Kaska-BOOM!

Design an Ad

2012-01-26T07:42:00.001-06:00

Students began work on The Fairfield Ledger's "Design an Ad" contest this week. Please check out the lang. arts tab above for further information, deadlines, and a link to the assignment rubric. Thanks!

Writer's Workshop/Reading Updates

2011-12-05T17:27:00.002-06:00

Please check the appropriate tabs above for updated information in both Reading and Language Arts (Writer's Workshop) classes. Also, I certainly hope that you will take some time to walk through the biography project links to the left on this page. There are some fantastic efforts represented there on some incredibly interesting people. Thanks for checking in-- let me know you were here! Make a comment or email me: cathy.kaska@fairfieldsfuture.org. Thanks!

Amazing Women Biographies: Amazing Projects!

2011-11-27T07:59:00.002-06:00

To the left are links to the projects that have so far been completed and turned in. If you don't see your child's project, it means it hasn't been handed in yet. Ask them about it. It was due before Thanksgiving. For the most part, I was pleased with the results of the students' work. They seemed to be interested in the people they researched and found interesting facts and videos. I hope you'll take time to view some of the projects they completed. It's worth your while -- you might just learn something you didn't already know! I did!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-20T17:16:00.003-06:00

To all my students and the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other guardians and caretakers who support them and encourage them, Happy Thanksgiving! I'm thankful for each and every one of you! You make my job a happy one. Enjoy the holiday!

Thinking "out loud"

2011-11-12T13:12:00.002-06:00

In an effort to further recreate my reading classroom to make it more reader friendly and encouraging to budding and blossoming readers, I'm considering some new options for grading besides the wiki or other forms of written response. I'm considering incorporating Web 2.0 tools to share the books students have read. Photo Peach, Animoto, Fakebook, ToonDoo, and Voice Thread are only a few of the tools that spring to mind when it comes to sharing thoughts about a book or recommending (or dissing) it to others. All are incredibly user friendly and lend themselves well to a book review sort of a format.

Students would be required to read a t least one book during each unit and submit one assignment that gives them accountability for the book/s they read. In addition, I would hold short conferences with students several times each week and monitor their progress in their books. Campus messenger could be used as a communication tool to let parents know if their child isn't reading enough, and reading progress could also be a formative assessment marker in the parent portal. I'm interested in some feedback on this idea. If you have any thoughts or comments, please email me: cathy.kaska@fairfieldsfuture.org. Thanks!

Pages are Updated

2011-10-12T08:52:00.002-05:00

Please check out the Reading and Writer's Workshop pages for updated information on those classes. Spelling assignments will be coming soon.

Enjoy the beautiful October weather we've been having! The colors have been astonishing! They won't be around forever so get out and enjoy!

October 2, 2011: Lang. Arts & Reading Updates

2011-10-02T13:23:00.003-05:00

There are important deadlines approaching in lang. arts:

October 7: Progress check (ungraded -- just checking how much writing was accomplished from last week to this.) This goes into the Formative Assessment part of the Campus gradebook and does not affect students' grades.

October 12: Any writing that has never been edited by the teacher must be handed in no later than 4:00 today. The T.E. box will close then until second quarter begins. This is important to note because it means that if unedited writing isn't handed in on or before this day, the students will not get credit for their work until second quarter. Their grade for first quarter will not be pretty. Students should also remember that I won't accept pieces longer than 4 or 5 pages (they can put "to be continued" on them and hand them in installments if pieces are longer than this), and that I will only accept one piece per day during a deadline week. This makes my work load considerably more manageable and makes it possible for me to conference with each student individually on each piece they hand in.

October 19: By today, all edited writing must be published (finalized) to be able to count it for a first quarter grade/page requirement. At 4:00 the final draft box will close. No other writing will be accepted until second quarter.

Grade Conferences will begin October 24. More information on this as the day nears.

In reading class, I'm going to try something a little different. We begin the novel portion of the sci-fi/fantasy novel unit Monday, October 3. In the past, students have been required to write lengthy journal entries to me as they read. What I'm going to try instead this time is to move quietly around the room and visit with the students about their reading as they read. One time a week (probably Wednesday or Friday) students will be required to respond to their reading on my class wiki. 10 to 15 minutes of typing should be a sufficient amount of time to put down their thoughts about what they've read. When they finish, they can return to reading.

My reason for changing is that, from what I've been reading lately, it seems that the way students improve their reading and reading comprehension is by reading high interest novels and reading them uninterruptedly. If I keep asking them to put their books down to write down their thoughts, they can never fully "get lost" in their stories. I'm going to give this a try because it seems like a good fit between my instincts as a reading teacher who wants her students both to read well and LOVE what they are reading, and a reading teacher who still has to report progress as a grade. I'll keep you posted on how this turns out.

Budget cuts and Lang. Arts

2011-09-25T10:37:00.007-05:00

In all the time I've been teaching at FMS, we 8th grade language arts teachers have taught language arts in a writer's workshop format. We've always had administrative and parent support for this style of teaching writing which involves highly individualized instruction and almost total freedom of choice of writing topics and styles. This format of writing instruction has been shown to create writers who are better writers both mechanically and creatively -- moreso than by drill and worksheets.

Part of what made writer's workshop a successful enterprise for us was that we always had access to a supervised computer lab. This allowed teachers to remain in the classroom with students who needed individual help on their writing (teacher edit conference), or those who were not yet ready to type or preferred handwriting, or students who were seeking new ideas for the next writing they attempted, while still allowing students who were ready to word process the access to computers that they required. Then, along came the budget crunch.

About midway through the last school year, we lost our computer lab monitor. What this meant for language arts classes was that we now had to take our students to the lab ourselves. This is less than ideal for many reasons, but we were able to make it work last year because I had a co-teacher so there were two of us -- one to monitor the computers and one to do teacher edit conferences. This year, I do not have a co-teacher so I am the only adult in my classes. In spite of that, I still have had to figure out how to continue writer's workshop.

To begin with, I took the classes up to the lab every day except Monday and half of Friday which are spelling pre/post test days. In the lab, I was the troubleshooter for students whose computers malfunctioned or who couldn't figure out the ins and outs of a program; I was the monitor who made sure no one was working on an internet site that was inappropriate for what their assignment was; and I was also the teacher who tried to have editing conferences with students who had turned in writing. These are three distinctly different jobs that really cannot be effectively taken care of by the same person at the same time. I was frustrated, to say the least, and I know the students were beginning to feel my frustration as well.

Talk with our administration and with other teachers in the middle school English department yielded little more than sympathy for our plight. Neither the manpower nor the funds are available to ease this inadequate situation. I left school disappointed and frustrated and wondering how in the world I was going to be able to manage my writer's workshop classes effectively and still monitor the lab and troubleshoot. An answer came to me on my drive home. It is the schedule that I have posted on the language arts page above. Please look it over so you are aware of this schedule.

Finally, please understand that I know this solution is far from perfect. I have told all my classes that I am open to suggestions that will make this schedule -- and the class -- more efficient. The bottom line right now is that students MUST be willing to take writing home and work outside of the classroom in order to keep up with the amount of writing I expect. I expect a lot of writing from my students, and some students think I expect too much, but writing (as I have reminded them several times already) is like anything else. If they expect to improve, they have to practice, so the more they write, the better writer they will become -- and that's the whole point isn't it?

The students stress out because of the number of pages I propose they complete, but the page requirement is only one part of their grade. If they are also using the rubric to complete quality pieces of writing, the quality of the writing they produce will make up for any shortfall in their quantity of pages. I will work with them in any way I can to help them achieve success in my classroom, but I need cooperation from them --and commitment to do what they can on their own. I appreciate the support my students get from their parents and am grateful for any comments or suggestions you may have to make this class a better learning experience for your child. Contact me any time.

Mid-Quarter!

2011-09-18T09:43:00.002-05:00

YIKES! First quarter is half over at the end of this week! Last week marked the first three-week reporting period. The school year is definitely off and running! I think we are off to a great start. I've been in contact with some parents already, and it feels good to know that you are working for and with your children. It feels good also to be working together. That's the recipe for success for all of us involved.

READING: We'll wrap up our short story unit this week with one more story and a quiz on the elements of fiction. Wednesday is always library day. Next up will be the sci-fi/fantasy unit -- one of the interdisciplinary units we have in 8th grade. The culmination of the sci-fi/fantasy unit is the completion of a science fiction story students will write in their language arts classes during the third quarter. The story will use the elements of science fiction they learned in reading class, planet and astronomy facts they learn in science, colonization and exploration factors they learned in social studies, and math formulas for time equals distance over rate and scientific notation.

Students have a goal to read 40 books by the end of the school year so encourage your child to read, read, READ at home whenever possible -- anything and everything they can get their hands on!

LANGUAGE ARTS: Look over the language arts/writer's workshop tab above for the new schedule and writing deadlines put in place recently for language arts. From now on it becomes vitally important that students not only use time in class wisely for their writing but that they are also writing at home or in study halls to stay on top of writing deadlines and page requirements. Students have a rubric for scoring their writing -- the same rubric I use to grade their quality pieces. Parents can ask to view the rubric as well and show interest in your child's writing by asking to read what they have written and encouraging them to write at home and to write a lot. Some students struggle with ideas to write about. I encourage them to write about what they know -- personal experiences, family, opinions, books they've read. Helping them find ideas they are passionate about is another way parents can help their children with their writing.

Something I've told my students: Writing (and reading) are like anything else. If you want to improve, you must practice. The more you write (and read) the better at writing (and reading) you will become. Please encourage your child to do both as much as their schedules allow.

Second full week in the books!

2011-09-08T18:50:00.003-05:00

These first weeks of school have been a whirlwind for me. I hope that my personal life hasn't bled into the classroom too much. On September 3, we married off our second daughter. The wedding was outdoors (yes, in the pouring rain -- the only pouring rain we had all summer since June, by the way!), at our home, and has been a source of much stress. It ended up beautifully in spite of the weather, but it meant that I missed school half of Thursday and all of Friday.

As if that weren't enough, we said good-bye to our first child and her family (including our two precious granddaughters, age 2 and 1) on September 7 as they left for three years in China. Our son-in-law is employed by John Deere and is helping get a new Chinese facility up and running. So I was at school half the day Tuesday and took another day Wednesday to say goodbye to my family. Fortunately I had a good sub in Mrs. Jackson, and students were able to carry on as though I were still there myself.

As far as I know (and I hope there will be no surprises), these are the only major events in my family -- and they are done. I hope that we'll be able to swing easily into the writing routine for lang. arts and the reading routine in reading classes. Keep checking on the tabs for the various classes to keep up with what's going on. Comment on my blog to earn your child a pass to the front of the lunch line or other prize. As always, you are encouraged to contact me any time for any reason at all. Thanks for viewing!

First Week Blurb

2011-08-29T14:00:00.004-05:00

Lang. Arts: Spelling begins this week. First assignment is page 10 due Tuesday. The norm is that assignment will be given on Monday and is due Tuesday. First assignment we discussed prefixes and suffixes and how we can use the knowledge of these word parts to remember or figure out how to spell the word.

Tuesday we'll start figuring out our writing process and go through our daily writing folders (D.W.F.) to begin writer's workshop. Each week Monday and Friday will basically be spent on spelling with the remaining three days revolving around writing. Please check out the Lang. Arts/Writer's Workshop tab above for more detailed information about Writer's Workshop. Also, check the late work policy tab.

Reading: This week we begin our short story unit with a short story by Gary Paulsen called "Stop the Sun". This is one of my favorite stories. We begin it by learning about the Vietnam War and the climate in the US during that period. We also spend a fair amount of time reviewing the elements of fiction (plot, characterization, setting, climax, conflict, and resolution, etc.). We'll probably continue this unit through most of the month of September with assignments revolving around response to the stories, vocabulary, and the elements of fiction.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I encourage you to visit often and I look forward to your comments and suggestions.

August 2011: The Journey Begins

2011-08-10T13:15:00.004-05:00

In ten more days, teachers return to the classroom. In fourteen days, the students will follow. I can honestly say that I am looking forward to new students, new challenges, and a new school year. I hope all of you are too.

