6th grade Homework 2/11-2-15

This week we will start working on ELO 6: Extended Response Essays in preparation for the ELA exam in April. Instead of taking a whole month to write an essay students will be writing three essays and choosing their best essay to revise using the ELA exam rubric. We hope that this practice will help students develop their "writing on demand" skills so they can feel more confident come test day in April. In addition, we will be reading "The Watsons' Go To Birmingham" and writing the essays based on the book.

Please note we will not be sending home the ELO 6 packets this time. Instead students will keep all their work in the class, so they won't loose it.

Monday 2/11

1. Read Ch. 7

2. Complete Reading notes: 

1. Why was Byron’s hair reddish brown and stiff?

2. What look did Byron want to achieve?

3. Byron thought he would get a whipping for doing something to his hair.  He didn’t; what happened to him as his punishment?

Tuesday 2/12

1. Read Ch. 8

2. Complete Reading notes:
1. Why was dad driving all over Flint to find things to fix up the Brown Bomber?
2. When the book says “Momma gave him her last straw look.”  What does that mean
3. Where was Momma and Daddy taking Byron (list town, state and location in town) and why?

Wednesday 2/13

1. Read Ch. 9

2. Complete Reading notes:

1. Why did Kenny like it when Dad talked to him like a grown-up? 

2. Why was Joey not happy with the angel that Mrs. Davidson gave her?

3. Why did Mom and Dad make Byron sleep with them the night before their trip?

Thursday 2/14

1. Read Ch. 10

2. Complete Reading notes:

1. How were the toilets in Ohio different from those in Michigan?

2. What did the “northerners” think of the ”southern folks”?  How do you know?

3. Explain the trip from different points of view.
• Dad
• Mom
• Byron
• Kenny
• Joetta

Friday 2/14

1. Read Ch. 11-12

2. Complete Reading notes:

Ch. 11

1. Why was Dad talking about changing everyone’s name to hick, southern names like Homer, etc.?

2. What is grandma’s name and whose mom is she?  Describe her characteristics.

3. Why do you think the kids never saw Grandma before this trip?

4. Who was Mr. Robert?

Ch. 12

5. What did Kenny think Grandma sounded like?

6. Mr. Robert spoke of two sporting activities that were popular in Birmingham.  What are they?

7th grade Homework 2/4-2/8

This week we will be reading non-fiction articles from Scope magazine, which is a teen magazine published by the New York Times. Students will be reading non-fiction articles out of class too. Students will be focusing on author's purpose, article structure and other reading skills to enhance their critical thinking abilities about their world. 

Monday 2/4

1. Find and read a short non-fiction article from any local or world newspaper such as AM New York or other free newspapers
2. Non-fiction response #1: Answer ALL OF the following questions about your article, and staple your article into your notebook next to the response.

1. What is the main idea of your article?
2. Who would benefit reading your article and why?
3. What was the author's purpose in writing this article?

Tuesday 2/5

1. Find and read a short non-fiction article from any local or world newspaper such as AM New York or other free newspapers, and staple your article into your notebook next to the response.
2. Non-fiction response #2: Answer ALL OF the following questions about your article.

1. What is the main idea of your article?
2. Who would benefit reading your article and why?
3. What was the author's purpose in writing this article?

Wednesday 2/6

1. Find and read a short non-fiction article from any local or world newspaper such as AM New York or other free newspapers, and staple your article into your notebook next to the response.
2. Non-fiction response #3: Answer ALL OF the following questions about your article.

1. What is the main idea of your article?
2. Who would benefit reading your article and why?
3. What was the author's purpose in writing this article?

Thursday 2/7

1. Book Project #4 due on Monday! Book review, book project and all 5 reading entries must be submitted. This is a project grade that is worth 20% of your marking period 4 grade.
2. Make up any of the non-fiction responses #1, #2 or #3 from this week!

Friday 2/8

1. Book Project #4 due on Monday! Book review, book project and all 5 reading entries must be submitted. This is a project grade that is worth 20% of your marking period 4 grade.

6th grade Homework 2/3-2/8

This week we start our new unit centered around the book, "The Watsons Go To Birmingham." This is a historical fiction novel in which students will be practicing their short response writing skills and reading skills such as character analysis, point of view, and conflict.

