"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!

Sleigh Bells Ring Assessments, Assessments, Assessments for ALL Learners

This week's blog found the students anxiously awaiting the FIRST official snowfall so we could officially start our new #ENGRoom121 Polar Bear Challenge tradition.  Students needed to understand a tradition is simply something passed on from one generation (or class :-) ) to another. Traditions don't have to be grand, or religious, or associated with a holiday; it just has to be something started by one person and then passed down, and done again the next year, and the next year, and the next year.  A simple and inexpensive one was introduced to the students when the "We are Family..." project was first announced, and it was, when the first snow falls during our class we will stop what we are doing, grab a popsicle, go outside to eat it and enjoy our FIRST class snowfall. It's as simple as that ... a NEW tradition has been started.  After this week's forecast, I stocked up on the popsicles, the students opened my blinds to make sure I didn't miss it, and we wait...

WE are waiting...#ENGRoom121 Polar Bear Challenge

Please share little traditions you have that are meaningful and important to you, so that I can then share with the students.  Traditions are an important part of who we are and where we came from. They can be traditions with family, friends, or just yourself.  On twitter use the hashtag #ENGRoom121Traditions or comment below in the comments section.  Thank you for your participation and for helping my students learn about traditions.

This rest of this week's blog post consists of reminders regarding our upcoming assessments.  To reach all types of learners, multiple assessments are planned for the end of the 2nd quarter.  It is the hope that with the first semester coming to an end, and a variety of assessments planned, each student will do well on at least one of them, if not ALL of them, and achieve success and confidence in English.

Please be sure to click on the links attached with each project to see what the expectations/requirements and due dates are.

Take a look:

- A Christmas Carol Character Bio Poem (2nd Quarter Red Bandana Assignment) - Person Requirements OR Spirit Requirements

- 3rd Annual Gift of Words Requirements

- "We are Family - A Celebration of our Ethnicity and Family Traditions" Expectations/Requirements

- "We are Family..." - Presentation Dates by MOD and DATE (students learned of their presentation date in class TODAY - 12/9/16)

Here's a look at the upcoming week (12/12 - 12/16):

1. A Christmas Carol Character Bio Poem (2nd Quarter Red Bandana Assignment) Assessment (Monday, 12/12) followed by work session for "We are Family..." speeches

2. "We are Family..." presentations work session for visual component ... BRING YOUR MATERIALS TO WORK WITH (PICTURES, CAPTIONS, POSTER BOARD/PRESENTATION BOARDS, ETC.) - (Tuesday, 12/13)

3. "We are Family..." presentations Day #1 (Wednesday, 12/14)

4.  3rd Annual Gift of Words project is DUE (Thursday, 12/15)

4.  "We are Family..." presentations Day #2 (Thursday, 12/15)

5.  Mid-Term DAY #1 (FRIDAY, 12/16 - MODS 1, 2, & 4-5)

SIDE NOTE - please continue to prepare for your #ENGRoom121 midterm exam by studying the A Christmas Carol comprehension questions, your Summer Vocabulary list, and your types of sentences resources ALL CAN BE FOUND IN GOOGLE CLASSROOM.

Vocabulary to know for the upcoming week (12/12 - 12/16):

NONE

ENJOY THIS WINTER FILLED WEEKEND!

Dashing to the End of the 2nd Quarter and 1st Semester

This week's blog post consists of information regarding our upcoming projects.  Please be sure to click on the links attached with each project to see what the expectations/requirements, and due dates are.

Take a moment to read over the requirements for:

- A Christmas Carol Character Bio Poem (2nd Quarter Red Bandana Assignment) - Person Requirements OR Spirit Requirements

- 3rd Annual Gift of Words Requirements

- "We are Family - A Celebration of our Ethnicity and Family Traditions" Expectations/Requirements

Here's a look at the upcoming week (12/5 - 12/9):

1. Go over Stave 4 A Christmas Carol Comprehension Questions (Monday, 12/5)
2. Read Stave 5 and Go Over Comprehension Questions (this will be done verbally) of A Christmas Carol (Tuesday, 12/6)
3. Receive Expectations for the 3rd Annual Gift of Words Gift Exchange (Wednesday, 12/7)
4. Prok's We are Family... Presentation (this will be modeled for the student so they know the expectations ... they will time and grade me) (Wednesday, 12/7)
5. Attend A Christmas Carol Field Trip/Luncheon (Playhouse Square - Thursday, 12/8)
6. Take STAR Reader Assessment for Use with Recommendations for 2017-2018 School Year (Friday, 12/9)
7. Receive We are Family... Presentation Date - either Wednesday, December 14th OR Thursday, December 15th (Friday, 12/9)

SIDE NOTE - please continue to prepare for your #ENGRoom121 midterm exam by studying the A Christmas Carol comprehension questions, your Summer Vocabulary list, and your types of sentences resources.

Vocabulary to know for the upcoming week (12/5 - 12/9):

NONE

I hope everyone enjoyed the weekend!

