Week #17: Welcome December

Hope everyone enjoyed a fantastic Thanksgiving break! It's nice to have a few days off and enjoy family and friends. I have the opportunity to attend the National Council of Teachers of English Conference last week in Atlanta. I have returned with a lot of excitement and fantastic ideas to become a better teacher and create a dynamic and meaningful education experience for my students! Watch for some cool things to happen in class:)

Remember to keep reading, I was thrilled to see such growth in reading benchmarks. The only way to improve reading, is doing more reading! Students have done a remarkable job. I've made each student a certificate showing their 1st and 2nd trimester reading scores. They will bring these home and talk more about it to you. Remember that each student is expected to read at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.

I'm happy to meet with you about your student or offer additional support during FLEX, before or after school. Please contact me at rachel.robins@washk12.org or 435-652-4742 (after school hours). Have a great week!

Week 17

November 28-December 2, 2016

Monday, November 28th

Genre-of-the-Week: Historical Fiction
Reading Rewards 

Free Reading

Wednesday Wars

Tuesday, November 29th

Free Reading

Notice & Note: Quoted Words

Paired Text/Practice 

Wednesday, November 30th

Free Reading 

Wednesday Wars

Honors: Newspaper Day (finish December paper)

Thursday, December 1st 

Free Reading

Wednesday Wars

Friday, December 2nd

Free Reading

Wednesday Wars

Constructed Response: Writing Based on Object 

Interesting information about the power of reading and how it helps children:)

Week #16: Thanksgiving Week

It's that time of year to give thanks, and I find myself very thankful for these remarkable students. I know a lot of them have some big challenges, but they try so hard and always do their best. I am so grateful for a job that allows me to really make an impact and have fun with these bright teens. I appreciate the support from so many parents too.

This will be a short week, packed with fun things. Just a reminder than when we get back, 2 iRead books are due. If you are behind, we'll be looking at lunch reading to provide you with more time to finish your books. Hopefully, students are getting in their 30 mins. a day, at least 5 days a week.

Enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. Please let me know if you have any questions about your student (rachel.robins@washk12.org). Thank you!

Monday, November 21st

Free Reading

Wednesday Wars: Chapter-In-A-Day!

Reading Benchmark Awards
Turkey Reading Challenge

Tuesday, November 22nd

Geck-A-Thon Viewing 

Finish Team Flags

Free Reading/Pass off Books

No library this week, you will be able to check out or renew books

School will resume on Monday, November 28th...see you then!

Practicing Shakespeare Insults on each other as part of studying Wednesday Wars

Enjoying Wednesday Wars: so fun to read this book with students!

Week #15: Wednesday Wars Novel Study

I'm excited as we have dove into one of my all-time favorite novels: Wednesday Wars. We will be practicing writing explanatory paragraphs and working with paired informational text as we learn how to close read non-fiction. Plus, there is a lot of just fun stuff to add into the novel. It will be a great experience. Yes, this book does count as an iRead book.

Speaking of reading, please make sure your student is reading at least 30 mins., 5 days a week. Repeated reading practice will help students be successful and grow their skills. Here are the 2nd Trimester Due Dates: CLICK HERE. As always, I'm your partner in your child's education. Please email me at rachel.robins@washk12.org with any questions. Have a fantastic week!

Week #15

November 14-18

Monday, November 14th

Reading Benchmark

Free Reading

Wednesday Wars

Book #1 DUE

Tuesday, November 15th

Free Reading

Wednesday Wars

Continue to fill out Character Chart

Wednesday, November 16th

Free Reading

Wednesday Wars
Continue to fill out Character Chart

Thursday, November 17th

Free Reading
Nonfiction Notice and Note (Numbers and Stats)
Wednesday Wars

Friday, November 18th

Writing Benchmark

Free Reading

Cool article on the benefits of reading, for adults and students alike!

Why Reading IS Good for Your Health

Shots from 11-11 Veteran's Day!

Week 14: Welcome 2nd Trimester!

First trimester is over!  I think students learned some valuable lessons about how to succeed in class and I am expecting great things next trimester. Just a reminder that attendance is crucial, the days of worksheets are over and when a student misses a day, they miss instruction and activities that make it difficult to duplicate. I know illnesses, etc. happen, but please encourage your student to be on time and attend class as much as possible.

We are beginning a new unit with a class novel, Wednesday Wars, which is a delightful book about the middle-school experience set in the 1960's. I think the students will really enjoy this one. It will count as an iRead book. Within the novel, we will be learning and practicing explanatory and argumentative paragraphs. I'm excited to see students grow as writers and enjoy the many fun experiences embedded in this novel.

