Monday, December 14, 2015

December 14-18, 2015

Monday, December 14
Research Project DUE

  • Library
  • Research Project Due: Sharing
Tuesday, December 15
  • Reading Time
  • Finish Like-Why-Try poster
  • Informative Writing Assessment
    • Resources
    • Notes
Wednesday, December 16
Like-Why-Try Poster due
  • Reading Time
  • Informative Writing Assessment
    • Resources
    • Notes
Thursday, December 17
Independent Reading Book #6 Due! 
  • Reading Time
  • Informative Writing Assessment
    • Organizing
    • Writing
Friday, December 18
  • Reading Time
  • Informative Writing Assessment
    • Organizing
    • Writing
    • Editing
    • FINAL COPY DUE at end of class! 

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

December 7-11. 2015

Monday, December 7

  • Library
  • Research


Tuesday, December 8

  • Find the Fiction
  • Research - editing, begin Adobe Slate/Voice


Wednesday, December 9

  • Inside/Outside Circle
  • Research - editing, work on Adobe Slate/Voice


Thursday, December 10

  • Timed Pair Share
  • AIMSWeb Winter Benchmark Testing
  • Research - last day of class to work, final product due Monday! 


Friday, December 11

  • Hour of Code
  • Work on Like-Try-Why for library
Homework: Final Adobe Slate/Voice product due Monday!


Monday, November 30, 2015

Evaluating Sources

With the help of Mrs. Yoder, seventh graders practiced skills for evaluating whether a website will be a good research source or not.

Mrs. Yoder provided a great tool (checklist) for them to use as they start to research with sources outside of the online encyclopedias and the Explora Database that we have used up to this point.




Students practiced with a couple of different websites and were surprised to discover some pretty biased webpages.




November 30 - December 4, 2015

Monday, November 30

  • Library: evaluating sources, citing sources
  • Research

Tuesday, December 1

  • Reading Time
  • Team Building
  • Research: all notes due Thursday
    • Must have a minimum of four sources, correctly cited.
    • Notes page must have enough information to answer research question clearly

Wednesday, December 2

  • Infinite Campus log-in review with Mrs. Graber
  • Research: last day to work in class, all notes due Thursday

Homework: finish research

Thursday, December 3
DUE: All research notes!

  • Reading Time
  • Find the Fiction
  • Research: write introductions, due Friday

Homework: introduction

Friday, December 4
DUE: introduction

  • Reading time
  • Class builder
  • Research: write conclusions, due Monday
Homework: conclusion

Monday, November 16, 2015

November 16-20, 2015

Monday, November 16

  • Library Day
  • Digital Citizenship Project


Tuesday, November 17

  • Moby Max
  • Digital Citizenship Project


Wednesday, November 18

  • Digital Citizenship Presentations
  • Research: finish pre-searching

Homework: Book #3 due tomorrow!

Thursday, November 19

  • Moby Max
  • Research: finish pre-searching, write research question

Homework: pre-searching, research question due tomorrow!

Friday, November 20

  • Research: begin to find sources, take notes, cite sources


Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Historical Fiction + Research

As we wrap up Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, seventh graders are starting to look forward to what's coming next.

During the last several weeks, all students have read a historical fiction novel as part of their independent reading plan. During our library time, we have just started to research the historical setting of the novel. For some of us, the setting is intertwined carefully throughout the book. For others, the setting is just a tiny blip on the radar.

This week in our library lesson, Mrs. Yoder introduced us to EBSCO Explora Database and showed us a couple of online encyclopedias. We spent the library time working on a "Research Inquiry Log" to help us determine what direction our research might take. This was just preliminary research to help answer some "Who/What/When/Where?" questions about our topic and - hopefully - lead us to a bigger picture "Why/How?" question that can guide our research.


Some of the pieces of research are really, really going to stretch our thinking, but inquiry is an important piece of brain development, and it's a skill that kids are going to need no matter where they go in life!

As we move forward with our historical fiction project, we'll do more research and write some informative text. We will also think and write about theme and character development in the historical fiction we read.

