Write a rough copy of your non-fiction speech. You will practice in class tomorrow. How can you be engaging?

Comma Test is tomorrow

Enjoy Miguel and Kayzad's paperslide video

Paperslide

Which topics do you need to review for tomorrow's mid year math assessment? - Look at an earlier post for the list of topics. Today's math test finally showed very strong proof reading and computation - Can you do it again tomorrow?

You should complete your writing assignment tonight. Tomorrow,  you will have class time to upload your work to pages and correct and grammar errors


Make sure you read over the 'non-ficiton' speech instructions  so that you can begin thinking about how you will prepare for Friday.

Paperslide videos: You must watch these videos as preparation  for the commas test



Enjoy Reid's basketball triumph again below

.

Last Week of the Calendar Year

You should all be able to discuss your stance and tell me the categories that you are using for your notes. (Based on the feedback from the lesson, many people were not doing this) I will be meeting with you all on Monday about your categories. Make sure you have SOME!

Next week is a 'big' week. Be ready to work hard! Below are guidelines for your non-fiction talk. Some people will  present Thur and some Fri.


Don't forget to do the comma online practice

Don't forget to being in products for Wednesday Science lesson

Mid year assessment takes place on Wed. and Thur. We have covered a lot in Math this year:

• prime factorization 
• angles 
• prime and composite numbers 
• squares and square  roots
• divisibility rules
• fraction, decimals, percent equivalents
• mean, medium, mode, range
• mixed numbers and improper fractions
• stem and leaf 

We are not allowed to review any of these topics in class. Which topics do you think you should be reviewing on IXL  this week?

Student of the Week

PaperSlide Videos

Study link 6.9
A strong idea for your paper-slide video
Work on your non-fiction writing topic
Make sure you follow the steps below. You will need a 'good' idea for your COMMAS Rules paper slide video



Will yours be better than this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWOffIiVd2U

Commas, Fragments, and Run-ons - Test Practice

H/W
Think of  a topic for your final non-ficiton writing assignment. This piece will be a mixture of a topic you know well, but it can also be a topic you can do some research on. Bring your idea to class

Study link 6.7

Spend 15 minutes each night for the next week working on these exercises.  Watch the videos first.
Comma Rules: Test Prep - Read through the information on this link and begin working through the links below. You do not have to do them all, but you should spent time looking at a number of the exercises and the videos. WINK WINK - Some of the exercises below are on the test!
http://www.towson.edu/ows/ModuleCOMMA.htm

COMMAS and Run-on Sentences
Use these videos and the links to the websites below to help you practice  the different 'uses of commas- rules''. To be successful in the test, you need PRACTICE. These online exercises are the best way to gain a lot of very quick pracitce as many of your test questions are asked in the same way as these online exercises. Spend 15 mins each night working through all of the exercises on here between now and next Tue.

MAKE A NOTE OF ANY QUESTIONS YOU GET WRONG OR ANSWERS THAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND AND BRING THEM INTO CLASS FOR DISCUSSION


Introductory Phrases and non-essential clauses

http://www.quia.com/rr/242173.html
http://www.grammarbook.com/grammar_quiz/commas_1.asp
http://www.towson.edu/ows/exercisecomma4.htm
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/quizzes/nova/nova1.htm
http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/CommaTest.html#numone
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/quizzes/nova/nova2.htm
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/GRAMMAR/quizzes/commas_fillin.htm
http://www.quia.com/quiz/300693.html?AP_rand=1335472415
http://www.chompchomp.com/hotpotatoes/commas01.htm
http://www.writing.eng.vt.edu/exercises/punctuation1.html

Games
http://www.quia.com/rr/82028.html
http://www.quia.com/quiz/300693.html?AP_rand=1270897854

Mischttp://www.writing.eng.vt.edu/exercises/punctuation1.html
(click where you think the error is on the underlined words or click 'no error')
http://www.chompchomp.com/hotpotatoes/commas01.htm
Comma Splice

http://depts.dyc.edu/learningcenter/owl/exercises/comma_splices_ex1.htm
do exercise 2 also
http://faculty.valleycollege.net/apal/run-on_quiz.htm
http://www.towson.edu/ows/exercisecomma2.htm
http://www.writing.eng.vt.edu/exercises/grammar1.html
Exercise 1+2 only (exercise 3 only for experts!)

