HOMEWORK FOR WEEK OF FEBRUARY 1

ANNOUNCEMENTS: 1.  8th grade students are bringing home the dates for high school transition nights.  Be sure to attend your information night with your son or daughter.  They will talk to you about registration.   Students should use the information we sent home to go to their high school's web site and try to pick their courses BEFORE the information evening.  They will have better questions to ask at that time, if they do this. 2.  8th graders should also have the goal of completing their list of classes they want to sign up for at the high school by February 19th.  They will need to bring this list of courses to our high school registration day on Tuesday, Feb 23 during Co-op. LANGUAGE ARTS 1.  Final Draft article #1 due Tuesday, Feb 2 2.  Rough Draft article #3 due Thursday, Feb 2 3.  A list of all due dates for this magazine project was posted in last week's homework and given to the students 4.  We will go to DCPA on Friday, Feb 5th.  We will leave school by 9:30 and be back by 2:00pm.  Students will miss their 2nd elective class in order to be to the play on time.  They should be sure to dress up and bring sack lunches.    The play we are seeing is "When Tang Met Laika" 5.  We are working on sentence structure in class.  If you are absent, be sure to get some worksheets from me.

Homework for week of January 25

Conferences are all day on Thursday and Friday.  Your child should go to his/her electives and then go home for the day.  They should return at their conference time.  Conferences will run 30 minutes each, and your child will lead them.  I look forward to seeing you! CO-OP 1.  Make sure you are ready for your conference LANGUAGE ARTS We are working on a magazine project.  Students are required to write three articles, with a rough and final draft for each one.  Much of the work will need to be done outside of class.  I ask for parent help editing and helping your child keep on track.  I am doing some CSAP prep work in the class, and don't want that to be homework also.  Below are the due dates for the project LA Magazine due dates Feb. 2 – Final Draft Article #1 due Feb 4 – Rough Draft Article #2 due Feb 9 – Final Draft Article #2 due Feb 10 – Rough Draft Article #3 due Feb 12 – Final Draft Article #3 due -      Important!  Bring electronic copy and hard copy of all of your articles -      Lab day to fuse all articles into one magazine Feb 16th – Last lab day to finalize group newsletter -      Magazine due at end of class period. Feb 17 – 18-  Share Magazines! Feb 19 – Last day of Trimester. Feb 23 – LA seminar classes begin -      Current 8th Graders go to Lamb for "8th Grade Seminar" (high school prep LA) -      6th and 7th Grade Students in Mr. Lamb's LA move to Matthews or Waldman to begin Seminar LA classes for final Trimester.

Homework for week of January 19th

CO-OP 1.  Students should get portfolios ready for conferences.  See last week's posting for requirements 2.  Students should be half way through with their community service by conferences 3.  Conferences are next week, Thursday and Friday.  Students come to their elective classes only.  They then go home and return for their conference time.  LANGUAGE ARTS 1.  Spelling Test for week two will be January 27th.  2.  Read 30 minutes 5 nights a week 3.  We will have a debate this Friday.

HOMEWORK FOR WEEK OF JANUARY 11TH

CO-OP 1.  Math/ LA signatures due in co-op Friday 2.  Students should get portfolios ready for their conferences.  Requirements are listed below. LANGUAGE ARTS 1.  Spelling test Friday 2.  Classwork has focused on revision of portfolio pieces and sentence structure work. Portfolio Check List Mid Year Conference   Goals Typed Goals All goal reflections thru current month Evidence for goal progress  (if appropriate)   Personal 3  items   Community Community Service Log List of ways you have contributed to CHOICE so far this year   Math Evidence for Concept #1 Reflection for Concept #1   Language Arts Polished piece (with ALL prewrites, rough drafts and final drafts Reflection for polished piece Reading Log   Integrated Evidence and reflection for requirement #1 Evidence and reflection for requirement #2   Rubrics One LA trimester Rubrics One Math trimester Rubrics One Semester Integrated Rubric

