We have officially began end of the year state testing. Over the next couple of weeks our schedules will be a little mixed up due to ACT and SBAC testing occurring in the mornings. With that being said, please be sure that your kiddo gets plenty of sleep and a healthy breakfast each morning. They are welcome to bring snacks, mints, gum, and water to help keep them going strong.
Much time will be spent in the dungeon this month as we work on WW2 group projects. I am really excited to see what this group comes up with. They have some awesome ideas and game plans on building their 3D artifacts. I also want to take a second to thank everyone for finding, buying, and bringing in materials for this project. Oasis families ROCK!
We are continuing with our WW2 Reading Book Clubs this week. The kids have made some great connections to the material we have been learning in Projects. I love listening to them talk about their books using format matters and habits of discussion as well as having meaningful conversations.
In writing this week we will be practicing our sentence diagramming and grammar skills. There will be a little more review this week as we prepare for SBACs.
8th grade reading has been working hard on the memoir, Night. During the next couple of chapters, author Elie Wiesel, uses language related to death, darkness, night, and decay to convey the horrors around him. The class will find and discuss examples of this recurring language the images this language evokes.
Monday, April 24, 2017
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Tuesday, April 18
Projects= We have been furiously working through the Holocaust, and this week will touch on important leaders and battles of WWII. So many of the topics we have studied have been intense and wearisome, but this class is relentless. They know how important it is to learn and understand our history. I am so impressed with how mature my kids have been with our discussions and class meetings. This week they were finally able to meet with their groups and will continue to do so for the next couple of weeks as they begin working on their projects. Thank you in advance for helping supply the materials to make their museum artifacts great!
7th Reading= The kids will continue working in their WWII book clubs this week. They have had some wonderful group discussions and responses. I love how well they work together and seem to be enjoying their novels.
8th Reading= 8th grade has started Elie Wiesel’s memoir, Night. We will read the first chapters this week to learn the story of Wiesel's experience and survival of a Nazi concentration camp. The class has really been working hard on their format matter and habits of discussion.
Writing= This week we are honing in on our grammar skills and practicing responding to a couple prompts, being sure to use text based evidence and answering to the question completely. Next week we will begin testing. Please be sure to check out the email that was sent out to review testing dates for each grade level.
7th Reading= The kids will continue working in their WWII book clubs this week. They have had some wonderful group discussions and responses. I love how well they work together and seem to be enjoying their novels.
8th Reading= 8th grade has started Elie Wiesel’s memoir, Night. We will read the first chapters this week to learn the story of Wiesel's experience and survival of a Nazi concentration camp. The class has really been working hard on their format matter and habits of discussion.
Writing= This week we are honing in on our grammar skills and practicing responding to a couple prompts, being sure to use text based evidence and answering to the question completely. Next week we will begin testing. Please be sure to check out the email that was sent out to review testing dates for each grade level.
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Tuesday, April 4th
I would first like to thank all of our families that came to parent conferences last week. The kids are super proud of themselves for all of their hard work and we appreciate you taking so much interest in what they have learned and are working on. I would also like to send a shout out to the kiddos that have been inducted into our National Juniors Honor Society. The induction ceremony is tonight, Tuesday, April 4th @ 7:00 at the Convention Center. I an looking forward to seeing our members representing Oasis NJHS tonight!
On Monday in Projects we had a presenter, Mr. Slonaker, share his knowledge and experiences traveling around Europe studying events and locations dealing with WWII. We will also explore the life and background of Adolf Hitler this week.
We are choosing books this week for our book clubs. The class will read summaries and reviews on The Promise, We Fought Back, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, The Boy Who Dared, and Number the Stars to help them choose their top three books. Once we have the groups sorted out, the kids will work on Tuesday and Thursdays on their club activities.
In writing we are using two articles, “The President Has Been Killed” & “The Night Before the Invasion” to analyze how they address similar themes. Then we will compare the approaches the authors take.
