Personal Essay: The Final

Write personal essay-students had 45 minutes to construct a personal essay on a topic of their choice. This activity culminates a quarter of work developing the essay style and construction techniques.
Vocabulary review-list 5 was reviewed with a look at student blogs displaying their visual definitions. It was amazing how many students had unique pics to show the meanings of their vocabulary words.
Library visit-time was spent in our middle school library, the book store where all the books are free. While students were able to check out any book of their choice, our visit did focus on two authors, Caroline Cooney and Lois Duncan, two writers who produce books for students who have already well developed reading skills.


Homework-
1. Read two times.
2. Consider the blogging of the break. Discussion and examples Monday.

What's a flood bucket? Ask your Sixer.

Vocabulary list for Hughes homeroom-
1. exhaustion
2. methodically
3. swoon
4. abruptly
5. muttered
6. inflammatory
7. fettered
8. prophet
9. mimicking
10. incredulous

Vocabulary list for Marrello homeroom-
1. pleadingly
2. embezzle
3. traumatic
4. adhesive
5. embankment
6. eclectic
7. lagging
8. malevolent
9. revelation
10. dejection

Writing The Personal Essay

Personal Essay-students chose their own personal essay topics for construction today. They were urged to pick a single issue, such as "Why School Is Beneficial." In the past we've focused on essays where they were choosing one pathway or another, such as, "Would you rather live in an apartment or a house?"
Vocabulary Quiz-we tested on list four of vocabulary words. This sets ourselves up for next week achieving our half century of quality vocab words for the first semester.
The Outsiders-guest reader Ms. S. was able to get time to visit and take Pony Boy and Johnny deeper into their flight from law and order. Can this story end positively?

Homework-
1. Read 20 minutes
2. Bring journal to class

Laptops For Posting Comments

The Outsiders-advancing the story of Pony Boy with special guest reader Ms. S.
Blog comments-students made comments on 6 blog posts centered on library books students have read. It gives a real look into the work of others.
Vocabulary review-a very quick review of spellings and definitions. Final quizlet tomorrow.
Personal essay river of stones-this week we will write a personal essay, student choice. Each student has their own river of essay topics. They should be focusing in on two topics they could write.

Homework-
1. Read 20 minutes
2. Have selected two personal essay topics to write
3. Study vocabulary spellings
4. Bring journal

One Participant, 3 Critical Onlookers

Organize labels-students worked at their laptops trying to bring some organization to all their blog posts.
"What were those labels we were supposed to use?"
"We were supposed to label the posts?"
"Huh?"
Mr. and Ms. Person's story-we continued to develop the history of Jakarta's water supply, beginning with a very small Jakarta and growing into today's teeming metropolis.
Vocabulary review-a very quick review of this week's 10 vocab words. Students are getting these down very well. Final quiz next Tuesday.
Library book exchange-we spent the last 25 minutes in the library, checking out books for the weekend and quietly reading in the pillows. A great way to end the school week.

Homework-Read 2 times, 20 minutes per session minimum

This Week's Vocabulary Lists

Hughes Vocabulary List
1. ambivalent
2. brisk
3. unequaled
4. placid
5. devotion
6. immaculately
7. adversity
8. wrath
9. feigning
10. subtle

Marrello Vocabulary List
1. fortuitous
2. innovation
3. lucrative
4. pavilion
5. pensive
6. premonition
7. fixated
8. seminary
9. jubilation
10. extortion

"Ball! Stay in that hole, Ball!"

Journal entry-free writing by students, but a guide was a topic we'd discussed in our morning assembly. We addressed social cruelty as it might exist in our school. Disrespect? Bullying? Teasing? To what extent are they present in our middle school community?
Four oral presentations-one more run at trying to finish up Bintaro Lama projects. Why is this taking so long?
Library visit-today is the day all items are due. They may be renewed for reading over break, but today is the day all items are to be returned. We went to the library to accomplish this task as best we could.

Homework-read 20 minutes