Week 13 of being out of school: Here's what's in store this week...I will hold Google Hangout on Monday this week. See the schedule below for your class and time. Due to past attendance, I am only going to hold 2 Google Hangouts tomorrow. One for C Block (typically a large class) and one for the remaining A, B, and D Blocks (typically smaller classes).  I am posting the last ELA assignment on this Monday. It's a different kind of assignment and I will be talking about it and explaining it during the Google Hangouts. It's one of my favorite assignments of the school year and if we were in class together, it would be much easier to complete, but I will try it this way, nonetheless. Hope to see you all tomorrow! 

A, B and D Blocks @ 10:30

C Block @ 11:30

Week 12 of being out of school: Here's what's in store this week...I am not going to hold a Google Hangouts this week. There are three Mondays left of school (June 1, June 8 and June 15). I will hold Google Hangouts on the last two Mondays for those that want to and can show up. I have a specific assignment that I will talk about next Monday and I want to use the Hangouts to share it with you. I will also post the assignment as well, like I do, for those who can't show up or who don't want to.  I will give you a few more details later this week about what you may need for the "class time." Don't worry. It's nothing stressful. 

This week's assignment will be a continuation of last week's.  You will use the story/drama from last week, "The Sword in the Stone," to complete two Choice Board activities for it.  You will find these assignments on my Homework page on the left. 

Finally, it was bittersweet to see those who I did last week during Tuesday's locker cleanout. "Bitter" because it was our last time being together in 7th grade and "sweet" because we haven't seen each other since March. It was nice, even if only for a short time.  

Week 11 of being out of school: Here's what's in store this week....Google Hangouts will not take place due to the fact that Monday is a holiday (Memorial Day) and this is a busy week for locker cleanouts.  Next Monday will be a regular Hangout.  See you then! 

This is locker cleanout week. Tuesday is scheduled for Bobala (morning) and Cavanaugh (afternoon). Thursday morning is Donah and Friday morning is Florence. Please check in with your homeroom teacher for your assigned time to show up.  If you do not show up, your locker will be cleaned out and all of your belongings will be stored in a bag. This bag can be picked up at the 7th grade back entrance hallway (where you come in from recess/morning line up) at any point this week. Please be sure to return any library books that you may have at home and any subject books that you aren't using anymore.  Keep what you are still using and it can be returned later in June.

Please look at my homework page (on the left) for this week's assignment(s). 

Week 10 of being out of school: Here's what's in store this week....Google Hangouts will be different this week. They will still be on Monday but I am combining two classes together this week and we will be discussing this week's assignment which is a little more detailed and in-depth than the previous assignments. If you want to hear about it, please join! The times will be:

C Block and D Block @ 10:30

A Block and B Block @ 11:30

I will ALSO hold a WORKING VIDEO CHAT on Wednesday for anyone who wants to work through the assignment together---not with a partner directly, but just in a video chat.  Wednesday's times will be:

A, B, and D Block @ 11:30 This is a change here from Monday morning!!!!

C Block @ 12:30

Neither of these days is required/mandatory but it allows for Questions and Answers, for you all to help each other and just be together. Let's see how this goes this week!!!

You will find this week's assignment(s) to the left on my Homework page. 

FYI-It is MIDTERM this week! If you have not done any work at all, you will receive an "F" as a warning of what may come if you continue to choose not to do work. Please email me with any concerns you may have! (Showing up to Google Hangouts don't count as work.)  

Week 9 of being out of school: Here's what's in store this week... Google Hangouts Meet will happen on Monday.  Check below for the times.  This week we will be working on the challenging, but not new, skill of "inferencing." You will read a short story called, "All the Right Notes," and then you will complete TWO Google Forms, found in your email, about this story.  One Google form is a preview about the vocabulary in the reading and the second Google form is identifying "inferences" in the reading.  You will also have another Choice Board to work with for this reading.  It will all be assigned on Monday of this week and you have the week to complete it all. YOU WILL FIND THESE ACTIVITIES ON MY HOMEWORK PAGE ON THE LEFT. Click there to get the assignments.

Google Hangouts Meet times: Today we will discuss how assignments are going, what's in store this week, and one challenge that you will do that's "new" to you over the course of the next month. (Will you try yoga for 20 minutes? Can you go "phone-free" for 24 hours? Will you bake/cook something that you've never done before? Come prepared to share your thoughts and ideas.  I will share my things too, to give you ideas. (If you haven't joined us for a Google Hangout Meet, please consider it this week. It's very easy and you can mute your voice and hide your screen if you feel uncomfortable about attending. You can also email me ahead of time if you are looking for help to do it. I was nervous the first time I did it, but now it's much better. It's nice to hear from all students and you can hear and see your peers if you join in!  Hope to see you all there!)

