Week of February 23-27, 2015:

This is the first week of the 5th Six Weeks and we will be working very hard for the approaching STAAR State Exam. Students we are not done yet we have a long way to go so be prepared everyday. I would like to congratulate our students for a great job on their benchmarks but it does not mean that you let your guard down. We still have a lot of work ahead of us.  

My expectations for all students is to succeed at everything you possibly can. It means to accomplish, master, understand, and complete tasks, concepts, and processes at your grade level and beyond—or beyond what you are used to doing.

To succeed just follow the list below on a daily basis:

1. Be prepared. Do your work.

2. Do your work well. Do all your work.

3. Do your work on time. Take homework seriously.

4. Turn in your homework. Try hard.

5. Put forth effort. Bring all your supplies to class.

6. Be ready to learn. Study for tests. Listen.

7. Participate. Listen and learn from others.

8. Share your ideas. Finish what you start.

9. Reflect on your work. Make good decisions.

10. Push yourself beyond the easy. Don’t settle for mediocre work.

11. Try new things. Ask for help.

Honors Literature:

This week we will be learning the elements of poetry.  Students will learn to analyze a poem for better understanding.  On Wednesday we will be writing an essay for TELPAS--Prompt--Past Event-Reflective Writing-Narrative about something that happened or that you did that was disappointing, unforgettable, surprising, interesting, unexpected, funny, unfair, etc.

Agriculture/Horticulture

This week we will be designing our garden boxes for our vegetables and fruits.  

Reminders:

Mon--5th Six Weeks Begins, Panoramic Picture, Book Fair

Tues--Book Fair

Wed--Book Fair

Thur--Book Fair Ends, University T-Shirt Day

Fri--Starr County Youth Fair Field Trip, Spirit T-Shirt Day

Week of February 16-20, 2015

District Benchmark #2 This Week

We had a great week continuing with activities on The Giver and reviewing for our reading benchmark. Students received a reading review packet that should help with the benchmark.  Students should be studying this review daily.  This week will be very busy so we need to rest, sleep and eat well.  Please be sure to attend school every day and be on time. This is the last week of the six weeks and our students will be taking a reading and math benchmark. 

Horticulture students enjoyed watering their plants.  Our plants are growing like weeds.  We are planning to build some garden boxes for our plants.

Reminders:
Students need to pay $2.00 for Youth Fair we are scheduled to go on Feb. 27
We are collecting money for the end-of-year trip. Students should be paying for the

Monday  02/16/2015 7th wk of the 6Weeks     TELPAS testing begins  Book Fair Begins President's Day

Tuesday  02/17/2015  6th & 7th Gr. Math  District Benchmark 8th Gr. Social Studies Book Fair

Wednesday  02/18/2015  6th & 7th Gr. Reading  District Benchmark 8th Gr. Science Ash Wednesday Book Fair

Thursday  02/19/2015 College T-Shirt Day Book Fair

Friday  02/20/2015 4th Six Weeks Ends Regional Science Fair @ UTB Book Fair

Saturday  02/21/2015 Regional Science Fair @ UTB

trip.

Week of February 9-13, 2015

We have finished reading The Giver.  Jonas escapes the community with Gabriel after he finds out that his father will be releasing Gabariel in the morning.  Jonas along with Gabriel face starvation, freezing temperatures and the unknown while escaping the community.  They finally get to a hill where he sees a sled and hears music.  He feels that he has finally arrived to Elsewhere.  The question here is has he arrived to Elsewhere or is it just a dream?

Honors Literature:
Monday--Final Exam on The Giver
Tuesday--Reading Review
Wednesday--Math Review
Thursday--Drama, Analyze Diction
Friday--STAAR Practice Passage

Agriculture/Horticulture:
Interpret biotechnology's use in plant science.

Reminders:
Feb. 13--Student Dance
Feb. 17-18--District Benchmarks--Reading and Math (6th Grade)
Feb. 23--Panoramic Group Picture
Feb. 27--Starr County Youth Fair (fee $2.00 due Monday Feb. 9)

April 3--Fee Due for Final of the Year Trip $100.00

Week of Feb. 2-6, 2015

We have arrived to the climax of The Giver.  We are now going to find out what happens to Jonas, the Giver and Gabriel.  So many questions: If Jonas is giving Gabriel the memories will Gabriel remember them as he gets older?  Who can Jonas really trust in his community? If his father lied about the actual meaning of being released, who else has lied to him? We will find out all.

