Characterization and the Taliban...

6th: Today we began class with practice on verb tense. Then, we did our book check to be sure that each student had an independent reading book. John and Tamia did their book commercials. We discussed characterization and how an author develops a character throughout the course of a book. The 4 ways we discussed are: what the character says/thinks, the character's appearance, what the character does and what others say/think about the character. Then, we signed up to track a specific character in BWWF. We reflected on what we already know about this character from previous chapters in the book and then we continued to add notes to our character tracking by reading chapters 7 and 8.
Homework: Read for 30 minutes and record your reading.

7th: Today we began class with a warmup to reflect on what we already know about the Taliban based on our reading of the Breadwinner. Then, we did our book check to be sure that each student had an independent reading book. From there, we did some reading about the Taliban in Afghanistan and used the RAP strategy to take notes on our reading. We also looked up vocabulary words in our reading. We discussed the reading and the vocabulary.
Homework: Read for 30 minutes and record your reading.

Learning about plot and character and plot reflection...

6th: Today we began class with verb practice. Ms. D did her weekly collection of "pages read" this week from students. We looked at plot (what is it?) and plot development and learned new vocabulary such as exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. Then, we analyzed BWWF for these aspects of plot. Mr. H presented some real-life historical facts about Trujillo and then we read part of chapter 7 of the book together.
Homework: Read and record. Book check on Monday. Be sure you have your independent reading book!

7th: Today we began class by recapping the plot of The Breadwinner. Ms. D did her weekly collection of "pages read" this week from students. We analyzed Parvana's character in the final 2 chapters of the book and then some of our essay contest students shared out their essays.
Homework: Read and record. Book check on Monday. Be sure you have your independent reading book!

Afghan food day, verbs and BWWF

6th: Today we began class with some verb practice. Then we did some more verb practice on verb tense with the whole class. Afterwards, we read chapter 6 of BWWF as a whole class and did a wrap up together with our foldables.
Homework: Read 30 minutes and record on reading calendar.

7th: Today we began by sharing out some essays that we wrote for 2 essay contests. There are some amazing writers in our class- wow! Then, we broke off into 2 groups and read aloud chapters 14 and 15 of the Breadwinner, finishing the book. From there, we discussed our perspectives of this book and what lingering questions we had related to Afghanistan and the Taliban. We wrote down these lingering questions on stickies and will build from them in the next few days as we start to discuss the real-life context of the book. After that, we had an Afghan food day with delicious foods made by Kalei, Vinnie, Reid, Joshua and Maya. Thank you so much!
Homework: read for 30 minutes and record.

Verbs, BWWF & The Breadwinner

6th: Today we began class with verb practice. Then, we finished up term 2 book commercials. From there, we had the last day of verb time for students to complete their progress towards meeting the standard. From there, we read together chapter 5 of BWWF and did our daily plot reflection with this chapter.
Homework: Complete verb practice, due tomorrow. Read and record.

7th: Today we began class by reading chapter 13 of the Breadwinner. Then, we discussed PLOT and plot development, something we haven't discussed since last year. We did a plot development foldable and then we reviewed where the events of the plot in the Breadwinner fall along that plot development chart. Then we talked about the ways that authors depict characters- what they do, what they say/think, how they look and what other say/think about them. We looked at Parvana in the rising action and how the author used these aspects to paint her character.
Homework: Read and record. Afghan food day tomorrow- can't wait to eat what you bring! Yum!

Verbs, Breadwinner and book commercials

6th: Today we began class with Lydia's create activity. Then, we moved onto some fantastic book commercials. Well done! From there, we had some time to do verb work. Mr. H and Miss Devine checked students' foldables that they have been doing while students did a summary activity, summarizing our reading of chapters 1-4.
Homework: read and record it.

7th: Today we began class with some announcements: Afghan food day on Thursday (see yesterday's blog), letters to Ms. Lydon, the sub, and writing contest submissions. From there, we saw and evaluated some great book commercials. Afterward, we took notes on chapters 9-12 Breadwinner presentations. Then, we began to read chapter 13 independently while Ms. Cannon and Miss D checked students' notes.
Homework: read and record it.

Verbs, BWWF and Breadwinner Jigsaw presentations

Sunny day! I feel like it's the first in awhile.

6th: Today we began class with verb practice. We had some great book commercials from Yasmine and Jocelyn. Then, we had our verb time, moving and checking at our own pace along the Bloom's verb activities. Finally, we recapped the past couple of chapters of BWWF and listened together to chapter 4, summarizing when we were done.
Homework: Read for 30 minutes and record on calendar. This will be checked on Friday.

7th: Today we began class with book commercials. Ms. Devine collected the writing contest submissions and will collect the rest tomorrow. Then, we did our Breadwinner chapter presentations on chapters 5-8. Finally, we reflected on the characteristics that Parvana exhibited in these chapters, supported by evidence from the text. One thing Miss D forgot to announce today in class is this:

We have spent the past few weeks reading The Breadwinner about Parvana’s life in Afghanistan. On Thursday, January 27th we will be celebrating the culture of Afghanistan by having an Afghan food day. You may bring food or drink from Afghanistan or from the neighboring countries of Pakistan, India or Iran.

Homework: Read for 30 minutes and record on calendar. This will be checked on Friday.

Verbs, BWWF and Breadwinner Jigsaw continued...