I encourage people, parents and students alike, to become acquainted with my blog -- and the blogs of other teachers as well. Blogs are a way to stay abreast of what's happening in the classrooms. It can also be a showcase for student work (take a look at some of the links to the left) and a bulletin board for deadlines and other information. I try not to let more than two weeks pass by between each of my posts. Passes to the front of the lunch line or other rewards may be given for students whose parents look at my blog and post a comment/s, or if the student him/herself posts a comment. :-) Get into the habit of visiting often!

Welcome to 8th grade at FMS with Mrs. Kaska. Be sure to check out the various tabs at the top of the page. See you August 24!

April Update

2011-04-10T09:57:00.003-05:00

READING: We finished our Anne Frank podcasts last week. WOW!! Mrs. Jones and I were blown away. Keep watching the blog because as soon as I remember how, I'll be linking the podcasts here so everyone can listen to them.

Monday and Tuesday this week we do our Alternate Reading Assessment. Students will also be selecting their holocaust novels and the mode they'll use for grading their reading: email, handwriting in their response journals, wikis, or face-to-face conference. Reading of novels will last approximately three weeks. The only grade will come from their response to the reading. There is no vocabulary, no project, no other assignment other than reading and written or oral response.

Lang. Arts: We have begun lessons on writing articles, reviewing the 5 W's and 1 H, and inverted pyramid writing style for newswriting. This week we'll continue practice writing on sample topics, brainstorm ideas for article topics, and actually selecting topics so students can begin their articles. Deadline for articles is May 4.

Deadlines for all assignments may be viewed in the class calendars. There are links on this blog on the left of this page under "Weblinks for students and teachers". Look for "Language Arts Calendar" and "Reading Calendar", click on the link, and a calendar should appear.

Thank you for viewing the blog. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

New Late Assignment Policy for Reading/Lang. Arts: Begins Monday after break.

2011-03-15T17:41:00.002-05:00

March 15, 2011

Dear Parents and Students,

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a teacher is seeing students garnering successes in the classroom. When a student has an “aha” moment and the light bulb comes on, it’s the greatest feeling in the world for both student and teacher.

One of the most discouraging aspects of being a teacher is seeing students who have the capability, the potential, for success, but for whatever reason, throw their opportunities away. These are students who consistently and regularly choose not to turn in assignments.

In my classroom I have tried everything from rewarding the students whose assignments are handed in to after school schedules and detentions and having lunch with them to work on assignments one on one in a quiet setting. These are just a few of the strategies. No matter what I try, threats, rewards, appealing to their sense of duty, showing them the opportunities they can have by taking their educations seriously, the “fixes” I have come up with are temporary at best, and futile at worst.

As we wind down this third quarter of the school year and prepare to start the final quarter in your 8th grader’s middle school career, I feel a need to take more drastic measures. 8th graders are preparing to enter the high school in a few short months. Late assignments do not carry any weight in the high school. With Mr. Dailey’s permission, I’d like to begin a new policy in the fourth quarter of both my reading and language arts classes. The policy is as follows:

Deadlines for ALL assignments are ALWAYS posted on my whiteboard. In addition, I will do a better job of putting assignments and due dates into the portal BEFORE they are due (instead of when they are due and I am ready to enter grades which has been my procedure till now). This means that both you and your student have the knowledge of what assignments are and when they are due well ahead of the due dates.

When the deadline comes, I will pick up all assignments ready to be handed in, grade them, and get them into the Campus portal (usually, the grades are entered within a day or two, but some larger projects may take a little longer).

I will no longer follow after students whose assignments were not handed in. I will put names on the board so they are aware, but the only consequence for not handing in an assignment from now on will be a zero in the grade book.

Although there are high school teachers who will not accept late work, and there are others who immediately deduct 50%, I will continue to accept assignments for one week past the due date for partial credit (loss of one letter grade for every other day it is late). After one week, I will still accept the assignment, but for 50% of the grade.

I feel that this policy allows students to be more accountable for their grades and to see the consequences for not following through and doing work that is assigned. My intent is to try to prepare them for the stricter policies at the high school and allow them to have greater success there.

I will continue to send messages through the Campus message system to parents of students whose grades are unsatisfactory at the 3, 6, and 9 week reporting periods. In addition, I encourage parents and students alike to check the portal on a regular basis, at least once a week, to monitor assignments coming up and also keep track of those that are past due. If a parent or a student wants to set up a time for after school or before school help, or if the student wants a pass to my room during a study hall, I will, as always, be available, but it will be the student’s responsibility to set it up. (Or parents are welcome to set up a schedule as they see fit, too; I’m a phone call or an email away.)

The reality is that there are only a relatively small handful of students that stand to lose points from this policy. Most of my students are responsible and reliable and eager to learn. This policy is meant to try to “wake up” the students for whom school is not a top priority and try to get them on the right track before high school when there is more at stake.

If you have questions or concerns with this policy, please let me know. My email is the easiest and most reliable way to reach me: cathy.kaska@fairfieldsfuture.org. You can also leave a message in the office: 641-472-5019, and I’ll return your call.

I think that one of the most valuable things a student can have in their “toolbox” is responsibility. It is my intent to try to help them become more responsible by making them accountable for the choices they make regarding their assignments. Together, I think we can make a difference.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Kaska

(If you're the parent of an 8th grader in one of my classes, watch for this letter in your snail mailbox.)

Mid-quarter, Parent/Teacher Conferences, and Busy, short week!

2011-02-13T08:54:00.002-06:00

Reading: All projects are now past due. There are many students who haven't handed them in. If you check the portal and your child's grade is an F or lower than you would like, the project is probably the culprit. Ask if they handed it in, and ask what their grade was if they did.

We have moved on to our next unit: The Diary of Anne Frank. We begin with the play, end with the movie and a podcast assignment and then move to WWII era novels. This is my favorite unit, and I think it ends up being favorite for many of the students too. Watch the wiki for online discussions. It's usually interesting to see the comments the students come up with. Link to the wiki is on the left of this page.

Lang. Arts: Spelling this week is Unit 21 Page 130, due Tuesday. Design an Ad is due, final draft, on Wednesday. Thursday we start small group edit/revision of sci-fi stories and move to the second half of the quarter. All writing must be published by March 4. Quarter conferences will be the last week before spring break.

Parent/Teacher Conferences: Tuesday in the commons, Thursday in the rooms. I hope to see you all!

Do-over: Blizzard week

2011-02-04T10:00:00.006-06:00

Well, with only two days of school this week, a Monday and a Friday, I've decided to try to redo this week next week.

Reading: All poetry projects are due February 9 at the beginning of the period. We will be moving on to our Anne Frank/holocaust unit. Appetizer projects (vocabulary) were due January 28 (there are a lot of those that still have not been turned in. Ask your child about this project -- or check the parent portal.) Entree (poetry projects) should have been due February 4, but due to snow days, the date has been extended to the 9th. These two projects and a few quizzes will likely be the only grades recorded this quarter, so please make sure your student is getting them done and handed in,

Lang. Arts: D2 deadline date for sci-fi stories has been pushed back to February 8. Monday we'll begin thinking about the design an ads for the Fairfield Daily Ledger. Sci-fi and ads will be what we work on for most (if not all) of the rest of the quarter. Spelling for next week will be unit 20 again. We'll redo the pretest on Monday with the posttest being taken on Friday. Minilessons will center around the figurative language, illustrations, and font styles used to attract attention in ads.

January 24 -28

2011-01-23T12:35:00.002-06:00

Reading: Continuing poetry exploration. This week we finish up with terms. We'll do a little review, and quiz will be Wednesday (January 26). Appetizer (vocabulary) assignments are due Friday (Jan. 28). Classes will most likely meet in the computer lab this week so students can finish up research and begin/continue typing poems, responses, or research papers. Students who are creating games will also be able to work on those projects. Entrees are due February 2.

Language arts: We continue to review basic punctuation and capitalization rules to both prepare for ITBS and to help students focus on corrections they can make themselves in their writing before handing in for teacher edit. Sci-fi first drafts are due Friday (January 28). I'm looking for a minimum of 9 to 10 pages of handwritten rough draft for an "A" (50 points); 7 to 8 pages for a "B"; 5 to 6 pages for a "C"; 3 to 4 pages for a "D". Fewer than 3 pages will be an "F". This is only one page of writing per day since the story was assigned, not an unreasonable goal. The next deadline is the typed second draft (D2) which is due February 4.

This week's spelling assignment is page 117 (Unit 19) and is due Wednesday (January 26).

January Journaling

2011-01-16T15:36:00.003-06:00

For the week of January 17 through 21:

Reading: We continue to learn poetic/literary devices, focusing on figurative language. This week we'll talk about onomatopoeia, rhythm, rhyme, repetition, alliteration, assonance, and free verse. We'll finish up with concrete poetry next Monday. Students will continue exploring the multitudes of poetry books and poems by a variety of poets in class this week. They have selected their two assignments and will be gathering information needed for their projects throughout the week. Next week we move to the computer lab so everyone has computer access to finish up their assignments/projects by the February 2 due date.

Language arts: Most students have done a pretty good job of planning out their sci-fi stories. I see the glimmers of some excellent storylines in these plans. For the next two weeks we will be working on rough drafts with the due date for first draft being January 21. Sprinkled in amongst the work time will be minilessons to review basic capitalization and punctuation conventions since students will be expected to edit their own papers for the sci-fi story. (Also to prepare for the upcoming ITBS tests in February.)

This week is maintenance week in spelling so there is no homework assignment. Pretest will be Monday; post test on Friday. Wednesday is the skating party for the assignment journal reward so students in 6th hour language arts will miss one class period this week. Encourage them to make up for the loss of writing time in class at home.

Poetry, Sci-fi, & One last comment about Historical Fiction....

2011-01-07T21:45:00.005-06:00

As I write this, I can hear the wind screaming outside. It's COLD out there, and I'm glad to be inside my warm house. The first week back from break was a good one.

As noted in the previous blog, we finished up our historical fiction unit in reading this week. I think the lit. circles were a resounding success. The comments from the students were overwhelmingly favorable of the on-line discussion, and having followed their comments all the way through, I have to say that I am pleased with the results myself. The students gave me wonderful insights into their feelings of the unit, and I think the next time we do lit. circles I'll be able to use some of the great ideas they shared with me to make the discussions and the learning even more productive. Great job, kids!

Thursday we introduced the poetry unit. During most of the month of January we will be reading and writing poetry and studying the literary devices and elements of poetry that make poems so interesting to read and experience. In addition, students are required to select two items to complete from our unit menu (click the image here to see the options),
and take a quiz over the terms at the end of the unit. Projects will be due February 2 with check points at the end of each week.

In language arts, the sci-fi story has been assigned. Important dates: Storyboard or outline for the story is due January 14. First draft: January 28. Second draft: February 4. Final draft: March 4.

The Design An Ad will be assigned the week of February 7 with the final draft due February 16.

Part of the students' grades in language arts are based on the number of pages they produce and publish during the quarter. Both the sci-fi story and the ads will count toward the pages they need to accumulate by the final deadline on March 4. Part of the students' grades are also based on the quality of the work they produce, so please encourage your students, as I do, to read and follow the rubrics for their writing in order to produce the best quality they possibly can.

Happy New Year! Bring it on, 2011!

2011-01-02T14:26:00.003-06:00

Well, as we return from our Christmas break, I hope that everyone is rested and ready to take on the rest of the school year. With no snow days prior to break (what a new concept!!), we were able to wrap up the quarter/semester efficiently -- no loose ends. That means as we return, we can begin the new semester with a clean slate, rested and enthusiastic! Following are brief overviews of what is coming up in the reading and language arts classrooms:

READING: These first four days back we'll wrap up our Historical Fiction/Lit. Circle unit with one final discussion and a vocabulary quiz. This was our first journey into on-line literature circle discussion, so we'll ask students to give us their comments on what worked and what didn't in this unit. I'm always grateful for their candor and their honesty when they reflect on the units we complete, and it helps us to know what we can keep and what we should tweak for the next time.

On Thursday we'll preview the expectations and assignments for the next unit: Poetry. More information on that to follow soon. Mrs. Jones and I spent a fair amount of time before the break revamping the poetry unit, and we are excited about the choices we have to offer students as they explore poetry in this unit.

