Monday, October 30, 2006

Week of 10/30/06

Greetings all you girls & guys in 634, 734, & 834. It is hard to believe November is fast approaching. Our genre studies are moving quickly as well. 634, you are halfway through Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia, and have begun your own Katherine Paterson books. 734, you have begun to mimic Gary Soto's writing style, and are enhancing your memory writing with descriptive details. 834, you have begun to find a common wisdom in three of Walter Dean Myers' works. It's been a while since I've heard from you. Please let me know what you think of your genre study.
Homework is as follows:
634: Read first half of Chapter 4 in your Katherine Paterson book. Make an entry in your SWBS chart.
734: Add details on post-its to your quick write in your Writer's Source Book. Correct and/or complete your Soto book test.
834: Write a paragraph explaining your choice of a WDM's wisdom.

Posted by Mrs. Varga at 9:28 PM 0 comments

Monday, October 23, 2006

Week of 10/23/06

Greetings all you girls and guys in 634, 734, & 834. We are nearing the end of our first marking period, and are well into our author studies. 634, you are just about halfway through with Bridge to Terabithia. You will begin to read your own Katherine Paterson books by the end of this week! 734, you are finishing your Gary Soto books this week. Be sure to mark your text with post-its to monitor for meaning. Bring your questions to class. A test is forthcoming. Same with you, class 834. You will be finishing your Walter Dean Myers books, and need to monitor for meaning on post-its as well. A test for you is forthcoming as well.
Homework is as follows:

10/25/06
634: Read Chapter 1 in your Katherine Paterson book. Make an entry in a new IRL for this book.
734: (We did not meet today. Keep on reading your Soto book -per pacing calendar.)
834: Keep on reading your WDM book - per pacing calendar. Make an entry in your IRL.
10/24/06
634: Read for 20+ minutes in your independent book. Make an entry in your IRL.Chunk the main events of your most recent chapter.
734: Write a dialogue you had with someone at home, using appropriate punctuation. Finish your descriptive neighborhood paragraph in your writer's Source Book. Read on in your Gary Soto book -per pacing calendar
834: Read your WDM book- per pacing calendar. Make an entry in your IRL.

Posted by Mrs. Varga at 9:58 PM 0 comments

Monday, October 16, 2006

Week of 10/16/06

Greetings, students of 634, 734 & 834. It is the middle of October already and the weather is becoming brisker. Our genre studies are coming along as well. 634, you are beginning your Katherine Paterson author study. You will begin to read, discuss and analyze her book Bridge to Terabithia. 734, you are well into your Gary Soto author study reading his books and poems, discovering common themes. 834, you are well into your Walter Dean Myers author study. You are gaining insight into his experiences and the wisdoms he wants to share with his readers. As always, I would love to hear your thoughts about our genre studies. Please click on 'comment' below and let me know your thoughts about your genre study. I promise to respond on this blog.

Homework is as follows:
10/19/06
634: Read for 20+ minutes. Make an entry in your IRL. Draw Terabithia on loose leaf.
734: Reread yesterday's chapter in your Soto book. Complete your Reading Role entry for that chapter in your Reader's Source Book. Complete Constructed Response Task.Revise and edit in your Writer's Source Book.
834: Read in your WDM book per pacing calendar. Make an entry in your IRL. Revise and edit your response in your Writer's Source Book.
10/17/06
634: Read for 20+ minutes. Make an entry in your IRL. On loose leaf paper, make a character inference for a character in your book and support it.
734: Read your Soto book per pacing calendar. Make an entry in your IRL. Do another 'quickwrite' on a memory in your Writer's Source Book.
834: Read your WDM book -per pacing calendar. Make an entry in your IRL. Finish marking text for "Ida B. Wells" (through page 63)
10/16/06
634: Read for 20+ minutes in your independent book. Make an entry in your IRL. On loose leaf, write two questions you have about the excerpt you read.
734: Read your Gary Soto book. (See pacing calendar.) Make an entry in your IRL. Be a sketcher on loose leaf.
834: Read your WDM book per pacing calendar. Make an entry in your IRL.