B Block @ 10:30 

C Block @ 11:30

D Block @ 12:30

A Block @ 1:30

Week 8 of being out of school: Here's what's in store this week...Google Hangouts Meet will happen on Monday. Check for the times below. And this is a reminder that there was an assignment given on Wednesday for you to choose an activity from the Choice Board that related to the Grizzly Bear article that you read last Monday. (Wow! That was wordy!) It's due on Wednesday, but don't wait for the last minute. See below AND click on my daily Homework page (on the left) to see exactly what you will do for each day this week. 

1. For those of you who NEED or WANT something to do today, check out my homework page.  I told you last week that I wouldn't assign anything else while you were working on this activity so what I post is NOT mandatory.  It's for those of you who either want to stay busy and do something for ELA today because you already did your Choice Board Activity last week, or it's for those kids who have parents that want them to do something! :)

2. Google Hangouts: Come to the Hangout with this, if possible:

* Your Choice Board Activity-if you are done and couldn't share it with me OR if you shared it with me and want to share it with everyone and let me see it in person. If you aren't done yet, that's ok. You can share what you've got, or don't have to either. 

* Tell me what you would like to do for online work AND what you don't like doing. A.K.A "What is Ms. Bobala doing right?" and "What is she doing wrong?"

     A Block @ 10:30

     B Block @ 11:30

     C Block @ 12:30 

     D Block @ 1:30

3. I have been "grading/collecting" A LOT of assignments. I am trying to keep up with it all.  I am marking it in Power School as "collected" with a checkmark.  If I didn't receive your assignment, I'm marking it with a "missing" and you should get it to me as soon as you can. If you believe that I marked you incorrectly, email me and tell me when (what date) you "sent/shared" your assignment with me.  I may have to do some searching. One way to make assignments easier for me to find is by NOT sending them in an email that I sent to you.  Create and send it on a new email OR share it in Google Docs. 

Week 7 of being out of school: Here's what's in store this week...Google Hangouts Meet are back on Monday! Again, check your time as it's moved up an hour from last week.  Mystery Guest #2 is supposed to make an appearance!

1. This week you will read an article about how we treat animals in our National parks, in particular, bears. The article is a teeny bit lengthier than normal, but this will be the only reading for this week.  You will answer some questions about the article on a Google Form. This should have been emailed to you on Sunday night (April 26). Please refer back to the article for your answers and write your answers in complete sentences. Your second assignment for the week will be to pick from a "Choice Board."  You will be given several different types of activities that relate to the article of the week and you will have to choose one of them to "hand in." More details about that will be given on Wednesday of this week.

2. Google Hangouts Meet: Please show up today having thought about this question, How is your schedule/lifestyle different now than it was while we were in school? And you can't just say "I play more video games." What are some good things and what are some bad things? There will be a brief share out of that question during the chat.

     D Block @ 10:30

     A Block @ 11:30

     B Block @ 12:30

     C Block @ 1:30

3. As always, please continue to work on any assignments that you have not completed from the last 2 weeks, starting with April 13. There are no "due dates" but I am starting to enter whether or not students have attempted assignments in Power School. It will show up as a "checkmark" when you do an assignment. In order to "pass" you need to be reaching out on your end.  Feel free to email me with any thoughts or questions you continue to have throughout the week!

Week 6 of being out of school: Here's what's in store this week...Google Hangouts Meet on Wednesday! Please see below for your scheduled time. It's different from last week again. Each week your class moves up an hour earlier. 

1. April is National Poetry month so we will be doing poetry things this week.  

2. Even though I am giving the assignments on Tuesday and Wednesday, please know that you have all week and weekend to work on them.  Also, if it takes you longer than that, just get it to me when you can. There really aren't any "due dates." It's encouraged that you work on them when they are assigned so you don't fall behind in anything. All of the assignments can be found by clicking on my Homework page on the left.

3. Whatzit Wednesday Google Hangouts Meet:

      C Block: 10:30

      D Block: 11:30

      A Block: 12:30

      B Block: 1:30

4. Always remember that you can email me with any questions that you have.  I am typically at/on my computer from 10:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m., but I generally look at my emails after that too and I will respond as soon as I can.

