Blog Posts

Friday, January 31

1/31/2020

Turn in your Signed Topic Form!

Objectives: Today I will showcase my knowledge of nonfiction reading strategies!

Homework: Continue researching your chosen topic (Remember to keep track of your sources!)

Agenda:

Nonfiction Quiz: Questions before we start?
- Carefully read all directions before answering the questions.
- Notice & Note: Contrasts & Contradictions, Extreme Language, Numbers & Stats, Quoted Words, Word Gaps
- When finished, double check your work and turn in.
- Then read or work on homework!

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Thursday, January 30

1/30/2020

Objectives: Today I will begin researching topics.

Homework:

Study for the Nonfiction Quiz tomorrow
- Study Guide
- Study Guide Key
Signed Nonfiction Topic Form due tomorrow
Continue researching at home

Agenda:

Searching Online Databases
- Get a laptop & log on
- Go to the Maywood Library website
- Scroll down to "Library Online Databases"
Researching
- You will need to research at least four sources for your photo essay; try to find at least two today.
- We're starting with online databases because they will lead us to reliable sources! Different databases have different information, so try searching a few of them in both the specific database category and some of the broader databases. If you're still struggling to find information about your chosen topic, see Mrs. Weber!
- Remember, keep track of the information you find and keep track of your sources!
- You can use a digital document (Word in Office 365) or keep notes in your journal, but make sure you can access at school and at home!
- Practice our note taking strategies from yesterday!

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Wednesday, January 29

1/29/2020

Stack your book on Mrs. Weber's desk & turn in your Notice & Note booklet!

Objectives: Today I will

continue to explore nonfiction writing topics
and practice note-taking strategies to organize my research

Homework:

Study for the Nonfiction Quiz on Friday
- Study Guide
- Study Guide Key
Signed Topic Form due Friday

Agenda:

Gallery Walk
- Get out the topic ideas/gallery walk worksheet from yesterday
- Look at each image posted and read the captions
- What type of topic is it? What is interesting about each picture? What details make it stand out?

Photo Essay Unit Packet
- Preview the unit packet for two minutes on your own.
  - What do you notice?
  - What pages look most helpful to you as you write this essay?
  - What other resources, if any, do you think you may need?
Note Taking
- Throughout this unit, you will be responsible for researching and keeping track of your findings
- Always write down the information you find
- Always write down the source the information came from
- Turn & Talk: How do you take notes? What strategies work best for you?
- Here are some tried and true note taking strategies (follow along in your packet for visual examples):
  - Color code your notes. Use a different color for each source.
  - Write each source's information on separate pages. This ensures you don't mix up sources & gives you space to add more notes later.
  - Create a mind map. This is a great tool for visual thinkers.
Note Taking Practice
- We are going to look at two sources about great white sharks in aquariums.
- In your journal, take notes on important ideas from each source.
- Remember to cite the source you are collecting your information from!
Practice: Source 1
- Vox Video on Youtube: Why No Aquarium has a Great White Shark
- Watch the video and write down 4+ pieces of evidence that you could use if you chose this as your topic

Practice: Source 2
- Article: "Here's Why You'll Never See A Great White Shark in An Aquarium" by Tom Hale
- Read the article and write down 4 new pieces of evidence that you could use if you chose this as your topic
- Include at least 2 quotes (write the page #)

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Tuesday, January 28

1/28/2020

Objectives: Today I will explore potential nonfiction writing topics

Homework:

Nonfiction book completed by tomorrow
12 Notice & Note entries due tomorrow
Study for the Nonfiction Quiz on Friday
- Study Guide
- Study Guide Key
Signed Nonfiction Topic form due Friday

Agenda:

Vocabulary Quiz Update
- Still grading -- thanks for being patient!
- Heads up! If you have not yet taken your quiz, or if you need more time to finish it, I have given it to your Charger Time teacher.
Nonfiction Study Guide
- Same structure as the quiz, and very similar question types
- Be familiar with...
  - Text Features
  - Text Structure
  - Notice & Note Strategies
- 10 minutes to work on the study guide in class
- Study Guide KEY
Nonfiction Writers' Workshop
- You will be writing a 5-paragraph essay on a topic that is
  - a local highlight
  - a contemporary issue
  - or a historical event
- The essay will be formatted and presented using Microsoft Sway
- Examples
Writers' Workshop Calendar
- What's different from most unit calendars I've given to you?
  - Signed topic form: Choose a topic that you'd like to write about by Friday. Talk to your parent/guardian about it.
  - This should be a new topic (one you have not written about before). This is why I'm asking for your parent/guardian's signature!
  - Keep the calendar portion at home; return the top portion -- signed by your parent/guardian -- by Friday.
Essay Topic Ideas
- Contemporary Issues: These are current problems that we are still facing in the world today (ex. Climate Change)
- Local Highlights: These are different places, groups, or events from the surrounding area (ex. The Space Needle)
- Historical Events: These are memorable past events that have had an impact on the world today (ex. September 11, 2001)
- Talk with your table partner(s) about the different topic ideas, and brainstorm your own
- Circle your favorite idea in each of the three categories
Gallery Walk
- Look at each image posted and read its caption
- What type of topic is it? What is interesting about each picture? What details make the image stand out?
- Spend at least 1 minute per picture

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Friday, January 24

1/24/2020

Objectives: Today I will participate in our classroom spelling bee!

