This Week's Agenda

Sentence Composing #011 - #105 Simple Sentences

Visual Connector for Paired Passage #2

https://youtu.be/khBG2elIIMk

Creative Paragraph #01

This will be discussed in class next week.

Due Monday 9/30/19 by 8:15 am to Turnitin.com

DIRECTIONS:  Choose to write about one of the two prompts below.  Bracket off at least three original prepositional phrases within different sentences.  If you get stuck, feel free to use the sentence patterns you wrote in your daily sentence composing journal as a guide.  This is intended to be a fun, creative paragraph exercise and is not meant to be written formally or with extra care.  In other words, do your best, but it doesn’t have to be perfect.  Include the title at the top of the document. The minimum word count is 150 words. 

TITLE:  DOG SITTING

PROMPT:  Your neighbor is going out of town for several weeks and needs someone to take care of her dog. She is considering either hiring you or taking the dog to a kennel. Write a paragraph describing what you think your neighbor should do with her dog. Give several reasons and examples to support what you recommend.

- OR -

TITLE NIGHT OWL

PROMPT:  Now that you are in the eighth grade, you think your bedtime should be moved back by one hour. Your parents aren't sure that this is a good idea, but they are willing to consider your argument. Write a paragraph that explains your reasons for wanting a later bedtime. As you make your argument, be sure to address any objections your parents are likely to make about your proposal.

How to Prepare for the Sentence Composing Prepositions Test

As you know on Monday we will be taking our first Sentence Composing / Grammar Test on prepositions.  Here are a few helpful suggestions:

1. Pay Attention in Class – Stay engaged!  Participate!

2. Use the Most Excellent Blog – Study Old Slides #001-#009

3. Review and Study your 1 Page Hand Out on Prepositions.  Here is a link:

        https://drive.google.com/file/d/13UjpSdALt8mcsIriaimxkkO5ER6CyB4Q/view?usp=sharing

4. Color code and bracket your sentences on your Sentence Composing Journals

        5. Review the test format so that you know what to do.  Here is an example:

        https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JlJoLfZRdqRNJj2_u5yOPd05rGo_SQ9j/view?usp=sharing

6. Review the Following Online Videos:

        SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK

        https://youtu.be/Bmz8mM-nPtM


       MUHS ONLINE

       https://youtu.be/XMxr0rzB4gY

        KHAN ACADEMY

        https://youtu.be/7dOBMUESkqk

        https://youtu.be/D3wQ5dgFPms

Daily Sentence Composing - Prepositional Phrases #001 - #009

Paired Passages #1 - Visual Connector

Red Crab Migration on Christmas Island

https://youtu.be/pq98xZuRjV0

This Week's Agenda

Avoiding Plagiarism with Quotations, Summaries, and Paraphrases Links

Derby Student Handbook, page 25 "Academic Misconduct"
https://www.birmingham.k12.mi.us/domain/1010

6 Consequences of Plagiarism by Ithenticate
http://www.ithenticate.com/resources/6-consequences-of-plagiarism

MLA Format for In-Text Citations by Purdue Writing Lab
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_in_text_citations_the_basics.html

How to Avoid Plagiarism by Steelman Library
https://youtu.be/UsFcU1PH_8E

Avoiding Plagiarism by GCFLearnFree.org
https://youtu.be/PzZsButRaHs

Quote, Paraphrase, Summary by Angela Weaver

https://youtu.be/Ral3ldBxQxA

Daily Sentence Composing 001 - 005 Prepositional Phrases

Prepositional Phrases Hand Out

Here is the handout we passed out in class to help students understand prepositional phrases, which we will be studying as part of Daily Sentence Composing over the next two weeks.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FguPNEFCdWj4IhWxmFWHYHV-yjTpKBUW/view?usp=sharing

Curriculum Night Hand Out

Mr. Jonathan L. Chappell

8th Grade Language Arts, Derby Middle School

LOCATION:                   
Derby Middle School, Room 205

BEST WAY TO CONTACT:
email:  jchappell@birmingham.k12.mi.us 
I try to respond to emails within one business day.