HOMEWORK FOR WEEK OF JANUARY 6

Welcome back!  I hope your break was restful and filled with the things you enjoy. CO-OP 1.  LA and Math reflections and portfolio evidence should have been turned into those teachers Friday.  Signatures for those portfolio pieces are due next Wednesday 2.  Conferences are coming up the last week of  January.  Students were given a check list of requirements for that conference before the break.  In addition to the academic requirements, they should be approximately 1/2 through with their community service. LANGUAGE ARTS 1.  Reflections with evidence were due today, Friday. 2.  Students were  asked to organize their binders, check to renew school supplies that are running low, and make sure they have recorded all books read over the break. 3.  Read 30 minutes 5 days a week. Our work this next trimester will focus on the conventions of writing and analyzing sentence structure/ grammar rules. Thank goodness I have a variety of interesting/ hands on ways to approach that, because it can be quite analytical and dry!. Students will have weekly spelling tests beginning next week.  They chose what spelling program they wanted to use... You have some very motivated children!  In a few weeks we will also begin a creative writing project focusing on magazines.

Homework for Week of Dec 7

CO-OP 1.  Students should gather evidence in both Math and LA for their portfolios. 2.  Once Math LA evidence has been approved for the portfolio by their      teacher, they should write their reflection. 3.  Math and LA signatures will be due the second week of January LANGUAGE ARTS 1.  We spent time in the lab earlier this week to get our author's night pieces      tweaked and polishing our persuasive paragraphs/ essays. 2.  Essays were turned in Thursday. 3.  Friday was spent preparing for a debate next week:  Should students be      allowed to use I-Touches in the classrooms.  It should be interesting.  We       will be holding this debate on  Thursday... come, if you want to see your      children in action! 4.  Author's night was Thursday night.  It was a lot of fun to hear the colleciton      of work from your children.  Thank you for coming and supporting all of us.

Homework for Week of November 30

CO-OP 1.  Portfolio signatures for both integrated requirements due this Thursday. 2.  Students should be signing up for Author's night, which is next Thursday, Dec. 10th      from 6:00 - 7:30.  If they miss this one, there will be another one in the Spring. LANGUAGE ARTS 1.  Students have been taking notes for a debate on: "Use of Fingerprints for Identification      of Students." 2.  Debate was Wednesday 3.  Outline and Persuasive essay will be worked on in class Thursday and Friday.  Due      next week.  If you are absent, work on this at home.

Homework for week of November 16th

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you all enjoy the time together over our break next week.  I am grateful for your children and for all the support you give to me. CO-OP 1.  Due Dates for portfolio signatures:    - Dec 3 - BOTH integrated signatures due    - January 13th BOTH math and LA signatures due In order for students to get their portfolio signatures, they need to gather work that has been approved by their academic teacher for their portfolio.  Then, they write a reflection on that piece.  (Students were given guidelines for these reflections.  Basically they are three paragraphs long answering these questions:  1) Why did they choose it for their portfolio 2) what did they learn about the concept or process? 3)  What did they learn about themselves or what is the real life application of their learning? I cannot emphasize enough for students to stay on top of their portfolio this time of year.  The January conference will be VERY difficult for them to lead, if their portfolio is not in shape. LANGUAGE ARTS 1.  Students took Word Cell Quiz for units 1 - 6 on Tuesday.  Most students' scores were very high.  Lots of good study techniques and commitment toward their learning! 2.  Students wrote a persuasive paragraph about teen tracking on Monday. 3.  Students are refining their pieces for Author's night, which is December 10, 6:00 - 7:30.  Check your calendars to make sure your child can present that night.  There is another one in April, if this one cannot work.  We HIGHLY advise students to do this one, if at all possible.  The spring can get crazy busy.

Homework for week of November 9

CO-OP Coat Drive! Work on personal sections for portfolio   LANGUAGE ARTS Cumulative Word Cell Test next week – Tuesday, 11/17 Two poems due tomorrow, 11/13 Out line for persuasive paragraph done in class on Thursday.

