31 October 2011
What's more frightening than Halloween? A test!! We will be having the test over Chapter 3 "The World's People" on Friday, November 4. We are finishing the chapter tomorrow, and will have a review sheet to help the students prepare for the test. Look for that review sheet on Wednesday. However, every assignment we have had in the past two weeks has been tied to the test. I went through the test last week and every question is related to the chapter vocabulary.
There is no homework today; who would do it anyway when trick-or-treating is on the agenda? Just keep reviewing the vocabulary from the chapter.
Thanks,
Cathy
Monday, October 31, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
28 October 2011
It's Friday! Go Red Arrows! CNN Student News!
We watched CNN Student News; ask your student about the soon-to-be 7 billion people on the face of Earth!!
We did Question of the Day, and the students turned in their "QotD" papers for credit.
Today Ms Lytle continued in Chapter 3, Section 2. This section discusses Economic Systems, an idea that will be expanded during the month of November.
*******There is HOMEWORK this weekend; a 10 question open-book, open-note quiz over Section 2. Remind your student that questions answered on previous pages of their booklet will probably help them answer the Quiz questions.*******
The test over Chapter 3 will be Friday, November 4.
Thanks,
Cathy
We watched CNN Student News; ask your student about the soon-to-be 7 billion people on the face of Earth!!
We did Question of the Day, and the students turned in their "QotD" papers for credit.
Today Ms Lytle continued in Chapter 3, Section 2. This section discusses Economic Systems, an idea that will be expanded during the month of November.
*******There is HOMEWORK this weekend; a 10 question open-book, open-note quiz over Section 2. Remind your student that questions answered on previous pages of their booklet will probably help them answer the Quiz questions.*******
The test over Chapter 3 will be Friday, November 4.
Thanks,
Cathy
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
26 October 2011
Greetings!
Ms Lytle and I were in a Department meeting all day Tuesday, but the sub said all the classes did a nice job. It's always a pleasure to come back to the classroom and read a positive report from the sub.
We are making our way through Chapter 3, with the test scheduled for Friday, November 4th. We are reviewing and introducing vocabulary on a daily basis, and yesterday the kids were given Vocabulary Flashcards. You should see a baggie full of Vocab Cards today.
The students started reading about different types of economic systems and will continue reading that section tomorrow.
Ms Lytle asked the kids to bring their Vocab Flashcards home today and study them for HOMEWORK. There will be Vocab Bingo tomorrow, and probably an open-book quiz over Section 2 by Friday.
Thanks,
Cathy
Ms Lytle and I were in a Department meeting all day Tuesday, but the sub said all the classes did a nice job. It's always a pleasure to come back to the classroom and read a positive report from the sub.
We are making our way through Chapter 3, with the test scheduled for Friday, November 4th. We are reviewing and introducing vocabulary on a daily basis, and yesterday the kids were given Vocabulary Flashcards. You should see a baggie full of Vocab Cards today.
The students started reading about different types of economic systems and will continue reading that section tomorrow.
Ms Lytle asked the kids to bring their Vocab Flashcards home today and study them for HOMEWORK. There will be Vocab Bingo tomorrow, and probably an open-book quiz over Section 2 by Friday.
Thanks,
Cathy
Monday, October 24, 2011
24 October 2011
Happy Monday!!
I know it's Monday, but at least the sun is shining!!
Today, the students started a new week of "Question of the Day" which will serve as a review of the vocabulary from Chapter 3. We are trying to help the kids understand the essence of each vocabulary word, not just the "book definition". These are terms that they will encounter in 7th Grade, too, so really understanding the terms now will serve them well in the future.
Ms Lytle is showing the students pictures of families from different cultures with a week's worth of groceries, and what the family spends on their groceries. It's an eye-opening experience for the kids to see how much, or how little, food is purchase by each family. The appearance of American food is interesting for them, too. We will continue to look at a few families each day this week.
There is no homework today; we are continuing to read Chapter 3. Tomorrow, I think we will be in Section 2-Economic Systems :-)
Cathy
I know it's Monday, but at least the sun is shining!!