Projects, Projects, Projects ... A Differentiated Approach to Help Students Achieve Success

This short week's blog post simply consists of some information regarding an upcoming project for your student.  As stated earlier in the school year, each quarter students will be asked to give an oral presentation.  During the first quarter, the students shared their "Play-Doh" sculpture and what about them it represented, and their "All About Me" Google Slides presentation.  During the second quarter, #ENGRoom121 will continue to highlight and emphasize courage, kindness, respect, and CommUNITY as they conduct mini-research on their ethnicity and family traditions through a project called, "We are Family - A Celebration of our Ethnicity, Family Traditions & Customs."  As a result of this project/presentation we, as #ENGRoom121 commUNITY members, will continue to get to know each other.  This project honors our families and makes us proud of where we come from and who we are.  Please take a moment to read over the expectations that went home with the students yesterday (Tuesday, November 22, 2016).

"We are Family - A Celebration of our Ethnicity and Family Traditions" Expectations/Requirements

Here's a look at the upcoming week (11/28 & 12/2):

1. Turn in Thanksgiving Day/Weekend Extra Credit assignment (Monday, 11/28)
2. Spot check research beginnings for "We are Family..." project (Monday, 11/28)
3. Go over Stave 3 A Christmas Carol Comprehension Questions (Monday, 11/28)
4. Ebenezer Scrooge Paragraph "DO OVER" Types of Sentences (Tuesday, 11/29)
5. Read Stave 4 of A Christmas Carol (Wednesday, 11/30 & Thursday, 12/1)
6. Complete and grade Stave 4 Comprehension Questions (Thursday, 12/1 & Friday, 12/2)

Vocabulary to know for the upcoming week (11/28 - 12/2):

NONE

I wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving!  May you all enjoy the holiday with loved ones.

"Believe you can and you're halfway there." - Theodore Roosevelt

My apologies for not updating the blog the past couple of weeks.  We officially reached the halfway point of the second quarter on Wednesday, November 16th.  The final update to Infinite Campus before progress reports happened today, Friday, November 18th and then progress report grades were posted for #ENGRoom121. The progress report grades will go live to families on Tuesday, November 22nd.

The last couple of weeks students have been busy reading the novel, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens and working on Reading Literature Standards.  We have successfully read and viewed the first three staves of this piece of literature.  It has been great fun reading through Dickens' Christmas classic and helping the students understand the time period, Old English, why so many people in Victorian Era England were sad and struggling, and discussing the different traditions families shared during what seemed like simpler times.  #ENGRoom121 is on track to finish the novel before attending the play on Thursday, December 8th.  The live production will be the culminating activity of this unit of study.  

With the halfway point of the second quarter upon us, I wanted to highlight a several things that the students will still have to complete before our semester break.  Please see the following list:

1. Thanksgiving Day craft and extra credit assignment (Monday 11/21 & Tuesday 11/22) - extra credit to "Work Habits" category
2. A Christmas Carol Character Bio Poem and Illustration (2nd Quarter Red Bandana assignment) - grade to "Assessment" category
3. "We are Family" presentation (lessons & presentation in diversity and culture ... Wednesday 12/14 & Thursday 12/15 ... more on this next week in my blog update) - grade to "Assessment" category
4. The 3rd Annual "Gift of Words" gift exchange (DUE Thursday 12/15; gift exchange Friday 12/16, Monday 12/19, & Tuesday 12/20) - grade to "Assessment" category
5. First Semester Mid-Term exam (Friday 12/16, Monday 12/19, Tuesday 12/20 ... click here to see exam schedule) - grade to "Assessment" category
6. ALL Accelerated Reader goals due by Tuesday 12/20 - grade to "Accelerated Reader" category

Here's a look at the upcoming week (11/21 & 11/22):

1. Complete Stave 3 A Christmas Carol Comprehension Questions
2. Receive "Gift of Words" & "We are Family" project requirements/expectations
3. Complete Thanksgiving Day craft and receive extra credit requirements

Vocabulary to know for the upcoming week (11/21 - 11/22):

NONE

Have a wonderful Cleveland weather weekend  ;-)!

Bah Humbug! A Journey through the Victorian Era Begins

The first week of the second nine weeks began with another round of writing about our beloved Cleveland Indians and their series with the Toronto Blue Jays.  Students continued to practice writing the four types of sentences as they related supporting details to the five-game American League Championship Series. #ENGRoom121 is designed to allow the students to become better writers because they will have multiple opportunities to practice, edit, and revise ALL of their writing. Items will not be checked off of the "To-Do List" unless there is a proven level of understanding and forward progress.

Through observations and discussions, it is evident that this process is getting easier. Writing is never an easy task, and it is often more difficult for students because they have never been asked, or expected to continually practice, edit, revise, and rewrite.  They are too used to completing an assignment, having it graded and never having to revisit it to make it better. The above approach is not the way to help the students become more confident and better writers, so we will adopt an approach that mirrors the process expressed in the above image (pay particular attention to the part about Hemingway :-) ).

Students were also introduced to the second quarter read aloud, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens.  On Monday and Tuesday, students were introduced to the Victorian Era, Charles Dickens, and the novel itself.  They took notes as we discussed each of the above.  On Wednesday and Thursday, we read Stave 1 of the novel, and the students worked on the Stave 1 "Check Your Understanding" questions.  It was a festive time in #ENGRoom121, and we look forward to discovering more reasons why the novel, A Christmas Carol, is credited with restoring the Christmas spirit to many who read it.

Remember that one cannot become a better reader without practicing reading. Students must commit to 30 minutes of reading five days a week outside of school to improve.  Just another friendly reminder, if students are absent on a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday they should email me at aprok@berea.k12.oh.us OR aprok@bereaschools.org, send me a tweet on Twitter, or message me in Remind101 with their silent reading status update.  If they do not do this, they will lose the 5 points the "Status of the Class" update is worth.  THIS IS to be done on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (NOT the day or days after).

