You Kicked It Up Today

I was very proud of the effort demonstrated on the test today. It was very encouraging to see so many students work slowly and carefully to do a good job. Great work! Remember, "it ain't over till the fat lady sings," and I have not even begun to sing! Finish strong. We will go over more practice MCAS open responses and multiple choice. We still have a ways to go.

Remember to bring your check-off list to your ELA class tomorrow for extra points!!

Rest up, Eat a Good Breakfast,Do Your Best Work

One more day and you get to prove what you can do. Hopefully, you will scrutinize the check off list we used while conferencing about the transition essay we've been working on for the past two weeks. Make sure to use transitions, indent, use mini stories to support your reasons, and use good word choice and strong opening and closing sentences throughout the five paragraphs. DON"T FORGET TO MAKE A TORSO!!!!!

YOU'VE GOT THE POWER TO DO A GREAT JOB!!!!!!!

Two More Days, Now I'm really Psyched

Remember all we've talked about and look over the pointers below for success on Tuesday, March 31st when you write your long composition. Remember, it is very important to thoroughly understand the question before planning your answer. Highlight key words in the question. Are your TORSOS awesome? I hope so. YOU'VE GOT THE POWER!!!!!

I'M GETTING PSYCHED

Good morning. I've listed a new site for your perusal (fun grammar games). Check it out. We'll try some of these grammar games next week in class! TORSO!!

TORSO That's Where It's At

We have conferenced together and everyone has had their transiton five paragraph essays corrected individually with feedback. Hopefully, our individual conferences will help you to do AWESOME on Tuesday, March 31st. I am proud of the improvement I've seen in many of your essays. Keep working hard and remember the TORSO outline to use on Tuesday, March 31st. YOU'VE GOT THE POWER!

Homework is to fill in the TORSO in your notecook for the "ageism,sexism,racism" question. I'm expecting you to "THINK" "BRAINSTORM" and "OUTLINE" using the TORSO. Every available space on the TORSO should be filled in.

Can't wait to see your poems. Bring in everything on Monday, March 30th.I'll provide construction paper.

KEEP USING THE GRAMMAR GAMES AND PRACTICE SITES ON THE RIGHT! THEY WILL REALLY HELP YOU ON APRIL 2,3,6 AND/OR 7! PROMISE!!

We Are Getting Down To The Wire

This past week, we have worked on our personal poetry, checked our understanding of chapters 4 and 5 from Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, and conferenced about our five paragraph essays. We are getting down to the wire for marks to close and to prepare for the MCAS long composition scheduled for next Tuesday, March 31st.

Some important points to ponder:

① Do you know how to pick out important words in the long composition question which should help your understanding?
② Can you remember to make a web when you begin brainstorming?
③ Do you know that when the wording says" Give at least two reasons" they are really expecting you to write about THREE REASONS in a "five" paragraph essay?
④ If you feel confident about writing "six" paragraphs, and you know who you are, you should write"four reasons" rather than "three."
➄ Don't forget to use transition words and indent each paragraph.
⑥ Your opening and closing sentences are very important in each paragraph.
⑦ Word choice and vocabulary are crucial.
⑧ Don't forget to use your TORSO!

****Remember to use your BEST printing or cursive handwriting! They won't score what they can't read!!!

YOU GOT THE POWER!!!!!!

I will be at a conference tomorrow

I will be at a conference on Monday, March 23rd. so I expect you to thoughtfully complete the work we have started. I have left a "What Do You Know 4-5" for Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Remember that marks close on Friday, March 27th. Some of you have not seen me to retake a quiz or test to improve your grade. It is not too late. Friday will be too late!! Please complete the work I left from today after finishing chapter 5 where we left off on Friday.
Cassie and Big Ma have definitely reached a "roadblock" in their relationship. Cassie trusted her and put her up on a pedestal. If you need clarification, check the sparknotes chapter summaries.
Templates should be finished. Can't wait to read them. Bring in a picture, also.

Try These New Sites For a Grammar Review

Try these new sites on the right if you are still a little confused about types of sentences. They're pretty good and I know they will help you.

Poem template due on Monday, March 23rd. Bring in a picture, too!

Parts of Speech Review

We have reviewed sentence types and sentence kinds in addition to parts of speech and verb tenses. Hopefully, we will be well-prepared for the MCAS test when it arrives but also prepared for the grammar and writing that awaits you in the eighth grade.
We also read chapter five today and have a clearer picture of the racism demonstrated toward Cassie Logan, TJ, and Stacey in Strawberry, Mississippi. It was difficult for the children to understand why Big Ma had to park her wagon "in the back" when she arrived to sell her cheese, milk and eggs in Strawberry. Chapter 5
ended with Cassie devastated by wht Big Ma made her do to Lillian Jean and Mr. Simms. Think about it. How humiliating!! If you are not understanding any of this chapter, PLEASE check out the book summary in the sparknotes I sited at the beginning of the book.
Homework is the Verb Phrases/Verb Tense sheet and the template for the personal poem.

Have a super weekend!!

Complex-Compound-Simple-Compound/Complex

We seem to have a pretty good understanding of sentence types (compound/simple/complex) and sentence kinds (interrogative/imperative/declarative and exclamatory). Please continue to look over your 5 paragraph essays that we have conferenced about or will conference about. Please refer to the check off list attached to your essay and your TORSO. I know you can do a great job if you take your time and focus.

