Debate topics

Today is the last day of March. My, how time flies. Students took their vocab and grammar quizzes today. Then, they did a little practice with this week's grammar skill- direct objects and indirect objects. There are no vocabulary words this week.

Then, we revisited the debate topics from yesterday. Each class will host two debates and therefore selected two topics for debate: 'Homework should be banned' and 'Cell phones should be allowed in schools.' Students selected which topic they would be debating and then signed up whether they would be supporting the for (affirmative) or against (negative) side of the debate. We will break off in these groups tomorrow to begin brainstorming facts to support the sides.

Later, we watched a clip from the show "Sweatdogs" in order to analyze how a debate is structured and what makes a strong side and what does not. We debriefed the clip and discussed.

Homework: Page one of the grammar packet- Direct objects.

Canada test

Today, students took their unit test on Canada. Then, we talked about debate. What is debate? Have we ever seen a debate? How do we think a debate is structured? We read an article on debate, allowed students to express their opinion on various topics through an activity called four corners and then voted on the 2 topics that we would debate in class this week.

Homework: Study vocab and grammar quizzes that you will have tomorrow. Remember that the reading log is due on Wednesday.

Reviewing Canada in the rain

Mrs. Cassaro teaches. Students completed a test review in order to prepare them for their Canada test on Monday.

Homework: Study your Canada review sheet to be ready for the test on Monday. Vocab & grammar quiz will be on Tuesday.

What's trade?

Ms. Cassaro continues to teach. Today, we practiced with this week's vocab and grammar. Then, students began to think about trade relations between the U.S. and Canada. Students did a pre-reading carousel activity to brainstorm what they knew about trade and about about the United States' relationship with Canada. Then, they read an article about trade relations between the U.S. and Canada, defining import, export, trade barriers, NAFTA and currency. After reading, students processed what they learned from the article and how it applied to their current understanding of diplomacy between these two countries.

Homework: Complete page 47 of the grammar packet on compound subjects and predicates.

Canadian colonization and independence

Yesterday Miss Devine was out to observe the 5th grade classes at the Neighborhood Charter School.

During this time, students took a vocab quiz and spent time learning about early Canadian people and the colonization of Canada. Today, students practiced with their vocab words of the week (listed below) and grammar concept of the week (simple and complete subjects and predicates). Then, students read an article about how Canada gained independence and created a timeline of events to represent Canada's independence movement. Later, students discussed which events from Canadian history were diplomatic and which were non-diplomatic.

VOCAB words this week:
GRAPH, GRAM- write, writing

1. program-v-to control something as if by writing a program for it
2. descriptive-adj- informative and detailed
3. manuscript-n- a written document submitted for publication
4. calligraphy-n- beautiful, fancy writing
5. graphic-adj- providing a clear picture, vivid and realistic
6. prescription-n- an order or direction, a doctor's instructions for the use of medicine
7. inscription-n- something that is written or engraved
8. transcript-n- a written or typewritten copy

Homework: Vocab sentence w/ this week's words. Grammar practice- complete subjects and predicates.

Present present present!

Today students presented their Canada province/territory projects. Classmates watched presentations and took notes on what they learned from each others' presentations. Students will be assessed on the notes that they took on the Canada unit assessment next Monday.

Homework: Study vocab for the vocab quiz tomorrow. There will be no grammar quiz tomorrow.

Canada project presentations

We had an excellent time at the Peace Conference yesterday. Thank you to Mr. McGee, Ms. Jenkins and Ms. Dowdell for driving.

Today, students had a bit more time to work on their territory/province project. Then, students began the presentations of these projects and those students not presenting took notes on what they learned about each territory/province.

Homework: Make sure your project is ready to present on Monday.

Manitoba, Yukon, Saskatchewan, etc.

Today students worked on their Canada poster projects which are due on Friday.

Homework: Vocab sentences and any outside-class work you need to do to have your project complete by Friday.

Peace Day Conference tomorrow

Just a reminder to the 15 students (Lexi, Nicole, Crystal, Isabel, Helen, Elise, Andre, Adrian, Sam, Willem, Noah, Keegan, Connor, Alexus) who will be attending the Peace Day Conference tomorrow:

-We're meeting at the school at 7:45am. Be prompt so that we can leave on time. We will be back at the school by 3pm to complete the rest of the school day.

-Bring your sack lunch from home or the money to purchase pizza and juice for lunch.

- You will be expected to share what you learn from the conference with your peers who do not have the opportunity to go. Bring pencil and paper to take notes.

-Bring a positive attitude. It will be a fun day.

Learning about our neighbor to the north

Mrs. Cassaro taught. Students took their quizzes on conjunctions and interjections and vocab. They received new vocab words for this week. Those are:

Co, Col= with, together
1. compound-v- to bring together or mix
2. congregate-v- to gather together
3. synthesize-v- to form new things by combining parts from other things
4. symmetry-n- elements on both sides of a line that have the same shape, size and arrangement
5. coexist-v- to exist at the same time or in the same place
6. coherent-adj- sticking together, connected or related in some way
7. collaborate-v- to labor together
8. collide-v- to come together with great force, clash

Students then had time to work on the research and poster-making for their Canadian province/territory project. The Canada project and presentation is due Friday.

Homework: Vocab pics with new vocab words.

Conjunctions, interjections & Canada

Mrs. Cassaro teaches. Today, students spent time reviewing conjunctions, interjections and vocab for tomorrow's quiz. Then, they had time to research for their Canada province project which is due on Friday.