Here's a look at the upcoming week (10/31 - 11/4):

1. MHJH Halloween Dress Up Day - SHOW YOUR SCHOOL SPIRIT (please adhere to the guidelines and expectations shared by Mr. Kish on the morning announcement)
2. A Christmas Carol (view Stave 1 - Monday)
3. Go over Stave 1 "Check Your Understanding" Questions (Tuesday)
4. Read Stave 2 of A Christmas Carol (Wednesday & Thursday)
5. TITANS ACTIVITY Schedule - 1st Quarter Incentive Day (Thursday)
6. A Christmas Carol Stave 2 "Check Your Understanding Questions (Friday)

Vocabulary to know for the upcoming week (10/31 - 11/4):

NONE

GO TITANS!  And GOOOOOO, CLEVELAND INDIANS!

We are All the Winners... - 1st Quarter High Achievers

The first quarter of the 2016-2017 school year officially came to an end yesterday.  The students in #ENGRoom121 have accomplished a great deal.  Some highlights are below:

On Monday, October 17th students took the STAR Reader assessment for the second time this school year.  We were looking for a growth of +0.2 or +0.3 from the August score.  It is pleasing to report that of the 110 students that took the STAR Reader assessment 70 achieved the goal of a +0.2 - +0.3 or higher increase.  The average increase of this STAR Reader administration was +0.75.  This shows that there is a commitment to reading outside of the #ENGRoom121 classroom and importance being put on academic success in the homes' of the students.   Thank you all for that commitment! Remember that one cannot become a better reader without practicing reading. Students must commit to 30 minutes of reading five days a week outside of school to improve.  Also, as a reminder, if students are absent on a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday they should email me at aprok@berea.k12.oh.us OR aprok@bereaschools.org, send me a tweet on Twitter, or message me in Remind101 with their silent reading status update.  If they do not do this, they will lose the 5 points the "Status of the Class" update is worth.  

In class, we also completed our second "perfect paragraph" centered around practicing and using the various types of sentences in writing (simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex) as we wrote about the Cleveland Indians sweeping the Boston Red Sox in the American League Division Series.  It's been great fun to talk baseball with the students, and writing about another Cleveland team's journey to a championship.

We ended the week, as a commUNITY, celebrating the #ENGRoom121 successes of our classmates. As a class we talked about what it means to be a community, and how communities come together to celebrate their residents times of joy, and times of heartache and tragedy.  The expectations established were:

1. We are celebrating each other, and we will be happy for each other
2. We will clap for each member of our commUNITY that is being acknowledged
3. We will work hard to be celebrated next quarter.

We honored students in our classes that achieved at a high level in Accelerated Reader for the first quarter scoring 100/100.  We also acknowledged students that scored a perfect score on one of our assessments (Summer Reading Vocabulary Quiz, or the "Perfect Paragraph" #1).  The celebrations ended with the red bandana being given to the writer of the best paragraph for the "...Last Hour..." prompt in honor of the September 11th hero, Welles Crowther.  Please take a look to see all the #ENGRoom121 students honored for their high level of achievement.  Our red bandana ceremony (adapted from that of Welles Crowther's mother) consisted of acknowledging the student that wrote the best paragraph about our "Last Hour..." prompt, and a short speech highlighting the ideals (commUNITY, respect, kindness, and courage) of #ENGRoom121.  As the student received his/her red bandana the following was said:

"As a recipient of this red bandana and to honor the September 11th hero, Welles Crowther, you are charged with the responsibility to "Honor your commUNITY whatever it looks like and wherever you are, respect and be kind to others, and be courageous.  Whenever you see, your red bandana remember Welles Crowther ... a hero lives in you, too." - This is only to be displayed and/or used in a positive and honorable way.  Misuse of this award could result in the ending of our red bandana ceremony.

Red Bandana Recipients - Maddie K., Bethany R., Hailey S., Kristen S., and Jadyn Z

Like the real world, sometimes :-), when hard work, dedication, and perseverance are regular attributes of an employee they are rewarded with a promotion, or a bonus check; the students recognized received a "bonus check" for their hard work and use it towards something in the second quarter.  for up to 15 points on a homework/classwork assignment or extra credit at the end of the quarter, OR for up to 7 points on an assessment.  

1st Quarter HIGH ACHIEVERS:

100/100 on Accelerated Reader - Hope A., Matt A., Paul A., Christian G., Collin G., Grace C., Andrew D., Brooke K., Brennan M., Kyla M., Mia M., Nick M., Justin P., Jimmy P., Emma R., Gavin S., Paige S., Summer V., David W., Dylan W., Grady W., Luke W., and Roman W..

Perfect Score on Summer Vocabulary Quiz (52/52) - Julia L.

Perfect Score on Perfect Paragraph (20/20) - Sadie H., and Kyla M.

"Last Hour" Prompt Finalists - Billy C., Grace C., Mia G., Maddie K., Lexi L., Kyla M., Jacob P., Jimmy P., Meliea P., Bethany R., Hailey S., Kristen S., Allison V., Kylie V., and Jadyn Z.