We still have a great deal of work to do but I KNOW you can do it!!!

Sorry My Leprechaun Will Not Dance For You

Today we worked on different kinds of sentences; cmpound, complex, compound/complex and simple. You have plenty of handouts and a site listed which should help you to make more sense of this new information in ELA. Please feel free to use the grammar games on parts of speech that give you trouble. Also, don't forget the Sparknotes link for a summary of each chapter of the book Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. They will help you to better understand.

Study vocabulary for test tomorrow, March 18th.

More conferencing tomoroow through Friday.

Only One Page of Quarter Notes for Chapter 5

Hopefully, you got a chance to review the parts of speech and use other grammar games today in class while I conferenced with individual students about their five paragraph essays.
When you read chapter five in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry you need only one set of quarter notes for the chapter. What do you think about the new characters who have been introduced? Don't forget to read the book summary under the picture of the book from the beginning. If you have difficulty, this should be a big help!

Grandparents/great grandparents who were coming in to talk about experiences during the Great Depression on April 3rd, please check your schedules for availability on April 7th. MCAS is scheduled for April 3rd so that day is out. Sorry.

Try These New Sites For a Grammar Review

I hope you are diligently working on your 5 paragraph essays. The rough drafts looked pretty good yesterday. Take a look at the MCAS page I've listed to the right and also try the games and grammar drills. It can't hurt!!

Have a great weekend!

Writing 5 paragraph essay

Your typed, final draft of your "transitions" essay is due on Monday, March 16th. After today's ELA class, you should remember some strategies to help you write a well-formulated essay which thoughtfully answers the question on the writing prompt. Remember to refer to the sheets, I gave you in class today, which should be in your three-ring binder. Transition words,paragraph content,topic format, and FCA's should all be familiar to you. Don't forget to bring your "Quotes of the Week" back to class tomorrow.

We need some more character drawings. We have some great ones so far!

Poems for the poetry contest are due tomorrow. Those passed in look like winners to me!

Rough Draft Due Tomorrow

Don't forget to follow the FCA's we discussed in class. Make sure your essay is thoughtfully written in your" grammar and mechanics" notebook to be checked tomorrow before you type your final copy which is due on Monday. Refer to the check off list before you pass in the final copy. We will go over it together.
40% Organization
Examples/No Talking Sentences
Reasons clearly stated
Order paragraphs from least to greatest importance
40% Topic Development
Transitions
Anecdotes which support your topic
Quotations/mini stories
Word Choice
20% Conventions
Indent
Spelling/punctuation/appropriate capitalization

Five paragraph TORSO due Thursday, March 12th

Hopefully you are enjoying the book Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor.
Tomorrow your secttion 2 vocabulary is due and the quarter notes for the first half of chapter 4. The imagery created by the language in the book certainly allows everyone to create visual pictures of the characters and the events. Can you visualize Mr. Morrison quietly watching the "nightmen" by the side of the building "like a jungle cat?" Can you hear the rich alto voice of Big Ma when Joe Avery knocked on the door to warn Big Ma and Mama about the nightmen "ridin'?"You can also picture the caravan of cars when Cassie watched stealthily from the front of the house. The action and the language are rich and exciting.

Our program for the grandparents and great grandparents is set for April 3rd in the morning at the beginning of school.

Poems for the Celebration of Poetry are due on Friday, March 13th.

Drawings of the charcters for anyone interested is next Tuesday, March 17th.

Boy, Did Stacey Come Up With a Great Plan!

I hope you enjoyed Chapter 3. It is amazing what can be accomplished when you put your mind to something. Just like Cassie and Little Man do not appreciate being handed "throwaway "books, Stacey is sick and tired of seeing his brothers and sister treated so cruelly by white people. Imagine what this type of treatment does to the minds of black children (or adults for that matter). I hope you appreciate the "stick-to-it-tive-ness" of the Logan chilren. Know what I mean???

Any more grandparents or greatparents interested in coming in or being interviewed? Let's shoot for the first Friday of April? Does this date work for anyone who can come in? Let's set a dated tomorrow.

Can you believe what the two white men did to the Berrys?

We took our test today on the first section of vocabulary words for Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Remember the first half of chapter 3 quarter notes is due tomorrow. The What Do Yo Know Questions and the second half of the chapter 3 quarter notes are both due on Monday, March 9th. Gotta love chapter 3!!!!

We have some wonderful questions to ask our interested grandpaernts and great grandparents. Let's find some more interested guests!

Quarter notes for chapter 2 due tomorrow

Hopefully, you are reading this blog! Make sure to read chapter 2 and finish quarter notes. We will be working on a new 5 paragraph essay on Friday of this week.I have not forgotten about the 5 paragraph essay you wrote a couple of months ago about a "quote of the week." So many of the quotes were very noteworthy so it was nearly impossible to narrow down the best to 2 or 3. We'll explore this later on during the week.
I have a couple of definite grandparents willing to come in and speak to us about their experiences during The Great Depression. I will need a committee to work on this program. Anyone interested? Let me know tomorrow.
Check out the grammar lessons under "grammar practice" labeled "you might find this useful" by scrolling down on the right. Give it a try!!!

snow, snow, go away don't come back again today!

Good morning! If for any reason (snow) I do not see you tomorrow (and I definitely hope that I do) please read the first 15 pages of chapter 2 in Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Let me know what you think of L T.