Families,
Welcome to Trimester 2! Here are a few updates and reminders:
In English this week we launched our next big unit, inspired by StoryCorps's The Great Thanksgiving Listen. Over the next two weeks, your student will interview a friend or family member (preferably one who is at least 40 years their senior). We will use these interviews as inspiration to write biographical narratives. Please review the project launch information with your student and discuss who they might choose to interview. Students need to select an interview subject and contact them to set up a time to conduct the interview by this Thursday. Interviews need to be completed by Monday, December 5.
You can learn more about The Great Thanksgiving Listen (and even participate yourself!) here. Please note, we will not be using the StoryCorps app to complete this assignment as most students are under the age of 13.
As we round the corner into a new trimester, please encourage your students to turn in their work on time! Many students found themselves scrambling in the last week to complete or turn in missing assignments. Starting this week, you will see "LATE WORK BY... " in the descriptions for assignments in Classroom to indicate the last date that late work will be accepted for that assignment. We will not be accepting late work any more than 2 weeks after the assigned date.
Please also remind students to bring a book for Silent Sustained Reading each day. We read for 10 minutes at the beginning of Social Studies every day. This is a great way for students to make progress on their Independent Reading challenge for the year. Students should also be reading for 20 minutes at home Monday-Friday.
As always, please feel free to email anytime with questions.
Let's explore!
Mrs. Ellis
mellis@westlakecharter.com
Monday, November 14, 2016
Friday, October 21, 2016
First Paragraph Friday - "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick
This week I previewed the awesome Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick. This is another great realistic fiction book and it even has a sequel!
Thirteen-year-old Steven has a totally normal life: he plays drums in the All-Star Jazz band, has a crush on the hottest girl in the school, and is constantly annoyed by his five-year-old brother, Jeffrey. But when Jeffrey is diagnosed with leukemia, Steven's world is turned upside down. He is forced to deal with his brother's illness and his parents' attempts to keep the family in one piece. Salted with humor and peppered with devastating realities, DRUMS, GIRLS, AND DANGEROUS PIE is a heartwarming journey through a year in the life of a family in crisis.
I love the reason that Sonnenblick gives about why he chose to write Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie:
Week 10 Update
Families,
What a busy week we have had!
In Social Studies, we wrapped up our study of medieval Islam by discussing the Crusades and watched this great video by John Green that asks, "Were the crusades a pilgrimage or a holy war? Or both?"
In English, we participated in a Pop-Up Debate about whether or not self-driving cars will be good for America. We practiced not only using a voice appropriate for the task and space but also on making purposeful and consistent eye contact while speaking. It's great to see students lose some of their anxiety about public speaking as we make this a consistent routine!
We also launched our first major analytical essay about The Giver. Students will be analyzing whether it's worth it to sacrifice diversity and choice for the benefits of "Sameness" as experienced in Jonas's community in The Giver. This week we wrote thesis statements, collected textual evidence, and practiced the difficult skills of crafting context and lead-ins. Next week we will tackle reasoning (analysis) and conclusion paragraphs.
This weekend, could you please check in with your student to make sure they have completed the following in the digital graphic organizer for the essay:
Please also note that there are video mini-lessons linked in the graphic organizer just in case students need a refresher on the various parts of the paragraph.
Due Date Alert!
Formal Book Review #2 is due on Monday 10/24!
Have a great weekend, Explorers!
Mrs. Ellis
mellis@westlakecharter.com
What a busy week we have had!
In Social Studies, we wrapped up our study of medieval Islam by discussing the Crusades and watched this great video by John Green that asks, "Were the crusades a pilgrimage or a holy war? Or both?"
In English, we participated in a Pop-Up Debate about whether or not self-driving cars will be good for America. We practiced not only using a voice appropriate for the task and space but also on making purposeful and consistent eye contact while speaking. It's great to see students lose some of their anxiety about public speaking as we make this a consistent routine!
We also launched our first major analytical essay about The Giver. Students will be analyzing whether it's worth it to sacrifice diversity and choice for the benefits of "Sameness" as experienced in Jonas's community in The Giver. This week we wrote thesis statements, collected textual evidence, and practiced the difficult skills of crafting context and lead-ins. Next week we will tackle reasoning (analysis) and conclusion paragraphs.
