ch. 8 of Watsons
Bring in a hand-drawn, digital, or print (magazine, etc.) image that represents family


Wednesday due Thursday: Ch. 7 and 8 quiz


Thursday due Friday: Valentine for a character in Watsons (instructions given on Wed.)

friday, february 6, 2015

agenda

1. Do Now: Ch. 6 Reading Check Quiz
2. Grammar Practice Day 4
3. Figurative Language Practice Ch. 1-2 (handout)--may work in pairs 
4. Quickwrite #2
5. Vocabulary for Words 11-20

Here's today's Quickwrite. See if you can meet your writing goal!

weekly homework

Have a great weekend! Thank you for your work this week! No homework this weekend. Here's a preview for next week to help you plan.

Monday due Tuesday: 
Complete front and back of Vocabulary for #11-20

Tuesday due Wednesday:
Read and do notes for Ch. 8 of Watsons


Wednesday due Thursday: will be updated on Monday, February 9


Thursday due Friday: will be updated on Monday, February 9

thursday, february 5, 2015

agenda

weekly homework

1. Do Now: Grammar Practice Day 3
2. Literary Terms Quiz (need a blue or black pen)
3. Read Ch. 6 and do interactive notes for Ch. 6
4. Cell Phone Assignment (due next Wednesday--will have class time to work on it tomorrow and next week)
7. Sharing our super effective and creative way to teach your vocabulary word! Yay! We'll use the Circle Protocol to do this.
8. Organize your spiral notebook so it's ready to turn in on Friday.

Thursday due Friday: 

• Study for quiz on Ch. 6 only. This is just to see if you're keeping up with the reading.
• Make sure notebook/spiral is up to date. Work should be complete as well. (Absent people, I will show you what to mark it "absent" in case your work isn't complete. So absent people can work on catching up over the weekend.) All the handouts should be inside. Work will be assessed this weekend according to the rubric you see below.
  

wednesday, february 4, 2015

agenda

weekly homework

1. Do Now: Grammar Practice Day 2

2. Reader's Workshop: Historical Context (African Americans in the South in the 1960s)
*Review features of expository/informative text
*How to annotate informative text
*Annotate the text

3. Writer's Workshop: Quick Write #1

4. Reader's Workshop: Review and annotate Ch. 4 and 5

Quiz on Literary Terms Thurs.
Quiz on Ch. . 6 of Watsons on Friday


Wednesday due Thursday:  
Study for literary terms quiz. Remember that it's the narrative terms and the figurative language terms. You can practice on Kahoot.

Pick a vocabulary word from your list and find an EFFECTIVE and CREATIVE way to teach it to someone in this class. We will share tomorrow. It should be an activity that takes no more than 1 minute to share. Study for literary terms quiz. Some suggestions your friends had include:

• "Who am I?" or "What am I?" game
• Make a bumper sticker with a clever saying/slogan
• Use a cool app or web-based tool like animoto
• Write a short paragraph
• Illustration (hand-drawn or digital image) but make sure it is neat and appropriate and IN COLOR
• Make a small poster on copy paper and draw or find a digital or print image (like a magazine or a photo you took)
• Act it out
• Make a clever rhyme or song or rap

Thursday due Friday: Study for quiz on Ch. 6.  Make sure notebook/spiral is up to date and all the handouts are inside. Work will be assessed this weekend.

How is this picture related to what we read about in the informative text from today?

tuesday, february 3, 2015

agenda

weekly homework

1. Do Now: Grammar Practice Day 1

2. Figurative Language Notes (will be included in literary terms quiz)\

• Introduction to Cornell Notes

3. Literary Terms Review Game! You may use your notes.

4. Watsons: Preconceived ideas: Before Reading ONLY

5. Vocabulary for Watsons Ch. 1-6: (handouts)

• Do first 10 by Wednesday

6. Put your notebook together

• organize your table of contents
• number your pages
• tape/staple your handouts in your notebook
• color any illustrations

Quiz on Literary Terms Thurs.
Quiz on Ch. 1-6 of Watsons on Friday


Tuesday due  Wednesday: 
Study for literary terms quiz. Use your NOTES. May also use Monday's Quizlet and Tuesday's Kahoot. Try this link to practice.
Finish first 10 vocabulary words for Ch. 1-6 (front and back)

Wednesday due Thursday:  Finish 11-20 vocabulary words for Ch. 1-6. Study for Literary Terms quiz on Thursday.

Thursday due Friday: Quiz on Ch. 1-6 of Watsons

monday, february 2, 2015

agenda

weekly 
homework

Quizlet

learning objectives

1. Do Now February Grammar
 2. Reader's Workshop: Reading Informative Text (Author Biography)
*Review features of expository/informative text
*How to annotate informative text
*Annotate the text
3. Reader's Workshop: Reading Literary Text and taking interactive notes for Ch. 2-3.

Quiz on Literary Terms Wed.
Quiz on Ch. 1-6 of Watsons on Friday

Monday due Tuesday: 
Review Ch. 2 and 3 and notes Ch. 2 and 3.
Study literary terms for Wednesday's quiz.
Use this Quizlet on the right to review.


Tuesday due  Wednesday: Study for literary terms quiz
Finish first 10 vocabulary words for Ch. 1-6

Wednesday due Thursday:  Finish 11-20 vocabulary words for Ch. 1-6. Study 

Thursday due Friday: Quiz on Ch. 1-6 of Watsons

1. Students will express ideas in one-on-one collaborative discussion. Students will follow discussion protocols that allow both speakers to participate equally. Students will follow discussion protocols that allow students to acquire and practice academic discussion skills.
2. Students will demonstrate grade-level command of capitalization and punctuation, with particular attention paid to capitalizing months, days of the week, holidays, and beginning of the sentence. Emphasis also on end punctuation and apostrophes in contractions, and commas after introductory phrases.
3. Students will determine two or more main ideas of an informative text and explain how they are supported by key details. Students will summarize informative text.
   
4. Students will identify structural features of informative text.
5. Students will identify setting, characters, and conflicts and use this information to summarize chapter of a narrative.

Thursday-friday, January 29-january 30, 2015

agenda

1. Setting up our English language arts spirals. This is where we will keep all our notes and handouts. We are learning organizational skills! Yay!

2. Reading: Review Literary Terms 

• plot, setting, complications/conflicts, antagonist, protagonist
  
  

3. Reading: Applying knowledge of literary terms to a narrative

4. Speaking and Listening: Turn and talk protocol to practice speaking and listening skills

5. Writing: Expository writing

• Summarize the narrative's characters, plot, setting, and complications (and how they were resolved). 

learning objectives

1. Students will organize their notes in a notebook to demonstrate their learning and to use as a study/reading/writing aid. Students will use color to categorize ideas so that notes are easy to understand.
2. Students will use content area vocabulary (literary terms) when speaking or writing about literature.
3. Students will express ideas in one-on-one collaborative discussion. Students will follow discussion protocols that allow both speakers to participate equally. Students will follow discussion protocols that allow students to acquire and practice academic discussion skills. 
4. Students will write an informative/expository piece that conveys information clearly. Students will introduce a topic and support it with relevant details. Students will present information logically by using words/phrases that link ideas together (i.e. furthermore, in contrast, especially, etc.). Students will use precise vocabulary and content-area words (the literary terms) to explain the topic.
5. Students will demonstrate grade-level command of capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and paragraph conventions (indenting and margins). Particularly attention is paid to the following: capitalizing at the beginning of each sentence, capitalizing words in a story title, and capitalizing proper nouns; end punctuation and apostrophes in possessive nouns (i.e. Granny's house); and punctuating short story titles with quotation marks.