Monday, November 9, 2015

Brown vs. BOE Virtual Lesson

Last week, our seventh grade classes "met" with Ranger Lisa, the education specialist at the Brown vs. Topeka BOE National Historic Site.



Ranger Lisa gave a brief overview of the National Park Service and talked just a bit about the Brown vs. BOE site.

Then students were able to participate in the "Great PB&J Debate."



All seventh graders divided into teams to list either the pros or the cons of eating peanut butter and jelly every single day for lunch.




Each side presented their reasons, then they discussed how giving everyone the exact same thing was not necessarily equal. Part of the conversation revolved around food allergies; those allergic to peanut butter wouldn't be able to eat anything.

Ranger Lisa continued by talking more in-depth about the Brown vs. BOE case and the connections that we could make to our current class novel, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor. Though the book is set about 20 years prior to the court case, there are several parallels with segregation and discrimination.


Seventh graders learned a lot that day and discovered some new events to be curious about!

Thursday, November 5, 2015

November 9-13

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Final TEST will be on Thursday, November 12. All work for the novel unit is due on Wednesday, November 11. 

Monday, November 9

  • Library: work on Research Questions
  • Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
    • Finish reading
    • Complete Reading Response Logs
    • Catch up on quizzes
Homework: Book #2 due tomorrow!

Tuesday, November 10
  • Moby Max
  • Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
    • LAST DAY!
    • Everything due tomorrow (Reading Response Log, Quizzes)
Homework: Study Guide due Thursday for test

Wednesday, November 11
Adjusted schedule due to Veteran's Day Activities
  • Roll of Thunder Review
Homework: Study Guide due tomorrow
TEST Tomorrow!

Thursday, November 12
  • Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry final test
Friday, November 13
  • Moby Max
  • Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry movie scene comparison activity

Monday, November 2, 2015

November 2-6, 2015

Monday, November 2

  • Library Check out
  • Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Homework: Book #1 due TOMORROW!

Tuesday, November 3
Book #1 due TODAY!

Virtual Learning Session, 8:30 with Brown vs. Board of Education National Historic Site
  • Talking Chips: Process Virtual Learning Session
  • Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry
Wednesday, November 4
  • Reading Conferences, Book Talks
  • Jot Thoughts
  • Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry
Thursday, November 5
  • Reading Conferences, Book Talks
  • Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry
Homework: Book #2 due November 10!

Friday, November 6
No School! Have a great three-day weekend! 

Friday, October 9, 2015

October 12-16, 2015

Monday, October 12

  • Book Talks
  • Roll of Thunder, Day 3
    • Read
    • Response Log

Homework: posted in Google Classroom

Tuesday, October 13

  • Book Talks
  • Roll of Thunder, Day 4
    • Read
    • Response Log
    • Article

Homework: posted in Google Classroom

Wednesday, October 14

  • Book Talks
  • Roll of Thunder, Day 5
    • Read
    • Response Log

Homework: posted in Google Classroom

Thursday, October 15

  • Book Talks
  • Roll of Thunder, Day 6
    • Read
    • Response Log
  • Sharecropping Activity

Homework: posted in Google Classroom

Friday, October 16
No School. Have a great three-day weekend!

Friday, October 2, 2015

October 5-9, 2015

Monday, October 5

  • Library: Roll of Thunder Stations
  • Quarterly Writing Day 1 (resources)
Tuesday, October 6
  • Quarterly Writing Day 2 (finalize planning, writing)
  • Moby Max Grammar practice
Wednesday, October 7
  • Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Day 1
    • Set reading schedule
    • Begin reading, begin research/article reading
    • See Google Classroom for group assignments and expectations


Thursday, October 8
  • Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Day 2
    • Read, vocabulary, journal reflections 
    • See Google Classroom for group assignments and expectations



    Friday, October 9
    • Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry Day 3
      • Read, vocabulary, journal reflections
      • See Google Classroom for group assignments and expectations

    Sunday, September 27, 2015

    September 28 - October 2, 2015

    Monday, September 28

    • Library
    • Writer's Workshop

    Tuesday, September 29
    • Grammar work
    • Writer's Workshop
    Wednesday, September 30
    • Reading Nonfiction
    • Writer's Workshop
    Narrative Writing FINAL COPY due TOMORROW! 

