On to Term Two!

Can you believe that a quarter of our school year is complete?  It went very fast!  Just so everyone is aware, my grades are due on Tuesday.  I have one assignment I'm working on; it will be completed by Monday night (it's writing), and then Term 1 is in the books.  Other than that assignment, the grades are fairly complete.  I have a question or two for a few people on their Google Slide assessment, but other than that, they are as complete as I can get them at this time.  Please remember that Term 1 and Term 2 are combined to form a semester grade, and that is what goes on the transcripts.

So we're getting ready to move forward, and by the end of last week we were working on background information for Shakespeare.  They were using technology for an online Shakespeare scavenger hunt last Thursday, and by the end of this coming week, we should be ready to move into the text of Romeo and Juliet!  Therefore, here's this week's schedule:

• Monday 
• Finish Preposition Packet #3 - turn it in
• We'll go over the scavenger hunt and turn it in
• They'll work on note-taking skills, taking notes from a powerpoint
• Tuesday
• We'll do 1/2 of a Preposition Review packet
• They'll do a close reading about the Globe Theater and then take an online quiz
• If time, we'll play some games with Shakespeare's language
• Wednesday - No School - Teacher P.D.
• THURSDAY - NO SCHOOL - PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES FROM 12:00-7:15!!!   I hope to see everyone!
• Friday
• We'll do the second half of the Preposition Review and turn it in
• We'll finish the games for Shakespeare's language
• If time, we'll start the Prologue for Romeo and Juliet

Homework, as always, is to read their independent book.  This term's theme is Science Fiction/Fantasy.  The final project will be due on 11/23.

So that's what's happening.  I hope everyone has a great week, and I hope to see everyone on Thursday!  Ciao!

On to Term Two! by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

One Week To Go

Here we are, only one week out from the end of the term!  My how time flies when you're having fun!  I truly am enjoying working with my students every day.  There's something about working with freshmen that I just like.  I know that some people claim not to want to teach them, but I love their openness, their goofiness (as long as it's appropriate), and the fact that everything is new and exciting to them.  It makes my job more enjoyable.

We had a good week last week.  They read "The Raven" last Monday and did some study guide work to go with it, then we talked about the ways that figurative language, complex characters, and word choice come together for a central idea.  By the end of the week, they were creating their worksheet that will guide them into the final assessment for this mini-unit: a Google slide.  This is an alternative assessment, and they'll be submitting it to me online.  In addition to the academic work, they spent Thursday talking with the counselors and some seniors about high school and how to successfully negotiate their way through it, pitfalls and all.  It was a really nice hour, and they all seemed to be engaged.

Coming up this week we have the following:

• Monday:  we'll finish the Google slides.  Any not completed by the end of the time period will have through Wednesday to get it done.  Remember, we have Tuesdays with Teachers and Academic Advisory time during the day on Wednesday.
• Tuesday: I'm going to have them do a PSAT sample reading test.  They'll be taking the real deal in April, so we'll look at what this is like.
• Wednesday:  We'll go over the PSAT test, then we're turning our attention to Shakespeare with an online scavenger hunt.  They will also have a little questionnaire for you, too!
• Thursday: I have some games to play to familiarize them with some of the names in Romeo and Juliet.
• FRIDAY: NO SCHOOL!!!  (P.D. for teachers)

So, there's lots going on!  I've spent my weekend grading papers and have done a pretty good job of catching up on the writing (it takes me so long since there are so many, and I want to make sure I really put thought into it); only two batches to go!  As we head for the final week, please make sure that you've checked HAC, and always remember that I'm available to your student after school on Tuesday, during Academic Advisory on Wednesday, or any other time that we agree to meet.

Have a great week!  Ciao!

One Week To Go by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

Two Weeks Left in Term 1

We are heading for the finish line in Term 1.  It's always at this point that I try to remind everyone that this is really just a mid-point, not a final grade.  The grade that is most important is the semester grade which is averaged from Term 1 and Term 2.  The semester grade will establish their GPA, so if they're doing well, they just need to hold it; if not, now is the time to kick it into high gear and hold it through January.  On that note, on Thursday this coming week, the counselors are coming in with a group of seniors to talk about how to negotiate high school in a successful way: things to make sure you do, and pitfalls to avoid.  They hear it from you, they hear it from me, they hear it from their principals and counselors, so maybe if they hear it from their peers, it will sink in.

Last week we turned a corner and focused on mixing types of literature together to find a common central idea.  We read a non-fiction article and the Edgar Allan Poe piece "The Cask of Amontillado." I like to do Poe right about now since it seems like an appropriate time of year to focus on him.  They also submitted their Term 1 Independent Reading Project which are in the process of being displayed in the front lobby.  I've graded over half of them, so they should be able to bring those home on Friday.

This coming week they will do the following:

• Read "The Raven" (a poem) and create a Google Slide which will focus on: the Central Idea between all three pieces of text, a quote and explanation from each, and an explanation of how the authors developed this central idea.  This will be done on the Chromebooks in school and submitted to me online.
• A Type Three Vocab. Card Sheet.
• Get a new book for the Term 2 Independent Reading Project. Focus: Fantasy and Science Fiction.
• Spend an hour with the counselors and some seniors talking about high school.
• Hopefully start the background information for Romeo and Juliet.

