AdvancEd Survey

Advanced Ed Survey

Dear Parents and Students,

You are invited to provide insight and feedback to help us improve our school by taking our AdvanceED Survey.  Please consider helping us with this endeavor.  Student feedback is also important and valuable as we continue to strive toward excellence.  Most students were able to participate in Advisory class.  However, if your child did not, there is a link below.

Parent Survey

http://www.advanc-ed.org/survey/public/section/response/begin?surveyConfigId=314528

Student Survey (Grades 6-12)

http://www.advanc-ed.org/survey/public/section/response/begin?surveyConfigId=314534

Thank you for taking your time to provide valuable feedback.  Go Wildcats!

Happy Reading

A Secret Garden Literary Analysis

A Secret Garden Literary Analysis

Due December 11, 2014

The College Boards recommends the following pieces of advice for writing:

Always have a strong thesis.

Always put quotations around the title of a poem or short story.

Always underline the title of a novel or book.

Always refer to the author by his/her full name or last name only.

Always avoid use of “be” verbs.

Always make the conclusion worth reading by including new insightful analysis, connection to another similar work of literature, and an interesting, yet relevant, ending (a quote if possible).


Additionally pay attention to the following Scholarly Reminders...

Avoid 2nd person (you, your).

Avoid 1st person (I, me, my, we, us, our).

Avoid statements that begin with “I think,” “I find,” “I believe,” “In my opinion,” etc.

Avoid exclamation points! Seriously!!

Avoid contractions (or at least use apostrophes correctly).

Avoid starting or ending any paragraph with quoted information; always begin and end with your own

thoughts.

Parts of Sentence Review Party

According to the Pre-AP structure, students are required to learn the Parts of a Sentence.  We recently learned the following:

Subject
Predicate
Direct Objects
Indirect Objects
Predicate Nouns
Predicate Adjectives

Additionally we studied pronoun usage.  Personal pronouns are arranged the following way:

Nominative Case
Objective Case
Possessive Case

If you would like to retake the Parts of Speech test,  you must attend one of the following Parts of Speech  Party on Thursday, December 4 or December 11.


https://docs.google.com/a/nvps.net/document/d/1lLERM2qu8HeVVMgP_qHXcY17RQyqW7M_V_ozs8Lk7UQ/edit?usp=sharing

Across Generations: Grandparent Biography Potential Initial Interview Questions

Across Generations: Grandparent Biography

To begin the project, write a friendly letter to your grandparent.  See post on blog for specific requirements.  Explain to your grandparent that you are both a biographer as well as historian.  To help your grandparent prepare for the interview, explain that you will be collecting personal biographical information.  Additionally you may want to include some of the following questions in your initial letter: 

• What in your life are you most proud of and why?
• If you could go back and change one thing what would it be and why?
• What are some of your accomplishments?
• How do you handle disappointment?
• What are some life lessons you have learned along the way?
• How have you changed overtime?
• How do you want to be remembered?
• What is the greatest reward of being a parent/grandparent?
• What are some important historical events that you remember?
• What do you think of technology?

These are some examples that may help your grandparent start thinking.  

Across Generations: Grandparent Biography

Across Generations: The Grandparent Legacy Project

A biography is a written history of a person’s life.  More than a chronicle of the events a person has experienced, a biography explores the subject’s unique personality.  It is the celebration of a person’s life.

Grandparent Celebration

May 20, 2015

Northview Crossroads Middle School

1:30 t0 2:30

Across Generation Legacy Project

Grandparent Biography: Narrative Nonfiction

Come travel through time, learn from the past, and collect knowledge for a better future.  

Please note all dates are subject to change.  

Make a personal correspondence: Letter or Email * (Be sure to include the need for at least one picture)

11/19

Using block format, write a friendly letter to your subject.  Introduce the project and ask for his/her help.  Explain why you choose to write about your subject.  Invite him/her to the celebration on May 20, 2014 from 1:30 to 2:30 at Crossroads.

Prepare Interview Questions (round 1) Interview must be completed by January 7

Use the guide to develop specific questions as well as to guide your interview.  Draft a minimum of 50 questions.  Ask questions that require thoughtful responses, not just one word answers.  Questions should focus on events in his/her life, his/her thoughts, feelings, and opinions about world events.  Find out how he/she has changed to become who he/she is today.  Discover his/her hopes, dreams, fears, and accomplishments.  Look at artifacts to discover more about your subject.