This weekend, could you please check in with your student to make sure they have completed the following in the digital graphic organizer for the essay:
- Thesis statement
- Claim, context, lead-in, and evidence for paragraph A
- Claim, context, lead-in, and evidence for paragraph B
Please also note that there are video mini-lessons linked in the graphic organizer just in case students need a refresher on the various parts of the paragraph.
Due Date Alert!
Formal Book Review #2 is due on Monday 10/24!
Have a great weekend, Explorers!
Mrs. Ellis
mellis@westlakecharter.com
Friday, October 14, 2016
Week 9 Update
Welcome back, Explorer families!
We hit the ground running in Humanities upon returning from break, finishing up our reading of The Giver in English and studying medieval Muslim innovations and adaptations in Social Studies. I really appreciated how willing all students were to jump right back into work after a week off!
Looking ahead, we are about to start our first big writing assessment - an argument essay on The Giver. This will take up most of the next two weeks of class time in English, and it will be important that students use their class time appropriately to ensure that they do not fall behind. Here is a calendar of when we are planning to work on each part of the essay in class. If students do not complete class work on these days, it will be critical that they finish that work at home so they are ready to move ahead with the class the following day. Please check in with your student each afternoon to ensure that they are on track with the writing process:
We hit the ground running in Humanities upon returning from break, finishing up our reading of The Giver in English and studying medieval Muslim innovations and adaptations in Social Studies. I really appreciated how willing all students were to jump right back into work after a week off!
Looking ahead, we are about to start our first big writing assessment - an argument essay on The Giver. This will take up most of the next two weeks of class time in English, and it will be important that students use their class time appropriately to ensure that they do not fall behind. Here is a calendar of when we are planning to work on each part of the essay in class. If students do not complete class work on these days, it will be critical that they finish that work at home so they are ready to move ahead with the class the following day. Please check in with your student each afternoon to ensure that they are on track with the writing process:
In addition to working on this essay during class, students are also responsible for completing the Second Formal Book Review at home independently. The second formal book review is due no later than Monday, October 24, but students are encouraged to complete and submit their second review as soon as they are finished with it.
As always, feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Let's explore!
Mrs. Ellis
mellis@westlakecharter.com
Saturday, October 1, 2016
Week 8 Update
Families,
Have a wonderful Fall Break! I really believe in honoring breaks from school, so your student does not have any homework for English or Social Studies due when they return. If your student has missing work, this week would be a good time to tackle some of it and check in with me during WELL when we return. Break is also a great time to accomplish some Independent Reading! Please also remember that this is a break for teachers as well! While I will be putting in a few grades this week, I am looking forward to spending the week with my family as well!
This past week in English we continued reading and discussing The Giver. We will finish the novel when we return from break, then launch into our first major writing unit.
In Social Studies, we learned about the Five Pillars of Islam and had some great conversations about respecting cultures that are different or foreign to us. I was really impressed with the respect and maturity that all Explorers showed this week!
Again, have a wonderful break!
Mrs. Ellis
mellis@westlakecharter.com
Have a wonderful Fall Break! I really believe in honoring breaks from school, so your student does not have any homework for English or Social Studies due when they return. If your student has missing work, this week would be a good time to tackle some of it and check in with me during WELL when we return. Break is also a great time to accomplish some Independent Reading! Please also remember that this is a break for teachers as well! While I will be putting in a few grades this week, I am looking forward to spending the week with my family as well!
This past week in English we continued reading and discussing The Giver. We will finish the novel when we return from break, then launch into our first major writing unit.
In Social Studies, we learned about the Five Pillars of Islam and had some great conversations about respecting cultures that are different or foreign to us. I was really impressed with the respect and maturity that all Explorers showed this week!
Again, have a wonderful break!
Mrs. Ellis
mellis@westlakecharter.com
Saturday, September 24, 2016
First Paragraph Friday - "Legend" by Marie Lu
This week I previewed Legend by Marie Lu. Legend is the first book in a trilogy (the next two books are Prodigy and Champion) and is narrated by alternating narrators - Day and June. It's a great series with lots of twists and turns!
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.
Marie Lu has another series called The Young Elites. The third and final book is being released on October 11!
