Gifted/Enrichment Language Arts at Springman Middle School
Web 2.0 with Ms. Rekkas
The week of July 19-25 has been designated National Parenting Gifted Children Week.
Use this celebration as an opportunity to raise awareness of gifted children and the importance of high quality gifted education. National Parenting Gifted Children Week creates an occasion for you to reach out to local media to discuss the needs of advanced students and to advocate for gifted and talented education.
For more information:
Thank you, parents, for the opportunity to learn with your children and for your continuous support. Students, thank you for always encouraging me to understand how you best learn and for your infectious enthusiasm for our class. I hope you have gained confidence in your abilities in the reading/writing/listening/speaking dimensions of language arts and purpose in the process of discovering who you are as a human being. It has been an incredible journey! I will miss you all!
Genesis: Students finished their writing workshop portfolios this week. Their work on this project was tremendous, and students frequently expressed their observations of how exactly they have grown as writers, which was meaningful to see. We mapped out this 6th grade year and interpreted these key narrative events in drama groups. We began reading a play, The House of Dies Drear, adapted from the novel by Virginia Hamilton.
Legacy: This week was filled with end-of-year activities. We held our final “Rekkas Class” on Tuesday, where students wrote a letter to their future selves (to be mailed by me in four years).
Explorers: This week was filled with end-of-year activities. We held our final “Rekkas Class” on Tuesday, where students wrote a letter to their future selves (to be mailed by me in four years) and visually mapped out this year of 8th grade.
Genesis: Reading continued in workshop format. Students completed their science fiction literature circle discussions this week. They also gained experience with a reader-response critical approach to literature through the “letter-essay” (the reading workshop literature by Nancie Atwell). Students developed and turned in letter-essay body paragraphs that explored personal understanding of a text.
Legacy: Students watched and responded to The Day the Earth Stood Still, and also reviewed class graduation speeches. Next week we will have our special goodbye G/E class.
Explorers: Students worked with the House Theater to develop dramatizations of their science fiction plot concepts. Next week we will have our special goodbye G/E class.
Genesis X Block: Students worked on filming/storyboarding clips for iMovie editing.
Genesis: After book chats, students chose their science fiction literature circle books and began reading them during workshop. We held our first literature circle meeting. We focused on four-line grammar analysis skills, and students practiced identifying nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions in sentences. Students continued developing their choice writing portfolios in writing workshop.
Legacy: Students developed and completed their final Fahrenheit 451 assessment. This “learning agenda” helped students reflect on the nature of dystopia in the novel while practicing text analysis skills. All students created incredible extensions to the book!
Explorers: Students worked on their science fiction story development using plot line elements. They pitched their work to their fellow classmates for next week’s House Theatre work.
Genesis: Prepare reading and role sheet for Literature Circle #1 (Block 2: due Wed 5/20; Block 3: Thu 5/21)
Legacy: Continue work on differentiated final assessment for Fahrenheit 451 (Block 2: due Thu 5/21; Block 3: Fri 5/22)
Explorers: Independent Reading Contract due Wednesday. Science Fiction Project this week!
From Northwestern University Center for Talent Development:
Don’t wait! June 1st is the deadline for Gifted LearningLinks (GLL) Enrichment and Accelerated Summer Option classes.
Enrichment Classes: June 15th – August 22nd (Grades 3-8)
Visit our website for engaging humanities, language arts, social studies, math & science offerings.
NEW THIS SESSION: Introduction to Computer Programming in Python
Accelerated Summer Option: June 15th –August 22nd (Grades 6-12)
Honors Classes:
U.S. History, World History, Economics,
Greek I, II, III, Latin I, II (Wheelock)
Intro to Philosophy, Logic, World Religions, World Theater
Algebra I, Algebra II/Trig, Pre-Calculus, Geometry
Chemistry, Biology, C++
English Vocabulary I, Journalistic Writing
AP Classes:
AP Calculus AB, AP Economics: Micro & Macro, AP Environmental Science,
AP Biology
For course descriptions and to apply please visit: http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/gll/
Sign up while class space is still available!
Genesis: Continue independent reading.
Legacy: Continue independent reading. Your letter-essay is due Wednesday 4/29.
Explorers: Read and annotate social studies packet in preparation for this week’s essay drafting.
