Explore ELA from home
MAR 30--I AM NOT POSTING HERE for a while since I am posting to Homework Hub , TEAMS, and the One-Note Notebook on the new POETRY page. Students reported not using this page as an option in the survey I sent out. IF YOU NEED THIS GOOGLE SITE option, just let me know by email and I will start posting things here again.
WED MAR 25 NOTES
1. I posted the following writing assignment in TEAMS.
Read any book or magazine you have and
- write a 1 or 2 paragraph summary of what you read
- reasons you would or would not recommend the reading
- Who you'd recommend the reading to--(people who love soccer, people who prefer action, readers who like to get to know characters that seem like real kids, etc.)
2. Most of today I spent with teachers planning for changes coming next week. Glad to see some work coming my way. i am responding to items in TEAMS first and then trying to get to EMAIL responses.
3. MEETING TIMES for ELA CLASSES on THURSDAY!!
The majority of folks want to meet in the afternoon. I will have NEWS given the extension of school at home until at least MAY 4th. (May the "FORTH"be with us that we go back after that!) We will be having GRADED assignments next week so come to the meetings to check in. I have checked with other teachers and there should not be a conflict.
You can turn OFF sound and camera if you are shy. There is a CHAT function you can use to type in questions if you have mic problems.
Just go to TEAMS for your class, go into POSTS and click on the camera icon at the bottom of the page to join.
MOST folks preferred afternoon so
Orange: per 1 (Team English 113) 1:00 to 1:20
Green: per 2 odd (ENGLISH 210) 1:25-1:45
Yellow: per 3 odd (ENGLISH 310) 1:50-2:10
BLUE: per 5 odd (ENGLISH 516) 2:15-2:35
Red: per 6 odd (English 616) 2:40 - 3:00.
Mar 24 TUES
Sorry that more emails are necessary right now. I appreciated your feedback yesterday and shared with administration. I am still waiting to hear from 40 of you! Respond to the 3 question survey below so we know you are reading ANY of this!
SURVEY 2 link
The survey form asks for times you may be around for a virtual class meeting for ELA. This will not be a formal lesson, but to touch base and answer questions about exactly what you should do and do not HAVE to do and where to check for info so we can stop sending as many emails.
Mar 23 MONDAY
THIS IS A DUPLICATE of a survey I emailed everyone just in case you have not yet seen or taken it.
Please click on the link to take a 10-question survey about preferences and ability to access on-line learning options. If you can do this before 1 pm today, it will help a great deal with planning. THANKS and hope you are all doing well.
ALSO I have posted 9 book options in Learning Ally and will be adding more this morning. Contact me if you need password or access assistance.
MAR 20 FRIDAY
GOOD NEWS--President will not require state to give MCAS. We'll take whatever good news we can get.
Learning Ally update---GOOD GRIEF this is not easy. I have set up a House A list and found 20 books BUT I have to click on 102 names separately to add EACH book. They will appear a little at a time. I'm taking a break Friday afternoon and will do more LATE afternoon.
If you have an adventure or romance author or book, suggest it because I haven't found much in those areas. Learning Ally does not have every book or author.
MAR 19 THURS
I just learned that due to technical issues we have had using Powerschool to email all students and parents in one blast, a ridiculously long 11 page DRAFT email went to many of you all yesterday from all grade 7 teachers.
Below is the correct shorter version of the letter from Grade 7 teachers. I posted this version yesterday as well on this site and Homework Hub. Please share with an adult at home. I may attempt to resend it as an email as well. We apologize for the error.
Grade 7 letter to all.docxMAR 19
Today's challenge: Write a haiku!
You remember--5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables. A TRUE haiku has some link between your topic and nature, but we are having fun here so no need to get too technical. Submit as a response to this same info on TEAMS so we can share responses. If you are shy, just email or share yours with me—or even with a few friends.
I've attached a separate file with more info on how to write one and strategies for deleting syllables etc.
We can have a HAIKU SLAM if you want to post in TEAMS. You can give your peers VIRTUAL high fives since we can no longer give them in person. Below are my attempts for the day.
Pick ANY topic--I picked what I am looking at right now and TB 12 (sigh). (FYI for those indifferent to football--TB is joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buccaneers are pirates.)