Only for experts...
http://www.chompchomp.com/csfs01/csfs01.01.htm
(Hard but fun to do!)



Fragments and Run-ons Explanation

Videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4rN48QVyFQ

www.edzone.net/~wohltjen/StAIR_Fragments_Runons.ppt
http://www.uvu.edu/owl/infor/test_n_games/practice_tests/fragments.htm
http://www.shsu.edu/~txcae/Powerpoints/prepostest/fragrunonpostest.html
http://www.glencoe.com/sec/writerschoice/gp/hslessons/grade9/lesson8/exercises.shtml
http://www.quia.com/rr/450895.html
http://www.quia.com/rr/450936.html?AP_rand=1888308509

REMEMBER...From now on ... Only ever write a comma if you know why you are writing the comma.

• Study link 6.6

Non-ficiton writing: Final Stages

• Type up all your notes. Tomorrow, we will insert images and add text to the pages doc. Most of the 'writing' of the article should be finished tonight. You will have 1 hr in class tomorrow to do the finishing touches and add your joint text to 'pages'
• Your paired non-fiction writing should be handed in by on Wednesday morning. You will be able to print in school if needed

The Final Countdown

Hope you all worked well and made lots of progress on your writing.

Below, I have put the last two weeks at a glance, so you are all aware what is coming. Some of the key areas to be thinking about:

Week 6
Week 7

Bring in empty food packages for next Wed

• Paired Non-fiction writing (Next Week)
• Unit 6 Math Test (In two weeks)
• Research based individual non-fiction article (in two weeks)
• Investigation 4 - Science Assessment (two weeks)
• Comma Rules test (in two weeks)
• Mid year Math Test (in two weeks)

FINISH THE YEAR STRONG - What could you gain with another 10% effort?

Student of the Week: Beatrice

Field Trip

H/W

Study link 6.5

Write 6 sentences for your non-fiction topic using advanced sentence fluency. (WRITE IN LIST FORMAT). You might want  to start a google doc. with you and your partner as these sentences can be later integrated into your finished article. - Can you write sentences that mix facts and interpretation of facts? At least 2 sentences must contain a conjunctive adverb.

Announcements
Wed.
Ashlin + Lauren


Science Center  Field Trip on Wednesday. 
Please remember to bring in enough food and drinks for  your snack and lunch.You may bring cameras etc. (at your own risk). You will not be able to buy lunch, but you can up to $10 to spend in the souvenir shop. (max. $2 on candy!). Wear school uniform.

They were multiple messages today through the presentations we heard. What did  you take away from the presentations?

Do these  online exercises. - Because this is late posted, if you do not do it, then you are
OK.
http://www.quia.com/quiz/2406693.html?AP_rand=834919447

Conjunctive adverb practice
http://www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/ell-conjunctive-adverbs-test1.html#

Study link 6.4

End of the Week

Next Week: Week at a Glance

Sentence Fluency Assignment: How much do you care about your own learning?

I am going to make this a choice - If you don't want to do it, you don't have to do it. You make the choice on whether you think this topic is important enough to spend time on. If you decide to do the work, you can google 'sentence fluency'  to find more about the topic.

The Friday Message: How much do you value your education?


Remember: Our class is announcements NEXT WEEK
Mon: Lydia & Janna

Congratulations on your non-fiction articles. Enjoy one of them below

Student of the Week:

Lydia

Comma Splices

Finish off your writing tonight if you have 'pages' at home.  Print it out at home. Those who cannot print at home or those who do not have pages, will be allowed to print in class.

No other H/W tonight as you will have the review and revise sheet to do at home over the weekend.
You must watch these video though to recap today's grammar class

Pages

This was much better!


