Week 20: January 5-9

Welcome back and Happy New Year!! 2015 will be a fabulous year and I'm excited to begin. My focus in January will be preparing students for the SAGE writing test in February. I have been very pleased as I graded the Superhero Argumentation Essays and I am seeing that students are understanding and mastering argumentation. During January, I will teach OREO and ACES paragraphs used in argumentation and explanatory writing. These paragraphs will add another layer of organization and practice as well as prepare students for middle school where these paragraphs are a part of their writing curriculum. Students will write 4 essays this month: 2 argumentative and 2 explanatory. I will be reinforcing organizational foldables which will be tools they can use in SAGE to help them write.

We will continue our daily 10 minutes of reading and students will finish books 6-10 by February. Each Friday will be reading day. Classes will vote on January 5th for a class novel to read. We will read this novel every Friday and practice reading strategies, reading comprehension and literature devices. I'm really looking forward to this more holistic way to teach reading and writing.

A note on FLEX time...I've been pulling students for FLEX for reading inventions. I'm putting this on hold temporarily. I'm noticing that many of these same students (and others) are struggling with specific components of essay writing. I'll focus my FLEX priority days through mid February on writing interventions.
I'll be doing a lot of formative assessments to pinpoint which students need which intervention, but please let me know if you think your students might benefit from these.

Thank you so much for the kind words, gifts and treats I received for Christmas. Your thoughtfulness meant the world to me. I so enjoy every day with these wonderful students--seriously--this is my favorite group of students in my career. They are the best!

Please email or call me with any questions/concerns: rachel.robins@washk12.org/(435) 652-4742. Thank you for your continued support!

Nation-in-the-News

present on Friday, January 9th

2nd period: Braden C., Baylee C., David C.

3rd period: Ellie F., Chanel H., Ryan H.

4th period: Joshua C., Baylee D., Brandon G.

5th period: Mckenna F., Laura G., Paola G.

6th period: Ryder D., Tanner D., John D.

Monday, January 5th

Book #6 Due this week

Christmas Reading Challenge Due

New Seating Chart

Essays Back (Pinpoint Strengths/Weaknesses)

Vote on Class Novel 

Tuesday, January 6th

Essay Reteaching (Line-ups, Red/Green/Yellow)

OREO Paragraph Notes 

Guided Practice

Wednesday, January 7th

Free Reading

Argumentative Essay Text Packets

Read and Organize Writing with Foldables

Thursday, January 8th

Free Reading 

Write Argumentative Essay (due today)

Friday, January 9th

Free Reading

Random Student

Nation-in-the-News

Class Novel

Week 19: December 15-19

I am writing this post on Friday, after benchmarks, and I am thrilled with how the students are progressing. Most students made significant gains which reflects their increased focus on reading, and I am SO proud of them! I'll be sending home certificates on Monday that will show their reading scores last trimester and this trimester so you can see how they are progressing. Way to go students!!

This week we will be finishing an argumentation essay on Superheros. Students have selected a pair of superheros (Batman/Ironman) or (Captain America/Thor) and will be making an argument, using Marvel text, as to why their particular superhero is superior. This is a fun way to practice the important skill of argumentative writing and excellent preparation for the SAGE. It's going to be a busy and fun week. Remind your student to have their green Essay Organizer completed for Monday.

A big thank you to students for writing in Christmas cards that were delivered to the Ivins Veterans home and Meals on Wheels. I feel that seniors are sometimes lost in the holiday shuffle. As I delivered the cards to them, I was met with such gratitude and wonder that a group of Lava Ridge students would remember them. All the credit goes to the students, so thank you!

Thank you for the ongoing support, I enjoy each day with these great students! Please email me at rachel.robins@washk12.org or call the school at 435-652-4742 with any questions. Thanks again and Merry Christmas!

No Nation-in-the-News this week...

