Hello and welcome to the Langauge Arts! I'm looking forward to the new school year and am excited to be working with this group of seventh grade students.
Communication: I want to maintain open lines of communication with my students and their adults. In order to help the communication process, I will be updating my Webaloo site regularly. Please keep checking to find out what is happening in our Language Arts class. Also, I will be keeping my gradebook as current as possible. Sign up to be on the Parent Portal if you haven't already! And, most importantly, if you ever have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at kkoerner@isd622.org or at 651-748-6663.
Student responsibility: I will do everything I can to help my students have a successful school year. In return, I expect my students to be prepared and responsible learners. A responsible student should:
-Bring all required materials to class
-Engage in the class discussions and activities
-Complete and aturn in all assignments on time
-Ask for help when needed
-Use all available resources (agenda, Webaloo, Parent Portal, classmates, teacher)
Missing worksheets: If a student is absent, I will provide any assignments that were missed. If a student loses a worksheet, I expect him/her to be responsible for solving this problem. Some good ideas might be:
-Look for the worksheet. Look really, really hard! Lost sheets often show up in folders, books, agendas, or lockers.
*Download the worksheet from Webaloo. You can click on any assignments that are in blue and then make a new copy for yourself.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER:
Friday, November 6: Courage Retreat permission slips due
Friday, November 6: Reading Day
Thursday, November 12: Tamarack Team Courage Retreat
Friday, November 13: Birch Team Courage Retreat
Monday, November 23 - Recipe book report due
Wednesday, November 25 - Friday, November 27: No school, Thanksgiving
Thursday, December 3: End of Trimester One
Friday, December 4: No school for students
Reading Counts - If a student wants to read a book for which MMS does not have a Reading Counts quiz, the studdent can make their own Reading Counts quiz by following the directrions.
Vocabulary workbook pages - use if you lost your workbook
vocab lesson 1 - p. 5, 6
vocab lesson two - p. 9, 10
Vocabulary lesson 1 and 2 - context clues p. 175-178,
Vocab lesson 3 - p. 13, 14
Vocab lesson 4 p. 17, 18
Vocabulary lessons 3 and 4 - context clues - p. 179-182
Vocabulary lesson 5 - p. 21 and 22
WEEKLY AGENDA: * Denotes homework
Week of November 23: No new vocabulary lesson
Monday and Tuesday: Recipe book report presentations
*Vocabulary lesson 5 work, retake test
November 16:
Monday: *Vocabulary lesson 5 - p. 21 and 22 due WEDNESDAY, 11/18
Short story elements notes
HOUR 6: Every day this week, you will learn five new words for the WordMasters challenge
Tuesday: *Read "Duffy's Jacket" p. 5 of textbook
*Fill out retelling summary sheet for "Duffy's Jacket"
*Write a summary of the story - due Thurs, 11/19
Hour 6: *Analogies Set J - due Thurs, 11/19
Wednesday: Correct vocab p. 21, 22
Plot notes
Snake video
Pre-reading of "Rikki-Tiki-Tavi" p. 14
Start reading story, fill out short story elements sheet for RTT
HOUR 6 - Read "Duffy's Jacket", write summary - due Friday, 11/20
Thursday: *Journal on conflict
*Read "RTT" p. 14
*Fill out short story elements sheet
HOUR 6 - Go over analogies - find relationships
Friday: Vocabulary test lesson 5
Finish reading RTT
Human plotline
HOUR 6 - "Duffy's Jacket" summaries due, reading time
Week of November 9: No new vocab this week, but there will be make-up work and test for students who scored 17 or lower on the lesson 3 and 4 test last Thursday.