    Thursday, October 1
    • Reading Nonfiction
    • Narrative Writing Celebration
    Friday, October 2
    • Book Talks
    • Grammar work
    • Reading Nonfiction

    Saturday, September 19, 2015

    September 21-25, 2015

    Monday, September 21
    DUE: Narrative Writing Rough Draft

    • Library: review Notice & Note Signposts
    • Writer's Workshop: Writing Endings
      • We can provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on the narrated experiences or events.
    Tuesday, September 22
    • Review Story Elements
      • We can read & comprehend literature.
    • Writer's Workshop: Reading Drafts like Editors
      • We can develop and strengthen writing as needed by editing, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. 
    Homework: Study for Story Elements Quiz

    Wednesday, September 23
    • Story Elements Quiz
      • We can read and comprehend literature. 
    • Writer's Workshop: Revision
      • We can develop and strengthen writing as needed by revising, focusing on how well purpose and audience have been addressed. 

    Thursday, September 24
    • Newsela: Introduction to reading informative text
      • Review Reading Standards for Informational Text
      • Sign up for Newsela
      • Read one article, answer questions
    • Writer's Workshop: Conducting the Rhythm of Language
      • We can produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. 

    Friday, September 25
    • Grammar Pre-Assessment
    • Writer's Workshop: Using Mentor Texts to Help Match Authorial Intent with the Page
      • We can write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. 

    Monday, September 14, 2015

    September 14-18

    Monday, September 14
    DUE: Character Change Reading Evidence

    • Library
    • "Charles" pg. 250 of literature book
      • Again & Again, Aha Moment
      • Theme: the lesson or moral of the story. 
      • We can read and comprehend literature. We can identify theme and analyze its development. 
    Homework: Finish Signposts page, reading

    Tuesday, September 15
    DUE: Signposts page from "Charles" (Again & Again and AHA Moment)
    • Skype with Jennifer Nielsen
    • Writer's Workshop: Stepping into the drama
      • We can use narrative technique to develop events, setting, and characters. We can organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally and logically. 
    Wednesday, September 16
    DUE: Reading Goal halfway point. Hand in Reading Log (in Reader's Notebook). 
    • Tough Questions with Picture book, Riding the Tiger
      • We can read and comprehend literature.
    • Writer's Workshop: Studying published texts to write leads
    Thursday, September 17
    • Memory Moment with Picture book
      • We can read and comprehend literature.
    • Writer's Workshop: Grounding Dialogue in scenes.
      • We can use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, to develop events, setting, and characters. 
    Friday, September 18
    No school! Have a great weekend! 

    Monday, September 7, 2015

    September 7-11, 2015

    Monday, September 7
    No school! Enjoy your three-day weekend!

    Tuesday, September 8
    DUE: Character motivation writing

    • Library Checkout
    • "Jeremiah's Song"
      • Words of the Wiser
      • Objective summary
    Homework: Finish summary

    Wednesday, September 9
    DUE: "Jeremiah's Song" summary
    • "Jeremiah's Song"
      • theme, textual evidence
    • Writer's Workshop: Plotting with Tools
    Homework: finish story planning, write a one-sentence summary of your story. 

    Thursday, September 10
    DUE: one-sentence summary of your story
    • "Charles" 
      • Again & Again, Aha Moment
      • objective summary
    • Writer's Workshop: Planning & Writing Scenes by Including Evidence

    Friday, September 11
    • "Charles"
      • theme, textual evidence
      • objective summary
    • Writer's Workshop: Stepping into the Drama of the Story to Draft

    Friday, August 28, 2015

    August 31-September 4

    Monday, August 31
    Due: look at your list and choose your story idea. Write about your thinking/thought process. What meaning does your story have for you? For your readers? 