H/W
Finish drafting your writing piece. You will have tomorrow's class to put the final touches to your 'pages' article.

Math Review Sheet - Bring questions any Math questions that you have.

Study Link 5.12

A lot of people are learning that the more they do in class, the less they have to do at home!


Hopefully, you will never read non-fiction the same way after today's session. always think about:

• Text Structures
• Author's Purpose (Explain,  Entertain, Inform,  Narrate, Persuade)
• Text Features
• Selecting Evidence
• Interpreting Evidence

Watch this video to recap

Movember

Thank you for your support

Non-fiction writing

Ouch...



I am out tomorrow pm as well. I hope this will change!

H/W
Two typed paragraphs of your writing for Wed.

Interesting to see how some of you will finish your writing as I see so many writer's notebooks left in class!

Study link 5.11

Edu Blog Award 2012 Nominations

Best Teacher Blog:  Upside Down Education

Best Class Blog:  http://mrbuxton.blogspot.sg

Beest New Blog: Mr Mac’s Blog Thingy

Best Library Blog: Momo Celebrating Time To Read

Best Administrator Blog: Darcy Moore’s Blog

Non-fiction Reading

We covered a lot of new content today:

• Text Presentation Techniques
• Text Structures

We will spend out non-fiction unit using these different elements in our reading and writing

H/W

• Study link 5.10
• Write 10 sentences using your non-fiction strategies using advanced sentence construction techniques

e.g.  simple (using x4 parts of speech) compound, complex, infinitives etc.


Independent Reading

It is becoming clear that people are not  maintaining effective reading behaviors. Make sure you are reading regularly, practicing your reading skills by showing your thinking, and keeping your log up to date.

Non-fiction Reading and Writing

Anybody do the Thanksgiving toast? - Win +1 for providing feedback on  your experience

Next week (Week at a Glance) we will do lots of work on our non-fiction reading and writing and introduce our new grammar unit - C.O.M.M.A.S.

Happy 'Turkey' Day

Are you 'truly' willing to step outside your comfort zone?
Thanksgiving Dinner Family Toast - Become a legend in your family by toasting your family just after the main course is ended. Be sincere and give real examples, situations, and elaborations to support your comments using your persuasive strategies. Your family will be amazed and very proud





Enjoy the book talks below



Enjoy the prepositional phrase skits below

Assignments Week

Due tomorrow

A printed copy of your independent reading responses on the character unit

Tomorrow: Be prepared to write about a non-fiction topic that you know a lot about.

Math
Study link 5.8 and 5.9Book club work - Due Wed

Prepositional Skit Presentations - On your blogs by Wednesday morning so they can be graded Wednesday

Almost 90,000 hits on this blog!

Next week: Click here for the 'Week at a Glance'

No Blue Folders going home today

We will visit the school BOOK Fair at 2:10pm on Monday. (Bring money to purchase books if you would like to do so)

Be Prepared:
Group Book Club presentations: Due Wed
Individual Independent Reading Assignment work: Due Tue
Prepositional phrase skits - Uploaded to your blogs by end of day Wednesday
Science: Investigation 3 - I Check - Wed

Well done on your UN work - Do you see areas for improvement with respect to digital literacy?

Getting the blood rushing to your brains before Math Class

Persuasive Writing: Final Draft

UN DAY tomorrow - You may where your countries traditional clothes.

Study link 5.6

Final draft for persuasive pieces due in tomorrow by 8am. YOU MUST BRING IN A HARD COPY. - You will not be allowed  to print in school.  - Don not forget to do this.

The Proof Reading sheet is my way of showing you how I am grading this paper. With past assignments, I have been shocked to see that students have ignored the recommendations on the proof reading sheet. If you do not edit your paper using the suggestions given, your paper will not be as strong as it could be. BE WARNED! Take advantage of this tool and FOLLOW the guidelines given.

Make sure you have a STRONG conclusion - see photo for guidelines

I was pleased with your work ethic and productivity today... the learning has really begun

Telunas applications will be accepted up to 8.00am Monday morning - NO LATER!

