Not so Fun Friday...

It is always a bad sign when your schedule gets "altered" in any sort of way... kids especially need rituals and routines and they really like knowing what to expect... when that changes, you have to be prepared....

• 1st Period - We collected homework and updated our ClassDojo points.  If you are late, you lose a point.  Each homework assignment you don't do, you lose a point.  They add up really quick!  Afterwards we did our ELA test Prep and then read the next chapter in our class novel - The BFG.

• 2nd - Science with Ms. Galan.   The kids were lined up outside for science when another teacher showed up to cover the science class - Ms. Galan was not here today.  I asked her if she would mind continuing with our class novel and she was nice enough to keep reading with the kids.  After they finished I passed out their "homework" to start on which is a comprehension sheet on the chapters we have read.  The "WORD SEARCH" on the back is set on difficult mode, so if they can find all the words, they will get 5 bonus points!  

• 3rd /4th- We reviewed the Chapter 8 Unit Review.  I went over each and every question.  I made sure they understood each question before moving on.   When NO ONE had any questions, I passed out the Chapter 8 Multiple Choice Unit Test and they started taking it.  A couple students had meltdowns before, during, or after the test and their results surely showed it (or in some cases, caused it!)...  I think the lowest score on the unit test was 24% and the highest was 96%.  Luckily, we had more on the passing side than the failing side.  And why did they fail?  1) Goofing off during class and not paying attention 2) Didn't ask for help when they didn't understand 3) Didn't practice by doing their homework 4) didn't participate during class 5) Didn't care about their grade?   I don't know which one it is, but when most of the kids do extremely well, and only a handful do poorly - it makes you wonder.  Remember,  65% is passing, 75% is average, 85% or higher is considered mastery of the skill.  Below 65% is just NO BUENO! 

• 4th / 5th - ReadyGen Lesson 3b.6 - Looking at the good things that come with Volcanic Eruptions, and then the Bad!  We looked at Craft and Structure to make sure they could see how the author set up the section and how that allowed readers to better understand each section.  We looked at the actual text and learned the benefits of an eruption and the bad things as well.  We then used the randomizer to answer key idea and detail and integration of knowledge questions as well as words in context questions.  It is like a game, but it is cute seeing the kids flip through the book to answer the questions using text evidence.  

• 6th - Lunch

• 7th - HIV Lesson #4 - The pro's and con's of peer pressure and the difference between positive risk behaviors and negative risk behaviors.  The kids got to "act" today.  I gave them situations they had to act out and then the kids who watched had to discuss the peer pressure involved, and if the situation was a positive risk or negative risk behavior.  They had a really good time acting and it was a nice way to end our week, even if it was hard to get them to calm down and pack up at the end of the day!

Homework:

• Reading - THE BFG Reading Comprehension Sheet (front and back)
• Writing - two paragraphs about the BENEFITS and DANGERS of volcanic eruptions using text evidence.
• Math - Salamander Math Converting Improper Fractions to Mixed Number Practice

Some of the students who did really bad on the math test will be having lunch sessions with me next week to redo the math test and make sure they understand it before we move on.  The state tests are literally WEEKS away so I can't have them goofing off and not caring!  It is just not an option.  So just letting you know they might be upset next week, but those are the breaks!  

Tomorrow is the last Saturday Academy of the year.  It is from 9AM - 1PM!  Please bring a nice snack to have during our 20 minute break in the middle.  The school does provide a snack, but it is only a small snack and the kids get hungry!