Monday: *Vocab lessons 3 and 4 make-up work
*Partner assessment of second story
Revising/writing time
HOUR 6 - Analogy practice
Tuesday: Spelling homophones
Editing of stories
*Choose your "premiere" story
Writing time
Wednesday: Computer lab to type final copy of your premiere story
Thursday: Final copies of stories due - turn in ALL parts of the writing process
Vocab lessons 3 and 4 test re-take
Computer lab or quiet reading time
HOUR 6 Birch - Analogy practice sheet due
Friday: Courage Retreat
HOUR 6 Tamarack - Turn in stories, Analogy practice sheet due
Week of November 2: *Courage Retreat permission slips due by Friday, November 6
Monday: *Personal narratives - choose two story starts to turn into complete stories
*Vocabulary lessons 3 and 4 - context clues - p. 179-182 - due THURSDAY, November 5
HOUR 6 - Super Sentences Two - due THURSDAY, November 5
Tuesday: Writing details for personal narrative
Strong verbs notes
*Complete strong verbs worksheet
Write one story - revise using writing details, strong verbs, and sensory details
Wednesday: Sensory details notes
*Complete sensory details worksheet
Write a second story - revise using writing details, strong verbs, and sensory details
Thursday: Correct vocabulary p. 179-182 questions 1-20
Take lessons 3 and 4 test
*Partner assessment of one story
Friday: Reading Day
*Complete reading response sheet five - an emotion you felt
Week of October 26:
Monday: *Vocabulary lesson four - look up definitions and context clues - due Wed, 10/28
Vocab lesson 4 p. 17, 18 - due Fri, 10/30
*Personal narrative - gather details for three memories - due tomorrow
HOUR 6 - *Super Sentences 1
Tuesday: How to start a story
*Start writing story #1
HOUR 6 - Super Sentences 1 - translation due Friday, 10/30
Wednesday: Check vocab lesson four definitions and context clues
Show vs. tell
*Start writing story #2
Thursday: Example story
Review story starts, show vs. tell
*Start writing story #3
Friday: Vocabulary lesson 4 - correct p. 17, 18 and take test
Reading or writing work time
HOUR 6 - share Super Sentences, idioms
Week of October 19:
Monday: *Vocab lesson 3 - p. 13, 14 - due Thurs, 10/22
Computer lab - take Freak the Mighty Reading Counts quiz
HOUR 6 - Work on dictionary - due Thurs, 10/22
Tuesday: Take Freak the Mighty short story elements quiz
Talk about short story elements
*Journal - 1) What do you think "Remembering is an invention of the mind" means? 2) Write about a memory you have that has grown and changed over time
Wednesday: Brainstorm memories for personal narrative/story writing - you need to have 3 memories with details (who, what, when, where) ready on Monday, 10/26
Share stories in class - write down your memories as they come up
Thursday: Vocabulary lesson 3 - correct p. 13, 14 and take test
*Book report - make a recipe - due Monday, 11/23
Quiet work time
HOUR 6 - Dictionary gallery walk
Week of October 12:
Monday: Pass back papers and turn in any missing assignments
Collect idioms worksheet
Discuss Freak ch. 12-18
Complete and turn in Written response sheet for ch. 12-18
*Coat of arms - create one for Kevin or MAx - due Wed, 10/14
HOUR 6 - *idiom worksheet #1 or idiom worksheet #2 - due Wed, 10/14
Work time for reading and completing Written response sheet ch. 12-25
Tuesday: *Written response sheet ch. 19-25 - due Wed, 10/14
Read Freak ch. 21-22
HOUR 6 - Check idioms
*Make your own dictionary - step #1 (brainstorm of words - use worksheet on back) due Wed, 10/14
Wednesday: Collect Coat of arms
Finish Freak - read ch. 23-25
*complete Written response sheet ch. 19-25
Small group feedback on the book
HOUR 6 - Small group feedback on the book
*Work on your own dictionary - steps #2 and #3 (edit and alphabetize your word entries) due Mon, 10/19
Week of October 5:
Monday: *Vocabulary test on Friday - lessons 1 and 2. Use the context clues sheet to complete p. 175-178 in green vocab workbook
Humor in Freak the Mighty - draw a picture of a scene
Turn in Written resposne sheet for ch. 6-11
Read Freak xch. 12 and 13
HOUR 6 - Prepare for theme presentations
Tuesday: *Written response sheet for ch. 12-18 - due Fri, 10/9
Read Freak ch. 14 and 15
HOUR 6 - King Arthur theme presentations
Wednesday: *Idioms in Freak ws #1 or Idioms in Freak ws #2 - worksheet due Thurs, 10/8
Read Freak ch. 16, 17
HOUR 6 - *Written response sheet ch. 12-25
Work independently - read ch. 13-18 first, then do written responses
Thursday: Check idioms - help with unfamiliar idioms
*Written response sheet for ch. 12-18 - turn in after done predicting
Read Freak ch. 18-20
HOUR 6 - Idioms in Freak Advanced ws #1 or Idioms in Freak Advanced ws #2 - due Mon, 10/12
Written response sheet ch. 12-25 - show Ms. Koerner when you are done with ch. 13-18
Independent reading time
Friday - Correct and collect p. 175-178
Vocab test on lessons 1 and 2
*Library
Week of September 28:
Monday: Vocab lesson 2 - check context clues on p. 7-8. *Pages 9-10 are due on Friday!