Posted by Mrs. Varga at 7:35 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Week of 10/9/06

Greetings students of 634, 734, & 834. We are approaching the end of the first marking period, and are working hard in our genre units. 634, you will be finishing your narrative accounts this week after multiple revisions. 734, you are now reading your Gary Soto books and are using the strategies we've been working on to help you better understand what you are reading. 834, you are well into your Walter Dean Myers books, applying the strategies we've been working on to help you better understand the story and the author's message. Please continue leaving comments on this blog. I do enjoy getting your input on our genre studies, and will respond on this blog.

Homework is as follows:
10/13/06
634: Read for 40+ minutes in your book. Make an entry in your IRL.
734: Read your Soto book -per pacing calendar. Make an entry in your IRL. Rewrite your The Widow's Broom comment neatly on index card.
834: Read your WDM book -per pacing calendar. Make an entry in your IRL. Rewrite The Widow's Broom comment neatly on index card.
10/12/06
634: Final draft of Narrative Account due. Prepare for "Authors' Chair."
734: Read Soto books per pacing calendar. Make an entry in your IRL; be a reverberator on loose leaf. Revise constructed reponse.
834: Read your WDM books per pacing calendar. Be a psychologist on loose leaf. Make an entry in IRL. Complete extended response in your Writer's Source Book.
10/11/06
634: Continue editing your narrative account. Read for 20+ minutes, and make an entry in your IRL.
734: Read the next chapter(s) in your Gary Soto book. (See pacing calendar.) Make an entry in your IRL for your Soto book. Be a philosopher on loose leaf.
834: See pacing calendar for tonight's reading in your WDM book. Make an entry in your IRL. Be a philosopher on loose leaf. Complete your extended response from today's classwork.
10/10/06
634: Rewrite Draft #6. Include Snapshot, Thoughtshot, Dialogue, Significance. Tell your story in the past OR present tense.
734: Read Chapter 1 in your Gary Soto book. Make an entry in your IRL.
834: Read on in your WDM book. Make an entry in your IRL. Be a psychologist and a reverberator for your WDM book on loose leaf.

Posted by Mrs. Varga at 1:08 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Week of 10/2/06

Greeting students of Class 634, 734, and 834. October is already here, and we are well into our genre studies. 634, you are learning to use the writing techniques we've noted in the stories we've read in class. Your own Narrative Accounts now include snapshots, thoughtshots, and dialogue. Some of you are even using similes and metaphors! 734, you are studying Gary Soto and are noting patterns in his works. (You are also forming "constructed responses" for the Soto pieces we've read, in preparation for January's ELA exam.) This week, you will all get your own Gary Soto book! 834, you are noticing Walter Dean Myers themes and patterns in the pieces we've read in class. (You are forming "constructed" as well as "extended" responses for the WDM pieces we've read in class, in preparation for January's ELA exam.) This week, you will be getting your own WDM books to read! Please keep posting your comments on this blog. I enjoy reading and responding to your thoughts, insights, and questions about our genre studies.
Homework is as follows:
10/06/06
634:Revise and rewrite your literary letter. Read for 40+ minutes in your independent book.
Make an entry in your IRL.
734: Read for 60+ minutes in your independent reading book. Fill in IRL. Be a reverberator on loose leaf.
834: Read 3+ chapters in your WDM book. Make an entry in your IRL for each chapter.
10/05/06
634: Write the significance of "Eleven" and "The Jacket" on loose leaf. Write the significance of your Narrative Account on loose leaf.
734: Read for 20+ minutes in your independent reading book. Make an entry in your IRL. Be a linecatcher on loose leaf for your book.
834: Read the next chapter(s) in your WDM book. Make an entry in your IRL. Edit & revise extended responses.
10/04/06
634: Read for 20+ minutes. Make an entry in your IRL. Finish your Reader's Source Book entry on The Widow's Broom.
734: Read for 20+ minutes. Make an entry in your IRL.
834: Read for 20+ minutes. Make an entry in your IRL. Be a philosopher on loose leaf.
10/3/06
634: Read in your independent reading book. Make a character inference and support it on loose leaf.
734: Read for 20+ minutes in your independent reading book. Make an entry in your IRL.
834: Read for 20+ minutes in your independent book. Be a psychologist for a character in your book. Make an entry in your IRL. If you haven't completed your Reading Role task in class for "Kitty and Mack" be sure to have it for tomorrow's lesson.

Posted by Mrs. Varga at 4:29 PM 0 comments