I will be out dealing with doctor's appointments on Monday, but all of the sub plans are in place, and last I checked I have a sub assigned to my classes, so I'm sure everything will go smoothly.

On another note, one of the highlights of my week last week was going to the JV Football game and watching many of my students play and cheer.  Here are a few photos I took while there:

And as a Final Note, I live in a house divided.  I'm an MSU grad (and grew up there, so my whole family are State fans) and my husband is a UM grad (and his whole family root for the Maize and Blue).  My sons are divided in their allegiance, also, so you can imagine what our house was like on Saturday.  All I'm going to say about it is:  good game!  So nice to have a real rivalry back since both teams are doing well.

I hope everyone has a great Sunday, and I look forward to the week ahead!  Ciao!

Two Weeks Left in Term 1 by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

Homecoming Week 2015 Has Come and Gone

Well, another Homecoming Week is in the books.  It's always hectic, but it's also a lot of fun.  This year's freshmen class brought their "A" game and really started to join in on all the activities by mid-week.  They looked a little lost at first, but through guidance and help from teachers, peers, and advisors, by the end of the week they were cheering each other on at the pep rallies, their daily costumes were adorable, and they looked genuinely happy.  Here are some photos from Friday's pep rally at the end of the school day:

 Freshmen getting ready in their place in the stands.

 Mr. Pep-Rally himself - he came prepared to make some noise!

 Freshmen Representatives

 Preparing for the Tug-Of-War vs. the Sohomores

Giving it their all!

Now the hard part is going back to business as usual.  Last week we managed to finish off unit 1, so they wrote the final essay during class.  We still have just a little bit to go, so on Monday we're going to spend about 15-minutes finishing everything off and turning it in.  Then we're done with "St. Lucy's"!  (Can you hear the collective sigh of relief?)

On Wednesday they have their Independent Book Projects due.  This is mostly to be done at home unless they're done with the final essay, and then they can work on it while they're waiting for everyone else to finish.  They'll bring the projects in to share with a small group and leave with me, and then anyone who needs to return a book to the library can do so.  In about a week we'll go get another book to start reading for November's book project.

Here's what else we have going on this week:

• I'm in-between units for Engage NY, so we're going to spend a week focusing on Edgar Allan Poe.  It seems appropriate since we're entering Halloween season, so Monday we're reading a non-fiction article that fits with the Central Idea for the pieces we'll read, and then they'll write a 10% Summary.
• On Tuesday, we're going to move past summary and look at how the author of the article developed that central idea.
• On Wednesday, we'll turn in our book projects and then turn our attention to fiction and E.A. Poe, focusing on literary terminology.
• Thursday, I'll be spending the day with the other 9th grade teachers working on the Romeo and Juliet unit and how Engage NY tackles Shakespeare, but in class my students will read "The Cask of Amontillado" - a psychological thriller!
• On Friday, we'll finish talking about "Cask of Amontillado" and turn our attention to "The Raven."

After school Tuesday, I'll be available for Tuesday's with Teachers, and then Wednesday is the advisory day with time available for academic help.  If anyone needs anything, we can use these times to easily work one-on-one.

I hope everyone has a great week and enjoys the beautiful October weather and scenery!  Ciao!

Homecoming Week 2015 Has Come and Gone byLaura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

On to October and Homecoming Week!

Ah, September has come and gone, and unfortunately left behind the annual cold for me.  By Friday night I felt like death-warmed-over, so I took Nyquil and slept like a log, and Dayquil on Saturday, which has definitely helped me to feel better by today (Sunday), but I have to say I was fairly froggy yesterday.  All I accomplished on Saturday was to take my kid to a Band Picnic for his school (which fortunately had indoor facilities) and sleeping.  I'm hoping that today is more productive, though I still don't feel quite right: kind of foggy and sleepy, but with that buzzing that comes with antihistamines.

Despite all this, the show must go on, so here's what's up:

• Last week we finished doing our close reading of "St. Lucy's" and wrote Type 3 paragraphs.  We have begun to analyze the author's choices and effectiveness in writing this story.
• This week we will spend three days outlining and drafting a final essay for this unit.  It will all be done in class, so attendance is super important!  There's not really a way to study for this, so the homework that they have is to finish reading their independent reading book and to work on the project which is due 10/14.
• In the meantime, it is homecoming week! Every day they dress up in crazy outfits; we have assemblies on Monday, Tuesday and Friday; Friday is the parade and game (starting at 5:00) and the dance is Saturday.
• Wednesday is Count-day for the state; please make sure your student is in attendance unless it is absolutely necessary to have them out.
• Monday morning we have a fire-drill, tornado-drill, and I believe a lock-down drill.  Drill season has begun!

