5/13/13

Although we only have two weeks of school left, we still have a substantial amount of work to complete. Please encourage your student to attend school daily and give their full attention in each class.

 Reading: We do not have a reading log due this week. However, students who failed to turn in a reading log for a previous week have the opportunity to make that up.

We will be taking our end of the year test for Language! this week. It will take 2 days, so it is important that students be in attendance all week.

 Language Arts: On Wednesday, we will be taking the Benchmark test for language arts. Students will write in response to a prompt and then access themselves.

 

 

 

4/22/13 Due to CRCT Testing, students in Reading class will not be required to turn in an Independent Reading Log this week. However, students who do wish to complete the normal 100 minutes of independent reading will be allowed to use that grade for a previously missed Independent Reading Log.

 

 

 

4/15/13 I hope everyone had an enjoyable Spring Break. We have only this week left to prepare for the upcoming CRCT tests. Students will work diligently this week to prepare.

Reading: Independent Reading logs are due Friday, April 19th.

 

 

 

4/4/13 Reading Reminder: Test tomorrow, April 5th on Figurative Language. The test will cover similies, metaphors, and personification.

 

4/2/13 Reading: class activity

Click on the link on the side of this page for "Figurative Language".

Under Similes, Metaphors, and Personification do the following: Click on "ThinkQuest", read this section thoroughly, then click on the "practice" section at the bottom of the page.

 

 

 

3/29/13 Next week will be our last week before Spring Break. When we return, we will have one more week of academic instruction, and then CRCT Testing will begin. Students in both Lanuage Arts and Reading have been informed of numerous links on this blog that would be useful in CRCT preparation. Please encourage your child to check out some of the sites.

Reading: We are continuing Reading Logs on a weekly basis with a minimum of 100 minutes independent reading required. On Fridays, when the logs are completed, students are being asked to complete an activity related to their prior weeks' worth of reading. If the student does not do the independent reading, it is not possible for them to do the classroom activity. This results in 2 zeroes being added to their Pinnacle grade. Please, please, please encourage your student to read independently. Reading is the key to their success in ALL academic areas.

 

 

3/14/13

Despite having had more than 3 weeks to complete their Skills Tutor assignments in Language Arts and Reading Classes, many students have not done so. Some students have completed the activities, but received poor grades. I have given the students ample time in class to complete all of the activities.

Tomorrow is the last day of the grading period. We have also gone over these concepts many times in class; some of them we have been doing on a daily basis. Students MUST have these activities completed as they count as test grades for the 3rd Nine Weeks.

If your child has not completed these activities with passing grades, please encourage them to do so this evening. The activities are part of the Common Core Standards required in 6th grade. It is imperative that each student demonstrates understanding of the concepts.

See below for actual assigned activities.

 

2/25/13

Students in Language Arts Class and Reading Class will need to complete the following activities in Skills Tutor no later than Wednesday, March 6th. Students are able to re-take any activity which has a score of below 80%.On some quizzes, I will take the highest score. These scores will all be recorded in Pinnacle.

Skills Tutor:

 

Language Arts: Writing—Language Mechanics

 

                                Quiz 1-4 or 6-10 whichever is the highest score

 

                                                 Language Usage

 

                                Quiz 1-6 or 7-12 whichever is the highest score

 

                                                 Sentence Structure

 

                                                      Posttest

 

                                                Clear Writing & Paragraphs

 

                                                      Posttest

Reading:  Comprehension A

                                Posttest

                                Skills Lesson 1    Main Idea

                                Skills Lesson 2    Sequencing

                                Skills Lesson 3    Author’s Purpose

 

If these activities are not completed, your score will be a 0%.

                 

 

 

 

 

2/11/13 Due to unforeseen circumstances, last Friday's test over PWT vocabulary will be given this Tuesday, February 13th.

Due to the short week, reading logs will not be due until Tuesday, February 19th.

 

2/4/13

LA: Test on Friday, 2/8 over additional academic vocabulary related to Power Writing Trees. You will need to know the following words: Summary, Transition Words, and Topic/Main Idea. Please study, as this vocabulary is very important in improving your written expression.

Reading: Reading Log due Friday, 2/8. I failed to issue the logs on Friday, so I will do so tomorrow. If you have recorded your reading on a separate sheet of paper, you may transfer it to the log or turn it in as you recorded. Please remember that you must answer the questions pertaining to your daily reading.

Progress Reports will be issued next week. If you have missing assignments, now is the time to make them up.

 

 

 

1/22/13

WRITING ASSESSMENT TOMORROW!

