Dr. Williams

September 24

Yesterday, the sixth graders completed a technical writing activity that required them to write a poem based on Fibonacci's number pattern.  Click here to read a couple of examples. Download fib_student_examples.doc

6th Grade--We began literature circles today!! Students were assigned books, groups, and jobs to complete.  Each group has their assigned reading and job to complete for the first literature circle meeting on Friday in class.  We also began our fictional narrative.  Students could choose a topic of their own or a topic from a list provided.  We then reviewed the elements of a fictional narrative and completed a web as our prewriting activity.  Tomorrow, they will begin working on their rough draft. 

7th Grade--Students shared their fractured fairy tales with their peers.  We then reviewed the elements of a fictional narrative and completed a web as our prewriting activity.  Tomorrow, they will begin working on their rough draft in class.  HW--Work on literature circle jobs for The Cay--Due Friday--pages 9-39

September 23

General Reminders--

Odyssey of the Mind--A club that competes in creative problem solving activities.  Informational meeting on Friday at 8:15 in the media center.

Science Olympiad--Wednesday after school

Book Club--Wednesday 8:15 in the media center

6th Grade-Discussed Facebook article, typed fibs, practiced identifying adverbs.  Tomorrow, we will begin literature circles!!  HW--Have the preposition song memorized.  Download preposition_song_to_the_tune_of.doc

7th Grade--Quick Check on Diagramming Basic Sentences, worked on finishing fractured fairy tales.  HW--Finish final copy of fractured fairy tale.  Lit. Circle Due Friday--p 9-19 of The Cay and discussion director.  We will have a study session to review diagramming basic sentences on Thursday morning at 8:15. 

September 22

Happy Fall! 

I have create a web site for teachers, parents, and students.  Feel free to visit it at http://web.me.com/swilliams2007/Site/Welcome.html.  I appreciate any suggestions!

6th--We integrated math with technical writing today.  We studied Fibonacci's pattern on numbers and then created poetry based on the pattern called fibs.  Fibonacci's pattern begins 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8...  Can you figure out more of the pattern?  P1 and P2 wrote fibs about a fib.  P3 wrote fibs welcoming fall.  I'll post some examples when they are finished.  We practiced our preposition song and learned two more to help with helping verbs and adverbs.  Download helping_verbs_and_adverb_song.doc HW--P2 and P3--Finish reading the article from Friday on Facebook and Myspace.  Answer the questions at the back.

7th--Retook vocab test.  Practiced diagramming.  Students worked in pairs to write a fractured fairy tale.  These should be great fun to read!!

September 19

As part of class today, all students read the following article about Facebook and MySpace.  We then had a discussion about whether or not information students put on Facebook and MySpace should be used when colleges make admission decisions.  We also talked about Internet safety.  Students were taught to use selective highlighting as a strategy to improve reading comprehension.   

Dickerson Book Club--Our media specialist, Mrs. Inmen, has a book club that meets on Wednesdays at 8:10 AM.  The first book they will begin discussing this week is Peak, an adventure story about a boy and his family who are mountain climbers.  Juice and donuts are served at book club.  I encourage students to participate!

To read the article, click Download college_applicants_beware.doc. 

6th Grade--Reviewed verbs and prepositions.  Ask your child to sing the preposition song to the tune of Yankee Doodle!  Download preposition_song_to_the_tune_of.doc They will need to have it memorized by Wednesday the 24th.

They will have a quiz on Monday over technical writing and parts of a friendly letter.  They have notes on technical writing in a writing newsletter given earlier this week.  Here is a copy of the notes on friendly letters in case it is needed.  Download friendly_letter_name.doc

We have watched some of the School House videos as we study the different parts of speech.  Here is a link to the site.  The kids can access the lyrics and can listen to the songs being played. http://www.school-house-rock.com/GrammarRock.html

7th--Reviewed and practiced diagramming sentences.  HW--Unfortunately, many did not do well on their vocabulary test Thursday.  Over the weekend, those who made a C or lower are required to make flash cards for the words in lessons 1 and lessons 2.  They will retake the test Monday.  Both the original and the retake will be in the grade book, but it was obvious that many did not prepare.  I don't want them to get in this habit, so they will have to spend some time over the weekend.

September 18

6th--Vocab Test Today--Grades are entered into iParent.  We reviewed verbs and read silently.  HW--Start studying for technical writing/friendly letter quiz on Monday.