6th: Ms. Devine was out at a Humanities teacher training. With Ms. Cannon, students did verb work, read the rest of chapter 2 in BWWF and did the daily book reflection.
Homework: Read. Make sure you bring your reading calendar tomorrow. You will be asked to calculate your page #s and submit it.

7th: Today we began class with some great book commercials. Then, we worked on our group jigsaw project, due Monday and Tuesday. Students need to finish up teaching posters tomorrow.
Homework: Read. Make sure you bring your reading calendar tomorrow. You will be asked to calculate your page #s and submit it.

Miss Devine will be out tomorrow at a teacher conference in Washington, DC.

Verbs, BWWF and Breadwinner Jigsaw

6th: Today we began class with more verb practice. Then, we read together part of chapter 2 from BWWF. Then, we saw some great examples of book commercials from our 7th graders to jazz us up for book commercials in the future. Here is the schedule for remaining book commercials this term:
Mon, Jan 24: Yasmine, Steven, Jocelyn
Tues, Jan 25: Sophie, Jmario, Lizzy Sanquweda
Wed, Jan 26: Renette, Jayda, Xavier, John, Angel

Homework: Read and record it!

7th: Today, we began class with book commercials. We saw some great commercials. Spencer, yours was voted most convincing! Then, we started our Breadwinner Jigsaw project. Student are in groups with 2-3 other students. Their job is to read the assigned chapter of The Breadwinner and to do the the project tasks. Chapters 5-8 will present on Monday. Chapters 9-12 will present on Tuesday. Here is the schedule for remaining book commercials this term:
Thurs, Jan 20: Dominick, Maya, Kalei, LaBrittney
Mon, Jan 24: Robert, Kaia, Jory, Khalil, Duvan Andrew
Tues, Jan 25: Ewan, Joshua, Mark, Kayla, Caston

Homework: Read and record!

What's a shalwar kameez? And more...

Officially back from snow week 2011:

6th: Today we began class with our leveled verb practice. Students moved along at their own pace, getting checked off for their progress as they progressed through verb practice. We saw some good book commercials. Then, we talked about portfolio eligible work for term one- the "On the Front Lines" narrative and the Upstander essay, both for writing. Students who met the standards on the first try or who would like to revise their writing to meet the standards BY FRIDAY may do so.
Homework: read and record it!

7th: Today we began class by reflecting on the Afghanistan webquest that we did on the Friday before the snow. We shared out all of the research that we had gathered. Then, we talked about portfolio eligible work for term one- the government essay, African history research essay and the Creative writing anthology, all for writing. Students who met the standards on the first try or who would like to revise their writing to meet the standards BY FRIDAY may do so. Finally, we concluded class with book commercials and by reading chapter 4 of The Breadwinner.
Homework: read and record it!

Afghanistan webquest and verb-time!

6th: Today began class with some great book commercials! Then, we did some fun stuff with verbs, including watching the GRAMMAR Rocks verb video and doing an activity to jumpstart our verb work. We did some more practice with action and linking verbs and then finished chapter 1 of BWWF, reflecting on the events of the plot. We did this with a foldable in our journals.
Homework: Complete BWWF chapter 1 activities. Be prepared for your book commercial if it's due Monday. Read and record in calendar.

7th: We began class with book commercials. Kynedi, your commercial really convinced us to read your book. Well done! Then, we read chapter 3 as a class before heading into the computer lab to do a webquest about Afghanistan. We will reflect on our findings on Monday.
Homework: Be prepared for your book commercial if it's due Monday. Read and record in calendar.

The Breadwinner & Before We Were Free

7th: We began class today by continuing to read Chapter 1 of the Breadwinner and finish our prediction foldable from yesterday. We made a list of all of the new words/concepts we have been learning relating to life in Afghanistan. Then, we did a character foldable about the characters we have read about thus far. Then, we read Chapter 2 and complete a foldable on a chosen character to chart the details about this character so far- what he/she looks like, what he/she says or thinks, what he/she does and what others say about him/her.
Homework: Do your book buddy letter response. Make sure your book commercial is ready if you're going tomorrow. Read for 30 minutes and record it.

6th: Today we began class by setting up our new comp books we'll be using in the new year. Students did some amazing book commercials and I look forward to those presenting tomorrow! Then, we introduced the book we'll be reading aloud, Before We Were Free, by Julia Alvarez. We did some previewing of the book and then read the first part of chapter one, together.
Homework: Book buddy letters due tomorrow. Read for 30 minutes and record it.

Back from break...here we GO!

So, we're officially back in the swing of things. Here we go!

6th: We began class today by going over our winter reading homework. We made a list of the books we read over break, the number of pages and minutes we read, and our favorite part of our reading. Then, we shared these out in class and Ms. D checked them. From there, we peer edited book buddy letters and turned those in. Afterward, we took a verb pretest to check our current understanding of verbs and then graded these pretests. Ms. D shared an example book commercial and then we spent time writing those commercials. Remember- those of you who are presenting commercials tomorrow. Be ready!
Homework: Prepare your book commercial! Read for 30 minutes.

7th: Today we began class by collecting all of our work from winter break. We wrote down the names of the books we read over break, as well as the number of pages and hours we read. The top reader got a prize! We turned in our buddy letters and then cleaned out all of our Africa work. We signed up for book commercials and had some time in class to prepare them. Then, we introduced the new composition books we'll be using, did a foldable activity to prepare for reading the Breadwinner and then began reading chapter one!
Homework: Make sure your book commercial is good to go...read for 30 minutes.