Week 19 Schedule

Monday, December 15th

Free Reading *Book #5 due this week

Come Prepared with Your Green Essay Organizer Completed

Reading Certificates Sent Home

Mini-Lesson: In-Text Citation

Work on Superhero Essay

Tuesday, December 16th

Free Reading

Mini-Lesson: Elaboration (explaining) 

Work on Superhero Essay

Wednesday, December 17th

Library Day

Superhero Essay DUE

Thursday, December 18th

Free Reading

Christmas Reader's Theater

Friday, December 19th

Class Coco Party & End-of-Month Drawing

Christmas Break Reading Challenge

Assembly Bell Schedule (Fine Arts Showcase)

Merry Christmas wishes to each of you. May you have peace and happiness this upcoming year. Students: Thank you for making my life happier by being in my class!  School will resume January 5th. Read over the break and enjoy the time off!

Transition Re-Teaching

Welcome to Re-Teaching! If you scored below a 70%, I want you to gain some additional practice and re-take the test.

First, choose one of these sites to practice on...

Transition Lesson and Practice

Transitional Words and Phrases

Transition Game

Now you are read to re-take the quiz! Please see me for a copy of the quiz or download and print here...

Transitions Post Test

Week 18: December 8-12

What a great week! Students worked diligently over the past two days on an on-demand argumentative essay. This is the best kind of preparation for the SAGE, and for good writing in general. Students have learned 2 organizational foldables that will assist them in their writing. We will continue these types of 2-day writing exercises that will mimic end-of-level testing situations.
Honor Choir was absent today, so they will need to finish at home as will other students who did not finish in class. Here are some documents to help and they can always email me this weekend:

Miley Cyrus Rubric and Instruction for Handing-In

Foldable #1: Organizing the Evidence from the articles.

Foldable #2: Organizing the Essay

Remember to keep reading at home! Home reading is 30 mins. at least 5 days a week. Book #4 in the iRead program will be due this week. If I don't see students on schedule, I'll be calling home this week and figuring out what the disconnect is.

Next week will be a Superhero-based Argumentation project, it will be a fun, engaging work to practice argumentation. Additionally, we will be doing reading benchmark testing on Thursday, December 9th and Friday, December 10th. Please make sure your student is well-rested and prepared to test. I'm so proud of the hard work I see and the excellent attitudes the students have. It is certainly a pleasure to be their teacher.

Yoda has been giving us clues about next week's unit.

Book orders are due on December 10th either online or bring in a check or cash. The link to ordering is on the side of the blog. If you want me to wrap the books for you because they are a present for your student, I'd be happy to. Just let me know ahead of time.

Thank you for the ongoing support. I can be reached at rachel.robins@washk12.org or at 435-652-4742. Have a wonderful week!

A HUGE congrats to Luke B. and Hallie V. for reading 40 books in the iRead program and becoming the newest members of our 40 Club. Woot!!

Nation-in-the-News

to present Friday, December 12th

2nd: Emily B., Sophie C., Luke B.

3rd: Sage D., Monte E., Dylan E.

4th: David B., Kaden C., Joshua C.

5th: Keegan A., Christine C., Alexis C.

6th: Chris C., Mike C., Seth C. *Torrance

Week 18 Schedule

Monday, December 8th

Free Reading *Book #4 Due

Miley Cyrus Essay Due (if you didn't finish in class) 

Introduction to Super Hero Argumentation Unit

Vocabulary/Information Sheet

Tuesday, December 9th 

Free Reading

Essay Modeling

Wednesday, December 10th

Free Reading

Superhero Essay Organization

Book Orders Due Today

Thursday, December 11th

Reading Benchmark Testing in B-Lab

Friday, December 12th

Reading Benchmark Testing in B-Lab

Nation-in-the-News

Week 17: December 1-5

 I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends! I've had a great weekend and am excited to get back to school.

Monday is a short PLC day, so I am going to use the time in class to do a Service Learning opportunity. Students will be writing in Christmas cards that will go to Senior citizens in our community who tend to be overlooked during the holiday season. These cards will go to the Meals on Wheels program and to our local Ivins Veteran's Home. This will allow students to do some writing as well as make the holiday season a little brighter for people who are lonely.

