Week 25: Explanatory Essay Begins:)

It's been a fun week as we wrap up Parts of Speech/Capitalization and learn sentence types, all to move into essay writing:)

As I've told students, these are the building blocks to language. No matter what your career is, you should be able to articulate your thoughts in a way you can communicate clearly. 7th grade is truly the foundation for language arts through high school and into the real world. 

I'd love to see you at Parent/Teacher Conference on 

Thursday, February 6th from 3:00-6:30pm! 

Swing by and say hello. I'd love to discuss your child's reading level, grade/behavior and help make a plan for success throughout the remainder of the school year. 

At this point, attendance is critical. There is simply not enough time for me to reteach daily essay instruction to students who miss class. Please be here unless there is an illness or emergency. In that case, make arrangements to come before or after school for individual help.

Keep up the good reading. Students are starting to qualify for the iRead Club as they complete their bingo cards. You have until May to qualify, so keep reading!!! Remember you'll receive a t-shirt, candy bar and ticket into THE party of the year before school is out. Reading logs are due every Monday. As started prior, late logs receive a point deduction per day after Monday. You've know about this since August, please be on time.

Follow me at our private class IG @therealmrsrobins. I'm posting pictures, videos, etc. there for everyone to remember and refer to.

I so appreciate the students who are respectful and try hard. Thank you!!

...and practice we will!!

Monday, February 3rd
Short PLC Day
Week #24 Reading Log DUE!
Sentence Identification Test

Tuesday, February 4th
Class Novel Read Aloud Cactus II
Intro to Explanatory Essay: Cornell Notes
Process & Rubric Explained
Choose Articles

Wednesday, February 5th
Library Day 
Pass off Books

Thursday, February 6th
Class Novel Read Aloud Cactus II
Transition Notes and Activity
Parent Conference (3-6:30)

Friday, February 7th
Class Novel Read Aloud Cactus II
Read Article(s)
Complete a Essay Map
*to begin to organize information in articles

Students: Tell me you read this week's post for a Robins Reward!!

Sentences Gestures

*Videos are located on IG @therealmrsrobins. I cannot get them to post on the blog. If you forget, here are the words.

You will need to pass these off to me on Monday.

Simple Sentence: A simple sentence is one complete thought.

Compound Sentence: A compound sentence takes two independent clauses and joins them together with a comma and a FANBOYS conjunction OR a semi-colon.

Complex Sentence: A complex sentence takes one independent clause, one dependent clause and joins them together with a subordinating conjunction.

Week 24: CFA & Sentence Fun!

Another great week for the books! We'll complete the grammar unit this week with a CFA (common formative assessment) that all 7th graders take and use student's newly acquired grammar knowledge to tackle commas and sentence types. This will all lead into essay writing. These are good skills to have that should help students out for many years to come. 7th grade is foundational and I'm encouraging students to really try to learn something new and hang on to the notes in their Reader's Notebooks to guide them through middle school.

As always, students need to read at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week and record it on their reading log. This will go a long way to building solid reading skills that will benefit them throughout their entire lives!

Here is what is on the schedule for this week. As always, please contact me with questions. For your calendars, Spring SEP's will be held February 6th, 3-6pm. I'd love to meet with any of you about your awesome student! Thank you for the ongoing support.

Reminder of SCHOOL POLICY on earbuds, air pods, cellphones and hats...

Just a reminder because lately this has all been a problem across the school. 

Here is our school policy:

1.  Phones/headphones (including earbuds and air pods) are to be kept in backpacks in classrooms unless teacher gives permission.

2.  No headphones or phones in the hallway.

3.  Students can use phones and headphones at lunch (after done eating and cleaned up)

4.  Hats, beanies, hoodies hoods, etc. are not to be worn on the head at school.

As a teacher, I have been specifically instructed to ask students for their cell phones if they are NOT in backpacks. I take the phone (same goes for all headphone devices) to the office where the student will retrieve it at the end of the day. 

If you have your phone taken twice, a parent will be called to pick it up. 

Schools are for learning. This is good prep for the real world where you cannot be on phones when you are working. The distraction effect is real and causing student's academic ability and attention span to really suffer. Please, please, please help us.

Week 24

January 27-January 31

Monday, January 27

Week 23 Reading Log DUE

Class Jobs

Escape Room: Parts of Speech Review

Tuesday, January 28

CFA #3: Parts of Speech

Must pass at 80%, if not I'll hold a reteach and 

you can try again:)

Free Reading

Wednesday, January 29

Cactus II: Class Read Aloud

Simple & Compound Sentences

Notes and Practice

Thursday, January 30

Cactus II: Class Read Aloud

Complex Sentences

Notes and Practice

Friday, January 31

Cactus II: Class Read Aloud

Sentence Review and Quiz

STUDENTS: TELL ME ONE THING YOU'VE LEARNED FROM THE FOLLOWING INFOGRAPHIC FOR A ROBINS REWARD:)

Week 23: Wrapping up Parts of Speech

It's been another fun week of learning as we've covered parts of speech and have gone a little deeper than what we've done before. Grammar is already embedded in each student as they are fluent in English, but to understand the rules is definitely a higher concept idea and I've been greatly encouraged to see so many light bulbs go off as students are understanding things. We'll be applying this knowledge for our upcoming essay unit.

