Smith's SMART PAGE

"It's the Final Count Down!"

This is it people! We made it!

NO HOMEWORK and NO ASSIGNMENTS this week!

Social Studies - This week in Social Studies students finished showing their Project U.S.A. assignments.  Many of the students created insightful and creative power points, PhotoStory, Movie Maker and other media forms to present their topics.  I will attach the TOP FIVE presentations to this blog on Wednesday with the approval of each group or individual.  I was very impressed with their research and their presentations.  Good job!

Today we watched "The Story of Stuff" http://www.storyofstuff.com/

This is a very enlightening video about how we consume "stuff" in America and how it affects the world around us. 

Wednesday we will answer questions pertaining to this video and the small video clip we will watch referring to the children who were in the movie "Slumdog Millionaire".  Today they are still living in the slums of India and it is an eye-opening account from the documentarians at MSNBC.com to see how these children deal withe poverty and environmental waste that exists in India.  We will make a comparison between India today and the future of America if we continue to consume "stuff" at the rate we do today. Slumdog Story - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30796946/

Thursday - We are going to discuss the Pakistan refugees fleeing northern Pakistan as the Taliban comes back to the forefront since their hiding days after 9/11.  How are Americans working to protect the Afghani people and our own country from the terrible Taliban.

Refugees flee from the Taliban in Pakistan - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30699634/

Friday - BINGO!  Students will answer Social Studies type questions in order to receive a prize in this fun and informative bingo format.  Good luck!

Language Arts - Today we finished reading "A Wrinkle In Time" by Madeleine L'Engle.  Wednesday and Thursday we will watch the Disney version of this movie and Friday students will participate in a similar BINGO format for Language Arts -  questions and prizes included!

As of today, May 19, all grades have been entered in to iParent and no grade can be improved or made up unless the student was ABSENT or was serving OSS/ISS and did not receive the assignment.  Please check your students grades to make sure everything looks up to par.

Parents - THANK YOU!  I have appreciated all of your support this year.  Those of you who check this blog regularly deserve a HUGE PAT ON THE BACK!  I appreciate your efforts!

If you have any questions at all over the summer, do not hesitate to email me.  I check my email regularly throughout the summer and will help answer any and all questions to the best of my ability.  DO NOT FORGET ABOUT SUMMER READING!  All students should be reading this summer.  In the next few days I will attach a link to this blog for suggestions for books students should look into reading over the summer.

THANKS FOR MAKING MY FIRST YEAR AT AWTREY A GREAT YEAR!

Week of May 11 - May 15

8 MORE DAYS!!!

FIELD DAY IS WEDNESDAY, MAY 13 - Remember to wear your team's colors! Green 7-2 or Yellow 7-1

Social Studies - Finish your Project U.S.A. presentations and note cards.  Don't forget you have 5 note cards and they must have at least 3 - 4 facts on each note card! Do NOT repeat what you already have written in your slide shows!!!

This week we will finish working on our projects. Students will present their projects to the class and take a quiz on what they learn from each student or group when everyone is done presenting next week.  PAY ATTENTION TO THE PRESENTATIONS!!!

Language Arts - Tonight, May 11, finish the Chapter 7 handout from "A Wrinkle In Time". There will be no other homework this week unless students do not finish an assignment in class.  Students are welcome to take a book home with them as long as they remember to bring it back at the beginning of the school day so I have enough books for my 3rd block Language Arts class.

We will take a quiz over Chapter 8 tomorrow from "A Wrinkle In Time" and another quiz at the end of the week for a final grade.  Make sure you are reading in your groups, with the class or at home if need be!

PARENTS - I am sending home deficiences on TUESDAY, MAY 12. Please check iParent if you are worried about your students grades.  Please be aware that I have had a strict policy this quarter of no make-ups/improvements passed the five school days that a grade was entered.  Many students did not think this was going to happen - well guess what - IT DID.  If I give you an opportunity to improve your grade, please do the assignment and turn it in promptly!

WHOOPS!!!  Here is the Chapter 7 question and vocabulary sheet for "A Wrinkle In Time"

Download Chapter 7 - WIT

Relay for Life

Dedicate a luminaria (a paper bag filled with sand and a candle) to be lit and displayed around the track during the luminaria ceremony at Relay for Life of Cobb County this weekend at Jim Miller Park in Marietta.

Luminaria serve as symbols of hope as we continue to work for a cure for this disease, The luminaria ceremony will begin at 10 PM on Friday, May 8, and everyone is invited to attend - you do not need to be a Relay for Life participant to take part or to dedicate a luminaria. With your donation, you may designate an individual whose name will be printed on the luminaria bag. Suggested donation: $10.

