FYI:

Dear Parents and Students:

Just thought I'd give you a "heads up" concerning our agenda after Christmas break:

1) Parent signature----the one I check on Tuesday (1-4) will be extra-credit since we had a l...o...n...g weekend.

2) "Rikki-tikki-tavi----we will enjoy this beloved short story while working with vocabulary, elements of a short story, and assessment.

3) STAR----students will take their midyear reading test in the computer lab on Friday (1-7).

4) Writing Assessment-----students will complete their midyear writing piece on January 6th. Students will receive the writing prompt and will have one class period to complete a five paragraph essay.

After the first week, suffixes, informational reading, prefix review, the novel Deathwatch, trimester review, and the second trimester assessment will complete our agenda until the middle of February.

Thanks for all your hard work,

Mrs. Munro (True Blue)

Language Arts

Poetic December

Dear Parents and Students:

Welcome to the home stretch of 2010! Our focus for the remainder of the month is poetry. We will read, analyze, create, share, and enjoy poetic verse. Below is listed our agenda:

1) Wednesday (12-8): Students receive a white packet containing requirements, poem choices, instructions, examples, and grading procedures.

2) Wednesday (12-8)--Thursday (12-16): Students will create two required poems (bio and 2-Voice) and a number of poems of choice. Grades are determined by two things----number of poems and quality. For an "A" grade, students should complete the two required poems plus eight poems of choice (10 total). Eight poems total are needed for a "B" grade (two required and six choices), and for a "C" grade, students will complete the two required poems and three of choice (five total).

3) Friday (12-17): All final drafts are due. Students will put together poetry portfolios, share their 2-Voice with the class, and submit the portfolio for grading. This is worth 100 points and fits into the "assessment" category of their grade (70%).

As always, continue with your outside reading of two hours per week. Parents should sign the student planner while the students provide the book's title and number of pages read for 10 points. Here is the good news----if students read over Christmas break, they will earn 10 extra credit points!

Enjoy the holidays and Go Cougars on 12-18!

Mrs. Munro

2nd Trimester---Here It Comes!

Dear Parents and Students:

Thanks to those students who worked hard last trimester and were diligent in following through with responsibilities. Let's keep the same positive attitude and willingness to achieve for the second trimester which starts Monday (11-8).

We are continuing with The Outsiders and will finish the novel by Thanksgiving holiday; afterwards students will complete a poetry unit including creating their own poem booklets.

Continue reading at home for at least two hours per week. Students, please have one of your parents sign your planner while you provide the book's title and number of pages read. I check planners every Monday for the parent signature; it is worth 10 points. Here is some good news! Whenever we have a four day weekend or more, the parent signature is extra-credit! This means you students have the chance to earn 20 points of extra-credit (Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks) early in the trimester. Good luck concerning this on-going homework assignment.

Thanks for all your efforts and support (students and parents),

Mrs. Munro (Go Cougars---True Blue 'till the end)

Back in the Groove!

Dear Parents and Students:

Sorry to for taking so long to create a blog this school year, but I've had problems with my computer. Hopefully, the woes are in the past!

I've enjoyed getting to know my students and am impressed with their positive attitudes and willingness to work-----no where is this more evident then with the first major writing piece. This narrative is due on Monday, 9-13. Included are all the rough drafts, conferring sheets, and house map (brainstorming activity). Parents, please encourage your student to submit this assignment on time; it is worth 100 points.

Students, please continue your outside reading throughout the week. Be sure to get your parent signature (it's evidence that the reading did happen). I check your planner every Monday for the parent signature, title of book, and number of pages read.

Thank you (and Go Cougars!)
Mrs. Munro

May's Agenda

Dear Students and Parents:

Well, here we are in the home stretch----four weeks of May! With the language arts' end-of-levels behind us, we will finish the school year with a class novel, The Watsons Go to Birmingham---1963. Concerning grades, students need to complete and submit the last four assignments. Below are the assignments listed with approximate due dates:

1) Activity #6 "Two Brothers" (Tuesday, 5-11)
2) Activity #9 "Cool Fool" (Friday, 5-14)
3) Activity #14 "The Wool Pooh" and competition drawing (Monday, 5- 24)
4) Journaling, Vocabulary, and Lingo packet (Tuesday, 5-25)

Students, be sure to follow through with your work in all classes; grades are not set yet!

Thanks for making the year enjoyable and productive,
Mrs. Munro (Cougar Fan)

March and April Expectations:

Students and Parents,

Hang in there! In March we started our last major writing piece following the writing process-----an expository essay based on the novel Deathwatch. Students have three weeks to complete it; the essay is due on Monday, April 12th. Parents, please encourage your student to submit his/her essay on time since it is worth 100 points.

After the writing piece, we will be reviewing key points in preparation for the state end-of-level testing. Parents, please encourage your student to eat well, get plenty of sleep, and reduce stress through physical activity during the upcoming testing weeks. The language arts state test is Tuesday, April 27th through Thursday, April 29th (yes, three testing days followed by one make up opportunity on Friday, April 30th). Science and math testing will follow.

Thank you for your efforts,
Mrs. Munro (Cougar Fan)

A "Novel" Time

Dear Parents and Students:

Now that the descriptive essay is behind us, we are turning our attention to our next agenda item-----an in class novel. The book is entitled Deathwatch by Robb White and will take about six weeks. Students will complete work along the way including a project due Friday (3-5).

Please continue the two hours of outside reading and having Mom/Dad sign your planner. As usual, I will check for parent signatures on Mondays.

Thank you,
Mrs. Munro (Cougar Fan)

January----Ready or Not!

Dear Parents and Students:

Thanks for all the concentrated effort the first day back! Below you will find the LA agenda for most of January:

1) Continue getting those parent signatures for Mondays! Keep up with those two hours of outside reading weekly and be sure to include your book title, number of pages read, and parent signature in the school planner.

2) Gear up for our mid-year evaluations! Doing this first week of January expect to complete a "writing on demand" assessment followed by the STAR reading test.

3) Get your pencils sharpened! Our next 100 point writing piece is due Monday (1-25). It will be a descriptive essay that we'll start Tuesday (1-12). The topic is a secret at this point, but I promise it will be tasty!

Thanks,
Mrs. Munro (Cougar Fan)