On Tuesday, we will finish out our instruction and practice on transitions in preparation for the post-test on transitions on Wednesday following our library time. On Thursday and Friday, students will work on a 2-day on-demand argumentative essay through Scope magazine. This helps students build writing stamina as well as prep for SAGE in February.

Remind your student to keep reading at home! To stay on track, students need to be finishing a novel every week-week & a half. To keep them on pace, I will be checking reading progress each week. If students begin to fall behind, I can tell it's because they are not reading at home. At this point, I will email or call home to see what we can do to work together. I'm seeing marvelous progress with student reading ability because of this program. I'm confident our reading benchmark tests on December 11 and 12 will show marked progress.

As always, I am grateful for your ongoing support and communication. Please contact me with any questions at rachel.robins@washk12.org or at 435-652-4742. Thank you and have a fantastic week!

Nation-in-the-News

to present Friday, December 5th

2nd period: Matt V., Hallie V., Brinley S.

3rd period: Mackenzie W., Clint W., Aaron W.

4th period: Atreyu W, Dakoda W., Andy V.

5th period: Dax W., Elisabeth V., Frankie U.

6th period:  Sam Z., Torrance W., Max T.

Week 17 Schedule

Monday, December 1st

Service Learning: Christmas Cards (for Meals on Wheels recipients & the Ivins Veteran Home)
Short PLC Day: school dismissed at 11:45am

Due Today: Turkey Reading Sheet (optional), Book #3 in iRead program

Tuesday, December 2nd

 Free Reading
"Stoplight" Transition Notes
Transition Words Activity

Wednesday, December 3rd

Meet in Library (Library Day)
Take Novel Post Test: Transitions
*Students should do a Utah Expedition Question

Thursday, December 4th

 Free Reading
Scope Magazine Argumentative Essay: Miley Cyrus
Read Articles, Organization

Friday, December 5th

Nation-in-the-News

Random Student Spotlight
Write Argumentative Essay, Due in-class

Something to think about... 

Turkey Reading Challenge

I have issued a challenge to students: if they will read EVERY DAY over the Thanksgiving break, at least 30 mins. a day, and record it on a turkey chart, with a parent signature, and return it on MONDAY, December 1st: they will be pulled-out for a FLEX time next week to enjoy pumpkin pie with me!

This is optional but I'd love as many students as possible to do it. If they forgot their chart or didn't pick on up, here it is. Remember to follow the directions as described to qualify.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Reading!!!

Turkey Reading Challenge: Click Here to Print

Week 16: November 24 & 25

I'm so proud of students for their hard work this week as they finished their Personal Narratives. I'll have scores posted and papers back before Thanksgiving. We used Utah Compose (the new Utah Write) for the first time for the students to get a feel for computer-based writing and take some online writing tutorials. I have been so pleased with how the students have worked hard in and out of class. It's such a delight to teach children so eager to learn. I appreciate the continued support from home as well.

Looking ahead, to reward the students for their hard work this week, Monday will be a Reading Party for students in 3-6 periods. They can bring treats if they would like and we'll enjoy some great literature and see them achieve in the iRead program. Honors will be finishing-up our December Newspaper and celebrating the publication of our 3rd edition-woot! After the break, we'll spend a little more time on transition words, take the Narrative Post-Test (on transitions) and analyze SAGE essays. We'll move into a FUN unit on Argumentation (details will be reveled soon) and finish benchmarks before Christmas.

As always, I'm happy to hear from parents. Please reach me at rachel.robins@washk12.org or by phone, 435-652-4742. Enjoy Thanksgiving with your loved ones!

No Nation-in-the-News this week...

Monday, November 24

2nd period: Finish December Newspaper & Random Student (meet in B-Lab)
3-6 periods: Reading Party & Random Student 

*iRead Book #2 due

Tuesday, November 25

Annual Geck-a-Thon  

Thanksgiving Myth-Busting

I'll be handing out an optional Reading Challenge over the break to encourage home reading.

Thanksgiving Break!!

school resumes December 1st (PLC Day)