Finish reading Freak ch. 5
Complete and turn in Written response for ch. 1-5
Tuesday: *Vocabulary chapters 1-9 - matching and crossword puzzle due Thurs, 10/1
Read Freak ch. 6, 7
*Written resposne sheet for ch. 6-11 - due Friday, 10/2
*HOUR 6 - Read "King Arthur" starting on p. 793 in your big textbook - due Thursday 10/1
Wednesday: Work on words 14-20 on Vocabulary chapters 1-9 - matching and crossword puzzle
Read Freak ch. 8, 9
Thursday: Correct vocab ch. 1-9
Read Freak ch. 10, 11
Complete Written resposne sheet for ch. 6-11
HOUR 6 - Define and analyze themes in King Arthur and Freak the Mighty
Read ch. 8-11 independently by Friday
Friday: Collect Written resposne sheet for ch. 6-11
Vocabulary lesson two - correct and test
*Vocabulary lesson 1 and 2 - context clues p. 175-178, test of all 20 words - Fri, 10/9
Quiet reading/work time
Week of September 21: We are starting a novel called Freak the Mighty. Since we only have a classroom set of the books, all of our reading will be done at school
Monday: Get green vocabulary workbooks - these are yours to use for the year!
Pre-test lesson one words
Context clues - p. 3, 4
*Exercises 2 and 3 (p. 5 and 6) and test due Friday, 9/25
Tuesday: Check vocab lesson one - any questions?
Start reading Freak the Mighty
*Written response for ch. 1-5 - write as many as you can
Wednesday: Read Freak the Mighty ch. 1-5
*Written response for ch. 1-5 - Finish writing - due Thurs, 9/24
Thursday: MAP Language Usage test - meet in the computer lab
Friday: Correct p,. 4 and 5 from workbook, turn in
Test lesson one - word definitions and spelling
*Start vocab lesson two - p. 9, 10 due Fri, 10/2
Week of September 14:
Monday: Classroom expectations
*Dictionary skills ws. p. 1 dictionary skills ws p. 4 - due Thurs, 9/17
Tuesday: MAP Reading test - meet in the computer lab
Wednesday: Set reading goals
Go to the Media Center - go over procedures, get your Reading Counts boook
Thursday: Correct dictionary skillls ws p 1, 4
Pass out green vocabulary books - yours to use for the year
*Vocabulary vocab test and lesson 1 - p. 5, 6 - due Friday, 9/25
Friday: Reading Day
September 8:
Tuesday: Seating charts/names
*Textbook for the year - cover by Friday, 9/11
Textbook scavenger hunt
Wednesday: Personal survey
Writing portion of survey - 15 minutes
Start creating Bingo sheet for Friday
Thursday: Get-to-know Ms. Koerner
Classroom scavenger hunt
Classroom expectations
Friday: Play get-to-know Bingo
Review names of classmates
VOCABULARY PROGRAM:
READING PROGRAM:
For Trimester One, students will be required to independently read two books. The students should think about the reading of their books as one book per month.
The first book the students read will be a Reading Counts book. This means that the book must fall in the student's lexile range (as learned on the Fall MAP Reading test) and that the school has a RC quiz for the book. The students can find RC quiz lists in the library, and students can figure out a book's lexile number by going to lexile.com. If a student wants to read a book for which MMS does not have a Reading Counts quiz, the studdent can make their own Reading Counts quiz by following the directrions.
Directions for the second reading book will be given later in the trimester.
MORE ABOUT READING COUNTS!
As an assessment of the students' reading comprehension, Maplewood Middle School uses a computer program called Reading Counts!. In the Reading Counts! program, an introductory reading comprehension test assigns each student a lexile number, which is an indicator of the student's reading level. (We will actually be getting the lexile numbers when we take the fall MAP reading test.) Then, students select reading books based on their lexile numbers. After reading a book, a student is required to take a ten-point multiple choice comprehension test. In order to pass the test, the student must correctly answer a minimum of seven questions. Students who do not pass the test will have the opportunity to retake a different form of the test two more times. The tests are difficult, and students will find that they have to read a book carefully in order to pass!
