7/8 ELA Workshop7/8 ELA WorkshopCopiague Middle School

Staffed by Ms. Kim Henson, Ms. Staci Melnick& Dr. Julie Tedeschi

LILAC ConferenceApril 24, 2009

ELA Performance ELA Performance LevelsLevels

1 - Not Meeting Learning Standards

2 - Partially Meeting Learning Standards

3 - Meeting Learning Standards [650+]

4 - Meeting Learning Standards w/Distinction

Our ELA Workshops Service:

A Days – 2’s, and borderline 3’s

B Days – low 3’s to mid range 3’s

& are linked to a common set of English teachers

Modified Workshop Modified Workshop ModelModel

Read-Alouds

Mini-Lessons

Independent Work

Individual Conferences

Guided Groups

Literature Circles

Whole Class Summary

Uses Elementary elements...

...adapted to our MS time frame

“42 min. /alternating “42 min. /alternating days”days”

• Read-Aloud and/or Mini-Lesson, once a week

• Independent Reading & Response work, each class

• Teacher groups, each class

• Exit Slip Assessment, at least once a week

Manage the Elements...Manage the Elements...• Takes two weeks to actually have class 5

times

• If 4 groups per class, would take one week to see each group for ‘guided’ instruction

• A day with no mini-lesson or read aloud would allow meeting of 2 groups in 42 min. period

• Some days allow for individual conferencing only

• Mini-lesson or read-aloud can sometimes happen in the small group

English & Reading Teachers English & Reading Teachers share rooms & ideas...share rooms & ideas...

...and strive to maintain a print rich ...and strive to maintain a print rich environmentenvironment

Text

a favorite student publication...

Comprehension Skill Based Mini-Lessons

Author’s Purpose Cause & Effect Characterization Compare & Contrast Conflict [Problem/Action/Solution]* Context Clues Critical Analysis* Drawing Conclusions Evaluating Text * Fact & Opinion Figurative Language [Literary or Poetic Devices] Flashback/Foreshadowing

Genre Identification Inferences Irony* Main Ideas & Details Making Judgments * Point of View * Predictions * Sequence Setting Theme Tone/Mood Visualization *

* Additions to pacing guide used in English classroom

Read-AloudsRead-AloudsPromote Metacognition

Demonstrate Active Reading StrategiesThinking Before, During, and After Reading

• Choices

• Values

• Loyalty

• Empathy

•Free Will vs Fate

•Identity

•Stress

•Good vs Evil

Grade 7 Grade 8

Essential Question Big IdeasEssential Question Big Ideas

• English Class - typically one novel done by whole class

• Workshop - differentiate instruction with multiple novels

a variety of Class Novels = Independent a variety of Class Novels = Independent BooksBooks

High Interest Books!High Interest Books!

Lexile Gr. Level

500 – 750 O, P 3/4620 – 910 Q, R 4

S, T 4/5

730 – 950 T 4/5730 – 960 U 5

730 – 960 V 5/6

800 – 1300

W 5/6

800 – 1300

X, Y 6/7, 8

Z 7, 8

F&P

620 – 910

1300 +

Log of Books Read...Log of Books Read...

8th grade Guided Group8th grade Guided Group

7th grade

Literature Circle

Our modified THINKMARKS

““Chunk the Text”Chunk the Text”

Record Keeping-having multiple classes, in groups, on alternating days demands ongoing notation of student progress, tasks completed, group member changes, and other notations to tailor instruction, providing the best fit for those students

TextText

Text

Our Yellow Brick Road is technology based!

Smart Board Lessons

Our studentsOur studentsreact & respond react & respond to their reading to their reading

using technology.using technology.

Two books, two Two books, two versions of student versions of student response for each...response for each...

3377

The Skin I’m InThe Skin I’m In

By: Rachel WesleyBy: Rachel Wesley

5 - Events that Shaped Maleeka.5 - Events that Shaped Maleeka.

11stst event – kids always tease her event – kids always tease her

11stst Description – they made fun of how dark she was and the clothes she wore. Description – they made fun of how dark she was and the clothes she wore.

22ndnd event – teachers would talk about her event – teachers would talk about her

22ndnd Description – they would say nice things about her because she does her work. Description – they would say nice things about her because she does her work.

33rdrd event – char told her she has to look like someone if she wants to be her friend. event – char told her she has to look like someone if she wants to be her friend.

33rdrd Description – char gave meeleka clothes. Description – char gave meeleka clothes.

