Apr 2016
April 25 - 29, 2016
Apr/25/2016 01:13 PM
Week 34:
Please note: I have met individually with each student about their current grade in the class and how many points are needed to move up to the next letter grade. For parents who are signed up with Remind, I sent a note about students who were very close to moving up a letter grade for the year. Students can reassess with me through May 13. Keep in mind that there are many field trips and other activities scheduled for the next few weeks so the sooner they arrange to reassess, and complete the requirements to do so, the better off they will be. Please contact me for any information you need.
Focus This Week: Social Studies Standards SS7CG1: Government Structures
Opening:
Monday - Friday: CNN Student News
Work Session:
In preparation for a film we are going to watch, students will use the iPads to research the following information about "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington."
1) Who was the director?
2) When was the movie released?
3) Who are the two lead characters?
4) Who plays Jefferson Smith?
5) Who plays Clarissa Saunders?
6) What famous city was the film shot in?
7) What did some members of the Washington press and members of Congress think of the film?
8) What war occurred not long after the film was released?
9) What was another famous film that James Stewart was in that is shown at Christmas on many television stations?
10) How many Academy Awards was the Mr. Smith Goes To Washington nominated for?
11) What Academy Award did Mr. Smith Goes to Washington earn?
12) What is a filibuster?
Movie Questions to answer each day in class.
1. When senator Sam Foley dies, how is his Senate seat replaced?
2. Why is the governor and his group of supporters worried about who will take Senator Foley's place?
3. Who becomes the new Senator and what group of people recommend him?
4. Why are the people of the state so happy that Jefferson Smith has become Senator?
5. What does Mr. Smith do when he first arrives in Washington, D.C.?
6. What nickname does Saunders give him?
7. Why does Mr. Smith want to visit Mt. Vernon before his first day as Senator?
8. What is Mt. Vernon?
9. Why can't Mr. Smith respond to the allegations on the Senate floor about his sincerity as a Senator?
10. How does he react to the newspaper articles?
11. What bill does Mr. Smith want to introduce and pass?
12. Why are there only 96 Senators?
13. Why doesn't Saunders think that Mr. Smith's bill will be easy to pass?
14. Why is the location of Mr. Smith's camp so important?
15. What does Saunders call Senator Payne's daughter, Susan?
16. Why does Susan Payne tale Mr. Smith out for the afternoon?
17. What does Saunders to to "enlighten" or tell Mr. Smith about his bill?
18. How has Senator Payne managed to stay in office for 30 years?
19. How does Senator Payne prevent Mr. Smith from speaking against the deficiency bill?
20. What does the Payne "group" do to make Mr. Smith look bad?
21. What does Mr. Smith do on the floor of the Senate to be heard?
22. How does the President of the Senate react?
23. How does Taylor try to keep the news away from the state?
24. How does Saunders get the correct information to the state?
Overview Questions
1. What is the film trying to say about American democracy? 2. How would today’s world react to a Jefferson Smith? 3. Would Jefferson Smith make a good political leader? 4. What aspects of the film still hold true today?
5. From the film’s release in 1939 to now has there been a level of corruption in the government as seen in the film? 6. Why would Frank Capra want to make a film like this as the world was heading into war? (WW2 had just begun)
We will also read an article on possible elephant extinction from Scholastic Magazine and answer reading comprehension questions about the text.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday we will watch parts of the film and answer questions each day about it.
Thursday we are taking a field trip to Shorter College in Rome.
Here is the Africa Milestone Map we reviewed with last week.
Here is the Middle East Milestone Map we reviewed with last week.
Here is the Asia Map we reviewed with last week.
Here is the Milestone Review Packet we have been working on in class.
Students will receive progress monitoring grades for various work completed as we review. Students who do not complete the work or lose their papers will be assigned silent lunch and receive incomplete listings in the grade book. I will not provide additional copies of review packets as they are several pages long. Students can download and print a copy from my website or copy the questions and answers by hand.
