Language Arts Quick Hits
* Parent Teacher Conferences - THIS THURSDAY 2/3/2011 - If your scheduled time for this Thursday is problematic, please do not hesitate to contact your conferencing teacher and reschedule or pick a conferencing alternative such as a phone conference or an email.
* FINAL DRAFT OF PERSUASIVE PAPER - DUE TOMORROW - 2/1/2011 - Students have been given ample time and opportunity to complete their first persuasive essay. Four class periods were devoted to writing and editing these papers. Today in class I tried to review any students final/rough drafts that were typed. Please make certain that your student has completed and typed their paper for tomorrow. Papers are to be typed and printed (in black and white) using a 12pt font (Times New Roman. Ariel or Helvetica). Papers should include a proper heading with name, date and class information. Papers should also have a title, proper indentation and be properly double spaced. Finally, students rough drafts should be attached behind the final draft along with their T-Chart and any pertinent research they may have printed up. However, if information was not printed - it need not be included. Information regarding the papers content and outline can be downloaded here.
* HOMEWORK - ISAT Practice - A Taste of Freedom - DUE TOMORROW - 2/1/2011 - We have begun review extended responses for ISAT testing. Today in class I passed out a reading packet that asks students to write a comparison involving Harriet Tubman. We did the reading aloud and then discussed the importance of first paying attention to and understanding the writing prompt (the question being answered) and how sometimes with standardized tests the connections/comparisons are not always obvious - that sometimes the reading specifically requires us look for a deeper connection than what is at first evident. Students are to answer the multiple choice questions in the packet and attempt to write a short response to the reading based on the writing prompt. There is not length requirement to the assignment - rather I asked students to pay attention to form and mechanics. Students responses should have an introduction sentence, be divided into paragraphs, properly indented, well thought using examples from the text and their own insights, and finish with a strong conclusion. Sorry, I was unable to scan this assignment so it is unavailable for download.
* HOMEWORK - VOCABULARY WEEK 14 - DUE TOMORROW - 2/1/2011 - Students were given the entire second half of class to complete their vocabulary while I worked individually with students who had typed persuasive essays for me to review. If students applied themselves and stayed on task this assignment should have been completed in class and also allowed them time to work on their ISAT Practice. Week 14 Vocabulary is listed below.
* READING RESPONSES - Collected and Passed Out - Last weeks Reading Response was collected and Week 17 was passed out. Missing Reading Responses continue to drag down many grades. However - I will allow students to make up missing Reading Responses that are not excessively late. Excessively late Reading Responses can be made up with an extended book report. The idea here is to help students understand that doing the Reading Response is less work than that required to make up a missing Reading Response. Download a Reading Response here!
* Vocabulary Quizzes Passed Back - Last weeks vocabulary quiz was passed back and then collected to include in students portfolios for conferences. Grades have been posted in Gradebook.
* Potential Snow Day? - Please continue to monitor the weather situation over the next few days. A possible Snow Day Warning is in effect, although unlikely. The following message was sent out by the District Office:
The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard watch for the area that could produce up to 18 inches of snow and create hazardous travel conditions tomorrow afternoon through Wednesday morning. We are monitoring the forecast very closely, and will take whatever steps are necessary to ensure the safety of our students and staff.
At this time, all after school activities scheduled to end by 6 p.m. tomorrow will proceed as planned. If there is any change in the forecast that will push up the arrival of the inclement weather and/or produce more severe conditions than we anticipated, we will use SchoolMessenger (automated phone message and e-mail), e-mail and the district’s family of Web sites to send out an update about the status of these activities. This update will be disseminated no later than noon tomorrow.
Serious consideration will be given to canceling or postponing any activities scheduled to end after 6 p.m. tomorrow. A decision about these activities will also be made no later than noon.
As for the status of school on Wednesday, we will be monitoring the weather throughout the night on Tuesday and into Wednesday morning; and will work closely with the Village of Oak Park, districts 90 and 200, our buildings and grounds staff and our transportation provider to assess the state of our buildings and the travel conditions. If we determine that the conditions pose any significant threat to the safety of our students and staff, we will cancel classes for the day.
The final decision about the status of the school day will be made no later than 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday. News of this decision will be disseminated via SchoolMessenger (automated phone message and e-mail), the district’s family of Web sites, this e-mail group and the local media.
Vocabulary
Week 14
NOTE: Please make sure to write all the words in your notebook so that you do not lose or forget them. Any words you fail to define in class are homework. I will be checking words tomorrow and there will be a quiz on these words at the end of the week.
arsenal
levity
cache
candor
gander
implore
defame
malleable
vestibule
congeal
grievous
carnage
maraud
tawny
mangy
plunder
libel
soliloquy
braise
impetus
asinine
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