ELA Lessons for Grades 6-8: Week 2
These are crazy times, and though I’ve wracked my brain lately on how to help my students, and others, stay on top of their ELA standards, I’ve struggled to find a forum where I can reach every body. Then, I came up with the solution. I’ll turn my blog into a place of learning. Pretty snazzy, if I do say so myself.
Once a week, typically on Mondays, I’ll post lessons for middle school students. Each lesson will take anywhere from 20-30 minutes. I will provide structured education for different levels of learning, send links for online resources, and once a month, I’ll send out a newsletter, story, or quick tips to those subscribed to my website. Interested? Then, keep on reading…
Grammar:
Each day, you (the student, that is) will need to complete a grammar sentence. We will focus, primarily, on parts of speech.
My suggestion, for students who perform better on the computer, is to copy the sentences below into a Google/Word document. Then, work on them from your computer.
If you’d rather write this out by hand, be my guest. You will need a yellow and green crayon or highlighter, though.
By the way, if the sentences look familiar, don’t freak out. I will use the same sentences each week, so you can build on the grammar steps. Now, let’s go.
Step 1: Find the articles in the sentences below. Highlight the article in yellow. Articles are the words A, An, The. Their job is to tell you when a noun is coming in the sentence.
Step 2: Find the nouns connected to the articles. Make note do not find all of the nouns in the sentence: just the ones connected to the articles. Once you have found the nouns connected to the articles, highlight those nouns green.
The house was built on a large hill next to the high school. (Monday)
An elephant sat on the bale of hay near the circus tent. (Tuesday)
The last cookie sat in the container on the kitchen counter. (Wednesday)
A small dog ran in the front yard of an apartment complex. (Thursday)
Create your own sentence and highlight the articles in yellow. (Friday)
*Quiz for understanding: Grab the book you are going to read this week for silent reading. Count the number of articles you can find in the first paragraph. Ask your mom, dad, or guardian to quiz you on whether you got the correct number of articles in that paragraph. Well done, brilliant student. Well done.
Discussion: Summary Writing
Read the article here about misunderstood microbes. Then, ask yourself the questions below. After you have answered those questions, write a 7 sentence summary on the article you read. Click here to watch a video on determining the main idea of a text.
Who/what is the article about?
What is the problem?
Where and when is the article taking place or written?
Why is the article important for readers?
How is the problem solved, or is the problem solved? Is there a solution posed?
TOPIC/IVF Sentence: To begin your summary, you will need a topic sentence, or what we like to call an IVF sentence. I stands for identify what you read or watched along with the main character. V stands for verb it. F stands for finish the thought. Here is an example below…
Identify: In the online article about dehydrated fruit on the National Geographic website, the author
Verb it: discusses
Finish the thought: how dehydrated fruit is nature’s candy.
Now, take what you wrote for your IVF sentence, and make it the first sentence of your summary. Example below…
IVF/TOPIC Sentence: In the online article about dehydrated fruit on the National Geographic website, the author discusses how dehydrated fruit is nature’s candy.
Conclusion: Your conclusion sentence is almost exactly like your IVF sentence, except reworded. (Flip the order backwards.)
Example: In conclusion, the author discusses how dehydrated fruit is nature’s candy in the online article about dehydrated fruit on the National Geographic website.
Draft it: Remember the questions you answered above? Those will become the meat and potatoes of your paragraph. Remember, an objective summary only wants you to list the important facts. So, keep your opinions out of the paragraph.
Edit: Go through the paragraph and check your spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. Once you think this is all squared away. You’re ready for the next step.
Revise: Now, that you have a very rough draft of your summary, read it out loud, and see where you’d like to add some transition words (to begin with, furthermore, finally). Check to make sure the paragraph is how you want it to sound. Then, have someone else in your family read through it and offer suggestions. Once you have the paragraph where you want it, it’s time for the next step.
