Class Overview

Each week we will focus on writing and reading learning targets.  These targets will be assessed in our Friday weekly quiz.  On Mondays, students will read the Article of the Week.  This will include articles, essays and short stories. On Tuesdays, students will write down the Sentence of the Week.  Within these sentences, students will make observations which will lead them to the definition of the concept taught. Students will also maintain a writer's notebook.  Each day they will start with a writing warmup.  This will be followed with a writing mini-lesson.  Then, they will be asked to apply what they are taught during independent writing time.  Notebooks will be collected once a week. 

After a two minute stretch, students complete their weekly reading log sheets where they give a summary of what they read the previous day in their own books.  Each week, we will focus on a reading strategy/skill that will help develop their reading, thinking on a deeper level.  We have a read aloud, then time for their own independent reading.  During reading, I conference with students and work with them on their individual needs.  As part of their reading grade, students will keep a reading response journal.  At least once a week, they will write a reaction to what they are reading on their own.  In addition, they are responsible for 10 personal vocabulary words each quarter. This is located in the first part of their reading notebooks. 

This Week in Language Arts

Week of November 28th

Read 30 minutes every night for homework

Reading minute continues this quarter- check for your date, practice your reading minute before you do it

Monday: Article of the Week: Persuasive Essay- Year round School; Read "Dark They Were and Golden-eyed"

Tuesday: Sentence of the Week: Using me and I correctly; Read screenplay, "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street"

Wednesday: Writing thesis statements and choosing a topic for essay; Finish screenplay

Thursday: Review for quiz; creating 3 solid reasons to support your opinion; talk about research and citations

Friday: Quiz; Computer lab- researching topic

 

 

 

Week of November 21st

Monday: Benchmark Check Test; Present PowerPoints

Tuesday: Book Talks in literature circles (rescheduled from last week); computer lab- sharing Turkey letters

 

Week of November 14th

Monday: Article of the Week- "Super Clone sniffer dogs: Coming to an airport near you" Focusing on persuasive topics and text annotation; Corrections on letter essays

Tuesday: 1st literature circle book completed; Power point project should be done; meet in lit circle groups with reading responses; Introduction to Persuasive writing- Tom the Turkey assignment

Wednesday: Sentence of the Week: Me or I?; Complete Lit. Circle Prep Sheet for book talk; revising Turkey letter assignment

Thursday: Book talks in small groups; review SOW and AOW; editing Tom the Turkey letters

Friday: Weekly Quiz; Computer lab for typing final copy of Tom the Turkey letter

Benchmark Check on Monday, November 21st

You can always check on our class website:

http://www.baraboo.k12.wi.us/faculty/tlawrence/index.cfm

 

Week of November 7th:

 

Monday-

  • Lyrics/poem for Rikki Tikki
  • Mini-lesson: Theme
  • Read "Ribbons"
  • Reading Response- Determine a theme present in your literature circle book.  Write your response giving evidence to support why you believe this to be the theme.

 

Tuesday- (shortened classes due to WKCE testing)

  • Open-ended questions: Strategies for answering
  • Meet with Literature Circles- discussion on themes

Wednesday-

  • Mini-lesson: Individual Practice- Improvements in own writing (Taking a look at memoirs)
  • Begin The Mighty: analyzing book vs. movie

Thursday- (shortened classes due to WKCE testing)

  • Mini-lesson: Types of conflict in literature
  • Literature Preparation Form- focus on conflict
  • Continue The Mighty

Friday- (shortened classes due to Veteran's Day assembly at the end of the day)

  • Finish the Mighty- discuss PowerPoint project
  • Plan slides; complete in computer lab- due 11/14

*Literature Circle Books #1 complete reading no later than Tuesday, 11/15

Last Updated: 11/27/11