Be sure to bring a pencil, a black or blue ink pen, and a book to read if you finish the test early.

 

 

 

1/14/13  LA Reminder: Test on Thursday over three of the Power Writing Trees vocabulary. You will need to know the following words: sentence, paragraph, summary. We have reviewed these words numerous times; please be sure that you know the definitions.

Reading: Your reading log is due on Friday. I gave you an additional sheet with explanations for the reading responses after each of your reading sessions. All information must be filled in correctly. It is imperative that you read at 100 minutes per week.

 

 

1/8/13 Welcome Back and Happy New Year!

We are off and running for the second half of the year. 6th graders will be in 7th grade before we know it, so we will be working diligently to prepare for that leap.

 

 Below are two links related to CRCT testing which will take place at Pine Mountain from April 22nd through the 26th. This is the 2nd week after Spring Break.

 

CRCT Parent Brochure 2013 (Under “Helpful Resources”)

http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/Pages/CRCT.aspx

 

CRCT Study Guides (Under “Helpful Resources” >>> “Student Guides”)

http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/Pages/CRCT-Study-Guides.aspx

 

 

 

12/20/12 HAPPY HOLIDAYS!   

For students who wish to get a head start on their reading for next semester, below is a list of suggested materials related to the Winter Holidays. The list is provided by "The Bookshare Blog".

 For those of you who would like to play some holiday on-line games, see my blog on the bottom of this to the right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

12/17/12 Language Arts: Power Writing Vocabulary Test will be Thursday, 12/20/12 

Reading: Students who want to get a jump on the next semester's reading logs, may read over the break.

 

12/12/12 The Language Arts test on Power Writing Vocabulary will be postponed until next week.

 

 

 

12/7/12 Due to the low scores on the Power Writing Vocabulary Terms test again this week. The re-take will be on Friday, December 14th.

The test will be postponed until next week.

 

 

11/15/12 OOPS! Ms. Mobley forgot to give the language arts test today! I guess I'm as anxious for Thanksgiving break as the students. So they get another evening to study. We will have the test tomorrow on Power Writing Vocabulary Terms. My apologies.

 

11/14/12 Reminder: Language Arts will have a test tomorrow on Power Writing Vocabulary Terms. Students received a study guide for this test last week. All students were required to write this test date in their agendas as well.

 

11/12/12 Language Arts: We will have Benchmark testing on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, so we will not have class time for our regular work. Homework will be assigned on previously taught standards.

Monday: Worksheet on "Words that Describe". Students should be sure to do the "Challenge" section. They may write the sentences on the back of the worksheet.

Tuesday: "Word Order" worksheet. Students need to use correct capitalization and punctuation when re-ordering the words into sentences. They do not have to do the "Challenge" section.

Reading: Students need to read independently for 100 minutes, record on their reading logs, and turn in on Friday.

We will not have a reading log next week. However, students who wish to read will be allowed to replace their lowest reading log grade with one they do over the break.

 

11/8/12 Reading: Students who did not complete their "Idiom" project in class, must complete it at home this evening and turn it in tomorrow. We have been working on this project in class all week. Late projects will NOT be accepted.

Reminder: Reading logs are due tomorrow.

 

11/2/12 Reading: New reading logs were issued today. Students need to read a total of 100 minutes. I am still having students turn in reading logs with obvious inaccurate information. Parents, please monitor your child's reading. Reading independently is the quickest way to improve their reading skills. I appreciate your assistance in this matter.

Language Arts: Monday's homework: Students will have a "Take Home" sheet for spelling. Please have them follow the directions on the worksheet including the directions on the bottom portion of the sheet. This is due on Tuesday.

 

10/22/12

Reading: Since classes will only be 29 minutes this week due to early release, students may have more than usual homework for reading. Please check agendas and this blog for updated information.

Reading logs will still be due on Friday with a total of 100 minutes of independent reading. Please monitor your student's reading to ensure accurate recording on the logs.

 

10/19/12 Students who were unable to complete their writing assignment in class, need to finish it over the weekend. This is just a rough draft. The writing was to be 3/4 of a page concerning an idea they have had and how it grew into reality.

 

10/8/12

On Friday, I failed to issue new reading logs to the students. Therefore, I will issue them today and reduce the number of minutes to 80. The logs will still be due on Friday.

Language Arts: Homework: Worksheet on Sentences and Fragments. Complete the entire worksheet INCLUDING THE CHALLENGE on the bottom of the sheet.