RED BANDANAS ready to go

MOD 1 High Achievers

MOD 2 High Achievers

MOD 4-5 High Achievers 

MOD 8-9 High Achievers

MOD 10 High Achievers

Here's a look at the upcoming week (10/24 - 10/28):

1.  Introduction to A Christmas Carol (setting and author - Monday)
2.  "Confessions of a Part-Time Sinner" activity (Tuesday)
3.  Continue writing and complete Perfect Paragraph sample #3 about the Cleveland Indians           American League Championship Series
4.  Begin reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
5.  Mod 4-5 - WordMasters Round 1 Official Quiz

Vocabulary to know for the upcoming week (10/24 - 10/28):

1. Victorian Era - the period of British history when Queen Victoria reigned
2. Debtors Prison - a place people, who couldn't pay their debts went

Congratulations to all 1st quarter honorees.  You all have the ability to achieve at high levels.  It takes work, commitment, and perseverance.  I look forward to honoring more of you after the second quarter.

GO TITANS!  And CONGRATULATIONS, CLEVELAND INDIANS!

A Quarter of the Way There

The first quarter of the 2016-2017 school year officially came to an end yesterday.  The students in #ENGRoom121 have accomplished a great deal.  Some highlights are below:

1.  Quarter 1 STAR Reader Assessment
2.  Get to Know with Play-Doh
3.  Google Drawings "All About Me" Presentations
4.  Building a CommUNITY of Respect, Kindness, and Courage
5.  Types of Sentences (Simple, Compound, Complex, and Compound-Complex)
6.  Traits of a Perfect Paragraph
7.  Read The Outsiders

On Monday, October 17th students will take the STAR Reader Assessment for the second time this school year.  We are looking for growth .2 or .3 increase from the students score in August.  This shows that there is a progression in the positive direction.  One cannot become a better reader without practicing reading.  Students must commit to 30 minutes of reading five days a week outside of school to improve.  It is a journey I am making with my students this school year.  My philosophy has always been I won't ask students to do something I'm not willing to do myself, so my first quarter reading portfolio and AR quiz scores are as follows:

1.  The Illustrated Man - Ray Bradbury - AR Score - 10/10 - 10 points
2.  Ender's Game -  Orson Scott Card - AR Score - 8/10 - 8 points
3.  All the Light We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr - AR Score - 18/20 - 18.9 points

The second quarter is an exciting one for the 8th grade because we will be reading Charles Dickens', A Christmas Carol, and going downtown to Playhouse Square to watch it live on stage.  December 8th will be a memorable day for our 8th-grade students as learning continues outside the walls of MHJH.  Next week the students will be introduced to Charles Dickens, the Victorian Era, and the classic novel A Christmas Carol.

Here's a look at the upcoming week (10/17 - 10/24):

1.  STAR Reader Assessment (Monday)
2.  Celebration of first quarter successes (Monday) ... Shout Outs of Success and Red Bandana ceremony
3.  Complete Perfect Paragraph sample #2
4.  Introduction to Charles Dickens, "A Christmas Carol"
5.  The Outsiders movie night (Thursday, October 20 - 5:30-8 PM)

Vocabulary to know for the upcoming week (10/17 - 10/24):

1. Victorian Era - the period of British history when Queen Victoria reigned
2. Debtors Prison - a place people, who couldn't pay their debts went

Beginning on Monday everyone has a chance to start over and begin again.  Let's build on what we've learned during the first nine weeks and make every effort to continue down the path of success we've created, or make improvements so that we can join our classmates on this path.

GO TITANS & INDIANS!

SCREEEEEEECH! HIT THE BRAKES!

Eight weeks into the new school year we are continuing our journey to become writing and literary scholars.  We discovered this week that maybe the students weren't ready to put their skills on display in the form of an assessment.  It's going to take more time and more practice before that assessment becomes a part of the grade book.  And you know what, it's OK.  We'll keep practicing together until we all get it.  There's no doubt it's a rough road to travel, and it will be a continual work in progress, but we will move forward and learn the tools needed to write successfully and competently, and students won't be held captive to grades.  As parents/guardians, please understand there may not be many grades for assessments.  However, it does not mean learning is not taking place and students are not being held accountable for their work.  It just means we're taking a different approach in #ENGRoom121.  This will be a shift in thinking for all of us, but one worth attempting.  

A simple picture illustrating the writing process

Summarizes #ENGRoom121 perfectly

Here's a look at the upcoming week (10/10 - 10/13):

1.  Parent/Teacher Conferences (Tuesday, October 11th & Thursday, October 13th both days 3:45-7:00PM)
2.  1st Quarter ends on Thursday, October 13th - Accelerated Reader goals due by 3:15
3.  NO SCHOOL for students on Friday, October 14th
4.  More work with sentence types focusing on adding details and writing vividly

Vocabulary to know for the upcoming week:

1. Adjective - words that describe or modify other words, making your writing and speaking much more specific, and a whole lot more interesting
2. Adverb - a word that describes or modifies a verb, an adjective or another adverb.
3. Verb - a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, and forming the main part of the predicate of a sentence

Remember the quarter ends next week you will want to spend some time making sure all your work is completed before Thursday, October 13th.  Get on Infinite Campus and check to make sure you're in good shape for the end of the first nine weeks.  

GO TITANS & INDIANS!