Homework: Study conjunctions, interjections and vocab for tomorrow's quiz.

Canada project research

Mrs. Cassaro taught. Today, students did practice with vocabulary and with conjunctions. Then, they had time to work with their partner using the books and internet articles in order to gather information for their province/territory project.

Homework for Monday's class: Complete conjunction grammar practice. Bring in any materials you need for your Canada province/territory project.

Canada project guidelines

Mrs. Cassaro teaches. Today, students practiced with this week's vocab words and with interjections. Mrs. C distributed the Canada province/territory project guidelines and students selected their partners and the province/territory. They received the books/articles that they would be using to gather their research and then began to plan out their project poster board with their partner.

Homework: Vocab sentences.

Canadian geography

Mrs. Cassaro teaches. Today, students took their grammar (prepositions) quiz and their vocab (CIRCUM words) quiz. Then, they received new words for the week. These words are:

Pro-forward, before
Retro-backwards

1. procrastinate-v- to put off doing something until a later time
2. profess-v- to come forward to make a public declaration
3. prologue-n- introductory part of a book or play
4. propensity-n- a natural inclination toward
5. retrospect-n- looking back at the past
6. retrogress-v- move backward, especially to an earlier or worse state
7. promontory-n- highest point of land projecting out over a body of water or land
8. retrospectively-adv- looking back

Students learned about and practiced with interjections. Mrs. Cassaro went over the unit overview and then students worked on a Canada geography activity, identifying Canada's most important geographical features on a map. Then, they went over this activity as a class.

Homework: Vocab pictures. Grammar (interjections) page one.

Need chaperones: Peace Conference 3/19

Good morning parents!

I'm currently looking for parent chaperones to drive and chaperone students at a Peace Education Conference next Thursday, March 19, 2009 from 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM. The conference will be held at the Friends School in Decatur, GA. Here is a description of the event:

"The Friends School of Atlanta, along with Atlanta area students, educators and community leaders devoted to envisioning a peaceful world, convenes Peace Education Day annually. On this day, we learn tools and strategies to make peace a reality.

Middle School students are invited to come together for a day devoted to sharing their visions of peace and learn, through hands-on activities, ways that peace can be furthered by students their age."

Here is a link to the site to learn more. (Password: peace4all)

http://www.eventbrite.com/event/293844898

Please email me by the end of the day today if you are interested in chaperoning. Registration is free. CDevine@atlantachartermiddle.com.

Oh, Canada!

Today Mrs. Cassaro began teaching her 4-week unit on Canada. Students practiced with prepositions and this week's vocab.

Students brainstormed about what they knew and wanted to know about Canada and then they shared this information with the class. Students took a pretest to demonstrate their current understanding of Canada and then they reflected on the pretest. They watched a video introducing Canada and discussed and wrote about what they learned from the video.

Homework: Study vocab and grammar for quizzes tomorrow.

Latin American Revolution Exhibition

Today we displayed our revolution stories and visuals in a "Latin American Revolution" exhibition. Students had the opportunity to visit each others' exhibits, read stories and look at visuals while providing feedback. Then, some students shared their stories/visuals with the class.

Pen pal letters came back from Honduras. Miss Devine collected the extra credit "If I Were Mayor" essays. Mrs. Cassaro will begin teaching her very own unit on Monday. Yay!

Homework: Study prepositions and vocab words for Tuesday's quizzes. Keep up the reading. Enjoy.

Visual aid day

Continued practice identifying prepositions and prepositional phrases and creating/using our own prepositional phrases in writing. Continued practice with the CIRCUM vocab for the week.

Then, students were given the class period to work on the visual component of their Latin American Revolution projects. Tomorrow in class, we'll showcase the stories and the visual pieces in an exhibition.

Cheers!

Homework: Vocab sentences. Prepositional practice worksheet. Finish visual component and make sure Miss D has the final draft of your story.

Wrapping up revolutions

Here we are: Wednesday.

Today, students submitted their weekly reading log with pages read over the week. Miss Devine collected final copies of the revolution stories. Students took their grammar quiz (adverbs) and vocab quiz (vid, vis words). Then, they received new vocab words for the week. There are only 7 this week:

Circum, Cir, Peri- around, surrounding, near
1. circuitous-adj- having a circular or winding course
2. circulate-v- to move in a circle
3. circumscribe-v- to draw a line around
4. circumstantial-adj- depending on circumstances
5. periphery-n- the outward bounds of something
6. circumpolar-adj- continually visible about the horizon
7. circumvention-n- to manage to get around something especially by ingenuity or strategy

We began work our grammar work on prepositions. Students had time to brainstorm what they would be creating for the visual component of their project and they made a list of supplies they would need to bring to class tomorrow to work on the project.

Latin American Revolutions Exhibition day will be on Friday. We will display and share our stories and visuals.

Homework: Vocab pictures for this week's words. Preposition sheet- pages 1 and 2. Bring in necessary supplies to work on visual component tomorrow.

Final drafting

More vocab & adverb practice. There will be a quiz on VIS, VID words and on adverbs tomorrow. Miss D. passed back edited stories and we reviewed dialogue in writing- what it is, how it's written correctly and incorrectly. We practiced correcting poorly structured dialogue. Then, students had time to begin rewriting the final draft of their revolution story. The final draft is due when students walk into class tomorrow. We will then begin working on the visual components.

Homework: Study for quizzes. Finish writing final draft of revolution story.