Friday, September 23, 2016
Week 7 Update
This was a crazy week with power outages, WIFI issues, and our awesome Chili Cook Off, but we still did lots of exploring and learning in English and Social Studies! Here are some highlights:
ENGLISH
In English, we dove into Lois Lowry's The Giver. Students are tracking signposts and answering tough questions like "Is a society where everyone is treated the same fair?" and "What is the relationship between equality and fairness?" I am looking forward to discussing Chapter 5 first thing next week and would encourage you to ask your Explorer about this very important chapter at home this weekend!
We also had our second Pop-Up Debate this week, questioning whether the Olympics should have a permanent home. 7th-grade Explorers did an awesome job debating the merits and drawbacks of keeping the Olympics in a single location. I was really impressed with their speaking and listening skills and the willingness of all students to participate in public speaking, even though it can be intimidating to stand up and speak in front of all your peers.
SOCIAL STUDIES
In social studies, we spent several days exploring the Arabian Peninsula and sharpening our map-reading skills. Then, we began learning about Arabia in the 6th century and the early life of Mohammad. Next week we will explore the origins and spread of Islam and work in groups on a Muslim House of Wisdom project.
REMINDERS
ENGLISH
In English, we dove into Lois Lowry's The Giver. Students are tracking signposts and answering tough questions like "Is a society where everyone is treated the same fair?" and "What is the relationship between equality and fairness?" I am looking forward to discussing Chapter 5 first thing next week and would encourage you to ask your Explorer about this very important chapter at home this weekend!
We also had our second Pop-Up Debate this week, questioning whether the Olympics should have a permanent home. 7th-grade Explorers did an awesome job debating the merits and drawbacks of keeping the Olympics in a single location. I was really impressed with their speaking and listening skills and the willingness of all students to participate in public speaking, even though it can be intimidating to stand up and speak in front of all your peers.
SOCIAL STUDIES
In social studies, we spent several days exploring the Arabian Peninsula and sharpening our map-reading skills. Then, we began learning about Arabia in the 6th century and the early life of Mohammad. Next week we will explore the origins and spread of Islam and work in groups on a Muslim House of Wisdom project.
REMINDERS
- Progress reports went home this week! Please click here to read a very important message about Humanities progress reports
- Your signature is required on two rubrics this weekend. The Book Review rubric (a green half-sheet) and the Social Studies Unit 1 Assessment rubric (a white full sheet). Revisions are available for all students on these assessments for the next two weeks at WELL.
- My WELL takes place on Wednesdays from 12:30-1:15. Students should sign up to attend WELL here and be prepared to know exactly what they will be working on when they arrive.
- This is the last week to get book orders in - I will place the order before we leave for October break.
This is also my last week to teach English and Social Studies to students in periods 4 and 5. After the October break, Mrs. Chavez will be returning from her maternity leave. I will really miss my 4th and 5th period Explorers, but rest assured I will still be on campus teaching every day in the morning. Mrs. Chavez and I will work very hard to align our curriculum as closely as possible for the remainder of this year, and I will always be available to help any 7th-grade Explorer with Humanities work! Please be on the lookout for a letter of introduction from Mrs. Chavez in your inbox next week.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Mrs. Ellis
mellis@westlakecharter.com
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Week 6 Update
This week we were ahead of Mr. Aichele's class in Social Studies, so we took a break before starting our unit on Ancient Islam and spent the whole week focusing on reading and writing in English.
First, we finished our discussion of the six signposts for fiction writing and analyzed chapter 4 of Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key looking for all the signposts. We also practiced our analytical writing skills and wrote several "CER" (claim, evidence, reasoning) paragraphs - we focused on writing arguable claims, finding good evidence, and writing reasoning that analyzed our evidence and really showed our critical thinking skills.
In preparation for next week's Pop-Up Debate, we read a great Pro/Con article from NewsELA about whether or not the Olympics should have a permanent home. In addition to working on close reading skills by answering text-dependent questions about the text, students also wrote a CER paragraph where they took a side on the issue. Their work on that paragraph will set them up for success in next week's debate!
We also launched our English unit on Lois Lowry's The Giver. Even students who have read this book already or have seen the movie will really benefit from the structured assignments and discussions we will do with The Giver; we will be using this whole-class novel to practice the type of talking and writing about books that we will be doing all year long.
Finally, we explored the Express & Reflect purpose for writing by writing 6-word and 140-character memoirs. You can see some of the great student work here.