Monday 2/4

1. Reader's Response #1: Using your notes you took in class on the character Bryon, write a short RAFFFT response answering this question: Byron admires his own image. Give details from the text that show that he cares about his image and what people think.

HOMEWORK REVISED Tuesday February 5th!

Tuesday 2/5

1. Read Ch. 2
2. Complete reading notes fro Ch. 2

Wednesday 2/6

1. Read Ch. 4
2. Complete reading notes fro Ch. 4

Thursday 2/7

1. Read Ch. 5
2. Complete reading notes fro Ch. 5

Friday 2/8

1. Book Project #4 and Book Review #4 due on Monday!

7th grade homework 1/28-2/1

This week we will be finishing up with our ELO 5 feature articles. Students will be creating a works cited page, and checking for grammatical and paraphrasing errors in their essay. ELO 5 final copy is due on Friday!

Extra credit opportunity: Can you identify all 9 famous people in this picture to your left? If so, leave a comment below, and I will give you a homework pass for the new marking period!

Monday 1/28

1. Complete your works cited page to attach to your ELO 5 feature article

Tuesday 1/29

1. Independent book reading entry#4.3 due.
2. Continue revising ELO 5 feature article

Wednesday 1/30

1. Revise ELO 5 feature article making sure that everything is cited correctly. You will loose point for plagiarism.

Thursday 1/31

1. ELO 5 final copy due! May be typed or written neatly on a piece of loose leaf paper. Be sure to attach your works cited page too!

Friday 2/1

1. Read your book and complete reading entry# 4.5

6th grade Homework 1/28-2/1

One of our poetry books

This we will be wrapping up our poetry unit. Along with revising our ELO 5 Poetic essays, students will also be revising their own poems and reading them to the class on Friday's Poetry Cafe. 

Monday 1/28

1. Write an Ode poem (5 stanzas)

Tuesday 1/29

1. Write two haiku poems (5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables)

Wednesday 1/30

1. Complete reading entry#4.3 of your poetry book. Focus on figurative language skills.

Thursday 1/31

1. ELO 5 Final Copy due Friday! May be typed or nearly hand-written on loose leaf paper.

Friday 2/1

1. Finish your independent poetry book. Complete reading entry#4.5 of your poetry book. Focus on your interpretation column to create interesting analysis of quotes.

7th grade Homework 1/22-1/25

Or as Ms. Christensen would say, "Well-written is better than well said"

This week students should be focusing on their ELO 5 feature articles on their chosen invention. Students should have completed their graphic organizers in the packets and are now ready to write!

In addition, students should choose a "new" independent reading book for this month. By the end of the week they should have Entry #1 and Entry #2 of their two-column reading notes completed.

Tuesday 1/22

1. Finish introduction paragraph for feature article.
2. Complete Entry 4.1 of two-column reading notes for independent reading book.

Wednesday 1/23

1. Finish body paragraph 1 for feature article.

Thursday 1/24

1. Finish body paragraph 2 or 3 for feature article.
2. Complete Entry 4.2 of two-column reading notes for independent reading book.

Friday 1/25

1. ELO 5 Rough draft due Monday
2. Complete Entry 4.3 of two-column reading notes for independent reading book.

6th grade Homework 1/22-1/25

One of the independent book options

This week students will be working on their ELO 5: Poetic Essay. Every night students will need to complete one or two paragraphs of their essay, so that they will be able to submit their rough draft on 1/28. 

In addition, students should be reading their "new" independent reading book at home for 20 minutes. They need to complete reading entry #1 and reading entry #2 this week.

Tuesday 1/22

1. Complete both graphic organizer main idea and poetic devices in their ELO 5 packet.

Wednesday 1/23

1. Finish the introduction paragraph (we started in class) in your writer's notebook.
2. Complete Entry #1 for your two-column notes

Thursday 1/24

1. Finish the body paragraphs 1 and body paragraph 2 (we started in class) in your writer's notebook.

Friday 1/25

1. Complete rough draft for ELO 5 poetic essay on loose leaf paper.
2. Read your independent reading book for 20 minutes over the weekend and complete Entry #2