LANGUAGE ARTS: As we return to writer's workshop, we return as though the third quarter has already begun. Deadlines are already set, and I'll post those soon. (I'm typing this at home and don't have access to those dates here. Sorry....) Third quarter is a busy one in language arts with the Fairfield Ledger's Design an Ad contest, and the culmination of the interdisciplinary unit: science fiction story. Spelling continues each week as well with the first assignment of 2011 being unit 16, page 100 -- Due Tuesday, January 4.

With a new year often come resolutions and goals. Goal-setting is an important aspect of language arts class. Goals are set at the beginning of each quarter and reviewed and revised at the end of each quarter. Having a goal and assessing progress towards that goal are important to growth whether we're talking about writing or any other aspect of education or life. Encourage your child to set goals for themselves. During break I read that a Harvard study found that the 3% of students who took time to write down goals for their lives accomplished more than the 97% who did not. I try to emphasize to my students the importanace of goal-setting. I encourage you to do the same. The goal/s may change along the way. That's not important. What's important is that there is/are goal/s.

Happy New Year to all. May all your resolutions and goals steer you to a happy and prosperous 2011!

Reading Projects

2010-12-02T15:53:00.003-06:00

Mrs. Breen and I were able to put our heads together today to figure out how to get the reading projects created in GoogleDocs onto my blog. They are now there for your enjoyment. I hope you'll take the time to click some of the links at the left to see the results of the students' research and exploration of several Amazing Women! The technology is pretty cool, but to me the more impressive thing is the learning that they show. Enjoy the fruits of their labors.

Mid-Quarter & Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-21T08:12:00.003-06:00

Ooops! Time got away from me a little bit. Apologies!!

We've been working feverishly in the reading classes to finish up our web 2.0 projects for our biography unit. The projects were due Friday November 19. There are some who haven't turned theirs in yet, and they need to ASAP. There will be only one more unit grade for this quarter. To get a zero in any of those units will most likely mean an F for the quarter. Please ask your student about this project and make sure to encourage them to finish it and email or share it with Mrs. Jones and me. All information and the projects themselves are online, so if you have internet access at home, they can finalize these projects from home. We'd like to close the book on these assignments before Thanksgiving. Take a look at some of them by clicking some of the links to the left in the Lang. Arts/Reading links section of this page.

When we return from the holidays we will begin our first session of Literature Circles. Lit Circle discussions will center around historical fiction novels set during the American Revolution which happens to coincide with their social studies unit on the same topic.

We are going to try a new format this year by having the preparations for discussion online. We will use a Google Document for each discussion group which will allow all members of the group to see each other's comments before the discussion actually begins. We have never done this before, so we are eager to see how it works. We have signed up for computer access for the three weeks of this unit, hoping to alleviate the need for students to do work from home. At the same time, work that isn't completed in class time should be done from home. Paper and pencil can still be a last resort. Students are expected to come to their discussion groups with the assigned passage read and the questions and comments for discussion prepared. Group discussions will be held two times each week, each Monday and Thursday, for the entire unit.

Students will also be selecting vocabulary words from their reading to share with the group. Vocabulary packets will be due at the end of each week. Each student is responsible for sharing two words each week with the other members of their group. This unit is scheduled to run through January 4, 2011.

In language arts, we continue to write. We have worked on some review of capitalization skills and talked about the writing trait of Voice in recent lessons. We plan to continue review of mechanical aspects of writing as the year progresses and also continue to focus on the Six Traits of writing. Covered so far have been Organization, Ideas, Voice, and Conventions. Left to cover are Word Choice and Fluency.

Because the quarter ends so quickly after break, we are wrapping up all writing and grade conferences before Christmas. This puts a pinch on all of us, but they've known these deadlines since the beginning of the quarter. Upcoming writing deadlines: December 3 is the last day they can hand in writing that they've never handed in before -- first-time teacher edit pieces. December 10 is the date by which all writing must be published. That gives us one week to write end of the quarter letters, and one week to finalize grade conferences. The holidays can be free from any worries over end of quarter events for language arts. When we come back from the holidays, rested and ready for the second half of the school year, we can dive right in to third quarter writing knowing that our writing slate is clear.

It is hard for me to believe that the year is flying by so quickly, and I've heard similar comments from my students. Please, remind them (as I do so often during class) that time is a valuable commodity in language arts. If they are absent, absences are made up by working at home! They complain that I use too much of their time, but I have to give them lessons on writing. If they feel they "need more time to write" it is up to them to find writing time outside of class. They have heard this from me since the very first day of school, but few are willing to make that time at home for writing. As parents, you can help by encouraging your student to make time for writing at home a few minutes per evening only two or three evenings a week or an hour or so each weekend.

As we approach Thanksgiving, I am reminded how much I have to be thankful for. Among my blessings, I count the parents of my students and the support they give as well as the students themselves. I have a wonderful group of young men and young women this year. I am thankful for the opportunity to get to know them and to try to help them improve their reading and writing skills. Thank you for sharing them with me. Have wonderful holiday weekend!

2010-10-29T17:09:00.002-05:00

Reading: This was another busy week for the reading students. After finishing the movie Hook on Monday, the students created a poster with a drawing of a symbol from the movie and a paragraph that explained its symbolism. By and large students tended to do fairly well on this assignment. Because of absences, there are still a small handful that haven't been handed in yet, so check with your student (or look in the parent portal) to make sure your child has turned theirs in.

The movie and poster were the finale for the sci-fi fantasy unit, so on Wednesday we moved to our "Amazing Women" biography unit. In this unit, students selected a woman to read about and research with the ultimate goal of creating a project using one of three Web 2.0 tools: presentation tool on Google Docs (similar to power point); Animoto video; or Glogster poster. You should have signed a contract for your student's project assignment on Thursday or Friday. The contract outlines expectations for the unit, the project, and its deadlines. All contracts must be signed and returned no later than Monday November 1 to avoid penalties.

This first week through November 4 is devoted to reading at least one book about the remarkable woman and gathering as many facts about her as possible using the non-fiction reading strategy of FQR, or Fact, Question, Response. For every fact, students also have to come up with a related question or some sort of response. For example: Fact: More than 1200 people died when the Titanic sank in the North Atlantic. Response: That is a terrible tragedy. Fact: Women and children were loaded into the lifeboats first. Question: I wonder how many women and children never made it to a lifeboat? The questions in FQR give students a purpose to continue reading and researching while the responses give them ways to put the information in their own words, thus helping to eliminate the problem of plagiarizing information.

So far students are off to a good start with this strategy. Deadlines for the unit are below:

Finish reading: November 4- Review Noodlebib as a tool for citing sources
November 8- Move to the brand new iMac computer lab. Mrs. Breen will share Diigo.com, a great tool for sharing internet sites, and students will have the week to continue gathering facts about their lady using on-line databases.
November 12- All notes and graphic organizers will be handed in.
November 15- Notes/graph. org. will be returned, and students begin the task of creating their presentations.
November 19- presentations are due at the end of the period.
November 22, 23 - students present to the class
Mrs. Breen will be in the computer lab to help us out. I'm excited to see what the students create! It should be fun to see! I hope to post some of them here. Keep watching for it!

Language Arts: We are finishing up goals this week. I have about 4 left to do in each class. Some students are already handing in writing for second quarter which is wonderful!
This week we are in unit 10 for spelling. The assignment is 1-8 on page 63 and 1-9 on page 64. All spelling is always due on Tuesday.

In writer's workshop last week students were advised on the merits of using some sort of outline or graphic organizer as a pre-writing tool. This week we will begin looking at some daily oral language activities to try to pinpoint some punctuation, grammar, capitalization, and usage weaknesses.

A reminder that this quarter's deadlines are: mid-quarter deadline is November 19. Students must have 1 piece published by this date (minimum). D2 (second drafts) will not be accepted any more after December 3 with the final deadline being December 10. Students are allowed to turn in only 1 piece per day during a deadline week, so that means November 12-19, and from November 22 to December 10, Students may only hand in one piece of writing per day. There is also a 4-5 page limit on what can be handed in at one time. These limits make it possible for me to keep up with the editing and conferencing that I must get done each day during this busy time. It also forces them to plan ahead a little and not wait until the last minute to hand everything in.

In an effort to give students a wider range of publishing options, I have suggested some Web opportunities for publishing including Photopeach.com, power points, using Microsoft Publisher to create a "newspaper", and Glogster.com. Some students have already set goals to use these options to publish their writing this writing this quarter.

I guess that's it for this week... I look forward to seeing many of you at conferences either Tuesday or Thursday evening. Tuesday in the commons or Thursday in my room, room 176. See you then!

And that's the first quarter.....

2010-10-17T18:48:00.002-05:00

Reading: We'll be wrapping up the sci-fi/fantasy unit this week with the movie Hook and a look at symbolism. Students will be required to create a poster of some sort showing one symbol from the movie and a paragraph explaining the symbolism of the object. We'll also have a brief look at punning/word play and irony before beginning our Amazing Women biography unit October 25.

I was pleased with the quality of the journaled responses to the sci-fi/fantasy novels. I also was pleased with the number of students who opted to do the wiki instead of the handwritten response. For the most part, the quality and quantity of responses was good. Please look for yourself by going to my reading wiki. Just click on any class period (links on the left of the home page, and then hit the discussion tab. You can view any discussion there.

Language Arts: This week we get back to spelling with Unit 7 and page 45. The assignment is usually due on Tuesdays, but this week because many students are still preparing for grade conferences, the assignment won't be due until Friday. Most of my time this week will be devoted to having grading conferences with each student. During these individual conferences, we will look at the writing they've worked on this quarter, look at their goals, talk about their quality pieces of writing, and discuss where they can improve for second quarter. Students who are waiting to conference can begin writing for second quarter. Deadlines for this quarter are: midquarter publishing deadline: November 19; second quarter D2 deadline: December 3; and final second quarter publishing deadline: December 10. We will work very hard to get the second quarter grade conferences out of the way BEFORE Christmas break this year. That will allow all of us to fully enjoy the break and begin on the next semester's writing fresh when we return in 2011!

The first quarter is a tough one in writer's workshop, because it's all new to them. Over all, I was extremely pleased with the products I saw and the amount of work and effort put forth; however, if you feel your student didn't perform as well as they could have, please do not hesitate to contact me to find out why or to let me know your concerns.

From Sci-fi/Fantasy Novels to End of Qtr. Wtg. deadlines

2010-10-03T08:40:00.003-05:00

Reading: Students have begun reading (and writing about) the novels they selected a week ago for the reading part of our SF/F unit. I've been pleased so far, for the most part, with the quality of journaling I've seen, and especially, with the dialogue I've seen on the class wiki discussion. Comments being posted are thoughtful, and it's fun to watch discussions evolve as the students comment on each other's posts. Check it out if you have time: http://kaska-boom2010-2011.wikispaces.com. There are links on the left of the home page to take you to your child's class period. Then just click on the discussion tab, and away you go!

The sci-fi fantasy unit ends on October 18. This week we begin vocabulary activities which mostly involve student-taught vocabulary words of their choosing from the books they read. Two to three students each day will present a word and its definition to the class. At the end of the unit, they will have a quiz over the words that they've been taught during the unit.

By October 18 students should have finished at least one SF/F novel and posted or journaled or cartooned at least 4 paragraphs (or frames for the cartoon) each of the three weeks of the unit in order to receive a passing grade (C). We'll wrap up the unit with a week or so of symbolism through the movie Hook, and then we'll begin our biography unit.

Language Arts: There is no spelling assignment this week since it is a maintenance week when we review the spelling strategies taught over the previous 5 weeks. They will still have a pretest on Monday, posttest on Friday, but no assignment.

Instead, we'll continue mini-lessons on the trait of organization with a focus on revising their writing. Deadlines are fast approaching: This Friday, October 8, is the last day they can hand in a piece of writing for a FIRST TIME teacher edit. October 13 is the last day they can hand in their writing as a finished product until next quarter.

The last 7 days of the quarter students will be writing letters to their parents in which they'll reflect on how they've grown and changed as a writer over these first 9 weeks and also projecting and setting goals for the next quarter. Beginning October 15, we'll start grading conferences where we'll reflect on and assess their progress this first quarter. Time flies! If this first quarter is any indication for how the rest of the school year will go, we'll be back to summer vacation in no time!

We really are off to a fabulous start. For the most part, I'm pleased with the quantity and quality of the students' work. They have worked hard and they seem to try to use the suggestions given them in our editing conferences. It really is going to be a GREAT year!

