day 1—testing day

DAY 1—TESTING DAY

•Monday, August 5, 2013

DAY 2—TESTING DAY

• Tuesday, August 6, 2013

JOURNAL ENTRY DAY 3

• Wednesday, August 7, 2013

• Think of something that makes you special or unique. What does this ability, talent, or attribute help you to do? How will you utilize it in this class?

JOURNAL ENTRY DAY 4

• Thursday, August 8, 2013

• Think of someone you admire. What is it about this person you admire? How do you think you could become more like this person?

JOURNAL ENTRY DAY 5

• Friday, August 9, 2013

• What is one important and helpful thing that you have learned this week? How will you make sure that this piece of knowledge stays with you? Is it something that you think you should teach others?

JOURNAL ENTRY DAY 6

• Monday, August 12

• How much do you think we communicate through body language, tone of voice, and our words? Why do you think this?

JOURNAL ENTRY DAY 7


• Refer to (look at) the list of writing ideas you created yesterday. Choose one item from the list, or maybe an item that is not on the list, and write about it.

JOURNAL ENTRY DAY 8

• Wednesday, August 14

• In three, four, or five complete sentences, write down as many reasons as you can think of explaining why people write.

JOURNAL ENTRY DAY 9

• Thursday, August 15

• Explain what this quote means and give your thoughts on it.

• “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”

-Sir Richard Steele

JOURNAL ENTRY DAY 10


• What would you like to write about today? You can choose something from your list of writing ideas in your Writing Notebook or you can think of something that isn’t on the list.


• Monday, August 19, 2013

• What is something that you have learned in the past seven days? You could have learned it in this class, another class, or even outside of school. How will/has this thing you have learned change/changed you?



• How would you like to be treated by me, your teacher? What are some adjectives that you can think of to express how you would like to be treated?


• Wednesday, August 21, 2013

• What would you like to write about today? You can choose something from your list of writing ideas in your Writing Notebook or you can think of something that isn’t on the list.



• Think of someone—a teacher or a student—who has helped you, who has done something nice for you, or with whom you have enjoyed some time. Write a quick note affirming this person using the cards provided on the table by my desk.



• You have taken some standardized tests this week in Reading and in Writing. Do you like standardized test? Or, do you dislike standardized tests? Why do you think standardized tests are a part of your education?


• Monday, August 26, 2013

• What is one important and helpful thing that you learned last week? How will you make sure that this piece of knowledge stays with you? Is it something that you think you should teach others?



•How do you think I, your teacher, would like to be treated by you?


•Wednesday, August 28, 2013

•What would you like to write about today? You can choose something from your list of writing ideas in your Writing Notebook or you can think of something that isn’t on the list.



• Think of a celebrity who needs your advice. Who is it and what advice would you give him/her?



•Write two put-ups for yourself. If you have time, you can get an index card and give another person two put-ups.


• Tuesday, September 3, 2013

•What is one important and helpful thing that you learned last week? How will you make sure that this piece of knowledge stays with you? Is it something that you think you should teach others?


•Wednesday, September 4, 2013



• Thursday, September 5, 2013• Respond to thispicture in a wayof your choice.


• Friday, September 6, 2013

• If you could have the first day of school to do over again, would you do anything differently? If so, what would you do differently and why? If not, explain why.


•Monday, September 9, 2013



•Wednesday, September 11, 2013• Respond to the following quote inat least a paragraph.



• Tell about a time at school when you helped someone or someone helped you. In at least a paragraph, reflect on that experience.


• Tuesday, September 17, 2013• Look back over your entries from the first week of school. Find one that you believe can be improved. Use this time to write down specifically how you would improve it. (examples: length of entry, neatness, detail—or lack of detail, organization, et cetera)


• Thursday, September 19, 2013

• Respond to thispicture in a wayof your choice.



• Respond to the following quote in at least a paragraph.• “Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still.”Chinese Proverb



•What is one important and helpful thing that you learned last week? Explain to me what you learned and why you think it is useful and important.



