- Reminder - Picture Day is Wednesday.
- Important Information: Room 316 is a NUT FREE room. As students are eating in our classroom during the lunch period, students may not bring peanut butter sandwiches, granola bars with nuts or any snacks with nut products. Thank you for making our classroom a safe space for all students.
- Safety Reminder - Students are asked not to wear flip-flops or slide sandals to school. While they are comfortable and fashionable, they are easy to slip out of and fall (we've seen a few close calls this week). We ask that students wear shoes with a secure back. Also, please remind your students to wear their masks fully covering their face unless eating/drinking, as well as until they have departed Coonley. Thank you.
- Video Permission Slip - Please look for a video permission from our student teacher, Ms. Zimmerman. We are hoping to have the signed forms returned next week. It is common for student teachers to videotape their lessons for review and reflection. The video will be used to help Ms. Zimmerman for educational purposes only.
- Special thank you to our new room parents!
ELA - We began our study of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night this week. Students had fun determining if some tricky lyrics/poetry were Shakespeare or Hip Hop. Who knew it would be so hard to know? We discovered that while Shakespeare's plays are over 400 years old, both Shakespeare and Hip Hop have a lot in common. They both address life and the human condition through rhythm and rhyme. We enjoyed an animated version of the play which helped us to review key plot structures. This week, students will be looking at the elements of drama, start our Reader's Theater in class performances and analyze unfamiliar vocabulary/Shakespearean language within this classic comedy.
Writing - Students continued drafting their short story memoirs this week looking to include emotions, the five senses and dialogue to take readers on their journey. We worked on Gum Unit 7 lessons 73-76 which we hope to apply immediately to our writing. Note - Some students are getting a slow start on completing assignments. The practice for both Gum and Wordly Wise are an important way to apply the grammar and vocabulary skills. Ask to take a peek through your child's books.
Civics - This week, we explored power and students enjoyed sharing their interviews of parents/guardians on how they use their power as civic actors. Thank you for your help in making our Civics lesson come to life by sharing how you see/apply the use of power in your daily life. We will look at how teens use their power in Chicago by exploring youth community activists next week. Students will also need to bring in art supplies of their choice to create an identity self-portrait on Wednesday for 316 and Thursday for 311. The 8th grade classes will be creating a Gallery Display on Friday which all 8th grade classes will enjoy. Finally students will look at the CPS Student Bill of Rights and what it means for students.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns to [email protected]. Looking forward to another great week.