Monday, March 31st

Today is the last day to bid on the auction!  

Here's the link:  http://auctions.readysetauction.com/the45academyatfiftha/catalog/item/3

password:  fave2014

Today we read and discussed Messenger and reviewed last week's reading and grammar quiz.  We concluded the day by working on projects.  Presentations will begin tomorrow and the last WWII assessment is on Thursday.

Tuesday, March 25th

Students have continued to work on their projects and many are getting close to being done with their presentations and research papers.  On Monday I gave a reading/grammar assessment.  I will give a final assessment next week on the same grammar concepts so students who didn't do well this time will have one more chance to bring up their grades.

Tomorrow we are going on our field trip to the Breman museum and we will return to the school at 1:30pm.  Since it is a kosher facility, we will not be able to eat lunch there.  Please make sure your child has a big breakfast since we will be eating several hours after our normal lunch time.

We read a non-fiction cliffhanger today about Joe Louis and students had to make inferences.  They are working on efficiently finding information and making evidence-based inferences.

On Monday students analyzed American WWII propaganda posters to analyze the symbolic elements and purpose of each.

We have run out of lined paper and we will need about 10 folders for Exhibition next term.  Also, we could use some pencils and note cards.  : )

Friday, March 21st

Today students worked on their narratives and as they finished, they wrote down next week's vocabulary words.  We ended today by working on projects.  During our extended time, the class did a 'geography scavenger hunt' (also known as CRCT geography review).  

I moved the reading and grammar assessment to Monday since today was devoted to finishing their narratives.  I posted some videos on Edmodo that they can use to review. 

A note about the narrative paper

Students had this week to write their papers and I gave them a set timeline and page number guideline.  I did this to get students used to meeting deadlines.  Additionally, in past terms, when I give students several weeks to complete an essay, many still don't finish on time or turn in their papers at all.  And it isn't just this year's class, this has always been an issue since I've been teaching.

Also, I want students to learn how to write descriptively, but EFFICIENTLY.  I know some students had to edit their stories down so I know the two-page guideline was a challenge for them.  That being said, I know this was difficult for some students; however, I know that many of them were able to use the organizing documents to move through the writing process.  Lastly, I would like students to offer feedback about this assignment via edmodo.  This feedback helps me to be reflective and make modifications for future lessons.  To leave comments, they should log onto Edmodo, and read the post for instructions on how to send their thoughts to me.

I gave both classes an additional break outside since they spent so much time focused on their writing today.

midweek update

Students have been working tirelessly this week on their narratives and WWII projects.  I'm quite pleased with the amount of quality work they're getting done.  Students who still needed to finish their rough drafts took them home tonight so that they'll be able to write their final drafts tomorrow.  I will also be giving a grammar quiz tomorrow.  In addition to covering conjunctions and point-of-view this week, students will be assessed on prepositions.  Students who don't get a 3 will have a chance to review and retake the quiz before the end of the term.  

Tomorrow I'm going to send home a study guide for the multiple choice WWII quiz and short answer WWII assessment.  I'll be giving the quiz on Friday, March 28th and the assessment on Thursday, April 3rd.  

Review of the Holocaust reading homework

Point of View Review

F.AVE online auction

The F.AVE PTO's Online Auction went live on Saturday, March 15th.  The Online Auction offers amazing experiences for our F.AVE students and I'll be offering a few hours of hanging with me at my Saturday night gig.  My auction item includes dinner for a student and a friend, a turntable tutorial session, and a front row seat watching me dj.  For more details and to bid on my auction item, click on the link below.

Link:  http://auctions.readysetauction.com/the45academyatfiftha/catalog/item/3
Password:  fave2014

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also, one of my parents won "The Breakfast Club" two years ago and it was AMAZING!!!  the link to that item is:  http://auctions.readysetauction.com/the45academyatfiftha/catalog/item/9

Monday, March 17th

We corrected one page of the homework and discussed how the ideas are connected. We will correct and discuss the other side tomorrow.  Following the homework review, students worked on their projects.   Lastly, students began their summative narrative task today.  Students will be working on their narratives this week during set time periods and their stories are due on Friday.  During our extra time today we completed a CRCT review on dramatic structures and read from Messenger.

