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!