Great Job Team 7-2

The room smells delightful and each corner of the classroom holds valuable treasure I hope your " you-know-who" will love. We will resume our decorating next week.

The Penny Books look great! Boy, am I going to be a busy teacher!!!!!

Two poems due typed on Monday May 3rd. No photos are necessary on this day.

Poems written on template due tomorrow, Penny Book due Friday, April 30th

Today we began our personal poems in class. We also began reading "Touching Spirit Bear" in most classes. Please make sure to have your Penny Book on Friday, April 30th. We have worked on these in class and at home so there is "no excuse" for not having it done.

Project in class on Friday. April 30th. Is your group ready?

Final Tomorrow

We went over many of the terms and questions which will appear on the final tomorrow. We had the netbooks in class today to answer the open response questions and work on captions for the Penny Book which is due on Friday, April 30th.

If You Get The Chance, Check Out The Link For "Touching Spirit Bear."

If you feel extra energetic (or bored) click on the "take a look" and check it out!

Have a Great Vacation!

Have a wonderful vacation. I hope you enjoyed the movie today. The book, of course, is more exciting! Remember important assignments due on the following dates.

April 26th Open Responses Typed
April 27th Final
April 30th The Penny Book Due

Anyone going to The Boston Marathon?

We'll be starting "Touching Spirit Bear" when we return.

Check yesterday's blog for open response questions and FCA's.

Quiz Time Chapters 20-23 Due Tomorrow, April16th

We finished the book today and received a set of three open response questions. We are to select two of the three questions to answer in no less than two paragraphs per question. The questions are;

1. Compare Jonas's qualities to another character from a book or movie you are familiar with. Be sure to include titles and specific examples as evidence that supports your opinion.

2. Describe the two main reasons that motivated Jonas to escape the community. In your description be sure to explain the risk and whether it was worth it or not. Support your answer with specific examples that prove your point.

3. What did you learn about the balance of freedom (choice) and security (safety) through this novel? Use examples from the novel and your own life to express yourself.

Pick any two of the three questions to answer.

These should be answered in a minimum of two paragraphs per answer.

Please type answers on two separate sheets of paper

FCA's are 40 points Strong introduction and restate the question clearly.

40 points Clear details with well-organized examples to support your answer.

20 points Conventions (spelling ,punctuation, capitalization) strong closing sentence.

IMPORTANT DATES!!!!!!!

April 26th Open responses due TYPED.

April 27th Final on The Giver

April 30th Penny Book due

Almost Done "The Giver"

We have about twenty pages left until we finish the book. We will have the final on the Tuesday after we return from April vacation. You will receive an open response question to answer over the vacation. The FCA's are always: 40 points for strong topic sentence and clearly restating the question, 40 points for clear details and examples to support your answer, 20 points for conventions (spelling, punctuation and capitalization).

Quiz Time 16-19 due tomorrow, April 15th.

Quiz Time 20-23 due Friday, April 16th.

We will resume working on The Penny Books after the vacation. You can be putting your pages together next week and putting the finishing touches on your book after the April break. The final project is due April 30, 2010.

Answer Questions for Chapters 11-15

We read a very powerful chapter today which was less than three full pages long. That's pretty powerful writing! Tonight we will answer the ten questions COMPLETELY BY RESTATING THE QUESTION IN EACH ANSWER. Jonas has become disillusioned with his community and everyone within it except for The Giver. How would you feel if your parents responded as did Mother and Father to Jonas's question: Do you love me?

We will return to the Penny Book Project this week.

Workshop Tomorrow on Penny Book

Tomorrow we will work on the penny books. Please have all captions completed soon for correction for accuracy. Bring in any construction paper, scrapbook paper, letters, decorations and at least five printed captions. We will work on these tomorrow in class.

Vocabulary Test on Section 3 on Monday, April 11, 2010. Quarter notes for Chapter 15 are also due on Monday, April 11, 2010. This chapter is one of the most powerful chapters you will ever read and it is less than 3 pages. You will see what I mean!

I am trying to get copies of The Messenger and Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry for those who want a book study.

Come in well- rested for the practice Math MCAS on Monday, April 11, 2010. Don't go to bed late. Eat breakfast and be on time!

Chapter 13 Quarter Notes Due Tomorrow, April 7, 2010

We completed Chapter 13 in " The Giver" today and noticed more figurative language used by Lois Duncan. Jonas is definitely questioning whether or not he should remain in the Community. He cannot share his experiences with Asher, Lily, or his Father. He tried to transmit a memory to each of the three. Quarter Notes on this chapter due tomorrow.

We continue to work on the Penny Books. They are coming along and tell 100 very interesting stories!

Happy Easter. Enjoy the long weekend and bring in some pennies and pictures to begin the penny book.

Hopefully Passover was a happy, holy holiday for all who celebrated this important day. This past week, we have read up to Chapter 12 in "The Giver" and completed Quarter Notes which were checked today. Many students had difficulty on the vocabulary test on Section 2 vocabulary. Most classes got back the test today. For a retake, please have your test signed and plan to stay after school next Thursday, April 8th (Mr. O'Brien's Birthday) for a retake. Continue reading over the weekend.

Some students who have already finished the book are writing a closing chapter. Others have decided to participate in a book study with one or two other students by reading another book written by Lois Lowry. If you are interested in this activity, please see Mrs. Jaggers.

We will be working on constructing our penny books next week. All you need right now are pennies and some pictures from years passed. We'll spend some time working on these in class but some time required at home.

Types of Sentences and Participles and Gerunds are also on the agenda for next week.