Welcome Back!

Accelerated Reader: Silent Reading, Logging, and Test Taking  Welcome back from Thanksgiving break! Let's ease into the new week with various A.R. activities. If you finished books over the break and need to take quizzes, please do so now. Others may need to transfer their logged reading from their paper log to their Digital Reading Log. Otherwise, please use this time for silent reading.  

100 Word Challenge: Photograph  For this week's 100 Word Challenge, your task is to write 100 words inspired by the photograph below. It was taken by Pam O’Brien on Inis Oirr on the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland. What story does this image inspire you to tell? I can't wait to see your creativity and developing writing skills in action. You can find the document 100 Word Challenge: Photograph (Week #14) in your Language Arts folders. Looking for a list of sailing and nautical terms to make your story sound more authentic? Try some of these. We will publish our stories on Friday, December 5.

Map of Inis Oirr and the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland

Part One of the Writing Performance Task: The Completion  Today is the last day to work on part one of the Writing Performance Task. Please review each of your three constructed responses from the document Writing Performance Task: Part One and make sure they are good as they can be. Tomorrow we begin "Part Two: The Essay." 

Homework  (1.) Read your A.R. book at home for at least 30 minutes and make a Digital Reading Log entry. (2.) Continue working on your 100 Word Challenge: Photograph (Week #14) story, which we will publish on Friday, December 5. 

The District Writing Assessment (Day 2)

Part One of the Writing Performance Task: The Continuation  Today we will continue working on part one of the Writing Performance Task, which requires us to answer a series of "Research Questions" in the form of constructed response paragraphs. Yesterday our focus was on Constructed Response #1; today we turn our energies to Constructed Response #'s 2 and 3. The rubric for Constructed Response #3 can be found below. 

You will continue to use the document Writing Performance Task: Part One to write your responses. Good luck! And have a Happy Thanksgiving!  

Homework  Please read your A.R. book over the Thanksgiving break and make at least 3 entries on your Digital Reading Log.  

The District Writing Assessment

The District Writing Assessment: Introduction  Today we will be working on the District Writing Assessment, which comes in the form of a two-part "Performance Task". We will begin part one today. You should be very familiar with the format of the "Task," considering you recently spent several days navigating the practice version.

Specifically, in part one of the Performance Task you will be reading three different sources on the Grand Canyon and then answering three "research questions" in the form of "Constructed Responses". Today we will focus on research questions 1 and 2. So you are clear about how you will be assessed, check out the scoring rubric below. 


 
Part One of the Writing Performance Task: Getting Started  Each of you will receive paper packets of the two-part Writing Performance Task. The paper packets include information about the task, the three sources on the Grand Canyon, and room to take notes for each of the three research questions. After we examine the first page of the packet together, please follow the following steps:

Step 1: Review Research Question #1 so you are clear about the type of information and details you will be looking for to support your response. 

Step 2: Carefully read "Article 1" and "Article 2". You are allowed to highlight, underline, and take notes on the packet itself. You may even use the boxes provided for the research questions on the paper copies to organize your responses. 

Step 3: Begin typing your first constructed response paragraph in the box below Research Question #1 using the digital document Writing Performance Task: Part One, which can be found in your Language Arts folders.

Step 4: If time permits, follow the same steps listed above and begin work on Research Question #2. 

Tomorrow we will continue working on addressing the research questions and crafting our constructed responses for part one of the Writing Performance Task. 

Homework  Read your A.R. book at home for at least 30 minutes and make a Digital Reading Log entry.
 

Aloha Friday!

Writing Mini-Lesson: Bringing Sentences to a 'Full-Stop'  In order to continually improve our writing, it's important for us to listen the feedback we receive, reevaluate and reflect on our work, and try to make changes. Of all the constructive feedback we receive from our international writing mentors, one that comes up most often is the request to incorporate more "full stops" in our writing. Here's a sampling: 

Most of us have learned by now that when our friends on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean refer to "full stops," what they mean are periods. Using a period is one way to bring the ideas of a sentence to a "stop." Too many of you are combing ideas and sentence parts together and in the process forming run-on sentences that essentially do not "stop." By doing so, you are confusing your reader making the ideas of your story less clear. Let's look at a few student examples and see if we can help these students use periods or other punctuation in the right places to form sentences that are more clear.

