Week of December 14th

We will be working on a new Collection this week focused on exploring "perception" and "reality."

Homework, quizzes, tests:

Tuesday: Vocab Sentences (2 per vocab word from The People Could Fly)
Wed: Vocab Quiz
Thurs: Story Test

Week of Dec. 7th

Students will be presenting their opinion essays this week!  Looking forward to seeing all their hard work put to play!

Week of Nov. 30th!

Students will finish their opinion essays this week and begin presenting.

7D has the Holiday Shop 6th Period Dec. 1st.
7K has it during 6th period Dec. 3rd.

Students are to finish final drafts of their essays for homework if they do not finish during class this week.

Week of Nov. 23rd

We'll be continuing working on our opinion papers this week.  Student should finish body paragraphs one and two tonight for homework if they did not finish in class today.

Week of Nov. 16th!!!!

The year is just flying by!  This week and next we will be working on Opinion commentaries on whether or not bold actions are worth it.  Students will be utilizing evidence from all the stories and articles we've read throughout Collection 1 as well as their own lives.

Homeroom business:

Art 1 orders due Dec. 1st
Holiday Shop for 7D will be 6th Period, Tuesday, December 1st

Week of Nov. 9th!

This week we'll be reading an article called Women in Aviation.


What to expect this week:

Tuesday: HW Vocab sentences (two for each word)

Thursday:  Vocab quiz; article test; HW: list of reasons why bold actions are OR are NOT worth it

Rolling Thunder Collection

7th graders are collecting PopTarts for the troops!  Bring them in and we will be donating them during an assembly November 11th!

The Monsters are Due!

We will be reading through the script of one of the most influential Twilight Zone episodes this week!  The Monsters are Due on Maple Street!

Tuesday we will have a vocab quiz and Friday will be our test.

Picture Retakes/Make-ups!!!!

November 4th on Wednesday!!!

Suspenseful Stories Wrap Up

This week students will be wrapping up their suspenseful stories using feedback from peers as well as from myself.  Students are welcome to continue working on their stories at home too.  We will be getting a bit of a refresher course on dialogue to help everyone include it in their stories correctly.

MyAccess.com this week!

Students will be working on narratives that involve suspense and bold actions.  They will have the opportunity to work on MyAccess throughout the school day and they are invited to continue their work if they wish at home.  I'm looking forward to reading the stories these creative students develop.

This Week...

We will be reading and discussing bold actions in the myth The Flight of Icarus.

Tues:  Write two sentences for each vocab word
Thurs:  Grammar Work sheet; Vocab Quiz
Friday:  Flight of Icarus Story test

Group work

Students will be working in groups to create argumentative posters that present a statement with supportive evidence.  They will be using articles that we've read in class as well as their own ideas.

Week of Sept. 21st

Homework for the week.

• Monday
• Sentence Fragment exercises
• Tuesday
• Sentence Fragment Exercises
• Thursday
• Sentence Fragment quiz

First story test!

There will be a story test on Rogue Wave tomorrow!  This is an open book test but be sure to read the story over so it is fresh in your mind.

First real HW assignment!!!

Tonight students should write a sentence that provides context clues to each of the meanings of their five vocabulary words for Rogue Wave.  The words are as follows:    swell, deck, navigation, submerge, and porthole.  Please write one sentence per word and remember to give us clues to the meaning of the word within your sentence.

In other words, no sentences like, "She walked towards the deck."   There are no clues to the meaning of deck here.  Sentences such as this will not receive full credit.

There will be a quiz on these five words held on Friday.

Welcome Back!

Hey there, folks!  I hope everyone enjoyed their summer!  I know, I know -- it just blew by.  You wait though, this year is going to move along quickly too!  There is so much to read, learn, and create and I cannot wait to start with a whole new group this year.

Please remember:

• Check here regularly for homework, important messages, and upcoming tests/quizzes/assignments.  
• Bring any necessary forms from the online backpack to your homeroom teacher.
• Return class contracts signed!
• Return parent contact information sheet to your homeroom teachers ASAP.
• Get ready for a fun year!

Share a Memory...

Students will be capturing memories to share with the class this week.  Much like Jonas receiving the important memories of the past in The Giver,  we will be receiving an important memory from each student!

Homework Tonight

We finished up the movie version of The Giver today.  Students will need to finish the comparison chart and questions for homework if they did not finish them in class.

PARCC End of Year this Week

This week the students will be taking the End of the Year PARCC.  They will get an opportunity to compare the movie version of The Giver to the book as well.  I'm curious to hear their thoughts!

Create Your Own Utopia

Students will be working in groups to create their own Utopias this week!  I always look forward to this project as it not only incorporates all the themes, theories, and lessons they've learned throughout this unit, but it provides them an opportunity to get thinking critically and creatively.

I'm looking forward to seeing what these young folks produce!

Welcome Back!

I hope everyone had a great break!  We will be wrapping up the rest of The Giver this week (if not early next week).

Home work:

Monday-- Finish the packet for Chp 16 and 17

The Giver continues

We will continue our journey into Jonas' world this week. 

Tonight's HW: Finish reading Chp. 12; complete journal questions

Wednesday:  Study Vocab Words

Thursday:  Vocabulary Test

The Giver continues

We will continue our journey into Jonas' world this week. 

Tonight's HW: Finish reading Chp. 6; complete journal questions

Wednesday:  Finish reading Chp. 8; complete journal questions

Thursday:  Study for vocab test

Friday: Vocabulary Test

Homework for tonight

Please finish reading Chapter 2 in The Giver.  Please be sure that you've come up with 10 questions and 10 facts for Chapter 1 AND Chapter 2 in your packet.