A few other reminders:
First, we finished our discussion of the six signposts for fiction writing and analyzed chapter 4 of Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key looking for all the signposts. We also practiced our analytical writing skills and wrote several "CER" (claim, evidence, reasoning) paragraphs - we focused on writing arguable claims, finding good evidence, and writing reasoning that analyzed our evidence and really showed our critical thinking skills.
In preparation for next week's Pop-Up Debate, we read a great Pro/Con article from NewsELA about whether or not the Olympics should have a permanent home. In addition to working on close reading skills by answering text-dependent questions about the text, students also wrote a CER paragraph where they took a side on the issue. Their work on that paragraph will set them up for success in next week's debate!
We also launched our English unit on Lois Lowry's The Giver. Even students who have read this book already or have seen the movie will really benefit from the structured assignments and discussions we will do with The Giver; we will be using this whole-class novel to practice the type of talking and writing about books that we will be doing all year long.
Finally, we explored the Express & Reflect purpose for writing by writing 6-word and 140-character memoirs. You can see some of the great student work here.
A few other reminders:
- Progress reports will go home next week.
- My WELL (office hours) is from 12:30-1:15 on Wednesdays.
- This week is the last week for students to turn in late social studies work before we move on to the next unit.
- Book orders are due by the end of the month
- Sign up for Remind! (Period 1/2 or Period 4/5)
First Paragraph Friday - "Unwind" by Neal Shusterman
This week I previewed Unwind by Neal Shusterman. This is a super interesting and creepy book and is the first in a series of four. I highly recommend it!
In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would "unwind" them
Connor's parents want to be rid of him because he's a troublemaker. Risa has no parents and is being unwound to cut orphanage costs. Lev's unwinding has been planned since his birth, as part of his family's strict religion. Brought together by chance, and kept together by desperation, these three unlikely companions make a harrowing cross-country journey, knowing their lives hang in the balance. If they can survive until their eighteenth birthday, they can't be harmed -- but when every piece of them, from their hands to their hearts, are wanted by a world gone mad, eighteen seems far, far away.
Here is Shusterman talking about his inspiration for the Unwind series:
You might also be interested in a short film that was inspired by a chapter in the first book.
Friday, September 9, 2016
Week 5 Update
Families,
Here's the latest from 7th grade English and Social Studies!
English
This week we had our first-ever Pop-Up Debate and I am proud to say that every student participated! The public speaking "moves" that we worked on were:
Here's the latest from 7th grade English and Social Studies!
English
This week we had our first-ever Pop-Up Debate and I am proud to say that every student participated! The public speaking "moves" that we worked on were:
- Making an arguable claim
- Supporting the claim with evidence
- Speaking in a clear voice at a volume appropriate for the space and occasion
- Practicing SLANT when other classmates were speaking
Our next debate will be on September 14 and we continue to hone the above skills as well as start to practice the skill of responding to a classmate, whether to agree or disagree.
We also began exploring Signposts for reading fiction - patterns that all authors use that make us tstop while we are reading and ask ourselves questions about why an author might be making a certain choice. This week we covered Again & Again, Words of the Wiser, Memory Moment, and Tough Questions. Next week we will finish up with Contrasts & Contradictions and the Aha Moment. These signposts will give students a common language to use when discussing poetry, short stories, and independent reading books, as well as our upcoming class novel The Giver by Lois Lowry.
Social Studies
This week in Social Studies, students completed the Unit 1 Assessment. This assessment asked students to pick one topic from our Unit 1 study of life in medieval Europe and write about the three most important ideas from that topic. I was really impressed with how well students used class time and how many Explorers were able to turn in their work on time today. Next week we will begin Unit 2 which is about Ancient Islam.
Other Important Stuff
- My WELL Office Hours are from 12:30-1:15 on Wednesdays. If your student needs to attend the WELL for help with Humanities work, please have them fill out this form prior to attending. If your student needs help with math or science, they need to arrange that with their math or science teacher(s).
- Scholastic Book Orders are due at the end of the month. Please see this post for more information about ordering from Scholastic and helping us get more books for our classroom library.
- Don't forget to sign up for Remind!
Thanks families and, as always, let's explore!
Mrs. Ellis
Friday, September 2, 2016
First Paragraph Friday - Wonder by RJ Palacio
This week's First Paragraph Friday is Wonder by RJ Palacio. This is such a fantastic book; every student should read it!
I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse.
August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER, now a #1 New York Times bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.
If you've already read Wonder but want more, check out Auggie & Me, Three Wonder Stories!
