HW/Daily Activities

(This may change from day to day depending on how much we actually get done in class so check back often to make sure something wasn't changed at the last minute.)

Monday I will send another progress report home. This one is the one that shows students what they still need to make up. Students have until Friday, Oct 29, to make up any assignment they are missing or that needs to be redone (if needed, I will even accept some on Monday, Nov 1, but that is the latest I can take late work). If students do not improve their grades by the deadline, the grades they see on this Monday's progress report, Oct 25, will be what you will see on their first middle school report card so encourage your child to get their late work in if they are missing anything! Thank you.

Math

Monday - We took the entire period to correct ACE 2 & 3. Since ACE #5 is rather challenging and has multiple parts, I will wait until Thursday to correct it giving kids time to do it in chunks instead taking hours tonight to do it.
HW - ACE # 5, pages 50 and 51. It's a very difficult problem so, parents, don't panic if your child struggles with this one. Just have your child do his or her best and to ask questions if he or she cannot answer a part of number 5. We'll go over it in class.
Any and all late or missing work is due this week so that I can have grades ready by the end of next week for report cards.
Tuesday - We worked on problem 4.2 B.
HW - ACE #5.
Wednesday - We will finish the problem 4.2 follow-up and then work on the Investigation 4 reflection.
HW - ACE #5 and finish the Investigation 4 reflection if you didn't finish it in class.
Thursday - Correct the 4.2 follow-up, the reflection on p. 52.
HW - None unless you didn't finish ACE #5 or the Investigation 4 reflection.
Friday - Today we will finish anything the reflection on p. 52 and ACE #5.
HW - Any and all late and/or missing work is due today or at the latest by Monday, Nov 1st.

Science

Monday - Next week we will most likely begin our water quality testing. In order to do this well, I am going to move science down to 5th period and block science for a few days to finish. Then we will block Language Arts to continue working on our Cispus websites.
Today we will continue working on the lab safety and scientific method work sheets in preparation.
HW - Any and all late or missing work is due this week so that I can have grades ready by the end of next week for report cards.
Tuesday - Today we need to skip science to be able to work on our Day of the Dead essay (in order to be able to have our simulation by next Tuesday).
HW - None
Wednesday - We will skip science today so that we can work on our Day of the Dead essay and plan the celebration (see Social Studies).
HW - None
Thursday - We will continue taking notes (outlining) on Ch 12, sections 1 and 3. I will try to begin training students on their jobs (it took me the whole period, then lunch and some more time to get our handheld computers to hotsync and download the proper software!).
HW - None
Friday - We will continue taking notes (outlining) on Ch 12, sections 1 and 3. I will try to continue training students on their jobs (Today I finally got one of the palm tested with a voltimeter and it works! We looked at the graph it generated because it was just like what we are learning in math investigation 4.).
HW - Any and all late and/or missing work is due today or at the latest by Monday, Nov 1st.

Language Arts

Monday - We should begin Peer Editing today. Then students can begin their final draft.
HW - Finish the final draft was the plan, but again we could not proceed according to plan. Only 4 students had their first drafts ready and they got their 1st drafts read by a peer. The rest have to finish their first drafts tonight and have a parent or an older sibling proofread it. Students should be with their editor and should be able to answer questions or describe this task well. See the peer editing guidelines.
Any and all late or missing work is due this week so that I can have grades ready by the end of next week for report cards.
Tuesday - Today we will score the final drafts before students turn them in. We will score these short stories on the following traits from 6-trait writing: Ideas and Content and Word Choice.
HW - None
Wednesday - Early Release today so there will be no Language Arts.
HW - None
Thursday - Today we will score the final drafts before students turn them in (along with all the other drafts and the cover sheet - so it gets stapled with cover sheet on top, then the final draft, then first draft, then the prewrite/freewrite). We will score these short stories on the following traits from 6-trait writing: Ideas & Content, Organization and Word Choice.
HW - Well, so many students didn't have their final drafts done that they have to finish it for homework. Those who don't do their homework are slowing the rest of the class down.
Friday - Dreamweaver Lesson 1 (finish) and Lesson 2 (start). This was the plan, but we will, hopefully, finish scoring the Giver essays.
HW - Any and all late and/or missing work is due today or at the latest by Monday, Nov 1st.

Social Studies

Monday - Students will finish and turn in their Election 2004 issue summaries.
HW - Tonight, along with the updated progress report, I am sending home a día de los muertos letter home to parents explaining our upcoming simulation.
Any and all late or missing work is due this week so that I can have grades ready by the end of next week for report cards.
Tuesday - Today we will start our día de los muertos comparison to All Hallow's Eve with our first essay! We will begin with a prewrite activity using a blank outline form. Actually, this will happen during science because today at this time, 6th period, we will have our weekly Second Step lesson.
HW - Work on your rough draft at home if you did not finish in class (if you can).
Wednesday - Next Tuesday, Nov 2 (Election Day), we are planning to have a día de los muertos simulation to learn more about it. We will begin planning this week as we write our compare and contrast essays. Today, students will finish their rough draft, the outline from yesterday, and work on their first draft.
HW - Finish the first draft of your essay if you did not finish in class.
Thursday -Today we will peer edit the first drafts of the días de los muertos essay and begin the final drafts. Well, that was the plan but the majority of students are still researching their prewrite! Many did not even finish their prewrite!
HW - Finish your final draft if you did not finish in class or your first draft or your prewrite.
Friday - Today the final draft of the días de los muertos essay is due. All other drafts need to be included too. Students will score each other's essays first then I will read them. These will also be scored for Ideas & Content, Organization and Word Choice. (Kids need to staple packets with cover sheet on top, then the final draft, then first draft, then the prewrite/outline.)
That was the plan for today but we'll work on whatever step students are on. I planned to have students start working on the art and decorations for Tuesday's simulation this Monday but we might just have to work on scoring the essay final drafts!
HW - Any and all late and/or missing work is due today or at the latest by Monday, Nov 1st.