Month: April 2020

Good morning 7th graders,

Welcome to Thursday! The sun is coming out and the weekend approaches – that’s some excellent news to start the day. If that’s not enough, perhaps you’d enjoy learning about Clara Rockmore and how to play the theremin?

But, before you run off to start practicing “Good Vibrations” or the theme from “Star Trek” (both of which famously feature theremins), you’ve got four items for your Literature / LA To Do list:

• • • • Study 💤 HYPNOS (3 – 5 minutes)
      • Daily reading (20 – 35 minutes)
      • Daily journal (5 – 15 minutes)
      • Tangerine reading and discussion questions (20 – 30 minutes)

Let’s do this!

1. Study 💤 HYPNOS (3 – 5 minutes)
   • Use your favorite (and most effective) study method
   • …and make sure to stay awake!
2. Daily reading (20 – 35 minutes)
   • Free read for 15 – 30 minutes and then complete your daily reading entry
   • Pay attention to any comments I have made on your work
   • Vary the type of evidence you use every day – if you use a summary on Monday, you can’t use a summary again until the next week.
3. Daily journal (5 – 15 minutes)
   • Write on your own prompt, or use the one below.
   • Prompt: If you had to be an animal, other human, what would you be and why?
4. Tangerine reading and discussion questions (20 – 30 minutes)
   • Follow the reading schedule
   • Your Part 3 questions are due a week from today (May 7th)
   • Contact me if you have questions

That’s everything for today! I highly encourage you to take a walk, look at nature around you, roll down a grassy hill, or maybe try a cartwheel or two. I’m here if you need me, so please reach out and ask for help!

Good morning 8th graders,

We are finishing up monologue performances and it has been wonderful to see your work! You have two items (and one explanation) for your Literature To Do list:

• Daily Reading (20 – 35 minutes)
• Monologue performance (according to schedule)

Let’s jump in!

1. Daily Reading (20 – 35 minutes)
   • Now that we have moved to the block schedule, you have two options for how you want to read and record your entries
     • Option 1: Read every other day for 30 minutes and record entries on those days (3 days)
     • Option 2: Read every day for 15 minutes and record entries for those days (5 days)
   • The choice is up to you and you can choose different options on different weeks!
   • I reviewed reading logs for 8th grade Tuesday, 4/28, and entered the points you earned in PowerSchool
   • Contact me with questions!
2. Monologue performance (according to schedule)
   • Wednesday is Thomas and Thursday is Mansfield – you will receive a scheduled meeting reminder on the day of your performance
   • REMINDER: Wait until I invite you into video chat.
     • We fell way behind schedule on Tuesday because students jumped into the chat and interrupted classmates performances.
     • If you have questions, please email me, or type your question in the chat section of the video.

That’s everything for today. As always, contact me with questions, concerns, or awesome game ideas!

Sunny morning 7th graders,

It’s Wednesday – the middle of the week, roots day, and, according to some speedy research, Odin’s day (Wodinsday…Wednesday – it makes some sense)!

You have four items for your Literature To Do list today:

• 🌊AQUA Quiz 🌊 (5 – 10 minutes)
• Notes on new 🥱😴💤 (and last) root (10 – 15 minutes)
• Tangerine /Reading log (20 – 35 minutes)
• Daily Journal (5 – 15 minutes)

And so we begin…

1. 🌊AQUA Quiz 🌊 (5 – 10 minutes)
   • The quiz is posted on Teams
   • Follow the directions and, if you want to draw, send me a picture of your answer for the challenge question!
2. Notes on new 🥱😴💤 (and last) root (10 – 15 minutes)
   • Your new root is…(did anyone get it from the emoji clues?)… Hypnos!
   • The PowerPoint is in the Files section of our Team and you can download another copy here
   • I will do an online presentation shortly and the video will post on our Team
   • Next week we will start prepping for our end of year roots assessment!
3. Tangerine /Reading log (20 – 35 minutes)
   • Follow your posted reading schedule and contact me if you have questions
   • Your Part 3 Questions are due on May 7th
4. Daily Journal (5 – 15 minutes)
   • Choose your own prompt or use the one below
   • Prompt: If you could talk to an essential worker (this is a very long list which goes well beyond the medical field) right now, what would you say to them? Do you have questions? Is there something you want to express? Take a moment to think about it and record your thoughts.

That’s it for today. As always, contact me if you need any help! If you’re like Thor and you’re without a phone, you could always send a raven…

Good morning 7th graders,

How are you this fine Tuesday? Maybe you feel a little like the weather – bits of sunshine working to peek through the clouds. Or maybe you feel more like this episode of Some Good News – full of flavors, feelings, and, at times, tears. Perhaps you feel most like one of these puppies (it’s a live stream, so I have no idea what they will be doing when you view this…much like I have no idea what each day will bring when you enter the classroom🤪🥳🤔).

