Language Arts Update

December 12, 2008

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Report cards for Trimester 1 are being given to students to bring home on Friday, December 12. Please review the grades with your student, sign the envelope, and return the envelope to your student's adviser.

Please encourage your student to PROOFREAD ALL writing activities. Students need to check over their weekly vocabulary activities, in addition to any other writing for EVERY class. Students may lose points if their writing is illegible due to sloppiness, uses poor grammar, is missing words, or has other proofreading errors. The best way to assist your student is to ask him/her to read the writing OUT LOUD to you. Your student's stories will entertain you, and you will be able to witness your student catching his/her own errors during the process. Please print out a copy of the proofreading guide from the handouts section of my blog, which your student should already have in his three-ring binder. It is helpful to have this in your student's homework area.

Please continue to check your student's grades for ALL classes through MyGradebook. Be sure to click on trimester 2 for current grades. Please also check my web blog for current class activities in language arts and literacy skills.

Language Arts in January:

District 97 is again offering a Writing Celebration. Your student may enter this activity through my Language Arts class. His/her entry may be in prose or a poem (not a journal entry or research paper). Your student has written MANY wonderful essays, stories and poems, and I imagine that at least one of them would be appropriate for this. I will offer extra credit for students that enter the contest. The deadline to give me the typed entry and signed entry form is Wednesday, January 21.

Hooray! The research paper is approaching! Your student needs a new two-pocket folder, a pack of 3x5 cards (contained in a rubber band or plastic bag), and a research topic by the second week of January. Your student should pick this topic because he/she is interested in learning more about this subject, not because he/she is already an expert. Student may NOT research a topic that they know well or have previously written an essay about. Students will need to bring a research source when we return from Winter Break. Students will be assigned portions of the research paper during class. There will be numerous grades as we go through the process, in addition to a final grade at the end.

Thank you for your continued support.

Ms. Lisa Pearson
Team 7-2 Language Arts/Literacy Skills

Email = lpearson@op97.org
Internet Blog = http://d97b72.blogspot.com

First Snow!

Please check with your student that his/her Letter About Literature is typed, proofread and double-spaced. Your student needs to submit two copies AND the completed entry form before the end of the day on Tuesday. No late work will be accepted for this project, especially since the STRONGLY suggested due date was about a week ago.

This week the vocab story is due on Thursday after the quiz, and the grammar packet quiz is on Friday. Students will be in the Mac Lab for Language Arts Tuesday through Thursday and should bring their flashdrives to type their previous "writing territory" story. Students in my Lit Skills class need their LA/LS textbooks in class. Literacy Skills students will now be required to fill out a reading activity log daily and to get a parent/guardian signature on it. It will be due approximately every two weeks. This is in addition to the Reading Journal

Please check the class activities page to the right of this blog for more information. Thanks for your continued support. I hope you had a pleasant weekend.

Letter About Literature due Tuesday

A Reminder about the Letter About Literature Requirements

1. Strongly suggested to be turned in by Tuesday, November 24
2. TWO typed copies
3. 12 point Font – Times New Roman or Courier
4. Double spaced (but no extra spaces between paragraphs)
5. Entry coupon filled out – parent signature is not required – use the school’s address
6. 300-600 words
7. List and describe specific experiences that are similar to the book
8. List and describe your EMOTIONAL connection to the book
9. Title of book should be in italics
10. Run spell check, and then read it out loud again
11. Sign your name on each copy above your typed name and after your closing salutation

Sincerely,

______________________ sign name here

Janet Schmanet

12. Name and school address in upper right corner

Janet Schmanet
325 South Kenilworth Avenue
Oak Park, IL 60302

End of Trimester

The Celebration Meal/Thanksgiving Monologues have been terrific, quite poignant and very funny. Students really enjoyed sharing this piece of creative writing in class.

As this trimester comes to a close, there are a few due dates remaining. Progress reports are being passed out in class on Thursday for you to review, sign and return.

Language Arts – On Friday the Grammar Packet should be completed and turned in. The vocabulary 7 activity/story is due, and there will be a vocabulary quiz during class.

Literacy Skills (Ms. Pearson’s class) - The Reading Journal is due Thursday in class. All AR quizzes must be completed and all book summaries must be turned in by Friday. Students have been aware of these due dates all week.

I wish your family some rest, celebration and peace during the upcoming week.

Thanks for your continued support.