Week of May 4 - May 8

Hello parents and students!  This week's blog is different because we are counting down the days until the end of the school year!  Since we only have three weeks left I am going to ease up on the homework. 

I do have a few announcements and requests listed below:

1. Social Studies students are working on Project U.S.A.  If you are looking for the information and rubric for this project - please look on last week's blog entry.  I have uploaded all information needed to complete the project.  Students are working on this project DAILY.  Please be aware this will be counted as one of the Social Studies final projects on WEDNESDAY, MAY 13.
2. Note: I changed the due date of this project because students have been working really fast on completing it.  I've been very impressed with their enthusiasm!  Especially at this point in the year!
3. Language Arts classes are reading "A Wrinkle In Time".  We will take a test at the end and a packet for Chapters 1 - 5 is due tomorrow, Tuesday, May 5.  The packet sheets are also uploaded to last weeks blog.  See information below.
4. We will take a test on "A Wrinkle in Time" before the end of the school year for a grade.  If your student has been struggling in Language Arts this year, this is the perfect opportunity to improve your fourth quarter grade.  Go to the library and check this book out, or request a copy from Ms. Smith if you need to catch up on your reading or you want to read over anything you think you might have missed.
5. The last day to turn in BOOK POINTS is next FRIDAY, MAY 15.  Due to grades being due the following week - I must have this information to input in my grade book by this date.  NO EXCEPTIONS.
6. FIELD DAY is this FRIDAY, MAY 8.  Students are either supposed to wear a red or white shirt, depending on what team they are on - team 7-1 or 7-2.
7. Awtrey students will be performing in a play in the Awtrey Theatre on Friday, May 8 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, May 9 at 2 p.m.  The play is called "Romeo and Juliet with a Twist" - it should be good!
8. THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL IS FRIDAY, MAY 22.  PLEASE BE CHECKING iPARENT TO CHECK YOUR STUDENTS GRADES!!! 

I hope this information helps students and parents prepare for the end of the school year. Again, please email me if you have any questions:  virginia.smith@cobbk12.org.

Homework this week for Social Studies is to work on their projects.  Language Arts students should continue to read for book points and complete the packet from Chapters 1 - 5.

Week of April 27 - May 1

"We have ONE MONTH LEFT of school!"

...that being said, I would like to inform parents that I will have two major assignments due by the end of the fourth quarter.  Social Studies students will begin "Project U.S.A." today.  It is my hope that by informing these students on major U.S. events in history, and U.S. presidents, that they will gain some prior knowledge of the U.S. before learning about our state history in 8th grade. I have attached the assignment sheet to Monday's homework schedule and the project is due Friday, May 15. 

Language Arts classes will be reading A Wrinkle In Time in class.  Students will have handouts/ worksheets for homework or assignments given in class. Each handout will address a specific chapter and has questions about the book and/or vocabulary from the book that they will need to answer correctly before arriving to class the next day.  We will be watching the video simulataneously while we read.  We will make comparisons between the movie and the novel.  By the end of the novel, students will take a final test.  Each student will be placed in a group for reading circles and this group will also re-create a scene from the novel to be captured on video and shown to the class.  If your student starts to grab random props around the house to bring in for their video segment ... now you know why! 

It should be a fun and educational way to end the year!

Social Studies Homework for the Week of April 27 - May 1

Monday 4/27 - Choose 3 possible topics for your Project U.S.A. Download Project USA

Tuesday 4/28 - Fill out proposal sheet for your project by tonight! Turn in to Ms. Smith for a grade tomorrow! Download Proposal Sheet and Rubric - Project USA

Wednesday 4/29 - Research for your project.

Thursday 4/30 - Research for your project.

Language Arts Homework for the Week of April 27 - May 1

Monday 4/27 - Complete the questions you know the answer to based on today's reading of Chapter 1

Tuesday 4/28 - Read for BOOK POINTS!

Wednesday 4/29 - Read for BOOK POINTS! Remember this grade will count as a TEST grade by the end of the fourth quarter! It is effecting your grade right now!

Thursday 4/30 - Work on answering questions referring to Chapters 2 - 5 from A Wrinkle In Time given to you in class today.  You must have these sheets completed by Monday, May 4.

Download Chapter 2 - WIT

Download Chapter 3 - WIT

Download Chapter 4 - WIT

Download Chapter 5 - WIT

FYI - Parents, I will not be here on Thursday and Friday of this week.  Please contact the office or an administrator if you have any major problems that occur in my class or you have a question concerning the curriculum for the week.  I will return on Monday, May 4. 

