9/28

HW due Monday:

1. If you didn't finish it during our 35 minutes of work-time in class today, you should finish your Zoo Tunnel Geologic Time Field Study Assignment this weekend. It is due at the start of class on Monday.

2. READ DAILY (including the weekend) for 20-30 minutes!!!!

9/27

HW due Friday:

1. Zoo Tunnel Geologic Time Field Study ASSIGNMENT Questions complete (questions 2, 3, and 4)

Share what we are working on with someone in your family --- Skunk Bear - Geologic Time in a Football Field

9/26

HW due Thursday:

1. Field study to the Zoo Tunnel MAX stop to study Geologic Time. Come prepared with warmth (it can get cold down there), a lunch and water, an engaged mind, and a positive attitude. I encourage you to share the TED ED Geologic Time video we watched today with folks in your family!

2. Age Poem Graphic Organizer #2 (scroll down to find Graphic Organizer #2... It is ok if #1 is incomplete) - Complete the graphic organizer related to a specific age you want to focus on in your Age Poem. Don't work on this for more than 22 minutes.

Geologic Time - An Exploration

Geologic Time - An Exploration

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/education/explorations/tours/geotime/index.html

If you finish the scavenger hunt early, complete the assigned Geologic Time NewsELA article in  your assignments.

9/25

HW due Wednesday:

1. Just Right Choice Fiction Novel Assignment #2
... Reminder to complete your connections WHILE you are reading your book and to include the page number

2. Back to School Night 6:00 - 8:00 --- Check in with your adults to see if they are coming. I'm looking forward to connecting with everyone's family!

9/24

HW due Tuesday:

1. Geologic Time - Introduction Article
a. Read the article and write down 3 things you learned about Geologic Time

2. Personal Poem 
a. If you didn't finish the Personal Poem in class today, finish this as HW

Wednesday = Back to School Night from 6:00 - 8:00

Thursday = field study to the Zoo Tunnel to extend our learning on Geologic Time

9/20

HW due Friday:

1. Mt. Tabor Field Study Assignment
a. Complete Assignment Questions 3 + 4

2. Picture Day is happening @ 12:40 tomorrow

Extra Credit: Tomorrow morning we are having a guest presentation in core class from Portland Metro called the Story of Stuff... Watch the 9 minute Story of Stuff video related to our presentation tomorrow and write down 2 ideas that stood out to you from the video and turn it into the HW bin for extra credit.

9/19

HW due Thursday:

1. Mt Tabor Field Study!!! Come prepared with appropriate clothes, lunch, and water bottle.
a. To build background knowledge, read through the Mt. Tabor Geology Brochure I handed out today in class, underline 4 geology vocab words you think you recognize, put ? next to anything that felt confusing, and list 3 details you understood at the bottom of the brochure.

2. Bring your Just Right Choice Fiction Reading Novel to class tomorrow morning.

9/18

HW due Wednesday:
1. Just Right Choice Fiction Novel Assignment 1 - Checking In

In case you didn't get a chance to complete this yesterday, here is access to Sarah Rosman's Ethics Reflection homework from yesterday (the questions are also on the previous blog post if you can't access them with that link)

Thursday = Mt. Tabor Field Study + Just Right Choice Fiction Novel in Class

9/17

HW due Tuesday:

1. Mudbone Grown Unity Farm Field Study Assignment

2. Sarah Rosman's Family Ethics Conversation + Worksheet

(in case you don't have the sheet, there are three questions that she wants you to address):
a. Ethics (moral principles) can be a complicated subject because everyone has their own code of ethics. Talk with your adult about what they value and what you value and how all like to be treated.
b. Discuss how your group identities (ability, gender identity, race, nationality, sexual orientation, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, religion/spirituality) may help influence your ethical beliefs and values.
c. Together, write down a family code of ethics.

Fall Literacy Check In - EasyCBM Instructions

1. Go to:  pps.or.easycbm.com
2. On student side, click on "click here"
3. In teacher login type: mjansa
4. Find your name on the drop down menu
5. Select test 1: FALL reading comprehension
6. Select test 2: FALL vocabulary
7. When done, smile and go explore the NewsELA website by logging in through Google using your PPS account info

9/14

Happy weekend folks! We will finish our Mudbone Grown Unity Farm Field Study Assignment in class Monday morning. You do not need to work on this over the weekend.

You should be reading 20-30 minutes each day this weekend. I recommend (but do not require) that you read your Just Right Choice Fiction Novel.

See you all on Monday!

Here is some exciting info about the middle school musical that starts this Wednesday, September 19th (anyone in middle school can participate!!! You just have to show up!): Middle School Musical INFO

9/13

Awesome field study today folks!!! I hope you went home with some dirt/mulch on your pants and hands!

