WEEK OF 5/31-Monday June 7th

• We had a great week last week. Our visit to Joseph's farm was hot but very fun. We learned a lot about animals and the food we eat. The student's had a chance to hold the animals and do some of the farm chores. We really enjoyed ourselves.

• Monday, May 31st, Memorial Day-No school.
  

• Tuesday June 1st: This is our last school day! I will be giving one final grammar quiz to the students on noun clauses, run-ons and combining sentences. Hopefully this quiz will help everyone's writing grade since we worked on the exercises in class and everyone had plenty of opportunity to ask questions and should be very comfortable with these concepts. We are also doing a pot luck lunch today.
  

• Everyone is bringing in something to share. This is what your child signed up for:

Chuckie-Watermelon
Sam-cookies and pizza
Harry-Quesadilla and chocolate sauce
Geoff-The super, special awesome cake and M & M's.
Ronan - Ice Cream (vanilla and chocolate)
Ben W. - Drinks
Stiven-KFC
Lily-French bread and dip.
Lizzie - Chips and dip.
Jodi-Lasagna or pasta dish.
Emma - cherries
Charlie-Fruit
Keith-Brownies
John-sprinkles
Mackenzie - Salad

Wednesday June 2nd: Last Day of School-Dismissal at noon.
Students should wear casual clothes as we will be cleaning the classroom before leaving.

Thursday June 3rd: Field Day/Book Awards
If it is a nice day bring sunblock. bug spray and a water bottle as most activities will take place outside.

Friday June 4th Graduation Day. All group 5 Students are invited to watch their friend's graduate!

Monday June 7: Canobie Lake Day!!!!

HOMEWORK 5/24-5/28

HIGH SCHOOL:
Final exams.

GROUP 5 BLUE:

Monday: History and Latin Exams- see Joseph and Kimberlee's blogs for details.

Tuesday: Trip to Joseph's farm. Please bring a bag lunch and water bottle. We will not have access to a microwave so please bring something that does not require heating. We will also be eating snack in the van on the way up so it must not be a messy snack! Also bring your sketch book.

Wednesday: Literary Character Day.

Thursday: Your Compare and Contrast Essay for FFA the book and the movie is due today. Also, any late or missing work must be turned in today. There will be no further extensions.

Friday: No School Teacher Development Day.

WEEK OF 5/17-5/22

HIGH SCHOOL:
Monday:

• Final version of your research paper is due. Any revisions not received by 3:00 will not be counted and your current grade will stand.
• Quiz on Infinitives, Gerunds and Participles.

• Tuesday: Narrative Poem Due

GROUP 5 BLUE:

Monday:

• See Kimberlee's Blog for History Homework
• See Joseph's Blog for Latin Homework

Tuesday:

• Quiz on student created word list of unusual words from U-Z. Students will be tested on spelling, definition and part of speech.

Wednesday:

• Read the Short Story "Sonny's Blues." Be thinking about the various themes in the story.

Thursday:

• Comprehension Questions Due on Sonny's Blues.
• Science Test Chapter 2 Sections 1 and 2.

Friday:

• Final draft of your character analysis is due. Most of you passed this in when it was originally due so have a few edits to make. Also, you had at least three class periods to work on this on Tuesday. This is the final day to get any credit.

• Answer the following questions about Sonny's Blues. They can be typewritten or written in your Readers/Writers Notebook.1, There are a number of themes in the story including suffering, darkness, feeling trapped and wanting to escape. How can you tie all these into one dominant theme that is suggested in the title "Sonny's Blues?"2. Themes in stories challenge you to think about what the author is saying to you. What sorts of thoughts have you had as a result of reading this story?3. The story develops it's themes around the relationship between two brothers. But there is a flashback in the middle of the story that tells of the narrator's conversation with his mother. How does that part of the story contribute to the dominant theme?

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Your final writing project of the quarter is due on Thursday May 27th. This is a compare and contrast essay of Flowers for Algernon (the book) and Charly the movie. This essay must have an introduction and conclusion and use one of the two methods of comparing and contrasting that I showed you in class:

• Intro-similarities, differences, conclusion OR Intro. Topic (same/difference), Topic 2 (same/difference), Conclusion.

Homework 5/10-5/14

HIGH SCHOOL: We will be working on writing poems in class on Tuesday. No additional homework until then. Late work is being marked down a grade every day it is late so I expect to see everything on Tuesday.

GROUP 5 BLUE

Make sure you check Kimberlee's Blog for history homework. You do have homework due on Monday even though you do not have class. Also review the quizzes area as some of those dates have changed as well.

ALL SCHOOL TESTING DURING THE MORNING (8:30-11:45), MONDAY, TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY.

TUESDAY AFTERNOON:

• In Wordly Wise class, students will decide on 'unusual' words for next week, after having their Phobia words test today. Students will be tested on 5/18/10 on their most unusual words from U-Z in the dictionary.
• Study Hall: We will finish up our speeches today. If you have not yet presented please come prepared.

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON: Clark School Art Show

THURSDAY:

• Chapter 2 Review and Assessment is due for science. We will review the first two sections of this chapter in preparation for a test in the morning during our reading period.

• 11:00 A.M.-11:40 A.M.: Jeremy Reiner, WHDH Weather will be speaking to Groups 3,4,5 in Bryan's Room, in the Barn. We will have Math and Reading block before he arrives. In the afternoon, we will have regular classes.

FRIDAY: Regular classes all day!