Week 5 of being out of school: Here's what's in store this week...Google Hangouts Meet on Monday! Please see below for your scheduled time. It's different from last week. We are also now officially learning online from home.  This is what you should expect:

Week 4 of being out of school: Again this week I will be using Scholastic articles for you to read.  I am focusing on "Week 3" on the Scholastic website.  I will list the four articles for the day and you can choose two to read about and respond to.  Remember, responses can be opinions or summaries about the articles.  I will follow up with comments once I get them from you. Scholastic articles. Later this week, I'll be trying to post a WHATZIT or Synonym String! (I get to go into school on Wednesday for a short amount of time to pick up some stuff. I'll get our fun puzzles!)  Also, be on the lookout for changes in our "online/distant learning." The state has decided on some requirements for everyone so please stay tuned this week for that.  Stay safe, be well and keep in touch if you need anything. 

Week 3 of being out of school: I'm continuing with the Scholastic Articles for this week.  Please continue to read 2 articles a day and share with me what you've read. It'll give me a chance to find other things that we can work on and help us adjust to this type of learning. I'm learning so many things as I go.  On Monday, I held my first video chat through Google Hangouts Meet.  Small turnout, but it was great to see those who showed up! I will likely try it again next Monday, April 6.  Stay tuned for more information on that.  Also, I'm looking to start my own Google Classroom site. If/when I get that set up, I'll let you know.  Until then, keep looking here at my website. I'll send out a group email with anything new that will be happening.  

Week 2 of being out of school: I've recently updated my Homework and Calendar pages as of March 24.  Last week was focused on your Research Report. Hopefully, you've been able to work on that and get it completed.  Don't forget to email me when you are finished with it.  Only about 5 kids have finished so far, that I'm aware of. This week you can focus on reading some Scholastic articles and writing about them.  Please share with me when you have completed something.  It could be handed in daily or weekly. You're choice.  Talk soon!

Week 1 (continued) If you've already read this, I've uploaded several files for the report as of March 18. You can find the direction below in the section AFTER letter "E." Please let me know if there is one you need that is not there.  I also plan to be adding several things to the "Homework" page and "Calendar" page daily starting March 19, so you can check those out as well. Always email me with questions or even if you just want to say, "Hi" I'm starting to miss everyone. :(

Week 1 of being out of school: Hey Everyone! I'm going to be listing things below that I am expecting and suggesting one does during the time we are out of school.  I will also be posting these things on my calendar-just to see it differently.  

1.  "Mystery" Report-This is something that we have been working on for some time now.  We were already 3 weeks into the project and most, if not all of you, have the papers to be successful with it.  (I will try to have all documents uploaded this week.) Here are things you should do to continue with this report:

                        A. Make sure you have a DRAFT COMPLETED. This includes an introduction, body paragraphs (2-4) and a conclusion.

                        B. If you haven't yet, start looking at ways to REVISE your document: change words, phrases, and sentences; add information; take away information, etc. This is all on one of the papers that were passed out on Friday.

                        C. Take some time to share your document with a friend and PEER-EDIT each other's work. Since we are out of school you can even share your document with a friend not in your ELA class-you can even share it with someone not on our team.  As long as you are helping each other out and getting feedback or suggestions from others, that should help you.  If you don't have a peer to share it with, check in with someone at your house to see if they could read it for you and act as your "peer." 

                        D. Once you have received feedback and suggestions from someone, REVISE AGAIN to help make your paper the best that it can be. 

                        E.  Try to write up a BIBLIOGRAPHY, using Easybib to help you.  Since we didn't have a chance to discuss the "How To's of a Bibliography" I'm not going to be picky about it, but since you already started one, you might as well include it.

                        E.  Lastly, EMAIL ME and let me know when you believe you are done with your report.  I believe you have all shared your documents with me (please share it, if you haven't) so I'd like to read them when they are finished, but only let me know WHEN YOU ARE DONE because otherwise, I could be looking at a paper full of mistakes.  (I've already got your documents in files by class, A, B, C, and D, so you shouldn't have to re-send them to me.)  

You can ALWAYS email me with ANY questions you have.  I am checking my school email several times a day.  I have recently uploaded all of the documents that were given out in class, or that I planned to give out this week, had we still been in school.  Go to my "Homework" page and click on "Current Assignments: Research Report Info." Click on the paper that you need.  I'm trying to add a few more because they aren't in my documents so I've got to type them up.  If you need a certain one that isn't listed, please let me know and I'll get it on the page!

After the report, please try to READ something that holds your attention.  Many of you got books out of the library for this exact purpose.  Reading keeps your mind fresh and if you are reading for entertainment, you'll enjoy it more.  Try for at least 20-30 minutes every day.  I know many of you will read more than that anyways; I plan to as well. 

If you are up for it, try to JOURNAL or FREE-WRITE a little every day. (If you'd rather, type it.) Just free-write about the day you had: what you did or what you plan to do tomorrow, just anything to get your mind thinking.

HELP siblings with their homework.  Sometimes we learn the best when we teach others what they need to do.