•Write two put-ups for yourself. If you have time, you can get an index card and give another person two put-ups.



•No journal today because of elearning day.


•Monday, September 30, 2013• Last week I talked to you about improving your journal entries by utilizing some writing strategies I taught you such as topic and closing sentences. Pick one journal from last week and use this time to improve it. I will be grading that entry as your entire grade this week.


• Tuesday, October 1, 2013

• Take a look at the words this class proposed to be on the social contract. Of all the words you see, which word is most important to you and why?


•Wednesday, October 2, 2013



• Thursday, October 3, 2013• Respond to thispicture in a wayof your choice.


• Friday, October 4, 2013

•On Tuesday you wrote about a word on the social contract that is most important to you. What will you do to demonstrate this word with Mrs. Barrett today? Please be specific. What behaviors will you avoid?


•Monday, October 7, 2013




•Overall, what is one thing that you think you did well this quarter in this class? What is one thing that you think you can improve upon in the second quarter? Please be as specific as possible with your answer.



•No journal entry today Since we have a shortened schedule today, we need this time to work on your writing pieces.


• Thursday, October 10, 2013



• Friday, October 11, 2013• Caption this photo.


• Monday, October 14, 2013• I’ve asked you several times to think about

something you learned in the previous week. Today, I would like you to consider all of the responses you have given me and name the most important thing you have learned this year. Maybe it’s something you haven’t even named before; maybe it’s something you learned last week. Explain to me how you learned this lesson and why it is the most important thing you have learned this year.



•Write yourself two put-ups. • If you have an extra moment, you can write another person a put-up.


• Thursday, October 17, 2013• Respond to this picture in a way of your choice.


• Friday, October 18, 2013• Respond to the following quote in at least a paragraph.

“If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome.”

~Michael Jordan



• Think of something thoughtful and kind you have done lately for someone else. What did you do? Tell me about what you did and how it made you feel.


•Wednesday, October 23, 2013• Respond to this picture in a way of your choice.



• Considering the social contract you created, what word will you demonstrate to my substitute? What behaviors will you perform to demonstrate this word? What behaviors will you avoid?


• Friday, October 25, 2013

• I hope yesterday went very well. Write two put-ups to someone in this classroom of your choice. If you have time, you can write two put-ups to someone else.



• So, how was last Wednesday, Thursday, and/or Friday? How do you think you behaved for the substitutes?



• Respond to the following quote in at least a paragraph.• “A child educated only at school is an

uneducated child.”-George Santayana



• Free Write Wednesday!

• Remember to write at least a paragraph



•Use the following story starter to begin your journal for today.

• Tap. Tap. Tap. The sound came from inside the closet. Quietly, I crept toward the door ...


• Friday, November 1, 2013

• Caption this picture. Winner wins.


•Monday, November 4

No journal today. Please get your project folder and begin working at a noise level zero.


• Tuesday, November 5, 2013

•No journal today. Please get your project folder and begin working at a noise level zero.


•Wednesday, November 6, 2013



• Thursday, November 7, 2013




•No journal today because of e-learning.


•Monday, November 11, 2013

•Write two put ups on the notecards provided


• Thursday, November 14, 2013



• Monday, November 18, 2013• On one of the desktop computers or on a

laptop, go to the following website and take the quiz. http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-learning-styles-quiz• Then, please copy down your results in your

Writing Journal.• Once you are finished with this, please take

out your project folder and begin working at a noise level zero.

http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-learning-styles-quiz





• Look back over your scores from the multiple intelligences quiz yesterday. Then, read some of the descriptions about the various intelligences.•What have you learned about yourself? Do you think the test results are accurate? How so?



• Knowing what you now know about multiple intelligences, do you think you chose the correct type of oral presentation for this research project in Reading? Explain why or why not.


• Thursday, November 21, 2013•Write a few of your own sentences or produce a creative response to this picture.



• Free Write Friday!


•Monday, November 25, 2013

•No journal today because of other scheduled activities in class.



•No journal today because of other class activities scheduled.