F.A.N.B.O.Y.S. - Sounds Like the Next Boy Band

There are only nine days left before our first quarter comes to an end.  It's amazing how quickly time goes.  This past week in #ENGRoom121 the students reviewed paragraph writing and the four types of sentences (simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex).    This review took place after reading their paragraph responses to the prompt "What would you do in the last hour of your life."  The students did well with their topic sentence and summary sentence, but the supporting detail sentences lacked structure, complexity, and detail.  We reviewed the four different types of sentences in writing, simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex, how you can mix and match them in writing, and practiced identifying and writing them.  

We will be working with these types of sentences again beginning Monday as we work together to write a perfect paragraph about a common topic.  The students and I will compose this paragraph together, and the finished product will be theirs to keep and use as a reference/resource for future writing projects.  The above is building a foundation for the successful writing of a memoir which will require a multi-paragraph finished product.

The third bi-weekly conference happened today (9/30) and the students and I discussed their completed "Memoir Brainstorming" worksheet.  I asked the students what they were leaning towards writing about and many students couldn't answer that.  If you are looking for something to talk with your student about, ask him/her about that brainstorming sheet and have them pull it up in Google Classroom.  You may be able to help them decide on a memory to write about, and/or help them remember details about the memory to aid in his/her writing process.

Remember these words of wisdom from a fantastic author:

Students will be given many opportunities to write in #ENGRoom121

BONUS OPPORTUNITY - What does F.A.N.B.O.Y.S stand for? - leave your answer in the comments section of this post

Here's a look at the upcoming week (10/3 - 10/7):

1.  MHJH Respect-a-thon (all week)
2.  Complete a "perfect paragraph" in class (Monday)
3.  "Perfect Paragraph" assessment - prompt will be related to the season of autumn, or the benefits of owning a pet, and students will be assessed on use of all four types of sentences (correctly) simple, compound, complex, and compound complex, and the summary sentence (Thursday & Friday in class)

Enjoy the first weekend in October.  GO TITANS!

"The Martyrdom of Andy" - A Memoir (Mentor Text)

This week the students in #ENGRoom121 began preparing for their first official writing assignment.  The memoir unit aligns with The New Ohio Learning Standards for English/Language Arts in the writing strand. While writing, they will be asked to pay particular attention to: recount and develop a real experience (from his/her life), "using descriptive details, and a well-structured sequence of events."  The students will help the reader by establishing a point of view, introduce a narrator, and logically share the sequence of events.  Also, the final piece of writing will need to include "narrative techniques, like dialogue, pacing, description," and reflection, to develop experiences, events, and/or characters while maintaining a command of the English language and capitalization, punctuation, and spelling.  It's a tall order, but with a slow and steady writing pace, guidance and support via mini-lessons, and regular check-ins the students will create a memoir to be proud of and worthy of sharing.

Our walk down "memoir lane" began with a discussion in our mini-learning communities contrasting narratives and memoirs.  The student's final thoughts were compiled in a single note sheet (see Narratives vs. Memoirs Notes).  We continued our trek by reviewing the "Elements of a Story" from our 8th grade Summer Vocabulary List.  The review helped focus the student's attention on the qualities that are needed to make a story a story.  On Thursday, we read a sample memoir entitled, "The Martyrdom of Andy" (give it a read), took notes on it (see notes for "The Elements of a Story," and filled out its plot diagram.  We ended the week by completing a brainstorming activity while listening to our memoir theme song, "Souvenirs," by Switchfoot.  The song sings about our mental pictures (memories) being our souvenirs.  Listen to the song and complete the brainstorming activity that the students did :-).  What are your "souvenirs?"  Begin a dialog with your student by sharing some answers with him/her and maybe having he/she share some answers with you :-).  It would make for some pleasant weekend conversation.

A blast from the past ... last week we wrote our "exceptional" paragraph response to the prompt, "What would you do in the last hour of your life?  Where would you be?  Who would remember?” Well, the responses have been narrowed down to the top three in each class.  The remaining three are with the "#ENGRoom121's Got Talent" judges, and the top paragraph will be announced soon and featured in an upcoming blog post.  Take a look at some of the shared responses.  They are telling, compelling, sweet, and heartbreaking.


Here's a look at the upcoming week:

1.  Take a look at simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences and practice writing them
2.  Settle on a "souvenir" (memory) to write your memoir about
3.  Discuss leads
4.  Begin the memoir writing process
5. Friday Bi-Weekly Conference with all students (topic of discussion ... memoirs and the writing process)

Vocabulary to know for the upcoming week:

1.  simple sentence - a sentence consisting of only one clause, with a single subject and predicate
2.  compound sentence - a sentence with at least two independent clauses joined by a comma and conjunction, or semicolon
3.  complex sentence - a sentence that combines one independent clause with at least one dependent clause
4.  compound-complex sentence - a sentence that contains at least two independent clauses and at least one dependent clause
5.  lead - a way to grab a reader's interest or attention

Enjoy your weekend.  GO TITANS!

"The Man in the Red Bandana" = Courage & Honor

The fifth week of the school year has come to an end.  All fall sports teams are competing in athletic competitions, and MHJH clubs are getting ready to start.  It has been a wonderful start to the school year.  The students are continually reminded of the ideals of #ENGRoom121, which are commUNITY, respect, kindness, and courage.  This week we continued to focus on courage.

On Monday, students brainstormed in their mini learning communities the characteristics of an exceptionally written paragraph.  The link is a copy of what "Exceptionally Written Paragraphs" look like according to them. These notes now provide, for the students, a roadmap of what is expected of them for their writing assignments.  It is a roadmap that can be transferred and used in any subject.  The paragraph guide was created in preparation for the students to complete their first formal piece of writing for class.