April 20 - April 24 is CRCT WEEK

We hope you can join us for Awtrey’s Family Night this Friday, April 24, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Enjoy a silent auction, craft fair, Awtrey student dance, family movie and food with other members of our school community!

There is absolutely NO HOMEWORK this week.  Students should be getting a good night's sleep, eating breakfast each morning, and arriving to school on time.  CRCT Testing will end next Monday.  Please be aware parents!

Week of April 13 - April 17

Social Studies for the Week of April 13 - 17

4/13 Monday - Finish A-Z Book of Asia.  PARENTS - If your student claims they cannot work on this assignment at home because they A) do not have a Social Studies book B) do not have their A-Z book because they left it in class - please do not fall for this!  Students KNOW they can look up concepts and gather three to four facts for each letter/term pertaining to Asia through the Internet.

4/14 Tuesday - A-Z Book of Asia DUE TOMORROW! NO EXCUSES!

4/15 Wednesday - A-Z Book of Asia due today! Students begin CRCT Social Studies Review.  Students will create a chart that looks similar to a quilt.  They will create boxes on both the front and back side of a sheet and fill in each box with an answer to a question.  See attached document for more details...

Download World Geography Quilt - 84

Download Grid for Geography Quilt - I actually printed this off front and back, but if you need to print it off - here it is!

4/16 Thursday - Finish World Geography Fact Quilt tonight

Language Arts for the Week of April 13 - 17

4/13 Monday - Finish Technical Writing Project - due WEDNESDAY!

4/14 Tuesday - Finish Technical Writing Project (for details scroll down the page) - due TOMORROW!

4/15 Wednesday - Technical Writing Project due TODAY! CRCT Reading Review Handout.

4/16 Thursday - CRCT Language Arts Review Handout

Students need to continue taking Skills Tutor Tests and CRCT Practice Tests.  All links are located on the Awtrey homepage and ALL students from Ms. V. Smith's Language Arts classes should know and have their login and passwords for these sites.  Parents, please email me if your student does not have these two items.

Don't forget there is a CRCT Saturday School on April 18th at Awtrey Middle School.  Go to the Awtrey Home Page to find the form to fill out for your student to attend.  If you cannot find it - email Ms. Smith!

Cool Social Studies Websites

Parade Magazine's List of The World's Top 10 Dictators - http://www.parade.com/dictators/2009/

Go Virtual in Asia!

The Forbidden City - http://www.beijingbeforetheolympics.com/forbidden_city/forbidden_city_virtual_tour.html

 

The Great Wall of China -

http://www.thebeijingguide.com/great_wall_of_china/index.html

 

The Taj Mahal -

http://www.taj-mahal.net/blackMedium.htm

 

Homework for the Week of March 30 - April 3

Social Studies Homework for the Week of March 30 - April 3

3/30 Monday - Ancient China - Click through the power point and take the quiz! Download Ancient China Power Point  Students should simply open this document, read and click through the power point.  There is a quiz at the end, but students are basically quizzing themselves.  No grade for this assignment.

3/31 Tuesday - Government Systems of Asia - quiz tomorrow on reading!

4/1 Wednesday - Government Challenges for China - whoops! I forgot to hand this out so we did read over it today at the beginning of class.  I did not take a grade for this assignment.

4/2 Thursday - Comparing Japan, China and India's governments - finish the back side of the green sheet that has a chart of all the countries in Asia we have looked up over the past two weeks. Download Asia - Facts -Govt - Economy

Language Arts Homework for the Week of March 30 - April 3

3/30 Monday - Workbook p. 87

3/31 Tuesday - Read for BOOK POINTS!

4/1 Wednesday - Take a test on Skills Tutor!

4/2 Thursday - Study for DGP Quiz tomorrow and take a CRCT Practice Test on-line!  I am inputting a grade for those students who have sent me a CRCT Practice test.  Please do this for an easy 100 on a homework assignment!  Remember, after you take one of the practice tests to scroll down to the bottom of the page and send your results to me!

Technical Writing Project - DUE APRIL 15

We are starting a new project in the fourth quarter for Language Arts!

Technical Writing or Business Writing is our main focus.  Students will research a place they would like to travel to and write several letters to various businesses concerning the trip.

Download Fantasy Getaway

Project Due April 15 - 3 days after we get back from Spring Break!!!

Don't forget to use this great website to help you write your letter:

http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/letter_generator/

Letter of Request - Example Download Example of Request Letter

Invitation - Example Download Invitation

Post Card Website - http://www.designedlykristi.com/freebies/postcards1.html