Courage...

We finally got the #ENGRoom121 Courage wall up.  A big shout-out to our 9th-grade student aide, Alejandro S. for creating our wall.  The students were charged with the assignment to complete the following sentence... "If I wasn't afraid, I would...".  They were then asked to either draw an original picture representing what they would do if they weren't afraid or to color a picture of the cowardly lion.  Take a moment to see how some of the #ENGRoom121 students finished the above sentence.  How would you complete it?  Share your thoughts on Twitter using #ENGRoom121Courage or comment on this blog post in the comments section.  Your thoughts (no names or Twitter handles) will be shared with the students.

#ENGRoom121 Courage Wall

#ENGRoom121 Courage Wall 

Some honest sentence completion statements were shared.  Please take the time to read them.

                                       

In preparation for next week's Day of Redemption - "Perfect" Paragraph Assessment please have your student review the below videos about simple, compound, and complex sentences and how to write them. These videos will help them be even more successful on their redemption paragraph.

The Quiet Creative talks about sentences

Kahn Academy talks about sentences

Shmoop talks about sentences

Here's a look at the return week (2/13 - 2/17):

1. Introduce iRACE ... a writing process for responding to extended response questions (Monday, 2/13)

2. Decide on supporting details for our eBook chapter introductions (Tuesday, 2/14)

3. Day of Redemption - "Perfect" Paragraph Assessment - Planning Day (Wednesday, 2/15)

4.  Day of Redemption - "Perfect" Paragraph Assessment - Final Copy Day (Thursday, 2/16)


Vocabulary to know for the upcoming week (2/13 - 2/17):

NONE

Understanding When More Time and Teaching are Needed

On Thursday, January 26th and Friday, January 27th, students were given the below assessment.

3rd Quarter “Red Bandana”Assessment/Assignment

Writing for a Purpose and Getting Real World Feedback

“Perfect” Paragraph Assessment Dates - Thursday, January 26th & Friday, January 27th

Dear Students, Your final “Red Bandana” assignment for the school year is going to serve three purposes (please see below). It will be a 3rd quarter “Perfect” Paragraph assessment where we revisit the guidelines for writing a "perfect" paragraph from the first semester. You will be responsible for composing a topic sentence, body, and closing statement for your paragraph. Each “perfect” paragraph will be graded for a preliminary assessment grade. You will have an opportunity to correct mistakes and add to your paragraph for additional assessment points. Once you submit a second time, all paragraphs will be judged, and the top three will be pulled out. The three finalists will have an opportunity to make one more round of improvements and submit before WORLD WIDE judging begins. Each “Red Bandana” Finalist will have his/her paragraph anonymously posted online for people to comment on the writing and vote for the best-written paragraph. The paragraph that receives the most votes will be the final recipient of the “red bandana” award and be featured in our eBook on the dedication page, or introduction page for each chapter depending on what assignment your class receives.

All assessments were graded, and in our bi-weekly conference each student was met with, and thoughts were shared about what they did well with their paragraphs and what needs improvements.  Each student was told what was missing in certain sentences and what needed to be improved upon to meet the requirements of each type of sentence in writing.  While grading, it was discovered that we have a little more work to do to make sure our "perfect paragraphs" read like introductions to chapters, instead of just a piece of information. We will work on that in the coming week, as well as review the types of sentences (simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex).  On Wednesday, February 15th and Thursday, February 16th students will get a Day of Redemption and get to retake and/or improve on this assessment.  We have to remember that writing is a process and should never be looked at as a "one and done" type of thing.  For real learning to take place we must revisit and revise not once or twice, but multiple times.  This has been the philosophy in #ENGRoom121 all year long.  Please be patient with this process and your students learning.  

Please take a look at the below calendar of events for next week.  

Here's a look at the return week (2/6 - 2/10):

1. Go over Woolly Mammoth annotations (Monday, 2/6)

2. Receive, Annotate, and Share Annotations for 1st Paired Text Article (Tuesday, 2/7 & Wednesday, 2/8)

3. Receive and Complete 1st Paired Text Article Questions (Thursday, 2/9)

4.  Assessment on the 8th grade Vocabulary terms and Daily Grammar Practice (Friday, 2/10)


Vocabulary to know for the upcoming week (2/6 - 2/10):

8th grade Vocabulary List (see Google Classroom or follow this link to study - http://www.studystack.com/flashcard-2207574) 

3rd Quarter & FINAL "Red Bandana" Assessment/Assignment

Below are the requirements that will be shared with students on Tuesday, January 24th, in class, regarding their final "Red Bandana" assessment/assignment of the school year. Please take a moment to read through the below letter, so there is an understanding on all levels about this writing assessment. This will be the student's first assessment grade of the 3rd quarter. They will have two days of class time to complete it and an opportunity to make revisions for additional assessments points next Friday, February 3rd. This particular assessment is going to go live to the internet (anonymously ... no student names will be used) hoping we can get constructive feedback from the public on how to improve our writing. This is the first attempt #ENGRoom121 is making to involve the public in our writing process. Please stay tuned for more information about how you can get involved with this Friday's blog update. Thank you for your continued support.