Today, the students started a new week of "Question of the Day" which will serve as a review of the vocabulary from Chapter 3. We are trying to help the kids understand the essence of each vocabulary word, not just the "book definition". These are terms that they will encounter in 7th Grade, too, so really understanding the terms now will serve them well in the future.
Ms Lytle is showing the students pictures of families from different cultures with a week's worth of groceries, and what the family spends on their groceries. It's an eye-opening experience for the kids to see how much, or how little, food is purchase by each family. The appearance of American food is interesting for them, too. We will continue to look at a few families each day this week.
There is no homework today; we are continuing to read Chapter 3. Tomorrow, I think we will be in Section 2-Economic Systems :-)
Cathy
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Back to "Normal"!
20 October 2011
Today, we returned to our regular schedule, including GA. This is nice because it gives kids a chance to get started on homework.
Ms Lytle collected the Picture Vocabulary assignment, and unfortunately several students were not done with the assignment. Those students were "zapped" which means they had to spend their lunch working on their homework while eating their lunch.
As we move deeper into Chapter 3, there will be an assignment every day. Today the students received their "packet" which is all the work associated with Chapter 3 that will be on the test in some form. This chapter is FULL of vocabulary, but the vocabulary conveys the concepts of the chapter. It is very important that your student understand the concepts of the vocabulary; simply memorizing the vocabulary will not provide enough knowledge. In an effort to reinforce the understanding of vocabulary words, we have been using a vocabulary word each day as "Question of the Day".
The assignment for today is to do pages 1,2, and 3 in the Chapter 3 packet. Time was given in class to work on the assignments; pages 1 and 2 were done as group work. Work not completed during class will not be considered homework today, but unfinished work tomorrow will be homework :-)
Don't forget Conferences this evening from 4:00-8:00.
Cathy
Today, we returned to our regular schedule, including GA. This is nice because it gives kids a chance to get started on homework.
Ms Lytle collected the Picture Vocabulary assignment, and unfortunately several students were not done with the assignment. Those students were "zapped" which means they had to spend their lunch working on their homework while eating their lunch.
As we move deeper into Chapter 3, there will be an assignment every day. Today the students received their "packet" which is all the work associated with Chapter 3 that will be on the test in some form. This chapter is FULL of vocabulary, but the vocabulary conveys the concepts of the chapter. It is very important that your student understand the concepts of the vocabulary; simply memorizing the vocabulary will not provide enough knowledge. In an effort to reinforce the understanding of vocabulary words, we have been using a vocabulary word each day as "Question of the Day".
The assignment for today is to do pages 1,2, and 3 in the Chapter 3 packet. Time was given in class to work on the assignments; pages 1 and 2 were done as group work. Work not completed during class will not be considered homework today, but unfinished work tomorrow will be homework :-)
Don't forget Conferences this evening from 4:00-8:00.
Cathy
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
MEAP- The Last Day!
Today the kids took the last of their MEAP tests; Social Studies! That means after today the daily schedule will once again be "normal".
For the past two days, we have been reading pages 47-49 in the textbook, and drawing pictures to represent the vocabulary words from Section One. Classroom time was given yesterday, and students will have classroom time again today to work on this assignment. Any unfinished work will become HOMEWORK. The students were made aware of this yesterday :-)
We have tentatively planned for the Chapter 3 test to take place on Friday, November 4. This chapter is full of abstract concepts such as culture,culture traits, ethnocentrism, and economic systems. It would probably be to your child's advantage to read, and re-read, the chapter as we move through each section. The students will be receiving "booklets" this week which contain vocabulary activities and other work to help reinforce what is discussed in class. The booklet can also be found on my LMS web page under "Classroom Documents".
So...... your child may possibly have HOMEWORK tonight if vocabulary pictures are not completed during class today.
Thanks,
Cathy
For the past two days, we have been reading pages 47-49 in the textbook, and drawing pictures to represent the vocabulary words from Section One. Classroom time was given yesterday, and students will have classroom time again today to work on this assignment. Any unfinished work will become HOMEWORK. The students were made aware of this yesterday :-)
We have tentatively planned for the Chapter 3 test to take place on Friday, November 4. This chapter is full of abstract concepts such as culture,culture traits, ethnocentrism, and economic systems. It would probably be to your child's advantage to read, and re-read, the chapter as we move through each section. The students will be receiving "booklets" this week which contain vocabulary activities and other work to help reinforce what is discussed in class. The booklet can also be found on my LMS web page under "Classroom Documents".