Mid-quarter Reflections

2010-09-24T07:57:00.004-05:00

WHOOOOOOOSH! That was the first half of the first quarter whizzing by! In reading we have concentrated a lot on the elements of fiction, particularly setting, characters, plot, conflict, climax, resolution, mood, and theme. We have also discussed the use of dialogue and narration/exposition.

We just finished the movie Star Wars, the kick-off to our sci-fi/fantasy unit, and as I write this, the students are selecting the novels they want to read in these genres. Grades for this unit include self-selected vocabulary words which they will teach to each other and written response to the novels they are reading. Written responses are due at least two times each week. Please encourage your child to read these novels at home. Written responses can also be done from home. The last day of this unit is October 15.
In language arts, students should have had 4 pages published (completely through the writing process) by September 20. There are only a small handful of students who are even close to this deadline. The last day they can hand in new writing for this quarter is October 8. All writing must be finalized for a grade by October 13. Please encourage your student/s to write at home. Classes are only as long as our time allows, and some of the time is devoted to writing lessons and spelling. Time spent outside the classroom is critical to their success in the writing class. Just like reading (or any activity, for that matter) the more you write, the better you will write. That's the key to writer's workshop. Please support your child in this endeavor.

Please don't hesitate to contact me, cathy.kaska@fairfieldsfuture.org, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. Thanks for reading! Stay in touch!

An introduction to 8th grade language arts

2010-08-31T14:39:00.002-05:00

Dear Parents/Guardians:

I'd like to take this opportunity to inform you how language arts grading works. It is different than other classes your child has and also different from their past language arts classes.
8th grade language arts classes are operated in a writer's workshop format. Writer's workshop follows the following writing process:

Rehearsal (or finding their ideas)
Writing (or in some instances typing) a rough draft (D1)
Revising (Adding, cutting, moving, or replacing words/information to make the piece better)
Typing the second draft (D2)
Revising again
Editing (or finding errors: punctuation, capitalization, spelling, grammar, etc.)
Peer conferencing
Turning the writing in for a teacher edit and conference
Making teacher corrections (D3)
Resubmitting until corrections are all made
Publishing (choice of many including posting in the room, putting in our class book, entering contests, posting on the school website, etc.)

Most of your student's quarter grade is based on the number of pages they publish during a quarter and a quality piece of writing from the quarter that they select themselves based on a rubric provided so they know what a quality piece of writing looks like. Because they have the entire quarter to produce these completed writings, it is a little difficult to monitor their grade throughout the quarter. One way I've tried to rectify this situation is to have a mid-quarter writing deadline. By mid-quarter, I require students to have published a minimum number of pages (or be able to show me a reasonable amount of rough draft or second draft so that I know that they are making progress toward their final product). The amount of points awarded at this time is minimal because I want the bulk of their grade to be their final product; however, since writer's workshop is 80% of their grade, those mid-quarter points can have a major effect on their grade and will probably remain until the final grade conference at the end of the quarter when all their writing is finally published and graded. MId-quarter deadline for first quarter is September 20. They should have 4 pages published at this time.

If students use their time in class well, and especially if they do some of their writing outside of class, the pages required are not difficult to produce. If they are unable to produce the required number of pages, the grade they receive for the quality of their writing (determined through a scoring rubric, not teacher opinion of the piece) can help to make up for that deficit. Unfortunately, many students have a tendency to procrastinate, and they would rather not do homework if they can avoid it. Both of these habits can have a devastating effect on a student's language arts grade.

Please encourage your child to write at home. Some effective strategies the most successful writer's workshop students use include:

*Use class time wisely -- write!
*Spend at least a couple nights a week writing at home
*Write during study halls (if they have them)
*Have one piece to work on at home and work on a separate piece at school
*Hand write at home and type at school (or the other way around)
*Do NOT rely on server access from home. Students may use Google Docs to access writing at any computer with internet access. Flash drives are also an option for carrying work from one computer to another and as a back-up for saved documents.
*Students can stay after school to type and they can also type before school either in my room or in the typing lab or library.
*Save all documents to more than one location -- and this cannot be emphasized enough! Technology is not foolproof, and no one should rely on one place to store their work.

There are other strategies that your child may come up with that will also help them to be successful, and I'm not suggesting that they use all of these strategies -- Just the ones that work for them.

Please encourage your child to see me if they have concerns about deadlines or any aspect of their writing. I also encourage you as a parent or guardian to contact me if you have questions or concerns regarding the class or your child's progress.

Sincerely,
Cathy Kaska

School phone: 641-472-5019 ext. 249
Email: cathy.kaska@fairfieldsfuture.org

Final publishing deadline for 1st quarter: October 15

Glogster

2010-08-14T08:25:00.004-05:00

Glogster example "A Little About Me."

Glogster example Women's Rights.

Glogster example Queen Isabella.

Glogster Example Grapes of Wrath.

Summer Thoughts & Ideas

2010-07-20T13:43:00.003-05:00

You know, people think teachers have the summers off. Well, I have to say that I have done a fair amount of relaxing this summer, but I also took a class and I've spent quite a lot of time re-thinking my writing instruction, reorganizing and recreating my lessons, re-thinking my reading units, and figuring out ways I can incorporate some new strategies to increase and improve reading comprehension in my eighth graders.

The class I took was centered around the Iowa Core Curriculum and Web 2.0. It was this class that got me started reviewing my lessons, trying to figure out new ways I can integrate technology into my reading and writing classrooms. One thing that I've come up with is online sources for student-created book reviews. There are many. I have put links to these sites on my blog page to the right. You may have to scroll down to see them, but if you click on any of these names: Book Hooks; Kids Bookshelf; and Teen Ink, you will also be directed to these wonderful sites for displaying, sharing, and reading student ideas, opinions, and work. I encourage you to visit, and encourage your student to check them out, too.

Amazon and Barnes & Noble also accept book reviews from anyone -- no purchase required. To post book reviews on these sites, simply search your title, and scroll down until you see the link that says, "Create your own review." By offering students online ways to publish their ideas and view the ideas and work of others their own age and with similar interests, I hope to kindle in them a new enthusiasm for reading and writing.

By looking at my existing units and lesson plans through the filter of what I learned in my summer class, I hope to kindle a renewed enthusiasm in myself too! I think it's working... it isn't August yet, and I'm getting excited to get back to the classroom!

But for now, I think I'll take a break. It isn't raining right now -- I'd better take advantage of the sunshine. This summer, who knows how long it will stick around? Enjoy!

Starting the Wind Down....

2010-05-25T07:42:00.003-05:00

Language Arts: Students have a deadline May 26. After this day, no more NEW writing may be handed in for teacher edit. From May 27 until June 1, the top priority will be bringing to completion all edited writing. After Tuesday, June 1, no more writing will be accepted. Because this is the last quarter of the year,and writing cannot be carried over to another quarter, partial (probably half credit for D2 or above and quarter credit for first draft or unedited pieces) credit may be allowed for unpublished pieces.

Grade Conferences will begin June 3, and I have the schedule for each class posted on the white board in my room. Trades are allowed up until June 2 -- after that, all conference times are set in stone. End of the year letters of self-reflection are due June 9. Quality pieces are to be selected no later than the day before a student's grade conference.

This week in spelling: page 207 is due Thursday. We'll have the pretest on WEDNESDAY this week, and the posttest on Friday as usual. This is the last week for a spelling assignment; however, on June 4, students will have one final test -- 50 words -- comprised of a sampling of words from each unit we studied throughout the entire year. They took the 50 word pretest on the first day of school. It's always interesting to see what sort of growth they made from that day to the end of the school year.

Reading: We are in the midst of our Award Winners/Classic novels unit. As part of our unit, I am reading aloud this year's Newberry Award winner, When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead. Students may post comments about this book on the class wiki for extra credit although no one has taken advantage of this opportunity so far. Final assignments for this unit include writing a book review of the book they read (an alternate assignment is to create a Facebook page of the main character using a template I provide), creating a word picture for the bulletin board for vocabulary, keeping track of the number of pages read for the unit (400 pages for an A which is the equivalent of 100 pages per week during the unit), and their genre bingo sheet. Other Extra Credit opportunities include an extra word picture and extra book review/Facebook page. All assignments are due June 7 -- the day before the Adventureland trip.

As We Approach the Mid-term....

2010-05-01T10:33:00.003-05:00

Newswriting and poetry exploration continue. Articles for the middle school newspaper, In the Middle: The Oracle are due at the end of this week, Friday, May 7. This deadline is for a grade, and students should be halfway to their page requirement goal for the quarter by then. My students complain a lot about the amount of writing that is required for my class, and they beg for fewer pages or for more time, but I see an awful lot of those who do the most complaining wasting an awful lot of their time in class. The students who use their time well tell me again and again that there IS enough time to write if you use the time you have. Students know from the first day of every quarter how much they are expected to produce. If they use every day they have, there is more than an adequate amount of time in class to complete their writing. If they waste time in class (or if they are absent for more than one or two days) then it will be necessary to make up that lost time at home or before or after school. But I digress....

Once their articles are completed, we can watch the Fairfield Ledger for our insert probably sometime by the end of May or the first part of June, and students can continue with other writing for the quarter. They have until June 1st to publish all their writing for the quarter. There will also be an assignment in spelling for Unit 31 due Tuesday. I believe the page is 190.

In reading, the poetry unit will end this week. We have spent the last two weeks seeking out poems to include in our anthologies, the project students will complete for this unit's grade. My expectations were that by April 30 (yesterday as I write this), students would have all of their poems selected and typed with at least one or two responses to those poems written. This week we'll finish up with those responses, illustrate the poems, write some of our own, put the books together and get them handed in by Friday, May 7. It sounds like a lot, but the students have class time each day to work on these assignments. The vast majority of the students seem to have enjoyed reading and selecting poetry during these past two weeks. Many have shared with me some of their favorites, and I've been pleasantly surprised by their choices. I think their anthology booklets will end up being something students will keep and enjoy for a long time to come. I hope so -- and I hope, too, that they will continue to read and enjoy poetry on their own in the future.

Also as we've worked on the poetry, we've discussed many different types of figurative language and poetry terms and styles including simile and metaphor (of course), and onomatopoeia, rhythm, internal and end rhyme, near and true rhyme, rhyming patterns, imagery, personification, repetition, alliteration, and assonance. We've seen examples of concrete (shape) poems, free verse, and haiku, to name a few, and we've heard some examples from Robert Frost, William Carlos Williams, and ee cummings. The poetry unit is one of my favorites of the year, and I hope that my love of poetry inspires my students to find poems and poets that they enjoy as well.

That's all for this time. Thanks for reading -- as always, I can be contacted by email if you have questions or concerns, and I'd love to hear your comments if you have them about my blogging. Until next time........TTFN! :-)

News writing and Poetry

2010-04-17T05:47:00.003-05:00

Reading: In the week just ended we wrapped up our WWII & Holocaust novels in Reading class. Although the unit is over, the class wiki is still up and can be viewed. I was pleased with the quality of the discussions that went on as the students read their books. There is a link to the right on my blog page, or you can click this link, WWII/holocaust discussion, to open some of the discussion threads. The author of each thread is listed in the middle column. The last person to comment is listed in the farthest right hand column, and the title and author of the book being discussed is in the first column. By clicking on the book title, the discussion "thread" is opened. Take some time and browse through the on line discussions of these engaging books.

With the end of the WWII unit, we have moved forward to the poetry unit. The poetry unit will include learning the figurative language used by poets including rhythm, rhyme, alliteration, assonance, onomatopoeia, personification, imagery, metaphor, and simile, to name a few; exploration of poetry types by reading through the many poetry books in our collection and discovering new poetry styles and poets; and experimenting with the creation of our own poems. Classes will include short minilessons on poetry and the figurative language mentioned above and ample time to read through the poetry books in my room.

The assignment in the unit is that students will create an anthology of poems they like, so as they read they are to be "collecting" their favorite poems for use in their own poetry booklet. In the booklet will be their personal favorite published poems, written reflection on the selected poems that explains why they chose it, identifies the figurative language the poet used in the poem, and shows an understanding of the meaning and/or mood of the poem itself, and an illustration of each poem that also conveys the poem's meaning or mood. The deadline for this project will most likely be sometime during the first week of May, and students will be able to complete the project in class as long as they use their class time well.

