Checking-In :)

We are coming to the end of our first unit on the Elements of Fiction. This week kids are preparing for their test which will span Thursday and Friday. Here are some specifics:

SL: Students will be tested on the story "God Sees The Truth But Waits" by Leo Tolstoy. 
       They will then take a test which will cover all elements of fiction in the story. They have read the story this week and have already had time to practice identifying the elements. Part of their test will be writing a theme paragraph, which we have also practiced this week in class.

HL: Students will be tested on the story "The Garden Party" by Katherine Mansfield.
       Students are filling out a literary elements chart in class this week, after they read the story. This will be part of their test, and can be worked on at home. It will be due Thursday. Thursday and Friday during class they will be going to the lab to write an essay for the final portion of their test. This essay will ask that they compare an element in two stories, one of which will be "The Garden Party".


Home Work:
HL: Vocab 19 is due 10/16, quiz on 10/17
        Vocab 20 is due 10/ 23, quiz on 10/ 26

Moving....

SLP now has a Google domain, and I am hoping to streamline some of my life by moving this blog over to that address... you can reach the new blog by clicking here.

I'll see you over there!!

First Non-Fiction Assignment

We have begun to work on non-fiction in class. This is one of our most important units, and I look forward to seeing the kids improve as we go through it.

The terms we will begin with are:

Fact
Opinion
Bias
Tone
Inference
Main Idea

Their first assignment involves watching a video and then answering some questions about it. The assignment can be found here.

Poetry Assignments

This week the kids are working on a few different assignments for their poetry unit:

* Critical Response to either "The Tiger", "The Poison Tree", or "Two Roads Diverged...". This is due Thursday, 2/16.

* Re-write of "Two Roads Diverged in a Wood". This is due Friday, 2/17.

* Poetry Dissection Project. This is due Tuesday, 2/21.

Vocabulary was due Tuesday 2/14, but will be given full credit through Wednesday 2/15.

The vocab quiz is on Friday.

Some theater info...

Please check out the theater blog at http://slpjhtheater.blogspot.com/

Attention all Junior Thespians:

Can you act, sing, dance, and dribble a basketball?

If you answered yes to one or all parts of this question, then you should consider trying out for St. Louis Park Junior High’s Spring 2012 performance of High School Musical!

Tryout Information

When: Monday, February 13th or Tuesday, February 14th
From: 2:30 - 4:30

Where: Choir Room

What to do:
1. Sign up in a group of 4-5 on the sheet outside the choir room.
2. Bring a song, any song, to sing.
3. Plan to stay until 4:30

Any questions: Please see Ms. Zumberge in Room 104

Poetry!

Check out this website. It's called "The Favorite Poem Project" and it has lots of people (famous and not) reading their favorite poem and talking about why they love it.
http://www.favoritepoem.org/videos.html

Here is the link to the prezi that explains alliteration, metaphors, similes, and personification.
http://prezi.com/iq4a74q8ht73/alliterationsimilemetaphorpersonification/

Here is the link to the prezi on figurative language, imagery, symbols, onomatopeia, and allusion.
http://prezi.com/ktgauc7zeb8z/figurative-language-imagery-allusion-symbols-onomatopoeia/?auth_key=be43c172978f0efe2a6893d507a31ad2b7a034cd

Here is the link to the prezi on theme and mood.
http://prezi.com/gsim4ks0bejm/theme-and-mood/?auth_key=443b106bb97c125ea537e62bbfd05946e6b8bd08

Here is a link to Metered Poetry. It's important you've got a good grasp on this.
http://www.types-of-poetry.org.uk/73-meter-literary-term.htm

Here is a link that explains Free Verse Poems. Although not our focus in 7th grade, it's still worth checking out.
http://www.types-of-poetry.org.uk/24-free-verse.htm

Here is a link to a google presentation on how/why we analyze poetry
https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0Ae3kFfHw6N7DZGY1bXBxOThfNWdocTVwa2Q4

Come tell me what's new on the blog :)

End of 2nd Quarter

I always hope that I will be able to keep this more updated... and then actual teaching happens and it slips down the list. Sorry for that!