•Monday, December 2, 2013

•What word from the social contract reminds you most of something that happened over Thanksgiving Break? Explain the word and how it relates to your break in at least a paragraph.


• Tuesday, December 3, 2013

• Now that you should have each completed your research project in Writing class, tell me what you believe is the most important thing you learned in this process. Some examples include: how to research, how to use textual evidence, how to write a bibliography, how to manage time, or how to write a multiparagraph essay.


•Wednesday, December 4, 2013

•No journal today because of Scantron.


• Thursday, December 5, 2013

•No journal today because of the snowday!


• Friday, December 6, 2013

•No journal today because of the snow delay.



• Last week, the world lost a hero, Nelson Mandela. He was 95 when he died. The former president of South Africa, after having been imprisoned for decades for being a Black African rather than a White African, accomplished so much in his long life by living honestly, thoughtfully, and honorably. Consider and explain what his quote means to you and how it could apply to your life. "Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again."



•Think of a teacher that you’ve had this year or in previous years from whom you have learned a lot. What did you learn? Why do you think you learned a lot from this teacher? Explain your answer.



• Take a couple of minutes to look back through your previous journal entries. What do you feel has been the biggest way that you have changed your writing this year? Some examples could include the depth of your explanation, sentence structure, better introduction/conclusion, paragraph organization, et cetera. Explain your answer.



•Write two sincere put-ups to yourself. If you have extra time, you can also write put-ups to someone else using the index cards provided.



• Your journals are due today. Check it over for completion. If it is complete, hand it in. If it is not complete, you can ask me for a pass during lunch to finish it.



•No journal today due to other activities planned.


•Monday, January 6, 2014

•No journal today because it is a testing day.


• Tuesday, January 7, 2014

•No journal today because it is a testing day.


•Wednesday, January 8, 2014

•What word (from the social contract or otherwise) would you use to describe your Winter Break? Explain why this word is best through fitting examples and descriptions.


• Thursday, January 9, 2014

• Take a look at the rubric I use to evaluate your writing journals. If you could change one or two things on it, what would it be? Be specific.


• Friday, January 10, 2014



• Monday, January 13, 2014

• The first half of your sixth grade year has gone by so quickly. Before you know it, it will be May and another year will be over. Before that happens, what are some things that you would like to do in sixth grade? What kinds of goals do you have for the remainder of the school year?



• Last week, I asked you to take a look at the writing rubric that I use to grade your journals and to write down what you would change about it. Now, I want you to draw your ideal writing rubric. Make sure that you organize it by categories, points, and include descriptions for each requirement on the rubric.



• If you had a few hours to spend with anyone in the world, who would you spend that time with and what would you do?


• Thursday, January 16, 2014• Respond to this comic in a way of your choice.



•Grammar Practice p. 35 & 36



•Grammar Practice p. 39&40


•Monday, January 27, 2014



•Monday, February 3, 2014



• Tuesday, February 4, 2014



•Wednesday, February 5, 2014

•No school today


• Thursday, February 6, 2014

•No school today


• Friday, February 7, 2014




•Grammar Practice p. 23 &24



•No journal today (elearning Day)


•Monday, March 3, 2014



• Tuesday, March 4, 2014

• no warm up today (TCAP testing)


•Wednesday, March 5, 2014



• Thursday, March 6, 2014



• Friday, March 7, 2014

• no warm up today due to other activities planned



•Now that we have started the fourth quarter of sixth grade, what are your thoughts? What are you looking forward to? What hesitations do you have? What goals do you have?



•No journal today due to the shortened TCAP testing schedule.



•No journal today due to other activities planned in class.



•No journal today due to other class activities planned.



• Elearning Day—no journal



•What word (from the social contract or otherwise) would you use to describe your Spring Break? Explain why this word is best through fitting examples and descriptions.


• Tuesday, April 1, 2014• Below is a list of famous April Fool’s Day pranks:

• Early 1950s - The BBC runs a "news" item about the spaghetti harvest in Switzerland.