Study Link 5.5

Book Club Work - Make sure you prioritize this  tonight

Optional - Prepositional Phrase work or persuasive essay

I am still noticing so many of you using vague words like  'people, somebody, it, kids' etc - Be as specific as possible.

You MUST - be able to tell your essay 'stance' in each of your P2s - This advice is given so that you can be SECURE on this topic. If you do not follow the advice, guess what?

Thursday is the last day for bringing in the Caring for Cambodia kits. Please try to contribute if you can.

Study link 5.4

You should have made a decent start on your essay by Wednesday. You may write more but you must write at least 3 paragraphs.

I will give you some time on Wednesday to do your finishing touches to your prepositional phrase skits.

Next Week

Both our characters unit and our persuasive writing unit close next week. Make sure you produce your very best work on your final pieces of work going into the close of these units. 

Due Date for final persuasive essay: Next Fri

Due Date for Character Paragraphs: Extended to Tuesday Nov 20th

Click for the next  'Week at a Glance'

Student of the Week: Karly

Prepositional Phrase Test is tomorrow. Make sure you have tackled some of the online practice and watched this video. 'Do you know what the 'object of the preposition?'




Study Link 5.3

Challenge your parents to do the 'fraction strips'

You must finish all the writing of your prepositional phrase skit for tomorrow. We will do the final filming in class tomorrow afternoon.  - Use the google doc. to work collaboratively. Make sure your text contains:

• A variety of prepositional phrases
• Advanced vocabulary
• Some persuasive techniques
• Some Character - Reading skills references (e.g. objects/nuauanced/empathy etc)

+1 if you copy/paste some your best paragraphs onto a comment so people can see how well you have used the skills we have been practicing

Ashlin - Don't forgot your photo /;-)

Study link 5.2

For Friday's Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases Test tackle these exercises: You do not have to do them all, but you should at least check each one out.

 Prepositonal phrases 
http://www.eduplace.com/cgi-bin/hme-quiz-start.cgi?Grade=6&Unit=7&Topic=Prepositional+Phrases&x=25&y=9

http://eslus.com/LESSONS/GRAMMAR/POS/pos7.htm#Pop%20Quiz%201 

http://www.quia.com/quiz/298373.html?AP_rand=159214296 (drag and drop answers for speed)

http://aliscot.com/bigdog/prep_exercise.htmPrepositions 

http://www.manythings.org/vocabulary/games/k/words.php?f=prepositions 

http://www.tcet.com/eaonline/FlashedESL/CatsMX.swf - fun with prepositions

http://www.quia.com/cc/73781.html

From Your Art Teacher
We are going to start a digital photography project inspired by Frida Kahlo's work.  Her self-portraits include a monkey and a jaguar on her shoulder.  We would like your students to bring in something that is special to them for their self portrait. Ideally it would be a stuffed toy. Please remind them to bring this item for their next art class.  I will have some items in my classroom, but if they want their self-portrait to be truly personal, it would help for them to bring this item to their next art class.

Pages from prepositional phrase booklet: Due Wed

Hope you had a nice day without me. I'll be meeting to discuss your thesis statements tomorrow. You will also be shooting some of the scenes for your Prepositional Phrase skit tomorrow. Make sure you have some scenes ready to record

UN DAY

H/W

You need a finished working draft of your  UN Day slide for WEDNESDAY (this is a change for what I said in class today). This means that you have collected, written, thought out what you are going to do. Perhaps even drawn/designed it on a piece of paper - All you will need to do tomorrow  is create the final slide/ record the 8 sec  clip etc.


Write the thesis statement for your final essay on the blog's wallwisher. This will be your last essay on persuasive writing. Make sure it is a topic that you KNOW something about.   If you have a strong thesis, the essay will be easy to write.

Thesis Statement

Click for -  Week at a Glance Week 2 Qtr 2

Use this link to help build  your final thesis statement for your last essay.