Long a Patriot
Led thunderous waves of wins
Soon a mere pirate
My kitchen I-sland
Wired I-Solution for now
Glad to be healthy
DIY Haiku.docxFIRST—Here is a visual reminder that things get better in their own time.
My backyard yesterday:
My Backyard Today:
This is a copy of a letter I am emailing to all students.
Mar 18, 2020
Dear folks:
SOOO... this is different! You are probably missing your friends—and not missing homework. As we start this journey, I will be honest with you and hope you will be honest with me.
I assume we are all experiencing similar feelings and thoughts. I am feeling a little safer because we are at home. I also am trying to listen to some news, but not too much. I am just like you in establishing some new routines and healthy habits. Here are my suggestions for now.
I will start posting a new link, poem, reading, article, picture or bad joke (send some my way) each day or 2 in TEAMS and on my class webpage. I will post when to check for new things on Homework hub. I don’t want to overwhelm you with emails or options.
WE ARE ALL LIFE-LONG LEARNERS---WHETHER WE ARE IN SCHOOL OR NOT.
For now, I want to start with just THREE ideas to start a routine:
1. READ! Please send suggestions for books to put on your Learning Ally shelves. I am going to get 5-10 on there by tomorrow. Read ANYTHING for about 20-30 minutes a day. It’ll take your mind to other places and keep you sharp. I’ll post links on my website and Teams to a variety of sources starting later today or tomorrow. I will share books I read and listen to. My current favorite is GHOST by Jason Reynolds – although it will make you look forward even more to being part of a team of folks working together in person. Reynolds has a fun website that speaks to kids too. I am told he responds to kids on TWITTER if your folks are OK with that. responds to kids on TWITTER. https://www.jasonwritesbooks.com/
2. RESPOND TO POETRY: Revisit a poem you love or find a new one. This is a link to the TEEN section of Poetry.org’s site. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/teens?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxYHs77qk6AIVGKSzCh2t1AefEAAYAiAAEgIKY_D_BwE
I will post some on TEAMS, like the one below, and suggest response activities.
April Is a Dog's Dream by MARILYN SINGER
april is a dog's dream
the soft grass is growing
the sweet breeze is blowing
the air all full of singing feels just right
so no excuses now
we're going to the park
to chase and charge and chew
and I will make you see
what spring is all about
RESPONSE IDEAS:
- Write your OWN few lines about the April YOU dream about;
- Write what you think your PET is thinking about as you look out your window;
- Think of 3 details in your backyard (grass, sounds, sky…) and describe in a few lines. Use at least 1 alliteration (chase, charge, chew) like Singer does.
3. WRITE: JOURNAL for 5-10 minutes a day. You will want to share your thoughts and observations about these times with others someday. Imagine the “WHEN I WAS A KID” stories YOU will have to tell! When we do our future poetry unit, these observations will be terrific poem ideas. I will create a page in One-Note in the WRITING FOLDER for you to write and I can praise you! Or you can just email or share writing. Paper works fine as well but I’d love to share some writing.
Options of things to include in your journal:
- Just list activities and give a sentence or two description.
- Insert pictures, doodles, links…
- Write 1-2 questions you have each day: EX: Why is so hard to get stuff done when I don’t have stuff I HAVE to do?
- Reflect on what engages you, bores you, frustrates you, makes you smile or giggle.
- Look out your window and create a short scene with action or dialogue. Give a tree or a fence or your pet superpowers! Unleash your imagination. Describe what folks are doing in your house or outside with some vivid language.
- Compare something in your house to something bigger in life.
- EX: A half-eaten loaf of bread sits on the counter near a folded napkin and a plate with crumbs and a smear of butter. It reminds me of reading and then thinking—I am full for now but have more to look forward to later. There are a few characters I’d leave behind like the crumbs, but my favorite character is like sweet creamy butter.
- Share a joke you’ve exchanged. Here’s my first Bad Joke contribution: Today, my son asked, "Can I have a book mark?" and I burst into tears. 11 years old and he still doesn't know my name is Brian.
I bet you have been emailed WAY too many ideas about how to avoid boredom. You might be surprised to know that I endorse some sleeping in and chilling out—just not all day. I also think getting outside (WHILE staying 6 feet from anyone else) is actually the FIRST priority for now. But ADD a LITTLE work each day. Set a regular time to work AND regular schedules for NOT working. That’s what I plan to do.
