MSA is Over!

     So long, MSA!  Today was the last day of MSA testing for seventh grade students!  Next year we will be administering the PARCC assessments.  PARCC is an acronym for Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness of College and Careers.  The PARCC assessments will take place online and are very engaging and interactive.  To get a feel for what they will be like, check out this website.  The tutorial is very helpful and walks you through how to use the various tools.  

     In the meantime, get ready for PARCC by reading a variety of books, newspapers, and magazines.  I know many of you love to read manga or one specific author, but it is always a great idea to broaden your horizons.  Read poetry, historical fiction, science fiction, biographies/autobiographies, newspapers, magazines, etc.  Need suggestions on what to read?  Check out http://www.goodreads.com or http://whatshouldireadnext.com.  

     Also, make sure you are bringing soda tabs to your homeroom teacher!  Keep it REAL!

What Is New In Seventh Grade?

We are reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor.  This is an emotional novel about black history and a family's struggle to overcome a racist community.  The novel is a hit so far!

Also, seventh grade will be taking the Math MSA on Friday (Mar. 7) and Monday (Mar. 10).  The Reading MSA on Tuesday (Mar. 11) and Wednesday (Mar. 12).  
Get plenty of rest, eat breakfast, and do your best!




Also, on March 12, performers from the Maryland Shakespeare Festival will be coming to perform for us in the auditorium at CRHS.  They will be here on Thursday, Friday, and the following Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.  There will be two performers in each LA classroom during those days.  They will work with students on acting skills, reading lines of Shakespeare, playing games, and having fun.  

Coming soon:  "Keep Tabs on Cancer," a soda tab collection challenge in our homerooms.  Start saving them today!  The tabs are collected and taken to the Ronald McDonald House in Baltimore.  They are sold to a metal salvage company, and the proceeds help support the Ronald McDonald House.

Louis VII's Deplorable Conditions

Many students ask if they can feed Louis.  Many times I say no and they get upset.  However, there is a reason why I say no.  Many people overfeed him, and his bowl gets disgusting.  

Like this...


So, show Louis some love and feed him sparingly, please!  Thank you!

Segregation and Civil Rights Background Knowledge Activity

You will need these links to participate in the rotations today. They are labeled as follows.

*Web Quest  http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/underground_railroad/plantation.htm

*Slavery PPT

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bhistory/underground_railroad/slideshows/plantation_slides.htm

*Civil Rights Video

http://www.neok12.com/video/Civil-Rights-Movement/zX676a4e4252047466435c7f.htm

            *Dr. King's "I Have a Dream Speech"

• http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=20916

*Mildred D Taylor

https://www.readability.com/articles/8stypkml

The Fate of Cursive Handwriting

I learned how to write in cursive when I was in the third grade. Mrs. Mumford would use a special tool to draw lines on the chalkboard.  Then, we would practice our ABCs and different words in cursive.  I can write in cursive fairly well thanks to Mrs. Mumford.  However, not many students today are learning the fine art of penmanship.  The students in my Period 7 class recently read this article about the removal and resurgence of cursive in the school curriculum.  Please take our Google Docs survey and weigh in on the issue!

Book-Inspired Movies Coming to a Theater Near You!

I am beyond excited for these upcoming movies!  Don't forget to read the novel first!  

The Book Thief

Divergent

Movie Adaptations of Novels

I was recently talking with the members of my after-school Book Club about movie adaptations of novels.  We decided that some are amazing, and some are horribly disappointing.  Some of our favorites were:

The Harry Potter series!  The filmmakers did such a great job casting these films and creating the setting that is true to the magic and wonder of the novels.  J.K. Rowling is proud, I'm sure!

Although I have not read Artemis Fowl, several kiddos in the Book Club have.  I need to add it to my stack of books that I want to read this summer!  

I have read The Golden Compass, but I have not seen the movie adaptation.  Again, several kiddos raved about it.

We love movies about young people taking charge and fighting for change!  The teens in "Hoot" do exactly that.   This is such a great movie, and a great book!

This is only a few of the ones we talked about in Book Club.  What are your favorite, or least favorite, movie adaptations of novels?  Comment below!

Winter Blues

I don't know about you, but all this snow and cold weather has got me feeling a bit dreary.  I am anxious for spring to arrive so I can work in my garden, go for runs outside, and go fishing.  In the meantime, I am using all this time indoors as an excuse to get a lot of reading done!  I recently read Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool.  I loved it!  If you enjoy reading historical fiction, you will love it!  It was very interesting.

I am in the middle of reading Insurgent by Veronica Roth.  Ms. Parsons has already finished the series, and I am anxious to catch up with her.  Also in the pile on my nightstand is Ship Out of Luck by Neal Shusterman and Mansfield Park by Jane Austen.  So much reading to do, such little time!  As much as I do not want to be going to school until the third week of June, a few more unexpected snow days would be a nice chance to spend a few hours reading.  

What are you reading?