Look at some of the examples and play around with the sentences until you get something of quality.

http://www.tommarch.com/electraguide/thesis.php

You will need a GOOD thesis statement for Tuesday's class

Type in your thesis statement to the wallwisher below by MONDAY night!



Excellent Persuasive Animotos below:



http://animoto.com/play/yq5HzuqNOME18PLT733UmQ


Student of the Week: PATRICK

Friday Message:

UN Day Project

Well - We were certainly busy today.  There are still a number of student who do not have their   animotos on their blogs. I am grading these by the end of tomorrow. If your work is not visible - (make a prediction!)

H/W  Study links 4.6 and 4.7
Prepositional Phrase Booklets p3
UN Project - 15 mins

We have started a number of interesting projects:  Keep a track of your progress so that you are doing at least 20-30minutes on one of these activities each evening this week and next week.

• Individual Reading Project - Character Work (your google doc. paragraphs)
• Prepositional Phrase skit 

Team leaders: Write down your thesis statements (topic idea) for your prepositional phrases on the wallwisher  below.  Your idea should contain the 1,2,3 of thesis statements e.g. topic, opinion, reasons

Happy Halloween

No H/W tonight - Enjoy your Halloween celebrations

(Make sure your animotos are on your blog!)

Parallelism

Watch this video to recap your understanding of parallelism



Write an example of parallelism on the answer garden below for a bonus plus point
Can you write an example of parallelism?... at AnswerGarden.ch.
Math 4.4 Studylink

Animoto persuasive essays should be finished by  Thursday and added to your blog


Reading - Long term project
Independent Reading: You have been given your independent reading project. There needs to be 5 paragraphs completed by the due date (two weeks). Organize your H/W time over the next  two weeks to make sure you  meet the deadline. Reminder: Don't forget to save the google doc. under your own name

Homework

Math 4.3 Studylink

Animoto persuasive essays should be finished by Wednesday and added to your blog

RLA

Writing: Finish your counterargument paragraph. Use this link

Reading - Long term project
Independent Reading: You have been given your independent reading project. There needs to be 5 paragraphs completed by the due date (two weeks). Organize your H/W time over the next  two weeks to make sure you  meet the deadline. Reminder: Don't forget to save the google doc. under your own name

2nd Qtr

Click here to get the Week at a Glance

You should add your goals to a gadget window on your blogs sometime this week

End of 1st Qtr

End of the First Quarter

Can you believe you have actually made it through one quarter. Take a look back through the acrchives and see at all the different material we have covered. We have come such a long way already.

Next Qtr.

• The first week  we will begin our preparation for our UN Day Animoto presentatio " Read Around the world

• You may spend some adding all your digital work I am very proud of my blog because of the work i have put into it. The way I have designed the blog is symbolic to how I work as an educator. What will be the symbolic messages found in your blog. Feel free to as one blog post talking about how you spend your long weekend. (Optional). Next week - In a gadget window, you will list your goals for this next quarter.
• Math - The next unit we will do is EDM is Division. The IXL unit to practice this is Unit H 1- H 14 (These will be set as H/W over the next few weeks. Feel free to work ahead if you choose)

Future learning... 2nd qtr

The grammar topic will be prepositional phrase. We will learn what 'isn't a sentence by looking at fragments and run ons.

Congatulations on such a great first qtr...

Let's try and get to the top of the ladder to laughter quickly, so we can truly celebrate in style

Student of the Week: Lydia (For the extra IXL practice)

Plus Point Champion 1st Qtr: Sam

Persuasive Animoto

Study link 4.1

Persuasive Animoto
Use this link to create your account: a4ebuxt9f292b

Work on your animoto tonight. You can upload pictures from home if you need to  just by going to 
animoto.com and putting in your username and password.

If you have a good working draft of your animoto tonight, post the link on the blog - Tomorrow, we will do our call to action and prognostication video taped conclusions. 

Optional - Feel free to add video to your essay tonight for those who are adventurous enough to experiment!

Animoto is a powerful way to capture beautiful memories. Enjoy!