8th Grade Reading has been full of studying, arranging and formulating discussion points in preparation for our To Kill a Mockingbird Paideia Seminar. I have been conferencing with students over the last couple of days and they have their discussion points ready to go. On Wednesday and Thursday the kids will finally get to their chance to share their skills. I am looking forward to the discussions this group will have!
On Monday in Projects we had a presenter, Mr. Slonaker, share his knowledge and experiences traveling around Europe studying events and locations dealing with WWII. We will also explore the life and background of Adolf Hitler this week.
We are choosing books this week for our book clubs. The class will read summaries and reviews on The Promise, We Fought Back, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, The Boy Who Dared, and Number the Stars to help them choose their top three books. Once we have the groups sorted out, the kids will work on Tuesday and Thursdays on their club activities.
In writing we are using two articles, “The President Has Been Killed” & “The Night Before the Invasion” to analyze how they address similar themes. Then we will compare the approaches the authors take.
8th Grade Reading has been full of studying, arranging and formulating discussion points in preparation for our To Kill a Mockingbird Paideia Seminar. I have been conferencing with students over the last couple of days and they have their discussion points ready to go. On Wednesday and Thursday the kids will finally get to their chance to share their skills. I am looking forward to the discussions this group will have!
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Tuesday, March 28
Welcome to the 4th Quarter! I hope that everyone had an awesome Spring Break, and from the stories I have heard from your kiddos, it sounds like most of you did!
Just a quick reminder, we have Student-Led Parent Conferences this Friday. Please see the email I sent on the 16th for more details and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
In projects this quarter we are moving on in our Social Studies curriculum to World War II. This week we will focus on recapping the Treaty of Versailles and the end of WWI, then we will move into more causes that led the world into our second huge war.
In reading this week we will continue mastering root words, touch base on current events with Flocabulary, and work on some figurative language. The class is getting better and better at identifying these types of literary devices.
Writing this week has been so fun! The kids are practicing their evaluation skills by reading and writing their own reviews on books and films that they have recent experience with. They will also practice identifying propaganda techniques used in print ads.
Our 8th grade reading class finished up To Kill a Mockingbird just before we left for Spring Break. Yesterday we viewed the film and for the next week or so the kids will spend each reading block studying, arranging and formulating discussion points in preparation for our Paideia Seminar.
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Tuesday, March 7th
Hello March!
We sure are busy as we finish up this third quarter. The class has so many huge projects that they have been giving their all. I am extremely proud of each and every one of them.
In projects we are finishing up our Great Depression websites this week. The last day to work on them will be the 14th, then on the 15th & 16th each student will have an opportunity to share their site to the class. Their pages sure are coming around, each kiddo has been working diligently on a collection of pages for their website that includes the causes of the Great Depression, daily life, the Dust Bowl, the role of government, as well as art and culture. I have been lucky enough to be keeping tabs on the sites along the way, but I am really looking forward for the kids to publish and share their hard work.
Reading has been full of studying, arranging and formulating discussion points in preparation for out Outsiders Paideia Seminar. I have been conferencing with students over the last handful of days and they have their topics of giving advice, theme, teen problems, and movie vs. novel down solid. On Wednesday and Thursday the kids will finally get to their chance to share their skills. I am looking forward to the discussions this group will have on one of our favorite books of the year!
This week in writing we are powering through another state task. This time around it is an argumentative essay. The class will work together in groups on a collaborative essay this week, then an unassisted one next week using the skills we have practiced. A couple key ideas that we are honing in on with argumentative writing include making a claim, sticking to it, and supporting it with reasons and evidence. Another skill that they are asked to include in 7th grade is adding a counterclaim. So far they are rocking the assignment.
8th grade reading has just about finished the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The class is getting better and better with having class discussions using habits of discussion. I am always impressed with the ideas and conversations they have about the topics of the book.
We sure are busy as we finish up this third quarter. The class has so many huge projects that they have been giving their all. I am extremely proud of each and every one of them.
In projects we are finishing up our Great Depression websites this week. The last day to work on them will be the 14th, then on the 15th & 16th each student will have an opportunity to share their site to the class. Their pages sure are coming around, each kiddo has been working diligently on a collection of pages for their website that includes the causes of the Great Depression, daily life, the Dust Bowl, the role of government, as well as art and culture. I have been lucky enough to be keeping tabs on the sites along the way, but I am really looking forward for the kids to publish and share their hard work.