Tuesday the students viewed a video entitled, "The Man in the Red Bandana," which aired on ESPN several days ago.  It told the story of Welles Crowther, and how he chose to spend the last hour of his life.  Please take a moment and view this remarkable story of courage.

"What would you do in the last hour of your life?"

In their first formal piece of writing, with a roadmap at their side, the students wrote their response to the following prompt:  "What would you do in the last hour of your life?  Where would you be?  Who would remember it?  What would it look like?"  Take a moment and answer those questions.  Discuss your response with your child.

In the continued effort to build something more than just a classroom for the 180+ days we are together, five red bandanas were ordered.  They will be given out to the student that wrote the most exceptional response to the above prompt in the each of the five classes (a panel of judges has been secured).  The #ENGRoom121 will help the bandana continue to be symbolic of COURAGE and its red color representative of HONOR, in memory of Welles Crowther.

No longer will this be a negative symbol, instead it will be a symbol of COURAGE ... the color of HONOR

Here's a look at the upcoming week:

1. Go over The Outsiders Character Traits Chart (physical & personality traits ... developing characters)
2. Annotate and understand memoir short stories (The Martyrdom of Andy Drake & Molly ... reading literature)
3. Brainstorm ideas of memories from own life to possibly write about
4. Continue reading 1st Quarter read aloud and memoir mentor text The Outsiders

Vocabulary to know for upcoming week:
1. martyr
2. martyrdom
3. memoir
4. reflection

Enjoy your weekend!  GOOOO TITANS!

"Put 'em up, put 'em up" - C.C.K.R

"Put 'em up, put 'em up" the famous line from The Wizard of Oz is synonymous with its character, The Cowardly Lion.  The movie, the quote and the character are also closely associated with the word courage.  After all, courage is all that the Cowardly Lion wanted, and this school year it is also all I want for my students.

So, how do you help children become courageous in such a troublesome world?  Building courage is a multi-step process that first requires an environment for them to thrive in, not just survive.  A thriving environment must have a stable community and reminders, to its "residents" (the students), daily, hourly, sometimes every second of every minute, what are acceptable actions and spoken words.  It is a constant work in progress and requires you to stop what you are doing when someone steps out of line through actions or words and correct the behavior in a respectful way for all to see and hear.  Teachers must agree and commit to consistency, fairness, and respect when correcting the moments of unneighborly behavior.

Once you establish the above (it won't be perfect mind you ... there will be slip ups), students will begin to feel more courageous because they know they have an environment free from ridicule and unkind behavior.   The first courageous step the students took in #ENGRoom121 was sharing a little about their lives in an assignment called, "About Me."  Each student got up in front of the class and introduced himself/herself via a Google Slide.  There was 100% student participation with this assignment.  Courageous!

Our school year continued this week with a discussion on the concept of courage through music, and a community learning opportunity for students and table partners.  Each student was given the task of identifying one thing he/she can do to make sure "to live" this school year and one thing to do to make sure he/she is remembered.  The tables worked on understanding the concept of courage through a series of activities.  Their final thoughts are below.  Also, check out the music videos of the songs played for the students and see if you can answer the questions of "How will I prove I lived this school year?" and "How will I make sure I'm remembered this school year?"

Lady Antebellum's "I Was Here" Music Video

 

OneRepublic's "I Lived" Music Video

Mod 4-5 Ideas about COURAGE (all learning communities represented)

Everything from the previous weeks about commUNITY and respect was tied together to create the Titans Bingo Board of CommUNITY,  Respect, and Kindness for ALL.  These are student created ideas of actions that display one or all of our focal points in #ENGRoom121.  This board will be passed out to students on Monday, and they will be asked to complete at least one BINGO before the end of the first quarter.  Eventually, the hope would be that the bingo reminders won't be needed, they will simply become a part of each student and his/her  personal philosophy.  Feel free to try your hand at the Titans BINGO Board of CommUNITY, Respect, and Kindness for ALL.

Titans BINGO Board of CommUNITY, Respect, and Kindness for ALL

How to prepare for the upcoming week (9/12-9/16):

1. What are the qualities of an exceptional paragraph?  (Student generated)
2. Continue to think about the similarities and differences (contrast) between a personal narrative and a memoir
3. Be prepared to discuss the characteristics of a personal narrative and a memoir
4. Brainstorm moments in time from your life where you learned a significant lesson
5. Be ready to read some short memoirs that meet all characteristics of a memoir and discuss the elements of a story from these examples
6. 8th Grade picture day on Thursday, September 15th
7. Continue reading 1st Quarter Mentor Text (The Outsiders) Chapters 4-6

Have a wonderful weekend and GOOOOO TITANS!

A Room with a View

We are fourteen days into a new school year.  The transition back from summer vacation has been smooth, but hot.  The kids have been real troopers, especially the afternoon classes when Room 121 is at it's hottest.

I have two professional goals for myself this school year.  Goal #1 is to create lessons that are engaging, but challenging, so my students gain an appreciation for reading and the craft of writing. Goal #2 is for the families of my kiddos, and it is to allow my classroom to come with a view.  This weekly blog is that window.

