December 8, 2015

We started class with 20 minutes of independent reading time. Students should start compiling a list of the titles and authors of books they've read since August 24 (start of school). They'll need this information for the week of final exams (Jan. 11-15).

For our Writer's Notebook entry, students chose one of these quotes to respond to. I asked for a full page response today.

"Time stands still for no man." - Leonard Reiss

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss

One error I've seen in students' writing is in punctuation with a conjunctive adverb. We looked at the Chomp Chomp site to help us recognize and punctuate conjunctive adverbs in sentences. Students then worked in groups to find online quizzes to help us with other frequent errors: commas, subject/verb agreement, pronouns, and commonly confused words. They shared their quizzes on Classroom and spent time exploring sites that other students found.

I returned the STAAR practice essay from yesterday and asked students to proofread their writing, looking for errors like the ones we just discussed. I also asked them to circle and improve three words. This is a skill they can apply when they take the test tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, here's how the schedule will look. You'll report to your testing room by 8:15am. Remember, you don't need to bring anything other than a book to read when you finish. At 12:45pm, students who are finished will be released to go to lunch in the cafeteria then report to their 3rd period class by 1:20pm. Students who are not finished will be relocated to another classroom to complete the test.

Coming up: Writer's Notebook Check Friday, 12/11, and Argument and Persuasion test Wednesday, 12/16!

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