In the past the booklets created by my students have been treasured keepsakes. My hope for this unit is that students will uncover an appreciation for poetry that extends beyond Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky and a discovery of the enormous variety of poetry and poets that leads to connections between the poets and their poems and the students' own lives.

Language Arts: The last two weeks we have been talking about the necessary elements for writing news and articles. We have identified the basic parts of an article: Headline, byline, locator, lead, and body/supporting paragraphs, and we discussed the inverted pyramid style of writing which stacks all the important information in the opening paragraph (lead). We discussed the importance of the 5 W's for writing informational pieces, and brainstormed topics for them to write about. Finally, we listed the steps to writing their articles:

1. select a topic
2. decide who will help supply information & make arrangements to speak with them
3. write down several questions to ask (the 5 W's/1 H are a good starting point for questions) The final question should always be "Is there anything you'd like to add?"
4. Take accurate notes while talking to the sources and read them back so the source can verify what they said
5. Put the notes in order -- a logical sequence so the article will have a distinct beginning, middle, and end
6. Write a lead. Again, think of the 5 W's. The lead should have as many of the 5 W's as possible. Experiment with the lead. Write more than one and choose the best one. Begin with a creative "hook" -- a question, interesting quote, or provocative statement. The lead is the most important part of the article.
7. Write the body of the article by adding details to supporting paragraphs.
8. Conclude.

The D2 deadline for articles is April 30. The final drafts are due May 7. May 7 is the graded deadline. Selected articles from Mrs. Bailey's and my class will appear in a middle school newspaper, In the Middle: The Oracle as a supplement to the Fairfield Ledger sometime after the second week of May.

I like the article assignment because it is a more realistic, true-to-life style of writing. It gets the students searching for information, sources, and determining reliability. They start to understand that writing about an opinion is more than just spouting off their own ideas -- they need to support their opinions with fact in order to be taken seriously. I am usually pleasantly surprised at the quality of writing that appears in the Ledger each year. I hope you will watch for this issue.

Time continues to march on. Although sometimes June 11 seems eons away, at other times it seems there just isn't enough time to get everything fitted in. With track, baseball, softball, and other sports and activities in full swing, longer days, and nicer weather, I know students' thoughts are going to start drifting away from school work. Please help by encouraging your child to continue to put school first. They can end their middle school careers on a more positive note and start their high school careers with their best foot forward. Thank you, parents for all your support.

On your marks... Get set... Go! 4th quarter begins!

2010-04-04T13:03:00.002-05:00

This week ends the third quarter (April 6). In reading our WWII/holocaust unit continues until April 13. This is the day novels must be completed and the last day for written response on those novels. If you have never visited our wiki space, I encourage you to take a look. The online discussion there is worth reading over. Holocaust novels generate good discussion -- even in my most reluctant readers. Click here to visit our wiki page discussions (click on the discussion tab to find recent dialogue threads). April 14 will be a day to share information from the projects that were created before we move on to the next unit -- POETRY. Another of my favorites.

This week also brings the alternate reading assessment. Students will read a short story on Wednesday ("Lose Now, Pay Later") and answer questions on the story on Thursday. This assessment is important to us because it lets us know if the students are learning and retaining what we teach them -- in this case, differences in genre and the sci-fi genre in particular. We will do a short review before this assessment, but the students will be able to use the story text itself to answer the questions.

In language arts this week: We begin Unit 26 in the spelling book. P. 159 is due Tuesday. Also on Tuesday we begin talking about news writing. Encourage your students to look at the newspaper and read some of the articles whether front page news or sports. Beginning to become familiar with this genre will help them to write it. Articles are submitted to the Fairfield Ledger and used for a middle school edition of the Oracle which is published as a special insert to the Ledger sometime during the month of May or early June. Keep your eyes open for it.

A small sidenote: The FMS Student Council recently completed its annual fundraiser for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Foundation, "Pennies for Patients". My homeroom raised the second largest amount for this worthy cause. I can't remember the exact amount but it was something over $200. I was proud of their efforts and the spirit of friendly competition that I witnessed as they raised money for this worthy cause. We were the tortoises of the competition -- we didn't win a single day's race, but we were steadily contributing money and ended up in the second place spot. We celebrated with pizza on Friday.

That about does it for Kaska-boom for the last days of 3Q and the opening days of 4Q. Please help your students remain focused on school these last weeks. I know many of them are busy with track and softball/baseball or just outdoor activities now that it's lighter later, but please help them remember that school and assignments must remain a top priority. We all want to end the 8th grade school year on a positive note so they can begin their high school careers on a positive note. Thanks for all your support!

SPRING BREAK! (and the week we come back)

2010-03-20T21:04:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone enjoys our few days off, and I hope the weather will co-operate -- at least for a few of the days we have.

I also hope that reading students will spend some time reading and also researching and working on their WWII/Holocaust projects. Each class voted (nearly unanimously) to give up class time to work on their projects in favor of watching the movie about Anne Frank. It's a good movie, but it means that to finish their projects on time, they are really going to have to do most of the work at home. They have only three days remaining when we come back to finish and hand them in on time. Projects are due March 31 (Wednesday).

Language Arts: Friday before break was the last day to hand in sci-fi stories. I'm happy to say that the only two stories I haven't received belong to two students who were absent. I hope they'll email them to me or share them with me through Google docs. When we return, we'll begin grade conferences and 4th quarter writing which will include writing articles for the middle school newspaper, The Oracle.

After spring break each year, students seem busier than ever with track, softball or baseball, and other outside activities. Longer days mean more time outside, and unfortunately it seems, less time for school work. I hope that parents who read this will help keep their students focused on the final quarter of their middle school careers. Help them head to the high school on a positive note by encouraging them to put school and school work first. In the long run, their education will be with them much longer than their sports careers. Help them put their priorities in order.

Looking forward to spring (in spite of this latest snow) and the last quarter!

March 8 - 12

2010-03-09T18:39:00.002-06:00

Reading: Students should write one post and three comments on the classroom Wiki between now and March 19. Comments can center around anything we discuss in the classroom or that they read for class. These wikis are a formative assessment, and therefore, not graded, but they are a good way to assess whether students are following what is going on in class and a good way to gauge participation.
Students may also wish to begin research on the topic of their choice for the holocaust project which is due March 31. We finished up the play today (March 9) and by a huge majority in all three classes it was decided to watch the movie of the same name name before we begin reading the WWII/Holocaust novels.

Language arts: Deadlines are fast approaching. Final draft of the sci-fi story is due Friday - March 12. On the same day students must turn in any other 3d quarter writing for teacher edit. All writing must be published by March 19. Letters of reflection for third quarter will be assigned early next week with grade conferences set to begin the week we return from spring break.

March 1 - 5

2010-02-28T06:53:00.002-06:00

March is here -- Glory, Halleluia! I think we've turned a corner and are finally on our way out of this winter -- definitely one for the books!

LANGUAGE ARTS: The first deadline for the sci-fi story (rough draft/D1 due February 26) has now passed. The next deadline is this Friday -- March 5. Their sci-fi story should now be a completed second draft by this date. Final deadline is March 12. We will begin wrapping up the quarter the following Monday by writing quarter letters of self-reflection and beginning grade conferences the week before spring break.

READING: The students were given their project list and proposal sheet on Friday last week. Monday they will fill out their proposal and will have the opportunity to begin working on their projects. Projects will be due the Friday following spring break.

We'll begin reading Act II of Anne Frank this week. I hope to have them select their first novels the first part of next week. The unit will end following spring break.

PARENTS: Thank you for following along on the blog and for all your contacts by email and phone. Thank you also for encouraging your children to read and to write and for all the support you give them in their school careers. Together, we can ensure their success now and in the future!

In spite of all the interruptions (ITBS, snow days, late starts, early outs,etc.) this quarter has flown past! Fourth quarter will be here before we know it. If it goes as quickly as the previous ones, we'll be complaining about our Iowa summer heat and humidity too! Enjoy this last quarter of your child's middle school experience and help us prepare them for high school and beyond.

Week of February 22 - 26

2010-02-22T17:45:00.002-06:00

Students:
Language arts: Your first draft of the sci-fi story is due February 26 (that's FRIDAY!!) Snow days, late starts, or other interferences not withstanding!! The due dates stand as written! Also for this week: page 136 in spelling book is due Wednesday. Use Google docs to help you with your stories (see the link at the right under lang. arts/reading class links) and get your work done on time so you can get full credit. Remember that each sci-fi deadline (D1, D2, and final) is worth 50 points -- 150 points total!

Reading: Don't forget to do your wikis! Time's running out on this first three week session! The people who have posted so far have done a GREAT job. Interesting comments and observations are there. Check them out and give your ideas.

Parents:

Check due dates for your language arts students on the calendars in the post below. Click on them to make them larger. Check out comments/discussions being carried out on the reading class Wiki -- link to the right or click here: Diary of Anne Frank Wiki. We're halfway through the quarter already. Please help keep your students focused on the tasks at hand. Encourage them to read, write, and Wiki at home -- and encourage them to try the Google Docs application. Thanks for all your help!

Parent Teacher Conference Week

2010-02-13T08:57:00.007-06:00

ITBS is over with. We made it through another week of strange schedules and snow days. We are half way through February. Can springtime and normalcy be very far away? Let's hope not!

With parent teacher conference week comes another crazy schedule week. Don't forget to come to school on Friday! Monday and Friday will be the only normal days we have this week. Tuesday and Thursday will be early outs for conferences and Wednesday is a normal late start day.

We are finished with the Design an Ads in language arts. Look for the ads sometime in next week's Ledger. Students should now be in full swing with their science fiction stories. Ask your student about their writing and encourage them to work on their stories at home. With the middle school piloting Google Apps now, students have access to a wonderful tool in Google Docs, a word processing program that is on line so there are no formatting issues to worry about. Google Apps can be accessed through the Fairfield's Future web page by clicking the link, but if you or your child cannot find it, make sure to have them ask me for instructions. It will be a great tool to use. Remember that first drafts are due February 26.

We are half way through the first act of the play The Diary of Anne Frank. Their first vocabulary assignment is due Monday (February 15). As a formative assessment throughout this unit, the students will be writing their thoughts and comments on the classroom wiki (click the link). They are required to post one comment of their own and reply to the comments of at least three others every three weeks. Check for this in the Formative Assessments section in the parent portal. A "0" means your child is either not participating, or they do not show understanding. Lack of participation is more likely, however. A "1" means they are on track with their comments and they are participating at least the required amount. Comments need only be a few sentences. You may view the discussions by clicking the link in this text.

Week of February 8

2010-02-05T20:46:00.003-06:00

It must be some sort of record -- although I have to say I was a little concerned for a while today -- that we have made it two solid weeks without a snow day (knock loudly on wood!!)!

ITBS testing seems to be going well with the first reading test taken today and the last one Monday. Students are off and running with their ads which are due in final form this coming Friday (the 12th). Many have already been handed in.

The sci-fi story was officially assigned today (Friday the 5th) so once the students finish their ads, they can jump right into writing those. First draft is due February 26, second draft is due March 5, and final draft is due March 12. For some, this will be the only story they produce. They have the scoring rubric and should be able to take off with these stories.

In reading we finished the movie Hook on Tuesday and most of the symbolism posters have been turned in. Ask your child if they completed theirs.
We began the Anne Frank unit today with a jigsaw activity. Each of four groups read a different article and used graphic organizers to plot out the important information before coming back to the large group to report on their articles. Early next week we will begin reading the play. WWII projects to be assigned soon.

Thank you for reading. I'd love comments or suggestions for other information to include. I hope you'll keep coming back!

Deadlines and Weekly Checkpoints for 3rd Quarter Language Arts

2010-01-31T08:34:00.005-06:00

Below are the calendars for Writer's Workshop for February and March. This includes all deadlines for all writing, including the science fiction stories, and the expectations for weekly writing progress -- checkpoints. Click each image to make it larger and easier to read.

Please be sure to read the next three posts for more important updated information about my 8th grade reading and language arts classes!

WWII/Holocaust Novel Unit Project Rubric

2010-01-31T08:05:00.003-06:00

Below is the scoring rubric for the projects students will create during our WWII/Holocaust Novel Unit. You can make it larger by clicking on the image.