Here is the author talking about the book:
And here is a book trailer from the publisher:
Scholastic Book Orders
Last week I handed out the first Scholastic book order flyer of the year. These flyers have just a sampling of the books available from Scholastic's Online Reading Club. This is a great way to build your students' personal library and encourage them to pick books for Independent Reading.
Scholastic makes it really easy to place your order online so you don't need to send a check to school with your student. Simply visit scholastic.com/bookclubs to get started. Connect to our classroom by clicking on this button:
and enter our class code GQKNQ.
From there, you can browse the entire Scholastic catalog (for older and younger siblings too), place your order online, and your books will be delivered to me here at Pebblewood where I will distribute them as soon as they arrive. Plus, every time you order books for your student, our classroom library gets free books!
This month's catalog has lots of great books (specifically check out TAB flyer, the Teens flyer, and the We Need Diverse Books flyer). I personally recommend the following titles for students in my class:
Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan
Gallagher Girls pack by Ally Carter
Middle School, the WORST Years of My Life by James Patterson & Chris Tebbetts
The Maze Runner series by James Dashner
Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brenden Kiely
The Trials of Apollo #1 - The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Raina Telgemeier box set
Scholastic makes it really easy to place your order online so you don't need to send a check to school with your student. Simply visit scholastic.com/bookclubs to get started. Connect to our classroom by clicking on this button:
and enter our class code GQKNQ.
From there, you can browse the entire Scholastic catalog (for older and younger siblings too), place your order online, and your books will be delivered to me here at Pebblewood where I will distribute them as soon as they arrive. Plus, every time you order books for your student, our classroom library gets free books!
This month's catalog has lots of great books (specifically check out TAB flyer, the Teens flyer, and the We Need Diverse Books flyer). I personally recommend the following titles for students in my class:
Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan
Gallagher Girls pack by Ally Carter
Middle School, the WORST Years of My Life by James Patterson & Chris Tebbetts
The Maze Runner series by James Dashner
Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brenden Kiely
The Trials of Apollo #1 - The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riordan
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Raina Telgemeier box set
Week 4 Update
Parents,
Here's what's been happening in English and Social Studies:
English
We spent part of last week and this week taking the NWEA MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) diagnostic in Reading and Language. Your students' results on this exam will help them set academic goals that they will work on in Advisory through Study Island. When we weren't testing, we discussed the structure for our first Pop-Up Debate coming up next Wednesday as well as the 6 Purposes for Writing that we will be exploring this year. Looking ahead, we will start our class novel, The Giver, in the next week or so and discuss how we talk and write about books in our class using the framework found in Notice and Note: Strategies for Close Reading.
Social Studies
As we wrap up our unit on Medieval Europe, we explored the feudal system with a simulation and talked about what life was like in Medieval towns. We will complete the assessment for Unit 1 in class next week - a creative project with a writing component. All parts of this assessment will be completed in class with teacher assistance and will assess how well your student understands the big concepts of this unit. There is no memorization or studying required for this assessment, just organized notes and critical and creative thinking. I will go over the details for the assessment in class on Tuesday and it will be due by the end of class on Friday. If students want or need to work on the assessment at home during the week, they are welcome to, but the four days of class time I have planned for is more than enough time to complete the assessment. After that, we will start Unit 2 on Ancient Islam and hopefully launch our first PBL shortly thereafter!
Back to School Night Presentation
It was great to see and meet many of you at Back to School Night this week. If you were unable to attend and/or would like to review the presentation, you may do so here. I am still working on getting more grades into Infinite Campus and appreciate your patience as we work out some of the kinks and get back into the flow of the school year.
Remind
I will be using the Remind service for occasional updates and reminders. You and your student can sign up for Remind for free by following the directions at the links below. You can opt to receive push notifications (on a smartphone), text notifications, or even email notifications.
The Well (Office Hours)
Finally, the WELL (my office hours) starts next week. If students want help with an assignment, need to retake a quiz, or want clarification on something, they can come see me on Wednesday from 12:30-1:15. In order to attend the WELL, students (or parents) need to fill out the WELL Attendance Form. This will auto-generate an email to you, the parent. You must "reply all" to that email in order to confirm your students' attendance at the WELL. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Thanks, Explorer families! Have a wonderful and restful Labor Day weekend.