    Make sure you have turned in your Reading Goal sheet! 

    • Turn in story choice
    • Library
    • "Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto
      • "We can cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says and inferences drawn from the text." (RL.7.1)
      • review Contrasts & Contradictions signpost
      • read story
      • identify C & C
    Homework: finish reading, Contrasts & Contradictions page if needed

    Tuesday, September 1
    DUE: Contrasts & Contradictions page
    • "Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto
      • "We can cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says and inferences drawn from the text." (RL.7.1)
      • work on writing text-based answers
    • Writer's Workshop: Developing Believable Characters through Scene Boot Camp
      • "We can use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop characters." (W.7.3b)
    Homework: imagine and write your character into an everyday scene, jot down their thoughts, feelings, and actions. 

    Wednesday, September 2
    DUE: Character scene
    • "Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto
      • "We can analyze how elements of a story interact (i.e. how setting shapes characters or plot)." (RL.7.3)
      • Identify story elements, determine theme

    • Writer's Workshop: Giving Characters Struggles and Motivations that Mirror Real Life
      • "We can use narrative techniques, such as dialogue, pacing, and description, to develop characters." (W.7.3b)
    Homework: finish fleshing out your characters, have characters ready for action tomorrow! 


    Thursday, September 3
    • "Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto
      • "We can determine a theme and analyze its development over the course of the text." (RL.7.2)
      • identify theme, cite textual evidence for that theme 
    • Writer's Workshop: Plotting with Tools
      • "We can write narratives to develop real or imagined events using... a well-structured plot." (W.7.3)
    Homework: finish story arcs, write a one-sentence summary of your story

    Friday, September 4
    • Inside-Outside Circle: share one-sentence summary
    • Set up Google Classroom
    • Study Island pre-test

    Monday, August 24, 2015

    August 24-28, 2015

    Monday, August 24
    • Library
    • Argument Writing Pre-Assessment
    Tuesday, August 25
    • Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI)
    • "Thirteen and a Half"
      • finish reading, story arc
    Wednesday, August 26
    • MAZE Reading Assessment (3 minutes)
    • "Thirteen and a Half" 
      • character traits
    • Introduction to Writer's Workshop
    Homework: finish your list for "My Writing Life" 

    Thursday, August 27
    • "A Crush"
      • read, story arc
    • Writer's Workshop Day 1: Imagining Stories from Everyday Moments
    Homework: create a list of ideas for possible fiction stories.

    Friday, August 28
    • "A Crush"
      • discussion, finish story arc, talk about plot structure
    • Writer's Workshop Day 2: Imagining Stories You Wish Existed in the World
    Homework: look at your list and choose your story idea. Write about your thinking/thought process. What meaning does your story have for you? For your readers? 

    Monday, August 17, 2015

    August 18-21, 2015

    Welcome to seventh grade! I'm so glad that you are in my class this year. We will be working hard on our reading and writing skills every day. This blog will be a place for you to check in about what to expect each day, what you may have missed if you were absent, or for class information that you need.

    Daily Plans for August 18-21

    Tuesday, August 18

    • Riddles
    • Take Off, Touch Down
    • Motivation Writing due Wednesday! (This is homework if not finished in class.)
    Homework: Parent Survey due Friday

    Wednesday, August 19
    Due today: Motivation Writing! 
    • Library Check Out, Independent Reading Expectations
    • Classroom Expectations, Syllabus
    • Start reading "Thirteen and a half," review story elements
    Homework: Parent Survey, Expectations paper due Friday

    Thursday, August 20
    • Review expectations
    • Complete "Thirteen and a half"
    • Writer's Workshop Introduction: organization, procedures, goals
    Friday, August 21

    Due today: Parent Survey, Expectations paper

      • Teambuilder
      • Start reading "A Crush," review story elements
      • Writer's Workshop: Narrative pre assessment
      Have a fantastic weekend!