Work Periods:
Monday - Friday: We will continue Georgia Milestone Review. Last week we focused on geography. Students who still need work will spend class time taking self-directed activities on the computer until they get a passing score on the particular map that they are having difficulty with while the rest of the class reviews together. Review activities include individual, partnered and small-group activities finding answers to review questions, completing review packets, playing various review games.
Students who have completed the five crossword puzzles correctly will work with a partner and create a board game. Directions and rubrics are here.
ELT: Students are able to reassess during Extended Learning Time (ELT) and before school. If a student fails a test a stamp is placed on test asking for a parent signature and listing the date any reassessment must be completed by (please see Reassessment Form and contact me for any additional information). Students must complete with 100 percent accuracy any prior Progress Monitoring assignments and the failed test in order to reassess within the two-week window. Please visit the previous entries to see list of assignments/dates leading up to any particular test.
Assessments/Differentiation: Students will complete several assessments/checks for understanding throughout the week on vocabulary and new information as it is presented. This information will then be used to determine what information needs more practice and which students will be placed in a review group to work directly with teacher to receive individual attention/partnered practice/small groupings to increase comprehension, understanding and hopefully retention. Low test scores correlate to the amount of time necessary for study; what we are able to do in class may not be enough and should be adjusted accordingly. Materials used in class are found on this website and books may be borrowed each night to use at home. Please contact me if I can assist in any way.
Specific differentiation activities this week include geography tests. Students will continue taking practice quizzes on my website until they get a passing score on the Africa Map, Asia Map, and Middle East Map.
Students who did not receive passing grades on chapter questions will work individually, with a partner, or in a small group, along with teacher assistance, to go back and correct mistakes. Generally students write out question and find the correct answer and check it with me before moving forward. This is one approach to differentiation and is done as required, with more class time allotted when necessary or completed during ELT.
Please note: I have met individually with each student about their current grade in the class and how many points are needed to move up to the next letter grade. For parents who are signed up with Remind, I sent a note about students who were very close to moving up a letter grade for the year. Students can reassess with me through May 13. Keep in mind that there are many field trips and other activities scheduled for the next few weeks so the sooner they arrange to reassess, and complete the requirements to do so, the better off they will be. Please contact me for any information you need.
Focus This Week: Social Studies Standards SS7CG1: Government Structures
Opening:
Monday - Friday: CNN Student News
Work Session:
In preparation for a film we are going to watch, students will use the iPads to research the following information about "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington."
1) Who was the director?
2) When was the movie released?
3) Who are the two lead characters?
4) Who plays Jefferson Smith?
5) Who plays Clarissa Saunders?
6) What famous city was the film shot in?
7) What did some members of the Washington press and members of Congress think of the film?
8) What war occurred not long after the film was released?
9) What was another famous film that James Stewart was in that is shown at Christmas on many television stations?
10) How many Academy Awards was the Mr. Smith Goes To Washington nominated for?
11) What Academy Award did Mr. Smith Goes to Washington earn?
12) What is a filibuster?
Movie Questions to answer each day in class.
1. When senator Sam Foley dies, how is his Senate seat replaced?
2. Why is the governor and his group of supporters worried about who will take Senator Foley's place?
3. Who becomes the new Senator and what group of people recommend him?
4. Why are the people of the state so happy that Jefferson Smith has become Senator?
5. What does Mr. Smith do when he first arrives in Washington, D.C.?
6. What nickname does Saunders give him?
7. Why does Mr. Smith want to visit Mt. Vernon before his first day as Senator?
8. What is Mt. Vernon?
9. Why can't Mr. Smith respond to the allegations on the Senate floor about his sincerity as a Senator?
10. How does he react to the newspaper articles?
11. What bill does Mr. Smith want to introduce and pass?
12. Why are there only 96 Senators?
13. Why doesn't Saunders think that Mr. Smith's bill will be easy to pass?
14. Why is the location of Mr. Smith's camp so important?
15. What does Saunders call Senator Payne's daughter, Susan?
16. Why does Susan Payne tale Mr. Smith out for the afternoon?
17. What does Saunders to to "enlighten" or tell Mr. Smith about his bill?
18. How has Senator Payne managed to stay in office for 30 years?
19. How does Senator Payne prevent Mr. Smith from speaking against the deficiency bill?
20. What does the Payne "group" do to make Mr. Smith look bad?
21. What does Mr. Smith do on the floor of the Senate to be heard?
22. How does the President of the Senate react?
23. How does Taylor try to keep the news away from the state?
24. How does Saunders get the correct information to the state?
Overview Questions
1. What is the film trying to say about American democracy? 2. How would today’s world react to a Jefferson Smith? 3. Would Jefferson Smith make a good political leader? 4. What aspects of the film still hold true today?
