Ms. Danowitz

Monday, March 31, 2008

Hello Everybody,

I am sorry about the blog this weekend.  I'm feeling better now, and it is time to get back to business.  Let's make this week-before-spring break a good one!

6th graders presented some good "interviews" this morning.  You will have a small quiz tomorrow on the story "Battling Everest."  Please review the vocabulary words:  frostbite, avalanches, hovering, glaciers, treacherous, painstakingly, sherpa.

7th graders began the vocabulary for the story "Into the Unkown." Tomorrow you will continue to work on this story.  Vocabulary: crew, continent, charted, reef, coral, depth, strait, tide, pumps, voyage.

8th graders are reading the novel Summer of My German Soldier.  You will continue to read at home and in your ESOL and LA classes. See your LA teachers for a list of vocabulary words.

Here's an interesting question for you to answer:  What do I not do as well as I would like?

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Hello Everybody,

I'm sorry there is no blog question for tonight.  I left school today right after my classes ended; I did not type it.  I appreciate that all of you have been checking the blog nightly so I will be giving EVERYONE a participation point tomorrow

I wanted to remind you that READING LOGS are due tomorrow so get them signed!

See you tomorrow!

Mrs. D.

Oh, one more thing, WHO needs to take a March AR test?  They are due Monday, March 31st.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Hello Everybody,

7th graders went to see the percussion performance today and "escaped" the quiz on "The Invaders."  Tomorrow you will have the quiz.

8th graders are also ready to take a quiz on "To Build a Fire." It will be tomorrow.

Tomorrow the 6th graders will reread the story with a partner and hopefully write the interview questions.

Another interesting question:    Yesterday you told me what you are good at doing.  Now tell me what have you always dreamed of becoming?  Why?   

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Hello Everybody, 

OOPS, sorry! I forgot to post a blog entry yesterday.  I gave everyone a blog point because the mistake was mine. Thank you all for noticing that I did not have a blog.  That means you are doing your job!

6th and 8th grades did not have class today.  You saw a wonderful performance by a percussion group from Northwestern University.  You still have homework...READ!

7th grade had a review of the story unit "Invaders."  Tomorrow you will have a quiz on the unit.

6th, 7th and 8th graders, I found a list of interesting questions to ask you.  Here is the first:  What are you really good at doing? 

Friday, March 21, 2008

Hello Everybody!  What a beautiful day!  I hope you have something fun to do this weekend (besides READING, I mean.)

All classes went to the media center to check-out books for the coming week.  Don't delay your AR test; it is due by 3/31/08.

On Monday 6th grade will continue the story "Battling Everest."  Continue also to review the vocabulary words: frostbite, avalanche, treacherous, hovering, painstakingly, sherpa, glacier.

8th grade will also continue to read the story "To Build a Fire" and to work on additional skills. Vocabulary words:  Yukon, moccasins, agitated, simultaneously, circulation, worrisone, prospect, endurance, panicked, throttle.

7th grade will continue to work on skills related to the story "The Invaders."  Vocabulary words: craft, seized, exhibited, captive, savage.

          All grades:  Write a caption for this picture.  If you can make the caption apply to something you learned this week, I will reward with candy.

Thursday, March 21, 2008

Hello Everybody!

Yes, it is that time again!  Get those reading logs signed.  Tomorrow you will go to the media center to read, check-out or check-in, and take an AR test if you are ready.  All AR tests are due by March 31st.

6th grade had a guided reading lesson on "Battling Everest"  and will finish the story on Monday.  What are some of the problems that Hillary and Norgay might find on the treacherous climb up Mt. Everest?

7th grade read "The Invaders" and wrote a summary by making a story triangle.  Who was Miles Standish?

8th grade worked on replacing the vocabulary words with synonyms.  You began the story, underlining unknown words to be "parked" on the vocabulary "parking lot," but did not finish.  What is the main character's name in "To Build a Fire"?

Wednesday, March 19,2008

Hello Everybody,

(Candy)  Write a caption for this picture.

6th grade did a good job "teaching" their vocabulary word to the class.  You also previewed and began the story "Battling Everest."  tomorrow you will complete the story.  How do I (Mrs. Danowitz) painstakingly teach vocabulary?

7th grade also did a fine job teaching their vocabulary word to the group.  What strategy did you use today to present your word?  In addition, you had a review of indirect and direct objects (I.D.O.) for your language arts class quiz.

8th grade began the vocabulary for a story unit on "To Build a Fire."  The vocabulary words:  Yukon, simultaneously, moccasins, agitated, circulation, throttles, worrisome, prospect, endurance, panicked. Who wrote this story and what do you know about him?

See yesterday's blog for a complete list of vocabulary words for 6th and 7th grades.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Hello Everybody!

our new students, 7th grade- Seong Eun Park, and her sister, 8th grade- Jae Eun Park.  Girls, we're glad you are here!

6th graders were busy today making flashcards for their vocabulary words: frostbite, avalanches, hovering, glaciers, treacherous, painstakingly, sherpa.  Tomorrow you will finish the "flashcard" and teach the word to the class. How many ways can you use the word hovering?  Name things that hover.

7th graders began a new story unit called "The Invaders" by Jack Ritchie.  You discussed the various aspects of "invaders." The vocabulary words are craft, seized, exhibited, captive, savage, invaders. You also learned facts about early European settlers called Pilgrims.  You saw a video and wrote facts learned from it.  You then used a stategy to add additional facts to your paper.  What was that strategy called? 

8th graders did not have ESOL today because you were in the auditorium discussing registration for Walton High School.  What will be different about your lunch class in high school?  How many academic classes will you have each day?

Monday, March 17, 2008

And a Happy St. Paddy's to you all!  (Why did I write "St. Paddy"?)

Today 6th graders saw a video about Edmund Hillary's climb of Mt. Everest and worked on vocabulary words.  What is an avalanche?  Research the internet for information about avalanches.

7th and 8th graders took a unit test on the "mountain stories." 

Tomorrow 8th grade will begin a story by Jack London.  Who is Jack London? 

Also tomorrow the 7th grade will begin a story about invaders.  What is the definition of invader?  What image does the word invader bring to your mind?

Friday, March 14, 2008

Hello Everybody and Happy T.G.I.F.!

Wear GREEN on Monday.  It's St. Patrick's Day!

This has been another good week and next week will be even better!  All classes went to the media center today to check-out books for the weekend.  Read thirty minutes every day, yes, even during the weekend.

7th and 8th graders, don't forget to review your story organizer.  You will have a quiz on the "mountain" stories. Question:  In your opinion, which of the mountain stories was the most tragic?  Explain your answer. You can answer more than one story, but tell why you think this.

6th graders will begin a new story on Monday called "Battling Everest." Question:  When was Edmund Hillary born and when did he die?  What did he think was his biggest accomplishment? (hint:  It was NOT climbing Mt. Everest.  Research!!!)