Conduct interview of subject and take notes *(Be sure to collect and gather ample information)

Arrange for a time to interview your subject.  Meet personally with your subject.  Look at artifacts to discover more about your subject.  Ask about those artifacts.  This is one way to uncover stories.  You may even need a follow up interview by phone, email, etc.   During the interview, record the information.   It may be helpful to ask if the interview may be recorded so you can go back and listen.   Be sure to ask permission.  

Interview another individual who can provide insight *(Be sure to bring notes of interview to class)

Other people who know your subject are a valuable resource.  Find someone who knows your subject well and arrange for an interview.

Read nonfiction texts about historical information and take notes

In order to interview your subject in order to understand the time period in which he or she grew up, you will view clips and read information about different time periods in history.  This information should be woven into the actual biography.

Create a double-sided timeline (life layers)

Timelines help people understand history.  People use timelines to keep track of things that happen on certain days or certain years.   In addition, each event will need a picture or symbol.  

Draft biography (need at least seven stories)

Organize your notes into an outline.  Use the outline to draft small moment stories to highlight key moments of your subject’s life.  Use transitions to help your reader navigate your piece.

Research events/Footnotes

Research at least five historical events that influenced/impacted your subject’s life.  Based on your notes, include at least five summaries to be included in your biography as footnotes.

Create a visual piece for celebration (outside of class as part of homework)

5/15

You are required to create a visual representation of your subject.  This will be displayed at the celebration.   You may make a tri-fold or use a form of technology.   Include photos, artifacts, and other items.   Many people scan or copy the artifacts to protect the originals.   Be creative.  See the visual requirement guidelines.

Celebrate with Family *(During the Gallery Walk, take the Grandparent Survey)

5/20

Have your visual ready!  Bring your dish to pass (optional).  The celebration starts at 1:30 and ends at 2:30.  At the end of the day, be sure to take home your visual and any dishes.

Checklist for the Interviews

While conducting your interviews, be sure to do the following:

• Ask all 50 questions and record responses.

• Get a favorite family recipe.

• Complete the family tree.

• Fill out a Life Layer (Double-sided Timeline).  Be sure to include at least five historical events to research for footnotes.

• Collect other photos and artifacts to use for the visual display.

• Ask another source about your grandparent (aunt, uncle, cousin, parent, sibling). Try to gather anecdotes about your grandparent.

Across Generations: Grandparent Biography

Across Generations: Grandparent Biography

Celebration 

May 20, 2015

1:30-2:30 

Crossroads Middle School

As part of our Across Generations: Grandparent Biography, students need to write and send a personal letter to their subject (grandparent).    The requirements are as follows:

• Semi-block or block style 
• Minimum of 3 paragraphs 
• Introduce the project and invite grandparent to celebration
• Explain why writer chose subject (grandparent)
• Ask some general questions and set up an interview
• Letters need to be typed via google docs or blue or black ink  
• Letters need to be mailed by Friday, November 21

Kaleidoscope Writing Contest

The Michigan Reading Association invites students to submit a piece of writing to their language arts teacher.  Judges will then select one piece to represent Crossroads in the Michigan Reading Association's Kaleidoscope.  

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES:

One entry per school building, any grade K-12.  Turn selection in to Mrs. Vogel by December 7.

The original manuscript may be prose or poetry.

Students may submit a black line drawing as a scanned photo within the Word
document (due to space limitations, drawing may not be published).

The entry must be in “polished” form (no invented spellings).

Manuscript must be emailed as a Microsoft Word document
to mra@michiganreading.org. Include student name and
teacher contact information in the email.

WORD LIMIT – Please count accurately.

K - 6^th grade 250 words

7^th – 12^th grade 500 words

Student Information Sheet MUST be completed and attached
to entry email as a Word document or scanned attachment.

For more information contact the Michigan Reading Association office,

mra@michiganreading.org or (616) 647-9310.

