Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Name That Structure!

What are the signal words and other words and phrases that help you recognize the structure of each of these paragraphs?  
What structure is being used in each paragraph? 


     There are several reasons why so many people attend the Olympia games or watch them on television. One reason is tradition. The name Olympics and the torch and flame remind people of the ancient games. People can escape the ordinariness of daily life by attending or watching the Olympics. They like to identify with someone else’s individual sacrifice and accomplishment. National pride is another reason, and an athlete’s or a team’s hard-earned victory becomes a nation’s victory. There are national medal counts and people keep track of how many medals their country’s athletes have won. 









     The Olympic symbol consists of five interlocking rings. The rings represent the five areas—Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America—from which athletes come to compete in the games. The rings are colored black, blue, green, red, and yellow. At least one of those colors is found in the flag of every country sending athletes to compete in the Olympic games. 








     One problem with the modern Olympics is that it has become very big and expensive to operate. The city or country that hosts the games often loses a lot of money. A stadium, pools, and playing fields must be built for the athletic events and housing is needed for the athletes who come from around the world. And all of these facilities are used for only two weeks! In 1984 Los Angeles solved these problems by charging a fee for companies who wanted to be official sponsors of the games. Companies like McDonald’s paid a lot of money to be part of the Olympics. Many buildings that were already built in Los Angeles area were also used. The coliseum where the 1932 games were held was used again and many colleges and universities in the area became playing and living areas.







     The modern Olympics is very unlike the ancient Olympic games. Individual events are different. While there were no swimming races in the ancient games, for example, there were chariot races. There were no female contestants and all athletes competed in the nude. Of course, the ancient and modern Olympics are also alike in many ways. Some events, such as the javelin and discus throws are the same. Some people say that cheating, professionalism, and nationalism in the modern games are a disgrace to the Olympic tradition. But according to the ancient Greek writers, there were many cases of cheating, nationalism and professionalism in their Olympics, too.










     The Olympic games began as athletic festivals to honor the Greek gods. The most important festival was held in the valley of Olympia to honor Zeus, the king of the gods. It was the festival that became the Olympic games in 776 B.C. These games were ended in A.D. 394 by the Roman Emperor who ruled Greece. No Olympic games were held for more than 1,500 years. Then the modern Olympics began in 1896. Almost 300 male athletes competed in the first modern Olympics. In the games held in 1900, female athletes where allowed to compete. The games have continued every four years since 1896 except during World War II and they will most likely continue for many years to come. 




Key for Name that Structure

Wednesday/Thursday, October 1/2, 2014

Announcements and Reminders:
Book Orders Due by October 3. 

When you receive your graded book project, if you need to redo it, or wish to for more points, attach your new copy to the graded one. 

When I point out spelling words you should learn, copy them into your composition book on the page for editing tips for you (page 39+). 

To prepare for the available retake on Text Structure, see the teacher for a practice packet.  Identify the text structures of the paragraphs, and afterward we'll talk about them.

Sign up for your Contemporary Realistic Fiction Book by October 1 (A-Day), October 2 (B-Day) -- today! 


Mini-Lessons from the Aug/Sept. Book Project 


___________________________________


1. iRead -- Individual Reading Time (10-15 minutes)  
This month's book assignment is based on Realistic Fiction.  Realistic fiction books are gathered in the front of the classroom.  

2. Finish and present posters: 


Back to How They Croaked
  1. Make sure you have a complete sentence for your central idea.  Check your tape-in for what a central idea sentence needs. 
  2. Check it off with Ms. Dorsey.
  3. Make your poster. Include central idea, details, vocabulary, and illustrations. 
  4. Prepare to present your poster. 
  5. Present.
  6. Fill out your group work evaluation.

Suggested Jobs for Team Members
All read chapter, answer questions, collect details to share, and
create a central idea for the chapter.
Group Member #1
Group Member #2
Group Member #3
Group Member #4
write the central idea on the poster
write interesting details on the poster
prepare the vocabulary words to put on the poster
draw illustrations for the poster


Finding Central Idea in the first chapter from How They Croaked


Headline = Central Idea (a complete sentence)
Interesting quick facts that support that central idea
(You may add illustrations, too!)

Vocabulary with definitions (words that 7th graders likely wouldn't know)


Vocabulary
Some Words We Learned
Word
Meaning








3. Spelling:  



here/hear

How long have you been here?

I can't hear you.








4. Parts of Speech:  Verbs  

Schoolhouse Rock



A1 finished posters and presenting, copied spelling, watched Schoolhouse Rock.
B5  finished posters and watched Schoolhouse Rock.
B6 finished posters and watched the videos and reviewed the information and did the practice sentences for tickets up through #11 of 12. 
B7  

 

Taking the RI Test

Taking the RI –  Reading Inventory
 Instructions and FAQ


Getting in:
 Log onto a computer and wait. 

Perhaps the computer lab aide will set up the RI for you to use.
If not, see the poster on the wall.
The username is your student number. The password is the student number followed by the @ symbol, followed by capitol A lower case fjh.
Username: Student #
Password: Student#@Afjh  (Notice the upper and lower case.)

Book Categories: Select three book categories at the beginning of the test.  Click on three categories you like.  If you want to change, click to unselect one, then select a different one.

Practice Test: Take even the practice test seriously.  It is part of the test.

Skip: Yes, a skip does take off just a few points, but if you have absolutely no idea what
the answer is, it is better to skip than to make an uneducated guess.

