No More Rootin' Tootin' Vocab!

It's true, I have discontinued the monthly project: Rootin' Tootin' Vocab. While I still see the value in learning Latin and Greek roots, this project was not meeting the goals I set for it. Ultimately, I wanted students to learn the roots and find examples of them in their everyday lives. As I reviewed the results (and the projects turned in) I saw the need for a change. We will continue our daily Latin and Greek root word work, but for now, Rootin' Tootin' vocab is on hold. I will be revising the project and will provide eighth graders with new instructions soon.

Report Cards Go Home!

Report Cards for the first marking period went home today, November 2, 2007. Included in the envelope was an announcement of conference times. Parents, please feel free to drop in to visit with us Monday or Tuesday November 19th and 20th. We like the opportunity to talk with you and plan for the success of your children! See you then.

Writer Speaks!

What a cool day we had today with the visit from a guest speaker who is a teacher and writer. Ms. KDB talked with my kids about audience awareness and the importance of writing to be heard. We began the class with discussion about instant messaging and all its "code words." In an editing exercise, students translated a sample email message from a teacher to his/her principal that included way too many slang IM codes like SFSG (so far so good) and BTW (by the way). They practiced writing letters in this code and tried translating each other's cryptic messages. We went on to begin an Alphabiography project which will be due on October 4. This assignment asks students to choose a minimum of ten letters of the alphabet. For each letter, they list a word (N=niece), and tell a story about this word that ends with a lesson. Because I feel that I cannot ask my students to write without also making an attempt myself, I started my own Alphabiography. One thing I discovered was that as I began jotting down notes for the letters I chose, other letters came to me at a rapid pace. It seems as though life is full of lessons once we start thinking!
I have been enjoying this year so much-- with even more attention dedicated to writing. It has been really neat to have discussions with my students about such a variety of topics-- the new schedule (96 minute blocks!) affords us time to really talk as a method of prewriting. I love the looks on their faces when I say, "We're going to write, put your pencils down."
Ms. KDB will be in class with us two more times this year and I am really looking forward to those days. She is a dynamic, interesting person! Thanks, K!

Open House a Success

Tonight was open house at Ashford School. What a fun chance to chat with families of my students. While waiting, families were encouraged to try to find their eighth grader's "Who am I?" answer--a paragraph written with clues to identify them. I enjoyed meeting parents and becoming reacquainted with families I've known for years. My overall goal of a fun evening was definitely fulfilled!

Any families who were not able to attend are encouraged to be in contact with me with any questions or concerns!

Is it time already?

Well... welcome back! There are many, many changes at Ashford School this year-- especially in the junior high! First, we are switching to a block schedule, which will give us LOTS more time with our students in big chunks of time. On Mondays, we'll see everyone and the rest of the week we'll see students every other day for 100 minute periods.
Another big change involves the addition of several seventh grade teachers--this means that we will not be teaching across grade levels. While I am a little sad that I won't have students for two years, I am really looking forward to being able to direct my planning and prep attention to the eighth grade curriculum.
I hope everyone had a wonderful summer-- relaxing and restful. If you are a student, I'll see you on Wednesday!

Congrats to high school grads!

Just wanted to say congratulations and best wishes to our Ashford Alums who recently graduated from high school. This group of students was my first class (my first August to June kids!) and I have enjoyed keeping in touch with them as they travelled through high school.

Class of '03&'07: Remember The Guy in the Glass and continue to make me proud!
Way to go: SA, JB, NB, KB, CB, DB, Ant, MB, AB, GC, AC, JC, CC, TC, JC, DD, MD, KD, RD, AEP, SE, JF, KF, AJ, LF, KF, TF, BF, CF, JG, MG, BG, BG, JH, EH, VH, AH, GV, AJ, AJ, SK, KK, DK (way to go, teacher!), AL, JL, RL, DMcK, MMe, MMo, JN, CO, MP, BP, CR, KR, CR, MR, GR, TR, AR, VR, CS, JS, KS, MS, PV, KW, CW, JZ and AZ.