Thesis

The thesis statements are starting to take shape.... PROGRESS !!!

Finish planning out your ideas for images for your essays. Tomorrow, I will show you how to use animoto.

Well done to Lydia 1st place and Dylan 2nd place in class IXL usage log!

Make sure your vocaroo is on the blog so we can calculate WPM tomorrow.

Have a nice evening

Are you ready for the Math Assessment?

H/W
IXL b.7 & s.1

Spend 20minutes working collaboratively on your Animoto Persuasive Project. You must have an arguable thesis statement that clearly states your opinion.

I fixed the problem from class today. Use this link to create your team's copy of your persuaisve essay planning sheet here: PLANNING SHEET

e.g. Cheerleading needs to be banned as a Middle School activity because participants receive far too many injuries. Members of cheerleading squads form elite exclusionary clubs and the activity itself distracts students from their academic responsibilities.

1) topic - cheerleading
2) opinion - banned from school
3) reasons  i) injuries ii) exclusionary clubs iii) distracting

Can you find these elements in your  thesis statements?

Remember, the focus is visual literacy. How can you  write an essay with images?
See sample of a digital introduction again below. Can you work out my thesis statement?




Postponed until tomorrow
Learn how to calculate your reading fluency. You should do this every month and keep  a tally on your blog   (Words Read Correctly x 60) divided by seconds it takes to read the passage

Thesis Statements

H/W
Studylink 3.10

Look at the list of topics  on the Review Sheet at the end of the Unit. Bring any questions you have on these topics to class tomorrow.

Make sure you have x3 clearly measurable thesis statements for tomorrow's class.
e.g.  Adults littering on the world's beaches and oceans is a terrible habit that pollutes the environment, harms wildlife, and sets a bad example to children

Notice in the above -
 1) topic is clear 2) stance (your opinion) is clear 3) my reasons are clear

YOUR THESIS STATEMENTS MUST CONTAIN ALL 3!
see video below for further explanation





Rock out to our new xtable song



Look  at this custom typing report below. Are you keep up with your progress?
Date Range Examined: 08/13/2012 to 10/15/2012

Name	Num Logins	Time on Site (hh:mm)	Training Modules Completed	Tests / Exercises Completed	Games Completed	Total Activities Completed	Last Login Date
Baca, Patrick	2	00:33	4	0	0	4	10/9/2012
Bharucha, Kayzad	2	00:19	6	0	0	6	8/30/2012
Carlisle, Ashlin	3	01:30	25	11	0	36	9/2/2012
Coe, Ryan	1	00:22	6	0	0	6	8/30/2012
Fitz, Owen	1	00:21	4	0	0	4	8/30/2012
Foster, Dylan	2	00:21	4	0	0	4	8/30/2012
Gray, Harriet	1	00:21	6	0	0	6	8/30/2012
Lau, Lydia	1	00:18	3	0	0	3	8/30/2012
Lee, Lauren	1	00:22	4	0	0	4	8/30/2012
Maeloa, Micheline	1	00:21	6	0	0	6	8/30/2012
Moorjani, Tasha	1	00:19	4	0	0	4	8/30/2012
Olafson, Thor	2	00:25	10	0	0	10	9/6/2012
Peralta, Daniel	3	00:30	11	0	0	11	10/12/2012
Phillips, Karly	1	00:20	6	0	0	6	8/30/2012
Serrao, Janna	2	00:18	8	0	0	8	8/30/2012
Sherry, Aiden	1	00:21	13	0	0	13	8/30/2012
Sturgeon, Thea Casey	2	00:31	10	0	0	10	9/25/2012
Suresh, Sampath	1	00:21	4	0	0	4	8/30/2012
Terrile, Reid	1	00:20	3	0	0	3	8/30/2012
Villanueva, Miguel	3	00:28	9	0	0	9	9/8/2012
Wang, Beatrice	1	00:20	5	0	0	5	8/30/2012
Wirianata, Talia	1	00:21	11	0	0	11	8/30/2012