POWERSCHOOL:
https://www.birmingham.k12.mi.us/domain/54
Until the end of the quarter, Powerschool only gives a snapshot of how a student is doing in class at any given time.  At the beginning of the quarter grades may shift dramatically until more data is entered.

CLASSROOM BLOG:       
http://mostexcellentstudents.blogspot.com/
This blog serves as a portal for board notes, lessons, upcoming deadlines, downloadable study guides, important links, and information worth sharing with students and parents.


TEACHING PHILOSOPHY / PEDAGOGY:

GRADES VS. LEARNING.
The correlation between learning and grades is complex.  Everyone wants their child to learn to succeed, but also to be challenged.  Not all students who get “As” are maximizing their learning, just as some students who show the most growth can get “Bs” or “Cs.”  Success for different children can’t all be measured by the same yardstick -- it might look differently from one student to the next because each child is unique. My goal is for every student to learn as much as possible, and to help my students gain the skills necessary for high school.

THE IMPORTANCE OF FAILURE.
Unfortunately, students sometimes learn the most through struggle and occasional failure.  That’s okay.  We can’t encourage our students to become comfortable with taking risks without also teaching them to be comfortable with making mistakes.  Sometimes, we learn the most from our biggest mistakes, and those important life lessons later help us to succeed.  We also learn to become more resilient and less emotionally fragile.  As Will Smith says, “Fail early.  Fail often. Fail forward.”

SELF-ADVOCACY.
If a student encounters an issue resulting in the parent and the teacher working to resolve it, the most important person – the student – is missing out on a chance to develop the necessary life skill of becoming a self-advocate.  If a question or issue arises, please encourage your child to first “talk to the teacher” via email or face-to-face.  While I welcome parent communication, I know that speaking up for oneself is a key to independence and confidence.  If the first attempt fails, then the parent is welcome to email me.

HIGH EXPECTATIONS IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
All of the students in my care will be held to high expectations, will be challenged, and will be made to feel that they are in a safe learning environment with a teacher who truly cares about them.  Absolutely.


QUESTION #1:  Why is there such an emphasis on "Daily Sentence Composing?"

Sentences are the Lego bricks of all writing.  By practicing deep sentence composing and grammar every day, students are inspired by the craft of real writing from real authors in the real world.  Students are engaged in a manner that makes them more thoughtful and deliberate with their writing.  The foundational skills of spelling, punctuation, grammar, usage and mechanics practiced every day this year will provide a lifetime of benefits.  Plus it’s fun because students get to be creative and express themselves!


QUESTION #2:  What is “Mindful Reading?”

Mindful reading is protected weekly reading time where students self-select a novel and read just for pleasure -- without the burden of filling out logs, gathering vocabulary lists, or answering comprehension questions.  Students will be practicing the ability to have sustained focus, to be present in the moment, to self-regulate their own concentration, and to practice metacognition (or “to think about their own thinking”).  The lesson will begin with a short discussion about practicing mindfulness and end with a “Clock Buddies” pair-share, where students will discuss what they read with different partners.


QUESTION #3:  What is “Flex Friday?”

Flex Friday is an opportunity for students to get 1-on-1 or small group support from the teacher, to work collaboratively with their peers, to make up any missing work or missed assessments, and to play catch up in a quiet, supportive atmosphere.  In a world of over-structured young people with packed schedules, Flex Friday allows students time to decompress and to stay on top of their responsibilities without getting stressed out. Students may earn access to technology only if it is used for school.

Curriculum Night

Hello Parents,

Due to an unavoidable scheduling conflict, I will not be able to be present for Curriculum Night here at Derby on Thursday, September 12th .

However, I will be making myself available for any appointments if you wish to touch base or have any concerns.  Please contact me through email at jchappell@birmingham.k12.mi.us.