The post beneath the rubric shows the project choices.

Project Choice for WWII/Holocaust Unit

2010-01-31T07:50:00.002-06:00

Below are the choices students have for their final project for the WWII/Holocaust unit. Students will have SOME time in class to work on their projects which are due on the last day of the unit, but some of the projects will require time at home -- especially the projects that involve building models. If I can figure out how to do it, I will also post the rubric for the projects.

Anne Frank/WWII/Holocaust Project Choices

1. Create a timeline that shows dates and events of WWII and how they correspond to the dates of the events in the lives of the hideaways. This would involve some research as to the main events of the war and where they occurred and when as well as keeping track of important dates and events to the families in the annex. (It is possible to do this with a timeline program on the computer. If you are interested in this possibility, see me.) You also would need at least three sources and a works cited list created on Noodlebib, so keep track of your sources!

2. Research one aspect of the WWII or holocaust or Anne Frank or her family. There are TONS of topics you could choose from, but you will want to narrow your focus or you will be overwhelmed with information. Write a paper or create a power point presentation about what you learn about your topic. You would need at least 3 sources and a works cited list that you would create with Noodlebib, so keep track of your sources!

4. Create a visual reconstruction of the annex or a concentration camp. This could be a diorama, a "blueprint" (floor plan on paper), or some other visual representation you create that is approved by me. This would be accompanied by a chart or diagram or short paper (2-3 pages, typed and double spaced) including facts about the Franks and the annex or the camp you researched(daily schedules, routines, important people, etc.)

5. Complete the Anne Frank Scavenger hunt on the internet. You will use www.annefrank.org and click on the Anne Frank link at the top of the page. This is a scavenger hunt, so you will have to search out information by visiting several different links on the website to answer the questions you are given. (That's what a scavenger hunt is all about!) In addition, you must write a 2-page reflection on what you learned about Anne and her family as you completed the hunt.

6. Create a podcast. The podcast could be any number of creations: an interview with an important figure (Anne Frank, Elie Wiesel, Miep Gies, Dwight Eisenhower, Winston Churchill, or any number of other important people to the war effort.), it could be informational on a topic of your choosing dealing with the war, the camps, or the people of the time period. What else can you think of? Podcast would need to be a minimum of 3 minutes long with a minimum of 15 illustrations (that’s one illustration per 15 seconds).

7. After the Attic: A Webquest on the Holocaust.
http//www9.chatham.k12.nc.us/J-M/holocaust2.html You will complete Tasks 1, 2, and 4 of this webquest as instructed on the webquest page. Task 1: 4th link (Merriam-Webster Dictionary/Thesaurus), and the History Place (7th link) are both active. The second link also may give you some information if you follow the links for further information. The 1st, 5th, and last links are dead. I believe there is still enough information available to you through the links that are active. Task 2: the first four links are still active. The last link may have information as well if you’re willing to do some searching on the provided links. OMIT TASK 3. Task 4: You need only create TWO citations. There is no link available for you to see samples, but your citation would be similar to a speech someone might give to someone else who is receiving an award. OMIT TASK 5.

For ALL projects, see the rubric handed out with this assignment. The goal for completing these projects is that you create a deeper understanding of the time period and the hardships faced by the people who lived through it. But it should also be FUN so choose something that interests you – and if you have an idea for a project that isn’t listed, present your idea to me. I may be flexible enough to let you try something that isn’t on the list.

February 1: Updates

2010-01-31T07:15:00.002-06:00

We FINALLY finished the sci-fi fantasy unit in reading class. Even I was ready for that to be over! On Monday (Feb.1) we'll probably wrap up the movie Hook, and for the next two days students will finish up their symbols posters. My hope would be that by Friday, we'll begin reading the play the Diary of Anne Frank. This unit will most likely take us to the end of the quarter -- March 19, the last day before spring break. It includes the play--students are assigned parts, and we read aloud; a large and incredibly engaging selection of WWII/holocaust novels; and a final project of the students' choice. I'll try to get those choices posted here soon.

In language arts, I've had to remake the deadlines. With the 3d quarter end date remaining as scheduled before the snow days, I had to rethink our deadlines. I will also get those posted along with the weekly checkpoint requirements.

On Thursday, students began their Design an Ads. So far I've been pleased with the creativity they're showing and the quality of the work they're putting in to these ads. Watch for them in the Ledger sometime towards the end of February.

Finally, I encourage you to go to the Fairfield's Future web site (http://fairfieldsfuture.org) to view the proposed schedule for making up our seven snow days. The proposal is to be presented to the Fairfield Schools Board of Directors on February 8. Keep your fingers crossed for better weather for the remainder of the winter!

As always, feel free to contact me with questions or concerns.

January 7, 2010

2010-01-07T07:53:00.009-06:00

I am trying something a little different this quarter. I have mapped out deadlines and weekly checkpoint "assignments" for the entire third quarter for language arts. I thought it might help students to know from the start what the assignments and deadlines are for the quarter so they can pace themselves a little bit better.

Above this text are three calendar images. Clicking on any one of them will enlarge the calendar. Here assignments, checkpoints, and other important dates may be viewed. It is my hope that having these calendars will enable the students to better complete their writing and get more writing handed in before the final deadlines.

There are two significant assignments this quarter for language arts students. The first is the Design an Ad that is done cooperatively with the Fairfield Ledger. The second is the science fiction story that is the culmination of our interdisciplinary unit. Students use information from their astronomy unit in science, exploration unit in social studies, scientific notation from math, and science fiction in reading to create a science fiction story. For many students this will be the only story they write this quarter, and it will take most, if not all, of the quarter for them to complete. For others, the story will get written quickly, leaving them time to create one or two other pieces of writing before the deadlines are reached. Either way, many times this story, although difficult to write, ends up being the favorite piece of writing created during the 8th grade year.

In reading class this is my favorite quarter. We will wrap up the sci-fi/fantasy unit with the movie Hook. During this movie we will concentrate on the literary device of "symbolism" and students will be creating a poster and short paragraph describing an important symbol from the movie. Following that, we begin reading the play of The Diary of Anne Frank. This kicks off our WWII/Holocaust unit -- my favorite unit of all the ones we teach. It is rare that we have a student who doesn't enjoy reading about this time period. The novels are all interesting and engaging. Students seem to really connect with the characters and are stimulated by the issues raised in the novels. The unit will probably last right up to spring break.

Assignments for this unit will include a project that students select from several choices including a webquest, models, timelines, and written research. We'll probably re-open the classroom Wiki for discussion as well.

Hard to believe that we are this far into the school year already. Please don't hesitate to contact me with your questions or comments.

Winding down the 1st semester....

2009-12-16T09:39:00.005-06:00

As I begin this blog post, I cannot believe we are this close to the end of our second quarter -- the first semester! Here's the last update for language arts and reading classes for 2009!

Language Arts: Deadlines fast approach. Teacher edit boxes close Friday, December 18. The final publishing deadline is the day we return: January 4. That is the day all writing needs to be finalized and turned in for credit. I have given students my email address and let them know that if they are willing to make corrections over break, they can email their stories to me to check so they can make sure they are ready to publish the day we come back. This is a result of the snow days we had.

Also when we return, students will be writing their end of the quarter letters of self-reflection. Those letters are due January 7 with grade conferences set to begin the next day and through the following week. End of the quarter is January 15.

Reading: We are now into the novel portion of our sci-fi/fantasy unit. Assignments for the unit include completing a sci-fi or fantasy novel; keeping track of reading and journaling on the reading log provided; presenting/teaching a vocabulary word to the rest of the class; completing a concept circle sheet for 15 self-selected vocabulary words; writing in reading response journals or creating a comic strip to reveal thoughts about what we read. All assignments for the unit are due January 13 with the end of the quarter being January 15.

When students are absent, they are required to read for 40 minutes outside of class (home or study hall) for EACH DAY they miss. A parent/teacher's signature is required to verify that the reading was done.

In addition, this quarter's reading contracts are due January 8.

With this final blog for the year 2009, I wish everyone a happy holiday season and a prosperous 2010!

Iowa Winters....You gotta love 'em!

2009-12-09T19:56:00.003-06:00

Ok. So three snow days later, I have to rethink the deadlines I set, at least for writer's workshop. The three days are going to be added to the end of the year instead of the second quarter. I have tried to give the students as much more time as I possibly can and still get grades done by my deadline at the end of the quarter. The teacher edit deadline will be moved from December 15 to December 18. The final deadline will be moved to January 4, the day we return from break. This still puts a pinch on the students unless they work during Christmas break.

Here are some possible ways to help students meet these new deadlines in the short amount of time they have left:
*Use a flash drive and work at home. (Be sure to remind them to save to their computer or the server folder here at school as well as to the flash drive so they always have a back-up.)
*Email work to themselves. With an internet account, students can email stories to themselves, open them at school (with my permission), save them to the school server, then email them to themselves again so they can open them for work at home.
*Over break, they can email to me drafts that are ready to turn in. If the draft needs work, I can insert comments and email it back so they can have it ready to publish the day we come back.

Letters of self reflection will be due Friday, January 8--and grade conferences will start the same day. I have the schedule for grade conferences all set and will put those on the board for students to see early next week so there will be no surprises.

Snow days can be somewhat of a blessing, but three of them in a row, especially at this stage of the quarter, make things a bit challenging for writer's workshop. I hope students are writing some during these days. When you're snowed in, what else is there to do? (I know, but still.....) :-) This situation serves as a good reminder to students how important it is NOT to procrastinate, and to the best of their ability, to get their work done early in the quarter so setbacks like this one aren't as devastating.

I hope everyone's staying warm -- and safe.

December 7 - 11, 2009

2009-12-08T06:29:00.005-06:00

On this first snow day of the school year, I realized it has been awhile since I updated my blog. What better day to do that than this snow day?

In language arts, the quarter is quickly winding down. Students should have the majority of their work in typed/word processed format by Friday (Dec. 11). D2 deadline is December 15 (Tuesday); that is the day any writing that hasn't been teacher edited at least one time must be turned in. Final drafts are due December 22 -- the last day of school before Christmas break. When we return after the break, they will have a couple of days to write their end of the quarter letters of self-evaluation, about 6 days for grade conferences, and the quarter is over with! As always, please encourage your student to write at home. It's a must! If your child doesn't have a flash drive, they can still get documents to school if you have internet access. They can email documents to themselves and open them at school.

Oh, and by the way, if you've never looked at our language arts Wiki, you don't know what you're missing! Students have been posting their creations all semester long. There is quite a selection there. A link to the site can be found on this blog site to the right underneath my photos. Check it out!

Spelling assignment for this week is page 88. A reminder to all of the late work policy that was put in place in both my reading and lang. arts classes this quarter: Full credit plus one extra credit point are given for assignments turned in the day they are due. If they are turned in within one week, the student receives 75% of their points; within two weeks, only 50% of the points. After that, no credit is given. (Of course, exceptions are made students miss class for illness.) This may seem harsh, but it is a logistical nightmare the last week of a quarter when students (and not only one or two students, a large percentage of them) try to hand in all assignments from the quarter in an effort to bring their grades up. Students are heading to the high school next year, and I think they need to understand their are consequences for the choices they make.

In reading class, we just finished watching the movie Star Wars. The movie kicks off our interdisciplinary unit which culminates with the writing of a sci-fi story in language arts next quarter. We talked about setting, characterization, and using imagination to come up with the sci-fi elements of complicated technology, made up words, and a futuristic setting. When we get back to school after the snow, students will be reading their sci-fi books, working on vocabulary (which they will teach to each other in class), and either writing responses to their reading or creating comic strips that show what's happening in their books. Concept circles will be the mode for learning their vocabulary which students will select from their own reading. They should have 9 words selected and entered into their concept circle diagrams by the time the unit is over January 8. They will sign up and teach one word to their classmates before the January 8 deadline, too. It will be up to them how they present their word to the class.

That's the week (and coming weeks) for language arts and reading class. Feel free to contact me, as always, if you have questions or concerns. Enjoy the snow!

Why write? (Are u luvin' it?)

2009-11-28T10:54:00.001-06:00

Here's something to think about:

Happy Thanksgiving: Wrapping up

2009-11-20T03:37:00.002-06:00

In language arts classes 2nd quarter, the students are off to a pretty good start. The weekly check points seem to be helping to keep the majority of students on track with their writing. By November 25, students should have turned in at least 4 pages of D2 (second draft) or been able to show me a substantial (15 pages or more) amount of handwritten rough draft (D1). Most students, even if they haven't reached these requirements, are plugging away and producing some writing.