Reading has been full of studying, arranging and formulating discussion points in preparation for out Outsiders Paideia Seminar. I have been conferencing with students over the last handful of days and they have their topics of giving advice, theme, teen problems, and movie vs. novel down solid. On Wednesday and Thursday the kids will finally get to their chance to share their skills. I am looking forward to the discussions this group will have on one of our favorite books of the year!
This week in writing we are powering through another state task. This time around it is an argumentative essay. The class will work together in groups on a collaborative essay this week, then an unassisted one next week using the skills we have practiced. A couple key ideas that we are honing in on with argumentative writing include making a claim, sticking to it, and supporting it with reasons and evidence. Another skill that they are asked to include in 7th grade is adding a counterclaim. So far they are rocking the assignment.
8th grade reading has just about finished the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The class is getting better and better with having class discussions using habits of discussion. I am always impressed with the ideas and conversations they have about the topics of the book.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Tuesday, February 21
Hello and welcome back. I hope that you had a fabulous four day weekend.
We jumped right back into business today and have a packed week ahead of us.
Projects- Our websites are coming along. I am so pleased with the skills these kiddos are picking up. They are so good about asking each other for assistance in adding new pages, pictures, menus, and buttons. This week we will continue plugging in facts about the dust bowl and begin researching FDR and The New Deal.
7th Reading- We completed The Outsiders today! I can’t decide whether to be excited or saddened at this statement. This class has had some amazing conversations about the characters and issues from the book. Tomorrow we will view the movie to compare and contrast the film to the novel. Then, starting Thursday we will begin to prepare for the class paideia seminar.
8th Reading- This week we will continue reading To Kill a Mockingbird. The class has been working hard to learn about the characters and make predictions about Boo Radley and Tom Robinson.
7th Writing - Today we completed our group informative newspaper article about the Greinheim Heist. This class is full of such talented writers. Tomorrow and Thursday the class will work individually using informative/explanatory techniques to practice writing (unassisted) to a prompt provided by the Nevada Department of Education.
We jumped right back into business today and have a packed week ahead of us.
Projects- Our websites are coming along. I am so pleased with the skills these kiddos are picking up. They are so good about asking each other for assistance in adding new pages, pictures, menus, and buttons. This week we will continue plugging in facts about the dust bowl and begin researching FDR and The New Deal.
7th Reading- We completed The Outsiders today! I can’t decide whether to be excited or saddened at this statement. This class has had some amazing conversations about the characters and issues from the book. Tomorrow we will view the movie to compare and contrast the film to the novel. Then, starting Thursday we will begin to prepare for the class paideia seminar.
8th Reading- This week we will continue reading To Kill a Mockingbird. The class has been working hard to learn about the characters and make predictions about Boo Radley and Tom Robinson.
7th Writing - Today we completed our group informative newspaper article about the Greinheim Heist. This class is full of such talented writers. Tomorrow and Thursday the class will work individually using informative/explanatory techniques to practice writing (unassisted) to a prompt provided by the Nevada Department of Education.
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Tuesday, February 14th
Good morning and Happy Valentine's Day!
The kids know that if they want to bring in something small to exchange today, that would be great (not mandatory). We have music this afternoon, so our time to “party” is limited.
Projects- Monday the class worked in a banker/investor partnership to complete a stock exchange simulation from 1929. Even knowing the future (Black Tuesday Market Crash) we had a hard time knowing which stocks to purchase and when to sell. We will continue to touch on the stock market crashing and the roll president Herbert Hoover had during the Great Depression. The student’s websites are coming along nicely, I am always so impressed with the fearless creation they have.
Reading- We studied Flocabulary’s Week in Rap and will work on a couple more chapters of The Outsiders this week. We are getting into some heavy topics that they group is handling very well with excellent conversations. I am so proud of these kiddos.