Grammar

Terms:

pronoun
personal pronoun
indefinite pronoun
pronoun-antecedent agreement

pronoun cases: nominative, objective, and possessive  

Parts of a Sentence:
subject simple predicate 
predicate
predicate noun
predicate pronoun
predicate adjective
direct object
indirect object
object of the preposition

8th Grade Investigative Journalism

Investigative Journalism 

Presents background knowledge on issue (could be the at beginning for a lead)	/10
Includes anecdotes (stories, and examples)	/10
Includes direct quotes (from the interviews conducted)	/10
Adheres to journalistic tone	/10
Uses a story to teach a lesson, comment on a social issue, and/or develop a point of view.	/10
Incorporates transitional phrases	/10
Circles back to central idea/issue or leaves the reader feeling a sense of closure at the end	/10
Uses paragraphs as a way to organize your article and best bring out the meaning of your story and reach the audience	/5
Uses action, dialogue, details, inner thinking to convey an issue, idea or lesson. Uses specific details and figurative language to help the reader understand.	/10
Varies tone to match the variety of emotions	/10
Uses resources to check spelling. Varies sentence structure and correctly punctuates dialogue (especially when including interviews)	/5
Total:	/100

Investigative Journalism

Investigative Journalism Checklist

Find an issue that will matter to others. Decide on the angle of your piece.

• Present background knowledge on issue (could be the at beginning for a lead)
• Include anecdotes (stories, and examples)
• Include 2 direct quotes (from the interviews conducted)
• Adhere to journalistic tone
• Use a story to teach a lesson, comment on a social issue, and/or develop a point of view.
• Incorporates transitional phrases
• Circles back to central idea/issue or leaves the reader feeling a sense of closure at the ending
• Uses paragraphs as a way to organize your article and best bring out the meaning of your story and reach the audience
• Uses action, dialogue, details, inner thinking to convey an issue, idea or lesson
• Uses specific details and figurative language to help the reading understand.
• Varies tone to match the variety of emotions
• Uses resources to check spelling
• Varies sentence structure and correctly punctuates dialogue correctly (especially when including interviews)

Please submit a copy of your paper via google docs by Sunday, November 2. Additionally you need a print copy for your portfolio. Be sure to put a proper heading on ALL work. See Below.

Kathy Vogel

2ndh hour

November 2, 2014

Investigative Journalism

Show Off Your Talents! Publish a Piece of Your Writing

Calling All Authors!

______________________________________

Submit online at www.TeenInk.com

THE FINE PRINT

• How to submit. 
• We no longer accept submissions to mail or e-mail.

          All submissions of writing and artwork through TeenInk.com are considered

           for publication in print and online, and are also automatically entered into

           relevant contests.

• Plagiarism.  Teen Ink has a no-tolerance policy for plagiarism.  We check the

           originality of all published work through WriteCheck.

• Editing.  For space and other reasons, we reserve the right to publish our

           edited version of your work without your prior approval.

• Anonymity.  If, due to the personal nature of a piece, you don’t want your

           name published online or in print, we will respect that request, but we must

           still have accurate name and address information for every submission.

• Complimentary copy.  Teens published in the magazine will receive a copy

of the issue containing their work.

• Submitted work becomes the property of Teen Ink.

By submitting your work to us, are giving Teen Ink and its partners, affiliates,

and licensees the non-exclusive right to publish your work in any format, including

print, electronic, and online media.  However, all individual contributors to 

Teen Ink retain the right to submit their work for non-exclusive publication 

 elsewhere, and you have our permission to do so.  Teen Ink may edit or abridge

your work at its sole discretion.  To prevent others from stealing your work,

Teen Ink is copyrighted by The Young Authors Foundation Inc.

Read Critically and Closely and R.A.F.T

Read closely and critically the article, Amid Backlash, Colorado Board Rethinks U.S. History Review.  Your text should provide evidence of a close read.

Participate in Save the Last Word for Me.  Pick a line from the text.  Share that line with group members.  Only share the line.  Do not provide explanation.  Each person in the group will share his/her thinking about the line.  When it is your turn to speak, provide a clear explanation for choosing your passage.  Listen to others and provide thoughtful comments.

Pick a RAFT and be ready to share.  Think about word choice.

Role - Student from Jefferson County High School

Audience - The Today Show

Format - Interview

Topic - Protest of proposed history text

Strong Verb - Explain

Role - Jefferson County School Board Member

Audience- Teachers

Format- Letter

Topic- Why a curriculum review is needed

Strong Verb - Persuade

or

Write Your Own R.A.F.T

Due Tuesday, October 7