Welcome back!

Welcome back!

We're off to another great school year at FMS!  I look forward to using this blog to communicate with you and let you know all of the great things that are happening in my classroom.  Come visit anytime!

6th GOAL:  Students started the year by getting their reading logs and contracts ready.  They also completed a reading survey that we discussed.  Next, they'll be starting their Models & Design unit, which is a hands-on physics unit.  We'll be starting with black boxes and exploring black boxes in science (Black boxes are things that, for a variety of reasons, cannot be easily understood or studied, like black holes, atoms, etc.).

7th GOAL:  Students started the year by getting their reading logs and contracts ready.  They are beginning the year with a nontraditional poetry unit, sparking their creativity and ability to think outside the box with words.

8th GOAL:  Since 8th graders will have an English class this year that includes a reading requirement, they will not be keeping a reading log in GOAL.  This class jumped right into a unit on Mandarin Chinese.  We discussed the importance of learning a foreign language and some of the benefits of that language being Mandarin Chinese.  Students are working on learning initials and finals to be able to read Chinese Pinyin, and we'll learn some basic vocabulary.

8th Critical Concepts:  Students learned all about their assignment journals, really discovering every nook an cranny in an effort to keep organized this year.  From there, students will work on a unit called Netsmartz.  This unit will address cyber-bullying and being safe on the internet.

If you have any questions or concerns this year, please feel free to contact me at school by phone (see our website for information at www.fairfieldsfuture.org) or by e-mail at tena.nelson@fairfieldsfuture.org.  I know we're all going to have a great year!

P.S.  Don't forget picture day tomorrow (8/28/12)!

Weekly Preview: 4/30-5/4, 2012

I can't believe we're into May.  Where has this year gone?  Here's how we're spending our time together in room 101 this week:

6th GOAL: On Monday, students will be presenting their Oral History assignments.  On Wednesday, we'll be starting research for our Westward Expansion unit which will culminate with our trip to historic Nauvoo, Illinois.

7th GOAL: Monday will be students' last day to work on Independent Research Projects.  We'll start presenting on Wednesday, and that will take us through the rest of the week.

8th GOAL: Students will continue to work on their documentary films this week.  They should be recording scripts, editing video, creating titles and transitions, and finding music this week.  Movies need to be finished by May 10.

7th Language Arts:  Parts of Speech packets are due Monday.  For the rest of the week, students will be splitting into small groups and choosing a part of speech they will teach to the class.  They can design this lesson in any way they'd like.  In the past we've had raps, game shows, and many other creative lessons to learn the parts of speech.  We'll start presenting these lessons on Friday.  Spelling words this week focus on the endings: -tial, -cial, -cious, and -tious.  Pretest corrections and book page 196 (1-20) are due Wednesday.

Week 32 Spelling Words
conscientious
crucial
substantial
spacious
repetitious
spatial
confidential
ferocious
residential
financial
gracious
impartial
vicious
facial
influential
ambitious
glacial
suspicious
potential
superficial

 

Weekly Preview: 4/23-4/27/2012

I'm getting this out a little later than I'd like, but there are many great things happening in this last part of the school year.  Busy times!  Here's what's happening in room 101 this week:

6th GOAL:  Students are in the middle of their unit on consumption.  They're keeping daily consumption logs, and they have an oral history interview project due next Monday.  In class, they've been reporting on the secret lives and histories of everyday things we use every day, and they've been comparing consumption habits of people in other countries compared to ours.

7th GOAL:  Students are working hard on their independent research projects.  They're transferring the knowledge they've gained into a project to share with the class.  We'll start presenting these on Monday.

8th GOAL:  Students are working hard on their documentary films.  This week, they're finalizing scripts, getting scripts recorded, editing video, and finding pictures.  We have to be done with these movies by our big fundraising night on May 17!

7th Language Arts:  Students are working hard learning the 8 parts of speech with many in-class activities.  If all goes well with individual work, they'll be splitting up into groups to teach the class about a certain part of speech next week.  Spelling words this week focus on turning adjectives into adverbs by adding -ly or -ally.  Pretest corrections and book p. 190 (1-20) are due Wednesday.

Week 31 Spelling Words

specific

classically

mechanical

scientific

artistically

dynamic

historical

drastically

heroic

scientifically

artistic

mechanically

classic

historically

economic

heroically

dynamically

drastic

specifically

economically

Weekly Preview: 4/16-4/20, 2012

Spring has sprung! Here's what's happening in Room 101 this week:

Book Fair! All GOAL classes will be attending the Book Fair on Tuesday, along with having their regularly scheduled library day.

6th GOAL: Students are starting their "Stuff" unit on consumption. We'll be looking at consumption trends in our own lives and across the globe. On Monday and Wednesday, we'll be tracing our own stuff across the globe to find that stuff's path to us. Thursday and Friday, students will be analyzing one particular product to see its consumption history. Posters with data collected will be due at the end of the class on Friday.