Eighth Graders Enjoy Class Picnic

What a total blast we had today at Holiday Hill on our class picnic! Students enjoyed the pool, played volleyball, whiffleball, basketball-- you name it! The sun was hot, juice and water were available and spirits were really high. Some kids were sunburned, everyone was tired... it was a really fun way to end the year. Tomorrow is our exit assembly and then we say goodbye to our students!

Congratulations Class of 2007

Last night our class of 2007 had their "Class Night" and were graduated from our school. The kids were awesome--we practiced all day (literally, all day!) and, in spite of our exhaustion, we all stayed sane! Speeches were delivered by Mr. Breault, our Superintendent; Mrs. Johndrow, our principal; and Mrs. Olson, Chair of the Board of Education as well as Colleen E., Chris N., and Ryan B. all graduates. Sterling Y. led the assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance. The Junior High Chorus sang a beautiful version of Sarah MacLaughlan's "I Will Remember You." Graduates were reminded to set their goals high, strive to reach them and remember to take part in community service--no matter what it might be.
As their teachers and eighth grade co-advisors, we were proud and thrilled to send this class off into the world!

Congratulations Class of 2007!


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SWINGS and Eighth Graders--a Winnning Combination!

Today the eighth graders shared their leadership talents with our first and second graders at SWINGS. Some eighth graders led activities (buddy walkers, alphabet soup, etc.) and some traveled with a group of students. It was a blast to see my students lead and interact with the little kids. We teachers enjoyed the day travelling among groups, helping out when needed, but mostly sitting back and watching our leaders shine. The eighth graders (as always!) impressed me tremendously with their dedication and creativity. It is hard to believe we only have 5 1/2 days left with these amazing kids. I will miss them!

E.O. Smith Campaign to Save Darfur a Success

From 1pm to 9pm yesterday, E.O. Smith produced a huge fund-raising event to provide aid to Darfur. There was face painting, GREAT bands, true fellow-ship and fun times. The event was created by a group of Seniors and put into action by many, many E.O. Smith students. Teachers and Students manned informational booths, auctions and games. Student bands performed on several stages. We are so proud of the Ashford School Alums who helped to create this amazing day!

Midnight Beach: Wonderful Eighth Grade Dance

The young men and ladies who entered the cafeteria on Friday night were not the same eighth graders who filled the halls during the school day! From the seventh grade hosts--including the VERY talented and successful dance committee!-- to the soon-to-be-leaving-us eighth graders, the style and grace was astounding! The cafeteria was decorated with cool blue colors, palm trees and white lights. The food included fruit platters, munchies and cake. A DJ played great music that encouraged lots of dancing. It was a wonderful evening for us chaperones!

Seventh Graders visit Bluff Point

WOW! What a great day I had accompanying the seventh grade class to Bluff Point in Groton. In addition to thoroughly enjoying the time I got to spend with some AWESOME kids, I got to experience some really cool science in action.
We hiked on some beautiful trails until we came upon an estuary where we used seine nets to explore the aquatic nursery environment. What did we see? Tons of snails, crabs, grass shrimp, flounder and even a baby squid. (Did you know they change color?!) We saw the carcasses of TWO horseshoe crabs, too! The kids got wet, measured salinity, turbidity and took notes on wind speed, temperature and wildlife. Then, we marched out of the estuary and enjoyed time on the beaches where we continued to search for wildlife. The area was, at one time, an oyster bed-- The hurricane of 1938 did major damage, and after a hike through the woods, visitors can see the remains of a foundation.
This post is sort of stream-of-consciousness because I am still reeling (pun intended) from the great day...
We topped it off with yummy ice cream sandwiches from Dairy Queen.
Loved this trip!

Creative Writing in Seventh Grade!

Seventh graders are working on a creative writing unit that allows them to express their talents through poetry, short (and long!) stories and other written work. Some of the lessons we have completed together include "If you want to get to know me" poems, poems about a most cherished item and odes to everyday items! Given the sentence, "He shaved his head." students were told to use it as either the first or last sentence of a short story. We typically share our work for about ten minutes at the end of each period--students can choose to share or not, but everyone is expected to share something before the end of the unit. Even I share some of my writing! We will be compiling a book as the unit comes to a close for each student to take home. Be sure to ask your seventh grader about it!