Writing- This week we will be working as a group on a new writing assignment that includes taking two testimonies from security guards and creating and informational newspaper article. They have to be sure to include details from both security guards’ accounts, without taking a position as to which account is true.
8th Reading- We are continuing with To Kill a Mockingbird this week. As we get further along with the novel, the class is beginning to see deeper into the characters and realize that their first impressions may not have been as accurate as they expected. I am loving the discussions this group has had as they delve through the story, they are not afraid to speak up or share their thoughts, even if they go against the grain.
The kids know that if they want to bring in something small to exchange today, that would be great (not mandatory). We have music this afternoon, so our time to “party” is limited.
Projects- Monday the class worked in a banker/investor partnership to complete a stock exchange simulation from 1929. Even knowing the future (Black Tuesday Market Crash) we had a hard time knowing which stocks to purchase and when to sell. We will continue to touch on the stock market crashing and the roll president Herbert Hoover had during the Great Depression. The student’s websites are coming along nicely, I am always so impressed with the fearless creation they have.
Reading- We studied Flocabulary’s Week in Rap and will work on a couple more chapters of The Outsiders this week. We are getting into some heavy topics that they group is handling very well with excellent conversations. I am so proud of these kiddos.
Writing- This week we will be working as a group on a new writing assignment that includes taking two testimonies from security guards and creating and informational newspaper article. They have to be sure to include details from both security guards’ accounts, without taking a position as to which account is true.
8th Reading- We are continuing with To Kill a Mockingbird this week. As we get further along with the novel, the class is beginning to see deeper into the characters and realize that their first impressions may not have been as accurate as they expected. I am loving the discussions this group has had as they delve through the story, they are not afraid to speak up or share their thoughts, even if they go against the grain.
Monday, February 6, 2017
Monday, February 6th
Happy February!
~Good luck to our Middle School Volleyball teams and Archery Shooters during their games/tournaments this week!~
Announcements:
Candygrams- Student Council is selling Candy Grams this year for Valentine's Day. They are 75 cents each or $10 for an entire class. They must be ordered and paid for by Monday, Feb. 13th. Orders can be placed during lunch times and will be delivered on Feb. 14th.
Dance: There will be a middle school dance this week. Mrs. O'Flaherty sent an email last week with all the details you should need. Please remember, students (and their guest) must bring a signed permission slip to the dance.
National Honor Society- Mrs. Mackedon sent an email today regarding National Honor Society. It is time to apply! Check out the attachment to her email, applications are due by March 2nd. If you have any questions, please let me know!
Projects: We finished strong last week with the Roaring 20s and are now researching the underlying issues and conditions that led America into the Great Depression. Each kiddo will be creating their own website that will give an overview of the topics we study for this unit. The class is enthusiastic to be learning this new skill in technology.
7th Reading: Today we watched and read about current events in Flocabualry’s week in rap. The class has been working really hard on their habits of discussion skills and have had excellent conversations about their thoughts on the events taking place around our country and world. We will also be reading a couple more chapters out of The Outsiders. I love the sincere cheers they call out when I tell the class that we are working on the novel each day.
Writing: This week we are moving from the team writing task to an individual one. Tomorrow they will get a writing prompt along with passages that they will have to use to write their own narrative.
8th Reading: The 8th grade team is still working through To Kill A Mockingbird. This class has had wonderful discussions about the characters and their actions in the story so far. They have also been doing very well on the chapter quizzes and comprehension checks that we have been working on.
~Good luck to our Middle School Volleyball teams and Archery Shooters during their games/tournaments this week!~
Announcements:
Candygrams- Student Council is selling Candy Grams this year for Valentine's Day. They are 75 cents each or $10 for an entire class. They must be ordered and paid for by Monday, Feb. 13th. Orders can be placed during lunch times and will be delivered on Feb. 14th.
Dance: There will be a middle school dance this week. Mrs. O'Flaherty sent an email last week with all the details you should need. Please remember, students (and their guest) must bring a signed permission slip to the dance.
National Honor Society- Mrs. Mackedon sent an email today regarding National Honor Society. It is time to apply! Check out the attachment to her email, applications are due by March 2nd. If you have any questions, please let me know!