As you prepare to publish your new 100 Word Challenge stories for the week, please take an extra moment to make sure that you have avoided run-on sentences and properly used punctuation marks between sentence parts. 

100 Word Challenge: Publishing  Before we publish our 100 Word Challenge: He was shocked to find . . . stories, take one last moment to carefully review your writing. At the very least, make sure your spelling, capitalization, grammar, and punctuation (which includes using periods or "full stops" to break up sentence parts) are as good as they can be. 

Next, it's publishing time! Copy your story from your Google Doc and then login to Kidblog. Make a new post. This week you once again get to title your story whatever you find fitting; just make sure you put 100 WC: before your chosen title. Paste your story. Finally, click "Publish".  

Next, if you choose this week, copy the web address of your posted story and then head over to 100 Word Challenge. Scroll down and paste the web address into the box that says 'Blog Link'. Enter your first name, 6th Grade, Lakeview Middle School, and for location: Watsonville, California, U.S.A. Finally, click 'Submit'. Congratulations! You have published yet another story. I can't wait to hear about the feedback you receive.  

100 Word Challenge Writing Assessment: Submitting the Story of Your Choice  Up to this point, your grade on your 100 Word Challenge stories have been simply: credit / no credit. While I still plan on giving you participation points for your stories, I also want to begin examining some of the various mechanics of your writing using the rubric below. 

I can't assess every single one of your stories each week using the rubric, but I would like to do so periodically. I would also like to give you the freedom to submit the story that you would like me to assess. Please review each of the 100 Word Challenge stories you have published on KidBlog today and decide on the one that best showcases your technical writing skills. Once you have decided, please submit the URL of the chosen story to me using the form here. 

Previewing the District Writing Assessment  Next week we will begin work on the official District Writing Assessment. The practice writing assessment we explored several weeks ago was focused on Henry Cowell State Park, but for the real thing we will be examining the Grand Canyon. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with this amazing natural wonder by watching excerpts from the video below. On Monday, we will be reading and writing about it.

Homework  Make sure you read for 30 minutes at least once over the weekend and make an entry on your Digital Reading Log. I will be grading this week's Reading Log on Monday, November 24. 

We Are All Writers!

We Are All Writers Now  Over the course of the last several weeks, I have witnessed a transformation in many of you. Some of you have gone from seeing writing as a dreadful task required at school to embracing writing as a craft that is worthy of your time and talents. You are all writers now; there's no changing that. Each of you has a voice and a poem and a story to tell. As you move forward with your writing, I thought it would be important to hear the advice of some more established writers. Is there a quote below that resonates with you? Talk to with a teammate about the words of advice that most stand out to you and why. Be prepared to share.      

Writing Activity # 1: "I Am From" Poem  Today's class period is simply dedicated to writing. Please dedicate part of your time today to working on your "I Am From" Poem. Think carefully about each word you choose. Consider reading each line of your poem as you write. Are you capturing the tone and feelings that you're aiming for? Also, as you continue to improve and revise your poem, consider adding more sensory details. A handy list of sensory details can be found here. Can your reader visualize the objects, people, places, and experiences your poem seeks to capture? 

I know it's still a work in progress, but I wanted to share with you a poem that one of your classmates is writing. I love its simplicity, careful word choices, descriptive details, and the feelings it evokes. These are the words of a truly talented writer. 

By Aiden

Writing Activity # 2: 100 Word Challenge Story  I know that for many of you this week's 100 Word Challenge (100 Word Challenge: He was shocked to find . . .) has been a frustrating and confusing exercise because you've been tasked with finishing a story that's not your own. I suppose there's a reason then that they call this activity a "Challenge." While I understand your frustrations, I still think you can use this as an opportunity to practice your craft. How can you take someone's else story and make it uniquely your own? How can you inject your voice and your creativity into this story? I'm confident you can. If you need help strategizing, let's talk. 