It's such a busy time, but we'll all get through it.  If anyone needs something, I hope they feel free to contact me. Your students have been a joy to get to know.  If you feel like they're struggling with this transition from middle to high school, please be aware that it's normal.  By now they're starting to "get it" and they're picking up the pace a bit to keep up with academics.  They're starting to realize that "with great power (freedom) comes great responsibility" (Spiderman reference).  Please remember that their GPA is built with their semester grades, not their term grades.  To do this, their first term will be combined with their second term to create a final grade that goes on their GPA.  It's a learning process, and we will all survive...you included!

I hope everyone has a great week! Ciao!

On to October and Homecoming Week! by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com

We're Starting to Gel

Oh, how I love September weather!  It's the perfect temperature and those clear blue skies just can't be beat.  Yesterday morning my son and I took a couple of hours to walk down by UM's campus to watch the band prepare for the game, and it was glorious!  The skies were clear, the leaves above us blowing in the breeze were that glowing gold color, it was warm enough to wear shorts, the food vendors were doing a brisk business, and everyone had a smile on their face, including the BYU people (it was still pre-game, don't ya know).  I love living in a college town on game day in September!  And the band!  Spectacular!  If anyone is going to a UM football game anytime soon, I highly suggest going to Revelli Hall about 1 1/2 hours before game time, and you get a great percussion show, then follow the dance team, cheerleaders, and band to the stadium...so much fun!  I didn't stay for the game (I mean, I am a Sparty), but I love the hoopla!

Anyway, this past week, I think we started to hit our groove.  They're now starting to take me a little more seriously when I give my expectations, so grades are lifting.  I think I finally figured out how to make this curriculum work, though I've had to sacrifice both technology and activities.  My next step is to figure that out.  Last week we did the Mid-Unit Assessment which is all essay, so we're finishing the process of turning it in on Monday.  Now we can finish this unit which has all been around one short story.  So here's what's coming up this week:

• A vocab. activity on Monday, using their annotations from the text
• We will finish re-reading "St. Lucy's", discussing it and doing some Type One questions (they're like journal writing)
• They will fill in what the curriculum calls a Stage Analysis Tool, and then use it to create small group presentations on Google Drive which will be presented on Monday, 10/5

This week we will have our regular schedule which includes advisory days on Wednesday and Thursday.  If students need my help with something, they can meet with me after school on Tuesday for Tuesdays with Teachers (which runs until 3:00) and/or they can get a pass from me ahead of time and come to my room on Wednesday during advisory time.  I'm also available before school and some days after school, they just need to check in with me for what would work for us both.

I hope everyone has a great week!  Ciao!


We're Starting to Gel by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

It's Still So New!

My title reflects my thoughts about where I am as far as comfort zone:  it's still so new, I'm not yet comfortable.  Things that are new that make me feel angst:  my new curriculum; learning 150 new names; advisory hour.  The new curriculum has been a HUGE challenge for me.  I'm trying to take a great 90-minute curriculum, cram it into 45 minutes, but salvage the value instead of just throwing things at them.  Let me just say:  I'm stressed, they're not, so I'm trying not to let my stress levels seep onto them.  As far as names, I'm terrible with new names, but I'll get there.  Advisory Hour: hmmmm.  I'm hoping it will be a valuable experience and worth losing time with my 9th grade, but I'm not there yet.  We'll see as we get into the routine how this goes.  Wednesdays are for academic help, Thursdays are for "soft-skills".

Anyway, those are my challenges.  So here's what we accomplished last week in English 9:

• They got their independent reading books and I handed out the project which is due on 10/14.  By Friday I was able to give them a little time for reading if they needed it.  Some students had not started their books yet, so they need to get going!  All students should have these books in their hands at all times and should be reading them at night.
• I tried to start my Google Classroom, but had many glitches.  By Friday, those who had managed to login were able to do the vocab. online; those who couldn't had a hard copy and I need it completed and to me by Monday.
• We started the re-reading and annotation of "St. Lucy's".  The skills we use with this short story will carry over into the rest of the readings for the year.
• I started plugging in grades on HAC, which sent many grades into the cellar.  New this year:  school-wide, 80% of their grade is academic, 20% is practice.  The items we did the first week were entered under practice and look great.  Only one assignment is entered at the moment under academic, and it's only 5-points.  Thus, if they lost points by not following directions, it sent their grades to the cellar.  I swear, swear, SWEAR, that the grades will bounce back up as I continue to enter more.  In the meantime, some panic has ensued; that's why I don't like to weight grades.  They look wrong at the beginning if someone screws up something minor.

So what's on the agenda this week?  Here it is:

• We will continue to re-read and annotate "St. Lucy's" looking for unfamiliar vocab., questions, moments that stand out, repeating ideas, central ideas, and character development.
• They will have a Type-3 paragraph for homework on Monday.
• In class on Thursday and Friday they will be doing a mid-unit assessment: it's all written in essay form.
• On Friday, they're going to do a vocab. worksheet; if they don't finish it, it becomes homework.
• As always, they need to be reading (and annotating) their independent reading book for homework.

That's the plan!  As always, plans tend to change, but I'll keep you informed, especially when it comes to the assessment.  Please always feel free to check the online calendar; I'll send you the link.

I hope everyone has a great week!  Ciao!

It's Still So New! by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com