 

10/4/12

Summer Reading Projects due tomorrow, Friday, October 5th.

Weekly Independent Reading Logs are also due tomorrow.

Homework: Monday's section of the DRP (Daily Reading Program). Monday's portion only; we will complete the remainder in class.

 

 

10/3/12 Just a reminder that Summer Reading Projects are due this Friday, October 5th. This was an extension for my classes. All other classes had a due in mid September. Students have been reminded of the upcoming project, it has been written in their agendas, and it has been posted on the Pine Mtn. website. If your student attended Hayes Elementary, the information was mailed home with the report cards. Several times in class, I have offered to give students the Summer Reading packet if they had lost theirs or were unable to access it on-line from home.

 

10/1/12

Language Arts: Test on common and proper nouns will be on Tuesday, Oct. 2nd.

Reading: Students were issued a new reading log on Friday, September 28th. They are to read 100 minutes this week. The reading log will be due on Friday, October 5th. Students have a choice of getting a parent signature indicating the parent is confirming the student reading, or writing a 3-5 sentence summary of the current week's readin

We will begin the DRP (Daily Reading Practice) this week. Each days activities will be specifically modeled before students are required to answer the questions independently.

 

 

9/26/12

Language Arts: Homework on Common and Proper Nouns

Students have a work sheet on changing common nouns to proper nouns and proper nouns to common nouns. They are to complete 1-10 on the top portion of the page and 1-10 on the bottom portion.

Due: Thursday, 9/27

 

 

9/24/12

Students in Reading class were issued an independent reading log. Their assignment this week is to read a total of 80 minutes, record the appropriate information, and turn in the log this Friday. Last week, students read independently in class, and I modeled how to complete the log. Students have a choice of getting a parent signature indicating the parent is confirming the student reading, or writing a 3-5 sentence summary of the current week's reading.

 

9/17/12

For both Language Arts and Reading classes, I have signed up the students for Skills Tutor. This is an effective on-line program that allows students to work according to their particular levels. We will be going to the computer lab every Tuesday to work on improving grammar, writing, and comprehension skills.

In reading, students will be issued Reading Logs. This week, we will do independent reading within the classroom. Instructions for recording the necessary information on the logs will be modeled in class.

In Language Arts we are working on pronouns. Homework will be related to subject and object pronouns.

         Wednesday: Grammar Workbook p. 46 Due on Thursday

         Thursday: Grammar Workbook p. 49 Due on Friday

 

 

9/13/12

In Language Arts class students have homework regarding common and proper nouns. This began as a classroom assignment, but due to the number of incorrect responses, I am allowing the students to re-do this task. I have written all of the nouns that they did not detect in the sentences. Their job is to now identify the nouns as common or proper.

 

 

 

9/10/12

On Tuesday, September 11, students will be allowed to take a re-test on Kinds of Sentences. Any student with a grade below 70 will be required to re-take the test. Students above 70, will have the choice. Both grades will be recorded in the their grade book which hopefully, will improve their overall average.

 

 

 

 

9/4/12

Language Arts: Last Friday we completed our "Kinds of Sentences" posters. Students will be tested on Thursday on this information. A study guide will be issued.

We will begin the Sitton Spelling Program this week. Unlike other spelling programs, we will not have the usual "words on Monday, test on Friday". Students will be given a letter to parents today which will explain the elements of the program. It is my hope that by using this innovative program, our students will become better spellers, not just on Fridays, but throughout their lives.

Reading: We will be using the Language! program, Level B. Despite the title this is an effective reading program incorporating all aspects of reading and language arts. Many students used the Level A portion of this program last year.

Please do not hesitate to email me with any concerns you may have. I am here to support your child in every way possible.

bernadette.mobley@cobbk12.org

 

 

 

 

9/4/12

As you are most likely aware, we have had a few changes in scheduling. Pine Mtn. received additional teacher allotments which has allowed us to reduce our class sizes. Because of this, I am now teaching both 6th grade Language Arts and Reading. I will no longer be teaching the 8th grade Language Arts class. Ms. Ann Jacobs now has that class, so please check her blog in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

8/13/12 

To those of you who are new to Pine Mountain Middle School, WELCOME! We are all looking forward to an exciting year.

Since I teach both 6th grade and 8th grade Language Arts, I will post my blog in two colors. Information for 8th graders will be in green, and information for 6th graders will be in blue.

It is my intention to post on a weekly basis. Additional information may be added on a daily basis if necessary due to class, test, or other academic changes. 

WE ARE KICKING OFF A GREAT YEAR!