Check Homework Hub for when to check TEAMS and anywhere else for ideas, options, and updates. I don’t want to cram too many messages into your email.
Breathe deep. Email thoughts, questions, concerns, ANYTHING! Teachers are ON DUTY, STANDING BY, and READY TO HELP!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Ready (and my dog Otis who is helping with every post)
Copy of letter from ALL grade 7 teachers:
Mar 18, 2020
Dear Students, Parents, Guardians, and everyone working through this uniquely challenging time,
GREETINGS! We are reaching out to open lines of communication as we work through this. We are hoping for some good luck, a shared positive attitude, and a rainbow at the end of all of this. You have probably received separate emails from many teachers and administrators already. This letter reaches out from all of your grade 7 teachers.
Our priority is to stay calm, careful, and virtually available to each other. Below, Grade 7 teachers share a few ideas to keep your minds sharp and perhaps distract you from boredom. These are NOT GRADED or ASSIGNED. We hope to decrease frustration and anxiety by creating some routine to keep you thinking and engaged as you practice social distancing and becoming “communitarians.”
ALL grade 7 teachers will use Homework hub and emails to announce new learning options. Check once a day. These posts and emails will direct students to TEAMS and other platforms for specific links and lessons to explore for each subject area. You can reach TEAMS from the “waffle” or download the app onto your phone or computer. Email questions on technology or anything else we can help with. We’d love to share ideas that you email to us as well.
This can seem overwhelming, but you should choose 2 areas a day to explore for an hour or so. As you get more bored, you may want to do more!
ORGANIZATION HELP FOR EVERYONE FROM MRS. McTIGUE
It is important to remember that we must take care of ourselves, our whole self, to include our mind, body, and spirit, so that we can manage our feelings and be strong. Some ideas of how to do that are listed below.
MIND
- Each day, choose several of the varied enrichment activities your teachers outlined in this letter. There are lots to choose from!
- Complete a puzzle.
- Build with Legos.
- Build a model.
- Do a craft.
- Cook or bake something, with permission from an adult.
BODY
- Get outside at least once a day if you can! You can still shoot hoops, play catch with a sibling or adult, go for a bike ride, go for a walk/run, play with a pet, do some stretching/yoga in your backyard, or just sit peacefully soaking in the sun. These are all great mood boosters.
- Follow good eating habits/schedules.
- Drink plenty of water.
SPIRIT
- Participate in real-time, two-way communication with friends and family via group texts, facetime, skype, or an actual phone call. 😉
- Write in a journal.
- Color or draw.
- Look through old pictures and learn stories about your family.
- Practice your instrument.
- Listen to music.
- DO SOMETHING NICE FOR SOMEONE! You won’t believe how good YOU’LL feel afterward.
Page Break
MATH: Mr. Gravit, Mrs. Ryan and Mr. Scharman
We will communicate through emails and homework hub and post on TEAMS and ALEKS.
- Use ALEKS.com to stay in touch with math. (Your math teacher will gladly help you if you forgot your login username or password, so Email your math teacher if you need your login username or password.) If possible, try to spend an average of 15-20 minutes per day on ALEKS, with a goal of completing 8-10 topics for the week. If you feel ambitious and want to spend more time on ALEKS, that is totally ok. We will monitor your ALEKS work and if we see something that indicates you might need some help, we will contact you by email. Thank you for your interest in continuing your learning in mathematics.
- Use your MINK to record your work. Date your pages just like if we were in school. Make up your own TOC based on what you are doing in ALEKS, be creative with it! Keep notes!*
ELA: Mrs. Ready, Mr. Walker, and Mrs. Maxwell
We will communicate through emails and homework hub and post details on TEAMS.
Mrs. Ready will also use her classroom webpage as a backup for TEAMS and Homework hub—same info but just in case other platforms are glitchy.
- READ! We are putting together a bookshelf of options on Learning Ally. Email with suggested titles to add. Your ELA teachers will share books and articles we are reading on TEAMS if you’d like to read along with us and comment.
- WRITE! Start a journal to remember and process this. Enter pictures, observations, write away your worries and explore thoughts and questions.
- We will post options for different kinds of reading, exploring and responding through TEAMS.