3rd Quarter “Red Bandana”Assessment/Assignment

Writing for a Purpose and Getting Real World Feedback

“Perfect” Paragraph Assessment Dates - Thursday, January 26th & Friday, January 27th

Dear Students, Your final “Red Bandana” assignment for the school year is going to serve three purposes (please see below). It will be a 3rd quarter “Perfect” Paragraph assessment where we revisit the guidelines for writing a "perfect" paragraph from the first semester. You will be responsible for composing a topic sentence, body, and closing statement for your paragraph. Each “perfect” paragraph will be graded for a preliminary assessment grade. You will have an opportunity to correct mistakes and add to your paragraph for additional assessment points. Once you submit a second time, all paragraphs will be judged, and the top three will be pulled out. The three finalists will have an opportunity to make one more round of improvements and submit before WORLD WIDE judging begins. Each “Red Bandana” Finalist will have his/her paragraph anonymously posted online for people to comment on the writing and vote for the best-written paragraph. The paragraph that receives the most votes will be the final recipient of the “red bandana” award and be featured in our eBook on the dedication page, or introduction page for each chapter depending on what assignment your class receives.

“Red Bandana” Class Assessment/Assignment

Mod 1 - Introduction to the Kindness Chapter

Mod 2 - Introduction to the CommUNITY Chapter

Mod 4-5 - Dedication Page

Mod 8-9 - Introduction to the Courage Chapter

Mod 10 - Introduction to the Respect Chapter

On Tuesday, January 24th, in class, you will be introduced to this assessment/assignment. On Wednesday, January 25th, in class you will receive a task sheet for your “Red Bandana” assessment/assignment based on the above eBook chapter assignments. We will go over the requirements in class, and there will be time for any questions you may have. Please take a look at the below calendar, so you understand turn in dates.

 

Day 1 - Thursday, January 26, 2017 - “Red Bandana” Perfect Paragraph Assessment planning

Day 2 - Friday, January 27, 2017 - “Red Bandana” Perfect Paragraph FINAL COPIES DUE by end of class

Day 3 - Friday, February 3, 2017 - revisions for improvements and additional assessment points

Day 4 - Monday, February 6, 2017 - Online judging begins for “Red Bandana” Finalists

Day 5 - Sunday, February 12, 2017 - Online voting ends

Please take a look at the below calendar of events for next week.  

Here's a look at the return week (1/23 - 1/27):

1. No School - Power Outage (Monday, 1/23)

2. Daily Grammar Practice Week #2 & Go over requirements for "Red Bandana" Assessment/Assignment (Tuesday, 1/24)

3. "Red Bandana" Assessment/Assignment Requirements Introduced and Gone Over with Students (Tuesday, 1/24)

4.  "Red Bandana" Assessment/Assignment Task Sheets Handed Out to Students (Wednesday, 1/25)

5.  "Red Bandana" Assessment/Assignment Planning Day (Thursday, 1/26)

6.  "Red Bandana" Assessment/Assignment Final Copy Writing Day ... final copies due by the END of class (Friday, 1/27)


Vocabulary to know for the upcoming week (1/23 - 1/27):

NONE 

Welcome to 2017 and a Brand New Start

Welcome back!  Our return to school brings the beginning of a new semester, the start of our 3rd quarter, and chance to improve upon the work done during the first semester.  This week's blog highlights #ENGRoom121's BIG 3rd quarter project and where the inspiration for the project came from.  I ask you all to take a moment to read the excerpt (click on the title of the book in blue) from the novel, Wonder (read the chapter Choose Kind, and take a look at the Appendix) by R.J. Palacio. The idea of precepts, interpreting them, and sharing examples of the precepts in action came from the above book and short excerpt.  It is #ENGRoom121's twist on the idea while still teaching the standards for Grade 8 English/Language Arts.  Please take a look at the requirements and my precept presentation example that I shared with the students.  Do you have a precept that guides you when making difficult decisions?  If so, please share in the comments section below this post.  OR, tweet your precept to @aprok, and I'll be sure to share with the students. 