44thth event – she starts liking herself event – she starts liking herself

44thth Description – she starts looking at herself and saying that she is pretty Description – she starts looking at herself and saying that she is pretty

55thth event – she cut her hair event – she cut her hair

55thth Description – she felt pretty when she cut her hair Description – she felt pretty when she cut her hair

3 – Lessons Learned3 – Lessons Learned

11stst Lessons – sometimes you just have to Lessons – sometimes you just have to take charge of your own life.take charge of your own life.

11stst Explanation – you don’t have to do Explanation – you don’t have to do everything your friends do.everything your friends do.

22ndnd Lessons – what you wear doesn't Lessons – what you wear doesn't mean everything. mean everything.

22ndnd Explanation – she dose what Char Explanation – she dose what Char tells her so she could get clothes. tells her so she could get clothes.

33rdrd Lessons – you have to stick up for Lessons – you have to stick up for your self at all times.your self at all times.

33rdrd Explanation – Maleeka made Char tell Explanation – Maleeka made Char tell her what to do all the time.her what to do all the time.

Opinions and ReactionsOpinions and Reactions

I think this is a great book.I think this is a great book.

It teaches you a lot about your relationships with It teaches you a lot about your relationships with friends.friends.

It shows you not to let your friends control your life.It shows you not to let your friends control your life.

It also teaches you to respect yourself, otherwise It also teaches you to respect yourself, otherwise people won’t respect you.people won’t respect you.

RecommendationsRecommendations

“ “ I think most teens should read this book because it I think most teens should read this book because it shows you that if you let your friends control your life, it shows you that if you let your friends control your life, it turns out to be no good.” turns out to be no good.”

I enjoyed this reading and I look forward to reading more I enjoyed this reading and I look forward to reading more books on this type of subject among others.books on this type of subject among others.

The Skin I’m In

•By: Aiysha A. Dunlap

The Skin I'm InThe Skin I'm In

In This Book…..

• In the beginning of this book we meet a girl named Maleeka. She is very smart but gets teased about her skin color and the clothes she has to wear.

• Her dad passed away when she was 10 leaving her mamma and her to make a living by themselves.

• Maleeka’s mamma had to sew Maleeka’s clothes because they had very little money.

In the story we…..

• In the story we meet a girl named Charlese Jones.

• Char brings Maleek cloths to wear so she wouldn’t have to wear her mother old rags to school.

• Char is kind of like “Maleeka’s friend” but Char uses her to do her homework for her.

• Char is not the kind of girl you would want as a friend so Maleeka says.

In the story…..

• In the story a new teacher comes to the school, the theacher name is Miss. Saunders

• Miss. Saunders is just like Maleek, Miss. Saunders has a big white patch on her face. So she gets made fun of for that.

• Miss. Saunders takes a liking to Maleek and trys to help her find her way.

Maleek starts to realize….

• Maleek starts to realize she is beautiful as she is but she just can’t understand why everyone else doesn’t think so.

• Maleek starts to realize that she shouldn’t care what everybody else thinks of her because she is beautiful the way she is.

• One big thing Maleek realizes is that she doesn’t need Char as a friend.

Maleek finally….

• Maleek finally stands up for her self against Char.

• When she told on Char she gained respect from everybody in the school.

• Also Maleek crush Caleb wrote her a poem that he gave to her.

• She read the poem and loved it and they held hands on the way to there next class.

Recommendation

• This is a great book to read because of all the events that go on in the book.

• I think you u also read it because if someone is teasing you about your skin color or your clothes or anything thing this book is the book to read.

• It will make you feel better about yourself I guarantee it!

Green Angel Green Angel by Alice Hoffman by Alice Hoffman

ELA workshop Power-point ELA workshop Power-point presentation by Kasandra presentation by Kasandra

VelasquezVelasquez

In Green Angel there was 5 important events In Green Angel there was 5 important events or chapters in Green’s lifeor chapters in Green’s life

• Heart---------is how it happened Heart---------is how it happened

• Soul----------is what she dreamedSoul----------is what she dreamed

• Treasure----is who she lovedTreasure----is who she loved

• Rain----------is what she lostRain----------is what she lost

• Sister--------is the story she tellsSister--------is the story she tells

5511

Heart-Heart-[how it happened][how it happened]

In the beginning Green was a shy-no-talking-person.In the beginning Green was a shy-no-talking-person. Green thought she was the luckiest person ever because she Green thought she was the luckiest person ever because she

had the greatest family and the prettiest garden.had the greatest family and the prettiest garden. I think that Green should’ve been more outgoing and not I think that Green should’ve been more outgoing and not

shy.shy. Green also had a very outgoing and un-shy bright sister Green also had a very outgoing and un-shy bright sister

aurora everybody loved her but, Green wasn’t jealous aurora everybody loved her but, Green wasn’t jealous One day when her parents and her little sister [aurora] One day when her parents and her little sister [aurora]

went to the city they died in a huge fire in the city, green went to the city they died in a huge fire in the city, green stayed home that day.stayed home that day.