• Please provide me with a complete outline of what you plan to write about in your Flowers For Algernon Compare and Contrast paper. This paper should compare and contrast the movie and the book and it should have an introduction and conclusion and discuss at least 2 similarities and two differences. I am not only interested in what these similarities are but how they affect the story.

HOMEWORK DUE 5/3-5/7

I hope everyone who is going on the spring trip has a great time. This is what is due the week you all return:

HIGH SCHOOL:

• Writing Skills pp. 74-75 participles. pp. 80-85 Infinitives and Gerunds. Due Monday May 3rd.
• Writing Assignment:
• Choose a poem that is meaningful to you. You can find this on the internet or in a poetry book. Explain what this poem means in your own words and why this is meaningful to you. This response must be one full page typed, 12 pt Ariel Font, single spaced, one inch margins. During our next class together (after the trip) we will discuss poetry further and you will be asked to write your own poem. This is due on Tuesday May 4th.

GROUP 5 BLUE:

Check Kimberlee and Joseph's blogs for history and Latin homework.

Tuesday: Quiz on student created disease list.

• You will need to know spelling, part of speech (they are all nouns so that is not too hard) and the definition.

Wednesday:

• Read and outline sections 3, 4 and 5 of science Chapter 2. Also, please complete the questions for those sections.
  
• I am planning to watch Charly during reading and writing time today.

Thursday:

• Everyone wrote a process paragraph last week. You will plan a 4 minute speech for the class in which you will demonstrate a process. It does not have to be the same one you wrote about and you are welcome to bring in props to dress up your speech. You will be graded on how well you explain the process, your creativity, how well you present and do not read and your ability to stay close to 4 minutes.

Friday:

• Your character analysis of a character from Flowers for Algernon is due today.

*I am not going to assign a particular length but you do need to consider the following:
*Physical appearance
*Personality traits (must be supported by examples
*Their role in the story.
*How the character makes you feel . Do you like or dislike the character?
*Does the character change or stay the same throughout the novel? (this must be supported with specific examples from the novel)
This should be an essay not a bulleted list.

HOMEWORK 4/19-4/23

HIGH SCHOOL:

The final draft of your 5 page RESEARCH paper is due on Tuesday. Please remember that you must include a bibliography. I also want your first draft passed in with your final version. If your only research was an interview that should be cited as well.

GROUP 5 BLUE:

MONDAY 4/19 - NO SCHOOL

TUESDAY 4/20:

• Finish Flowers for Algernon. I may quiz you on the last part that you read.
• Study the next 20 most commonly misspelled words for a quiz. Also: We’re going to mix it up a little in WW: for next week, 4/20/10, each student will research an interesting medical disorder (e.g., elephantiasis – not mumps or chicken pox) and find the part of speech and definition. Cut and paste it 14 times on a piece of paper to distribute to the class and teacher. Students have Spring Trip the following week so the test will be on Tuesday, 5/4/10.
  
  

WEDNESDAY 4/21:

SCIENCE FAIR IN-CLASS TAPING AND FAMILY AND FRIEND'S NIGHT

For our taping during the day you need:

• A Trifold Board that is colorful and eye catching. You should, at a minimum, have the following on the board: Title, Hypothesis, Materials, Procedure, Results (charts and graphs as well as an explanation) Conclusion.
• You also must be prepared to give a 4 minute presentation from NOTECARDS.

For Family and Friend's Night which is from 6:30-8:30 you need:

• A Trifold Board that is colorful and eye catching. You should at a minimum have the following on the board-Title, Hypothesis, Materials, Procedure, Results (charts and graphs as well as an explanation) Conclusion.
• You also must be prepared to give a 4 minute presentation from NOTECARDS.
• You also need a snack that is related to your topic.

Science Homework: Read and outline sections 1 and 2 of Chapter 2. Answer the questions for these two sections. This is due on FRIDAY instead of today.

Thursday:

• p.78-79. Make sure you re-read the information on process paragraphs before you do this and remember that I expect all paragraphs to be at least 5-7 sentences long.

Friday:

• 700-1000 Words on the following quote is due. "If you mess up, fess up." Most of you started this in class last Thursday so please finish it.

HOMEWORK 4/12-4/16

HIGH SCHOOL BASIC WRITING:
The first draft of your five page paper is due on Monday 4/12. The draft should be a full five pages and ready for editing. A peer will be editing your paper in class and you will be editing another student's paper. You will be graded on your paper and the editing as well as your final product.

Grammar packet due Tuesday 4/13

GROUP 5 BLUE:

Monday:

• See Joseph and Kimberlee's blogs for homework in Latin and History.

Tuesday:

• Actively read up to page 221 in Flowers for Algernon.

Wednesday: Science Test

• Test on Chapter 1 Physics. We have done and extensive review on this chapter in class but if you come upon additional questions while studying please call and ask.
  
• I will give the test in the morning and we will be doing something fun in the afternoon to celebrate our box top win. We will watch a movie and feel free to bring in a snack to share.
• The school is also celebrating "Look Alike Day." This is your opportunity to dress like someone else.
• Science Bonus: Remember this quote: "If you mess up fess up."
  

Thursday:

• p. 74-77 in the Writing Skills Book
• Be prepared for 2 minute presentation. To Parents: In order to give the students some practice for the science fair I had them research a current event today in class. On Thursday, they will present that to the class. I am looking for the students to present not read and for the presentation to last for as close to 2 minutes as possible.
  

Friday:

• Reading Log Flowers for Algernon. Choose a quote from the story that you find particularly interesting and meaningful. Elaborate on that quote. What does it mean? How is relevant to the story? Why is it meaningful to you? This log must be one page typed or two pages hand-written.