5. From the film’s release in 1939 to now has there been a level of corruption in the government as seen in the film? 6. Why would Frank Capra want to make a film like this as the world was heading into war? (WW2 had just begun)
We will also read an article on possible elephant extinction from Scholastic Magazine and answer reading comprehension questions about the text.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday we will watch parts of the film and answer questions each day about it.
Thursday we are taking a field trip to Shorter College in Rome.
Here is the Africa Milestone Map we reviewed with last week.
Here is the Middle East Milestone Map we reviewed with last week.
Here is the Asia Map we reviewed with last week.
Here is the Milestone Review Packet we have been working on in class.
Students will receive progress monitoring grades for various work completed as we review. Students who do not complete the work or lose their papers will be assigned silent lunch and receive incomplete listings in the grade book. I will not provide additional copies of review packets as they are several pages long. Students can download and print a copy from my website or copy the questions and answers by hand.
Work Periods:
Monday - Friday: We will continue Georgia Milestone Review. Last week we focused on geography. Students who still need work will spend class time taking self-directed activities on the computer until they get a passing score on the particular map that they are having difficulty with while the rest of the class reviews together. Review activities include individual, partnered and small-group activities finding answers to review questions, completing review packets, playing various review games.
Students who have completed the five crossword puzzles correctly will work with a partner and create a board game. Directions and rubrics are here.
ELT: Students are able to reassess during Extended Learning Time (ELT) and before school. If a student fails a test a stamp is placed on test asking for a parent signature and listing the date any reassessment must be completed by (please see Reassessment Form and contact me for any additional information). Students must complete with 100 percent accuracy any prior Progress Monitoring assignments and the failed test in order to reassess within the two-week window. Please visit the previous entries to see list of assignments/dates leading up to any particular test.
Assessments/Differentiation: Students will complete several assessments/checks for understanding throughout the week on vocabulary and new information as it is presented. This information will then be used to determine what information needs more practice and which students will be placed in a review group to work directly with teacher to receive individual attention/partnered practice/small groupings to increase comprehension, understanding and hopefully retention. Low test scores correlate to the amount of time necessary for study; what we are able to do in class may not be enough and should be adjusted accordingly. Materials used in class are found on this website and books may be borrowed each night to use at home. Please contact me if I can assist in any way.
Specific differentiation activities this week include geography tests. Students will continue taking practice quizzes on my website until they get a passing score on the Africa Map, Asia Map, and Middle East Map.
Students who did not receive passing grades on chapter questions will work individually, with a partner, or in a small group, along with teacher assistance, to go back and correct mistakes. Generally students write out question and find the correct answer and check it with me before moving forward. This is one approach to differentiation and is done as required, with more class time allotted when necessary or completed during ELT.
April 11 - 24, 2016
Apr/18/2016 10:49 AM
Week 32-33:
Focus This Week: All Seventh Grade Social Studies Standards.
Opening:
Monday - Friday: Warm Up combined with work sessions.
Here is the Africa Milestone Map we reviewed with last week.
Here is the Middle East Milestone Map we reviewed with last week.
Here is the Asia Map we reviewed with last week.
Here is the Milestone Review Packet we have been working on in class.
Students will receive progress monitoring grades for various work completed as we review. Students who do not complete the work or lose their papers will be assigned silent lunch and receive incomplete listings in the grade book. I will not provide additional copies of review packets as they are several pages long. Students can download and print a copy from my website or copy the questions and answers by hand.
Work Periods:
Monday - Friday: We will continue Georgia Milestone Review. Last week we focused on geography. Students who still need work will spend class time taking self-directed activities on the computer until they get a passing score on the particular map that they are having difficulty with while the rest of the class reviews together. Review activities include individual, partnered and small-group activities finding answers to review questions, completing review packets, playing various review games.