Homework:

Read your nonfiction book by Wednesday
12 Notice & Note entries due Wednesday
Nonfiction Quiz on Friday (Study Guide Key)

Agenda:

Nonfiction Quiz
- Our Nonfiction Quiz will be on...
- You'll get a study guide on Tuesday!
  - (Study Guide Key)
Spelling Bee
- Tuesday, February 11 is our school wide spelling bee!
- Winners of our classroom bee will get a prize from Mrs. Weber and the opportunity to participate in the school wide spelling bee.

How it Works
- Participants will spell one word each round
- Mrs. Weber will read each word aloud
- The speller may ask for the definition, part of speech, language of origin, or alternate pronunciations
- If you spell the word correctly, you move on to the next round!
- If you misspell a word, you are disqualified, but it's OK because you tried!
- Then, we move onto the next round until we have a winner!
If you do not participate, you may...
- Cheer on our participants!
- Read your Nonfiction book & fill in your Notice & Note booklet
- Work on missing work or work for another class
- Read a book!

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Thursday, January 23

1/23/2020

Objectives: Today I will demonstrate my understanding of this unit's vocabulary by writing a vocabulary story.

Homework:

Nonfiction book finished by Wednesday
12 Notice & Note entries due Wednesday

Agenda:

10 Minute Vocabulary Study
- Write down your vocabulary words on the green list. Make sure they are spelled correctly! Then...
  - Work with a partner & quiz each other on your vocabulary words
    OR
  - Study your vocabulary words individually
Vocabulary Quiz
- Write a story that uses all 10 vocabulary words
- Use context clues to show you understand the meaning of the words!
- Circle/highlight/underline your words in your story.
- When finished, turn in & read independently!

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Wednesday, January 22

1/22/2020

Get out your Notice & Note booklet!

Objectives: Today I will

review nonfiction signposts and practice using them as I read
and practice using my vocabulary words

Homework:

Study for Vocabulary quiz tomorrow
Read your book and complete 12 Notice & Note boxes - due Wednesday 1/29

Agenda:

New Unit Calendar
- Want a paper copy of the updated calendar I showed you yesterday?
Signposts for Reading Nonfiction
- Contrasts & Contradictions
- Absolute or Extreme Language
- Numbers & Statistics
- Quoted Words
- Word Gaps

Quoted Words

Word Gaps

Practice
- As a class we'll read the practice passages
- Then, discuss the questions listed beneath the passages with your table partner(s)
- Be prepared to share with the class!
Vocabulary Practice - Definitions:
- Option 1: Quiz a partner on their vocabulary words
- Option 2: Individually study your vocabulary words
- Can you identify words given just their definition?
- Can you define your words?
Vocabulary Practice - Sentences
- Get out your notebook or a sheet of paper.
- Practice writing new sentences using each of your vocabulary words.
- Challenge: Write a cohesive story using all 10 of your vocabulary words!

Tuesday, January 21

1/21/2020

Get out your Notice & Note booklet and your Vocabulary Graphic Organizer (Vocabulary check today - you should have all 10 words completed)!

Objectives: Today I will review nonfiction signposts and practice using them as I read.

Homework:

Study for the Vocabulary quiz on Thursday (will look very similar to the last vocabulary quiz - be able to define each word and use each word in a sentence.)
Continue reading and filling out 12 boxes in your Notice & Note booklet due Wednesday 1/29

Agenda:

Updated Unit Calendar (Periods 1-3 will be able to pick up a paper copy from Mrs. Weber tomorrow; Periods 4 & 5 were able to pick up a copy today)

Signposts for Reading Nonfiction:
- Contrasts & Contradictions
- Absolute or Extreme Language
- Numbers & Statistics
- Quoted Words
- Word Gaps
Absolute or Extreme Language

Examples of Absolute or Extreme Language
- "All teachers at this school are strict!"
- "That was the funniest movie ever!"
- These are examples of absolute/extreme language because these statements leave no room to compromise and/or exaggerate.
Clue Words:
- Everyone, no one, always, never, totally, all, every
Practice Passage:
- “‘No one on this planet will be untouched by climate change,’ the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change announced. The report warned that climate impacts are already ‘severe, pervasive, and irreversible.’”
- What absolute or extreme language is used? Why use this language?
Numbers & Statistics

Examples of Numbers & Statistics

Practice Passage: (About Australian Wildfires)
- Since September 2019, the blazes, fueled by dry foliage and strong winds, have scorched over 15.6 million acres (24,000 square miles) — an area larger than the state of West Virginia.
  The blazes have destroyed over 1588 homes, damaged 653 more, and killed 19 people and almost 500 million animals, including a third of NSW's koala colony, or about 8,000 bears.
- What numbers and statistics are used? Why use them in the article?
Independent Reading
- Continue reading your nonfiction book in your assigned seat!
- Goal for today: Fill out at least 3 more boxes in your Notice & Note booklet
- I'll check off your vocabulary words while you read

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Friday, January 17

1/17/2020

Turn in the annotation worksheet (about dogs) if you did not turn it in yesterday!