Also, I will have my room open on curriculum night with a brief video introduction on the screen in my class. This should answer many basic questions about my educational philosophy and pedogogy.

Here is a link to that video:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_i4DDlfmOFid1BvN2JFMW5lRW8/view

Furthermore, your child has already received the following handout which contains a one page  overview of this year's curriculum.

Here is the hand out as well:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_i4DDlfmOFic1lzS1hqQzdTX0k

If you have any additional concerns and cannot attendant curriculum night or my Friday make up session, please don't hesitate to contact me via email at jchappell@birmingham.k12.mi.us

Thanks you and best wishes,
Jonathan Chappell

This Week's Agenda

Good Read for Parents on Reader Logs and Sacred / Protected Reading Time

How Parents Can Help Foster a Love of Reading at Home Without Using a Reading Log

(shared from another teacher and Mrs. Sindelar)

This year, students will NOT be asked to fill out a reading log in order to keep track of their at-home reading. They will not be asked to get a signature in their assignment notebook proving that they have read that night and they will not be asked to read for a specified number of minutes each night.

This does NOT mean that students are not expected to read outside of school. It is my hope that throughout the course of this school year, all of my students will begin to find ways to make reading a daily part of their lives. One of my greatest goals for this school year is to ensure that every child becomes or remains a lifelong reader. However, I do not believe that filling out a reading log each night or staring at a clock for twenty minutes is the best way for fifth graders to become or remain lifelong readers. Students will not benefit from the reading they are doing if they are more focused on watching the clock or waiting out their 20 assigned minutes than they are focused on what they are actually reading.

In fact, there is now research to support that using a reading log and requiring students to track the minutes they are reading can have a negative impact on students’ reading enjoyment and interest in reading. In addition, using a reading log becomes a short-term solution to a long-term problem. It takes away our chance to really problem solve with a student who isn’t finding time to read at home. Many students will read only to avoid a punishment that is connected to a reading log and this does not allow them to develop the kind of long term reading habits that will create lifelong readers. When students and families become dependent on reading logs, they notice that when the reading log is not there (as in during the summer) there is no reason left for a student to read. Having conversations about our reading habits gives us a much greater chance to help students develop more meaningful and long lasting reading habits.

I want students to be honest with me about how often and how much they are reading at home so that I can help them to find solutions to a lack of time or lack of motivation to read. If they are afraid of a punishment, then they are less likely to be honest and if they aren’t honest about their reading at home, I cannot help them to find solutions that will work to help them carve out space in their day for reading. For all of these reasons, I have not found reading logs to be effective in building positive reading habits in my students.

So if, as parents, you are not waiting to sign a reading log or timing your child’s reading minutes, how CAN you help to ensure that your child is reading outside of school? Here are a few ideas:

Create a sacred time during the day or at night where everyone in the house is reading. 

*When everyone in the house is reading, students will be more likely to WANT to read. Creating the conditions for reading allows everyone to find more success in their own reading.  I know that we are all incredibly busy, but imagine how powerful even 15 minutes of everyone in the house reading could be!

Read alongside your child. 

*Even as fifth graders, children love doing things WITH their parents and I  know that parents are eager to find things to do WITH their child. Finding time to read next to each other can make reading a special time that everyone can look forward to.

Read books WITH your child. 

*One of the greatest things about reading is being able to discuss what you are reading with others. By reading the same books that your child is reading, you can provide your child with opportunities to have the kinds of discussions that will motivate your child to keep on reading. 

Make sure your child sees YOU reading.

*Even when your child is NOT reading, if he or she sees you reading, they will know that reading is something that you take joy in and that you make sure to make time for. This creates the kind of culture of reading that motivates students to find ways to become readers themselves (even outside of school).

Take your child to the library. 

*Books are expensive! And kids can go through books quickly. There is no need to buy your child every book that he or she wants to read. Taking trips to the local library can provide your family with access to incredible books and also access to librarians and other resources that can help guide your child towards even more books. 

Ask your child about the books he/she is reading. 