SOCIAL STUDIES: Mrs. Clough & Mr. Masciarelli
We will communicate through emails, teacher websites, and homework hub.
LEARNING ALLY BOOKS: We have loaded 2 historical fiction books to Learning Ally bookshelves. These books are based in the time and place of civilizations we have already studied. These are not required reading, but we highly recommend you sample each and see if you get hooked!
WRITE: This is an historic moment. Write a first-person, primary source account of your experience. What has your experience been? What advice do you have for your reader? A future historian might use YOUR work as a primary source account of this moment in time. Topic ideas include:
- Practicing social distancing
- Ways you entertained yourselves
- Your fears, frustrations, unexpected kindnesses
- Technologies/apps you used to communicate with others
- Relationship building with family
- Well-known people you followed on social media, maybe some quotes
Watch a film and share a review: We’d love to share your reviews with classmates. Check Netflix, Amazon Video, Hulu, Comcast, etc. for historical fiction, a dramatization of real historical events, or a global interest story. The following list includes films and series of interest that are rated PG-13 or lower rating: Email us to suggest additions. Ben-Hur, Spartacus, Lightning Thief, The Bookthief, Life is Beautiful, Apollo 13, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, The King’s Speech, Harriet, the Greenbook, the Namesake, Invictus, The Crossing. TV series: John Adams
SCIENCE: Mr. Maconi and Mrs. Charron
We will both post learning opportunities on TEAMS and through email.
Mr. Maconi will also use the Remind app and his website. Suggestions for activities are welcome. https://sites.google.com/view/maconiscience/march-2020-home-learning?authuser=0
If you or a parent/guardian are not currently on Remind and want to sign up, please let me know and I will send the information.
Log into Science World (https://scienceworld.scholastic.com/home-page-logged-in.html) The password is: ThankYouTB12
Mrs. Charron: Here are some resources I would like you to log on to and use this week-
Stemscopes: www.stemscopes.com – your username and password are the same that you use to log onto the computer. I will post the Potential Energy Stemscopedia (our online textbook) and a reading comprehension article.
Scholastic Science World Magazine: https://scienceworld.scholastic.com/home-page-logged-in.html log in as a student using the code: mrscharronrocks (don’t you just love that password???) Check out the latest issue- specifically I will ask what is the deal with the goats in the tree?
Page Break
SPANISH: Mrs. Cordone
Below are some ways to keep up with your Spanish! Details and links to the suggested activities can be found on Homework Hub. I will add weekly updates and or chats on TEAMS on Sunday nights.
1. Read.
2. Watch the T.V. show “Extr@” on YouTube.
3. Do Yoga en español.
4. Write journal entries.
5. Review the most recent vocabulary unit from class.
6. Listen to the music from “Mania Musical.”
7. View Authentic Resources provided by Maris Hawkins and Martina Bex.
8. Learn the Spanish word of the day.
9. Cook with your family.
10. ¡Lávense las manos!
FRENCH: Ms Sabonis
I will update you using Homework Hub and email.
Bonjour les élèves! The link below connects to a page with all our March Madness songs for the week as well as some links to help you keep up with your French abilities. I will be sending a survey on Friday to ask about your song preferences, so please try and listen to all the songs! I’m hoping to hear from you and keep our contest going! If you have any questions, or just want to send a note (in French or English) to say hello, please reach out.
March Musical Madness and French Practice
ACADEMIC LAB: Mrs. McTigue
During this time away, I will continue to help you organize your thoughts, materials/work, and time, much like I do in the Academic Lab. In this unique situation, it is TOTALLY NORMAL to have feelings of stress and anxiousness. We are all in it together, and there are LOTS OF THINGS we can do to CALM OURSELVES, get through it, and be better for it! 😊
PLEASE let us know by email about any technical difficulties, questions, or concerns. Also pass along your suggestions to share with your peers. We will email again once a week or more often if needed. Do not STRESS about these suggestions—use them to create a new normal routine and get away from news. The most important thing is to know we CAN get through this together.
Take care, don’t get on the nerves of family members, and smile! We need each other and miss you all! We all look forward to the day when we will see you back in the classroom. Email any of us with concerns, questions, or just to say hello.
Sincerely,
House A and B Grade 7 Teachers
Links to all teacher emails
walkers@foxborough.k12.ma.us
scharmana@foxborough.k12.ma.us