Happy Friday. We completed our teacher/student conferencing in ELA today. Personal narratives are due next Wednesday. As seen above, students were assigned an addition personal narrative to be 100% completed on their own at home. It will used as an assessment tool to shape instruction.

Homework:
ELA- HOME personal narratives due 11/2/16
Reading- Mrs D- Latin Stem quiz 10/3/16 & Gift Project due 10/13/16
Science- none
SS- Early People Project due 10/10/16
Math- Mr K- none

** Early People Project Museum is Friday, October 14th from 11:30-12:30. Feel free to come and join us! **

In Language Arts, we started on our first day of Teacher/Student conferencing for personal narratives. The published final pieces are due at the end of the class on Wednesday. In SS- we voted for the group that persuaded us that their Hominid group is the most capable. In Mr K's homeroom, Homo Neanderthalensis won and in Mrs D's homeroom, Neanderthalensis won as well!

Homework:
Language Arts: none
Reading: Mrs D- Latin Quiz- 10/3 & Gift Project due 10/13
Science: none
SS: Early People Project due 10/10/16
Math:
Mr K 6- complete any missing work
Mr K 6/7- pg 44 #85-89

Language Arts: We discussed using symbolism in our personal narratives- see above for some examples. The goal for all writers now is to tie some of those words we created into their narrative. All Students will conference with a teacher on Thursday or Friday and final published pieces are due on Wednesday, October 4th at the end of their Language Arts hour. In SS, students presented their Hominid posters.

Homework:
Language Arts: Personal Narratives (school) due 10/4
Reading: Mrs D's class- Gift Project due 10/13 & Latin Stem Quiz 3 due 10/3
Science: Test tomorrow
SS- none
Math:
Mr K's classes- Get caught up on any missing work

Happy Monday! Today in Language Arts, we looked at external vs internal narrative techniques. The students reread their flash drafts keeping in mind there should be a match or a 1:1 ratio. See above for example. In Social Studies, we had our second to last day to work on our Hominid posters as presentations start Wednesday.

Homework:
LA: None
Reading: Mrs D- Latin Stem Quiz on 10/3 & Gift Project due 10/13/16
Social Studies: None
Science: Test on Thursday
Math:
Mr K 6- Closure #95-101 & test on Wednesday
Mr K 6/7- Catch up on any missing work

** Fieldtrip on October 6th! Make sure permission slips are turned in**

We took the MAP test during Language Arts today and we will do so tomorrow as well. During Social Studies, the students were put into groups and assigned one of the 5 Hominid groups we studied. With their group members, they researched their Hominid group and started up a poster convincing their classmates why their Hominid group is the MOST capable. See above for some rough draft examples.

Homework: 
Language Arts: none
Reading: Mrs D- Latin Stem quiz on 9/26 & Gift Project due 10/13
Social Studies Early People Project due 10/10
Math:
Mr K 6- R & P pg 44-45   #90-94
Mr K 6/7- catch up on any missing work
Science: none

In Language Arts, we used our 1 writing goal to revise our writing. The students also took part in a quick conference so we could assess their revising. We took a Social Studies Quiz on chapter 2: 5 different Hominid groups. Bonus question is seen above.

Homework:
LA- none
Reading: Mrs D- Latin Quiz on 9/26 & bring your realistic fiction novel to class tomorrow
SS: Early People Project due 10/10
Science: none
Math- Mr K
2nd hour- R & P pg 44-45 #85 - 89
3rd hour- R & P pg 29 #1-46 through 1-50

See you at Go-To-School night tonight starting at 6:30 in your child's homeroom class.

Happy Tuesday, I was home sick and with a sick kiddo yesterday. In Language Arts, trying out your personal narrative lead in a number of different ways, pushed our writers. Today, we focused on one writing goal to make our writing more powerful.
Social Studies- finished reading chapter 2 and practiced for our quiz.

Go-to-school night for parents is tomorrow, Wednesday from 6:30-8:30 pm

Homework:
Language Arts: None
Reading: Mrs D- Latin Stem Quiz on 9/26
SS: Quiz tomorrow
Math: Mr K
6- pg 38 #68-72
6/7- pg 25-26 #36-40
Science: none

We spent a good chunk of time writing standards-based goals for narrative writing. The students all wrote 3 goals that we will reassess later in this writing unit. See above for some examples. All students turned in their Early Project idea today. The next steps are to start researching and taking notes and planning the visual and written piece.

Homework:
Language Arts:  None
Reading: Latin Stem quiz on Monday
S.S.- Plan our your Early People project model and start research for your written piece. Project is due 10/10/16
Math:
Kruger 6: none
Kruger 6/7: R&P pg 29 1-46 to 1-50
Science: none

Today is Language Arts we CHOOSE our personal narrative topic and completed a flash draft. We also had LMC orientation.