Projects: We finished strong last week with the Roaring 20s and are now researching the underlying issues and conditions that led America into the Great Depression. Each kiddo will be creating their own website that will give an overview of the topics we study for this unit. The class is enthusiastic to be learning this new skill in technology.
7th Reading: Today we watched and read about current events in Flocabualry’s week in rap. The class has been working really hard on their habits of discussion skills and have had excellent conversations about their thoughts on the events taking place around our country and world. We will also be reading a couple more chapters out of The Outsiders. I love the sincere cheers they call out when I tell the class that we are working on the novel each day.
Writing: This week we are moving from the team writing task to an individual one. Tomorrow they will get a writing prompt along with passages that they will have to use to write their own narrative.
8th Reading: The 8th grade team is still working through To Kill A Mockingbird. This class has had wonderful discussions about the characters and their actions in the story so far. They have also been doing very well on the chapter quizzes and comprehension checks that we have been working on.
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Tuesday, January 31
Social Studies- Tomorrow, Wednesday, the kids will be completing their vocabulary and Roaring 20’s test. I am quite confident that they will do very well. These guys have really taken pride in their knowledge of this topic. They will also be printing their 1920s magazine this week which are looking great. I can’t wait to see the final product!
Reading- We are getting deeper into The Outsiders and the kids sure are digging it. The conversations we have had while reading over the last couple of weeks have been amazing. I am looking forward to their reactions to the next couple of shocking chapters! We will also annotate Robert Frost’s poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay” which was actually a poem Ponyboy recites in The Outsiders.
8th Reading- This week the class watched and read a Flocabulary Week in Rap and continues to make way through two more chapters of To Kill A Mockingbird. I absolutely love the class discussions this group has. They are taking an in depth look into the setting and characters of this novel and have done an excellent job analyzing the book.
Writing- This week we are working together on a writing prompt similar to one that the kids will get during their state testing. We are specifically looking into narrative techniques and how to use given passages to improve our own writing. Today the prompt was about a diamond robbery, and boy did these kids have some great discussions about the how and why. It sounded like we were in our very own courtroom.
Reading- We are getting deeper into The Outsiders and the kids sure are digging it. The conversations we have had while reading over the last couple of weeks have been amazing. I am looking forward to their reactions to the next couple of shocking chapters! We will also annotate Robert Frost’s poem “Nothing Gold Can Stay” which was actually a poem Ponyboy recites in The Outsiders.
8th Reading- This week the class watched and read a Flocabulary Week in Rap and continues to make way through two more chapters of To Kill A Mockingbird. I absolutely love the class discussions this group has. They are taking an in depth look into the setting and characters of this novel and have done an excellent job analyzing the book.
Writing- This week we are working together on a writing prompt similar to one that the kids will get during their state testing. We are specifically looking into narrative techniques and how to use given passages to improve our own writing. Today the prompt was about a diamond robbery, and boy did these kids have some great discussions about the how and why. It sounded like we were in our very own courtroom.
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Tuesday, January 24th
Congratulations to all of our 100% attendance, A & B honor roll students, along with our Bighorn and Most Improved recipients. I am so proud of each and every one you super stars.
Reminders-
We have our class auctions tomorrow (Wednesday the 25th). Just a heads up, if you have not brought something in to auction off, you will not be participating.
Report cards went home last week, please do not hesitate in contacting me if you any questions or concerns.
The Valentine Dance is coming soon, Friday, February 10th. Mrs. O'Flaherty will be emailing out information soon. Please be sure that your student and their guest has a new permission slip signed.
Social Studies- We are roaring through the “Roaring ‘20s!” This week we will be focusing on the KKK, Red Scare, and art and culture of the Harlem Renaissance. Thursday will be the last day to complete their magazine pages, then presenting and completing our vocabulary test and mini-unit assessment on Monday.
7th Grade Reading- This week we are moving through our Outsiders novel. The kids are loving the characters and story so far. I love hearing the connections and comments they have.
