7th Grade Buffett ELA/HLA
Keeping connected with ELA activities and materials
Distance Learning - Week of 3/30
Bobcat Students and Families,
We know that being away from school makes it difficult on learning. Right now, there are anxieties, frustrations, questions, and concerns about how to keep connected to school. These concerns are shared by us, as well, and we are working to create learning opportunities that are both engaging and purposeful.
Teachers are at their best when they are collaborating their talents and ideas, and that is what this page is for. By sharing our ideas in this format, students will have access to each language arts teacher's activity, materials, and lessons each week. This way, parents will be able to follow along with what is available and to encourage their students to engage regularly in a way that works best for each family. No worries about homework pages, Infinite Campus assignment notifications, etc.--just a weekly language arts newsletter that connects each of us.
Teachers will still be communicating via email, offering virtual classes when appropriate, and using programs students already use on their laptops. However, all students will have access to any activity, lesson, or materials shared by any of our ELA teachers. Are you in Dr. Pentland's class but you think what Ms. Haley's class is doing is pretty cool? Check that out! Are you finished with Mr. Tolliver's novel activity but want to check out Mrs. Willmott's writing jam? Give it a shot. Have you completed Mrs. Duckworth's skill check? You get the idea.
We want to thank each of you for keeping connected with us as we work through this difficult time. Remember that we are here for you, we care about you, and we miss you. A school is much more than a building; it is a community of learners who support each other beyond the walls of our classrooms. Let us know how you are doing.
Dr. Pentland, Ms. Haley, Mr. Tolliver, Mrs. Willmott, and Mrs.Duckworth
Weekly IXL Skill Practice
IXL provided all ELA teachers with weekly skill plans during our social distancing time. For this week, we will focus on literary texts. Our weekly goal for IXL is to complete 5 of the suggested activities or spend about 40 minutes practicing per week. Please click HERE for a link to IXL Spring Spotlight for 7th grade.
Weekly Writing Prompt
Imagine you find yourself with lots of time on your hands and have decided to become an inventor...
Think of a problem in the world to which you'd like to see a solution (war, pollution, etc.). Using the materials you see in the picture above, design a product that could possibly solve the world problem that you identified.
Please describe your problem and product design on a Word document and email your teacher(s). We'd all love to read how you plan to save the world! If you are in Mrs. Willmott's class, describe your invention in the daily check-in box from Day 11.
Vocabulary Term of the Week
The couch was cumbersome and oddly shaped; moving it out of the apartment was going to be a challenge.
Here is a link for more clarification : )
Now, what are three things in your house that would be considered cumbersome ?
Paradox (n)- a statement or idea that seems to contradict itself but is still in some way true.
It was a paradox when John Lennon said, "It's not weird to be weird."
Can you think of one other example of a paradox?
Poetry Madness 2020
To help celebrate National Poetry Month (April) and March Madness (because if this pandemic isn’t madness, we're not sure what is), your ELA teachers have created a bracket of 16 of the best poems that we think you will enjoy. Each week, all seventh graders from both teams will read and listen to poems and vote for their favorite. We’ve asked your teachers to record a reading of each poem, so you have an opportunity to see your teachers, too!
Here is how it will work:
- Please read the four poems for the week HERE.
- You will have a link to listen to each poem for the week from FlipGrid. You can click HERE to visit the grid or type this in the address bar: https://flipgrid.com/5e514ab4
- After listening to the poem, please vote for your favorites HERE!
This week's match up (West Bracket):
"One Art" by Elizabeth Bishop versus "Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night" by Dylan Thomas
"Dear Basketball" by Kobe Bryant versus "Foul Shot" by Edwin A. Hoey
Duckworth's Deft Deliverings
Please read the four poems from Poetry Madness 2020 and vote HERE.
I have sent out a few emails to students. Please check your email and respond to my email I sent out last week. If you did not receive one, don't worry.
Below you will find two worksheets. This will give you extra practice remembering the difference between sentences and fragments. If you complete one of them, feel free to save it and send it to me through email. I would love to hear from you! You can even add a little extra funny story to the email to share with me.
HINT: You need to have a subject, a verb, and a complete thought to make a sentence. This is what a fragment looks like:
After Gabriel ate half a box of donuts.
Yikes, does this make sense? Nope, this is a fragment because we do not know what in the world did Gabriel do after he ate the donuts? I DON'T KNOW!
Haley's High-Minded Hypotheses
I haven't had a chance to connect with everyone yet, so I've sent you a FlipGrid for this week. Please watch the video HERE and respond. The information for your respective FlipGrids are in your OneNote under Important Information, but the previous link will take you directly to the site.
Please read the four poems from Poetry Madness 2020 and vote HERE.
We will be using the poems for future assignments, so be sure to read each one carefully. Ask your parents to read them and ask which of the poems they like best. Tune in next week to see if your poems moved on to the Elite Eight.
Lastly, just know anything NEW that we do will be put in your Q4 tab in OneNote.
Pentland's Perceptive Particulars
Hello, everyone. Thank you to the many students who replied to my email last week and sharing your thoughts and questions. Some of you should take a look at Mrs. Willmott's video, though... If I haven't heard from you via email, PLEASE let me know how you are doing.
THIS WEEK: We are looking at narrative structure and how stories are developed. I shared some activities through the online textbook, so if you haven't looked at them yet, please do so. This week, we are examining Narrative and Plot. I would like you to check out the Nearpod which you can do at your own pace. It should take about 20-25 minutes.
I have also updated the class OneNote pages with a new tab named "Distance Learning" to share resources. You may post writing prompt activities there (word documents) and other materials as we move on. HLA students, please look at the IBA tab as I have placed new information for you there as well.
Finally, please read the four poems from Poetry Madness 2020 and vote HERE. You never know which teachers will be reading poems...
Tolliver's Transcendent Trappings
Please read the four poems from Poetry Madness 2020 and vote HERE.
This week, our focus is Main Idea vs Theme : ). Taking a look at the theme of our next few stories is going to be vital, so let's get some practice in while we have the chance! If you don't quite remember what the differences are between the two, there's a video here.
Willmott's Witty Wonders
As always, complete the Daily Check-in! I love getting to hear from you each day!
You've received your weekly email with the link for the Edpuzzle over the video below. Once you've finished the video and the activity, send an email to your teacher. Share one thing you learned and one update about life!