Mrs. Ellis
mellis@westlakecharter.com
Here's what's been happening in English and Social Studies:
English
We spent part of last week and this week taking the NWEA MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) diagnostic in Reading and Language. Your students' results on this exam will help them set academic goals that they will work on in Advisory through Study Island. When we weren't testing, we discussed the structure for our first Pop-Up Debate coming up next Wednesday as well as the 6 Purposes for Writing that we will be exploring this year. Looking ahead, we will start our class novel, The Giver, in the next week or so and discuss how we talk and write about books in our class using the framework found in Notice and Note: Strategies for Close Reading.
Social Studies
As we wrap up our unit on Medieval Europe, we explored the feudal system with a simulation and talked about what life was like in Medieval towns. We will complete the assessment for Unit 1 in class next week - a creative project with a writing component. All parts of this assessment will be completed in class with teacher assistance and will assess how well your student understands the big concepts of this unit. There is no memorization or studying required for this assessment, just organized notes and critical and creative thinking. I will go over the details for the assessment in class on Tuesday and it will be due by the end of class on Friday. If students want or need to work on the assessment at home during the week, they are welcome to, but the four days of class time I have planned for is more than enough time to complete the assessment. After that, we will start Unit 2 on Ancient Islam and hopefully launch our first PBL shortly thereafter!
Other Important Stuff!
Back to School Night Presentation
It was great to see and meet many of you at Back to School Night this week. If you were unable to attend and/or would like to review the presentation, you may do so here. I am still working on getting more grades into Infinite Campus and appreciate your patience as we work out some of the kinks and get back into the flow of the school year.
Remind
I will be using the Remind service for occasional updates and reminders. You and your student can sign up for Remind for free by following the directions at the links below. You can opt to receive push notifications (on a smartphone), text notifications, or even email notifications.
The Well (Office Hours)
Finally, the WELL (my office hours) starts next week. If students want help with an assignment, need to retake a quiz, or want clarification on something, they can come see me on Wednesday from 12:30-1:15. In order to attend the WELL, students (or parents) need to fill out the WELL Attendance Form. This will auto-generate an email to you, the parent. You must "reply all" to that email in order to confirm your students' attendance at the WELL. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Thanks, Explorer families! Have a wonderful and restful Labor Day weekend.
Mrs. Ellis
mellis@westlakecharter.com
Friday, August 19, 2016
Week 2 Update
Hello, familes!
We've had a great first full week in 7th-grade Humanities. In English we reviewed the 8 parts of speech and practiced using them in context by writing about funny pictures like the one below:
In Social Studies, we talked about the GRAPES (geography, religion, achievements, politics, economy, and social structure) of civilization, then began exploring the geography of medieval Europe, our first major unit.
Students have done a great job bringing a book for SSR (silent sustained reading) every day and many have already started logging books toward the 30-Book Challenge on our class reading log at Readlio.com! I think we are going to see some really great reading and growth this year.
One concern that has come up already is the amount of time that students are spending in the bathroom. We have very short passing periods in our schedule and we do not allow students to use the restroom during passing periods. Because of this, students are allowed to use the restroom during class time. However, there has been a LOT of restroom trips this year, especially since we have started doing more difficult academic work. In fact, I can guarantee that as soon as I give directions and tell students to start working, at least three will raise their hands and ask to use the bathroom!
Of course, if a student has a real bathroom emergency, they should go to the bathroom! However, if students are using a trip to the bathroom in order to avoid doing work, that becomes a problem and we will have to reevaluate our bathroom procedure since students are missing out on valuable learning experiences. Please have a conversation with your student this weekend about appropriate times to ask to use the restroom during class and remind them that class time is for working and learning.
Finally, if you have not completed the "parent homework" as we have been calling it in class, please head over to tinyurl.com/EllisParents and do so ASAP. There are two forms linked on the home page for you to fill out. Let me know if you have any questions!
Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Megan Ellis
mellis@westlakecharter.com
We've had a great first full week in 7th-grade Humanities. In English we reviewed the 8 parts of speech and practiced using them in context by writing about funny pictures like the one below:
In Social Studies, we talked about the GRAPES (geography, religion, achievements, politics, economy, and social structure) of civilization, then began exploring the geography of medieval Europe, our first major unit.
Students have done a great job bringing a book for SSR (silent sustained reading) every day and many have already started logging books toward the 30-Book Challenge on our class reading log at Readlio.com! I think we are going to see some really great reading and growth this year.