Students who have completed the five crossword puzzles correctly will work with a partner and create a board game. Directions and rubrics are here.
ELT: Students are able to reassess during Extended Learning Time (ELT) and before school. If a student fails a test a stamp is placed on test asking for a parent signature and listing the date any reassessment must be completed by (please see Reassessment Form and contact me for any additional information). Students must complete with 100 percent accuracy any prior Progress Monitoring assignments and the failed test in order to reassess within the two-week window. Please visit the previous entries to see list of assignments/dates leading up to any particular test.
Assessments/Differentiation: Students will complete several assessments/checks for understanding throughout the week on vocabulary and new information as it is presented. This information will then be used to determine what information needs more practice and which students will be placed in a review group to work directly with teacher to receive individual attention/partnered practice/small groupings to increase comprehension, understanding and hopefully retention. Low test scores correlate to the amount of time necessary for study; what we are able to do in class may not be enough and should be adjusted accordingly. Materials used in class are found on this website and books may be borrowed each night to use at home. Please contact me if I can assist in any way.
Specific differentiation activities this week include geography tests. Students will continue taking practice quizzes on my website until they get a passing score on the Africa Map, Asia Map, and Middle East Map.
Students who did not receive passing grades on chapter questions will work individually, with a partner, or in a small group, along with teacher assistance, to go back and correct mistakes. Generally students write out question and find the correct answer and check it with me before moving forward. This is one approach to differentiation and is done as required, with more class time allotted when necessary or completed during ELT.
Focus This Week: All Seventh Grade Social Studies Standards.
Opening:
Monday - Friday: Warm Up combined with work sessions.
Here is the Africa Milestone Map we reviewed with last week.
Here is the Middle East Milestone Map we reviewed with last week.
Here is the Asia Map we reviewed with last week.
Here is the Milestone Review Packet we have been working on in class.
Students will receive progress monitoring grades for various work completed as we review. Students who do not complete the work or lose their papers will be assigned silent lunch and receive incomplete listings in the grade book. I will not provide additional copies of review packets as they are several pages long. Students can download and print a copy from my website or copy the questions and answers by hand.
Work Periods:
Monday - Friday: We will continue Georgia Milestone Review. Last week we focused on geography. Students who still need work will spend class time taking self-directed activities on the computer until they get a passing score on the particular map that they are having difficulty with while the rest of the class reviews together. Review activities include individual, partnered and small-group activities finding answers to review questions, completing review packets, playing various review games.
Students who have completed the five crossword puzzles correctly will work with a partner and create a board game. Directions and rubrics are here.
ELT: Students are able to reassess during Extended Learning Time (ELT) and before school. If a student fails a test a stamp is placed on test asking for a parent signature and listing the date any reassessment must be completed by (please see Reassessment Form and contact me for any additional information). Students must complete with 100 percent accuracy any prior Progress Monitoring assignments and the failed test in order to reassess within the two-week window. Please visit the previous entries to see list of assignments/dates leading up to any particular test.
Assessments/Differentiation: Students will complete several assessments/checks for understanding throughout the week on vocabulary and new information as it is presented. This information will then be used to determine what information needs more practice and which students will be placed in a review group to work directly with teacher to receive individual attention/partnered practice/small groupings to increase comprehension, understanding and hopefully retention. Low test scores correlate to the amount of time necessary for study; what we are able to do in class may not be enough and should be adjusted accordingly. Materials used in class are found on this website and books may be borrowed each night to use at home. Please contact me if I can assist in any way.
Specific differentiation activities this week include geography tests. Students will continue taking practice quizzes on my website until they get a passing score on the Africa Map, Asia Map, and Middle East Map.
Students who did not receive passing grades on chapter questions will work individually, with a partner, or in a small group, along with teacher assistance, to go back and correct mistakes. Generally students write out question and find the correct answer and check it with me before moving forward. This is one approach to differentiation and is done as required, with more class time allotted when necessary or completed during ELT.