Scholastic Book Order  Friendly reminder to please consider ordering from Scholastic. Not only do they have a wide selection of the latest and hottest titles but buying from Scholastic earns our class points, which allows us to purchase new books for our classroom library.

You may either order your book online using our class activation code: FMRJ4. Or you can order the old-fashioned way by turning your order form to me along with cash or a check made our to Scholastic Reading Club. Deadline: Book orders will be due tomorrow, Friday, November 21.   

Homework  (1.) Read your A.R. book at home for at least 30 minutes and make a Digital Reading Log entry. (2.) Continue working on your "I Am From" poem. (3.) Complete your 100 Word Challenge: He was shocked to find . . . story, which we will publish
tomorrow, Friday, November 21. (3.) Consider buying a book or two form Scholastic. Orders are due tomorrow, Friday, November 21. (4.) Tomorrow is Friday, so several assignments from the past week are due, including: Personification in Poetry and "Oranges" - Sensory Details.

Writing Poetry: "I Am From"

Introduction to 'I Am From' Poems  Now that we have finished our poetry unit in which we read and analyzed the poems of others, it's time to write our own. Since this will be the first attempt for some of us at writing poetry, I thought it would be a good idea for us all to use a similar format that is scaffolded and accessible. Today we will begin writing "I Am From" poems.

A poem by George Ella Lyon called "Where I’m From" is the inspiration for this activity. In her poem Lyon uses descriptive language and sensory details to tell the story of the everyday things, people, and places that together tell the story of where she comes from. You can read her poem here and watch the video version below. 

The poem lends itself to imitation and many have tried, including students. Check out some of the student examples below. 

By Evelyn from Lakeview Middle School

Writing Your Own "I Am From" Poem  Now it's your turn to write a poem that illustrates where you are from. The "I Am From" Poem template can be found in your Language Arts folders. If you're having trouble getting started and would like an opportunity to brainstorm ideas before drafting your poem, try using the "I Am From" Pre-Write document, which can also be found in your Language Arts folders. 

As you move forward in the writing process and begin to improve and revise your poem, consider adding more sensory details. A handy list of sensory details can be found here. Ultimately, we will be publishing our "I Am From" poems to Kidblog.  

Homework  (1.) Read your A.R. book at home for at least 30 minutes and make a Digital Reading Log entry. (2.) Work on your "I Am From" poem. (3.) Continue working on your 100 Word Challenge: He was shocked to find . . . story, which we will publish on Friday, November 21. (3.) Consider buying a book or two form Scholastic. Orders are due by Friday, November 21. 

Poetry Exam and Library Visit

Poetry Final Exam  Our unit on poetry is coming to a close and now it's time to demonstrate what we have learned. Part of today's Poetry Exam will focus on the three poems featured below. Make sure that you read each poem carefully and refer back to each poem during the test. You can find your online Poetry Exam here. 

Poem # 1

Poem # 2

Poem # 3

Library Visit  It's Library Day! Finished with a book and need a new one? Bored with the one got and looking to exchange? Want to keep reading what you have and need to renew? Today is your chance to kickstart your reading program! Too many of you are struggling making progress towards your reading goal. A good book could be the difference. If you need help selecting one, let me know. You may also read and take A.R. quizzes while in the library today. 

Scholastic Book Order  Unimpressed with the library's offerings and want a new book just for you? Please consider ordering from Scholastic. Not only do they have a wide selection of the latest and hottest titles but buying from Scholastic earns our class points, which allows us to purchase new books for our classroom library.

You may either order your book online using our class activation code: FMRJ4. Or you can order the old-fashioned way by turning your order form to me along with cash or a check made our to Scholastic Reading Club. Deadline: Book orders will be due this Friday, November 21.   

Homework  (1.) Read your A.R. book at home for at least 30 minutes and make a Digital Reading Log entry. (2.) Continue working on your 100 Word Challenge: He was shocked to find . . . story, which we will publish on Friday, November 21. (3.) Consider buying a book or two form Scholastic. Orders are due Friday, November 21.