One concern that has come up already is the amount of time that students are spending in the bathroom. We have very short passing periods in our schedule and we do not allow students to use the restroom during passing periods. Because of this, students are allowed to use the restroom during class time. However, there has been a LOT of restroom trips this year, especially since we have started doing more difficult academic work. In fact, I can guarantee that as soon as I give directions and tell students to start working, at least three will raise their hands and ask to use the bathroom!
Of course, if a student has a real bathroom emergency, they should go to the bathroom! However, if students are using a trip to the bathroom in order to avoid doing work, that becomes a problem and we will have to reevaluate our bathroom procedure since students are missing out on valuable learning experiences. Please have a conversation with your student this weekend about appropriate times to ask to use the restroom during class and remind them that class time is for working and learning.
Finally, if you have not completed the "parent homework" as we have been calling it in class, please head over to tinyurl.com/EllisParents and do so ASAP. There are two forms linked on the home page for you to fill out. Let me know if you have any questions!
Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Megan Ellis
mellis@westlakecharter.com
First Paragraph Friday - Alabama Moon by Watt Key
This week, I previewed Alabama Moon by Watt Key. This is realistic fiction and will probably appeal to readers who enjoyed books like Hatchet or Holes.
For as long as ten-year-old Moon can remember, he has lived out in the forest in a shelter with his father. They keep to themselves, their only contact with other human beings an occasional trip to the nearest general store. When Moon's father dies, Moon follows his father's last instructions: to travel to Alaska to find others like themselves. But Moon is soon caught and entangled in a world he doesn't know or understand; he's become property of the government he has been avoiding all his life. As the spirited and resourceful Moon encounters constables, jails, institutions, lawyers, true friends, and true enemies, he adapts his wilderness survival skills and learns to survive in the outside world, and even, perhaps, make his home there.Alabama Moon was made into a movie a few years ago. You can watch the trailer below:
Saturday, August 13, 2016
First Paragraph Friday - The Compound by SA Bodeen
Our inaugural First Paragraph Friday was The Compound by SA Bodeen. This is definitely one of my favorite books to recommend to students!
Eli and his family have lived in the underground Compound for six years. The world they knew is gone, and they've become accustomed to their new life. Accustomed, but not happy. No amount of luxury can stifle the dull routine of living in the same place, with only his two sisters, only his father and mother, doing the same thing day after day after day. As problems with their carefully planned existence threaten to destroy their sanctuary―and their sanity―Eli can't help but wonder if he'd rather take his chances outside. Eli's father built the Compound to keep them safe. But are they safe―really?
Week 1 Update
Welcome back, Explorer families!
We had a great first week in 7th-grade Humanities. We spent most of our first three days getting to know one another, exploring how we learn best, reflecting on growth mindset, and getting ready to dive into our English and Social Studies curriculum. We ended the short week with a great school-wide Back to School rally!
This week, please be on the lookout for a handout from me with some important information for you, including signing up for Remind101 messages, the 7th-grade Humanities syllabus, and a link to a form to tell me more about your student. I will also include that information in next week's update.
As I told my Explorers on Friday, we will begin class each day with 10 minutes of Silent Sustained Reading (SSR). Students should bring a book to read every day. SSR starts on Monday, so please take a moment this weekend to confirm with your student that they have a book in their backpack, ready to go.
I can be reached via email at any time, so please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have. I'm looking forward to a great year!
Mrs. Ellis
mellis@westlakecharter.com
We had a great first week in 7th-grade Humanities. We spent most of our first three days getting to know one another, exploring how we learn best, reflecting on growth mindset, and getting ready to dive into our English and Social Studies curriculum. We ended the short week with a great school-wide Back to School rally!
This week, please be on the lookout for a handout from me with some important information for you, including signing up for Remind101 messages, the 7th-grade Humanities syllabus, and a link to a form to tell me more about your student. I will also include that information in next week's update.
As I told my Explorers on Friday, we will begin class each day with 10 minutes of Silent Sustained Reading (SSR). Students should bring a book to read every day. SSR starts on Monday, so please take a moment this weekend to confirm with your student that they have a book in their backpack, ready to go.
I can be reached via email at any time, so please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have. I'm looking forward to a great year!
Mrs. Ellis
mellis@westlakecharter.com
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