Below are ways to keep up with Room 121 and in a roundabout kind of way participate in some of our activities:

- Google Classroom - have child log in and then you can see what's happening
- Google Sites - visit my site and click on the "Calendar" tab to see what's happening in the classroom and due dates
- Twitter - follow @aprok for the school year on twitter for school/class updates and participate in extensions beyond the classroom walls and school day
- Remind101 - get updates and reminders by subscribing
- Prok's Blog - weekly updates and things to think about for the upcoming week
- Infinite Campus - make sure your parent/guardian portal is active and ready for weekly grade updates
- Facebook - "Like" MHJH's charitable 5K Dash4Dignity and stay up to date with its latest news - we run for one of our own ... MHJH 9th grader, Ashley Martincic

As Room 121 continues to create an environment for students of equality, respect, and commUNITY, like Gander, Newfoundland (see blog post from Friday, August 26) a bi-weekly conference began today.  It is my opportunity to check-in with each one of my English students, talk to them about their progress in my class and see how things are going for them as a whole.  It's Prok's spin on Check & Connect, but it includes EVERYONE because in Room 121 everyone is equal and treated the same. While I'm touching base with students individually, the others are at their seats silently reading or working on assigned writing projects, and/or personal writing pieces.  This schedule allows for instruction and practice Monday-Thursday, and an entire class mod for individual work/progress towards our reading and writing goals.

The final purpose of this weekly blog is to help frontload families on what's coming the next week. Things to think about and study are:

1.  Think about the word "courage" and ideas about courage
2.  Think about the word "memoir" and different life experiences where you learned a lesson
3.  Be prepared to use the Twitter handle @MHJHTitans #Room121Courage next week
4.  Study your Summer Vocabulary terms for the quiz on Friday, September 9th

There are a lot of new things happening in Room 121 this school year.  Hopefully, it will all come together to help students not just survive, but thrive.  Check back weekly for regular updates on our progress.

MHJH Room 121 - IT's a CommUNITY - Day 3

The week wrapped up in Room 121 going through the final day of our three-part series on building a commUNITY in our English classroom.  After highlighting the events from the previous two days and explaining to the students a little about what they were going to be a part of today we were off and running.

The lesson began with a little talk about September 11, 2001, and where I was when the news came through of what was happening in our country on that fateful day.  I remember it like it was yesterday, but it was sobering when I realized my current students weren't even born yet.  They were the most attentive and quiet as I recalled that day.  I shared with them the video clip from NASA of the September 11th Airspace Shutdown, the accompanying timeline, and the Cleveland connection.

Youtube Video of the September 11th Airspace Shutdown

I'm sure all of you are thinking, "September 11, 2001, is an odd connection to respect and community", but in all reality, there's nothing odd about it.  In fact, out of that tragedy came one of the greatest, yet little-known stories ever.  Being a fan of the Olympics ever since I was a wee one (and that's been a long time) I've spent weeks of my life watching and following both the winter and summer Olympics ever since 1980.  It was during my viewing of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada that I learned the importance Gander, Newfoundland played to the world that unimaginable day.  Tom Brokaw did a 43 minute special on Gander and the events that unfolded on September 11, 2001.  If you have the time, please take a moment to watch the report he shared.

"Operation Yellow Ribbon" Gander, Newfoundland

This Olympic report led me to the book, The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 Gander, Newfoundland, by Jim McFede.  It was in this book that I was introduced to Werner Baldessarini, fashion designer and businessman, and former chairman of Hugo Boss.  He was on one of the international flights diverted and ordered to land in Gander when the U.S. airspace was shut down.  It was here that he would spend 72 hours waiting for airspace around the United States of America to reopen.  It was also here that he learned the true meaning of community, and it is here that I finally came to the end of a quest to find a clear definition of what community means thanks to the words of Mr. Baldessarini.   Read the excerpt from the above book that is the epitome of commUNITY:

“There was no hatred.  No anger.  No fear in Gander.  Only the spirit of community.  Here, everyone was equal, everyone was treated the same.  Here, the basic humanity of man wasn’t just surviving but thriving.  And Baldessarini understood that he was a witness to it and it was affecting him in ways he’d never imagined.

His assistants in Frankfurt thought he was crazy when he called to cancel the private jet.  He tried explaining that flying home while the others were left behind would have been an act of betrayal of everything that had happened over the last seventy-two hours.  Wherever his fellow passengers went, that’s where he would go.  However long it took them to get home, that’s how long he’d be gone.  He was in this until the end.” - page 194 - The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 Gander, Newfoundland by Jim McFede

The above is how I make sure learning happens in my classroom. I watch over an environment where there is no hatred, anger, fear, etc.. It is an environment where everyone feels safe to be who they are. I guarantee 52 minutes of safety, care, and kindness to anyone who is a part of Room 121. It is a constant work in progress, but because reading and writing are such personal subjects, where students are asked to dig deep and share, I have to make sure the place they do their learning is one of respect and commUNITY. The class motto encompasses all that Room 121 is about: "We don’t have rules … we have a mutual philosophy of RESPECT for ALL."

MHJH Room 121 - IT's a CommUNITY - Day 2

Yesterday when the students walked into Room 121 they were met with the agenda as always.  They knew we were going to be using Kahoot again for another activity centered around our classroom environment.  The plan for yesterday was to show a short clip from the movie, "Remember the Titans," and play the music video of Bette Midler's, "From a Distance."

