Week of October 26-30, 2015

Falcons we are now going into the 4th week of the second six weeks. We have now finished reading "The Giver."  Jonas has found out that Gabriel will be released.  Jonas goes to the Giver and tells him that he is going to escape and take Gabriel with him.
This is a summary of the last chapter:
 One day, it snows, leaving Jonas and Gabriel cold, hungry, and exhausted. Jonas has just a few memories left from The Giver, but he finds one of sunshine and transmits it to Gabriel. Soon, though, the snow makes it impossible for Jonas to bicycle up the hill he is on. He abandons the bike and carries Gabriel. When the memory of sunshine is gone, he focuses on his memories of his friends, family, and The Giver. These memories, and his intense desire to keep Gabriel safe, help him make it to the top of the hill.

When he reaches the top of the hill, Jonas recognizes it. He also sees a sled. Jonas and Gabriel ride the sled downhill. At the bottom of the hill, Jonas sees rooms full of colored lights. He is certain that there are people inside those rooms who keep their memories and understand what love is, and who are waiting for him and Gabriel. From the houses, he hears what he knows must be music, and realizes that the people are singing. Jonas also thinks he hears music playing far behind him, where his old community is located, but he can't be sure. It could be real, or it could be an echo.

Question: Do Jonas and Gabriel actually survive?  Did they actually get to Elsewhere?

Next Week:

Honors Literature

Monday--Anti Bully Presentation, Fall Pictures Day (Students will be able to come out of uniform this day.  Sunday's Best), Types of Conflicts

Tuesday--Types of Conflict in "The Giver"

Wednesday--Fall Jamaica, Early Release, Students can come out of uniform this day--NO COSTUMES. 

Thursday--Review

Friday--Social/Lock-In at Peter Piper Pizza, Students can wear costumes to school. 

Technology

Google Docs

Excel

Reminders:

$25 for Lock-In

$5 for Jamaica

End of Year fee is $130 or two payments of $65--One due by December 4, 2015 and payment #2 by March 4, 2016.

Red Ribbon Week:
Monday--Join the fight against drugs.  Students may wear their favorite Camouflage shirt.
Tuesday--I'm too Bright for Drugs!!! Students may wear their favorite Bright shirt.
Wednesday-- Hats off to being drug free. Students may wear their favorite Hat/Cap. 
Thursday--TEAM UP Against Drugs!!! Students may wear their favorite Team Shirt/College shirt/ Campus College shirt.
Friday--Say "BOO" to drugs or support relay for life!!! Students may wear an APPROPRIATE HALLOWEEN COSTUME, or Pink Shirt. 

Week of October 19-23, 2015

Falcons we are nearing the third week of the second six weeks.  This week we will finish reading "The Giver" and then start with "Esperanza Rising."

Jonas has stopped taking the pill for the stirrings and is beginning to feel all the emotions that were taken away from them.  He had his first experience of not being able to ask for medication.  The ceremony of twelve is coming up again and he hopes that Gabriel will be named and given to a family unit.  His father says it depends on his sleep pattern and so far Gabriel still cries during the night.  Jonas does not want him to be released.

The Giver gave Jonas the memory of love between family and Jonas would like for everyone to experience--love.  He asked his parents if they loved him and they chastised for using improper language.

Do you all feel that his parents will ever be capable of knowing what love is?

This week in:
Honors Literature: Finish "The Giver"
Theme
Conflicts
Author's Point of View

Reminders:
*Start bringing in money for the Lock In at Peter Piper Pizza on October 30, 2015.   $25.00
*Read Read Read Read

Week of October 12-16, 12015

We had a great week Falcons!  HESTEC opened the doors to many engineering wonders.
"The Giver" is getting very interesting and exciting.  Jonas is now the new receiver of memories in his community.  The Giver has given him the memory of snow, cold, riding on a sled, sunshine, sunburn, and the death of an elephant.  Jonas is beginning to question why the Elders have taken away so much from the people of his community.  The Giver explains that it is because Sameness keeps everyone safe.The community does not experience poverty, hunger, illnesses, or the ability to make choices.  They also have climate control so that they no longer worry about bad weather which sometimes can cause problems especially when transporting goods.
Jonas' question to the Giver is-- but is it fair for the people not to be able to experience what he now is beginning to see?  How do you feel about Sameness?  Do you feel that it truly does away with chaos?

