Friday, February 18, 2011
Compass Odyssey for 2/18
Attention: Compass Odyssey has been having technical difficulties, so I will excuse everyone from Odyssey for this week. Please make sure you try on Saturday and the following week for next Friday's 30 minute check.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Progress Reports
Midway through the third quarter already!
Progress reports will be going home next Tuesday. I would like to remind parents that these are a snapshot in time and do not necessarily mean that your child will hold that grade throughout the quarter. However, please make sure your children are handing in all of their work. Missing work is a large contributer of low grades. Due to this reason, last week I gave all of the students a list of the assignments that we had completed in the first couple weeks of the quarter. We had a make up day in class where they could complete the work and then were given over the weekend to finish up what was left. Some students took advantage, but a surprising number of students chose to forgo the priviledge of having extra time. I hope that this trend will not continue.
I also want to remind everyone that the reading benchmark tests are next Tuesday and Wednesday, and the FCAT Writes is on March 1st.
Have a wonderful three day weekend!
Progress reports will be going home next Tuesday. I would like to remind parents that these are a snapshot in time and do not necessarily mean that your child will hold that grade throughout the quarter. However, please make sure your children are handing in all of their work. Missing work is a large contributer of low grades. Due to this reason, last week I gave all of the students a list of the assignments that we had completed in the first couple weeks of the quarter. We had a make up day in class where they could complete the work and then were given over the weekend to finish up what was left. Some students took advantage, but a surprising number of students chose to forgo the priviledge of having extra time. I hope that this trend will not continue.
I also want to remind everyone that the reading benchmark tests are next Tuesday and Wednesday, and the FCAT Writes is on March 1st.
Have a wonderful three day weekend!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Just in case you haven't finished...
Unit 5 Performance Task
Write an article that might have appeared in a newspaper of the 1800s that explains why people are going west at such a high rate. Be sure to mention how the people’s ambitions might have driven them to make such a leap of faith. Use an appropriate tone for the time period and subject matter.
This must be at least a page long and include an illustration (you may base the illustration on the poems).
Unit 5 Performance Task
Write an article that might have appeared in a newspaper of the 1800s that explains why people are going west at such a high rate. Be sure to mention how the people’s ambitions might have driven them to make such a leap of faith. Use an appropriate tone for the time period and subject matter.
This must be at least a page long and include an illustration (you may base the illustration on the poems).
"The Lady, or the Tiger" Project Info.
Hey everyone! It's hard to believe that the second quarter is coming to a close. As we finish this quarter and go to the next one, please remember to stay on top of all assignments so that you don't have to worry about your grades! This quarter is going to fly by with FCAT and Spring Break, so there won't be any time to play around!
Here is the information on the project for "The Lady or the Tiger," in case you lost yours:
Due Tuesday, January 18 (A)/Wednesday, January 19 (B) 70 points
“The Lady, or the Tiger?”
You are now going to make your own decision as to what happens when the princess chooses the door for her lover. Is it the lady, or the tiger?
Using construction paper, you must assemble a door which can be closed. When the door is opened, there will be a picture of either a lady or a tiger in the back. On the door(s), you will explain why you believe the princess would have chosen that particular fate for her lover. You must use at least one quote from the story. Think of this as part of a larger essay and this is one of the body paragraphs. In other words, the explanation must be at least 8 sentences and use plenty of support for your belief.
Be creative with this! Remember that the kingdom in which this story takes place seems to be rather wealthy, so make your doors/door frames appear as such. Your “lady” or “tiger” should also be more than stick figures (you may print off a picture, if you like, but please make sure they are appropriate). Additionally, when making this difficult decision, be sure to take every side into account. Our author himself said, “[the decision] involves a study of the human heart which leads us through devious mazes of passion, out of which it is difficult to find our way” (691). This will be the first grade of the 3rd quarter.
On time (project was turned in on the day for which it was asked) – 10 points
Neatness (project is put together well, with few to no errors and is neatly written or typed) – 15 points
Creativity (time was obviously spent constructing the frame/doors and making it look nice) – 20 points
Explanation (has at least 8 sentences, uses at least one quote, and gives plenty of support for the decision) – 25 points
Here is the information on the project for "The Lady or the Tiger," in case you lost yours:
Due Tuesday, January 18 (A)/Wednesday, January 19 (B) 70 points
“The Lady, or the Tiger?”
You are now going to make your own decision as to what happens when the princess chooses the door for her lover. Is it the lady, or the tiger?
Using construction paper, you must assemble a door which can be closed. When the door is opened, there will be a picture of either a lady or a tiger in the back. On the door(s), you will explain why you believe the princess would have chosen that particular fate for her lover. You must use at least one quote from the story. Think of this as part of a larger essay and this is one of the body paragraphs. In other words, the explanation must be at least 8 sentences and use plenty of support for your belief.
