Week #9: Literature Circles Continue!

Another fantastic week in Language Arts! It was so nice to meet many of you during Parent-Teacher Conferences. I love teaching your children and I enjoyed discussing my goals for your student and addressing your questions and concerns. If you couldn't make it (I'm a busy mom too, totally understand) I am sending home a bookmark with all my contact information and a flyer on the Chili's Fundraiser Day.

Speaking of which...please visit Chili's on Wednesday, October 5th  anytime from 11am-11pm and buy food. They will donated a portion of sales to fund our iRead program--just show this flyer or say you are supporting Lava Ridge. I can't say enough about the power of this program to create a love of reading, which leads to students becoming lifelong readers. Being a good reader can make all the difference! It does take money to pay for incentives, prizes, t-shirts and our field trip, so this money would go a long way to help your child. Please join us if you are able. 

This week will be fun as we continue Literature Circles and work on some reading-specific mini lessons and activities.  I'm so pleased at how many kids are current on their reading and working so hard, thank you! As always, I'm happy to answer any questions or meet with you about your student. Keep in touch and have a fantastic weekend!

Week #9

October 3-October 7

Monday, October 3rd

Free Reading

Simple and Compound Sentence & Practice

FANBOY Conjunctions (Unit Guide)

Tuesday, October 4th

Free Reading/Quick Write

Literature Circle Discussion (find sentence types)

Write Sentences on Graffiti Wall

Vocabulary: Cliffhanger, Suspense, Foreshadowing
Launch of the School Newspaper

Wednesday, October 5th

Free Reading/Quick Write

Theme Lesson

Honors: Newspaper Day

Chili's Fundraiser

Thursday, October 6th

Free Reading/Quick Write

Mini-Lesson: Complex Sentences

Sentence Pratice

Work on N & N Map/ABC Booklets

Friday, October 7th

Free Reading/Quick Write

Scope Magazine: Sentence Identification
Book #7 Due

Shots from the epic 80's Spirit Day!

Week 8: Let the Literature Circles Begin!

It's been another fantastic week with these fun students as we have finished our Notice and Note Unit. Students are now skilled on the art of close reading and will have ample opportunity to practice. We had a test and Gecko Day to reteach concepts or take-it-up-a-notch for students at the top. Very cool week all around!

I'm so excited to start Literature Circles: Friendship Unit! Here is a recap of expectations for students. 

• Students made a chart of how many pages they need to read each day, ranging from 5-15 pages depending on the book. Students have taken pictures of this chart and have emailed it to students without a device. If you missed Friday, please email someone in your group right away to get the details.
• During Literature Circles, students will do daily individual quick-writes (on Google Classroom), participate in discussions and work on creating their final products: a Notice and Note Map and an ABC Book. All this is kept in class and will be worked on in class.
• Students have a Unit Guide and a Plot Chart that will be the starting-off place for individual work. 
• I encourage parents to ask to see the Unit Guide to gauge student progress.
• Attendance is CRUCIAL! If you miss a day, there will be quite a bit of work to make up. I'm having almost 10% of my students absent every day. Please, please come to school.
• Yes, this will count as an iRead book
• Yes, keep reading your regular reading book too. You should be reading at home 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week. Any reading during FLEX or reading time in class is icing on the cake, but don't neglect home reading.

As always, I welcome any contact from parents and students. Please email me at rachel.robins@washk12.org or call after school hours at 435-652-4742. Parent/Teacher Conferences are this week as well (see below). I look forward to meeting many of you and talking about how your student can be more successful in class. Have a fantastic week and enjoy reading!

Week #8

September 26-30

Monday, September 26th

Free Reading/Book Business

Google Classroom Quick-Write

Introduce ABC Chart
Book Fair Preview
Honors: Newspaper Day
Midterm

Tuesday, September 27th

Free Reading/Book Business

Google Classroom Quick-Write

Literature Circle Discussion

Wednesday, September 28th

Free Reading/Book Business

Google Classroom Quick-Write

Literature Circle Fishbowl/Discussion

Book #6 Due

Parent Teacher Conferences: 3:00-6:30pm

Thursday, September 29th

Free Reading/Book Business

Google Classroom Quick-Write

Literature Circle Discussion

Red/Yellow/Green Transition Notes

Parent Teacher Conferences: 3:00-6:30pm

Friday, September 30th

Free Reading/Book Business

Google Classroom Quick-Write (Week #1 Writing DUE)

Scope Magazine Activity: Transitions Application

Notice and Note TEST

Please fill out test completely, you will need earbuds or headphones.

You may use your Reader's Notebook.

When finished, please quietly read or work on missing assignments.

CLICK HERE FOR NOTICE AND NOTE TEST

Notice and Note Practice

Test Tomorrow! This would be a great thing to study:)

Notice and Note Quizlet

Week 7: September 19-23

It's been a fantastic week in Language Arts as we have explored Close Reading through Notice and Note. I've enjoyed seeing students dive into their own novels to find examples of things such as: A Ha Moments, Tough Questions, Contrast and Contradictions, Words of the Wiser, Memory Moment and Again & Again. Ask your kids to explain these--it's pretty cool!

