Monthly Archives: April 2011

Diagramming Test Retake/Advice Letter Using Chunking

I have placed a practice worksheet that prepares you for the retake opportunity in a folder on my bulletin board; I also sent it to your parents’ email address earlier this week.  Ask nicely if they will print it off for you.  The correction tutorial will be held on Wednesday, May 4, at 8:10 A.M.  I will check to make sure you’re on the right track.  The retest will be on Friday, May 6. 

On another note, the final copy of your advice letter is due Wednesday, May 4.  This is a major project grade (fifty percent category), so do some good writing using the chunking format.  See me on Tuesday morning or afternoon during tutorials if you have questions.  The final copy must be in black ink, with a one inch margin, and in twelve point font if typed.  If you chose to write it by hand, then you will need to use black or blue ink and your best printing or cursive.  In both cases, indent the paragraph.  Remember this is one big paragraph of advice you’d offer an incoming sixth grader.  Use your best penmanship!

Enjoy your Monday at home from school for a student three day weekend.  I will be in the building at an inservice.

Love,

Mrs. J <><

Back on track!

Thursday marks a return to the regular schedule for my sixth grade students and me.  My PAP students will begin reading Norton Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth.  It is one of my favorite reads for my young charges, and I look forward to sharing the journey with them.  I have put this week’s DOL on the DOL assignment tab in case you have misplaced yours.  It’s not due until Friday, April 29.  Tomorrow, I’ll be handing back the diagramming tests to all six classes, and we’ll discuss the retake window at that time.  Take care, and God bless!

Mrs. J <><

Diagramming Test

We will have a test over diagramming on Friday, April 22.  I will have work for you to complete along with a review to prepare you for the coming assessment.  Below is an updated diagramming primer.  Print it off and bring it to class next week; however, you may NOT use it on the test!

Mrs. J <><

Diagramming Primer

Busy day on Friday, April 15!

In my on-level classes, we will check  the “Evaluating an Argument” exercises along with this week’s DOL.  Bring your red pen, and be ready to rock and roll.  You will finish the reading passage in class on Friday, April 15.

In my Pre-AP classes, we will check the DOL and take a test over Walk Two Moons.  As it turns out, you will be able to use pen or pencil on the test since it’s not on Scantron as I originally planned.  Ask your parents to show you the study guide key I sent home on Tuesday.  We will try to check the “Evaluating an Argument”, but we’ll see how that works out with our time constraints.  Our next novel is Norton Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth, and I have some copies to sell for $7.57.  Cash or a cheque will work; if you use a cheque, please make it payable to the Clark PTA.  Bring your copy of the novel to class on or before April 28.

Be good since I am not at school today!

Love,

Mrs. J <><

Due Date Change!!

Dear Ones,

I decided to move the due date for the multi-step writing project to Monday, April 11.  Remember that your final copy can be typed or handwritten.  If typed, it must be in black ink.  If handwritten, then it must be in either black or blue ink.  You can bring props, but you are responsible for them.  Ask your parents’ permission first before bringing anything from home!!!

Mrs. J <><

Writing Project – Process Paper

Students will be asked to write a paper that describes a process.  They are to tell how to make a particular recipe, play a game, do some type of task.  We watched a Brain POP video on writing in sequence and saw the attached PowerPoint presentation before brainstorming.  We will write during class on Thursday, and they are due on Friday, April 8.  Props are okay to bring for playing orchestra and band instruments with the understanding that the students are not to bring any breakables or actual food to cook.  I don’t have an oven available.  Please do not let them bring their gaming consoles since I won’t be able to really secure the items.  Thanks in advance for your help!

Mrs. J <><

Procedural Writing Powerpoint

Celebration!

I am so proud of the young women who played valiantly and won the 2011 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship in Indianapolis tonight!  Whoop!  You know I’ll be wearing my maroon tomorrow.  Gig ’em, Aggies!

Mrs. J <><

Comparison Paragraph – PAP English Assignment

Students are to compare “Rapunzel” and Jane Yolen’s “The Golden Stair.”  They are to choose their favorite version of the Rapunzel tale and use chunking for their paragraph writing.  A good chunking paragraph has a topic sentence, a concrete detail – CD-(supports main idea with quote or example from text), two commentary sentences  – CM-(interpretation, analysis, insight), and a concluding sentence.  A chunk consists of one CD and two CMs.  They are to write a two-chunk paragraph of at least eight sentences on notebook paper.  It is due on Tuesday, April 5.  I am attaching the poem and a copy of the Grimm brothers’ version of the fairy tale to this post.

Mrs. J <><

“The Golden Stair” by Jane Yolen

Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm

DOL Quiz on Tuesday

We will have a DOL quiz on Tuesday, April 5.  Students are to recognize and choose the correctly written sentences out of a group of four answer choices.  

 A.    We saw wicked at the dallas summer musicals last year.

B.    We saw “Wicked” at the Dallas Summer Musicals last year.

C.    We saw Wicked at the Dallas Summer Musicals last year. 

D.   We saw “Wicked” at the Dallas Summer Musicals last year.    

The correct answer choice is C because the title of a musical is underlined.

Mrs. J <><