Here is a brief review of where we are these days:

In quarter 2 we focused on short stories. We read several and took a test on the elements present in short fiction. Next, students worked on writing their own stories. The stories needed to take place in 60 seconds and were based off some pictures I hung in the room. We did planning for these stories and they were checked along the way to be sure they were keeping up with the time-line. For this unit I also implemented some new practices that I learned about during my trip to Indianapolis in November, namely, having students create the criteria on which they would be assessed. Kids determined what should be present in their stories and then used this criteria to reflect on their own writing as well as the writing of a peer. Many kids reported that the peer edit process and criteria setting helped improve their writing, making this new practice worthwhile in my opinion!

Those stories were due on Jan 13th. Only about 10% of kids have not handed them in yet. You can check on your student by looking at powerschool; missing short stories are reflected by an NTI in that column.

This week we are beginning and ending our first grammar unit. We will be working primarily on the 8 parts of speech. There will be a final exam on this either Friday, or Monday, depending on the readiness of the students as determined by some quick assessments.

Here are the important dates for the end of the quarter:
High Level:
Vocab Lesson 7 due 1/19/12 (No quiz on lessons 5-8)
Grammar Test 1/20/12 (If ready)
Vocab Lesson 8 due 1/24/12
Final Vocab Exam 1/26/12
Shelfari report due (Minimum of 1 MHL book reported on this quarter) 1/26/12 by midnight.

Standard Level:
Grammar Test 1/20/12 (If ready)
Final Vocab Exam 1/26/12 (We will do the necessary lessons in class to prepare for this)
Shelfari report due (Minimum of 1 MHL book reported on this quarter) 1/26/12 by midnight.

Before Break

Hello,

SL kids completed and handed in vocab on Tuesday in class.
HL kids need to hand in their vocab on Friday.

All kids should have the words and definitions in their notebooks to study with. They will take the quiz on Tuesday 11/22.

Hunger Games books are due now!! I will be sending home bills for $15 for any student who does not return their book. Please ask your student if they have handed theirs in.

We are working on short stories and the elements of fiction in class; ask your student to tell you about "The Gift of the Magi" or "Tell Tale Heart", the stories we have read so far!


Thanks!!

Out of Class Reading, Shelfari Information!!

Hello-

I have finally put together the expectations for out of class reading. Participation in the reading program, as it is set up, will be dependent on having a Shelfari account. Students will need an email address to set this up. They do not need to have their own, simply one that they can use to register; they may use yours if you are o.k. with that. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how that works.

The Shelfari Information




Kids To Do:
Reading Contract
Get reading!!!
Fill out your Shelfari Reports!
Tell me what's new about the look of the blog by Friday 11/11 and I'll give you a treat :)

Adults To Do:
Find out more from your student about Shelfari and let Ms. Z know if you have questions/ concerns
We are starting the Elements of Fiction unit. Ask your student about the RAP we learned in class :)

End of the Quarter

Wow! It really has been a while since I updated here, I'm sorry for that. This month has been nuts. As you most likely heard, I was on call for jury duty and that caused me to have a great deal of trepidation in my planning as I never knew when I was going to have to be gone. Fortunately, that is over now. However, I have been asked, very last minute, to attend an invaluable conference next week, causing me to be out for three days. I am confident that it will be a worthwhile conference and will aid in both my classroom instruction as well as building wide programming, but it is not the best time to be out of my room. I have been very clear that the students need to take responsibility for their actions in these last days of the quarter to ensure that the grade they earn is an accurate reflection of their skills, i.e. the substitute and the students are responsible for ensuring that the lesson plans are completed. I will be in school on Monday and gone the rest of the week.