Homework: Language Arts: none
Reading: none
Social Studies: Pick your early people project topic- due 9/16/16
Math
Mr K 6:MAP TESTING- none
Mr K 6/7: Due Monday- R & P pg 29    1-46 & 1-50
Science:

All Language Arts students were asked today, "What are you working on as a writer?' I am looking for a strategy answer, NOT their writing topic. For example, "I am working on showing and not telling or I am working on juicy language."  Personal Narrative writers have to draw you right in- see above for a draft example of my writing.

In S.S., we starting discussing different Hominid groups. See chart above.

Homework:
Language Arts: none
Reading: Mrs Duffield & Mr Kruger- Latin Stem quiz on 9/19/16
S.S: Choose early people project topic- due 9/16/16
Science: Math:
Mr K 6: any missing work
Mr K's 6/7: R & P- pg 29 Due Monday

Language Arts: Homework 3- due 9/14/16: Today we started a chart for generating personal narrative topics (see above). If needed, finish your chart, choose a new topic to write about, and write at least 1 page.

Reading: Mrs Duffield- bring your Realistic Fiction novel to class tomorrow

Social Studies: Choose your Early People Project topic- due 9/16/16

Math:

Mr K 6- R & P 21 & 22

Mr K 6/7- R & P 21 & 22

Science: None

Happy Monday. Today in Language Arts we discussed more strategies to generate Personal Narrative topics. Thinking of the first or last time you did something, is another way to come up with a small moment to write about. In Social Studies, we discussed the 6th grade Early People Project. Every student was given a packet that contains all the information relating to the project which includes a visual and written piece and a Museum Day on October 14th from about 11:30-12:30.

Homework:
Language Arts: Optional- generate more topics for personal narratives or continue to write.
Reading: Mrs D & Mr K- Study Latin Stems- quiz on Monday, Sept 19
Social Studies: Share Early People Packet information with family
Math: None
Science: None

Today we started our day by playing an outdoor game with both advisories. It was a blast! In Language Arts, we discussed strategies for generating personal narrative topics (special people & special places). We looked at 3 different types of social scientists in Social Studies.

Homework: 
Language Arts: Use your special place map and choose a spot that is important to you. Write a personal narrative about that spot. Must be at least 1 page. Due- 9/12/16
Reading: Mrs Duffield's class- NONE
Social Studies: NONE
Math: Mr K's classes- NONE

Today in ELA we met our writing partners and continued to write personal narratives. In Social Studies we discussed a brief timeline of humans on earth.


Homework:
Language Arts: Write a draft of a personal narrative keeping our strong writing strategies in mind.
Reading: Mrs D- no homework
Math:
Mr K 6- R & P worksheet and check ebook invite
Mr K 6/7- R & P worksheet and check ebook invite
S.S: no homework

Hello! The pizza picnic/dinner has been cancelled for tonight and the rescheduled time is TBD. In Language Arts we completed a writing sample on narrative writing. In order to make sure we know what strategies need to be taught, we need to see what skills we have.

Pictures above: The master schedule for Tuesday- Friday and some Mondays. We use a tardy sign-in sheet for class that students will need to sign if they enter the classroom late. After 4 tardies, parents are contacted.

Homework:

Language Arts: None
Reading: Mrs. Duffield- none
Social Studies: Check your online TCI username and password. If it does NOT work, see Mrs. Duffield tomorrow.
Math: Mr K- none

Great day! Had the first day of switching for all classes and it went well. Homework free- for one more day:)

2016-2017 All School Picnic. Wed Sept 7th. 5:30 to 7:30 pm

Please join us on Wed Sept. 7th 2016 at 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm for the Hamilton Middle School welcome back picnic!

The PTO will be providing pizza, plates, and drinks for free (there will be a donation box). If you want to bring other things to eat for the group (finger food)
that would be fine too. We will have a few tables for food but there are no sitting arrangements.  You might want to bring a blanket or folding chairs.

If the weather co-operates we will be meeting in the parking lot near the back of the school (near the Band/Art rooms) .

For inclement weather we will move to the gyms.

Happy Friday. Today we stayed in homerooms again most of the day teaching routines and procedures. We spoke about planners, binders, technology use at school, etc..... After lunch, our two classrooms got together to create our Social Contract. See above for what that looks like.

Secret Question: What time did you go to bed on Labor Day? (Please bring the answer on a scrap piece of paper with your name on it to Mrs Duffield Tuesday morning).

September 7th- 5:30-7:30: All School Picnic

Great first day! We did not get a chance to discuss the blog with the students, so it is not expected that they check it tonight. We will discuss it at length tomorrow. Above is a quick snapshot of how the school-wide AVID binders should look.