Grade 7 has their own QUIZLET section... YAY!!!!

Here you go... the link below takes you to the  two sets in your Quizlet site... just for grade 7 English....

Way to go everyone... you are becoming great collaborative learners!


http://quizlet.com/class/373745/

"The Friend Inside" Getting Ready for a Quiz

Monday, October 15th, you will write a quiz which will be based on "The Friend Inside".

So....how do you prepare? Here are a few suggestions as well as some things to think about.

1. Re-read the story.2. Note who the main characters are and their main characteristics (Jim and President Lincoln are the most important characters in the story)3. Look at your storyboard to see if you have summarized the story in six drawings. NOTE: drawing is another way our brain can remember and understand information.

Here is my storyboard. I drew it in pencil so it may be a bit difficult to see everything clearly but it will help you to see if your storyboard covers the main ideas within the story.

Things to think about:  

• What does it mean to keep "the friend inside"? 
• Is it hard for us to do that? Why or why not...
• Why was Jim was being tested? Think about the characteristics Lincoln was looking for.
• Abraham Lincoln is known for being honest. Was Lincoln being dishonest when Jim was being tested? 
• Our unit deals with the theme of COURAGE. Was Jim courageous? Why or why not?

I will see you on Monday!!!

Extreme Organization

When I was a teenager, my room was so messy that my Mom would get to the point that she couldn't stand looking at it any longer. She would then threaten to hire in a cleaner to dig it out and take the charge out of my allowance. Of course, I would then clean it - very unhappily because I said I couldn't find my things when it was neat.

Flash forward a "few" years. I now wish I could afford to hire someone to come in and help me. Being "uncluttered" is definitely not one of my strengths and there are mornings where I sprint around my apartment in a bad mood because I can't find an important paper or my keys (even though I have a special key hook!). It really does make life more difficult.

As part of our study skills unit, the grade 7 class had a discussion about their current study environments. We then brainstormed what would make a good study environment. Then I sprung it on them....the "Extreme Organization" assignment. Everyone has to clean their room by next Tuesday. For some students this may be easy - for others (I would be one of the "others") it will be quite a challenge.

I realize that not all students study in their rooms but the intent of the assignment is to help everyone learn what a good study area should look like. Students must get their sheet signed by a parent and I welcome your reflections on the exercise -was it easy for your child, do you think he/she will be able to keep it clean, what helps your child study when it comes to the environment?

For the record...I did clean my room yesterday...I still don't enjoy it but I did it :)