Due Dates this week

Language Arts - The Celebration Meal Monologue is being performed on Wednesday, 11/19, in class. Please ask your student to rehearse/perform it for you as practice. Students are STRONGLY encouraged to turn in the Letter About Literature by Tuesday, 11/25, which is BEFORE Thanksgiving break. The final due date in Tuesday, December 2. It needs to be 300-600 words, typed, and double-spaced, following the format of the previous winners. TWO copies are required.

Literacy Skills - The Freak the Mighty Creative Project is being presented in class on Tuesday, 11/18. Students may leave their original art work in my room earlier in the day rather than leave it in their lockers.

If you are extending your holiday activities, please make sure your student turns in all assignments prior to leaving for Thanksgiving break. This is the cutoff for the 1st trimester.

Thanks for your support.

Important Due Dates and Reminders

Today in Language Arts students "stepped into" a personal memory. They started listing their "writing territories" earlier in the week and began writing about a specific one today. It was wonderfully silent in class as each student was transported back in time, adding their senses and details to a previous experience. Ask your student about this activity. Today each student received a progress report for Language Arts. Please sign and return it.

Each student needs to start bring a flash drive to class. We will be typing stories and activities as often as possible. Students are expected to save onto the hard drive at school IN ADDITION to their flash drives.

Important Due Dates:

Friday, Nov. 7 - Permission slip is due to see the film of Freak the Mighty - Ms. Pearson's Lit Skills class only.

Tuesday, Nov. 11 - Veteran's Day - there will be no school.

Wednesday, Nov. 12 - LA classes will visit the Book Fair. Please remind your student to bring money PLUS 8.75% tax, if they wish to purchase that day. Students could bring an extra dime for each dollar they wish to spend.

Tuesday, Nov. 18 - Presentation of Lit Skills Freak the Mighty Final Creative Projects - Ms. Pearson's Lit Skills class only.

Wednesday, Nov. 19 - PERFORMANCE in class of Celebration Meal/Thanksgiving monologue (info about this next week)

Tuesday, Dec. 2 - LAST day to turn in TWO, TYPED copies of Letter about Literature to an author (students have these handouts). Students have strongly been encouraged to turn this activity in BEFORE Thanksgiving break.

Thanks for your continued support.

Letter About Literature and Literacy Skills Creative Project

Language Arts "Letters about Literature": All students are writing a personal letter to an author about a piece of literature that has affected them. This letter will receive a grade in LA, as well as be submitted to a national contest. Your student has been given specific directions and examples from the national winners last year. TWO copies of the TYPED letter are due by Tuesday, December 2, with the entry form stapled to the back. It would be best if your student finished this letter BEFORE Thanksgiving break. Late letters will NOT be accepted. Please refer to the contest website for more information: http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/letters/pdfs/lal-2008-entry-guidelines.pdf

Literacy Skills Final Creative Project: Your student was given a sheet that outlines the final, creative project. This project will be PRESENTED in class on Tuesday, November 18. Students usually prefer the more artistic choices listed first, but any choice is acceptable. Permission slips to view the movie are due by this Friday. Both of these are available in handouts to the right of this blog. Please discourage your student from watching the film in advance as we will see it in class.

The End of October

This week student are taking grammar quizzes based off of the recent grammar packet. They also turned in a new vocabulary story on Wednesday. Today we had a chance to revisit the "seven minute vacation" story from a week ago. Students were encouraged to go back to that "place" and to add more detail using all of their senses. These stories were truly different from other writing many students have done in class so far. Ask your student where he/she went during this vacation, and how the writing was different when revisted a week later.

Today it was announced that Brooks Middle School students will be allowed to wear costumes on Friday if they wish. Please remind your student that there is a specific list of what to avoid. There may be NO masks, alcohol/drug/gang references, "demons", blood, baby bottles/pacifiers, and definitely NO weapons of any kind. This is the first time in about ten years that costumes have been allowed, so please encourage your student to enjoy the day in an appropriate manner. Yes, they still have a grammar packet test on Friday. :)

Thank you for all of your continued support for your student and the LA/LS activities. I appreciate your questions and comments by email. Please let me know if you have not been receiving emails, as there may be a glitch in the email system on occasion.

Progress Reports and Conferences

Today your student will receive a current progress report for my language arts and literacy skills classes. Please note that the overall grade is divided into three categories, and your child may have more success in one category than the others. I have been sending home progress reports with your student every 2-3 weeks for you to view and return.

Even though you have access to MyGradebook through the Internet, I find it helpful for a hard copy to be sent home. Your student had another opportunity to look it over in class. Please sign and return EACH progress report to me. Please also share with your student how he/she can access his/her own grades online through the MyGradebook password.

