Tuesday, September 30th

Today students finished their Civil War causes paragraph after we completed our daily grammar.  Then we read a passage about Harriet Beecher Stowe and Uncle Tom's Cabin.  While we read we identified text features, evidence, and opinions.  While we read, we also looked for specific evidence about the perspectives of northerners and southerners about Uncle Tom's Cabin.  Students then used that information to write a short paragraph.  We concluded our day in ELA/SS by reading Gathering Blue.  As we read, students shared evidence from the book about what makes it a dystopian novel.

Monday, September 29th

**Several important documents - including report cards, MAP scores, and a field trip form - are coming home today.  Make sure you check your child's red folder.**

We continued reading Gathering Blue and we compared the character traits of Jonas and Kira.   Students completed a T-chart of each characters' traits and main conflicts.  We also analyzed the setting and plot events by using our central idea to frame our discussion.  

We quickly reviewed simple, compound, and complex sentence types.  Students should use the notes below, if necessary, when completing their ELA homework.

We discussed how students should begin their answer to the Civil War causes question.  Tomorrow students will have time to write their answers.

Thursday, September 25th

Today we finished reading John Brown and students did an excellent job finding the details that we needed for our notes.  They then worked with a partner to find evidence in another short text about John Brown and they organized that information into an outline.  Then students used that information to answer the focus question.

After students completed that activity, we read from Gathering Blue.  We focused on our central idea so we could identify the differences about the new and very different setting.

Tuesday, September 23rd

Today we continued analyzing The Giver by discussing what Lois Lowry meant when she used the term "Elsewhere" within her writing.  We then discussed the relationship between choice and control as it relates to The Giver and then we segued into this term's  UOI and social studies content.  

Students made connections between the UOI, Who We Are, and the standards.  They then identified events and people who we have already discussed.  Students concluded their partner work by asking an in depth question about what they are going to learn this term.

We concluded our day with a read aloud of John Brown.  As I read, students identified and discussed his beliefs and actions (cause and effect).  When we finish the book tomorrow, students will analyze John Brown's overall perspective and how his raid on Harper's Ferry was one of the events that lead to the Civil War.

Monday, September 22nd

Today students worked in groups to find text evidence in The Giver that supported their claim that Jonas was alive or dead at the end of the book.  Students who were uncertain found evidence to support both claims.  Tomorrow we will find evidence, and discuss, what Lois Lowry means when she uses the term "Elsewhere."  

During the remainder of class students wrote down this week's vocabulary words and I briefly discussed the homework. 

Homework:  Students should complete the homework sheet and study for Friday's vocabulary assessment.  Students can use the vocabulary worksheet or the quizlet to study.

Library Centers

Friday, September 12th

Today students finished their UOI summative task and they turned in their narratives.  Several students completed the Underground Railroad maps and wrote an answer to the level 4 question.  We finished the day with reading The Giver.  We finished the book together and at the beginning of the next term we'll spend a week analyzing various literary elements before moving on to Gathering Blue.

Our 1st term is complete!  Have a great fall break!

Tuesday & Wednesday

ELA -- On Tuesday students continued to work on the narratives and today I distributed the rubric.  I extended the deadline to Friday since I could tell some students needed an extra day to finish.  Students also began working on this term's UOI summative performance task.  We began by brainstorming possible topics, discussing possible ways to organize our writing, and agreeing to peer review guidelines.  Once we discussed what was expected students began.  They'll have 120 minutes total to complete the task.  Although it's preferable to have to 60-minute blocks, we have several interruptions in the schedule so I spread the writing out over three days.  

On Friday I'll be assessing the students on making inferences in fiction and non-fiction texts.  It's a short, 8-question, open book assessment and students have been working on finding evidence and making inferences for the past several weeks.  

SS -- By Friday students will finish their 3-D Underground Railroad maps.  In upcoming terms I'll be using these maps to collect a geography grade.  For this term I just wanted students to familiarize themselves with the assembly and accompanying readings.

During music, students practiced the process of song writing and Mr. Brooks led a discussion about the historical origins of how enslaved people used Blues and spirituals to create order and community within an oppressive world.

Our first Village Gathering will happen THIS Friday at 8:40am in the multi-purpose room.  This one will be EXTRA special because OUR homerooms are leading it!  Students practiced today and they're excited to be the first classes to start this new F.AVE tradition.  Parents are welcome so please come by.  The 4th grade gathering will take place at 8:00am so please be mindful of our limited parking.

Lastly, during the weeks Ms. McFaddin and I have back-to-back parent conferences and additional meetings (she and I are both on the School Leadership Team), I may not be able to do a nightly blog post.  I will do my best to combine days if I miss a day during the week.  

Monday, September 8th

Today we completed our daily grammar and continued to work on making evidence-based inferences from The Giver.  We spent the remainder of our time on our narratives.  Many students worked on completing rough drafts while others moved on to self, and then peer, review.  Tomorrow we will continue with peer reviews on Tuesday and the final drafts are due on Thursday.

Homework:
1.  Final Narrative -- Due Thursday, September 11th
--Students should write or type their final drafts at home.  Tuesday will be the last day we have in-class time to work on the narratives.  

2.  Read for 30 minutes daily.  (parents, please remember to sign your child's agenda nightly.)

3.  Study guide (Monday's homework), Math worksheet - due Thursday

4.  Study for the science assessment (Ms. McFaddin distributed the study guide today)

IB Attitude Watch!

I see my student showing independence by taking the initiative to use his own tape to create a 4-square chart.

Thursday, September 4th

We began ELA with completing our daily grammar and reviewing the homework.  Students then had about 40 minutes to work on their rough drafts.  They will have three more in-class days to work on their papers and the final drafts are due next Thursday.  After writing, we read The Giver and worked on making explicit and implicit inferences. 

During social studies we reviewed the work they did yesterday while I was in UOI training.  I taught them an answer-writing technique called T.A.G.   It stands for:  turn the question into a statement, answer the question, and give details that support the answer.  Students then revised their answers using T.A.G.

As a reminder, students are supposed to get a parent/guardian's initials in their agendas each night to show that they're completing at least 30 minutes of reading each day.  I will be doing an agenda check tomorrow.  

Lastly, I'll be giving the Bill of Rights/Amendment Change Process reassessment tomorrow.  Students have been reminded to use their study guides, practice on quizlet, and to take their social studies notebooks home if necessary.

Tuesday, September 2nd

ELA - We began with our daily grammar lesson and I passed out this week's homework.  Students began their summative narrative essays today with topic selection and brainstorming.  I taught them the brainstorming method called "Puke on Paper".  After my vivid description and modeling of the method, students selected their topics and completed their own Puke on Paper session.  

I let students pick my topics and then I modeled how Puke on Paper can look

SS - We reviewed the amendment change process and discussed the reasons why citizens would want to add an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  Students worked in groups to analyze three current amendments and three others that were never fully ratified.  I'll be reassessing students who earned 1s and 2s on the assessment this Friday.  I gave those students a study guide and I updated the Bill of Rights quizlet site to include the amendment change process information. 

Homework:  
ELA/SS homework is due on Thursday
Study for the social studies re-test on Friday
Read for 30 minutes each day

**FYI, I had a few parents ask about vocabulary homework.   Students in my class will do vocabulary approximately every other week.