T.G.I.F.

Hello and Happy Friday!

Today in my class, we continued working on our "Inventing the Main Idea" mini project.  The students have been working very hard on these projects and I am excited to see them next week when they present.  We also worked on the Prefix "dis" on the same word parts chart for Bell-Work.

Love,

Miss Cannon

Inventing a Main Idea

Hello :)

Today is a fun and exciting day in class.  We are using our creative skills by inventing a new product.  The whole point to this mini project, is to think of something new and support it with details and facts.  Once the students have decided on their invention, they have to fill out a chart and then write a persuasive essay to make me want to buy it what they are selling.  It allows them to be in-charge of what their main idea and supporting details are versus a reading passage and answering questions.  The students are able to use their 21st Century Skills by critically thinking, collaborating, and using their creative minds.  I really hope they enjoy it.  Plus they get to use the Chrome Books so that is always a plus in their eyes.  Here is the project description and rubric:

Here is mine and another teacher's example:



We also worked on the prefix "re" today as bell-work.  Here is the graphic organizer for that again:


Hope you all have a lovely day.

Love,
Miss Cannon

Main Idea Bag Activity and Reading Passages

Happy Hump Day!

Today we continued to discuss main idea and supporting details.  With our snow day yesterday we were a bit behind so we were playing catch up.  First we worked on our new word part.  The prefix "un" which the kids filled out the graphic organizer that I showed in an earlier post.  After the bell work we took our poetry quiz.  After going over and grading these I have come to realize that I need to go back and reteach a few things.

Quiz




Back to main idea.  Today we did a variety of things with how to look at, understand, and master main idea.  The first thing that my students did was read a short fiction passage.  Here are the pages I did in each class: ( I did not include the questions, just the passage.  I attached the whole document for anyone who would like to use it for comprehension practice).

(Period 1 Collaborative)



(Period 3 Honors)



(Period 4 General Education)



Once they were done reading the passage, I had them fill out a really simple graphic organizer that looks like a hamburger.  It is how I learned it in school so I figured it might work with them.  Here is the graphic organizer:




After we completed this short activity, we moved on to the Main Idea bag activity.  Each bag has 6 different pictures in it that represents the main idea.  This activity is at a 4th-5th grade level, but I thought it would be a great way to review and practice.  Here is the activity:



Since the activity is so elementary, I decided to kick it up to a middle school level.  Once the students completed their assignment, I had them flip their papers over and write a 3-5 paragraph fictional story.  They had to use the main idea from the bag as the main idea in their story.  It had them focus on the main idea and details while composing all the other parts.

The class went well and tomorrow we start our mini main idea projects.

Have a great day/night!

Love,
Miss Cannon

Snow Day...Fun Day!

Happy Snow Day!

So we don't have school today...YAY!  You guys get an extra day to study.  Make sure you review your Poetry notes and that you work on your simile packet that is due this Friday.  We will pick up where we left off tomorrow.  I hope that everyone stays safe and warm! Have a Happy Snow Day!!!

Love,
Miss Cannon

Finishing Up Poetry & Starting Main Idea

Happy Monday! :)

Today the students and I finished up working with Poetry.  We have done a ton of fun things with this unit from Haikus, Limericks, Ballads, Couplets, Free Verse, and Rhyme Scheme.  Today I gave them a mini assessment on poetry by giving them poems and questions to answer about these poems.  It was a very basic activity to see if they could read a poem and then comprehend what it is about.  Here are the documents used:

1st Period (Collaborative Classroom)



3rd Period (Honors Classroom)



4th Period (General Education Classroom)



For Bellwork we have started reviewing and working on Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Word.
I have my students complete a graphic organizer every day for Bellwork when they come into class.  Here is an example of what the sheet looks like:

(Today we did the Prefix: Non)

It has where they list the word part and then circle what type of word part it is.  They define the word, list 8 words that use that prefix, and then draw an illustration for one of the words.  At the bottom they have to use two of the words in a small paragraph.

After Finishing up Poetry we started Main Idea!

Main Idea Notes & Prezi

https://prezi.com/gkabhxzz1g4a/main-idea-and-supporting-details/




We took a quick set of notes and also watched a Brain Pop Video on Main Idea.  There was a mini quiz that went with it and the kids seemed to really enjoy it.  We will continue with Main Idea tomorrow.

Homework that is due Friday:

First Period & Fourth Period

Third Period Honors

Love You All!

Love,
Miss Cannon

Miss Cannon's Class Featured in Dr.Griffin's Blog

 Student Engagement

https://www.mybigcampus.com/blog/amy-griffin-s-blog---3317

During the middle school Academic Review visit, I observed an engaging lesson that brought non-fiction science together with the creation of poetry through accessing information, collaboration, creativity, student voice and choice, and communication. A true example of teaching the required content (the English SOL standards and essential knowledge) through 21st Century learning.  Each student began with finding five words in a science magazine that he/she would like to use in a class poem. After listing all the words chosen, students began working as a class and in pairs to develop a poem using the words.  As the class began "word smithing" each thought and line, a poem began to appear. Students were engaged with interesting and current event topics such as Ebola, robofish, etc. Below are final products from three different classes:

I was impressed to see every student engaged in many high-yield strategies. Kudos goes out to Miss Cannon who took the risk with this lesson which was truly student-centered with student choice and voice leading the way!

-Amy Griffin (Dr. Griffin)

Metaphor Practice & Personification Practice (HW)

By now you should have had these both completed.  So please make sure you have them and that you have turned them in!

Instagram

Hello and Good Morning Weekend!

So I decided to keep everyone safe and happy by creating an instagram just for my classroom.  I know you guys love following my awesome life ;) but I think it would be best if I had just an account for you guys.  I will still post awesome pictures but it will be stuff that has to do with school!  I love you all and one day you can be my friend when you are all grown up and graduated.  Here is my new username!

Miss_Cannons_Class

Follow me! I will still not follow you back :( But at least it will give you a way of getting whats going on in our and my day to day life. :)


Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!!!!

Love,
Miss Cannon

Kick Off Post!

Hello Hello! :)

     I really hope that I can get this website rolling.  I plan on uploading notes, classwork, and pictures of what is going on in our classroom.  I just want all my students to know that this coming week we will be having a...

POETRY QUIZ ON TUESDAY: January 28, 2015 !  

Please review your notes and work that we have been doing in class.  Monday we will also be starting prefix, suffix, and root words again.  You will not have daily edit bell work anymore, but graphic organizers for prefix and suffix practice.

Please make sure you are coming to class prepared.  Pencil, Paper, and Binder/Folder.  I have loved working with you all so far and can't wait to continue working with you.

Here is a list of the Word Parts that we will begin working with this 9 weeks and for the rest of the year.

Prefix

• anti
• de
• dis
• en, em
• fore
• in-, im- in 
• in-, im-, il-, ir
• inter
• mid
• mis
• non
• over
• pre
• re
• semi
• sub
• super
• trans
• un;
• under

Start looking over these! Here is the link to the Prezi that has all of the Poetry notes on it and a link to the Figurative Language notes.

• https://prezi.com/qpot4npfcebk/poetry/
• https://prezi.com/j0on_kcler0s/figurative-language/

Here are the note pages that you need to make sure you study.

I hope you have a great weekend.  Love you all!

Love,
Miss Cannon