10/31
Students will type up the first body paragraph of their Hunger Games Essay. This will be graded and included on their 1st quarter grades.

11/1
Vocab Lesson 4 due (there will be no quiz for this lesson, students should focus on studying for their final exam on Thursday)

11/1-11/2
Students will by finishing their Hunger Games essay in the computer lab

11/3
* FINAL VOCAB EXAM on lessons 1-4 (students should have all the words in their notebooks to use for studying, this is included on 1st quarter grades)
* FINAL DRAFT OF ESSAY is due either by paper or emailed electronically to ms.zumberge@gmail.com (the full essay will go on 2nd quarter grades)

*** NEVER USE MY HOMEWORK DROP BOX THROUGH THE SCHOOL WEBSITE

Please contact me with any questions. I will be available over email when I am out of town.

Thanks!

Notebook Update

We are working on having SUPER DUPER organized notebooks this year.

Please double check that this is what you have so far:


* The Table of Contents looks like this at this point: Table of Contents


* On page 50 you should have written down these notes: "The Writing Process"


* Page 51 should have these notes copied: Critical Response Sample

Thanks!

Vocabulary Lesson 2

Kids will be receiving their second vocab lesson today. This will be due Tuesday, 10/4. The quiz will be Friday, 10/7. Please spend some time studying the words with your student as they prepare.

SL students, you will find a copy of your assignment under "Helpful Links".

Thanks!

Vocab and New Reading Calendar

This week I will hand out vocab lesson 2 on Wednesday. I warned the kids that I would give them less and less time to complete the assignments if there were a large number of kids who didn't hand it in on time. Unfortunately, there was almost 30% of students who did not hand in their vocab 1 assignment last week. Though this may sound mean, it is actually my experience that the less time students have to work on something the more of them who actually complete it.

I have a new reading calendar for "Hunger Games". I am hoping this link will work, but if not I will also be handing out a paper copy on Wednesday. In the mean time, kids need to read Chapters 10 and 11 for Wednesdays' class.

Homecoming Weekend!

Happy Homecoming Everyone!

It's fun to see all the Park Pride at school today.

This weekend we will be giving everyone a chance to catch up on their "Hunger Games" reading. BE SURE YOU ARE DONE WITH CHAPTER 9 FOR MONDAY!! Also, you will need to finish the Reading Check on the back of your green calendar. If you lost your green sheet, you can get another copy of the Reading Check here.

Next week you will get a new reading calendar and another vocab assignment.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Starting "Hunger Games"

Thursday marks the beginning of our reading of "Hunger Games". Kids will get books in class on Thursday in class. They will receive a paper handout of the reading calendar and they have a small activity to do on the back with each chapter. You can find a link to the calendar here!

Vocabulary Lesson 1

Hello,

All classes will have received their first vocab lesson by the end of Tuesday. I try to keep copies of them on the right here... give me a day or two to get it loaded :)

Remember, you need to write all your words in your notebook in our "Vocab Lesson's" Chapter. Only use 1 page per lesson. Write the words and the definition.

Don't hesitate to email me with questions!

Ms. Z

Welcome seventh graders!

This blog with be a source of information for students and parents. Please check often! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I look forward to meeting you on Tuesday!
P.S. Ask your parents to send you with some Kleenex for your OT!!

For SL Vocab Exam 13-16

Here are lessons 14, 15 and 16. You will also need to know lesson 13 but I don't have an electronic copy of that to post here.

Please be sure you read the post below this one regarding your SUMMER READING ASSIGNMENT!!

Thanks :)

Lesson 16

Lesson 15

Lesson 14

Summer Reading Assignment

Please note that the kids have a summer reading assignment.

This assignment can be seen here.

And... the discussion on Shelfari can be found here.

I hope everyone has a super duper summer!!!

Poetry Study Guide

For the poetry test tomorrow, these are the terms the kids need to know. They have a study guide already, but this is in case they loose it or it is incomplete :)

Thanks!