This week we have talked about word choice: using adjectives and adverbs, but also searching for the best, most specific nouns and verbs they can find to help spice up their writing.

In reading, ALL ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE HISTORICAL FICTION UNIT ARE DUE WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25.
Assignments include:

*Completion of their historical fiction novels.
*A minimum of 6 reflections on their reading posted to the class wiki discussion
*A vocabulary assignment - 6 words with synonyms, antonyms, part of speech, definition, illustration, and sentence.

Students have had ample class time to work on all aspects of these assignments, but they have also been encouraged to read the books at home.

The next unit is science fiction/fantasy which is part of an interdisciplinary unit that culminates with the writing of a sci-fi story in language arts. The unit kicks off with the movie Star Wars where we discuss the genre of science fiction as well as elements of fiction such as plot, characterization, setting, theme, and conflict, climax and resolution. Later students will read sci-fi or fantasy novels in class. In science they have been learning about the solar system and creating aliens who will be part of their sci-fi stories. In math they will learn scientific notation and learn how to calculate the time it will take them to reach the planets they will visit in their stories, and in social studies they have studied exploration and colonization, either of which could figure into their sci-fi stories. Busy times ahead!

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Thanks for checking in with my blog!

Encourage Children to Write

2009-11-10T08:03:00.002-06:00

There aren't many jobs or careers that don't require at least some writing. Sometimes the students don't realize just how much writing is required in their daily lives. Writing is an important skill, not only in language arts class, but across the entire curriculum. You can help your child gain skill at writing by encouraging and supporting writing at home. Try some of these ideas:

1. Create a portable writing center. Put pencils, pens, erasers, markers and paper in a shoe box, bag, tote, or backpack. Periodically add new tools to the writing center such as an age-appropriate dictionary, a thesaurus, and a rhyming dictionary. (Most of these items are available at our book fair this week and next week.)

2. Share interesting books with your children, then encourage them to write their own stories. Encourage your child to create their own versions of their favorite childhood stories by telling the story from a different character's perspective or by adding a new character to twist the plot around. Poetry is another favorite for students to read and write. Some fun poetry books to have around might be The Random Book of Poetry for Children edited by Jack Prelutsky (Random House, 1983) or Eve Merriam's A Sky Full of Poems (Dell, 1983). You and your student will enjoy looking at these poems together!

3. Take time to write with your children. Start a dual diary in a plain notebook that you and your children both write in. For younger kids, simply take turns writing what happened during the day on an oversized calendar. Be sure to post notes of all types on a family message board.

4. Prominently display your dhildren's writing so that they will know how important their work is. Put up a bulletin board dedicatied to your cheldren's writing in a spot where family and friends will read it -- by the front door or kitchen table, for example.
Another idea is to send a family newletter that your children compose and edit themselves. Encourage other family members to contribute ideas so your kids can include them in their newsletter.

5. Preserve your children's best work so they can see the progress they've made. Use expandable files, plastic bins, or pocket folders to store your cheldren's work. Be sure to date each piece before you store it. Let your children help choose which pieces they'd like to keep. Review the pieces annually at the end of each school year or on a birthday. You and your writers will be astonished at the progress they've made.

I hope you will try some of these suggestions to foster a love of writing in your children that will also help them grow.

November 9 - 12 Parent Teacher Conference Week!

2009-11-08T15:14:00.007-06:00

It was a messed up week last week with no school Wednesday and Career Day on Friday. Both days were worth the interruptions they caused though. Our in-service with Marilyn Friend on Wednesday opened my eyes to many new ways to collaborate with my co-teacher, Mrs. Jones. Career Day was a wonderful opportunity for the students to hear about opportunities that are available and to find out how to plan their education accordingly.

This week promises also to be a bit chaotic. With two early dismissals and one late start, it looks like Monday is our only full day of classes. For language arts, the goal for the students would be to have turned in at least one piece of writing for a teacher edit by Thursday or at least 10 pages of handwritten rough draft. (If they are typing rough drafts, they ought to have about 5 pages typed -- which means they'd better be getting it revised, edited, and turned in for a teacher edit. "To be continued" if necessary.)

Spelling assignment for this week is Unit 11, page 69 (1-14) and page 70 (9-14). The assignment is due Tuesday.

In reading students will continue their historical fiction novels. Monday and Wednesday will be reading days with Tuesday and Thursday being Wiki days. On those days we will have the computer cart in the room so students can type their reactions to their novels on the wiki page. I was impressed with some of the discussions I saw during our first round last week. I'm excited to see how the depth of the responses grows as the unit progresses.

Also for reading students should be working on the vocabulary project they selected. They should be finished with three words (of 6) by Thursday.

Just for fun I thought I'd share a video that was shared with me. It makes me smile every time I see it. I hope you enjoy it too.

2nd Quarter Preview

2009-11-01T10:20:00.002-06:00

In language arts I'm going to try something different in the use of formative assessments. I'm going to use the formative assessment (basically formative assessment is an ongoing assessment that is not graded) to check the students' writing progress. I hope this will help keep the students more focused on their writing. It also should be a way to keep me aware of who is writing and who is not. At the three week check point, if you receive an email notification from me for this class, it will be because your child does not have enough writing done to meet the requirement. The goal would be they will have a piece published or 5 to 6 pages of D2 ready to turn in for a teacher edit.

In reading we have just completed (or we will complete it Monday) our short story unit. Next up is historical fiction. The books we read in this unit center around the Revolutionary War/Colonial period of our history and tie in nicely with Mr. Munford's social studies class. It's a perfect connection for the students and also gives them a glimpse of what life and times might have been like during this era. Some students will have the opportunity to meet in lit circle groups for this unit while others will respond to their reading by writing reactions in their respoonse journals. All students will have their choice of three different vocabulary projects to complete, and they will be asked to post twice each week on the reading wiki.

In reading classes, formative assessments may sometimes be a guided response on the wiki, or other times it may be a quick activity to assess their progress in their books. These are usually quick writes or graphic organizers or exit cards that students can complete in 5 minutes or less, usually right at the very beginning or the very end of a class period.

It's hard for me to believe that the second quarter is under way. Although it will be getting dark early now, and winter will be setting in soon, I know this quarter will also speed by with Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks right around the corner. Please make sure you check the parent portal frequently both to keep track of your student and to let me know of any discrepancies you notice. I do make mistakes sometimes. I rely on both parents and students to let me know if there's something that doesn't look right.

Thanks for reading. Stay in touch!

End of first quarter: Oct. 26-30 Reading/Lang. Arts

2009-10-24T09:03:00.007-05:00

Whooosh! Did you see that quarter fly past? We have made a TON of progress this quarter.

First language arts: Students are getting more comfortable with the writing process. We have now passed both the 2nd draft deadline and the publishing deadline. This week students will prepare for grade conferences by writing a letter of self-evaluation/reflection to their parents, organizing their folders, setting 2Q goals, and selecting their quality piece of writing. All grade conference materials, including a quality piece and their parent letters are due October 28 at the end of the class period.

At the end of each quarter I have a one on one conference with each of the students. In the conferences we talk about their goals for the next quarter, their quality piece of writing, organization and time management, and their self-reflection letters. From this conversation, as well as looking at the quantity of writing they achieved, will come their grade for the quarter. This quarter's grade conferences will begin October 29.

Students have done a pretty good job this quarter as a group at managing their time and getting writing completed. The first quarter is a difficult one because the students are new to the writer's workshop as a way of writing. The next quarters will go more smoothly as they become more and more comfortable with the writer's workshop process.

In reading we finished the podcasts without a hitch. Soon I hope to have the exemplary podcasts on this blog for parents and students to view and listen to. Keep your eyes open for these podcasts.

We read the story "Stop the Sun" this week and identified the elements of fiction in the story: character/main character, setting, plot, conflict, climax, resolution, mood, and theme. Friday we began a discussion about stereotypes. We did a read-aloud of Darren Shan's short piece "Guyifesto-- Who We Are" from the book Guys Write for Guys Read, edited by Jon Scieszka. After the reading we discussed the stereotypes we heard and talked about stereotypes we see at FMS. Finally, students acted out scenarios that showed various stereotyped, and the rest of the class tried to identify the stereotype that was acted out. These activities lead into the short story "The Dinner Party" that we will read on Monday. The week will wrap up on Friday with the short story "A Cap for Steve." Historical Fiction and lit. circles will be the next big thing!

I look forward to meeting many of you at parent teacher conferences on November 10 or 12. Time for conferences both nights is 4:00 to 7:30. See you then!

Lang. Arts/Reading Week of October 19-23

2009-10-18T18:03:00.002-05:00

Whoops! Time got away from me! I guess I haven't posted for a couple of weeks. It's been a little hectic trying to wrap up podcasts and figure out the messenger system to get the 6 week grade reports sent out. Now we are approaching the end of the quarter. In language arts last Friday (October 16) was the deadline for second drafts. That means that from now until this Friday the only writing the students can hand in is writing that has been edited by me at least once. This coming Friday (the 23d) is the final deadline for publishing. That means that if they want credit for the pages they've written and had edited, they need to get it published (no more errors) by this Friday at 3:30.

I have actually been pretty impressed over all with the quantity of writing that has been turned in this quarter. Many of the students have taken to heart my pleas for writing outside of class and handing things in throughout the quarter instead of waiting until the last minute. They seem to be pretty conscientious about trying to edit and revise their writing before they hand it in to me for the most part.

The next step will be writing a letter of self-evaluation for their first quarter experience in writer's workshop and setting goals for the next quarter. We will begin grade conferences October 28 and finish around November 6, just in time for Parent/Teacher conferences and report cards.

In reading, we wrapped up the podcasts on October 9. Again, I was pretty pleased with the outcome of most of their podcasts. If you have a chance, check out the reading Wiki (link below my 5 gen. photo to the right) to see some of their reflections on the project. Also check out predictions they made regarding the first story in our short story unit which we started on Wednesday. There are still a small handful of students who need to turn in works cited lists for the podcast projects. Check the portal (formative assessment side) to see if your child is one of them and encourage them to get them handed in asap. Their podcast grade drops one full grade without it.

As I mentioned above, we began our short story unit last Wednesday. We kicked off the unit with some music videos and reader's theater about the Vietnam War era, before reading a story by Gary Paulsen, "Stop the Sun" about a Vietnam veteran suffering from Vietnam Syndrom. We'll also read a story about a dinner party fiasco in India that spotlights the problems of stereotyping and a story about a father/son relationship while reinforcing the concepts of character/characterization, setting, plot, conflict, climax, resolution, mood, and theme. The unit should last about 3 weeks.

Thank you for checking out the blog. I hope you look at the Wikis too. Many have posted writing they've created, commented on others' writing, and commented on the reading wiki as well. I think once they become more familiar with this venue, it will be a fun and exciting way to share views about what they read and write.

As always, feel free to contact me or comment on the blog.

Week of October 5 - 9 Lang. arts & Reading

2009-10-04T19:03:00.005-05:00

This week we'll be wrapping up the podcasts in reading. Students were to have the recording and editing done by end of class last Friday. They also completed a self-assessment of their recording so far. This week we'll add some photos, some sound/music, and we'll get our works cited lists (bibliographies) wrapped up. This project is a long one, but it is more than worthwhile. Not only does it connect to state and local reading standards, it connects to Iowa Core Curriculum 21st Century Skills.

Beginning Friday we'll be listening to the completed podcasts in class -- then Monday or Tuesday next week, we'll be starting the short story unit.

In language arts we are less than 2 weeks from a D2 deadline -- the final one for this quarter. The minimum number of published pages required for this quarter is 2. That will earn students a "D" for writer's workshop. To get an "A" students must have published at least 8 pages of writing. In order to publish, they must have turned all writing in for the first teacher edit by October 16. It's fast approaching! Remind your students, and encourage them to use some time to write at home.

This week's spelling assignment is pg. 34 in the spelling book. It's unit 5 this week. Next week will be review.
Please contact me with questions or concerns. Happy October!

Writer's Workshop: Mid-quarter deadline has passed!