Safety VS Freedom Unit

I'm excited to say that we will be starting The Giver this week.  Students have done wonderfully with sharing their ideas and opinions about the topics of what makes societies perfect and imperfect.  We will continue to discuss dystopian societies and what it is that they truly lack.  Occasionally students will need to bring home their books and their journals for HW.  I will provide them with a folder to hold these items.  Students are expected to keep these items in good condition -- the books are quite small and easily crushed, but they need to last.  

Students will also be signing a "Spoiler Contract."  Some students have either read this book or seen the movie and it is important for them to not release any knowledge prematurely.  A huge part of the enjoyment of this book is exploring the world the author created.  If students intentionally discuss the ending or the outcome of any future events in the book, a lengthy essay will be required of the responsible student.  The essay will be graded.

Homework will be assigned on a day by day basis depending on what is finished in class.  Sometimes I will have the opportunity to post it on the blog, but that is not a guarantee.  It will, however, be written on the homework board when it is assigned and it is up to the students to write it down.  

Optical Academy Reschedule

Optical Academy, the onsite discounted vision team is rescheduled for Wednesday, April 1st at Oxford Central School.

Please go the link below to reschedule or schedule a new appointment.

https://www.optical-academy.com/events/the-oxford-central-school/

Thanks,

Ms. Dean

Battle of the Books Meeting This Week

We will be meeting during lunch on Thursday this week!  See you there!

PARCC Practice

This week we will be practicing some of the PARCC style questions to prepare for the test coming the first week of March.  Feel free to try out any of the materials more thoroughly at home!

http://parcc.pearson.com/practice-tests/

PARCC introductory video

We will watch the following video in class and look at PARCC sample questions so you all feel more comfortable with the test.  Check it out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YegCt3T9S7E

Homework for the week after another lost Monday

We will be finishing up the persuasive essays from last week.  Students are arguing whether or not it would be a good idea for people to be able to claim land in outer space.

Tuesday:  Finish final draft for homework using peer feedback to improve rough draft
Thursday:  After watching and looking over the PARCC tutorial and trying out some PARCC questions, write down 3 questions you have about the PARCC test.

Homework for this week

We will be practicing argument writing this week in our new Common Core Assessment workbooks.  See this week's homework listed below:


Tuesday:  Read p5 in Common Core Assessment; in the notes section, identify the argument and the evidence.

Wednesday: p 10-11  in Common Core Assessment; answer Close Read question and Discuss and Decide question

Thursday: Complete p16-17  in Common Core Assessment workbook

Optical Academy!

Hello Parents,

I just want to make sure you know the Optical Academy is coming to Oxford Central School February 24th 9:00 am - 6:00 pm.  Optical Academy is a traveling "eye doctor".  They bring all the equipment and sample frames right to Oxford Central School.  All exams are $30 and frames with lens for $29.   There is an extra $30 charge for contact lens exam.  Optical Academy accepts all insurances but it is not necessary.  This opportunity is open to anyone. Please pass along this information to anyone who may benefit.  Scheduling an appointment is as easy as clicking on the link below. 

https://www.optical-academy.com/events/oxford-central-school-community-school-eye-exams-and-eye-wear/

Thanks,

Ms. Dean

Continuation of last week

Students finished up their expository essays this week.  Myaccess will be left open so anyone can continue to work on their expository or extra credit essay over the weekend.

The extra credit, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick narrative essay, will be available until the end of the 3rd marking period.  Your MyAccess grade will earn you points. The grades are in red and the points you could earn are in green.  The points earned will be added on to the lowest test/project/writing grade in the 3rd Marking Period.

6 = 10 points

5.9 - 5.5 = 9.5 points

5.4 - 5.0 = 9 points

4.9 - 4.5 = 8.5 points

4.4 - 4.0 = 8 points

3.9 - 3.5 = 7.5 points

 3.4 - 3.0 = 7 points

2.9 - 2.5 = 6.5 points

This week!

We will be working on an expository essay via MyAccess.com this week and next!   We are focusing on the idea that a single action or event can dramatically change a person's perception of themselves, others, or the world around them.

 One of my helpful students found a wonderful site that students can use to add transitions throughout their essay (an organizational strategy everyone can work on).

http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Transitions.html

Sorry, Wrong Number

Check out the links below for versions of Sorry, Wrong Number that we listened to and watched in class this week.

Radio play on Youtube.com
Clip from movie version
Full Drama version

Optical Academy Visit

ATTENTION ATTENTION!!!!

Anyone in need of affordable eyecare!  Please check this offer out!
The Optical Academy will be visiting Oxford Central  on Feb. 24th from 9am - 6pm.  Please call to register - 1 800 530-2730 or wisit their site Optical-Academy.com.

Anyone can register for a very affordable eye exam! Glasses are available as well!

Almost over that first bump!

I hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend! ;)  This week I have a real treat planned.  We will be reading the unusually suspenseful drama, Sorry, Wrong Number.  Afterwards, I have a version for you all from an art almost forgotten:  Radio-Drama!  I'm so excited to share this with you folks as I know many will appreciate it.

Welcome back!!!

I hope everyone had a great break and is ready to jump back into some literature.

Monday:  Sentences for vocab words; Another Place, Another Time
Tuesday:  Vocab Practice p109; complete ALL including Practice and Apply
Wednesday:  Story Vocab Quiz
Thursday:
Friday: Story Test