Final Draft: I always suggest typing out your final draft. I also suggest using MLA format when you’re typing. Click here to see an example of MLA formatting.
Grading: You can grade yourself. How cool is that? Use this quick rubric or choose one of these rubrics and make a Google copy. These rubrics will help you determine your grade on this summary writing exercise.
Silent Reading:
Every day, I’d like you to read for 20-30 minutes. After you read, create something based off of your reading. You can
Journal using the summarization questions above.
Draw a picture representing what you read.
Write a letter to a character in the book.
Discuss what you read with your parents.
Create a Google Slideshow of your reading for the week.
The options are endless.
Fun Friday:
If you finished all of your work for the week, you deserve a chance for a little fun. In my 7th grade ELA class, we have Fun Friday every week.
We play educational games online (Kahoot, Nitro Type, Quizizz).
A lot of the time we play board games. Who’s up for a Connect Four Tournament? Anyone?
Helpful Hints to Form Good Habits:
Break up your work in twenty-thirty minute increments, and give yourself a treat after a lesson (like twenty-thirty minutes of playing a video game).
Make sure that you only give yourself a treat for the same amount of time you work for, or else you will form a bad habit of wasting time.
Hopefully this was helpful. Comment below to let me know what you think, or if you have questions you would like me to address in the monthly newsletter. TTFN (Ta Ta For Now).
Now, stay inside, wash your hands, and don’t touch your face.
ELA Lessons for Grades 6th-8th: WK 1
These are crazy times, and though I’ve wracked my brain lately on how to help my students, and others, stay on top of their ELA standards, I’ve struggled to find a forum where I can reach every body. Then, last night, when I was suffering from insomnia, it all clicked together. I will turn my blog into a place of learning. Once a week, typically on Monday, I will post lessons for middle school students. Each lesson will take anywhere from 20-30 minutes. I will provide structured education for different levels of learning, and on Saturdays, I will send out a newsletter, story, or quick tips to those subscribed to my website. Interested? Then, keep on reading…
Grammar:
Each day, you (the student, that is) will need to complete a grammar sentence. We will focus, primarily, on parts of speech. My suggestion, for students who perform better on the computer, is to copy the sentences below into a Google/Word document. Then, work on them from your computer. If you’d rather write this out by hand, be my guest. You will need a yellow crayon or highlighter, though.
Step 1: Find the articles in the sentences below. Highlight the article in yellow. Articles are the words A, An, The. Their job is to tell you when a noun is coming in the sentence.
The house was built on a large hill next to the high school. (Monday)
An elephant sat on the bale of hay near the circus tent. (Tuesday)
The last cookie sat in the container on the kitchen counter. (Wednesday)
A small dog ran in the front yard of an apartment complex. (Thursday)
Create your own sentence and highlight the articles in yellow. (Friday)
*Quiz for understanding: Grab the book you are going to read this week for silent reading. Count the number of articles you can find in the first paragraph. Ask your mom, dad, or guardian to quiz you on whether you got the correct number of articles in that paragraph. Well done, brilliant student. Well done.
Discussion: Summary Writing
Watch an episode of one of your favorite shows (my son would probably choose The Office). Then, ask yourself the questions below. After you have answered those questions, write a 7 sentence summary on the show you watched.
Who was the show about?
What was the problem?
Where and when is the show taking place?
Why is the main character part of the problem?
How was the problem solved?
TOPIC/IVF Sentence: To begin your summary, you will need a topic sentence, or what we like to call an IVF sentence. I stands for identify what you read or watched along with the main character. V stands for verb it. F stands for finish the thought. Here is an example below…
Identify: In the funny television show, The Office, Michael Scott
Verb it: decided
Finish the thought: to create the most epic Christmas party the office had ever seen.
Now, take what you wrote for your IVF sentence, and make it the first sentence of your summary. Example below…
IVF/TOPIC Sentence: In the funny television show, The Office, Michael Scott decided to create the most epic Christmas party the office had ever seen.
