Progress reports, etc.

Tomorrow and Friday, everyone will receive a mini-print-out of their grade, as well as items that are highlighted or stapled that can be made up. In other words, if you are missing the similes and metaphors worksheet, for example, you will get a new copy of the similes and metaphors worksheet. Obviously, if you still have that work, you should turn it all in ASAP and refrain from taking my extra copies. My grades for the first quarter will be finalized on Thursday, October 27th...no exceptions! Our grades are due by noon on Friday, October 28th, but with the high volume of online traffic on the gradebook system, it will be nearly impossible to update a grade that morning.

Don't forget Compass Odyssey! Make sure you are clicking on "Vocabulary Assignment," and not "FCAT Learning Path." Some of the activities are repeated, yes, but when I check the Vocab. assignment, your completion of an activity in another folder will not show up on my report. That means that you might do just as much work, but if it wasn't the right work, you won't receive credit.

1000 pages are also due next week! Please make sure you bring your reading logs to class.

A few reminders...

Don't forget that you need to have 1000 pages read by the end of the first quarter. That means you have less than two weeks to finish your reading. I will check the logs and have you add everything up the week after next.

Additionally, don't forget to complete the Compass Odyssey assignment. When you click on Language Arts, you should see a tab at the top of the page that says "Vocabulary." Do all of the folders in that tab by Monday, October 24 (A) or Tuesday, October 25 (B).

Just a note that when you look at your grades on OnCourse, a grade of 0 means I did not receive any work. If it says "No Grade," it means I have not yet graded the assignment or entered it into the gradebook.

Hooray! I can finally post information again. For some reason, I have not been able to log on to the blog when at school, but our computers were just updated and that seems to have solved the problem. Since I last updated, we have been working with figurative language and sound devices. Students should have completed the following assignments either in class or at home:

Homework for similes/metaphors, personification, hyperbole, and sound devices
Figurative language flippy charts
Similes and metaphors chart for the story "All Summer in a Day"
Hyperbolic Cartoons
Alliteration and Onomatopoeia poem
Analyzations of poems

I will check the reading logs next class for progress. We have about three weeks left in this quarter, so 1000 pages should be read by then.

Some updates...

--There are still a few students that have not completed one or both of the tests in Compass Odyssey. The list of students is on my board! Remember that once you click on "Language Arts," the two tests are next to each other (parts 1 and 2). I have not yet assigned work with the learning path or other assignments, but that is coming soon : )

--I promise that I will check reading logs soon, maybe this week, maybe next week. Keep up with your reading, and make sure you follow the instructions on the back of the reading logs. Please let me know if you need another reading log.

--Literature books need to be brought to school if they are at home now. We do not have a class set. If there is every a need to bring the book home, students may take advantage of the online book. Instructions for accessing the book are on the orange sheet of paper all students received on Day 1. However, every story does not appear in the book, so check before you rely only on the online book!

--There are ten students that are currently overdue with their library books. The list of names is on my board. Please return or renew them ASAP!!!

Some notes...

---FYI - the Compass Odyssey tests that you just took will go in the gradebook so that we can see your grades easily when needed, as well as to let your parents know where you stand. However, they will not be counted as a grade that alters your points, so no worries!

---Just a reminder that the first round of books are due today, September 8th. If you checked out a book that is due today, please return it ASAP. If you are not finished, you must renew your book with a new entry on the library check-out list.

---Thank you to all of the parents that came to Open House! I hope I didn't talk too fast : )

The only post-it note question I received was in regards to the amount of writing the students will be doing this year. We will definitely put some focus on writing to begin preparing them for the FCAT writing test (which they officially take in 8th grade). The amount of writing completed should increase with each year. In 6th grade, we will primarily focus on the planning stages and introductory paragraphs of essays so that they have a solid foundation when entering 7th grade.

Compass Odyssey, etc.

If you are absent September 6-7, make sure you log on to Compass Odyssey and complete the tests that decide your learning path. Once you are logged into Odyssey, click on "Language Arts," then "FCAT Reading Test - 6th Grade, Part 1." Complete the test, taking your time! When you finish, complete Part 2 (go back to the first page and it should be next to Part 1). You do not need to begin working on your learning path yet. To see your scores, go to the home page of Odyssey and click on the backpack in the upper left corner.

Summer Reading is due September 6-7, so make sure you get your essays AND books-in-bags turned in ASAP. I was hoping to have the book-in-a-bag presentations today and tomorrow, but the Odyssey test takes up the majority of the period. We will just have to wait on that!

Also just a note, the first wave of library books will be due on September 8th! Make sure you return them on time to give others a chance to read the books.

Reading Log

Reading Log