Objectives: Today I will review nonfiction signposts.

Homework:

7 more Vocabulary Words -- check on Tuesday
- Instructions & Graphic Organizer
- Book-Specific Vocabulary Lists
Read your book and fill out the Notice and Note booklet as you read! (Be finished by 1/24)
- Pacing Guide

Agenda:

Signposts for Nonfiction
- Contrasts & Contradictions
- Absolute or Extreme Language
- Numbers & Stats
- Quoted Words
- Word Gaps
Why Use Signposts? Using strategies while reading can help us:
- Gain a deeper understanding of what we're reading
- Find main ideas
- Determine an author's purpose (or bias)
- Find evidence
- Make new meaning from a text
Adding Signposts to Notice & Note Booklet
- Glue each signpost to the opposite side of each corresponding page. (When you're booklet is open to the Contrast & Contradictions tab, you should see the Contrast & Contradictions signpost!)
- If this is confusing, see Mrs. Weber's examples in class!
Contrasts & Contradictions
- When the writer presents something that contradicts what you know or think, or when the writer shows you a sharp contrast between people, groups, or ideas, STOP and ask yourself:
  - “What does this make me wonder about?”
- You may notice the author’s purpose, main idea, or you can infer new ideas.
As I read from an article...
- Listen for contradictions (information that is different from what you think or know) and contrasts (opposing viewpoints).
- Write these in your notebook.
- Be specific!
Article: "Should Instagram Get Rid of Likes?"
- And did you see that recent report released by the Royal Society for Public Health in the UK? It found that Instagram was the most harmful social media platform for young people's well-being. It actually makes us feel anxious and depressed. That's because many of us allow the number of likes we get to affect our confidence. If we don’t get gazillions of likes, we feel like we’re not special or important. And this would be true even if likes were hidden from public view. If I know I’m not getting a lot of likes, I am going to feel miserable. Period.
- My friend Nick recently sent you a letter arguing that you should get rid of likes. But that would be a shame. The like feature is the best part of Instagram. You should keep it—and likes should stay public too.
- Part of the fun of Instagram is scrolling through my feed and liking my friends’ posts—it’s a way to show support. It’s also fun to see what posts my friends have liked. That helps me discover new photos, memes, and videos as well as new hashtags to follow. Without likes, none of that would be possible.
Discuss with a partner:
- What contrasts and contradictions did you notice?
- How were the two stances different?
- What does it make you wonder?
Independent Reading
- Continue reading your nonfiction book
- Goal for Today: Fill out at least 1 section for Contrasts and Contradictions

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Thursday, January 16

1/16/2020

Welcome back! I hope you enjoyed your snow days!

Warm Up: In your journal, determine the text structure of the passage to the right. Give two pieces of evidence that helped you determine the text structure. You can use your flipbook notes from Friday!

Passage: Scientists have noticed a pattern in the presence of sea otters. Islands with sea otters had healthy kelp forests. Islands without otters had barren sea floors littered with sea urchins and no kelp. Sea otters are now recognized as a keystone species. This means their position in a food web is crucial to the ecological health of an area. Sea otters ensure the health of kelp forests. They also affect many other local species. For example, fish and mussels also thrive in kelp forests.

Objectives: Today I will practice identifying text structures an annotating a text.

Homework:

7 more Vocabulary Words -- check is now on Tuesday
- Instructions & Graphic Organizer
- Book-Specific Vocabulary Lists
Read your book! (Be finished by 1/24)
- Pacing Guide

Agenda:

New Important Dates (Calendar coming soon!)
- Vocabulary check on Tuesday 1/21 instead of tomorrow
- Vocabulary quiz moved from Wednesday of next week to Thursday (1/23)
- Nonfiction quiz moved from Friday 1/24 to Friday 1/31
Annotating
- What is annotating? Adding notes to a text
- Why do we do it? To interact with a text and improve our understanding of it
- Some ways to annotate:

Practice Annotating
- As you read the article, practice annotating using the strategies above
- When you finish, answer the three Big Questions on the back (if printing from home, answer these on a separate sheet of paper)
- Goals:
  - Use at least one annotation per paragraph
  - Use at least five different annotation types
Notice & Note
- This booklet is for you to fill out as you read.
- Each day we will focus on one page of the booklet
- The completed booklet is due at the end of the unit
Independent Reading
- Continue reading your nonfiction book
- Write down one response in the Big Questions section of your Notice & Note booklet

Daily Agenda Slideshow

<<Previous

Forward>>

Daily Agenda

Archives