MAY 19-23
We are well into our study of the American Revolution and Constitutional Issues. We are studying why people came to the New World, and why colonists wanted to break free from England. Last week, students researched one event that led to the Revolutionary War. This week, we will begin presenting those and students will fill out a timeline that will lead our discussions about how the war started. This will take a few days. When we finish those presentations, we will look at the Constitution and how it outlines our government and our rights as citizens. Students will receive points for research and for presenting with a partner.
Friday, May 16, 2014
Friday, April 18, 2014
APRIL 21-25
Hello, Chalupacabra Parents!
Can you believe we are STILL working on our Napping Essay!? It really, really should be done this week, hopefully by Wednesday. We have adjusted our schedule for testing and we don't always see all classes each day. Students are all revising and editing now, and then will write the final drafts on Monday. Whew!
This week, we will be reviewing some reading concepts, like AUTHOR'S PURPOSE and MAIN IDEA. We will read articles and practice finding evidence to support our claims about these two concepts.
In writing, we will continue to read, score and compose parts of argumentative essays in anticipation of our essay tests on the 1st and 2nd of May.
Can you believe we are STILL working on our Napping Essay!? It really, really should be done this week, hopefully by Wednesday. We have adjusted our schedule for testing and we don't always see all classes each day. Students are all revising and editing now, and then will write the final drafts on Monday. Whew!
This week, we will be reviewing some reading concepts, like AUTHOR'S PURPOSE and MAIN IDEA. We will read articles and practice finding evidence to support our claims about these two concepts.
In writing, we will continue to read, score and compose parts of argumentative essays in anticipation of our essay tests on the 1st and 2nd of May.
Friday, April 11, 2014
APRIL 7-11
Hi! This week we will finish up our first argumentative essay. We will also begin reviewing reading terms and skills for MSP. I will let you know here when we have a due date for the essay.
Friday, March 21, 2014
MARCH 24-28
Last week, we reviewed articles and other sources about taking naps. We read closely, marked up our texts and now we are sleep experts! The next step is to make a claim and support it with evidence. We will be working on our argumentative essay about napping this week. Below is a (rough) schedule of where we will be. I will try to update this with actual due dates. We would like to get finish the rough draft before we leave for spring break, but I'm not sure how realistic that is. We'll see. :)
MONDAY: compile notes (they have already been taken) and decide which side of the issue you'd like to argue
TUESDAY: look at stucture of an argumentative essay vs. persuasive essay
WEDNESDAY: graphic organizer for argumentative essay (3 body paragraphs)
THURSDAY: work time with help for graphic organizer and rough draft
FRIDAY: (movie incentive day) work time for rough draft
We'll keep our fingers crossed that this actually happens. I'll keep you updated here.
MONDAY: compile notes (they have already been taken) and decide which side of the issue you'd like to argue
TUESDAY: look at stucture of an argumentative essay vs. persuasive essay
WEDNESDAY: graphic organizer for argumentative essay (3 body paragraphs)
THURSDAY: work time with help for graphic organizer and rough draft
FRIDAY: (movie incentive day) work time for rough draft
We'll keep our fingers crossed that this actually happens. I'll keep you updated here.
Monday, March 17, 2014
MARCH 17-21
Hello, all six of you who read this! I'm sorry I haven't posted in a few weeks. We have been trying to finish up a persuasive essay, and we are finally at the end! Here is what is happening in Hope/Sikes LA this week:
MONDAY:
* am assembly, shortened classes
* students will hopefully finish the final draft of their persuasive essay. If not, IT IS HOMEWORK!
TUESDAY:
* begin new essential question: Are naps good for you?
* read article "How Much Sleep Is Enough?" and discuss
* locate evidence supporting and refuting naps
WEDNESDAY:
* read "The Secret Truth About Napping"
* read "Ask The Sleep Doctor"
* discuss what we have learned about naps
THURSDAY:
* look at clarifying questions and answer with evidence from the articles
* begin formulating claim
FRIDAY
* use notes to come to a conclusion about taking naps
* gather evidence
* start writing argumentative essay
MONDAY:
* am assembly, shortened classes
* students will hopefully finish the final draft of their persuasive essay. If not, IT IS HOMEWORK!
TUESDAY:
* begin new essential question: Are naps good for you?
* read article "How Much Sleep Is Enough?" and discuss
* locate evidence supporting and refuting naps
WEDNESDAY:
* read "The Secret Truth About Napping"
* read "Ask The Sleep Doctor"
* discuss what we have learned about naps
THURSDAY:
* look at clarifying questions and answer with evidence from the articles
* begin formulating claim
FRIDAY
* use notes to come to a conclusion about taking naps
* gather evidence
* start writing argumentative essay
Friday, February 21, 2014
FEBRUARY 24-28
MONDAY, FEB. 24:
* review main idea (also called central idea)
* analyze "What Do You Know About Sharks?" Is it a credible source? A credible author?
* discuss main idea, author's purpose of "Sharks"
* look at text features for information
* finish graphic organizers for essay
TUESDAY, FEB. 25:
* discuss essential question: Are sharks dangerous?
* Discuss evidence--what is it, what counts as evidence--do opinions count?
* make t chart and record evidence from this article on whether sharks are dangerous
* essay
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 26:
* add source and evidence to vocabulary notebook
* Why should we look at more than one source when trying to answer a question?
* new source "Great White Sharks"
* analyze author (Peter Benchley of "Jaws") is he credible? What about his background?
* essay
THURSDAY, FEB. 27:
* introduce bias, loaded language, fact and opinion
* record evidence for essential question on t chart
* essay
FRIDAY, FEB. 28:
* add bias and loaded language to vocab notebook
* discuss loaded language and drawing conclusions
* answer conclusion question
* essay
* review main idea (also called central idea)
* analyze "What Do You Know About Sharks?" Is it a credible source? A credible author?
* discuss main idea, author's purpose of "Sharks"
* look at text features for information
* finish graphic organizers for essay
TUESDAY, FEB. 25:
* discuss essential question: Are sharks dangerous?
* Discuss evidence--what is it, what counts as evidence--do opinions count?
* make t chart and record evidence from this article on whether sharks are dangerous
* essay
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 26:
* add source and evidence to vocabulary notebook
* Why should we look at more than one source when trying to answer a question?
* new source "Great White Sharks"
* analyze author (Peter Benchley of "Jaws") is he credible? What about his background?
* essay
THURSDAY, FEB. 27:
* introduce bias, loaded language, fact and opinion
* record evidence for essential question on t chart
* essay
FRIDAY, FEB. 28:
* add bias and loaded language to vocab notebook
* discuss loaded language and drawing conclusions
* answer conclusion question
* essay
Friday, February 14, 2014
FEBRUARY 18-21
Hello Chalupacabras and parents! Mrs. Sikes was sick last week, so mostly we just worked on our Mr/Ms SMS essay. Students should have completed the t chart for three body paragraphs by the end of Friday. We will check over these Monday to make sure students are on the right track. Please see last week's blog for reading plans. We will start nonfiction this week in Reading.
Hello Chalupacabras and parents! Mrs. Sikes was sick last week, so mostly we just worked on our Mr/Ms SMS essay. Students should have completed the t chart for three body paragraphs by the end of Friday. We will check over these Monday to make sure students are on the right track. Please see last week's blog for reading plans. We will start nonfiction this week in Reading.
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