Chain of Events Homework

We discussed how we can use a chain of events organization chart to sort information within a text in order to summarize it.

Many of our color pencils are getting too short to sharpen.  If you have any extra at home, we would love to have them.  Thank you.

Thursday, March 13th

Following our daily grammar review, we read/discussed Messenger.  We then had a brief discussion to review the constructive and destructive elements of imperialism.  After that discussion, students analyzed a summary article of the German and Japanese actions that lead up to WWII.  During the last segment of class students worked on their projects.

Wednesday, March 12th

Today we completed our daily grammar work, reviewed plot structure, and worked on our projects.   

The morning class chose to analyze the plot and theme of The Grinch 

The afternoon class chose to analyze the fable of the Tortoise and the Hare

St. Baldrick's Event THIS Saturday!

Those of you who have been keeping up with the newsletter already know that this Saturday F.AVE kids are shaving their head for a good cause!  The event is called St. Baldrick’s and their mission is to conquer kid’s cancer.  The head-shaving events began as a challenge between businessmen and have now grown from one event in 2000 to over 1,300 events in 2012, raising critical funds for childhood cancer research.

FAVE student, Evan Kupersmith, has been doing this for the past 6 years and now has some amazing friends joining him for this challenge.  Not only are they shaving their heads in support of children with cancer, they are raising awareness and much needed money too.

Please consider donating to this cause.  Every dollar helps.   http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/665696/2014

If you are in the Decatur area, please stop by our event at the Harbour House Pub on March 15, 2014 from 3pm-7pm to support your FAVE friends and families. This is a family friendly event and Evan's band, Route 41, will be playing for the crowd.

Monday, March 10th

Today we started with our daily grammar review and we continued reading Messenger.  I taught a lesson on prepositional phrases and students created their own sentences (for some reason, I was the subject in many of them… and my actions were not exactly exemplary).  

I concluded class by introducing this term's social studies project.  Students are working in groups of three to research, write about, and present their WWII related topic.  They will be working on these projects for the next three weeks and they'll be presenting during the final week of the term.  This project will help students prepare for their culminating Exhibition projects during term 6.

Morning Notes

Afternoon Notes

Friday, March 7th

Today we continued reading Messenger and I gave the vocabulary assessment.  Both classes began a map/timeline social studies inquiry and we will finish the final part of that on Monday.  

Also, my homeroom came in second place in this year's Black History Bowl!  The boys did an excellent job and I'm proud of them. 

Thursday, March 6th

Today we had our daily language review and students completed their WWII causes inquiry.  Additionally, students who completed the inquiry were given an extension assignment so they could compare two opposing ideologies.  Tomorrow students will do some WWII map work and create a timeline of major WWII events.  We will also have the vocabulary quiz tomorrow.

Analysis of Communism

Analysis of Fascism (with a focus on Germany and Italy)

Expressions on the Ave!

Tuesday, March 4th

Tomorrow's Expressions on the Ave performance is at 2pm for both homerooms in the multi purpose room.  

Monday, March 3rd

We started the day with this week's vocabulary and daily ELA work.  After that we concluded our analysis of the setting of The Giver and Gathering Blue.  After finding a similarity, we worked together to find text-based evidence about differences between the two.  We completed one together then students worked with one or two partners to identify two more differences.  Then we shared and students filled in the last blank.  

During Social Studies I introduced this term's UOI: How the World Works.  Students worked to come up with a definition and examples of the terms constructive and destructive.  They also had to come up with examples for each.  When they presented their examples, I immediately gave my own example of how their example could fall under the other category.  This term we will continue to go beyond simply identifying terms and saying whether things are "good" or "bad."  Moving forward, events, people, and actions will be analyzed to determine if they are constructive, destructive, or (in most cases) both.