“How Long is this test”: Different students are given different numbers of questions, so I can’t tell you how long the test will take for you.  The usual time is around twenty to thirty minutes.  If you get so tired of taking the test that you stop taking it seriously, exit and finish later, perhaps during Cave Time. 

How does the RI work? The RI gives a student a passage. If the student correctly answers a multiple-choice question, it moves to a higher-level passage. If the student misses, it moves lower.
It’s like on “The Price is Right” when a contestant is trying to guess a price, and is told “Higher,” “Lower.” “Higher,” etc. It keeps going until the student is matched with a reading level at which he or she is understanding 75% of the time.

Can I take this from home? This is not available generally on the Internet (as is MyAccess), but must be taken on one of the computers at our school that has the needed software installed.  Expect to take the test again toward the end of the school year.
Your English or reading teacher may ask you to take it again before then to more accurately determine your reading level, or to check for changes midyear. 

If you need to exit the test before you are done: A student can exit an unfinished
test, and it will be saved for later if you  press the escape key then follow directions on screen (click yes and yes).  When you resume the test the program will tell you that you are resuming a previously saved test and can continue from where you left off.


Preview or Print at the end of the test: Yes.  Look at the preview and then you may print if you’d like to take the list of books (and your lexile level/score) with you.  You do not need to print for the teacher. 



Grade
Band
Former
Lexile Band
"Stretch"
Lexile Band*
 K–1 N/AN/A
 2–3 450L–725L420L–820L
 4–5 645L–845L740L–1010L
 6–8860L–1010L925L–1185L
9-10960L–1115L1050L–1335L
11–CCR 1070L–1220L1185L–1385L


To learn more, and to find books that match your reading level, go to lexile.com.

SRI Tests and Lexile Scores

When we take the SRI test in the computer lab, the program determines a lexile level for the student.  The student level matches him or her with books that have also been leveled.

Taking the SRI Test


Lexile levels -- Old Lexile Band

950 to 1025 is At Grade Level for seventh grade,  Proficient, Norm 49-62%


Below 550 is Below Grade Level, At Risk, Norm 1-6%
550 to 750 is Below Grade Level, Basic 1, Norm 6-21%
750 to 850 is Below Grade Level, Basic 2, Norm 21-34%
850 to 950 is At Grade Level, Low Proficient, Norm 34-49%
950 to 1025 is At Grade Level, Proficient, Norm 49-62% 
1025 to 1100 is At Grade Level, High Proficient, Norm 62-76%
1100 and above is Above Grade Level, Norm 76% and above

Note: Lexile Levels are being readjusted for the new State and National Core Curriculum.
http://www.lexile.com/using-lexile/lexile-measures-and-the-ccssi/text-complexity-grade-bands-and-lexile-ranges/

Grade
Band
Current
Lexile Band
"Stretch"
Lexile Band*
 K–1 N/AN/A
 2–3 450L–725L420L–820L
 4–5 645L–845L740L–1010L
 6–8860L–1010L925L–1185L
9-10960L–1115L1050L–1335L
11–CCR 1070L–1220L1185L–1385L


To learn more, and to find books that match your reading level, go to lexile.com.

originally published 1-29-11 
revised 8-30-11

Friday, September 26, 2014

Monday/Tuesday, September 29/30, 2014

Book Orders Due by October 3. 

When you receive your graded book project, if you need to redo it, or wish to for more points, attach your new copy to the graded one. 

When I point out spelling words you should learn, copy them into your composition book on the page for editing tips for yo(page 39+)

To prepare for the available retake on Text Structure, see the teacher for a practice packet.  Identify the text structures of the paragraphs, and afterward we'll talk about them. 


Mini-Lessons from the Aug/Sept. Book Project


Sign up for your Realistic Fiction Book by October 1 (A-Day), October 2 (B-Day).


1. iRead -- Individual Reading Time (10-15 minutes)  
This month's book assignment is based on Realistic Fiction.  Realistic fiction books are gathered in the front of the classroom.  



2. Spelling Test on our second set of words, with a bit of review on the first set.


Do not mark on the test paper.  
Use the bubble sheet to indicate your answers. 









3. iWriteRight -- 


CSI  American Fork


Now Investigating:  Conventions in Sentences Investigation
Your sentence:
Copy the sentence.






"I could have screamed, but I didn't. I could have fought, but I didn't." 

 -  Maggie Stiefvater Shiver p. 1
Shiver is the first book in The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater, and is about werewolves. This is a popular series with teens. There is some "mature" material.  
      

What do you notice?
Click on the link below, and follow the directions.

The Compound Sentence





Back to How They Croaked
Make sure you have a complete sentence for your central idea.  Check your tape-in for what a central idea sentence needs. 
Check it off with Ms. Dorsey.
Make your poster.
Prepare to present your poster.


Suggested Jobs for Team Members
All read chapter, answer questions, collect details to share, and
create a central idea for the chapter.
Group Member #1
Group Member #2
Group Member #3
Group Member #4
write the central idea on the poster
write interesting details on the poster
prepare the vocabulary words to put on the poster
draw illustrations for the poster


Finding Central Idea in the first chapter from How They Croaked


Headline = Central Idea (a complete sentence)
Interesting facts that support that central idea
(You may add illustrations, too!)


Vocabulary:


Vocabulary
Some Words We Learned
Word
Meaning