Weekly Preview, 8/26-8/30, 2013

It's the first full week of school, but because of the horribly hot temperatures, it's not going to feel like the first full week.  Here at the middle school, we're lucky to have air-conditioning, but since we're the only building in the district to be so lucky, we'll be on an 8:00-1:30 heat schedule all week.  Even with the shortened periods, we'll still be able to accomplish a lot of good things in GOAL class though!

5th GOAL:  This week, the 5th grade students will get used to coming downstairs to room 101 for GOAL.  We'll be getting to know each other, and then they'll get started on their Words of Wisdom assignment that the 6-8th graders have already begun.

6th GOAL, 7th GOAL, & 8th GOAL:  Outside of school, students are gathering their words of advice from multiple sources.  In class, GOAL students are in the computer lab this week.  They are setting up and/or modifying their Goodreads accounts and getting them linked to their school blogs.  They will be working on their blogs too, getting them ready to go for this school year.  I plan for their blogs to be a portfolio of learning of all the things we cover in GOAL this year.  FYI:  Library Day will still be on Tuesdays this year.

English 8:  Students are finishing up with classroom procedures, and they will be starting their short story unit.  FYI:  Library Day will be on Wednesdays this year.

Welcome Back!

It's the first day back to school!  I'm so excited with how things are changed up in room 101 this year.  First of all, I'll be having 5th graders in GOAL this year for the first time.  I think we're all going to have a blast together.  Additionally, I'm co-teaching English 8 with Mrs. Kaska for one period, and I think we're going to be a total dynamic duo.  I've missed teaching reading and language arts so much... I'm glad to be back in the game!

Here's the scoop for the opening week in room 101:

5th GOAL:  I actually won't start seeing these kids until next Monday.  Just an FYI:  Mrs. Lyon's & Mrs. Eeling's classes will come on Mondays and Thursdays.  Mrs. Copeland's, Ms. DeMoss's, & Mr. Philips's classes will come on Tuesdays and Fridays.  We might add Wednesdays with everyone together later on in the year.

6th GOAL, 7th GOAL, & 8th GOAL:  We're starting with a project called Words of Wisdom based off a book called Live and Learn and Pass It On by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.  Students will be interviewing relatives, friends, teachers, and community members to develop their own compilation of words of wisdom.  Next week, we'll be making sure everyone has a Goodreads account to document their independent reading, and we'll be blogging for the first time this year.  Words of Wisdom projects will be uploaded to their blogs.

English 8:  We'll be starting with a short story unit... stay tuned for details.  Hope everyone had a great first day... I know I did!

Critical Concepts Survey Link

https://docs.google.com/a/fairfieldsfuture.org/forms/d/1p7SWA-8xwea2Vt8W1bZ_Tw0ILsLTjQQnxtC_L0SFgOw/viewform

6th & 7th grade GOAL: 6/4/13

6th grade GOAL:

1.  Complete this survey.  Make sure to explain your answers thoroughly.

2.  Go to Goodreads.com.  Set up an account using the Google button and your school username and password.


Follow the directions on each page, rating books, choosing genres, and setting up your account.  You'll be using this account to keep your reading log online.  Be sure to include the books you've read this Once your account is created, find the "groups" section.  Search for FMS GOAL and request to join. 

3.  If you finish, add some friends from this class and other GOAL classes.  If you've completed everything, you can play vocabulary games at www.freerice.com.  You can also read for your contract... we'll do contract self-evaluations tomorrow!

7th grade GOAL:

1.  Complete this survey.  Make sure your answers are explained thoroughly.

2.  Add a new journal letter blog entry on your blog, discussing the last book you read/the book you're currently reading.

3.  Update your Goodreads accounts.  We'll be doing your contract self-evaluations tomorrow, so make sure things are current.

3.  If you get done, you may: 1. continue your exploration of the game of bridge using the links from last week, 2. read for your independent reading contract, or 3. play vocabulary games at www.freerice.com.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

8th grade GOAL, 5/31/13

Click here to go to Miss Nelson's end of the year survey.