Writing- This week we will finish our My Favorite Mistake. The class has been working hard on this narrative, checking their writing techniques and working with peers to edit their work as they move into the final draft.
8th Grade Reading - We’ve continued to make our way through To Kill a Mockingbird. The class worked on annotating a selection from chapter two today. I was impressed with their thoughts, ideas, comments, and questions.
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Tuesday, January 17
Into the new semester we go! I have a couple class announcements for everyone:
*Report cards should be printed and sent out tomorrow (Wednesday). There was a little glitch that enabled middle school grades to be released. Sorry about that!
*We have Music for specials this quarter and Mrs. Barten has requested that each student brings in a small flashlight as a prop for one of the songs they will be working on. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy and should be able to be left as school.
*Auctions! The class agreed that we would do our class auctions next Wednesday, January 24th. If you could please remind your kiddo to bring something in by then, that would be great!
Projects- We are moving away from Science and will be working on Social Studies for the remainder of the year. The first topic we are covering is the roaring ‘20s. The kids have enjoyed learning about all the new innovations and ways of life during this time period. We broke into groups today and will begin working on their project which includes creating a magazine. Each group member will become an expert in his/her respective topics, then write an article covering what they learned.
7th Grade Reading- Finally, The Outsiders! I have been excited for this book ever since I decided to move up to seventh grade. I love when the 8th graders and freshmen come in and see that we are reading The Outsiders, and recall how much they loved it. This week we are mainly focusing on getting to know the characters, setting, and social aspects of the story. The class is working in partners to create posters, summarizing physical and personality traits of everyone from Sodapop to Two-Bit Matthews.
7th Grade Writing- We are continuing with narratives for our first paper of the second semester. The kids have really been honing in on their expressive and reflective skills. We began our Class Twitter page and this group came up with some really great six-word memoirs. They are hanging on our bulletin board along with their awesome “Day in the Life” narratives. Be sure to check them out as you come in. For the next week or so we will continue with “My Favorite Mistake” were they will use narrative techniques to write about a mistake they made in life and learned from.
8th Grade Reading- This week our 8th grade class is beginning Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. We plan to use narrative elements and background knowledge as we make our way through this classic coming-of-age story. There are some intense topics and conversations that have already made their way into our class discussions.
*Report cards should be printed and sent out tomorrow (Wednesday). There was a little glitch that enabled middle school grades to be released. Sorry about that!
*We have Music for specials this quarter and Mrs. Barten has requested that each student brings in a small flashlight as a prop for one of the songs they will be working on. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy and should be able to be left as school.
*Auctions! The class agreed that we would do our class auctions next Wednesday, January 24th. If you could please remind your kiddo to bring something in by then, that would be great!
Projects- We are moving away from Science and will be working on Social Studies for the remainder of the year. The first topic we are covering is the roaring ‘20s. The kids have enjoyed learning about all the new innovations and ways of life during this time period. We broke into groups today and will begin working on their project which includes creating a magazine. Each group member will become an expert in his/her respective topics, then write an article covering what they learned.
7th Grade Reading- Finally, The Outsiders! I have been excited for this book ever since I decided to move up to seventh grade. I love when the 8th graders and freshmen come in and see that we are reading The Outsiders, and recall how much they loved it. This week we are mainly focusing on getting to know the characters, setting, and social aspects of the story. The class is working in partners to create posters, summarizing physical and personality traits of everyone from Sodapop to Two-Bit Matthews.
7th Grade Writing- We are continuing with narratives for our first paper of the second semester. The kids have really been honing in on their expressive and reflective skills. We began our Class Twitter page and this group came up with some really great six-word memoirs. They are hanging on our bulletin board along with their awesome “Day in the Life” narratives. Be sure to check them out as you come in. For the next week or so we will continue with “My Favorite Mistake” were they will use narrative techniques to write about a mistake they made in life and learned from.
8th Grade Reading- This week our 8th grade class is beginning Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. We plan to use narrative elements and background knowledge as we make our way through this classic coming-of-age story. There are some intense topics and conversations that have already made their way into our class discussions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)