7th GOAL: Students have this week to finish research for their independent projects. Next week, they will be working on the project made from this research.

8th GOAL: Students are continuing to work on their documentary films. This week, interviews should be completed, and students will also be working on research, scripts, and storyboards.

7th Language Arts: Students will be learning more about the 8 Parts of Speech this week. We'll be playing Preposition Ball, and students will be planning a way to teach the class about a certain Part of Speech. There will not be a spelling pretest this week because it's a review week. We'll have a Maintenance Test on Friday for weeks 25-29. Book pages 183 (1-20), 184 (1-20), and 185 (1-10) are due Wednesday.

Weekly Preview: 4/2-4/13, 2012

We're rested and relaxed after a great spring break... Here is what happened last week & what's coming up this week in room 101:

6th GOAL: Students have finished their daily literature circle discussions, and they have prepared their projects to show what they've learned. They could choose any format, so we have ideas for skits, news broadcasts, and journals. They will begin presenting projects on Monday, April 9, and presentations will go throughout the week. The projects need to show an overview of the book, deep thinking connections, and a highlight of the moral dilemma(s) in the story.

7th GOAL: Students are starting independent research projects this week. Last week, they chose topics, and this week, they'll begin their research. They can choose any topic that's an area of passion learning for them. They will be researching and becoming experts on their topics. They'll show what they've learned in a project to share with the class.

8th GOAL: Students are starting their documentary film projects. This year, we'll be focusing on the personal interview and using the personal interview to highlight a topic. Last week, they chose groups and topics. This week, they're arranging their interviews, writing interview questions, and doing preliminary research on their topics.

7th Language Arts: Students are busy working with the 8 parts of speech. Last week, we took the Parts of Speech Pretest, and we reviewed each part of speech in detail. This week, students will be making parts of speech flip booklets to become their study guides for the Parts of Speech test. We'll take the test several times before the ened of the school year. When students score 100%, they'll be added to the Parts of Speech Hall of Fame, and they won't have to take the test again. No one made the Hall of Fame from the pretest, so everyone has some studying to do! Spelling for week 29 focuses on the Latin forms: miss, manus, fluere, and animus. Pretest corrections and book p. 178 (1-20) are due Wednesday.

Week 29 Spelling Words

fluctuate

mannerism

missive

fluent

magnanimous

admission

influence

inanimate

manicure

remiss

manipulate

fluency

transmission

emancipate

unanimous

manual

dismiss

animate

fluorescent

intermission

Weekly Preview: 3/12-3/16, 2012

This week is really going to give us a taste of spring with temperatures in the 70's. I hope it doesn't give us an unmanageable taste of spring fever as well! Here's room 101's week in preview:

6th GOAL: Students will be continuing literature circles. They seem to be enjoying the discussion with their groups. Remember, there is daily homework during literature circles. :)

7th GOAL: Projects are done, process papers and annotated bibliographies are handed in, and History Day is next week! This week, students will give each other mock interviews to prepare for judging, and they'll also show their projects to the class.

8th GOAL: Students are hard at work on their Images of Greatness display boards. These boards are due Friday, and also by Friday, I'd like to see their costumes (or a picture of their costume) so I know if anyone needs help before the big night next Thursday.

7th Language Arts: Students will be typing their epidemics research papers this week and having peer conferences. The final draft will be due next Wednesday. I've never seen some of the students in this class work harder than they have writing this paper. I'm excited to see the results! Spelling for week 26 focuses on Greek Forms "gram," "chron," "phon(e)," and "scope." Pretest corrections and book p. 160 are due Wednesday. The posttest will be Friday.

Week 26 Spelling words:

phonics

telescope

chronology

diagram

microphone

stethoscope

headphones

telegram

chronic

anagram

symphonic

grammatical

synchronize

telephone

periscope

chronicle

megaphone

earphones

microscope

saxophone

Weekly Preview: 3/5-3/9, 2012

The beginning of March has already brought a snowstorm with an early dismissal and 60 degree temperatures. I don't know what else is in store with the weather, but here is what's happening in room 101 this week!

6th GOAL: Students will begin literature circles. Their theme is Moral Dilemma, and we have groups reading the following books: Wish Me Luck by James Heneghan, Nothing But the Truth by Avi, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, and Holes by Louis Sachar. Students will meet each day for discussion and talk about the section they've read. They will bring their book and completed discussion sheet to class. After discussion, they will decide how many pages they will read for the next day, and then they'll have the rest of the period to read.

7th GOAL: Students are finishing up process papers and annotated bibliographies for History Day. The big day is approaching!

8th GOAL: Students should be done with Images of Greatness essays, timelines, and bio-riddles. This week, they'll start to work on their display boards. It's time for that artist to come out in everyone!