Or, you might just feel like yourself, which is pretty great, if you ask me, your teacher who loves you and, as a result, might be considered slightly biased but whose opinion is no less valuable. However you feel, you’re here and I’m happy to (virtually) see you!

Today you have four items for your Literature / ELA To Do list:

• • • Daily journal entry (5 – 15 minutes)
    • Daily Reading (20 – 35 minutes)
    • Tangerine reading and discussion questions (15 – 20 minutes)
    • Study for AQUA quiz on Wednesday AKA tomorrow (3 – 5 minutes)

1. Daily Journal entry (5 -15 minutes)
   • Write on your own prompt or use the one below!
   • Prompt: Think about the last line of our mission statement “courage to act for the common good” – what are you doing at home to contribute to the common good?
     • This could be the common good of your home – washing dishes, playing with siblings, weeding in the garden, caring for a pet, making meals, writing/drawing thank you cards for family members, doing what you’re asked to do the first time
     • Could be the common good of the wider community – making masks, running a food drive, making inspirational posters, creating a fun display in your window, having a outdoor concert to cheer up neighbors, sitting on your lawn and greeting people from afar, drawing chalk art, and so much more
     • What are you doing? How do you feel when you do it? What else could you do to positively impact the common good?
2. Daily Reading (20 – 35 minutes)
   • I reviewed your reading logs yesterday and have entered the points you earned in PowerSchool. If you update your reading logs to receive additional credit, you need to email me to let me know you’ve made changes.
   • Read for 15 – 30 minutes from your free reading material, reflect for five minutes, then fill out your reading log, paying special attention to the evidence column.
   • Contact me if you have questions!
3. Tangerine reading and discussion questions (15 – 20 minutes)
   • According to the schedule you are reading the entries from Nov. 20 – Nov. 30 right now
   • Your Part 3 questions are due Thursday, May 7th (nine days from now)
   • Please contact me with any questions about the text or your assignments
4. Study for AQUA quiz on Wednesday (3-5 minutes)
   • Pop quiz!
   • What are these?
     • • 
   • What word is this picture? (Bonus points for identifying where it is in the diagram)
     • • 
   • Can you come up with your own picture quiz?

And, that’s everything for today! Contact me with questions – or strong Connect 4 strategies. Or, if you just want to say “Hi!”

Good morning 8th graders,

Happy Monday/Tuesday! We are near the end of our Drama unit and many of you will be presenting in the coming days. Have fun and break a leg!

You have one, possibly two, item(s) for your Literature To Do list:

• • • Daily reading and update of reading log (25 – 35 minutes)
    • Monologue performance (according to schedule)

Let’s get started!

1. Daily reading and update of reading log (25 – 35 minutes)
   • Update your reading log so it has rows and dates from now until May 29th (34 rows, including weekends)
   • After updating your log, read for 15 – 30 minutes from your free reading material, reflect for five minutes, then fill out your reading log, paying special attention to the evidence column
2. Monologue performance (according to schedule)
   • Please be online, ready to present, at your scheduled slot
   • I will invite you into the meeting when the person before you finishes, so please wait to be invited in
   • Make sure you and your camera are set up however you want to perform (standing, sitting, close-up, far away, showing a particular perspective of you, whatever you choose)

I will send out a reminder email/invitation for monologue performances each day this week. The grading expectations and schedule will be included in the message as a reminder.

Contact me with any questions and have a great day!

Good morning 7th graders,

Happy Monday!

We are continuing to read Tangerine and work on our roots. You have four items for your Literature / ELA To Do list today:

• • • Favorite journal entry from week 5 (5 minutes)
    • Daily Reading (20 – 35 minutes)
    • Tangerine reading and discussion questions (15 – 20 minutes)
    • Study for AQUA quiz on Wednesday (3-5 minutes)

1. Favorite journal entry from week 5 (5 minutes)
   • Choose your favorite (the one you most want to share) journal entry and submit it to the Teams assignment “Favorite Journal Entry of Week 5”
   • Make sure to include the original entry (the words you wrote, in response to the prompt or otherwise) AND the reason why it’s your favorite / you want to share it
2. Daily Reading (20 – 35 minutes)
   • If you have not already, update your reading log so it has rows and dates from now until June 5th (40 rows, including weekends)
   • After updating your log, read for 15 – 30 minutes from your free reading material, reflect for five minutes, then fill out your reading log, paying special attention to the evidence column
3. Tangerine reading and discussion questions (15 – 20 minutes)
   • According to the schedule you are reading the entries from Nov. 20 – Nov. 30 right now
   • Your Part 3 questions are due Thursday, May 7th (a week from this Thursday)
   • Please contact me with any questions about the text or your assignments
4. Study for AQUA quiz on Wednesday (3-5 minutes)
   • Remember to review your words for this week – try creating your own quiz, practicing with a friend, or inventing a new roots study game.
   • Whatever you do, have fun and help each other out!