Conclusion: Your conclusion sentence is almost exactly like your IVF sentence, except reworded.
Example: In conclusion, Michael Scott decided to have the most amazing Christmas party for his coworkers, though it didn’t quite workout well, in this episode of The Office.
Draft it: Remember the questions you answered above? Those will become the meat and potatoes of your paragraph. Remember, an objective summary only wants you to list the important facts. So, keep your opinions out of the paragraph.
Edit: Go through the paragraph and check your spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. Once you think this is all squared away. You’re ready for the next step.
Revise: Now, that you have a very rough draft of your summary, read it out loud, and see where you’d like to add some transition words (to begin with, furthermore, finally). Check to make sure the paragraph is how you want it to sound. Then, have someone else in your family read through it and offer suggestions. Once you have the paragraph where you want it, it’s time for the next step.
Final Draft: I always suggest typing out your final draft. I also suggest using MLA format when you’re typing. Click here to see an example of MLA formatting.
Grading: You can grade yourself. How cool is that? Use this quick rubric to help determine your grade on this summary writing excercise.
Silent Reading:
Every day, I’d like you to read for 20-30 minutes. After you read, create something based off of your reading. You can
Journal using the summarization questions above.
Draw a picture representing what you read.
Write a letter to a character in the book.
Discuss what you read with your parents.
Create a Google Slideshow of your reading for the week.
The options are endless.
Fun Friday:
If you finished all of your work for the week, you deserve a chance for a little fun. In my 7th grade ELA class, we have Fun Friday every week. We play educational games online (Kahoot, Nitro Type, Quizizz), and a lot of the time we play board games. Who’s up for a Connect Four Tournament? Anyone?
Helpful Hints:
I will send out a Newsletter of helpful hints on how to help navigate school from home. If you’re interested in receiving this Newsletter, click here and subscribe to my website. Make sure to confirm your subscription through your email address. If you can’t find the confirmation email, check your SPAM folder.
Hopefully this was helpful. Comment below to let me know what you think, or if you have questions you would like me to address in the newsletter. TTFN (Ta Ta For Now).
One Week on NOOM
Maybe you’ve seen the adds for a new way of eating that Millennials love, and though I’m not a Millennial (I’m a gen Xer), I thought I’d give it a shot.
Getting Started:
When you sign up for NOOM, you are asked a series of questions about what your lifestyle is like and what your goals are. My goals are pretty lofty, like losing 65 pounds, but NOOM promises I could totally make this happen (by the end of August, nonetheless). I was skeptical, but after a week on NOOM, I’m down almost 4 pounds.
Basic Principles:
On NOOM, people are given a set number of calories to consume, and I know what you may be thinking: “Great, another calorie counting scam. I can do that for free.” I thought the same thing, until I started doing more research. NOOM uses psychology to help people figure out their triggers and form good eating habits. Using a color system similar to a signal light, NOOM teaches you how to choose the best calories to consume as fuel (green: fruits, veggies, whole grains; yellow: lean proteins, grains, legumes, and healthy fats; red: red meats, regular fats, and sugary simple carbohydrates). This has been a game changer for me, and I love all of the articles, quizzes, and encouragement from my coaches.
Conclusion:
So far, I’ve genuinely enjoyed my first week on NOOM. It reminds me of mindful eating, and it has helped me identify my personal reasons for weight loss. Yes, ultimately, I’d like to lose weight, but not because it’ll make me sexy (I already am sexy). I want to be the healthiest version of myself, create good habits, and take care of the body God has given me. These are my reasons for continuing with NOOM. Maybe it’s right for you, or maybe you’re doing some other program. Leave some comments below to let me know. In the end, I hope you find peace with yourself, and a realization that regardless of your size, you are far more than a number.
