Departmental meeting on October 1, 2007

Dear Colleagues,

There will be a English Language Arts Departmental meeting on October 1, 2007 in room 427 during periods 9 and 10. Please bring your attendance outreach logs and your gradebooks to the meeting for they will be needed. I thank you in advance for your punctuality and professionalism.

Sincerely,

J. O'Brien

Classroom Expectations

1. Teacher standing by the door greeting pupils as the enter the classroom

2. Aim, Do Now, Collect previous day's homework

3. Motivation of 5 minutes in the form of a visual, audio, or pop culture tie in connection to the lesson

4. Mini Lesson in which the skill to be learned is modeled, and the content is discussed.

5. Think Aloud with the class. Pose questions, create text to self,text to world, text to text connections and model close reading and comprehension

6. Distribution and explanation of the rubric

7. Explanation of the group work, or differentiated instruction with designated group roles or steps pre-posted on chart paper, PowerPoint, or handout

8. Teacher walking with a seating chart monitoring the progress of the students by taking anecdotal notes as to who is on task, who is advancing, and who is struggling

9. Students either do a gallery walk of posted group work, or share out core understandings that build toward answering the aim

10. Final summary provided by the students. Pupils can either repeat, or elaborate on the answer to the aim

11. Homework assignment

Bulletin Boards

All bulletin boards must have:

1. A type written title of the project in a large font

2. A type written brief description of the project in a large font

3. The name of the teacher, and the class

4. A rubric that explains how work was graded

5. Projects with a range of grades and comments by the teache

Parental Outreach Logs

All teachers are required to submit parental outreach logs on a weekly basis.

If the phone number is erroneous or disconnected, you must refer the name to the Attendance Office for further investigation. This referral must also be documented. These logs will be uploaded to the blog ASAP.

Course Offerings and Vision

Course Offerings and Vision

Special Education ELA: Study Skills and Foundations Level S
E1 Study Skills and Foundations Level S
E1H Study Skills and Foundations Level S, HS
E3 Study Skills, Foundations Level S, Regents Prep
E3H Short Fiction and Regents Preparation
E5/E7 Regents Preparation
E5H Theater and the Dramatic Arts
E7H Journalism
E7 Advanced Placement English LIterature
E8 College and Career

Progress Reports

Dear Colleagues:

As you are already aware, the marking period is drawing to a close on October 12, 2007. In an effort to begin an open dialogue with families of our students, we will be sending both "positive" and "needs improvement" progress reports home on October 1, 2007.

With the gracious help of the McKee staff, we have reproduced over 2000 "positive" and "needs improvement" progress reports for our departments alone. As you read this, class sets of each type of blank report are being placed in or near your mailboxes. Please take these, review your gradebook and fill in accordingly.

All "needs improvement" reports for students who are in immediate danger must be filled out and returned to me no later than Monday, October 1st, 2007 at 9 AM in room 415. These reports will be labeled and posted directly from school. Additionally, please note that all "positive" progress reports must be distributed through your period 0-9 classes on Monday, October 1st, 2007. May I suggest that these be given out at the end of the period so as not to disrupt your lessons.

It is essential that we inform our students' families of their current progress and enlist their aid in the educational process. I thank you in advance for your professionalism and punctuality in this matter.

Sincerely,

J. O'Brien

9th grade Summer Reading Assignment

9th Grade Summer Assignment

Incoming 9th grade students must read ONE (1) book from the Ralph McKee High School Reading List. The task will be to make a Book using a cereal box about ONE of them.

Step One – Pick a book
Ralph McKee High School Reading List
Suggested Summer Reading

Teen/Issues/Adolescent Fiction
Small Steps by Louis Sachar
Forged by Fire by Susan Draper
Klepto by Jenny Pollack
Taming the Star Runner by S. E. Hinton
The Beast by Walter Dean Myers
It Ain’t All for Nothin’ by Walter Dean Myers
Street Love by Walter Dean Myers
Gossamer by Louis Lowry
Messenger by Lois Lowry
Who Am I Without Him? by Sharon G. Floake
More Hungry by Sharon G. Flake
Begging for Change by Sharon G. Flake
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Fantasy/Science Fiction
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling

Mystery
Blue is for Nightmares by Laurie Faria Stolarz
Red is for Remembrance by Laurie Faria Stolarz

Historical Fiction
Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Step Two – Make sure that you get an EMPTY cereal box and make sure that you cover it with construction paper.

Step Three – Make sure that you answer the following sections as you read. Select 6 index cards.
I. Setting – 1st index card
a. Where does the story happen?
b. When does it happen? (Put a picture or map)
c. What places does the author name. Are they real or fictitious?
d. What songs, books, catch phrases does the author include in the story that shows it is from a certain time period
2. Character – 2nd index card
a. What are each main character’s name and/or nickname?
i. Do the characters’ names have hidden meanings?

3. Point of View – 3rd index card
a. Who is telling the story? Who is the narrator?
b. Is the narrator all knowing or do they have limited knowledge? Can they read the character’s thoughts?
c. Does the narrator seem to remember the story clearly and fairly? Are they biased? How do you know they aren’t being objective?

4. Plot / Action of story – 4th index card
a. What are the big events in the story
b. What is the main conflict that causes that main action to happen?
c. What is the climax of the story?

5. Style – 5th index card
a. Does the author use figurative language likes metaphors, similes, allusions, personification? Pick one and give one example.
b. Does the author repeat any words or phrases? What is the effect, in your opinion?
c. Does the author create strong visual images for the reader?
d. Does the author use dialect such as improper grammar, spelling and punctuation? What is the effect, in your opinion?

6. Theme – 6th index card
a. This is when the author attempts to show us or teach us a lesson about life, reality, the human condition. For example: “Love is hard and can destroy your life as easily as it can make you happy.” Would be a theme.

Extra Credit Information
If you have room, you might want to include information about the following on your literary box:
the author’s life, personality, interests, and influences.
What was going on in world history at the time was being written?

Step Four – Do NOT write the questions. Write/type/word process the answers. Decorate your cereal box so that it shows your understanding of the book. Include PICTURES, TEXTURES, COLORS. BE CREATIVE.


Due Date: First day back to school in order to get the most credit.

Enjoy your summer!!!

Welcome Back!

Welcome to the Ralph R. McKee Career and Technical Education's English Language Arts Blog! As this is a new initiative, please check back often to find new developments, resources, and pertinent information relating to our department. Looking forward to hearing your comments in the near future.


All the best,
Joe O'Brien