Weeks of Nov. 27th, Dec. 4th, & Dec. 11th

Students will be completing their character sketches of their assigned character from the Bull Run novel this week in class. Students will then present their character sketches to the class.

Students will also begin and complete a district unit on the Oklahoma Land Rush. Text and materials are being provided by the district for a unique opportunity to complete a district wide unit.

Students will also complete a district mandated writing benchmark test on informational essay writing.

Daily practice assignments are posted each Monday through Thursday on Edmodo.

Weeks of Nov. 6th, 13th, & 20th

Students began reading and analyzing our background text information on the Battle of Bull Run this past week. 

After we discuss the text analysis, students will complete a storyboard to understand and retell the sequence of events, and write two essays this week in class following the models I will provide.  Students have asked if we can put on another improvised play on the event, and we will make plans to do just that! We will also have a writing strategy lesson.

Following this week, we will begin our novel, Bull Run. Students will be assigned a character in the book and be asked to complete a character analysis for a presentation in class. The goal is that students will become the expert on that particular character and teach the class all they know.

This unit will take the next 3 weeks. Please remind your student of their daily Edmodo posting for practice work. Monday through Thursday!

Weeks of Oct. 16th, 23rd, 30th 2017

Students will be completing their 1st district mandated writing benchmark this week in Literacy class, October 16th & 17th. Literacy teachers will be assessing students' writing with a state designed rubric. This test will serve as a tool to assess writing strengths and weaknesses, and guide future instruction as we prepare for the state mandated 5th grade writing test this Winter/Spring of 2018.

Students will also be completing a self-assessment of academic progress for their up-coming student led teacher-parent conferences Nov. 1st.

Students will also be completing their last four weeks self reflection of intruction for their 1st 9 weeks quarter.

Students will also read and analyze a text on the Battle of Bull Run, as a lead in to our novel, Bull Run.

Daily practice work to be completed at home, will be posted Monday through Thursday on the Edmodo site.

Weeks of Sept. 25th & Oct. 2nd

Students are completing storyboards in groups, retelling the Battle of Fort Sumter in the following sequence: beginning, middle, climax, resolution, and ending. Students are also learning the relationship of cause and effect in this historic event that started the Civil War in 1861. After we review our storyboard products, students will learn about improvosational skits through videos, modeling, & discussion. Students will then act out their own improvosational skit explaining the events of Fort Sumter with the model we have created. Students will also learn how to evaluate other classmates group performances in class. Following these in varied class activities, students will write a 5 paragraph explanatory essay and a creative personal narrative essay on Fort Sumter. Students will complete both these essays in class, but will bring home to have their parents review, sign, and then return back to me for a final grade.

I am personally looking forward to these next two weeks as we are growing in our learning of numerous standards through a variety of focused activities. Following Fall break, we will begin our classroom novel, Bull Run. Remember to encourage your student to complete their daily Edmodo homework, Monday through Thursday.

Weeks of Sept. 11th & Sept. 18th

Students will read narrative essays this week as a follow up to our writing assignment last week in class. Students will be provided a rubric that targets the various elements of our narrative writing objectives last week. Students will use a peer assessment approach to sharpen our writing skills. When students assess another writer's work, it sharpens their own writing skills.

Students will also read various informational texts over the next two weeks. The informational texts will be on the subject of the beginning of the Civil War, as we prepare to begin reading our first novel, Bull Run, in class. Students will continue to reflect and journal each day in class. These journals (composition books) are stored in the classroom, to ensure a smooth transition to this activity. Students will also work in groups next week to create their own story board based on their readings to demonstrate and communicate their understanding of the texts.

Students are expected to log on to Edmodo each afternoon and complete their daily assignment(HOMEWORK). Please note that the Edmodo and NO RED INK on line activities have a default due date feature. Please ignore this internal due date feature. Students simply need to complete their Edmodo posted assignments each day (Monday through Thursday.) If your student cannot complete the Edmodo assignment when assigned, please send a note or email me: thomas.occhipinti@mnps.org

Weeks of August 28th & Sept 5th

Students will be tested over Myths, Legends, Folktales, and Fables this week. Students will also be tested on informational text about the recent eclipse. These various tests will be a variety of on-line questions, writing assessments, and multiple choice format. These tests will simulate how students will be tested this year. Our instructional goal is to teach students to be better readers, writers, and test-takers. Students will continue to be focused on digging deeper with our reading, writing like we speak, and listening to directions, as we remain true to our instructional goal.

Students will read narrative essays and informational texts. The informational texts will be on the subject of the beginning of the Civil War, as we prepare to begin reading our first novel, Bull Run, in class. Students will continue to reflect and journal each day in class. These journals (compostion books) are stored in the classroom, to ensure a smooth transition to this activity.

Students are expected to log on to Edmodo each afternoon and complete their daily assignment(HOMEWORK). Please note that the Edmodo and NO RED INK on line activities have a default due date feature. Please ignore this internal due date feature. Students simply need to complete their Edmodo posted assignments each day (Monday through Thursday.) If your student cannot complete the Edmodo assignment when assigned, please send a note or email me: thomas.occhipinti@mnps.org

Weeks of August 7th, 14th, & 22nd.

Welcome to Head Middle Magnet School!!!

Students will first practice improving their listening skills and questioning skills with teacher led whole and small group activities. Students will also complete a reading comprehension test for a practice grade. This test provides an opportunity to assess students' reading comprehension abilities and needs.

Next, students will learn how we will use Edmodo & NO RED INK, web-based learning site, for our after school class instructional activities. (Formerly known as ...HOMEWORK.) Teacher will lead students through a sign-up process in class via my personal teacher accounts. Students can then access  their daily  afterschool assignments on  their personal computers and smart phones.

Finally, students will begin our first unit on Myths, Legends, Folktales, & Fables, as an introduction to our follow up unit on the coming Full Solar eclipse. This solar eclipse event provides a wonderful opportunity to learn how some ancient cultures comprehended such an event, and what scientific facts we now know about this cosmic phenomena.

Students will be reading, analyzing, discussing, questioning, writing, and testing over these two units. Grades are posted weekly as they are generated in class.