So...... your child may possibly have HOMEWORK tonight if vocabulary pictures are not completed during class today.
Thanks,
Cathy
Friday, October 14, 2011
Friday!
Thanks to all the parents who attended Parent-Teacher Conferences last night! It's great to meet you and have a couple of minutes to talk about your child. I think everyone is off to a great start, and I'm expecting a wonderful year.
Today we did the following:
Watched CNN Student News
Watched a short movie "Bugs for Breakfast", as an introduction of foods from different cultures
Discussed vocabulary from Chapter 3, Section 1.
There is NO homework for the weekend, except for those students "fixing" atlas pages or maps :-)
Have a great weekend,
Cathy
Today we did the following:
Watched CNN Student News
Watched a short movie "Bugs for Breakfast", as an introduction of foods from different cultures
Discussed vocabulary from Chapter 3, Section 1.
There is NO homework for the weekend, except for those students "fixing" atlas pages or maps :-)
Have a great weekend,
Cathy
Thursday, October 13, 2011
"The World's People" Vocabulary
These are the vocabulary words that will be introduced, discussed, and tested, for Chapter 3 -"The World's People"
culture culture region culture traits ethnic groups multicultural race acculturation symbol ethnocentrism domestication subsistence agriculture commercial agriculture civilization
gross national product gross domestic product industrialized countries literacy rate
developing countries third-world countries free enterprise market economy command economy tradition-based economy mixed economy one-crop economy exports imports interdependence birthrate death rate population density overpopulation migration emigrant immigrant
globalization popular culture refugees famine humanitarian aid drought
Not every word will appear on the test, and we will be using this vocabulary extensively while teaching the concepts of the chapter.
Thanks,
Cathy
culture culture region culture traits ethnic groups multicultural race acculturation symbol ethnocentrism domestication subsistence agriculture commercial agriculture civilization
gross national product gross domestic product industrialized countries literacy rate
developing countries third-world countries free enterprise market economy command economy tradition-based economy mixed economy one-crop economy exports imports interdependence birthrate death rate population density overpopulation migration emigrant immigrant
globalization popular culture refugees famine humanitarian aid drought
Not every word will appear on the test, and we will be using this vocabulary extensively while teaching the concepts of the chapter.
Thanks,
Cathy
Thursday, October 13
First, a reminder that conferences take place today from 4:00-7:30. ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies teachers will be in the Gym, and conferences are on a "first come" basis. Please limit your conference time to five minutes; if you need more time, I will be happy to meet with you during my planning time - 10:50-11:35 daily. A second evening of conferences will be Thursday, October 20 from 4:00-8:00. I hope to see you there :-)
Today, Ms Lytle continued the "Culture" activity as an introduction to Chapter 3 "The World's People". The students have been investigating/observing items from several different countries and recording information about the items. The class then discusses possible uses for each item.
Chapter 3 is a "Vocabulary Heavy" chapter, so I am going to post the vocabulary words separately from the "daily chatter" of the blog. It is an interesting chapter that includes a general overview of the meaning of culture, economic terms, and a discussion of globalization. It is one of my favorite chapters in the book!
Cathy
Today, Ms Lytle continued the "Culture" activity as an introduction to Chapter 3 "The World's People". The students have been investigating/observing items from several different countries and recording information about the items. The class then discusses possible uses for each item.
Chapter 3 is a "Vocabulary Heavy" chapter, so I am going to post the vocabulary words separately from the "daily chatter" of the blog. It is an interesting chapter that includes a general overview of the meaning of culture, economic terms, and a discussion of globalization. It is one of my favorite chapters in the book!
Cathy
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
MEAP Testing
Again today we started with MEAP testing; Day 2 of the Reading test.