Eighth graders enjoying Shakespeare

We are currently delighting in the humor of "Bill the Bard" here in room 36. As we read Twelfth Night, we laugh at the antics of Sir Toby and Sir Andrew and the snobbishness (is that a word?!) of Malvolio. Of course, it wouldn't be Mrs. Lindsay's class if we didn't also discuss the root word "Mal" and what it implies about Malvolio. We have dissected the love triangle and made predictions as to how Viola will get out of her mess. Ask your eighth grader to fill you in!

Eighth Graders to Wrap up Parts of Speech Unit

The eighth graders have completed their projects and have been reviewing for the parts of speech test tomorrow. I am trying a new format on this test where students get to choose their own questions. I have provided over 200 points worth of questions and test-takers must choose a pre-determined number of points. We've been reviewing like crazy in hopes of scoring BIG on this one.

E.O. Smith Poet Visits

As part of her Senior Project, local Senior Devin K. shared her love of poetry with my lucky kids. On the first day, Devin shared some of her own performance poetry and reviewed some of the basics of poetry. Students wrote Haiku poems to warm up their brains. Devin visited a couple more times and encouraged and taught seventh and eighth graders to write poems based on vivid memories. From being pulled down the road by a huge dog on a leash (but I did not let go...) to playing softball, the imagery was great. We read William Carlos Williams' poem "This is Just to Say" and Ken Koch's "Variations on a Theme by William Carlos Williams" and then proceded to write our own "non-apologies." Students wrote about their fabulous selves in some ego-boost poems. Today, we covered groups of desks with sheets and a candle and hosted our own coffee house. Some classes opted to create a "Slam" and welcomed judging and scoring while others preferred to just share their work. It was a great day and a neat opportunity for me. Thanks so much to Devin for sharing her amazing talent us!

Units of Study

Eighth Grade

Eighth graders cover a variety of topics, from a parts of speech review unit to a new classic, "Mr. and Mrs. Lindsay go on Vacation."

Parts of Speech Review

Culminating in a fun, whole-class project, eighth graders review the parts of speech through note-taking, daily homework and quizzes. At the end of this unit, students form groups and create a review game for their class. This fun in-class project results in internalization of the parts of speech and their subcategories because when we teach a topic, we also learn it!

Persuasive Writing

In addition to a variety of journal prompts and other writing samples, eighth graders create a guide for persuasive writing. Guides may take the form of a Power Point presentation, a written handbook, or an oral presentation. Not only are students practicing the skills they acquire, they share their knowledge with others.

Mr. & Mrs. Lindsay go on Vacation

Incorporating writing and research, eighth graders determine where Mr. & Mrs. Lindsay will head to for a long-weekend getaway. This projet spans several months and starts with researching a vacation site. Upon choosing the location, students compose formal letters to solicit information. When the information arrives, it is studied and compiled into a brochure. Accompanying the brochure must be a several page persuasive letter to Mr. & Mrs. Lindsay enticing us to visit the selected spot.

Novels

The highlight of the eighth grade year is when we read Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. This incredible story encourages great class discussion about racism, prejudice, social opinions, friendship, family and what it means to be a hero. Families are strongly encouraged to read this amazing book with their eighth grader.

If time permits, eighth graders study Michelle Magorian's novel, Goodnight Mr. Tom. This wonderful book focuses on British evacuees at the start of World War II. The discussions we have are passionate and interesting.

Shakespeare

As the year ends, Shakespeare begins. This extremely fun, informative and opinion-altering unit includes the study of Shakespeare's world, history and sense of humor. Students complete research, perform his work and are exposed to "Bill the Bard" in a unique way. While students are exposed to the language of the time, the majority of this unit is studied in modern language.Eighth graders read Twelfth Night and/or A Midsummer Night's Dream in the dramatic form and other Shakespearean classics in prose form.

Seventh Grade

Study Skills

Seventh graders review the sections of a textbook and how to use them effectively in their studies. Topics include maps, illustratins, graphs and charts, glossary and index, table of contents. We also discuss organizational techniques and other ways to study successfully.