• 1985 - Sports Illustrated runs a 14-page story by George Plimpton about a Mets pitching phenom named Sidd Finch. The reclusive, skinny Finch has a 168-mph fastball (which he credits to meditations in Tibet) and a host of quirks including carrying a French horn at all times and wearing only one hiking boot while pitching.

• 1986 - present - Press releases for the [non-existent] New York City April Fools' Day Parade have been issued every year since 1986.

• 1996 - Taco Bell Corp. runs a full-page ad in several major newspapers claiming it has purchased the Liberty Bell and is renaming it the "Taco Liberty Bell."

• 2008 - The BBC runs a video clip of flying penguins as part of a story for its series Miracles of Evolution. The presenter explains that the penguins escaped the cold, harsh Antarctic weather by flying to the tropical rainforests of South America.

• April 1, 2010 - The National Republican Senatorial Committee releases a parody web video celebrating President Obama as "truly the greatest president ever" and that he has "kept all his promises."

• Today, write your own April Fool’s Day prank article.


•Wednesday, April 2, 2014

•Write two sincere put-ups to yourself. Try to make them at least two sentences each. • If you have extra time, you can also write put-ups to someone else using the index cards provided.


• Thursday, April 3, 2014

•No journal today because of the snow day.


• Friday, April 4, 2014

• Consider the following question and respond to it in at least one paragraph. • Of what are you most afraid?


•Monday, April 7, 2014

• Look at the new rubric that I’ll be using to evaluate your journals. Make any changes to last week’s journals that you see necessary. Then, self-evaluate according to the rubric and turn in your journal.


• Tuesday, April 8, 2014




•Now that you have a new rubric for this journal, how will that affect what and how you write? What will change? What will stay the same?



• Today is tax day. That means that people all across America are either sending the government money or are being sent money from the government, depending on how much money they made. What are your thoughts on taxes? What does the government provide in return for the money people pay it in taxes? How do those provisions help you?



•Why do we have laws? What happens when people break the laws?



•What is the purpose of traffic lights? What would happen if we didn’t have them?



•No journal today because of the scheduled elearning day.


• Monday, April 21, 2014

• Last week, we talked about the purpose of laws and discussed a town that had eliminated traffic lights. I tasked you with writing a question about laws using what you had learned from what we studied regarding traffic lights. Write down at least one of those questions today.



•What are three words to describe Cole Matthews? Use the text to support your answer with textual evidence.


• Wednesday, April 23, 2014

• Look back through your journal entries from early in the year. Today, you’re going to write a letter to a fifth grader who is going to be a sixth grader next year. What do you think would be helpful for an incoming sixth grader to know? What do you wish someone had told you?• Plan your letter in your journal and write the

actual letter on the paper I have provided.



• Copy down one of the sentences from chapter 3 in Touching Spirit Bear that you highlighted because you thought it was important yesterday.• In one paragraph, explain why this sentence was important.



• So far in Touching Spirit Bear, we have learned that Cole’s life is filled with conflicts: character v. character, character v. society, character v. nature, character v. self. Of all his conflicts, which do you think is the biggest? Why?



• Free response to chapters seven and eight in Touching Spirit Bear.



•Has the island brought justice? Has it brought some form of revenge? If so, explain why. If not, explain what this experience has brought Cole and why.



•On an index card, write your name along with three names of other students in YOUR READING CLASS with whom you think you would work well on a project. Next to each name, write a two sentence explanation of why you would work well together.


• Thursday, May 1, 2014



• Friday, May 2, 2014



•Monday, May 5, 2014


• Tuesday, May 6, 2014


•Wednesday, May 7, 2014

•No journal entry because of Sky Sox Math Day.



•No journal entry because of other activities planned.



•No journal entry today because of Field Day.



•No journal today because of our camping trip.



•No journal entry today because of our camping trip.



•No journal today because of Comma-Con.

day 1—testing day

Documents

think of someonea teacher

list of writing ideas

writing notebook

standardized tests

helpful thing

piece of knowledge stays

testing daymonday

testing daytuesday