Week #4: Notice & Note

Another great week in 7th grade Language Arts! We've done quite a bit of foundational work that we'll continue to refer to throughout the year. We also learned about Multiple Intelligence and HOW students are smart--ask them about it!

Just to clear up some details about the iRead Reading Program:

• Please make sure students are reading at home 30 mins a day at least 5 days a week. If they struggle with reading, please let me give them interesting, shorter books so they don't get discouraged. Special accommodations can be made for students on an IEP, just talk to me:)
• There is a book due every other week and a reading response due every week. This helps me monitor what they are reading. 
• The weekly Reading Responses will be posted on Google Classroom every Monday and are due each Friday. They can do them anytime during the week. We will have 10 mins. of reading most days in class where they can work on them, or work on them during our 1/2 hr. advisory OR work on them at home.
• To qualify for the iRead Midterm Party, students need to have read the equivalency of 6 books.
• To qualify for the iRead Club with a full bingo card students need to read an average of a book a week.
• Regardless of how quickly a student reaches reading requirements, 6 books are due every trimester.
• I'm worried about students whizzing through the program. I know we have some advanced readers, but I need to make sure they are comprehending. I might give the occasional comprehension test or conference. If they can't show understanding, I will ask them to re-read. 
• Exciting upcoming dates: 
• September 18th: Chili's Give Back Event to benefit our iRead program. If you mention our iRead program and eat at Chili's anytime during the day, they'll donate a portion to our program. I'll be sending home a flyer with details.
• September 21st: iRead Midterm Party Gecko Day-students who have read the equivalent of 6 books will leave class and join us for a fun celebration.  

You'll see we are learning Notice and Note. This a researched based approach to close reading. It teaches students to critically think about what they read. They learn to look for certain markers and analyze what they mean, which increases their comprehension. It's super helpful and fun to teach. We'll do it in the context of short stories then launch into our first novel!

This group of students continues to delight! Thanks for having (and being, if you're a student) such amazing kids:) As always, I'm your partner in your child's education, so please email or call if you need to visit with me. Have a terrific week!

Week #4 Schedule 

September 3rd-September 7th

Monday, September 3rd
Labor Day: No School

Tuesday, September 4th
Free Reading
Quick Write
Genre-of-the-Week: Realistic Fiction
Introduce Notice and Note
Tough Questions/Words of the Wiser
Excerpts from A Long Walk to Water & Riding Freedom

Wednesday, September 5th
Free Reading
Quick Write
Contrast & Contradictions I
Thank You Ma'am

Thursday, September 6th
Free Reading
Quick Write: Student Spotlight
Contrast & Contradictions II
Honors: Newspaper Day!

Friday, September 7th
Free Reading
Reading Response #3 DUE: Flipgrid
Book Check #2 DUE
Notice & Note: Again and Again
Excerpt from Hatchet
Students: Code Phrase is Robins Rewards.

Fun times on our QR Code Scavenger Hunt as we identified text structures!