JD Home Sick

Hi gang, I'm home sick today with a fever.  Don't forget MIDTERM grades are due!  If you have any missing work on pp.10-21, get it finished!

SIXTH GRADE - Schoolwide assembly.  After that, split your time between Read 180 Software and Fundamentals.  I have put Lesson 4-6 in your Drives for those of you who are ready (at least one person).

EIGHTH GRADE -

Whole Class - go over p.22 student model of an expository paragraph.  You are writing a five-paragraph essay about the internet, but your essay will still have these elements (it will just be longer).  We planned these yesterday on your graphic organizers, and you will get back to writing them Wednesday.

Small Group - p.26-27

Exit Ticket (this is part of your grade!) - Check the Exit Tickets tab above for your prompt.

Vocab for Flex 1

Here is the link to the Quizlet page for Flex 1 vocabulary:
LINK!
Try the new look of quizlet HERE!

Happy Labor Day!

Now it's back to work.  Here is the plan:

Remember, everybody: To Find Main Idea of the Chunk, think about

WHO/WHAT it's about (Topic)
+
What the Topic is DOING/BEING
+
CONNECTIONS to the title, a larger Chunk (chapter or concept), or to Real Life
=
MAIN IDEA

SIXTH GRADE:

We are identifying and paraphrasing main idea and supporting details in a newspaper article.

Whole Class: Read along with the substitute on p.10-11.  Take notes on how to write a good Main Idea sentence.
Small Group: Reread the article and complete the Graphic Organizer on p.11.
Independent: Work on your next Fundamentals.  After you Fix and Finish today's lesson, find a Read 180 novel from the bookshelf.  You need to have the book finished before next Monday 9/9, so pick one worth five points or less (check the poster; the point value should be written in Sharpie).
Computers: Finish the SRI test if you aren't done, then work on the blue Enterprise Edition Read 180 software.  If you don't know how to get there, click Favorites>Central>Scholastic Student Access.  It's the button on top in the middle. You will need microphones to sign in, make sure these are hooked up to the pink jack.  If you have your own earbuds or headphones please use them, otherwise keep the speaker quiet so as not to distract others.
Exit Ticket: Answer in your Exit Slips file on your Drive:
Fighting fires is dangerous, and people often lose their lives.  If people didn't have homes and businesses in areas where forest fires are prevalent, these firefighters wouldn't have to risk their lives as often.
Should there be laws against people building homes and businesses in areas where forest fires can occur? Or do people have the right to build homes and property where they want?

EIGHTH GRADE:

We are identifying and paraphrasing main idea and supporting details in a magazine article.

Whole Class: Read along with the substitute on p.12-14.
Small Group: Reread the first two pages of the article as a group.  Complete all pencil questions on p.12-13.  Then, turn to p.15 and fill in two "Chunks" of the Graphic Organizer by summarizing the first two sections of the story.
Independent: Work on your next Fundamentals.  After you Fix and Finish today's lesson, find a Read 180 novel from the bookshelf.  You need to have the book finished before next Monday 9/9, so pick one worth five points or less (check the poster; the point value should be written in Sharpie).  If you can find the two worksheets for your book and know the Reading Counts routines, you can choose a longer book.
Computers: Finish the SRI test if you aren't done, then work on the blue Enterprise Edition Read 180 software.  If you don't know how to get there, click Favorites>Central>Scholastic Student Access.  It's the button on top in the middle. You will need microphones to sign in; make sure these are hooked up to the pink jack.  If you have your own earbuds or headphones please use them, otherwise keep the speaker quiet so as not to distract others.
Exit Ticket: Answer in your Exit Slips file on your Drive:
Pretend you know someone who wants to drop out of school because it's boring.  Persuade them to graduate high school.  Write at least five (5) sentences, and use at least three (3) Target Words.

WELCOME BACK!!!

Welcome back to Central, everybody!

Here's a little getting-to-kow-you activity that might teach you something about yourself and how you learn best.  Please complete the survey and let Mr. Dennis know when you're done.  I will meet with you to talk about how you like to learn (and how you don't like to learn).  Just follow the link!