Thank you for the ongoing support! I love this group of students and enjoy each day with them. Please contact me at rachel.robins@washk12.org or call after school hours at 435-652-4742. Enjoy your weekend!

Week #14

November 7th-November 11th

Monday, November 7th

Gecko Day! CFA #2 ACES Paragraph

Reteach, Enrichment, Reading Room

Tuesday, November 1st

New Seating (1st Tri Table Winners Announced)

Free Reading

Wednesday Wars Introduction

(our next class novel)

QR Code Web Quest

Wednesday, November 2nd

Library Day!

Thursday, November 3rd

Free Reading

Wednesday Wars
Honors: Newspaper Day

Friday, November 4th

Free Reading 

Constructed Response: ACES Paragraph

Wednesday Wars

Book #1 DUE

Wednesday War Plot Summary

Week 13: Halloween and ACES and End-of-Trimester: Oh My!

Another fantastic week in Language Arts! How I love watching these students grow, learn and develop. I appreciate those students who have been working so very hard to get all caught-up in preparation for the end-of-the trimester. I am proud of the students who are experiencing joy because it's finally clicking! I've seen a lot of "A-Ha" moments this week and it's pretty great. This year has just been really enjoyable, so thanks to all of you students and parents.

Quick note on Halloween: Yes, dress-up if you'd like to! We are asking that costumes are school-appropriate (nothing that violates dress code, is violent/gruesome, no excessive make-up, no masks, and NO eye-altering costume contacts). It's a fun day for everyone & I love celebrating in my classroom, LA style:) 

The end of the trimester is upon us. Please see the schedule and deadlines below. In preparation for essays, we will be learning ACES paragraphs that will eventually morph into the anchoring body paragraphs of essays. There are tricks to writing well and I'm excited to simplify the process for students and give them lifelong skills.

Thanks for a great first trimester, let's finish strong and work hard! Please contact me at rachel.robins@washk12.org with any questions. 

Week #13

October 31-November 4

Monday, October 31st

Halloween!

Spooky Writing & The Raven (pop-culture version, original text)

Honors: October Writing Contest and Blog DUE

Tuesday, November 1st

Free Reading

Introduction of ACES Paragraphs:

Notes, Modeling, Sort

Wednesday, November 2nd

Last Day to Hand In Late Work

Book #10 DUE

Free Reading

Lesson/Practice on Citation with Scope Magazine

Thursday, November 3rd

Free Reading

Partner-up ACES Paragraph

Friday, November 4th

Trimester Ends!

Honors: Books 11 & 12 DUE
CFA #2: ACES Paragraphs

Links for October 26, 2016

CLICK HERE TO SIGN-UP FOR GECKO DAY!

Sentence Game (Great Practice)

Language Arts Quizlet Links

• Today the focus is to catch-up on missing work, it's my gift to you:) You may also read, do book tracking or study for the test.
• If you are missing work, you need to make a packet of missing work and bring it to me.

Week #12: Sentences/Vocab Test and ACES Introduction

What a great week as students wrapped up Literature Circles by creating cool Notice and Note Maps and an ABC Plot Book. Watch for pictures! I'm so proud of their hard work and team effort. I love teaching these students!

Next week will start with a visit to the library on our short PLC day, followed by a test on sentences and vocabulary. Before students learn ACES paragraphs, which will lead to our next CFA, they need to master sentence types. We've had a lot of fun with these and I'm excited for a fun review before the test. ACES paragraphs coming up, which are the foundation of informational essay writing. I love teaching writing and I work hard to make it fun and easy-to-understand for students.

Our first Gold Gecko Day will be October 28th. This is an epic event where all students who have ALL of their work in and ALL passing grades (No NP's or U's) will spend the last hour of the day choosing a fun activity to do. Other students will be in classrooms doing their missing work to prep for the end of the trimester. Please encourage your student to get their work in on time--I'd love for all of them to enjoy this fun day!

I'm happy to touch-base or discuss anything with you concerning their grades and performance/behavior in the class. I'm your partner in their success! Please email me at rachel.robins@washk12.org/652-4742.

Week #12

October 24th-October 28th

Monday, October 24th

PLC Short Day (school dismissed at 11:45am)

Library Day

Tuesday, October 25th

Free Reading

Review for test (sentences & vocabulary)

Wednesday, October 26th

Sentences/Vocabulary Test

Free Reading

Catch-up on Missing Work

Deadline to quality for Gold Gecko Day 

(NO missing work, NO NP's, No U's)

Thursday, October 27th

Free Reading

Book #9 Due

ACES Introduction/Notes

Friday, October 28th

GECKO DAY!

Enrichment/Reteach or Homework Hall

GOLD GECKO DAY (after 6th period)

Book Order Due