7th--Vocab Test Today--We then began looking at how to diagram sentences.  Diagramming will help review the parts of speech and will reinforce writing more complex sentences.  HW--Workbook pages 189-192 All.  Each page only has 2-4 problems on it.

September 17

6th Grade--Students had an opportunity to finish their technical writing.  They then took notes reviewing narrative writing and technical writing.  They also worked with conjunctions and interjections.  HW--Vocab Test on Lessons 1 and 2--See pages 14 and 15 for questions that will be similar to those on the test.  They will have a quiz on Monday on the parts of friendly letters and technical writing.

7th Grade--DGP; Students used their novels to look for sentence fitting the different sentence patterns.  HW--Vocab Test on Lessons 1 and 2--See page 14 in the vocab book for questions that will be similar to those on the test.  Progress reports need to come back signed tomorrow.

September 16

Progress Reports--Due to a scheduling conflict with part of the 6th grade, our progress reports will be sent home on Thursday.

Because of early release, our classes were a little shorter today.

6th Grade--Technical Writing--Friendly Letters--AKA Personal Letters; HW-Vocabulary Squares due tomorrow.  Vocab test on lessons 1 and 2 on Thursday.

7th Grade--Sentence Structures; Daily Grammar Practice; HW-Vocabulary Squares due tomorrow.  Vocab test on lessons 1 and 2 on Thursday.

September 15

Early Release--Tomorrow!  Students will be dismissed at 2:15.

P1 and P2--Students were given back their personal narratives and were allowed to look over them.  These were then added to their portfolio.  Then, we began our study of technical writing by focusing on personal letters.  They were given information about the required format for a friendly letter and started writing a friendly letter to me about their first 4 1/2 weeks in middle school language arts.  This will be completed in class this week.  HW--Vocab. Squares (They should know what these are.)  Due Wednesday.  The test on Thursday will include words from lessons one and two!  There will also be a test over the notes on technical writing and friendly letters next Monday.

P3--Students worked to complete their personal narratives and then began working on their vocabulary squares.  They will begin working on technical writing tomorrow.  HW--Finish Vocab. Squares--Due Wednesday.  The test on Thursday will include words from lessons one and two!  There will also be a test over the notes on technical writing and friendly letters next Monday.

P5--We continued working on writing sentences following the different sentence structures.  After studying the different sentence structures, we played a review game for vocabulary.  HW--Vocab. Squares (They should know what these are.)  Due Wednesday.  The test will include words from lesson one and two!

September 12

The Scholastic Book order arrived yesterday!  Students were given the books they ordered today.  We were able to get over 50 books for either the classroom library or for literature circles with points earned from your purchases.  I enjoyed watching students get excited about the books they ordered today.  I remember the feeling I always got when I got my book order in when I was a student at Mt. Bethel and here at Dickerson.  Thank you for your support of reading!

1st and 2nd period had a "Mustard and Ketchup" Day--AKA-Must Do and Catch Up Day.  They finished publishing their personal narratives using the laptops, went to the media center, took AR tests, or read silently.  Next Thursday, students will have a vocab test on lesson 2 in the Classical Roots book.  They will need to review the words from lesson 1 because they will appear on this test also.

3rd period worked on their personal narratives.  As they finished, they could read silently, go to the media center, or take an AR test.  Next Thursday, students will have a vocab test on lesson 2 in the Classical Roots book.  They will need to review the words from lesson 1 because they will appear on this test also.

5th period is working on writing sentences following different sentence structures.  They focused today on simple and compound sentences.  They will need to know the different patterns for each structure and will be required to write sentences following the different patterns.  Being able to write different kinds of sentences will improve their writing.  Next Thursday, students will have a vocab test on lesson 2 in the Classical Roots book.  They will need to review the words from lesson 1 because they will appear on this test also.  If any 7th grader wants to retake his/her narrative test, they may come in at 8:15 on Monday to do so.  The new grade will be averaged with the grade from the first test.

September 11

Reminders:  All students are encouraged to participate in Reflections.  Below is the link to the PTSA's website with information on the different areas students may enter and entry form information.  http://www.dickersonptsa.org/reflections-theme-for-20082009-wow/

6th Grade--Students took a narrative test and worked on their personal narratives.  They also had time to work on their vocabulary sentences which are due tomorrow.

7th Grade--Students got back their personal narratives and added them to their portfolios.  They also worked on writing sentences following the different sentence structures--compound, complex, compound-complex, and simple.  We also looked at sample sentences from their personal narratives to review how commas should be used.