Ms Lytle introduced Chapter 3 by doing a great "Culture Bags" activity, so be sure to ask your child about it this evening :-)
There is no homework today, unless your child needs to complete Atlas booklet pages. We are, in theory, done with the atlas booklet and grades will be entered soon. We are not done, however, using an atlas. We will re-visit the atlas many times during the school year.
Enjoy the last nice day of summer-like weather. I hear "true autumn" is about to open its door.
Cathy
Ms Lytle introduced Chapter 3 by doing a great "Culture Bags" activity, so be sure to ask your child about it this evening :-)
There is no homework today, unless your child needs to complete Atlas booklet pages. We are, in theory, done with the atlas booklet and grades will be entered soon. We are not done, however, using an atlas. We will re-visit the atlas many times during the school year.
Enjoy the last nice day of summer-like weather. I hear "true autumn" is about to open its door.
Cathy
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
MEAP Testing
All LMS students will be taking the MEAP test for the next two days, October 11 & 12. We will also be taking MEAP tests next Tuesday and Wednesday, October 18 & 19. We are testing each morning from from 7:41-9:30. I encourage you to make sure your child gets plenty of sleep and a healthy breakfast everyday, but is especially important prior to a test.
We are completing our Atlas booklets today! Working with an atlas teaches one how to read and interpret maps, graphs, tables, and charts. This is a skill students need for every subject, and working with maps can make this task more interesting. Students are familiar with a map of the United States, so incorporating those skills often seems more meaningful. We will continue to use maps, charts, and graphs throughout the year.
Ms Lytle introduced Chapter 3, "The World's People" today. Chapter 3 is a "fun" chapter; the students will look at different cultures of the world, learn a little about economic systems, and take a look at globalization.
There is no homework tonight.
Thanks,
Mrs. Wood
We are completing our Atlas booklets today! Working with an atlas teaches one how to read and interpret maps, graphs, tables, and charts. This is a skill students need for every subject, and working with maps can make this task more interesting. Students are familiar with a map of the United States, so incorporating those skills often seems more meaningful. We will continue to use maps, charts, and graphs throughout the year.
Ms Lytle introduced Chapter 3, "The World's People" today. Chapter 3 is a "fun" chapter; the students will look at different cultures of the world, learn a little about economic systems, and take a look at globalization.
There is no homework tonight.
Thanks,
Mrs. Wood
Monday, October 10, 2011
Monday, October 10, 2011
Today, we had a Fire Drill 2nd hour! Great excitement :-)
We started a new series of "Question of the Day", which we use as a review tool. We do collect the QotD and record as a grade. A student earns full credit simply by answering the question each day and turning in the paper at the end of the day. Correct answers are provided for the students, too, so this should be an easy grade for everyone to earn!
We watched CNN Student News and finished our Atlas work. We started correcting pages 7-10.
Ms Lytle, my student teacher, is taking on more and more of the classroom "leadership". She is doing an excellent job, and you can feel confident knowing that she is making the kids do exactly what I would be asking of them.
We started a new series of "Question of the Day", which we use as a review tool. We do collect the QotD and record as a grade. A student earns full credit simply by answering the question each day and turning in the paper at the end of the day. Correct answers are provided for the students, too, so this should be an easy grade for everyone to earn!
We watched CNN Student News and finished our Atlas work. We started correcting pages 7-10.
Ms Lytle, my student teacher, is taking on more and more of the classroom "leadership". She is doing an excellent job, and you can feel confident knowing that she is making the kids do exactly what I would be asking of them.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Today, we did the following:
Watched CNN Student News
Corrected an Open-book quiz the students did on Thursday
Corrected pages 13 & 14 in the Atlas booklet
Continued working in the Atlas booklet, pages 7,8,9,& 10 - these are homework if not completed in class :-)
Have fun at Homecoming!! Go Red Arrows! Go Tigers!
Today, we did the following:
Watched CNN Student News
Corrected an Open-book quiz the students did on Thursday
Corrected pages 13 & 14 in the Atlas booklet
Continued working in the Atlas booklet, pages 7,8,9,& 10 - these are homework if not completed in class :-)
Have fun at Homecoming!! Go Red Arrows! Go Tigers!