Honors Literature Class:
Mon.--Analyze Plot Climax(Turning Point), Falling Action
Tues.--Analyze Test Structure Compare and Contrast
Wed.--Metaphors, Analyze Poetry
Thurs.--Drama, Analyze Diction
Fri.--STAAR Review

Agriculture/Horticulture:
Mon.--Explain agriculture plants and their uses.
Tues.--Classify plants as annuals, biennials or perennials.
Wed.--Identify common and noxious weeds. Classify growth characteristics of weeds.
Thurs.--Photosynthesis, Respiration and Transpiration process.
Fri.--Exam

Students have finished their Topiaries.  We are now working on our vegetable and fruit garden.

Reminders:
Mon.--Groundhog Day
Thurs.--University T-Shirt
Fri.--Spirit T-Shirt and National Wear Red Day

Upcoming Events:
Feb. 10 and 11--District Benchmarks
Feb. 13--Student Dance
Feb. 14--Valentine's Day
Feb. 17 and 18--District Benchmarks

Week of January 26-30, 2015

Falcons welcome to the 4th week of the 4th six weeks!  This week in literature we will continue with The Giver.  We now know that Jonas was selected to be the new receiver of memories.  He is beginning to see the color red which is considered to be the ability to see beyond.  The receiver has told Jonas that some memories will be very painful but Jonas claims to be brave enough to receive them.  As Jonas trains to be the new receiver of memories we will see many changes in the way he thinks and feels.

Food for thought:
When Jonas learns all about colors, he claims "it isn't fair that nothing has color." Why does he say this?

The people from the community are being protected by not being able to make choices.  What are they being protected from.

Literature this week:
Analyze Plot--Exposition, Rising Action
Analyze Text Structure--Compare and Contrast
Analyze Plot--Turning Point, Climax
Graphic Novel--Theme, Interpret Meaning, Compare Details
Elements of Poetry--Metaphors
Exam

Agriculture/Horticulture
PPT-Identify plant parts and functions
Describe types of root systems. Identify plant growth.
Describe the absorption process
PPT on photosynthesis.  Describe and explain respiration and transpiration process
Exam
 
Reminders:
Students remember that our uniform is a white polo shirt with jeans Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.
On Thursday a college shirt can be worn and on Friday a spirit shirt.

January 27, 2015 Progress Reports Issued

Week of January 19-23, 2015

WE CONTINUE TO JOURNEY WITH JONAS AND THE RECEIVER OF MEMORIES. THE COMMUNITY WHERE JONAS LIVES IS UNLIKE OUR WAY OF LIVING. AT AGE TWELVE THEY BECOME ADULTS AND ARE GIVEN THEIR LIFE LONG PROFESSIONS AT THE CEREMONY OF TWELVE. THIS COMMUNITY DOES NOT ALLOW FREEDOM OF CHOICE.

MONDAY-ELEMENTS OF PLOT AND SETTING, DISCUSS CHAPTERS READ.
TUESDAY-INFERENCE, DRAW CONCLUSIONS, ANALYZE CHARACTERS. DISCUSS CHAPTERS READ.
WEDNESDAY-GRAPHIC NOVEL-DIALOGUE, INTERPRET GRAPHIC NOVELS, INFERENCE, DRAW CONCLUSIONS AND PLOT.
THURSDAY- TRIP TO TINSELTOWN TO WATCH SELMA.
FRIDAY-POETRY- METAPHOR, SET PURPOSE FOR READING, PARAPHRASE DETAILS, ANALYZE TONE, INFER MEANING AND EVALUATE MESSAGE.

HORTICULTRE
WE CONTINUE WITH TOPIARY

REMINDERS:
MONDAY- PERMISSION SLIPS FOR TRIP AND $10.00
TUESDAY-LAST DAY TO BRING IN MATERIALS FOR TOPIARY
THURSDAY- TRIP TO TINSELTOWN IN MISSION, TEXAS
FRIDAY-STUDENTS WEAR FALCON SPIRIT SHIRT

Week of Jan. 12-16,2015

We continue reading The Giver. Students will create storyboards for character traits and vocabulary. We will also be analyzing poetry. Students need to learn the elements of poetry. 

In Horticultre students will be learning about monocots and dicots. We will also be creating a topiary using a clothes hanger. 

Reminders: 

Tuesday--Students need to bring a clay pot and wire hanger for the topiary. 

Thursday--College Shirt Day

Friday--Spirit Shirt Day