Multiple Intelligence Survey

Workshop 7 Quizlet

Follow the link below to Quizlet to get meanings of your vocab words, practice learning games, etc.
http://quizlet.com/831445/read-180-b-7-flash-cards/

Invasive Species Research Report

You will research an invasive species that is causing problems in your state.  You must get permission to choose a state other than Iowa.  Click below for resources, then use the internet to search for more information on your species.

National Invasive Species Information Center

"And now, the champion, having escaped from the terrible fury of the dragon, bethinking himself of the brazen shield, and of the breaking up of the enchantment which was upon it, removed the carcass from out of the way before him, and approached valorously over the silver pavement of the castle to where the shield was upon the wall; which in sooth tarried not for his full coming, but fell down at his feet upon the silver floor, with a mighty great and terrible ringing sound."

 No sooner had these syllables passed my lips, than --as if a shield of brass had indeed, at the moment, fallen heavily upon a floor of
 silver, became aware of a distinct, hollow, metallic, and clangorous, yet apparently muffled reverberation. Completely unnerved, Ileaped to my feet; but the measured rocking movement of Usher was undisturbed. I rushed to the chair in which he sat.

His eyes were bent fixedly before him, and throughout his whole countenance there reigned a stony rigidity. But, as I placed my hand upon his shoulder, there came astrong shudder over his whole person; asickly smile quivered about his lips; and I saw that he spoke in alow, hurried, and gibbering murmur, as if unconscious of my presence. Bending closely over him, I at length drank in the hideous import of his words. "Not hear it? --yes, Ihear it, and have heard it. Long --long --long --many minutes, many hours, many days, have I heard it --yet Idared not --oh, pity me, miserable wretch that I am! --I dared not --I darednot speak! We have put her living in the tomb! Said I not that my senses were acute? I now tell you that I heard her first feeble movements in the hollow coffin. I heard them --many, many days ago --yet I dared not --I dared not speak! And now --to-night --Ethelred --ha! ha! --the breaking of the hermit's door, and the death-cry of the dragon, and the clangour of the shield! --say, rather, the rending of her coffin, and the grating of the iron hinges of her prison, and her struggles within the coppered archway of the vault! Oh whither shall I fly? Will she not be here anon? Is she not hurrying to upbraid me for my haste? Have I not heard her footstep on the stair? Do I not distinguish that heavy and horrible beating of her heart? MADMAN!" here he sprang furiously to his feet, and shrieked out his syllables, as if in the effort he were giving up his soul --"MADMAN! I TELLYOU THAT SHE NOW STANDS WITHOUT THEDOOR!"

 As if in the superhuman energy of his utterance there had been found the potency of a spell --the huge antique panels to which the speaker pointed, threw slowly back, upon the instant, ponderous and ebony jaws. It was the work of the rushing gust --but then without those doors there DID stand the lofty and enshrouded figure of the lady Madeline of Usher.

There was blood upon her white robes, and the evidence of some bitter struggle upon every portion of her emaciated frame. For amoment she remained trembling and reeling to and fro upon the threshold, then, with a low moaning cry, fell heavily inward upon the person of her brother, andin her violent and now final death-agonies, bore him to the floor a corpse, and a victim to the terrors he had anticipated.

 From that chamber, and from that mansion, I fled aghast. The storm was still abroad in all its wrath as I found myself crossing the old causeway. Suddenly there shot along the path a wild light, and Iturned to see whence a gleam so unusual could have issued; for the vast house and its shadows were alone behind me. The radiance was that of the full, setting, and blood-red moon which now shone vividly through that once barely-discernible fissure of which I have before spoken as extending from the roof of the building, in azig-zag direction, to the base. While Igazed, this fissure rapidly widened --there came afierce breath of the whirlwind --the entire orb of the satellite burst at once upon my sight --my brain reeled as I saw the mighty walls rushing asunder --there was a long tumultuous shouting sound like the voice of a thousand waters --and the deep and dank tarn at my feet closed sullenly and silently over the fragments of the "HOUSE OF USHER."