HOMEWORK FOR WEEK OF OCTOBER 12

CO-OP 1.  Some students still haven't turned in revised goals from conferences.  Yikes! 2.  Students should start working on their personal sections for their portfolio and community service should have begun. LANGUAGE ARTS 1.  We are in the middle of writing a memoir.  Requirements:  prewrite, rough draft, typed 2nd draft, revised final draft. The length should be around one page, but no longer than three pages. They have had time at school to do a lot of work, however, now they must finalize their work at home.  The typed final draft is due Thursday, Oct. 15th. 2.  Word Cell Unit 4 - Students should be working through this unit in their packet and preparing for the test, which will be pushed off until early next week.  The units are getting harder, and I want more study time to commit words to long term memory.  Students are all asked to do something else besides the worksheets to prepare for the test.  Many are choosing to write two column notes or make flash cards.  Our test scores have been getting higher with each test!! 3.  Bring Apples!  The cooking apples from co-op's applesauce party smelled so delicious that we decided to make some in LA.  That can only happen if students bring in apples.

Homework for week of October 5

CO-OP 1.  Revise your goals from conferences, if you need to. 2.  There is an art contest for the Aly group - create a color poster on an 81/2" x 11" paper addressing the BIG 5.  You can win an I shuffle if yours is picked as first place winner.  Ask me for more details, if interested.  Due Oct 16th 3.  Be sure to stop by Mrs. Saalwachter's room and pick up your meds from fall trip, if you have not already done so. LANGUAGE ARTS 1. Word Cell Unit 3 - finish all activities AND study for the test, which will be Friday.  Be sure to create your note cards or two column notes for an extra study technique.  The word cells are getting trickier.  Be sure to remain dedicated to studying.  The final test will have review from all units. 2.  We will start a memoir by Wednesday.  It should be one page typed. We will start our prewrite on Wednesday and have a rough draft by the end of the week.  Pace yourself and give yourself homework, if you need to. 3.  Bring Apples, if you want us to make applesauce like my Co-op!

Homework for Week of Sept 21

CO-OP 1.  Conferences Thursday and Friday.  Students should bring assembled portfolios and two copies of their typed goals. 2.  Fall Trip Forms are due at conferences 3.  Use this weekend to gather gear and start packing for the trip. LANGUAGE ARTS 1.  Word Cell Test over Unit 2 was Tuesday.  Be sure to have all the activities for that unit complete. 2.  Debate was Wednesday.  SO MUCH FUN!

Homework for week of September 14

CO-OP -

1. PORTFOLIO: Bring in supplies to build your portfolio. If it is not here by Tuesday, make sure you assemble it at home and bring it in on Wednesday!
   
2. APPLES: Bring in apples so we can make applesauce. Ones with small worm holes are OK!
   
3. FALL TRIP FORMS - Get them in ASAP! Also, if you want to request a friend be in your cabin, your request is due to Mr. Waldman by Wednesday.
   

LANGUAGE ARTS

1. WORDCELL - two column notes with unit two cells and definitions as well as the worksheets in the packet are due end of week. Test will be next Wednesday.
2. DEBATE PREPARATION - We are continuing to read newspaper articles that surrounded Obama's speech. If you have been absent, finish the articles in the packet and finish taking some notes. Debate will be next week.

Homework for week of September 7

CO-OP 1.  Type rough draft of goals.  - Due Wednesday 2.  Fall Trip Forms due ASAP 3.  Susi Gardner will be calling you to set up your child's goal setting conference. LANGUAGE ARTS 1.  Word Cell - Finish Unit one in packet.  Then, do some activity which will help you learn the spellings, cell divisions and definitions for all the words.  Most students are going to do some two column notes.  This should be done by Thursday. 2. Typed final/ revised draft and picture  of object due Wednesday  3.  Reformat piece for framing - due Thursday.  4. Word Cell Test Friday

Homework for week of August 31

Welcome to my homework blog. I will use this site to update you on important information and to keep you aware of weekly homework assignments. I love working with your children and have already been impressed with what great work ethic and creativity they have!

NEW PARENT MEETING - Thursday, September 3, 6:00 - 7:30 Platt's Library
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT - Tuesday, September 8, 6:00 - 7:30pm
6:00 - Auditorium for Welcome
6:15 - Library for Elective Teachers' Presentation
6:40 - CHOICE Classrooms - rotate through your child's schedule

CO-OP
1. Students should bring binder and 8 tabs to build their portfolio
2. We will start writing goals for our goal setting conferences

LANGUAGE ARTS
1. Read 30 minutes 5 days a week
2. First page of Word Cell packet was due Wednesday

Ms. Matthew's Homework blog

This is where Ms. Matthews will post her homework and assignments.