Week of December 1-5, 2014

We will start reading a new novel, "The Giver" by Lois Lowry. 
Short summary: Where Jonas lives, life is safe, orderly, and predictable.  Rules are strictly adhered to; every aspect of a person's life is carefully planned.  People rarely make choices on their own; everything is decided for them by the community.  There is no snow or sunshine, no colors or music, no animals or nature.

Reminders:
Monday--Discuss "utopian" and "dystopian" worlds.
Tuesday--Read chapter 1 in class--Homework read chapter 2
Wednesday--Homework read chapter 3
Thursday--Homework read chapter 4
Friday--Quiz on chapters 1-4. Homework read chapters 5-7

Week of November 24-28, 2014

Time seems to be flying students so we need to focus on our school work.  Next month you will be taking district benchmarks in all the core areas. 

AC2E IT Seminars coming next week. The seminar I will be teaching is on pointillism.  Students will learn about the work of George Seurat. Students will learn how to create a work of art using dots. Students will learn about color and how the eye sees color.

Reminders:
Early Release on Tuesday, Nov. 25

We will start with "The Giver" by Lois Lowry next week.

I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Week of November 17-21, 2014

Students are working on a Thinking Map Book for Esperanza Rising. They are learning about plot, summarization, character analysis, compare and contrast, the importance of setting (time and place), infer the implicit-explicit theme of the novel, and author's point of view. 

This coming week we will be analyzing and comparing "Esperanza Rising" to Emily Dickinson's poem "Hope" is a thing with feathers.

Esperanza Means Hope

In Esperanza Rising, the author demonstrates the power of words and language throughout the novel. Esperanza means "hope" in Spanish, and the author creates a character-Esperanza-who continues to rise above valleys of hardship in the novel in order to reach the peak of her mountains, as symbolized by the blanket that she crochets under Abuelita's instruction.  Emily Dickinson's poem "Hope' is a thing with feathers also illustrates that hope con be a powerful source for flight.

Reminders:
Thursday--University T-Shirt
Friday--Falcon Spirit T-Shirt

Earn 10 points:
1. Theme Reread pages 250-251. Why is this book called Esperanza Rising?
2. Inference Esperanza did not receive fancy gifts for her birthday, but she was happy.  How do you know? Explain her reaction and support your answer.






  


 

Week of November 10-14, 2014

We are now starting the 3rd Six Weeks time sure does fly when we are having fun.  We are getting very close to the end of the first semester.  Students we need to prepare ourselves for our first District Benchmark coming up in December. We need to start thinking like scholars and apply our skills in all subject areas.  We can not slack off in our work.  Success depends on how we apply what we have learned and what we are learning.  Responsibility and determination are the ingredients for success.  So students I challenge all of you to spread those wings and SOAR!

We will finish "Esperanza Rising" this week.  The next novel to be read is "The Giver" by Lois Lowry.  This is a science fiction novel. 

Reminders:
Tuesday--Veterans' Day                                       
Thursday--College T-Shirt
Friday--Falcon Spirit T-Shirt



10 Sesame Street Premiered on PBS (1969) Great Wall of China Opened for World Tourism (1970) Vietnam Veterans Memorial Opened in Washington, DC (1982)

11 Veterans Day Pilgrims Signed Mayflower Compact (1620)

12 Elizabeth C. Stanton's Birthday (1815) Joseph Stalin Became Ruler of Soviet Union (1927) World War II Battle of Guadalcanal Began (1942)

13 World Kindness Day Laws for Segregation on Buses Ended (1956)

14 Claude Monet's Birthday (1840)

15 America Recycles Day Articles of Confederation Approved (1777) Largest War Protest Ever (1969)

Week of November 3-7, 2014

We had a fantabulous Halloween with our kids but this week we need to come back down to reality.  We are administering 2nd Six Weeks Exams this week.  It is hard to believe that we are already at the end of the 2nd Six Weeks.

Students need to go to bed early and have a good breakfast to be ready for testing.

We are reading the lasts three chapters of "Esperanza Rising."  We are almost at the end of her adventure.  Ready to find out what happens to Esperanza, Mama, Miguel and Abuelita?

Reminders:
Study Study Study
Come Prepared

THE NEXT NOVEL TO BE READ WILL BE "THE GIVER" BY LOIS LOWRY