Day 98

I hope that this is not your thoughts about my class!


Please work on finishing your assessment question from yesterday:

• How does the poem relate to your novel? Use text evidence to support your answer.

Once you finish read independently.

RFotD: A flock of crows is known as a murder. Read about other names for groups of animals here.

Homework: Read for 30 minutes and catch up on your Reading Journals.

Day 97

Happy Monday! This is Monday number 2 in our three-week five-day run.  We can make it!  Please read independently while I take attendance.

Today I will be assessing your ability to connect poetry with the novel you have been reading.  I am confident that you will all do very well!

RFotD: Goldfish don’t have stomachs.  That's right, you can read more here.

Homework:  Read for 30 minutes and catch up on your Reading Journals.

Day 96

Happy Friday! It has been a long week, but you finally made it. Please read independently while the sub takes attendance. Do a good job for the sub.

Today we will be finishing your letters to yourselves and meeting with your managed choice groups.

RFotD: Rabbits have a field of vision of almost 360 degrees, allowing them to see behind themselves without having to turn their head.  Read about it and other interesting animal stuff here.

Homework: Read for 30 minutes and catch up on your reading journals.

Day 95

Please read independently while I take attendance.

Today we will be taking a break from our unit study to do a brief writing project.

RFotD: Hákarl, or rotten shark, is a national dish of Iceland and is considered a delicacy.  Read more here.

Homework: read for 30 minutes and catch up in your reading journal.

Day 94

We are halfway through the week!  please read independently while I take attendance.

Today we will be going to the library and catching up on our reading.

RFotD:  Babies pretty much universally have blue eyes and humans eyes only change color due to development or melanin or pigment in the eye.  Here is the whole story.

Homework: read for 30 minutes and catch up on your Reading Journal entries.

Day 93

I hope you enjoyed the poetry meme today. Please read independently while I take attendance.

Today we will continue our study of poetry and the connections that can be made to novels.

RFotD: Nintendo was originally a trading card company. Read all about it here.

Homework: Read for 30 minutes and work on your reading journal.

Day 92

Welcome to a new week in Language Arts!  Please respond to the following prompt:

You are living in the distant future and your best friend has been kidnapped by a government agency because of your friend's ties to a group that opposes them.  What do you do?

RFotD: There are warehouses so big they have their own weather. Read about one of them here.

Homework: Read for 30 minutes.

Day 91

Happy Friday! You have almost made it through the week. Please read independently while I take attendance.

Today we will be looking at perspective in stories and how it affects how characters behave.

RFotD: Figs have a digested wasp inside them. Yep, you read it right. Find out more here.

Homework: Read for 30 minutes.

Day 90

Please read independently while I take attendance.

Today we will be reviewing what we've looked at so far, and catch up on reading.

RFotD: The Dutch village of Giethoorn has no roads; its buildings are connected entirely by canals and footbridges. Read more about it here.

Homework: read for 30 minutes.

Day 89

Happy Wednesday! Please respond to the following prompt:
You are on your way to school and find what looks to be a stray dog.  It turns out to be an intelligent creature from another planet. What do you do?

Today we will be looking at point of view and how to identify it within literary text.

RFotD: The Boston Marathon didn’t allow female runners until 1972.  That doesn't mean women didn't find a way to run anyway.  Read all about it here.

Homework: Read for 30 minutes and catch up on your Reading Journal entries.

Welcome back! Please read independently while I take attendance.

Today we will be focusing on events and how they affect how a story unfolds.

RFotD: The world’s most expensive spice is saffron. It costs up to $5,000 per pound! You could buy over 1,300 pounds of ground beef for that much money!  Read about saffron and other insanely expensive spices here.

Homework: read for 30 minutes.

Happy Friday! You have nearly survived your first week of school in 2017. Please read independently while I take attendance.

Today we will be learning about how characters in literature are affected by the situations they are in.

Not so RFotD: Friggatriskaidekaphobia is the name given to the fear of Friday the 13th.  Read some other interesting facts about Friday the 13th here.

Homework: Read for 30 minutes and sleep in on Monday :)

The meme says it all!  Please read independently while I take attendance.

Today we will be studying inferences and how they affect our understanding.

RFotD: Diamonds actually aren't rare at all. The DeBeers company began marketing diamonds as the best stone for engagement rings and made them very popular. Read more about it here (scroll down to read common myths about diamonds). Thanks to Aiden Connor for finding this random fact.

Homework: Read for 30 minutes.

Please respond to the following prompt:

You have been given the gift of unlimited knowledge.  You are an expert at everything.  What would you do with this amazing ability?

RFotD: The popping and cracking sounds that your joints make from time to time are actually gas bubbles, tendons and ligaments moving, and rough spots on joints.  Read all about it here. Special thanks to Alaina Podczervinski for this interesting fact!

Homework: Read for 30 minutes.

Please read independently while I take attendance.

Today we will finish MAP testing.

RFotD: Stressed is Desserts spelled backward. It's called a Semordnilap. Read about Semordnilaps here.  Some other examples can be found here.

Homework: None.

Happy Monday! Please respond to the following prompt:

You discover that you can accurately predict the future of your best friend.  What's worse, they are in great danger.  What do you do?

Today we will be MAP testing.  I will provide you with your fall score so you know what to beat.  You will do wonderfully, I'm sure.

RFotD: During your lifetime, you will produce enough saliva to fill two swimming pools. Read more here.

Homework: None.

Happy Friday! I hope that you all enjoyed your snow day!  Please read independently. 
Today we will be officially beginning our new unit: Analyzing Author's Craft.
RFotD: The longest name for a city or village is Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.It's located in Wales and is welsh for "Saint Mary's Church in the hollow of white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of Saint Tysilio near the red cave".   Here is a short video that tells how to pronounce it here.

Homework: Read for 30 minutes.

Welcome back, and happy 2017! I hope that you all had a terrific break and ready to get down to work :)

Please read independently while I take attendance.

Today you will get your new seat assignments, set some goals and get reacquainted. Also, tomorrow we will be headed to the library, so make sure you have any books you want to return.

RFotD: Cinnamon is actually tree bark!  Read about it here.

Homework: Read for 30 minutes.