HW due Friday:

1. Mudbone Grown Unity Farm Field Study Assignment
a. Assignment Questions only (You do not have to do the Essential Question... We will work on that tomorrow in class)

A couple of things that Shantae said today after lunch while talking about the story behind the farm...
"Food is the the cornerstone of culture" and "We are putting the culture back into agriculture!"

9/12

HW due Thursday:

1. We are going to Mudbone Grown Unity Farm. We will be leaving class around 9:00. Come prepared with a lunch (or get one from the cafeteria first thing in the morning), water bottle, your just right choice fiction book to read in class, weather appropriate clothes that can get dirty and muddy, and a positive attitude. Tomorrow is going to be awesome!

2. Read the Mudbone Grown Unity Farm articles and respond to the three questions

Extra Credit: In honor of our conversation this afternoon, what is your favorite line from the this very important and amazing and serious and not at all creepy song? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwgP2gCzSC4

9/11

Sorry for the late blog update today. I have meetings Tuesdays until 5:00. This is the blog is a back-up to your planner, not your planner...

HW due Wednesday:

1. Writing Territories --- Pick 1 writing territory from your list that we worked on in the Ideas section of our Writer's Workshop Journal today in class and write about it for 14 minutes. Don't worry about content, spelling, organization, etc... The goal is to simply practice writing on a topic you are an expert on (you!) for 14 minutes. If you choose to write longer than 14 minutes please make a note of that on your work.

Thursday we are headed to Mudbone Grown Unity Farm for our field study!

9/10

My bad for not updating this over the weekend. Sorry. As of right now, you are not going to be having any assigned weekend homework so long as you are reading 20-30 minutes daily (including on Saturday and Sunday).

HW due Tuesday:

1. Just Right Choice Fiction Novel
...Have your just right fiction novel in class tomorrow. This should be a fiction book that is a good fit for you (this includes graphic novels), that you have never read before, and that you can finish within 1 month. If this is going to be in class tomorrow you should communicate that with me before 8:40 am and have a plan for how you are going to get this book.

If you are still struggling to find a good fit book you should check out some of these options here: Books Middle Schoolers Should Read (I have many of these in my classroom)

2. Quote - Bring in a quote you stand for or a quote that you think best represents the way life should be lived.

...This quote can be written down, typed, printed. It can be from someone you know, someone you look up to, someone who is no longer living, or someone who is currently living (including your own self). It can be from a song or from a fictional character. It should be middle school appropriate. This quote will live on our wall all year long. Make sure you are willing to stand by it!

Here are some examples of quotes if you are struggling to come up with one: http://brightdrops.com/inspirational-quotes-for-kids

If you want more time to think about it you can have it as long as you let me know tomorrow before 8:40 (mjansa@pps.net).

9/6

HW due Friday:

1. Making Sense of Summer activity
...Use the rubric on the handout (and in the link above) as your guide. You can print, draw, paint, or bring in your artifact. Include a current event from your summer.
...You should spend at least 8 minutes on this tonight, even if you finished it at school since we worked on it for 30 minutes. You should spend no more than than 31 minutes on this tonight unless you want to add more.

9/5

HW due Thursday:

We are not going on a field study tomorrow.

1. Important Moments in My Reading History
...Follow the prompts on the worksheet to make sure you are responding to questions with detail and explanations. I will be collecting this at the start of class tomorrow.

2. Bring choice reading material to class tomorrow. We will always start Thursday (and Tuesday) with silent reading and it is expected that you have reading material that you are reading to engage in with you on those days.

3. We are going to the Belmont Library in the afternoon. If you want to check out a book, bring your library card (if you have one). If you don't have one and you have permission from a guardian we can help get one set up for you tomorrow. 

9/4

HW due Wednesday:

1. Moda Center Fountain Field Study Assignment
...A reminder to use the Field Study Assignment Rubric for your work and R.A.C.E. (Re-state + Answer + Cite Evidence + Explain) with at least two specific examples from the field study and a connection for your Essential Question

2. Perspective Card
...Create a 1/2 of paper with the word Perspective on it from your perspective. Meaning, write that word however you want on the card. The only requirement is that the word Perspective is somewhere on the card. You can do whatever; write, draw, paint, use technology, or anything else so long as the word is on the paper.

For Example:



We worked on this HW for 20 minutes in class this afternoon. I don't expect students to work on this for more than 32 minutes tonight unless you want to. If you have been working on your field study assignment for more than 32 minutes and you aren't finished, stop and email me (mjansa@pps.net) and we can set up a plan to finish the rest tomorrow.