Remember to read at home, at least 30 minutes a day. Reading practice = improved reading skills:) Be sure to write it down on your reading log and hand the log in ON TIME for full credit.

Thanks so much for the ongoing support! Have a wonderful week.

Week 23:

January 20-January 24

Monday, January 20th
No School: Martin Luther King Day

Tuesday, January 21st
Class Jobs
Class Read Aloud: Insignificant Events II
Capitalization Notes and Practice
READING LOG DUE TODAY!!!

Wednesday, January 22nd
Library Day

Thursday, January 23rd
Class Read Aloud: Insignificant Events II
Conjunctions Notes and Practice

Friday, January 24th
Class Read Aloud: Insignificant Events II
Parts of Speech Quiz
Quiz-Quiz-Trade
Sentence Games

*STUDENTS: Tell me you read the blog for a Robins Reward.

Week 22: Parts of Speech

Stop! It's Grammar Time all January long:) We'll be covering parts of speech, prepositions, capitalization, conjunctions, as well as simple, compound and complex sentences. This is all in preparation for essay writing. It's essential that students learn and understand these foundational skills and I'm doing all I can to make it fun:)

Please read...30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week is the goal. Reading = increased reading ability.

Grammar instruction is very hands-on each day. Students will receive points for being in attendance each day, filling out notes and participating in the learning activity. Points may be deducted for disruptive behavior that stops the learning process. There will be a CFA (common formative assessment) as well as occasional quizzes along the way. If students miss a day, they must come in before class the next day OR during advisory (please ask me to request you) to get the notes and practice. Please take charge of your learning and don't get behind.

We are listening to Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus as our class read aloud novel. It's a fantastic sequel to the book we studied earlier this year. If students want to count it as a novel read, they need to miss no more than 3 days in the month of January. If they do miss more than 3 days, they cannot count the book unless they make up the reading they've missed.

I do love this group of students and am very thankful to be their teacher. As always, I'm available and willing to help you succeed! Please let me know how I can help.

Week 22:

January 6-January 10

Monday, January 13th
7th grade LA Department Reading Party
for students who read 4 books before midterm
READING LOG DUE TODAY!!!

Tuesday, January 14th
Class Jobs
Class Read Aloud: Insignificant Events II
Pronouns and Adjectives
Notes and Practice

Wednesday, January 15th
Class Read Aloud: Insignificant Events II
Verbs and Adverbs
Notes and Practice

Thursday, January 16th
Counseling Lesson for all students

Friday, January 17th
Class Read Aloud: Insignificant Events II
Interjections, Articles & Possessive Nouns
Notes and Practice

Week 21: Welcome 2020!!

Hello!

I hope you've all had a fantastic Christmas break with family/friends fun, good food and sleeping in:) Welcome to the second half of 7th grade. This is when we apply what we've learned and take things to an entirely new level!

Thank you for the thoughtful Christmas gifts, messages and cards. I was really moved by your kindness; it means so much! Wishing you all a Happy New Year and all the best to your families.

Happy reminder to start reading again:) You need to be reading at least a half hour, 5 days a week. The way to be a better reading, ironically, is to READ MORE! You've got this!

News Flash: Midterm has passed. According to the disclosure, you may not make up items prior to midterm since midterm has passed. However, if you have extenuating circumstances (illness, family situations, etc.) I'll make an exception. You need to talk to me about this ASAP. I'm available before and after school. Do not come and talk to me during advisory unless you've asked me to request you. I'm here to help you be successful: you've got this!!

Week 21:

January 6-January 10

Monday, January 6th
Class Jobs
Class Read Aloud: Insignificant Events II
Goal Setting I
New Reading Log: Due Monday, January 13th

Tuesday, January 7th
Goal Setting II
Class Read Aloud: Insignificant Events II
Goal Setting Sheets DUE 

Wednesday, January 8th
Library Day
Free Reading/Pass off Books
*You'll need to have 4 squares marked as 2.0 to get into
next week's Reading Celebration

Thursday, January 9th
Grammar Boot Camp: Nouns/Pronouns
Notes
Find in My Limb Difference Doesn't Define Me

Friday, January 10th 
Grammar Boot Camp: Adjectives/Verbs
Notes
Find in My Limb Difference Doesn't Define Me