Soul-Soul-[what she dreamed[what she dreamed

When she found out that her parents and sister When she found out that her parents and sister died [she thought] she went to the city and you died [she thought] she went to the city and you could barely see anything because of the debris.could barely see anything because of the debris.

Her sister started to come back in Greens dreams.Her sister started to come back in Greens dreams. Her hair got burnt by the time she got home.Her hair got burnt by the time she got home. She got a pin and started to tattoo herself and she She got a pin and started to tattoo herself and she

also cut her hair.also cut her hair. Then Green changed her name to Ash.Then Green changed her name to Ash. I think that green shouldn’t of done that she was I think that green shouldn’t of done that she was

just depressed and probably thought it was her just depressed and probably thought it was her fault.fault.

53

Treasure-[who she loved]Treasure-[who she loved]► She slept under the table, stopped eating and stayed to She slept under the table, stopped eating and stayed to

herself.herself.

► She also stayed with Onion [he changed her, made her feel She also stayed with Onion [he changed her, made her feel good because she talked to him and got him to talk.good because she talked to him and got him to talk.

Rain-what she lost

• A couple of chapters earlier she saw Heather Jones. Heather Jones was a girl who went to her school, her parent worked in the city so they died too.

• Heather Jones disappeared. And green was looking for her because they were friends now green gave her a dress that was her mothers’.

5555

Sister-is the story she tellsSister-is the story she tells..

When she stopped being shy and changed When she stopped being shy and changed her name back to her name back to GreenGreen, her sister , her sister recognized her and started coming back to recognized her and started coming back to her dreams.her dreams.

On her birthday she left the woods and On her birthday she left the woods and went to celebrate it with her neighbor.went to celebrate it with her neighbor.

5566

RecommendationRecommendation

I recommend this book to anyone who I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in mystery or sad is interested in mystery or sad depressing stories .depressing stories .

I think this story was a really touching I think this story was a really touching story yes it was sad but Green was the story yes it was sad but Green was the one that got hurt the most but at the one that got hurt the most but at the end she survives she gets through that end she survives she gets through that tough moment but Heather Jones tough moment but Heather Jones doesn't.doesn't.

Green AngelBy: Alice Hoffman

• Christy Hoffman•ELA Workshop 1B

• Parents and little sister went to the city.

• Green stayed home to work on the garden.

• Parents and little sister died in fire.

• Ashes and dust from the fire destroyed there places.

• Green got ashes in her eyes.

• Started calling herself Ash.

HeartHeart

Soul

• Started to give herself tattoos.

• She cut her hair.

• Didn’t want people knowing she was alive.

• Stayed inside the house most of the day.

• Tattooed roses and ravens each night before going to bed.

• Clothes had thorns on them.

• Had boots with nails hammered in.

• Decided to go into town.

Treasure

• Gathers chestnuts from the woods.

• Goes in the woods with Onion her sisters dog.

• Traded in chestnuts.

• Greyhound had followed her home.

• Green took care of the greyhound.

• Named the greyhound dog Ghost.

• Ghost hurt its paw.

• Cleaned her neighbors house.

• Made a loaf of bead for her neighbor.

• Helped two baby birds.

• Someone came to her house.

• Didn’t see his face but called him Diamond.

Rain

• Got along well with Diamond.

• Baked bread everyday for dogs, birds, neighbor and her and Diamond.

• Diamond believed the Garden would grow.

• Still was looking for Heather Jones.

• Heather had been drinking.

• Heather has been eating mud just too fill her stomach.

Sister

• Green started having dreams about her sister again.

• She became green again.

• She took of that jacket with the thorns coming out of it

• She took of the boots that had the nails in the.

• Heather Jones died from dancing around a fire drunk and fell in it.

3 lessons

• The author wanted the reader to learn from these events in the book Green Angel that if something bad happens it might hurt at first but don’t take it out on you.

• I also learned from this book that its not good to stay depressed.

• Its not good to change your whole self around when something bad goes on.

• I can connect to this book because something tragic happened in my life.

• When something tragic happened in my life I started to be depressed.

• But then I started to become myself again like Green.

Recommendation.

• I recommend you read the book Green Angel. It is a warm filling outrageous book. It tells about something bad that happens in Green’s life. It tells how Green started to change her whole self around. It shows how she started to gather more food, and how she made some new friends. At the end of the book some things go on with Green and also Heather Jones. The ending is so tragic but then Green changes again -changes into something good.

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