Be creative with this! Remember that the kingdom in which this story takes place seems to be rather wealthy, so make your doors/door frames appear as such. Your “lady” or “tiger” should also be more than stick figures (you may print off a picture, if you like, but please make sure they are appropriate). Additionally, when making this difficult decision, be sure to take every side into account. Our author himself said, “[the decision] involves a study of the human heart which leads us through devious mazes of passion, out of which it is difficult to find our way” (691). This will be the first grade of the 3rd quarter.
On time (project was turned in on the day for which it was asked) – 10 points
Neatness (project is put together well, with few to no errors and is neatly written or typed) – 15 points
Creativity (time was obviously spent constructing the frame/doors and making it look nice) – 20 points
Explanation (has at least 8 sentences, uses at least one quote, and gives plenty of support for the decision) – 25 points
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Extra Credit, etc.
The holidays are quickly approaching, so in the spirit of having an actual break, you do not have to worry about completing Compass Odyssey or reading journals over the holidays. The next Odyssey (besides this Friday) will be the first Friday after we come back in January and the next reading journal (also besides this Friday) will be the second Friday after we come back. However, if your grade is a C or below, I recommend that you complete the extra credit assignment below...
Extra Credit:
Over the break, compose an essay persuading me to give you 50 extra credit points, to be used to make up for any zeros in the grade book. For example, this could count of one reading journal check THAT IS ALREADY A ZERO or one full Compass Odyssey check plus 2/3 of another THAT ARE ALREADY ZEROS. I emphasize the part about already being zeros, because this is not something you can do to make up for upcoming assignments. This is due the Monday (A) and Tuesday (B) when we get back. If you forget it on one of those days, I'll still give you 40 points if it is turned in on that Wednesday/Thursday or 30 points if it is turned in on Friday/Monday, etc. Also keep in mind that a paragraph will not count as an essay, but 5 complete, solid paragraphs, with a clear thesis, reasons, support, transitions, and a counterargument will. Take an hour out of your two week break to do this and you will start the new year (and end the second quarter) on a slightly sturdier foot.
Have a wonderful break!
Extra Credit:
Over the break, compose an essay persuading me to give you 50 extra credit points, to be used to make up for any zeros in the grade book. For example, this could count of one reading journal check THAT IS ALREADY A ZERO or one full Compass Odyssey check plus 2/3 of another THAT ARE ALREADY ZEROS. I emphasize the part about already being zeros, because this is not something you can do to make up for upcoming assignments. This is due the Monday (A) and Tuesday (B) when we get back. If you forget it on one of those days, I'll still give you 40 points if it is turned in on that Wednesday/Thursday or 30 points if it is turned in on Friday/Monday, etc. Also keep in mind that a paragraph will not count as an essay, but 5 complete, solid paragraphs, with a clear thesis, reasons, support, transitions, and a counterargument will. Take an hour out of your two week break to do this and you will start the new year (and end the second quarter) on a slightly sturdier foot.
Have a wonderful break!
Monday, November 1, 2010
DON'T FORGET COMPASS ODYSSEY!!!
While inputing grades for Compass Odyssey this past week, I noticed that I seemed to have fewer students in my classes. "Oh wait," I exclaimed, "It isn't that I have fewer students, it's that fewer students are completing the 30 minute Compass Odyssey assignment that is required each week!"
Weird considering that this is a 30 point assignment for EACH week. 30 points go quite a long way when they are consistently missing from the gradebook. Additionally, I don't allow make-up work for Odyssey since I enter in the dates of the week and cannot time travel, as much as I would sometimes like to.
Hopefully, this is an anomaly that will not continue for the remainder of the year!
(In case you missed it, this means that you need to do Compass Odyssey each week. If it doesn't work at home, try at the library or at school in the mornings or afternoons. We are also open to allow team time, with notes from parents!)
Weird considering that this is a 30 point assignment for EACH week. 30 points go quite a long way when they are consistently missing from the gradebook. Additionally, I don't allow make-up work for Odyssey since I enter in the dates of the week and cannot time travel, as much as I would sometimes like to.
Hopefully, this is an anomaly that will not continue for the remainder of the year!
(In case you missed it, this means that you need to do Compass Odyssey each week. If it doesn't work at home, try at the library or at school in the mornings or afternoons. We are also open to allow team time, with notes from parents!)
Friday, October 22, 2010
Extra Credit for Hall Passes
Hey everyone! Thanks for a successful first nine weeks! Just letting you know that the hall pass credit (the extra points up receive based on hall pass usage - up to four points) will be added to your final exam grade. In other words, if you had a 38/50, you now have a 42/50, assuming you didn't use any hall passes. This might bring your grade up a couple of percentage points, so keep that in mind for next semester!
Have a wonderful 3 day weekend and make sure to bring your books to class next week!
Have a wonderful 3 day weekend and make sure to bring your books to class next week!
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