The culminating piece to our 3rd quarter presentation is the creation of an eBook of all the student's precepts.  They will be put together in four chapters (Ch. 1 - CommUNITY, Ch. 2 - Courage, Ch. 3 - Kindness, and Ch. 4 - Respect).  One of the first official assessments the students will have this 3rd quarter will happen on Thursday, January 26th (this assessment will also serve as the students 3rd quarter "Red Bandana" assignment).  Students will have to write either a dedication page or chapter introduction for our eBook in perfect paragraph format.  Students will receive a writing assessment grade, and three students will be pulled from each mod as the best-written paragraphs (following assessment guidelines, varied sentence structure, mechanics of writing).  These three items will be published online for online voting to take place.  This will open up a whole new world to the students when it comes to receiving feedback on their writing.  The student who receives the most votes based on the criteria will be featured in our eBook on our dedication page, and the chapter introductions, as well as, receive our final Red Bandana of the school year.  Best of all, they will have a permanent place in our inspirational precept eBook.  The third quarter is shaping up to be an exciting one. 

Please take a look at the below calendar of events for next week.  

Here's a look at the return week (1/16 - 1/20):

1. NO SCHOOL - in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Monday, 1/16)

2. Prok's Precept and "Wordture" presentation (Tuesday, 1/17)

3. Precept Speech requirements/expectations/calendar of events and "Wordture" shared w/ students (Tuesday, 1/17)

4. Introduction to Daily Grammar Practice (Wednesday, 1/18)

5. Understanding Annotating and Interacting with Reading (Thursday, 1/19)

6. Bi-Weekly Conference w/ Prok (Friday, 1/20)


Vocabulary to know for the upcoming week (1/16 - 1/20):

NONE 

Today in class we acknowledged and honored the #ENGRoom121 2nd Quarter High Achievers and Red Bandana Recipients ... take a look :-).  CONGRATULATIONS to all of you!

2nd Quarter HIGH ACHIEVERS:

100/100 on Accelerated Reader - Hope A., Ally B., Josh B., Paige D., Hannah D., Joshua G., Marissa K., Lexi L., Julia L., Liam M., Brennan M., Kyla M., Jimmy P., Abby P., Justin P., Connor Reynolds., Paige S., Kristen S., and David W.

Perfect Score on Ebenezer Scrooge Perfect Paragraph (35/35) - Emma R. 

Perfect Score on A Christmas Carol - Bio Poem (45/45) - Yadiel A., Jenna B., Jacob D., Collin G., Marissa K., Myrna L., Jacob L., Nick M., Alexandra Metot., Jimmy P., Jacob P., Zach P., Emma R., Jaden R., Kristen S., Roman W., and Dominic Z.

Perfect Score on "We are Family" Oral Presentation (45/45) - Kayla K.

A Christmas Carol - Bio Poem Finalists (2nd Quarter "Red Bandana" Assignment) - Hope A., Maddie K., Jimmy P., Lexi L., Zach P., Gavin S., Ally B., Jacob L., Sadie H., Adriel H., Alexandra M., Nick M., Yadiel A., Destiny R., Jenna B.

Purple Cow Recipient (for "thinking different" and being extremely creative) - Julia L.

2nd Quarter "Red Bandana" Recipients - Yadiel A., Sadie H., Adriel H., Lexi L., and Jimmy P.

Mod 1 High Achievers

Mod 2 High Achievers

Mod 4-5 High Achievers

Mod 8-9 High Achievers

Mod 10 High Achievers

Have a great weekend!

"We are Family..." Traditions & the 3rd Annual Gift of Words

This week's blog highlights some of the family traditions students shared with their #ENGRoom121 classmates.  There was a sense of pride with each student as he/she spoke about his/her family. Many students reached out to grandparents to find out important information the family, immigrating to this country, and where some family traditions started.  The post for this week is one highlighting the students work.  It is simply a collection of pictures taken before, during, and after the presentations. Thank you for sharing your students with #ENGRoom121.  They are a pleasure to learn from and teach.  There are also pictures from the 3rd Annual Gift of Words gift exchange.  We all know the power words have to tear down, but this was a new twist to show students how words can also build up, encourage, and lend a much needed hand.  It has always been a positive learning experience in #ENGRoom121.

Trying the Oplatki - A Christmas Tradition

Straw for the Manger Family Tradition; Victorian Era England; Summer Family Photo 

Poutine; Pierogies; Candies from England; Nut Roll

Replica of Puerto Rican Christmas Village Festival and the dessert Tembleque 

Learned about Advent Calendars and Coins in the Cabbage

3rd Annual Gift of Words Gift Exchange

Here's a look at the return week (1/4 - 1/6):

1. Return on Wednesday, January 4, 2017

2. STAR Reader Assessment for 3rd Quarter Accelerated Reader Goals (Wednesday, 1/4)

3. Begin 3rd Quarter read aloud, Wonder, (Thursday, 1/5 & Friday, 1/6)

4. Set 3rd Quarter Accelerated Reader Goals (Thursday, 1/5 & Friday, 1/6)

Vocabulary to know for the upcoming week (1/4 - 1/6):

NONE

ENJOY the next two weeks celebrating traditions with family and friends.  See everyone in 2017!