2009-09-27T08:21:00.002-05:00

Friday, September 25 was the mid-quarter publishing deadline. This was the day I counted the number of pages students have published to this point in the quarter. For the most part, I am pleased. Most students have published (or at least handed in their second draft) at least one piece of writing. For a few who haven't turned writing in yet, this deadline is a wake-up call that time is running out. The next deadline is October 16 which is the last day I'll accept second drafts for this quarter. October 23 is the final publishing date and the date that we will count the number of published pages the students have produced this first quarter.

Mid-quarter deadline is important because if students are shooting for an "A" they know they need to have published half of the required pages by now -- and if they haven't, they know they need to stop procrastinating and work hard to get the job done. At the same time, although this is a graded deadline, it is not going to do irreparable harm to their final quarter grade. If they continue writing and meet the final publishing deadline with the required pages (8 to 9 this first quarter for an "A") and if they have used the writing rubric to produce quality writing, they will still be able to get their "A" -- if that is what they are shooting for.

The first quarter is a difficult one for 8th grade language arts students because I do not stand over them and monitor what they are doing. It is incredibly easy to "get away with" doing other work than writing. Unfortunately, it comes back to "get them" at the end of the quarter. I know which students have been truly working and which students have wasted time by the final amount of product they have completed by the final deadline - and by how panicked they are when that deadline approaches.

The important thing I want parents to realize is that the mid-quarter grade is not a grade that is set in stone. It can change dramatically between now and report card time, and it often does. This goes both ways: A low grade can improve as dramatically as a high grade can tumble. I remind my students this frequently. You can let them know as well. Encourage your students to keep writing -- and writing at home is a big plus.

As always, you may call me or email if you have any questions or concerns.

Let the Podcasts Begin!

2009-09-27T08:13:00.003-05:00

On September 28, 2009, the reading class will begin the recording and editing phase of their Amazing Women podcasts. Mrs. Breen will be with us for the rest of the project starting that day. She'll begin by giving a brief overview of the Garage Band program and will assist in troubleshooting and completing the podcasts.

For the past three weeks we have read, gathered information, written scripts, and created storyboards for the podcasts. Most students are ready to record, but some are lagging behind and haven't completed their scripts. Talk to your student and ask about their progress in this project. It may be the only -- or at least the largest -- grade they receive for the first quarter, so this project is an important one for them. Encourage them to do their very best.

The target completion date is October 8. By that date, students should have added photo images, sound, and edited their podcasts. The podcasts should be ready for viewing by the community at large. Watch for more information on how you can listen to the published podcasts.

The use of technology in the reading classroom is a high motivator and gives the students a greater purpose for their reading. I hope they've enjoyed the project and that others will enjoy the completed product.

Podcast links:

2009-09-16T07:49:00.002-05:00

At the bottom right of this blog spot, you will see a box called "Cathy's shared items". In that box are links to two podcasts that I created this summer in the class I took. The one called Noisy Nora was just for fun. It's an unenhanced podcast which really simply means there are no pictures accompanying the sound. The one called Writer's Workshop is an enhanced podcast. This means that there are accompanying photos/illustrations. If you have never seen/heard a podcast before, have a listen now. The enhanced podcast is exactly what your students will be working on in the next 2-3 weeks!

Reading/Lang. Arts: First assignments

2009-09-10T07:59:00.003-05:00

I wish I knew a way to get the word out about this blog. Maybe I'll have Mike and Kelly put it in the next middle school newsletter. I'll also remind the students know about it and encourage them to visit and share with their parents. Meanwhile, we have been busy these first two weeks of school.

In language arts students began by writing a letter to me to tell me a little bit about themselves. Your students are awesome! I SO enjoyed reading what they had to say to me! Now they have begun writing their first REAL writing assignment -- a memoir, also known as personal experience. If you haven't read it already, read the letter further down 0n my blog page that details the writing process and also the grading process for this class. For now, just know that deadlines have been set:

Midquarter D2 deadline is September 18. (not graded -- just a benchmark so students know they'd better be close to being ready to publish whatever they are working on)
Midquarter publishing deadline is September 25. By then they must have their memoir published and at least 4 pages total (this can be the memoir and another piece, or just the memoir if it is 4 pages long) This IS a graded deadline -- worth 100 points.
Final D2 deadline for the 1st quarter is October 16th. (again, not graded -- just a heads up that the end is near!!)
Final publishing deadline for the quarter is Ocober 23. Anything that is unpublished by this date now becomes 2nd quarter writing. It is possible to get partial credit for an unpublished piece depending on how far along the student is in the writing process. Generally, if they have a D2 or better at this point, I give them half credit with the other half awarded 2nd quarter when it is published.

Please feel free to contact me if you have questions. cathy.kaska@fairfieldsfuture.org

In reading, students have read a short biography about gymnast Tracee Talavera and written essay-style questions for a formative assessment. Currently, students are reading/researching biographies about exceptional women with the end result being a podcast scripted from the information they gather in their reading/research. Podcast scripts are due September 25. Podcasts should be finalized and converted to M4a format no later than October 8.

If you've never heard a podcast before, I encourage you to download some from iTunes.

In addition to the podcast project, students have a reading contract to complete this quarter. The purpose of this contract is simply this: To give them a reason to read outside of class. Their only responsibility in this is to keep a list of the books they read on their contract along with authors' names, pages read, a ranking (from 1-5) of the book, and how difficult or easy it was for them (also ranked 1-5). There are no book reports, no response journals, no other assignment involved. Period. They do get a grade for the number of pages they read. Below is the grading scale for the reading contract:

900 + pages = A
675-899 = B
450-674 = C
225-449 = D
224 or less = F

Please encourage your child to read every chance they have. The more a person reads, the better they will read. Help your child find books in subject areas or genres they enjoy. Read with them. Check out the same book from the library and discuss what you're reading together. I want them to enjoy what they read!

The year is off to a fast-paced, but great start! Thanks for visiting my blog spot!

Mrs. Kaska

Welcome to 8th Grade Reading with Mrs. Kaska!

2009-08-27T07:21:00.002-05:00

Welcome back to Fairfield Middle School and 8th grade reading. 8th grade reading class consists of several novel units organized according to genre. The units we will study this year include A-maize-ing Women (biography); science fiction/fantasy; short stories; poetry; historical fiction; Anne Frank (WWII/holocaust); Great Depression; and Classic/Award-winning Novels. In most units, students will be able to self-select the book/s they read for the unit with many units also including some sort of culminating project, and at least one of the units is a literature circle format.

In addition to writing responses in their journals or discussions in their lit circles, this year, I have created a Reading Class Wiki. A Wiki is a page designed to promote on line discussions. There is a link to my reading Wiki to the right on this blog page. Check it out. The first post and question from me is already there. Also linked is a Wiki for discussion of books students are reading on their own -- outside of class. "To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting," said Edmund Burke, writer and statesman from the 18th century. We make sense out of what we read -- and gain greater enjoyment -- when we can talk about what we read with others. There is the purpose of my Wikis and the response journals and lit circle discussions in reading class.

I love the books we have for the students to choose from, but students are allowed to select books from the library (school or public) as well as from personal libraries at home as long as the book falls into the same genre as the unit we are in. I hope all students, through the exploration of a variety of different genres, will discover books that they love that they might never have read if not for this class. Reading is one of my passions -- there is nothing better than a good book -- and I love sharing that passion with 8th graders.

I look forward to an exciting year. Who knows what people we'll meet or what places we'll find -- through the pages of our books!

Welcome to 8th grade Language Arts and Writer's Workshop

2009-08-23T09:56:00.002-05:00

Welcome also to my blog page. My goal is to use this blog space as a means of communication. I will try to post regularly on this page, with the content primarily dealing with :

What is going on in language arts each week
What assignments are due each week
Deadlines that are coming up
Spot checks for writing progress

Language arts classes are mostly writing assignments with a little bit of spelling thrown in for added fun. 80% of the students' grades are based upon writing. The other 20% is spelling. There will be a weekly (short) spelling assignment, usually assigned on Monday, always due the very next day. My policy on late work is that students will work with me in my room over their lunch time to complete late or missing work. Students are required to come to my "lunch club" every day until the assignment/s is/are handed in.

Over the first several days in lang. arts class, students will be introduced to the mechanics of the class -- how it is set up, what the expectations are, what the daily routines will be. My hope is that by the end of the first full week, students will have selected an idea for their first writing piece and begun their first draft.

I'm excited about this new school year, as I always am, but maybe a bit more this year because there are several new activities I want to try to incorporate this year -- this blog being only one of them. I have created a language arts Wiki page where students can publish completed writing pieces. I also want to encourage students to try podcasts as a way to publish their writing. Another new option is to create a "newspaper" or newsletter, if you will, using Microsoft Office Publisher. The more "real" the publishing option, the more important the students' writing will be to them -- and I hope, the more relevant.

In the next post will be a letter I usually send home at mid-term that explains the way writer's workshop and 8th grade lang. arts class is set up. I encourage you to at least skim through the letter since the grading and the set-up of this particular class is much different than other classes at the middle school.

Thanks for reading!

ck

Letter to Parents/Students about Writer's Workshop

2009-08-23T09:16:00.002-05:00

Dear Parents/Guardians:

I'd like to take this opportunity to inform you how language arts grading works. It is different from other classes your child has and also different from their past language arts classes. 8th grade language arts classes are operated in a writer's workshop format. Writer's workshop utilizes the following writing process:

Rehearsal (or finding ideas)
Writing (or in some instances typing) a rough draft (D1)
Revising (moving, adding, replacing, or cutting words/information to make the piece better) I sometimes refer to this as "MARC"ing their piece
Typing the second draft (D2)
Revising ("MARC"ing) again
Editing (or finding errors: punctuation, capitalization, spelling, grammar, etc.)
Peer conferencing
Turning the writing in for a teacher edit and conference
Making the teacher's corrections (D3)
Resubmitting until corrections are all made (This may take more than one resubmission since students sometimes don't get all corrections made the first try.) Publishing (choice of many including posting in the room, putting in our class book, entering contests, posting on my blog site, podcasts, newsletters, etc.)

Most of the students' quarter grade is based on the number of pages they publish during a quarter and a quality piece of writing from the quarter that they select themselves. Because they have the entire quarter to produce these completed writings, it is a little difficult to monitor their grade throughout the quarter. One way I've tried to rectify this situation is to have a mid-quarter writing deadline. By mid-quarter, I require students to have published a minimum number of pages (or be able to show me a reasonable amount of rough draft or second draft so that I know that they are making progress toward their final product). The amount of points awarded at this deadline is minimal because I want the bulk of their grade to be their final product; however, since writer's workshop is 80% of their grade, those mid-quarter points can have a major effect on their grade and will probably hold until the final grade conference at the end of the quarter.

If students use their time in class well, and especially if they do some of their writing outside of class (study halls, HOMEWORK, before or after school, etc.), the pages required are not difficult to produce. If they are unable to produce the required number of pages, the grade they receive for the quality of their writing (determined through a scoring rubric, not teacher opinion of the piece) can help to make up for that deficit. Unfortunately, many students have a tendency to procrastinate, and they would rather not do homework if they can avoid it. Both of these habits can have a devastating effect on a student's language arts grade.

Please encourage your child to write at home. Some effective strategies the most successful writer's workshop students use:

Use class time wisely -- write!
Spend at least a couple nights a week writing at home
Write during study halls (if they have them)
Have one piece to work on at home and work on a separate piece at school
Hand write at home and type at school (or the other way around)
Do NOT rely on server access from home. If possible, students MAY email stories back and forth from school to home and home to school. Flash drives are also an option for carrying work from one computer to another.
Stay after school to type or type before school in my room or in the typing lab or library.

There are other strategies that your child may come up with that will also help him/her to be successful, and I'm not suggesting that they use all of these strategies -- Just one or two.

Please encourage your child to see me if they have concerns about deadlines or any aspect of their writing. I also encourage you as the parent or guardian to contact me if you have questions or concerns regarding the class or your child's progress.

School phone: 641-472-5019 ext. 249 My phone: 641-472-9424
Email: cathy.kaska@fairfieldsfuture.org

Sincerely,
Cathy Kaska

Mid-quarter writing deadline for 1st quarter will be on or near September 25

Final publishing deadline for 1st quarter will be on or near: October 22 _________________________________