7th grade GOAL, 5/31/13: Learning to Play Bridge

As a follow-up to the Louis Sachar book, The Cardturner, 7th grade GOAL students will be learning how to play bridge in the last week of school.  Use the following websites and videos to give yourself some background knowledge.  Start a google doc to take notes.

http://www.howcast.com/videos/218272-How-to-Learn-the-Basics-of-Bridge
http://www.fifthchair.org/
http://www.acbl.org/learn/howToPlay.html
http://www.youth4bridge.com/
http://bridgeteaching.com/
http://www.wikihow.com/Play-Bridge
http://www.bridgedoctor.com/lessons/
http://www.idiotsguides.com/static/quickguides/games/how-to-play-bridge.html
http://www.howstuffworks.com/how-to-play-bridge.htm

At 11:15, stop looking at websites and go to your blog.  Write about bridge.  Use the following questions as a guide if you can't think of what to write about.  What do you understand at this point?  What is still confusing?  What are you looking forward to?  What did you learn by looking at the different bridge sites today?  What about bridge is coming back to you from The Cardturner.

Mark Twain Webquest

7th grade GOAL students:  You will find your Mark Twain Webquest at this link:
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http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=185833

Go there and follow the directions. 

Critical Concepts Directions: May 3 & May 6

Critical Concepts Class - Friday and Monday  May 3 & 6, 2013

We will meet in the upstairs Mac Lab

Do the following in the order it is listed.  You may not complete all of these in one day.  

1) Finish all the lessons on Digitial Citizenship we did this week.  (Ignition)

http://ignition.everfi.net/

2) Retake quizzes on any lesson you did not have 70% or higher.

3) To be done you will have to take the survey again so don’t worry when it pops up again.

Just take it to finish.

4) Create a new Google document and share with Miss Nelson

A) List 3 things you learned this week in class

B) Give your opinion of this program. Should we use it again? Did you find it helpful?

Was is frustrating to do? Was is boring? Etc.

5) Do Fastt Math Lesson

6) Explore different Public Service Announcements. In our next unit, we'll be making a public service announcement. 

Public Service Announcements are free messages in the public interest put out by the media to raise awareness and to change attitudes and behavior towards a social issue.  Watch as many examples of PSA's as you can on the websites: 
http://www.adcouncil.org/Our-Work/Current-Work
http://www.kathyschrock.net/psa/

On the Google doc you shared with Miss Nelson, answer the following:

a. Copy and paste the links to 3 good PSA's.

b. Write why you thought they were good Public Service Announcements.

c. Brainstorm 10 possible topics that you would be interested in researching and making into a PSA for others to see. Use this website to help you with ideas (http://powayusd.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/teachers/jismay/video/PSA%20LIST.htm)
d. What kind of advertisements get your attention when you watch TV or are on the internet?
e. What would a PSA need to have to get teenagers to listen or to think about an issue?

7) Do Type To Learn Lesson (Go to freetypinggame.net if you've finished Type To Learn)

********OR********

Design a cover for the FMS 2013-2014 Assignment Journal. You can do this on paper or on the computer. The design must fit on a 8" x 9" paper with the words fitting a 6'' x 8 3/4" space. It must be colored, school appropriate, and focusing on our school's mission: TROJAN PRIDE: Inspire. Empower. Achieve.

8) Play Financial Literacy or Cool Math Games ONLY WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE IS COMPLETE! Remember you are being graded on the Digital Citizenship Lesson we did this week.

Disturbing.

Eye-Opening Statistics on Littering infographic

Weekly Preview 4/29-5/3, 2013

I can't believe it's finally May.  6 weeks left of school.  5 more Mondays!

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

6th GOAL:  Students are having their last literature circle discussion and working on their final projects this week.  We'll start presenting next Wednesday.

7th GOAL:  Students are frantically working on their animated movies.  2 weeks until premiere!

8th GOAL:  Students are frantically working on their documentary films (and battling our flawed technology... cross your fingers that the technology gods smile down on them this week!).  2 weeks until premiere!

8th Critical Concepts:  Students will be working on an individualized digital citizenship unit this week in the computer lab.