Fifth Six Weeks

Writing Clinics

          Writing clinics will commence on February 23 up to March 27, 2015. In these classes, intensive review of grammar objectives will be undertaken. There is no room for slacking off. We are four class weeks away from the STAAR writing state exam. We target 100% passing. No child will be left behind!

February 18, 2015

District Benchmark 2 in Writing

Results

                  We had an encouraging outcome for the DB2 in writing: 99% passing with 17 students moving to advanced level (86% or higher)! Congratulations to AC2E 7th graders!

Writing Clinics

                     We will be implementing writing clinics for some students who still need more clinically focused instruction in both revising and editing as well as essay writing. They will be scheduled during 4th and 7th periods. Instead of electives, they will be attending these classes.

Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment

 (TELPAS)

                       The window for writing essays for TELPAS has opened. Students will be required to write the compositions being asked for. There will one academic sample from each core area (writing, reading, science, math, and history).

                        This activity will be announced this week or next week.

Book Report

                          This assignment was due last February 13. Many students have not turned it in yet. They have until Friday only, February 20, to submit it.

February 8, 2015

Narrative Essay Revisited

                    Last week, we reviewed the elements of a good narrative essay. We analyzed a narrative piece with a score of 4 and identified the effective strategies employed. With the use of these, your narratives will soar.

District Benchmark No. 2

                    Schedule of DBM2 for writing will be this week, February 10, Tuesday (Day 1) and February 11, Wednesday (Day 2). Be ready!

Revising and Editing Review

                    Tomorrow we will review as many revising and editing questions as we can. You will be given handouts for independent review at home.

Book Report

                    Book report deadline is February 13 - this Friday! Remember you should follow the format of the cover page and the contents. This report must be printed.

Creative Writing

                    Presentations of acrostic poems and fables will be this week. Many have finished the projects. The quality of most of them is excellent!

February 2,2015

Expository Essay Revisited

          After reading William Zinsser's "Simplicity", we launched another expository essay where we wrote the introduction and the conclusion first, applying the advice of Zinsser to simplify sentences and taking away clutter. It was a bit challenging at first, but most managed to get it right.

           Today we are going to finish the body paragraphs as much as we can.

Creative Writing

            Today we continue creating and finalizing our rhyming acrostic poem. Possibly some students will be able to present.