Persuasive Writing

Class 702 analyzed the article, "Fashion Police" today, looking for ways in which sources in the article met the criteria for effective persuasive writing. They did a great job of analyzing the podcast from NPR in which a young man spoke of his recent distaste for those who wear sagging pants. Class 731 will hear that podcast Monday.

Next week, we will continue to analyze persuasive writing...looking at among other things:
Commercials aimed at teens
Public service announcements
Martin Luther King's famous speeches and letters

Homework: Class 702 Reading Logs due Monday
All: Read/Respond January 21.

Get ready for a great February!

Next Writing Unit...

Now that testing is over (WHEW!), we will begin to work on a persuasive writing unit. Students will select an idea, thing, person, or issue of which they feel very strongly -- and either write a speech, an essay, an editorial, or design persuasive artwork. We will examine a variety of persuasive, video clips, and other media.

731 has already begun to view some persuasive film clips and formulate ideas for speeches.

A note on the Reader's Sourcebooks: Nearly all of Class 702's books have been graded (and most returned). The average so far is a 90, a GIGANTIC improvement from the previous two Sourcebook checks. Keep up the great notetaking, classwork, and nightly reading responses. For model Sourcebooks, see Mrs. Marks. If your Sourcebook was not 100, view a classmate's whose was...and see what you can do to improve for next time.

Reading Logs due Friday, Jan. 30.

So Far, So Good

Day 1 of ELA testing is over, and we were impressed with everyone's focus and confidence. Tomorrow, you will complete Book 2, which measures listening, notetaking, short response, multiple choice, and editing skills.
Get a good night's rest and make sure to eat a healthy breakfast. We will see you bright and early Thursday morning!

Test Prep (and everyday) Skills

Today we learned several skills in small groups (731) and as a whole class (702). Among them were:
Author's Purpose
Literary Language
Vocabulary in Context
End Punctuation
Using the Right Word

We will continue to practice listening and taking notes tomorrow. The test is near...and Mrs. Moreno and I are impressed with your dedication to test prep and the improvement that you have shown by using the strategies you have learned since September and especially in the test prep unit.

Link to the 2008 Grade 7 ELA Exam

This link will take you to Books 1 and 2 of the Grade 7 2008 NY State ELA exam.
http://www.nysedregents.org/testing/elaei/08exams/home.htm
We have already reviewed the short answer section for the reading passage, "The Island". Print out the scoring key so that once you've taken test (have a parent time you according to the Teacher Directions), you and your parent can review the skills attached to each question and the correct answers, similar to the way we did in class.
We will continue to prepare for the test in class with exercises in editing, author's purpose, literary language and other skills.
Reader's Sourcebooks are being graded and may not be returned as promised by Friday, because Mrs. Marks is on the "testing committee" and will be very busy preparing the school's testing packets. You will have them as soon as I can return them. For now, complete your reading responses on loose-leaf.

We continued test sophistication by practicing editing and writing short responses. With only a few days left until the test, Mrs. Moreno and I are confident that you are well prepared. Keep up the focus!

Reader's Sourcebooks were collected and will be returned by Friday (the latest). Keep an eye on TeacherEase for comments.

A report on your performance on the practice ELA test we took last week is now available on Teacherease. We will be reviewing the tests in small groups to work on necessary skill sets.

Mrs. Marks' advisory will be working on our Sports Night banners on Thursday. We still need poster board (large oaktag) and markers. Bring your ideas!

Reminder; Reader's Sourcebooks due Monday

Reader's Sourcebooks are due Monday. Please make sure your reading responses are all done. You should have 5 for January and 16 for December. I will not be checking the remaining responses from November. Your responses should include the title of the book you are responding to, and a critical thinking response such as a prediction, reaction, or other inference. Summaries are not responses.

Interesting article about using comics and graphic novels in the classroom:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6624192.html?nid=3335

Practice Listening, Short Answer and Editing

Listening Practice
Parents and students this link takes you to the 2006 NY State ELA Listening Section text. Do not read it yourself, but rather have a parent or sibling read it to you twice while you take notes. http://www.nysedregents.org/testing/elaei/06exams/gr7ls.pdf

This is the link for Book 2. You can complete the short answers and editing section. http://www.nysedregents.org/testing/elaei/06exams/gr7bk2.pdf

2 Points

Class 702 practiced reading a passage from last year's ELA test and responding to a short answer prompt. I was impressed that many of you were annotating (or making notes, underlining, and/or highlighting) the passage as you read, and used the RAFT (restate the question, answer the question, give examples, tie it up) strategy to answer the prompt. Nearly the entire class earned 2/2 points. YAY. Tomorrow Class 702 will take the practice test from 2005. Book 1 will include multiple choice and short answer, while Book 2 will include listening and editing. Make sure you bring a pen or pencil (or two).

Class 731 took both parts of the practice test today. Mrs. Moreno and I scored Book 1 and will score Book 2 tomorrow. The results of both Books will be the basis of both class' periodic assessment, which will be available on Teacherease. The test scores WILL NOT count toward your classroom grade, but is, rather, a way for us to know what to expect on the real test. We will build our upcoming lessons on areas in which you still need help.

Homework: Read/Respond Jan. #3. Reader's Sourcebooks due Friday.

lol

haha very funny post mrs marks!

Practice Test

731 will take a practice ELA exam and 702 will take its on Thursday. We will use the skills we have learned so far, and the results will give Mrs. Moreno and I a good picture of the skills that still need to be strengthened. We will divide the class into small groups based on those needs.

In the final run before the test, we will practice listening, note-taking, making inferences, predictions, finding main idea, comparing and contrasting, restating prompt/answering/for example/tie it up (RAFT), recognizing author's purpose, editing, and other necessary skills to excel on the test

Homework: Read/Respond Jan. #2.
Please remember, Readers' Sourcebooks are due Friday. Submit your best effort!

Geared Up for the Test

Mrs. Moreno and I hope you all had a wonderful and restful break. Now it's back to business.

We are preparing for the ELA test (January 20-21). You will be able to use all of the strategies we have learned so far in class, plus the test sophistication strategies we are learning now, to excel on the assessment, which consists of reading comprehension, multiple choice questions, short answer questions, a listening portion with short answer questions, and an editing section.

We are also beginning a short but fun and beneficial expository writing unit, How-to-Guides. We will be evaluating how-to guides, including recipes, operating instructions, and other informational texts, and writing our own.

Readers' Sourcebooks are being collected Friday and will be graded according to the rubric. Please refer to the rubric to earn top points. Each time your Sourcebook is collected, you should show improvement and have corrected any previous weaknesses. This is the time to check that all your notes, classwork, and reading responses are complete and in order

Homework: Read/Respond Jan. #1.