*The more kids talk about the books they are reading, the more they will want to keep reading! Knowing that there are people at home who are interested in what they are reading and what they have to say about that reading, can sometimes be the push that children need to keep on reading through the tough parts of a book. Even if a child is not enjoying a particular book, you can learn a lot about a person as a reader, and they can learn a lot about themselves, by discussing what it is they do not like.

Talk to your child about the books that you are reading. 

*Tell your child about the books you are reading, but also make sure to tell your child about how you selected the books that you are reading. Talk about the books you love and talk about the books you do not like. Letting your child see that you struggle at times and are still a reader will help your child to see that even if he or she struggles, he or she is still a reader. 

Do not judge what your child is reading as not being “good enough.” 

*Sometimes, it is tempting to tell our children that what they are reading is not “real” reading. I believe that all reading has value. Every positive reading experience children have, where they make it through an entire text, will make it more likely that they will pick up another text because they believe they can be successful. Please know that, in school, we are exposing children to many different types of texts and teaching them the skills they need to navigate through those texts. At home, they need to be able to read what they love. Because when they find books they love, they will be choosing to read more often. When we stop them from reading the books that they love because we do not think they are “good enough” then we are making it less likely that they will fall in love with reading.  So while it is great to encourage children to try new kinds of texts, it can be harmful to insist that they cannot read what they love to read.

Read in the “moments in-between.” 

*Some days, finding twenty minutes to devote to reading is just not possible. If students feel like they must read for twenty minutes in order for it to “count,” they are likely to just not read at all when they feel they don’t have time.  Sometimes, the best places to find time to read are in the moments in-between other things.  Waiting at a dentist’s office, waiting for a sibling in the car, before their friend comes over, these are all possible moments to read. When we start to “sneak” in more reading, we are often surprised at how quickly we are working through books. 

Help your child to use online resources to locate new books that are similar to books he/she has loved in the past. 

*Finding good books to read can be the hardest part of being a reader. We are lucky to live in a world that has lots of incredible resources to help people find good books. Most of the books that I read, come from the online suggestions of others or from lists of good books. Using goodreads.com or the suggestions related to books students have already read and loved that are given at Amazon.com can be great places for kids to look in order to find the next book that they want to read.

Throughout the year, we will be working to build a culture of reading and a community of readers inside of our classroom walls. In my experience, this is the greatest way to bring students into a reading life outside of school. Extending this reading culture and community outside of the classroom walls can have huge benefits.  Through my conversations with students and through my observations, I will be able to tell who is struggling to read outside of school and I will meet with those students to brainstorm ways to be more successful.

At any time, if you have concerns about your child’s reading habits, please feel free to contact me. Conversations with students that allow us to problem solve and make adjustments, go much further than punishments for not reading or for not getting a reading log signed. 

I look forward to a year filled with reading!

Ms. Lifshitz

Classroom Procedure: Flex Friday

Setting Up a Turnitin.com Student Account

1.  Go to turnitin.com

2.  Click on Create Account

3.  Click on Student

4.  Enter Class ID and Key:

>First Hour
Class ID:  22118977
Key:  12345A

>Third Hour
Class ID:  22119012
Key:  12345B

>Fourth Hour
Class ID:  22119072
Key:  12345C

>Fifth Hour
Class ID:  22119215
Key:  12345D

>Sixth Hour
Class ID:  22119288
Key:  12345E

5.  Fill out your name and other personal information

6.  Write down your Name and Password somehwere you won't lose it, like under your birthday in your planner.

7.  Choose I agree and submit

Meet Mr. Chappell

Here is the PowerPoint I shared with my students the first day of class.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sgGwyk7pNEnm1morisav3Yw5sWZLRpp3/view?usp=sharing

Reading Interest Survey

To begin our Mindful Reading Wednesdays, each student will fill out the following survey to share with Mrs. Sindelar in the media center.

https://forms.gle/VmVK7JjcQBkCUyZh7

This Week's Tentative Agenda