Wednesday, January 28th

We completed our daily grammar and continued reading/discussing Messenger.  Then we did a notes check so students between both classes could make sure all of our notes are consistent.  Then we continued learning about the Great Depression by focusing on the Dust Bowl.  We watched, discussed, and took notes on a video clip.  Then students read "Children of the Dust" in their social studies textbooks.  They answered some reading comprehension questions and finished the lesson by writing a reflection about minorities during the Great Depression.

Tuesday, January 28th

Students completed a snapshot today of RI5 and RI6.  Those standards focus on comparing/contrasting text information and analyzing multiple accounts of the same event.  I'll be using that data to make the small reading groups for the rest of this week.  We then continued reading Messenger.  Students were able to discuss the symbolism of Forrest and also identify other literary elements.

During social studies we continued discussing the causes of the Great Depression.  Students took notes and discussed Hoover's perspective on the role of business and government intervention. 

During homeroom for the ext several days, both classes are doing an independent film study of The Grapes of Wrath.

Monday, January 26th

Students signed up for Explorations this morning and then we reviewed our daily grammar.  Then we discussed this week's vocabulary words.  Our final ELA task of the day was to finish up last week's poetry practice.  Overall, there were some really funny, sweet, and interesting poems.  

During social studies we read a document about Hoovervilles.  This week we are focusing on the Great Depression and the New Deal.  I am currently working on writing the directions and rubric for this term's mini-project so students should have that by the end of this week.   

Homework:  Vocab, social studies reading, read personal book for 30 minutes daily

Some of the text on this week's homework was cut off.  Here's the text and the directions.

Here are our Hooverville notes.  Tomorrow both flex groups will look at the other group's notes to see how they match up.  Since students read the document and tell me what to write, sometimes they find different facts from the same text.

During library time this week, Mrs. Smith read the beginnings of two books by Sharon Draper.  If you want to order the books, the forms are due THIS Wednesday.

Friday, January 23rd

We continued reading Messenger and then we finished our 1920s notes.  At the end of the lesson, students discussed Herbert Hoover and his role at the beginning of the Great Depression.  We concluded our day by reviewing the poetry elements we've already discussed and a few new concepts.  Next week they will finish the activity and review for the upcoming literary assessment (date TBD).

Students who want to get a head start on next week's vocabulary can go to the vocabulary quizlet.

Students successfully identified the alliteration and personification in Shel Silverstein's "The Farmer and the Queen."

After they finished the notes, students worked together to answer the question, "What was Herbert Hoover's role in America's economic decline?  Was the 1929 Stock Market Crash and/or the Great Depression his fault?"

1920s Economics Notes

Thursday, January 22nd

Today we spent our ELA time working on grammar.  Students shared their alliteration and personification sentences and I taught a lesson about commas and correlative conjunctions.  After ELA, we continued taking notes and discussing 1920s economics.  

Wednesday, January 21st

We had another productive day.  After we corrected our daily grammar, we completed a preposition review.  My second group also completed the Babe Ruth reflection.  We read a passage about him and students identified facts from the text that showed how he expressed himself and influenced others.  

We continued working on finding text evidence by examining an excerpt from the Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. DuBois.  We discussed the concept of double consciousness and what it meant in a historical sense.  We then finished our discussion about women and economics.  Overall, some aspects of these readings are difficult to stomach.  I know it's not fun to learn about inequality and struggle; however, the students have open minds and are interested in looking at the world through a lens of honesty.

We concluded our time together by starting our 1920s economic notes.  As a reminder, homework is due tomorrow.

Here are today's notes about double-consciousness and Women & Economics.  I've included the notes from both classes.

Tuesday, January 20th

As usual, we completed our daily grammar.  Then I passed out homework.  It's just one sheet; however, it's still due on Thursday.  We continued discuss the literary elements and real world connections in Messenger.  If we continue at this pace, we will be done with the book by the end of this term and we'll be able to begin the final book in the series, Son.

During social studies we watched two short videos about the Harlem Renaissance.  Students finished the BrainPop worksheet with the first video and then they took notes on the second video in their notebooks.  We concluded our time together by discussing an excerpt from Charlotte Perkins Gilman's book, Women & Economics.

Lastly, there are many forms, including the report cards, being sent home today.  Please remember to check your child's red folder.  

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I hope everyone is enjoying their day off and taking some time to reflect about the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King.   I often remind my students that we have come far, but the struggle isn't over.  A few days ago I asked one group of students if humans would always have conflict, and that the answer was an overwhelming yes.  At first that made me a little sad; however, several of them said that the world is getting better and that they would help make it better.

