Memoir Project and Progress Reports

Students received a progress report for Language Arts today. Please review it with your student before signing and returning it. This is a great way for you to see what your student needs to complete. If you did not receive one from your student, please print it from the online gradebook.

Part of why I pass out a progress report is to make sure there are no unintentional errors. Sometimes students simply don't turn in an assignment or it may be hanging on the "no name" board. Students who have noticed errors were asked to show them to me during class, and I fixed their grades. For this reason there may be a slight difference between what is on the online gradebook and what they bring home to you, which was printed yesterday.

As always, your student should talk to me directly if there is any issue. You are welcome to also email me, but the best way to solve the problem is for your student to talk to me.

The Memoir Project has been passed out and it is due on May 18. Please ask your student about this. The handout is on my blog under "handouts".

Finally, please ask your student about the guest speak we had on Wednesday who shared her experiences from the Holocaust. I think it was a very moving presentation, and I imagine your student may have some questions and feelings to share.

Thanks again for your support.

Persuasive Essays AGAIN Hooray!

Hooray! Students are revising and typing the persuasive essay that they started in November. They have had a lot more experience since then adding details and proofreading for a formal assignment, and I expect that their work will be much improved. (Information about this activity is listed under handouts to the right of the blog.)

There is no school Friday. The final typed draft should be stapled to all previous drafts (and the rubric) and turned in on Monday.

Students have had some access in class to a computer, although the laptops are very inconsistent. Please remind your student to bring a flashdrive to class each day to transport typed work between school and home.

We are also continuing to add to their poetry collections. The final Memoir Project will be due in mid May, and students have been encouraged to type their work as they complete it.

Please remind your student to turn in the official midterm progress reports to Advisory.

Next week we will have a guest speaker who share her experiences of the Holocaust. Students have been reading Four Perfect Pebbles in Literacy Skills as background before the experience.

Midterm Progress Reports this week

Thank you for signing and returning the progress reports that were passed out last week. If your student did not give one to you, you may print it directly from Powerschool. Assignments are up to date for what I received in class through last Friday, except for some of the Diversity Essays that I am still grading.

Official Midterm Progress reports for ALL classes will be passed out this Friday.

Language Arts - This week in class we are "attempting" to type current writing projects using the ibooks. This is a great opportunity for your student to be "patient" as the computers do not always work as well as they should. On Tuesday, students are expected to turn in two typed and revised pieces of prose, in addition to the five senses poem. Please remind your student to finish these activities at home, as they were assigned last week. Students should continue to bring their flashdrives to class EVERY day to save their work and transport it between home and school.

Lit Skills - AR points should be at the midterm goal by Tuesday this week. There have been many classes using the Media Center during our class period, so students should try to go before school or during lunch. Some students ask to go to the Media Center often during class, yet they may still not have completed any tests. Students know that they also have the option of writing a book summary.

Finally, please remind your student to take care and look both ways before crossing the street, especially on the way to and from school. I have noticed that some students are so eager to get to school that they are not stopping at crosswalks, and sometimes car drivers may not
see them.

Thanks for your support.

April Showers Bring.....

This week in Language Arts students are exploring and writing poetry. In Literacy Skills we are continuing to read The Outsiders.

Students have been reminded this week to turn in any missing activities that were due prior to Spring Break. Some students may have been absent for a variety of reasons (illness, field trip, rehearsal, etc.), or they did not turn in an activity that they had completed. Some students may have turned in an activity but neglected to write their names on it..... (These are on the "no name" board.)

Students know that activities for class are outlined on my blog under "class activities" for each week. If a student is absent or needs to remember a particular assignment, he/she may refer there before talking to me. This information is also posted in the classroom.

On Wednesday and Thursday I am handing out progress reports that are a SNAPSHOT of your student's current grade (about 4 weeks). This grade will easily change from week to week as your student completes activities on time. I will still take the assignments that are late for partial credit, depending on the circumstance. Please feel free to view your students' grades online at your leisure and encourage your student to do so as well.

Please make sure to review, sign and return the progress report that I am giving to your student. This is an opportunity for you to talk about what is happening in class, to notice your student's success, and to encourage your student.

Thank you for helping your student get back on track if the Spring weather has influenced him or her. Thank you for your continued support, and please feel free to contact me if you have a concern or question.