Elements of the Short Story

Through short stories like The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving, The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant, Mark Twain's The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs and Edgar Allen Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart, we explore the elements of a short story. Topics include Freytag's Pyramid, conflict, mood, plot, setting, theme, tone and characterization.

Persuasive Writing

Students are encouraged to develop their persuasive writing skills through a variety of mediums. Experience with word processing, tools like MyAccess, and Connecticut Mastery Test-like prompts, helps seventh graders improve their writing through practice. Promts may be linked to the unit of study or may be issued independently.

Drama

Through the reading and performance of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, students study the elements of drama. Topics include stage setting, scripting, performance. In addition to reading and performing this classic tale, students enjoy watching a feature film version for comparison.

Novels

Seventh graders read whole-class novels in language arts as well as short stories and plays. Together we explore utopian society through Lois Lowry's The Giver. To help prepare students' for the eigth grade curriculum, we also study Mildred Taylor's, Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry. If there is additional time, we also enjoy John Steinbeck's The Pearl.

Poetry

The exploration of poetry includes topics such as figurative language, techniques of poetry and the opportunity to write a variety poems in various form (haiku, cinquain). Students are exposed to poetry from the classics to the modern.

Creative Writing

As the year draws to a close, seventh graders indulge themselves in a creative writing unit. Together we create a book that includes samples of students' writings and/or drawings.Throughout the year both seventh and eighth graders study vocabulary, grammar, spelling, writing mechanics and a plethora of other topics.

Classroom Expectations

A. Class Preparation- You will need to bring the following to class:1. Loose-leaf binder: You will be taking notes in class and will want a place to store those notes as well as your returned homework, tests and quizzes. I recommend you save everything as you can expect to see it all later on quizzes and tests.
2. Textbook- Unless otherwise indicated you must have your textbook with you at all times. Textbooks must be covered. When we read novels, you must bring your novel to class with you.
3. Pen or pencil- it is important that you are always prepared for class. Please sharpen your pencil before class starts. You may use blue ink, black ink or pencil. Work done in colors other than blue, black or pencil will be returned ungraded.
B. Grades- Your grade for the marking periods and for the year will be determined by your performance on tests, quizzes and pop quizzes, homework, papers, writing samples, journal work and the "daily oral language" activities we perform in class. You will also be expected to participate in class discussions and when required, present in front of the class.
C. Homework- Homework in language arts will often consist of reading and writing. Our class discussions will be based on the material you were assigned to read the previous evening. Writing assignments will be collected and you may have the opportunity to share your work with the class.
1. Failure to complete homework will result in your being assigned to the eighth period homework study. Late work will be due the day after the assigned homework study. It is your responsibility to get the work to me. 2. Homework will not be accepted later than the date it is due without a note from a parent.
D. Journals- Students will complete writing prompts on a regular basis. These prompts are your opportunity to answer some questions candidly. They are not scored for editing or writing, but for completion and effort. Journals are collected periodically (typically every two weeks.)
E. Additional Information-
1. Participation: I am a firm believer that you get from class exactly what you put into it. Participation will affect your grade. 2. Attitude: Your attitude is important to your success in language arts. Be positive and try new things this year.3. Extra credit: As a rule I do not assign extra credit. In special circumstances I may allow you to do extra credit. Please see me with your specific details and reasons for wanting extra credit. Extra credit will only be allowed if you have worked hard during the marking period but are still struggling. I will not approve extra credit work in place of work that you simply did not do.
F. Questions & Concerns- Please always ask questions if you have them. There are no "stupid" questions. If you don't understand something, please ask for help. I am available during the day or after school for extra help. If you have concerns about language arts, please come to me. We need to address any and all issues before they become bigger problems. Please do not wait until the last minute.
G. A note on plagiarism and cheating. In language arts we do a lot of writing projects. This makes it necessary to address the issue of plagiarism. Webster defines plagiarism as: "to take ideas, writings etc. from another and offer them as one's own." Plagiarism is considered cheating and will not be tolerated. Any student caught cheating will immediately receive a zero for their work. If you feel you are under too much pressure to do your own work, see me before you resort to cheating.