It was the songs that were the driving force of yesterday's activity.  In the short clip from the movie, Cat Steven's "Peace Train" is playing in the background as Julius, is on his way to Gary Bertier's home.  Julius is an African-American high school football player in a predominately white neighborhood when a police officer pulls up beside him.  The racially charged times made building the Titans football team a difficult task. However, with the dedication of head coach, Herman Boone and his staff, and constant, yet at times, subtle reminders a mutual respect for the game and ALL its players was built.  It was no accident that the song "Peace Train" was chosen as background music for that scene.  Take a look at the clip and see if you understand why such a powerful song was put into that scene.  The students were asked to do the same on Kahoot :-).

"Peace Train" in "Remember the Titans"

We transitioned away from "Peace Train" and to another song, "From a Distance."  I prepped the students for the viewing by asking them to pay attention to the words being sung and the role of children in the video.  I emphasized not getting caught up in the religious connotation of the song's refrain, but to pay more attention to the words of the verses.  At the conclusion of the video, the students were asked to identify the theme of the video.  Give the song a listen and the video a look and ask yourself, what is the theme?

Bette Midler's music video for "From a Distance"

At the end of our Kahoot and a short discussion, students were asked to begin working with their table partners on the task of defining the words respect and community.  They were then to come up with two examples for each word of the definition in action.  What does respect look like?  What does community look like?  The students struggled with coming up with a definition for respect.  They knew what it was but couldn't put it into words.  The table with Julia, Zach, Kylie, Roman, and Lily summed up the difficulty of this task well, when they said, "Respect is so easy to understand yet so complicated to explain/define."

So, why are these two songs the anthems for Room 121?  It's very simple, "Peace Train" is connected to RESPECT, and "From a Distance" is connected to COMMUNITY.  The student's experiences of not belonging, these two songs, along with the ideas of respect and community they came up with together, and the third part in our series, will lead us to an environment in Room 121 that supports and encourages ALL.  Come back later today for the final installment of MHJH Room 121 - It's a commUNITY.

MHJH Room 121 - IT's a CommUNITY - Day 1

Our first week of school has been spent getting to know each other.  I have consciously chosen not to post or go over any rules or expectations for my classroom, with the exception of a class syllabus since that was passed out at Open House.  The first several days of school are typically spent allowing students to choose where they sit, observing them interacting with each other and with me (spoken words and actions).  Once a few days of observing are done, those observations are used to develop a classroom philosophy.  A process of how anyone in Room 121 (student, adult, and/or guest) will treat others and be treated.  This adopted philosophy is more often than not very simple.  One single simple sentence. This year for the first time, a three- part series has been planned, and these lessons will lead us to our 2016-2017 class philosophy.

Day 1 of our journey to developing it brought about a chance to use our Chromebooks and a site called, Kahoot. Students answered a six- question series that focused on a time when they felt like they didn't belong.  After responding to the first question of, "where did you have that feeling of not belonging" the students answered the remaining five, which built off of question number one.

Above - The Kids & Kahoot; Right - The Kahoot Questions

After completing the Kahoot activity, the students were redirected to Google Classroom and to a Form where they wrote a paragraph reflecting on the time they recall feeling like they didn't belong. It is with these reflections that I hope to continue the journey of learning about my students and getting a sneak peek of their writing style and abilities in an informal way.  Day 2 of our 3 part series took place today and introduced the students to our class anthems.  Two songs that embody the philosophy we will be adopting as we build our Room 121 commUNITY.  

D'Oh!  You Want Me to Do What?!?!

Yesterday at the Berea City School District opening day convocation for staff the challenge of teaching with your heart was thrown out.  I have always prided myself by doing just that and thanks to a colleague of mine the students participated in a great first day of school activity involving Play-Doh.

The first day of school traditionally involves teachers passing out a course syllabus, directions for Remind 101, going over class expectations, etc..  As I have done in the past, I broke away from traditions and involved the students in sculpting something they wanted their classmates to know about them.  I gave the students some ideas to help them process the directions and alleviate some of the anxiety they may have been feeling about the whole activity.  I even told them I'd participate and my first day was spent creating five different sculptures for each of my five classes.

Throughout the entire process, the students were engaged, laughing with each other and thoughtful in what they created.  What came out of the time spent sculpting and sharing were things about my students I would have never known if I hadn't given them the chance to share.  Here's what I learned about my students:

They like balls ... baseballs, basketballs, soccer balls, softballs, and footballs

Softball Player

Many like to swim and enjoy the ocean

A couple are avid runners participating on the cross-country team (I'm sure they could both beat this novice runner)

The Cross-Country Cs

One is the product of a divorce before he was even born

One is self-taught animator on YouTube (I really need to talk to him)

A favorite snack of another is a big bowl of green grapes

A young one from my morning classes is a cancer survivor

Receiving Treatment

One learned how to pogo stick with no hands before leaning to ride a bike

Pogo Stick

A young lady from my morning class has been in several live theatre performances

Theatre Masks

There were many more interesting and unique things shared throughout the day today.  I enjoyed every minute of my first day with my new students.  I appreciated all that they shared, and I'm proud to say that 100% of students stood up, showed their sculpture and shared what it represented about them.  All in all a successful #TitansFirstDay of school.  There's always time for the business side of things (rules, expectations, etc.), but we'll never get this initial first impression of each other back. Once again, I'm happy I chose the path less traveled for the first day of school.