Student Led Conference Expectations

During the conferences, Ms. McFaddin and I will be in our rooms to monitor the time, take pictures, and facilitate the transitions.  All questions about class work should be directed to, and answered by, the students.  In addition, please expect the following from Thursday's student-led conferences:

·      Your child will be in charge of the conference and has planned specific areas to share. Please allow your child to proceed with the agenda.

·      You will be shown completed work, see demonstrations of skills, and be told about the class and your child’s part in it.  

·      Several children will be conducting conferences in the classroom at the same time.  Please do not bring other children and kindly mute your mobile phone during the conference so that your attention to your child’s presentation can be uninterrupted.

·      Your child may be unsure of your reactions to their presentation. Please provide encouragement and feedback as your child proceeds. Ask questions to clarify and try not to direct or control the conference.

·      Expect your child to share his/her strengths, successes, best work, and favorite subjects. Your child may suggest areas for improvement. Discussion of a plan or goal for improvement is encouraged.

Monday, February 23rd

Today we began our new Unit of Inquiry, How the World Works.  Our central idea is:  Changes that occur in occur in our world can be constructive and/or destructive depending on your point of view.   Students first worked with groups to create definitions of "constructive" and "destructive."  We then discussed specific events and students could see that some events are constructive, destructive, or a combination of both.  Then, we looked at our last reading, "20th Century Monsters" in A History of US, and answered the following focus question:  What was constructive and destructive about the dictators?

We concluded our day by beginning our small group reflection discussions about The Giver, Gathering Blue, and Messenger.  Once we finish and discuss the answers, we will begin reading Son.

 Homework:  Students have a social studies homework and they should read for 30 minutes daily.

Winter Break Update

I hope everyone is having an eventful and/or relaxing winter break.  My children and I have been organizing some things around the house, doing yoga, and spending time with our animal companions.

On Thursday, February 26th, we will be having student led conferences.  Parents will meet with their child to discuss select pieces of work from our last Unit of Inquiry.  Please go to  one of the following sites to sign up:

Ms. McFaddin's Homeroom

Ms. Black's Homeroom

Next term we will be covering World War II and the Cold War.  Towards the end of the term, we will begin discussing the major events of the Civil Rights Movement.

Some students may still be working on their narratives over the break.  I moved the due date to Friday,  February 27th so students can post their stories on Edmodo on or before next Friday.  

Here's are resource links so students can preview some of what we are going to cover in term 5.

Encyclopedia Britannica - WWII

WWII (an overview)

WWII Interactive Map

Midweek Update

This week we are wrapping up our writing and preparing for tomorrow's assessments.  We are also finishing Messenger this week and students are excited about beginning Son next term.  The Great Depression assessment will be tomorrow and I reviewed with students yesterday.  The majority have a clear understanding, and I made clarifications when necessary.  Students will also have a literary assessment tomorrow.  The questions will be directly from work they have done in class and they will have a chance to review materials before they take the assessment.  

Yesterday we began reading, "20th Century Monsters" from A History of US.  This text connects the conditions of the global depression to the rise of dictators in some nations.  As we read, students found answers in the text to the following question, "

Class notes from both flex groups

The clothes from the over-filled lost-and-found box will be donated THIS Friday!  I will be taking my homeroom by there on Thursday to check.

Weekend Update

Students spent the remainder of this week working on their informational papers and finishing up the Great Depression lesson.  On Friday we watched another short video about Eleanor Roosevelt and students practiced summarizing evidence.  The summary had a set word limit, so students had to be selective about their word choice and write a summary that had only the most important information in it.  

About half of the students have turned in their informational papers and they're due on Monday.  I've already contacted a handful of parents because I discovered during my spot check that some students didn't follow the directions and/or attend to precision.  We complete daily grammar four days a week, so there shouldn't be any careless grammatical errors.  Additionally, I've provided guides for how they are to complete their MLA formatted bibliographies.  Lastly, I've provided notes, books, and electronic sources so they had multiple places to research.

All that being said, please have your child show you their paper in google docs so you can see their progress.  A handful of students chose to handwrite their rough drafts so theirs will be in the SS notebooks. They'll have time on Monday in class to submit it via Edmodo.

Wednesday, February 4th

I had the wonderful honor of wearing the Math-a-Thon cape today.  My homeroom was the top class in the WHOLE school!  Our point goal exceeded the second place class by almost 3,000 points.  I'm so proud of them and their hard work.

During class today students worked on their informational papers.  Many finished their rough drafts in class and are prepared to do peer reviews tomorrow.  During social studies we continued the "End of the Great Depression" lesson and discussed Eleanor Roosevelt's role during the Great Depression.  We concluded our day by reading Messenger.

Today is World Cancer Day and February also happens to be my own remission anniversary.  I have been cancer free for 12 years now and I'm thankful that students take time to raise money each year for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Both of these cancers disproportionally affect young people, and I myself was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease (a type of lymphoma) when I was 22.  Several students from both classes have already brought in money, so they're doing a great job!

Tuesday, February 3rd

Today students continued working on their Great Depression informational papers.  They also finished their Franklin Roosevelt reading comprehension questions.  The second flex group is a little bit ahead so they began the final Great Depression lesson.  During this lesson we will review the causes/effects of the Great Depression, discuss the role of Eleanor Roosevelt, and learn about the lead up to WWII.  

The informational paper is due this Friday and I'll be giving students time each day to work on it.  Tomorrow I'm expecting them to work on their rough drafts and on Thursday students will conduct peer reviews and revise.  On Friday they will type their essays and submit them via Edmodo.

Lastly, students received their Pennies for Patients collection boxes yesterday.   During my homeroom's class meeting time, I briefly shared my survivor story and encouraged them to do what they can.  I'm not concerned about winning; however, I wanted students to know that I am still alive today because of the work that the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society does.  So....if they ask you for money, that's why.  : )

Homework:  Great Depression packet (the crossword puzzle, and FDR Fireside Chat questions are optional), Math worksheet, SumDug

Happy 113th birthday, Langston Hughes!