Today in LA students are having a notebook check and in LS a reading journal check. It is extremely helpful for students to have their materials organized in a binder and brought to class each day. Your student should have most of the activities in his/her LA binder, since they have been passed out in class. Please view these quizzes and other activities with your student before conferences. Student writing projects are in individual student folders in my room, which you may view during conferences.

I look forward to seeing you at conferences. I wish we will have a longer time to discuss how to help your student succeed, but please understand the time constraints since we have about 130 students on our core. If you need more time, please contact me next week to schedule an additional appointment.

Thank you for your continued support.

Conferences, Vocabulary and Adverbs, oh my!

Today in Advisory your student was given a yellow slip that lists your conference appointment. If your student did not bring one home to you, please check with his/her Advisory teacher.

I hope you had a chance to listen to your student's vocabulary story this week. Students were given a picture of a "character" in class. They then had class time to develop their character's description, before adding plot and details using their vocabulary words. (The "seven minute vacation" has been moved to next week to allow them more class time to write and ask questions.)

Today students shared their stories and searched for adverbs, which is a continuation of the grammar activities this week. One of the best ways for your student to develop as a writer is to read his/her work out loud, so please encourage your student by listening.

PLEASE encourage your student to continue reading at home for Literacy Skills (and for FUN), in addition to completing AR tests at school.

I look forward to meeting with you during conferences next Thursday.

Oct. 6th Update - Conferences and Progress Reports

Today your student received a letter about Conferences which will be held on Thursday, October 23. I have attached a copy of the letter under the Handouts section to the right of this blog. It is important for us to hear from each student's family, whether you will be attending or not. Please understand that since there are over a hundred and twenty students on our core, we have only 5 minutes to meet with you individually. It will be easiest to schedule an appointment block earlier in the afternoon. Conferences will be on a "first come, first served" basis.

In Language Arts this week students are reviewing grammar packets for quizzes on Wednesday and Friday. Students are also re-working/proofreading/adding detail to a previous vocabulary activity. The new/final draft should be stapled to the original and is due Thursday. It should be typed and double spaced.

Friday you will receive a midterm progress report that lists all classes. I will send home a specific progress report on Wednesday for my LA/LS classes. As always, please sign and return it.

September 25th Update

A Language Arts progress report was sent home with your student on Wednesday, and a Literacy Skills report was sent home last Friday (for my class). Please review them with your student, sign them and return them to me. If you prefer to keep a progress report, please feel free to send me a signed note instead. I also sent some by mail, so you may have received more than one.

Also, I sent another email to you this week. If you have not received an email, please email your correct address (including your student’s name) to me at lpearson@op97.org.

In Literacy Skills students have been given their individual AR goals for the trimester. These goals represent the points needed to earn a “C” or better in AR (Accelerated Reader tests), which counts for a THIRD of the Literacy Skills’ grade. (This is different than 6th grade.) Students in my LS class received two numbers for their midterm goal. For example, a student was given the numbers 17 and 22.6. The first number (17) is the minimum points needed to earn a “C”, and the second number (22.6) is the minimum points needed to earn an “A” at midterm. The trimester goal is DOUBLE the minimum midterm goal. Students who read books that do not have an AR test may write another type of assessment, such as a reflection on the book. Please have your student ask his/her individual teacher about this.

The next vocabulary story is due on Wednesday. If your student will be absent due to a field trip or for another reason, your student should request the vocabulary words from me in advance. The quiz will be on Thursday.

Thank You for Attending Curriculum Night

It was great to see so many adults in our students' desks. If you were unable to visit my classroom, please review the Curriculum Night Letter link in "Handouts" (on the right of this message.)

Tuesday will be the quiz on Parts of Speech AND Parts of an Essay. We went over all the quiz parts/questions in class. Please encourage your student to review their handouts a few times before Tuesday. To view other class activities for the week, look under "Class Activities" for the week's agenda.

I have already sent three emails about class activities to you through the Brooks email system. I am giving the "new emails" I received from you to the front office to be entered, although this may take a little time. If after another week you still have not received an email from me, please send an email asking to be added to the system to dlevalley@op97.org and copy it to lpearson@op97.org (me). Hopefully My Gradebook will be available soon for you to access ALL of your student's grades.

It's been a great start. Thanks for your continued support.

Curriculum Night and Progress Reports

Curriculum Night is Thursday, September 18. This is a great way to experience your student's school day and to visit each classroom. Please arrive a few minutes before 7 PM with your student's schedule, which has been mailed to you. Since it is such a busy evening, teachers won't have an opportunity to speak with you individually, but please email if you have any questions. Students who "send their adults" to school for Curriculum Night will receive extra credit in my Language Arts classes, so please make sure to sign the clipboard before you leave.