Next week we'll be moving into Literature Circles. Students will be choosing novels in their table groups to read, discuss and learn. The unit will reinforce plot elements and Notice and Note signposts. Students will need to read a required amount of pages at home each day. They'll come home with a calendar. They can read at home or during FLEX. It is ESSENTIAL they do these daily readings. More information coming home. This is a highly interactive, successful way to deeply study literature and I am excited to see how students will do.

Remember to keep up the good reading! I am your partner in education, please feel free to email me at rachel.robins@washk12.org or call after school hours to 652-4742 with any questions. Thanks so much and enjoy your weekend!

Week #7

September 19-23

Monday, September 19th

Last Chance: ALL Note and Notice Sheets Due

Free Reading/Book Business

Catch-Up Day

Test Review

PLC Short Day

Tuesday, September 20th

Notice and Note Test

Book Talks for Literature Circles

Choose Book with your Table

Free Reading/Book Business

Wednesday, September 21st

iRead Book #4 Due

Students will attend the Counseling Resilience Lesson

Thursday, September 22nd

GECKO DAY
Reteach/Enrichment/Homework Hall

Friday, September 23rd

Literature Circles Introduction

Free Reading/Book Business

Week 6: Notice and Note This!

What a fun week! We tackled Notice and Note, which are sign posts found in literature. Understanding these sign posts creates skilled readers. I am introducing the concept with short stories and novel excerpts, then having students find a signpost in their own reading. I'm super-excited about the far-reaching impact this will have on students as readers.

Check this out! Pictures from last Friday's Enrichment where students used chalk art to create scenes from the plot of their novel. The pictures are fantastic: thanks Mrs. Wallace. See them here: Enrichment Chalk Art Pictures

Reading is soooo important in this class. It's essential that students read at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. We will be starting literature circles after the upcoming week and they won't work if students don't put in the time to read. Most students are doing a fantastic job, but some are floundering. It's all about putting in the time. They also read most days in class, during FLEX time and reading space is available in my room or the library before or after school. I'll help students find good books, but I really need them to keep reading. 

I am truly loving my time with these students, they are bright, kind and try so hard. It's a delight being their teacher! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at rachel.robins@washk12.org or call 652-4742 before or after school hours. Thanks again for the ongoing support, have a great week!

Week #6

September 12-16

Monday, September 12th

Contrast/Contradictions--Again & Again Application Sheets Due

Notice & Note: AHA Moment

Practice Text: from Crash

Tuesday, September 13th

Library Day (reading/book business)

Remember to meet in the library

Wednesday, September 14th

iRead Book #4 Due

AHA Moment Application Sheet Due 

Notice & Note: Tough Questions

Practice Text: from Long Walk to Water

Free Reading/Book Business

Thursday, September 15th

Tough Questions Application Sheet Due

Notice & Note: Words of the Wiser

Practice Text: from Riding Freedom

Free Reading/Book Business

Friday, September 16th

Notice and Note: Memory Moment

Practice Text: from Hope was Here

Words of the Wiser Application Sheet Due 

Memory Moment Application Sheet Due

Yellow Packet Due (Plot Elements)

#truth

Week 5: September 6-9

What a great week it's been! We wrapped up Plot Elements with our first CFA (common formative assessment test). Students who got it the first time and were caught up on reading and Quizlet were able to participate in a FUN day of using chalk to draw scenes from their own plot cycles in the novel they are current reading. There was some pretty fabulous artwork going on--pictures coming soon! Students who didn't get it were able to participate in reteaching. I'm happy to report that the vast majority of students improved significantly on their test. Other students who passed the test the first time were able to go to homework hall to work on missing work. We were able to spend a day in the library and really work on application of plot elements. What a busy, but awesome, week! 

Next week we are teaching Notice and Note. This is a research-based system of close reading, meaning students are taught to recongize markers that are in all literature to aid understanding and analysis. I'll be teaching this in the context of short stories--it will be an engaging week. A big part of what I do is create good readers and Notice and Note is the first step.

Keep up the good work on reading! I'm thrilled to see how students are buckling down and working hard to keep on top of their reading. It's been fun to talk books with them. When students submit an online tracker form, I will mark "collected" in gradebook. They will receive a grade when I talk to them during our Free Reading time.

As always, I welcome the opportunity to discuss your student and their progress in my class. Please email me at rachel.robins@washk12.org or call the school, after school hours, at 652-4742. Enjoy the long weekend!

Week #5

September 6-September 9

Monday, September 5th

No School: Enjoy Labor Day!

Tuesday, September 6th

Free Reading/Book Business

Team Scorecard/Team Flags

Notice & Note: Contrast and Contradictions 

Reader's Notebook Notes

Begin Thank You Ma'am by Langston Hughes

Wednesday, September 7th

Free Reading/Book Business

Team Flags

Notice & Note: Contrast and Contradictions

Finish Thank You Ma'am
iRead Book #3 Due

Thursday, September 8th

Free Reading/Book Business

Team Flags (if needed)

Notice & Note: Again and Again

Reader's Notebook Notes

Girls by Gary Paulsen

Friday, September 9th

Free Reading/Book Business

Notice & Note: Again and Again

Eleven by Sandy Cisneros

Honors: Newspaper Day/Class Blog

Yellow Packet Due (Plot Elements & Notice and Note)