Habits… And Other Things I Fail At
”We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
-Aristotle
What a beautiful quote. Really, Aristotle, these words are eloquent, memorable, and if I’m honest, a little judgy. Okay, before you begin shooting criticisms at me like flaming arrows, hear me out. I know I struggle with habits, and every dang book I’ve read about self growth says habits are the foundation of success, but that doesn’t explain why I’m killing it at some habits and getting killed by others. What is it about the hierarchy of habits that I fail at?
Let’s begin with a little proof, shall we? So, writing daily, that’s my jam. Keeping a clean house, also my jam. Organizing lessons for the school week, my jam. Pretty much anything that goes with checking things off of my to do list… my jam. BUT, and that’s a big but, after I’m done boasting about the things I’ve accomplished, I usually grab an easy mac and cheese container, a bag of salt and vinegar chips, and if there are cheese curds on hand… don’t even get me started. Pretty much any habit that makes me look successful is easy for me to follow, but any habit that actually helps me become healthier… well that habit tends to hang on the weight bench in my garage with the rest of the crap piling on top of it.
Here’s the deal, I know I suck at keeping promises to myself when it comes to losing weight. I have yo-yo dieted so much, that I’m pretty much a pro. For some reason, I believe the idea that hard work, consistency, and overcoming obstacles only works with my career. Isn’t that just fifty shades of lame?
So, today, I’ve made a decision. I’ve decided to really give a damn about myself, and shocker of the world, I’m going to begin by becoming my own friend. Maybe if I flip the script in my head, and stop beating myself up every time I eat a Pringle, I will actually learn to give myself grace. I don’t know about you, but I’d like to find some success in the habits of healthy living… maybe I should start by putting down this Poptart… this health stuff is hard.
This made me straight LOL!
Essentialism is Essential
Back in July of 2019, I was given a copy of the book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg Mckeown, and it quickly became one of my all time favorites. I have been on a pursuit of an easier life for quite a few years, trying to work 60 plus hours a week while blending two blended families together is a Molotov Cocktail of pure chaos. So, when this book crossed my over anxious and overwhelmed path, I secretly thought: I don’t have time for this.
As I opened the cover, with all my book sniffing glory, I flipped the book over to reread the blurb. Yes, Greg, I have felt stretched too thin. Yes, Greg, I constantly feel overworked and underutilized: I am a mother of two teenagers and a soon to be preteen (I’m accepting prayers as we speak). Oh, did I mention, Greg, I am a middle school teacher, I commute three hours a day, am an author/blogger, and I am highly involved in my church. In fact, Gregster, the reason I’m holding your book to begin with is because I’m about to get even more involved in my church… stretched too thin doesn’t even begin to describe me.
So, I began to read, despite the nerve twitching over my right eye. I read word after word, sentence after sentence, and page after page… and I wept, the Kardashians would have been jealous. I wept because this book hit me across the face with truth after truth. I am a seeker of approval, a success addict, and an egomaniac, if you will. Not only do I burn the candle at both ends, I pour kerosene on that sucker and light it up. I am a pyre of stress, y’all, and in that moment I was undone.
When I was only three chapters in, I made a quick decision. I could not continue living my life at the pace I was going, and if I did, I would most certainly crash and burn (apparently I like fire metaphors and idioms). I texted the woman I was going to work with at church and said, “You know that book you gave me to prepare for this new position? Well, it’s working, and I think I need to tap out.”
I expected her to be angry and demand the book back instantly, but instead she was full of grace and even complimented me on attempting to live the book’s message out. Who’d have thunk it? Well, I guess you would have, Greg, right?
In the end, this book really has lived up to it’s claim: “The disciplined pursuit of less empowers us to reclaim control of our own choices about where to spend our precious time and energy.” Though I struggle daily with my anxiety, I now have the proper tools to assess what I keep or what needs to get chucked out of my life. I guess essentialism really is essential after all.
If you’re interested in getting a copy of this book, click the link below. They do not sponsor me in any way. I just feel it’s my way of paying it forward. Oh, and my eye twitch thing… so much better now, y’all.