7th Language Arts: Students will be finishing up the epidemics research paper rough drafts this week. They'll finish the body on Wednesday, and write introductions and conclusions at the end of the week. Next week, we'll be ready to type! Spelling for Week 25 focuses on the prefixes -uni, -mono, -duo, and -bi. We'll actually take the pretest on Tuesday, and the corrections & book assignment (p. 154, 1-20) will be due on Wednesday. Posttest will be on Friday.

Week 25 Spelling Words

monopoly

dual

unique

biennial

monotony

duplication

unite

monocle

unify

duo

binoculars

university

monorail

duplex

unison

monotonous

biannual

monotone

universe

monogram

Weekly Preview: 2/27-3/2, 2012

Here's the scoop this week in room 101:

6th GOAL: Students will be finishing up the Great Ocean Rescue activity this week. We'll discuss the oceanography resources on the other side of the DVD, and then we'll be moving into literature circles. 6th grade literature circles will center around the theme of Moral Dilemma. This will be the only time in GOAL when students will have daily homework. They will participate in daily discussions with their group, and they will have a small sheet of 4 questions to prepare for that discussion.

7th GOAL: Students will be finishing up their projects for National History Day, and we'll be moving on to annotated bibliographies and process papers. The big day is approaching quickly, so we need to move on these written parts of the entries. Students doing website projects have an earlier deadline and must be done with everything by March 6, so time is of the essence.

8th GOAL: Students will be handing in Images of Greatness essays on Monday. The rest of the week will be spent completing timelines, creating bio-riddles, and finding quotations. All of these are due on Friday.

7th Language Arts: Students will continue working on their epidemics research papers this week. Toward the end of the week, we'll discuss introductions and conclusions and how to add them to the body of the paper. It's a maintenance test week for spelling this week, so students will not have a pretest on Monday. They'll be reviewing weeks 19-23, and completing book pages 147 (1-20), 148 (1-20), and 149 (1-10) which will be due on Wednesday. On Friday, we'll take the maintenance test.

Weekly Preview: 2/20-2/23/2012

It's Parent/Teacher Conference week! Don't forget about this fantastic opportunity to touch base with teachers about how things are going in class. Conferences will be held in the Fairfield Middle School Commons on Tuesday and Thursday (February 21 & 23) from 4:00-7:30. There will be an early dismissal on both Tuesday and Thursday for students and no school Friday.

Here's what's happening in room 101 this week:

6th GOAL: Students are still working on the Great Ocean Rescue activity. They finished one mission last week and still have three to go.

7th GOAL: Students are working hard on their History Day projects. Our goal is to have these completed by Wednesday of this week so we can go on to working on process papers and annotated bibliographies. If students need to come in before school to work, they just need to let me know the day before so I'm sure to be here.

8th GOAL: Monday and Tuesday will be the last research days for Images of Greatness. Then, students will work on their essays which are due next Monday, February 27.

7th Language Arts: We extended the deadline, so Design-An-Ad papers will be due at the end of class on Monday. For the rest of the week, we'll be working on sharing Writer's Workshop stories and starting our epidemics research papers. Students have been working in social studies and science classes to get all the facts needed for this paper. Spelling for Week 23 focuses on different suffixes. Pretest corrections and book page 142 are due on Wednesday. The posttest will be on Thursday, since there is no school Friday.

Week 23 Spelling Words

abstract

complicate

persist

attractive

strict

replica

distract

consist

restrict

insistence

duplicate

resist

constrict

detract

resistance

complication

attract

insist

retract

consistent

Weekly Preview: 2/13-2/17, 2012

Happy Valentine's Week, everyone! Hope you have a little love in your heart as you jump into this week. Here's what's happening in room 101:

6th GOAL: Students are starting their Great Ocean Rescue missions. They're learning about oceanography, and they're learning to defend their positions. They're also learning to compare individual observations to make the best group decision.

7th GOAL: Students are working hard on their projects for National History Day. We'd like all projects to be finished by the end of the day on Wednesday, February 22.

8th GOAL: Students are researching their Image of Greatness. It promises to be a great show on March 22, full of authors, scientists, philosophers, athletes, musicians, and more! We'll be in the library researching all this week. Students have detailed project timelines, and they received two copies of this (one for school and one for home).

7th Language Arts: We've wrapped up Writer's Workshop (students can still get pieces in if needed... late is better than not at all!), and we'll be working on the annual Design-An-Ad contest for the Fairfield Ledger. Ads will be due Friday. Spelling this week focuses on frequently misspelled words... always a challenging list! Pretest corrections and p. 136 (1-20) are due on Wednesday.

Week 22 Spelling Words

laboratory

auxiliary

mischievous

salary

temperature

accidentally

remembrance

veterinarian

disastrous

athletic

separately

laundry

temperament

principally

miniature

partially

hindrance

incidentally

privilege

maintenance