And, that’s everything for today!

Hi 7th graders,

Welcome to Thursday – today is a Gold Day! That means you are focusing on Technology, 5th, 6th, and 7th period classes. There is also an all school mass at 9:30am – you can join in via the Parish Facebook page.

You have done a great job adjusting to our block schedule and I hope you’re starting to feel the benefits. I have spoken with the other middle school teachers, and everyone who held an online class said how much they loved seeing you and hearing your voices. Thank you for being yourselves and reminding us of why we love teaching!

Okay, gushing finished – commence Literature / ELA To Do list (there are three items):

• • • • Turn in your Tangerine Part 2 Discussion Questions (2 minutes)
      • Daily reading (20 – 30 minutes)
      • Daily journal (5 – 15 minutes)

Here we go!

1. Turn in your Tangerine Part 2 Discussion Questions (5 – 10 minutes)
   • Before turning in your work, you must review your responses to the Part 2 questions and make sure:
     • Your sentences are complete
     • You are using text evidence (quotes) to support your response
   • After reviewing your work, submit your responses in the Assignment section of our Team – “Tangerine Part 2 Discussion Question Responses”
2. Daily reading (20 – 30 minutes)
   • Make sure to update your reading log entries – I will be checking shortly.
   • Vary your evidence and make sure that column is completed thoughtfully. Here are some ideas:
     • Short summary – One- to two-sentences about the most important elements you read that day
     • Brief character profile – bullet point description of who/what they are, any important characteristics, and how they connect to the story / plot / topic
     • Quote and explanation – share a quote from your reading that stuck with you and explain why you like it / why it’s important to the story / plot / topic
     • Prediction – make a prediction about what will happen next and why you think that
     • Evaluation – share your opinion about what you read and give an example or two from the text to support your opinion
     • Question – ask a question that came up while you were reading and explain what sparked it / why you are wondering about that
     • Sketch – draw a setting or object important to the plot and explain how it connects to the story / plot / topic
3. Daily journal (5 – 15 minutes)
   • You can choose to use this prompt or create your own!
   • Prompt: Remember your plant from week one? Visit it and describe how it, and the area around it, has changed. Is there new growth? Have any worms or beetles moved in nearby? How has the rain affected your plant? What has sprung up on or around your plant?

That’s our work for the day. Remember – you are capable students who have demonstrated great strength and resilience. You can do this! Also, we are here to help, so reach out if you have any questions or need some help 😁.

Good morning 8th graders,

We’re starting monologue performances today (for Thomas) and tomorrow (for Mansfield), so, break a leg!

If you have not turned your written work in to Teams yet, please do so today. Some of you have successfully submitted your work with all three pieces attached while others are struggling with this. If you haven’t already, please reach out and ask for help, from your peers and me, before giving up on Teams and sending multiple emails with different attachments. My inbox can be a mixed up place when everyone emails their work and I don’t want any of your efforts to be lost!

If you have any questions, please contact me. Otherwise, enjoy the rain and I’ll see you Teams soon!

Hello 7th graders,

It’s Wednesday, which means two things – you’ve made it halfway through the week AND we’re going to learn a new root! Double huzzah!

Today is a Purple Day – focus on your 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th period classes. If you have been invited to an online class, make sure you arrive on time and ready to engage. If you have any questions about the block schedule, or anything else, please contact us!

And, now, for today’s Literature/ELA To Do list – you have three items:

• • • • Root notes / presentation (10 – 20 minutes)
      • Daily reading / Tangerine discussion questions (20 – 30 minutes)
      • Daily journal (5 – 10 minutes)

And, we’re off!

1. 💧Root notes / presentation💧 (10 – 20 minutes)
   • No, the emojis above are not a mistake!
   • You can find a copy of the new presentation (Aqua) here and in the Files section of our 7th grade LIT/ELA Team (Files→Roots Presentations→27 Aqua PPT)
   • You can also watch the roots presentation on the Teams page later today
     • This is optional!
     • I will record the presentation and post it for review after.
   • After you put the roots in your notebook, create your notecard study guide.
2. Daily reading / Tangerine discussion questions (20 – 30 minutes)
   • Focus on whichever area needs more work – Tangerine or free reading
   • Tangerine Part 2 questions are due Thursday, April 23rd (sorry for the confusion yesterday!)
   • If you chose to work on Tangerine instead of free reading, you need to send me an email to let me know you are behind and need some help!
3. Daily journal (5 – 10 minutes)
   • You can use the prompt below or choose to write/draw on a topic of your choice.
   • Prompt: Look out a window and then answer these questions with the first four words that come to mind – what do you see and how do you feel? Think about why those words came to the top of your mind and then do your best to explain it to your journal.

That’s everything for today. Please contact me with any questions, and enjoy the rain!