This week in:
Honors Literature
Monday--exam on chapter 12 & 13, homework read chapters 14 & 15
Tuesday--review plot, discuss chapters 14 & 15, Excerpt from Chapter 1: Red-714 Identify Story       Elements--Plot
Wednesday--Introduce Concept Inference, What is an inference: Why is making inferences an important
reading strategy?How do we make inferences to help us understand what we are reading?Homework read chapters 15 & 16
Thursday--Review inference, discuss chapter 15 & 16, activity on inference
Friday--Exam on chapters 14-16

Technology continue on creating document

Reminders:  ATTENDANCE MATTERS PLEASE COME TO SCHOOL EVERYDAY!
Report pick up on Monday (Oct. 12) at Peter Piper Pizza
Time: 5-7.  15% of purchases while there will be given to our school!

"The Giver" Project

We made it to the end of the first six weeks!  I want to thank all the 6th grade students for a great job on the six weeks exam.  We must not get too comfortable though because it is going to get more difficult.  I hope that you all have been able to adjust to the way I teach and test. 


Next week in Honors Literature:
We will be focusing on Plot Elements because this is an area of concern after the exam. 
We will continue with "The Giver" chapters 6-11 will be tested on Tuesday (Oct. 6)
You are responsible to read chapters 12-16 by Monday (Oct. 12)

Technology:
Create a dropbox account


Reminders:
*HESTEC trip on Thursday (October 8) if you still have not paid please bring in $5.00 before  
 Wednesday.
*School uniform must be worn at all times. (White polo and jeans).
*No hoodies or pull overs are allowed.

Week of September 28-October 2, 2015

Falcons we are almost at the end of the 1st Six Weeks, WOW!!!!! It is going by fast and we still have so much more to learn.

This coming week you will be taking the six weeks exams.  Reading will be on Wednesday.  I ask you to please come to school on that day well rested.

We have learned that the community that Jonas lives in is very different from ours and that it is not as Utopian as we thought.  Jonas is getting ready for the ceremony of 12 which has him apprehensive because he has no idea what assignment the Elders have chosen for him.  Now remember that what ever is assigned to the Twelves is for life.  Gabriel has been brought into the family unit in  order to see if he can start sleeping through the night.  Jonas' father has volunteered to take him home because he has become very attached to Gabriel. We will find out what happens to Gabriel and Jonas as we continue reading the novel.

This week in 
Honors Literature: 
Review for six weeks exam
1st six weeks exam

Computer Technology
Excel

Reminders:
Six Weeks Exam
Read "The Giver" chapters 6-11 by Friday, October 2
$5 for HESTEC trip on October 8

Week of September 21-25, 2015

We went over background information for "The Giver" this information will help you to better understand the novel as you read.  We met the author, Lois Lowry.  The overview of the novel's rules for example precise language gave us a picture of the strict rules governing the community.  The setting in "The Giver" reflects a utopian society—a perfect world as envisioned by its creators. It has eliminated fear, pain, hunger, illness, conflict, and hatred—all things that most of us would like to eliminate in our own society

The Giver follows conventions from each of these genres.  As we are reading, consider which characteristics of a utopia, dystopia, and science fiction are present in this novel. You will keep a record as you read the chapters so then we can discuss in class. 

Honors Literature:
Genre, Point of View, Characterization
Summarization of Chapters
Symbolism, Protagonist, Antagonist
Exam

Technology:
Dropbox
Students will create accounts and share/join folders.
Introduce Google Docs

Reminders:
-School uniform (white polo and jeans)--Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
-University Shirt--Thursday
-Spirit T-Shirt--Friday
      *If students do not have a university or spirit t-shirt uniform must be worn ALL week.
-No hoodies or pull over allowed.
-Sweaters and jackets must be unzipped and unbuttoned at all times.
-HESTEC trip planned for October.  Students need to bring in $5 for trip.
-Attendance pledge must be signed and returned to homeroom teacher.
-Early Release September 23, 2015  

 

Week of September 14-18, 2015

Falcons first of all I want to congratulate you for a wonderful week. You are all doing a super job.

We will start reading "The Giver" by Lois Lowry on September 21, 2015.  The book needs to be bought or download it on your device. 

This coming week in Honor Literature:
Background Knowledge for "The Giver"
Dystopian and Utopian Worlds
Hitler
Introduce Vocabulary

This coming week in Technology:
Students will be writing essay "Patriot's Pen"

Reminders:
Project for "The Dog of Pompeii" due on September 18, 2015
Uniform must be worn daily--white polo and jeans
No hoodies
Jackets must be unzipped at all times in the buildings
No pullovers allowed