I took my children to see Selma yesterday.  It was an emotionally powerful and historically accurate portrayal of the battle to get the right to vote.  The movie is PG-13, so I know it may not be appropriate for some of my more sensitive students.  I will say that the rating, in part, comes from the President Johnson character.  The movie accurately portrays his penchant for "colorful" language in each of his scenes.  

I've attached links to the pictures below; please view and discuss them if you have time.  

Dr. King and President Johnson had many conversations.  Click on the picture to read one of their telephone conversations.  Or read below the picture for an excerpt.

President Johnson: There's not going to be anything though, Dr., as effective as all of them voting.

King: That's right. Nothing--

President Johnson: That'll get you a message that all the eloquence in the world won't bring, because the fellow will be coming to you then instead of you calling him.

King: And it's very interesting, Mr. President, to notice that the only states that you didn't carry in the South, the five Southern states,have less than 40 percent of the Negroes registered to vote.4 It's very interesting to notice. And I think a professor at the University of Texas, in a recent article, brought this out very clearly. So it demonstrates that it's so important to get Negroes registered to vote in large numbers in the South. And it would be this coalition of the Negro vote and the moderate white vote that will really make the new South.

President Johnson: That's exactly right. I think it's very important that we not say that we're doing this, and we not do it just because it's negroes or whites. But we take the position that every person born in this country and when they reach a certain age, that he have a right to vote, just like he has a right to fight. And that we just extend it whether it's a Negro or whether it's a Mexican or who it is.

King: That's right.

Students who read/view some or all of the content above, and then discreetly tell me something that they learned, will get a treat on Tuesday.

Thursday, January 15th

After we completed daily grammar students worked on their narratives.  They used the details on the prewriting homework sheets to begin their rough drafts.  After the free writing time, students work with a partner to complete a peer review.  We concluded our writing time with a 10 minute revision period.  

Students then read Messenger and took the WWI quiz.  Following the quiz they independently watched the Harlem Renaissance BrainPop video.

Tomorrow I'll catch my second group up in Messenger and we will take the vocabulary quiz.

Today's Spelling Bee!  Our boys did a great job!

Wednesday, January 14th

After we completed our daily grammar, students finished working on their "Mom, did you vote?" notes and written response.  We concluded with a WWI quiz review.  

Students had a wonderful opportunity today to see an abridged version of the opera, The Marriage of Figaro.  

Lastly, Dr. Root came and talked to one of the flex groups today about teasing, bullying, and interactions between friends.  They had a thoughtful conversation and she will meet with the other flex group tomorrow.

Monday, January 12th

Today students completed a snapshot and I'll use those results to make my small learning groups for tomorrow.  Then we discussed this week's homework and vocabulary words.  We concluded with learning about the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations.  Students received all of their notes back as well.  They should study the notes in their SS journals and the worksheets for Thursday's test.

Homework:  vocabulary, narrative story starter, study for the SS assessment, read for 30 minutes daily

Wednesday & Thursday

In social studies this week we are focusing on WWI.  We are analyzing various readings to discuss different aspects of the war.  I will be giving an Edmodo quiz on WWI next Wednesday.  They should use their class notes and the worksheets we completed in class to study.  This term we will also be covering:

  -the Harlem Renaissance & the Jazz Age,

  -economics (specifically the practices that lead to the 1929 Stock Market Crash), and

  -the Great Depression & New Deal 

Today's Village Gathering

Students set up their google doc accounts during our library time.

In ELA we are continuing with our daily grammar work and we are focusing on figurative language this week.  We will continue using informational texts that are related to the social studies standards to work on reading comprehension and research skills.

This term students will be practicing all of the writing styles (narrative, informational, and opinion).  They will work on informational and opinion writing in conjunction with the social studies standards each week.   Next week we are going to review and practice narrative writing. 

AR Reading Goal

On Wednesday I gave students their term 4 AR reading goals.  I will be using AR to make sure students are reading their required 30 minutes daily AND applying the reading comprehension skills that we are working on in class.  Each student's point goal is individualized based on his or her reading level and after week three, I'll touch bases with parents so they can know how their child is progressing.  Overall, it's merely a way to make sure students are reading and working on their comprehension skills.  I will NOT be using the AR points to give grades and if a student doesn't meet the goal there will not be a punishment or consequence.  

Cold Weather

Please make sure that your child has warm winter gear for when we go to recess.  Unless we are advised by Mr. Roaden to NOT go outside, we will go outside.

That being said, please enjoy this picture from my mom's balcony.