The first vocabulary stories were fabulous, and many students shared their stories in class. What an amazing group of creative minds we have in our Core! I hope your student reads the next vocab story (using prefixes) to you before turning it in. Soon we have another great event for writing in our District. The Young Authors Conference is Saturday, October 25, and your student is invited to participate. This is a great opportunity for students who love to write or are not sure. Please return the blue form to me ASAP.

I am sending progress reports home with your student for my LA and LS classes on Friday. Please review them and discuss your student's success and areas to improve. Please then sign it and return it to me. If you prefer to keep it ("A"'s look great on the fridge), then send a note stating that you have seen it.

Technology issue: some students are bringing in flash drives with Microsoft Word files ending with the extension ".docx". This is the latest version of Word and will NOT open on our school computers. Please "save as" the document and select "Word '04". Then ".doc" should appear at the end.

Thanks for your support.

Fabulous Group Poems and Who Am I Essays

The group created poems performed in class on Friday, Sept. 5, were marvelous, insightful and silly. Students worked really well together in small groups and surprised themselves by their success.

The final draft of the Who Am I essay was due Sept. 5, with the rough draft and brainstorm stapled to the back. I will return them in class once they are graded.

Please check the Class Activities link to stay up to date. Occasionally activities are updated or rescheduled depending on the progress of students. Students should write ALL assignments in their student handbooks, which they carry to each class. The start of 7th grade can be a bit more challenging as students are adjusting to new schedules and expectations. It is important that students stay up to date with activities and to always produce their best effort. I wish for students to be proud of each activity turned in.

We will be creating and editing many different types of pieces of writing this year. Please help your student by asking him/her to read all LA activities out loud to you. (Two proofreading tricks are to read the paper “out loud” and “backwards”.) ALL parts of each writing activity need to be saved and then submitted with the final draft. Please keep current work on a flashdrive that you bring back and forth to school. In addition, remember to bring the three ring binder to LA class each day as well as working pens and pencils.

Students in Literacy Skills should be bringing their reading journals home to reflect on their current reading. Please remember that students are required to read for a minimum of thirty minutes at home three nights a week, in addition to two times in class. Students are currently reading in class "Brian's Song" in the LA textbook Tuesday through Thursday, and they are reading from their"choice book" on Monday and Friday.

Monday, Sept. 8, is picture day. Please remember to bring your completed form and check, along with a great smile. Curriculum Night is on Thursday, Sept. 18. I hope to see you in B207.

First Week Reminders

Hooray! It’s been a great first week for GBMS and Team 7-2. In addition to rotating PBIS activities, students received information about their classes. We have an amazing group of students working together this year.

Deadlines: The “Who Am I” rough draft is due Tuesday, 9/2. The TYPED final draft is due Friday, 9/5. It must be printed PRIOR to class with the “brainstorm” game stapled to the back. This first essay is a benchmark for student writing this year. Please copy ALL typed work to a personal flash/thumb drive that is brought to school. The Media Center is open at 8 AM every day for students to use a computer and printer, as long as they wear their IDs. It is also available during lunch with a pass.

Turn in: Students need to turn in the student personal info sheet, student/parent contract, student survey and blog extra credit activity. Many of these forms are available under the handouts link. Please also turn in a two pocket folder for Language Arts and a second folder for Lit Skills only if in my class.

Advisory info: The PTO “Back to School” cook out is Thursday, 9/4, and the form needs to be turned in (with $3) by Tuesday. Students also need to turn in ALL Brooks forms (BRAVO lunch options, cell phone usage, technology usage, field trips, etc.) to Advisory.

Grading: Soon students and adults may check grades online for all classes through My Gradebook. You will be informed when it is available.

Thanks for a great start!

Welcome GBMS Team 7.2 Students

Welcome to Language Arts and Literacy Skills with Ms. Pearson. This will be a fabulous year full of many opportunities to expand your reading and writing skills.

Please review the Language Arts and Literacy Skills Course Outlines, including the required materials for class. Please complete and return the Student Parent Contract, the Student Information Form and the Student Survey so that I may get to know you better. These forms will be passed out during the first week of class. Links to the handouts are available for you to view and print.

From time to time there will be information listed on this blog that students may use to earn privileges or extra credit. Check back often to take a poll and see what is happening in class.

Please make sure that I have email information for each parent/guardian/adult that supports you so that I can stay in contact. The easiest way is to ask your adult(s) to send me an email with their email(s), their full name(s), and your name. Email me at lpearson followed by @op97.org.