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Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Part of Speech

Lesson Recap

You should becoming closer to arriving at unique thought for your summative.

Summative - Step 2 and Step 3



Tomorrow - you will write a first draft of your summative!

CAN YOU PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR USE OF PARTS OF SPEECH?




Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Summative Assignment: Unit 1

Summative Assignment Directions: Due FRI


We will work on this in class. You do not have to do any H/W on this

Resources
Reread the Paperbag Princess
Wings by Macklemore




Monday, August 29, 2016

Book Talk Monday

Enjoy a recap of today's book talk.

You will be given your SUMMATIVE end of unit task to do tomorrow. Writing 'wider context claims'  is challenging. See these strong examples from today



Review of Parts of Speech - Use this chart to help you on any that you do not quite understand.


Optional - Parts of Speech Practice 
This is helpful for those who are really lost on the 'parts of speech'

Parts of Speech Practice TEST

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO ANY H/W DURING MAP TESTS.



Saturday, August 27, 2016

What is EXEMPLARY? - This year you ALL will learn to FLY......


'Exemplary' at 7th grade is about thinking beyond the obvious and digging deeper into the text and looking for precision of ideas, evidence, reference to other topics covered in class. Read this answer below from Neel and see some of the ideas he found. If this level of thinking seems a bit scary, look at the video below this post. You CAN get here... with practice.


Image result for wings by macklemoreWatching this video, I saw myself as that boy. I thought that I was him. The wings, the air, the logo, I fell for it all. I was him. I was him. This video (missing source here) is one of great importance, and most likely goes out to the shoe enthusiast audience, and as a message that shouldn’t be taken lightly. This boy, this human is portrayed as a consumer across the course of this book. The word consume was repeated three times over the course of this novel. It’s trying to represent that we consume the bait. We take what looms in our presence, and make ourselves think that things are bigger than they actually are.
   In the first verse, on the sixth line, it stated: “It’s gonna make me fly,”. The use of this word ‘gonna’ is so extremely vital in explaining how the world falls for marketing. We all see things as more than they really are. We all believe that greatness is gonna come. Good things are gonna come. Things will be what they’re meant to be in a while. Greatness will be achieved. Because in truth, what Macklemore is really trying to say is that separate things can’t give you greatness. It doesn’t what you have, but who you are. You can only achieve greatness because you, yes you, have to do something to achieve it.
   This boy’s fascination with what companies are trying to sell to him is similar to the conventional female fashionista archetype. They both are trying to seek attention, and want people to notice them and for people to be fascinated. They both think that this will give themselves greatness. It’ll make them achieve what others can’t. In the third verse, the line ‘I was trying to fly without leaving the ground,’ represents how objects were not going to get him greatness. He hadn’t sacrificed enough to deserve that.
   Throughout the song, Macklemore talks about how his shoes aren’t worth it. Though in between these lines, he reassures himself and tries to make himself buy into what he previously was; lines like ‘We are what we wear. We wear what we are,’ and ‘What I wore, this is the source of my youth,’, which were in the sixth and last verse respectively, shows that he’s moulding himself into a new person, but he’s looking back and trying to realize whether he made the right choice or not.
   In the sixth stanza, Macklemore really speaks out against consumerism. He says he is part of a movement, and this movement is telling him to do certain things, and he’s consuming it. He specifically states ‘... and Phil Knight tricked us all,’ referring to the founder of Nike, and how he’s making individuals buy into this. Macklemore also states in that sixth stanza: ‘They told me to just do it,’, referring to Nike’s motto and how they influence people in consumerism.  Making them think that things are bigger than they actually are. It’s almost admirable to see how they’ve marketed things to make them seem bigger and better than they actually are; but also shameful that we fall into this trap. Perhaps Macklemore what is trying to explain that a human shouldn’t be fooled by companies like how people fell for sirens in myths, to explain that humans are defined by their qualities and not by their chattels, to further explain that people become who they are because of what they have done, an idea which is almost invisible in modern-day, extant society.

Win +1 if you can tell Neel a way he could improve this piece
Next Week:
MAP Testing
Parts of Speech TEST - Friday
Summative  Assessment: Claims and Evidence - This is a 'taster' of what the question will be like... "Hatchet - Hope was Here - Thank You M'am - What is the connection?



You will spend time working on practicing your 'parts of speech.' There are some practice exercises in NoRedInk - waiting for you.  (You have given specfic items to review based on your diagnostic test. You can begin this practice at anytime. The exercises must be finished by next FRIDAY. You will have a 'parts of speech' test - NEXT FRI



Weekend Message




Notice that 10 months is also the length of an academic year!
Bonus +1 - How can the message in this video apply to you? - Add comments

Hope you are reading this weekend...I am!


Thursday, August 25, 2016

Go to: www.NoRedInk.com

Class Log on Codes
C/D x9macehx
E/F k3374hv7
G/H vhadk8me

Use this link to submit your work: Wings Submission ( you can do this in class tomorrow.) You will be given 15mins to put your finishing touches on your piece. - Any work that you do on this piece tonight is 'optional' - However,  if you wish to earn 'exemplary' you might considering put a little time into this piece this evening. 

What is this video really about and how do you know?





Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Types of Evidence


Reread the Paperbag Princess


Lesson Recap:
We covered a VERY IMPORTANT concept today 'archetypes' - Be on the look out for the archetypes in your stories. Win +1 if you share a archetype in a story that you have found.


We reviewed the 'types of evidence' we can find in stories


H/W - Make sure you are reading (30mins) and that you are making your thinking visible

Out of interest... how much Membean practice have you done  so far this year compared with your class mates? This is not about 'being the best' it is about 'giving your best'  This is just a list of your time spent practicing compared with your classmates. Even if you are scoring 100%, in a test, you cannot grow in Membean without consistent practice.

Side Note - Your accuracy percentage simple shows how long you are spending on  learning a new word -v- guessing. How many minutes will you have by Friday? (1st Membean test day)













Tuesday, August 23, 2016

N&N - Tough Questions

The answer to the secret question is: Peanuts

C/D & E/F This is important compulsory H/W if you want to be prepared for tomorrow's class. (Due Wed)



Lesson Recap - We discussed the CONFLICT in stories today. THERE IS CONFLICT IN EVERY STORY - IN FACT - THE WHOLE STORY IS NORMALLY ABOUT HOW THE CONFLICT GETS ADDRESSED.  Can you discuss the conflict in your story that you are reading?



When discussing the internal conflict in your stories - always ask yourself - What does the character want? What is getting in the way of what the character wants?


Reminders: Make sure you are reading (25mins at least per night)  and keeping up to date with Membean (30-40mins by Fri)


Monday, August 22, 2016

Memory Monents

C-Side Challenge: Who will you show gratitude to this week and in doing so raise your own level of happiness.  Win +2 for those people who write a short comment sharing their experience.


Lesson Recap - We covered an important reading strategy today - Memory Moments


Optional - Win +1 if you can share the reason behind  a Memory Moment from your book.

H/W -  C/D and E/F Make sure you have keeping  up to date with your independent reading. 30mins per night. At the end of the week, you will be given a grade based on how much you have been reading. 


Book Talk Monday with Mr. Riley


Saturday, August 20, 2016

The Weekend Message

Thank you for working so hard this first week of school.  You should be finished with at least one reading book by Monday.

Each w/end, I post a motivational video or fun video for your enjoyment.


Optional Task
Bonus +1 - Can you write an 'advanced claim' about what this video is really about?  - post your replies in the comment section


Coming Next Week
More Notice and Note
Grammar Unit - Parts of Speech
Writing claims Summative Assessment

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Membean and Notice and Note: C&C

FROM BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT... We have some super smart parents!





Make a copy of this file: Membean  Note Taking Sheet

The expectation for Membean is that you complete: 
  • 30 mins of practice per week. (Meets)
  • 40mins+ practice per week (Exemplary)
  • This practice MUST be done on at least 3 different occasions


IMPORTANT H/W for tonight! - YOU MUST collect ALL your  images for your REader's Notebook cover page and have them dropped into these files BEFORE 8am Friday. We will spend Friday's class cutting out these images. You will receive a responsibility grade for getting this done!


Lesson Recap: Make sure you use a SYSTEM going forward to collect your thinking about your reading.

Notice and Note


Optional H/W
In the comments secton, write an  example of a 'Contrast and Contradiction' from your own reading book and your thinking about 'why the character might be doing that'  - win +1 for doing so.

Reteaching
For all those that do not understand CONNOTATION of words - Watch this video
Bonus +1 - Can you add two words in the comments - one with a negative connotation and one with a positive connotation?

  

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Writing Claims

We covered  A LOT today! Quick Recap. We learned:

Claim = An arguable opinion about  a text

e.g. In the opening scene of the short story, Thank you Ma’am by Langston Hughes the author teaches readers that when faced with desperate situations, people will often do whatever it takes to survive







H/W - Read for 25 mins. Spend 5-10mins collecting images/quotes for your Reader's Notebook cover page. All your photos must be collected by FRIDAY's class.

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

From Avid Reader to Interpretive Readers: SEE THINK WONDER

Today,  we learned how to transition from avid readers (plot junkies) to interpretative readers (deeper thinkers). Great readers recognize that there has only ever been one plot ever written, "nothing is what it seems."

LESSON RECAP



H/W - Read for 30mins. Tomorrow in class you will be using your SEE THINK WONDER strategy to  write a claim ( what the story is really about) for a section of the book you have read.

IMPORTANT: the secret word is Onion ( You will need this word tomorrow!)



Monday, August 15, 2016

Getting Back into Books

Today, we began using our Reader's Notebooks and  setting goals for our reading this first semester.



Remember: EVERY Monday, they will be a chance to give a short 'book talk' to the class. See me if you wish to do so.

H/W - READ for 30mins - All classes!

Saturday, August 13, 2016

Welcome to RLA



Today, you were introduced to the 'power of words' Some major take-aways:

H/W  Stick your 'Comfort Zone' in a special place near your desk. Take a photo of it and place the image on your blog. We will compare images in 3 months to see how you have stepped out.

Optional: Write a comment under today's blog post that states something that you learned in 
  • Do just survive - THRIVE 
  • Practice what you are BAD at!
  • Always bring a growth mindset
  • Smash out of that comfort zone!

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Welcome to 7th Grade


Please leave a comment introducing yourself and saying what you re the most excited about for 7th grade RLA this year. Read below to see some comments your classmates shared today.