Writing 2 Class Notes -- Week 15 (December 16)

 Greetings!

We have a wonderful day today.  I try to get most of the hard work of the class done before this last week so that we could have some fun on this final day.  

Quick Write

For our final Quick Write, I had the students do a mini reflection about their semester.  I asked them to write about what worked well, what didn't work, what amazing "thing" they learned, and what they might do differently next semester.  Reflection is a powerful learning tool; when students take time to think about their learning and themselves.

Homework & Grades

Students handed in their final drafts of their Comparison/Contrast Essays.  I will go over the essays and any other homework that was handed in; my goal is to have final grades out soon.  I mentioned to the class that I will take any homework December 19 at 11:59 p.m. If there are any questions, please contact me.  Because I have final drafts from all of the classes, I know that I won't have the essays and homework ready for final grades until after Christmas.  Look for them some time after the New Year.  

A Contest

Following the Quick Write, we had the Annual Writing 1 Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest.  They were pretty intent on their drawing and coloring, which I complemented with a video of a fire with Christmas music.  Oh, and we had the lights turned down.   After they drew and colored, we voted on the best (and it wasn't ugly at all!) picture.  Great work, Carmela!

A "Test"

After the coloring, we had a "test" in the shape of a Jeopardy game.  The categories included questions for My Antonia, Writing, Grammar, Christmas Trivia, and Christmas Movies.  I divided the class into 3 teams, and they took turns answering questions.  There were 20 questions which they answered or tried to answer; when they got the wrong answer, they lost points.  It was a fairly competitive game/test.  (By the way, research also indicates that using gamification to ignite learning increases recall, retention, and cognitive growth.  So while we were having fun, we were still intellectually engaged in our topics.) 

Links for this Week

Writing 2 Class Notes -- Week 15 (December 16)

Quick Write -- 12/16

Reindeer Games (all of the links for today's class)

Ugly Christmas Carol template

Most Relaxing Christmas Music

Writing 2 Christmas Game

Gamification & Learning

My prayer is that all of you have a great Christmas that includes lots of love and laughter!

Blessings,

Mrs. Prichard

Greetings!

We began our final class with a short Quick Write to reflect on the class and on the past semester.  Research shows that reflecting on what and how you have learned enhanced meaning and encourages insight and complex understanding.  (Here's a good article on learning through reflection.)  For that reason, I have students take time to think back on the semester.  I asked them to briefly write about what worked well, what didn't work, and what one "thing" they learned (from any class) that they found amazing.  I especially value their comments about the structure of the class because these comments help me make adjustments and improvements.

We celebrated our final class with a Christmas party that included an "Ugly Christmas Sweater Design" contest and a Jeopardy game.  They were pretty intent on their designing and coloring.  The Jeopardy game included the following topics: My Antonia, Grammar, Writing, Christmas Trivia, and Christmas Movies.  By the way, research also indicates that using game-based learning strategies increases recall, retention, and cognitive growth.  So while we were having fun, we were still intellectually engaged in our topics.  In order to form teams, students were given names of songs that they had to hum in order for them to find their teammates.  Watching them walk around the classroom while humming was delightful!

Students handed in their final drafts of their Comparison-Contrast Essays.  I will go over the essays and any other homework that was handed in yesterday; my goal is to have final grades out by the end of next week.  If students are missing any work, I will take it until next Thursday.  In class we cleared up some questions about missing work and My GradeBook.  If parents or students have any more questions, feel free to contact me.

Links for this week:

Class Notes (with pictures & videos)

Learning and Reflection article

Jeopardy Game for Writing 2

Game-Based Learning

My GradeBook

My GradeBook instructions

I've enjoyed this group of students.  Each one is uniquely gifted for the plans that God has for him/her.  Feel free to keep in touch.

Blessings, 

Mrs. Prichard

Writing 1 Class Notes -- Week 15 (May 11)

Greetings!

Well, we've made it through another great year at CHAT.   I know that these great students learned a lot -- just compare their first essays with their final ones!

Even though I had a full day planned for the class, we didn't skip the Quick Write.  Thursday was the 159th anniversary of Minnesota's statehood, the day that SPAM was produced, and National Eat What you Want Day.  Students could write about any of the choices.

We didn't do any Words of the Day this week.  I wanted to make sure we had time for the rest of our activities.

I handed back all the homework that I had graded, and students handed in their Spring Grammar Tests along with any other homework that they had for me.  If there is still any homework left to be handed in, I will take it until next Thursday (May 18).  After that, I will send out grades.  I'm not planning on returning any worksheets, etc. unless a student notifies me.

Now for the fun stuff ...

We finished our Poetry Jam.  Last week the class decided that they would all like to participate in Round 2 of our competition.  So, all students recited again while their classmates judged.  The results:  

First Place -- Team 4 (Grace, Gavin, Samuel, Leah)

Second Place -- Team 2 (Maggie, Isabel, Brady)

Third Place -- Team 1 (William, Ashley, Jean-Marc, Abby)

Fourth Place -- Team 3 (Jack, Daniel)

We had one more poetic activity for the class. We divided up Dr. Seuss's "One Fish, Two Fish" and read it as a rap, complete with a rap music accompaniment.  They did a great job!

. 

Remaining in our teams, the class then played a Jeopardy game with questions related to the grammar, writing, and literature that we've covered this year.  

I'm pretty proud of these kids.  They've written well, engaged well in class discussions, worked hard on homework, and been generally great all-around kids.  We had a marvelous year reading and writing!

Assignments for Next Week:

-- ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!

This week's links:

Class Notes

Jeopardy Final Exam

Have a great summer!

Mrs. Prichard

Writing 2 Class Notes -- Week 15 (May 12)

Greetings!

We've done it!  We've reached the end of the CHAT school year successfully.  I know that these great students learned a lot -- just compare their first essays with their final ones!

For the first time all year, we did not start the class with a Quick Write.  Don't worry, we did pray, though.  I was concerned that we might run out of time for our other activities.  They've been such good sports all year long writing about whatever prompt that I give them.  They have also bee great about sharing their thoughts with the rest of the class.

I handed back the last of the homework in my folder and collected  the Final Writing Exam and the Reflection Papers.  I appreciate the thoughts that they shared in their reflections about Writing 2.  I've tucked away a few good ideas for next year.  Unless I hear from a student, I will not send back these assignments.

And then it was time for our Poetry Jam.  We proceeded to the Play-Offs.  Team Too and Team Fore! were in our Play - Off Round, leaving Team Juan and Team Tree to be our illustrious judges.  (By the way, the students named their teams, not me.)  

Team Too (Nick, Danielle, Corey, Luke, and Darren) gave it their all with a score 7.966, but Team Fore! (Shay, Cassie, Megan, Rachel, and Katelyn) took it away with a final score of 8.291.  We were fortunate to have 2 panels of judges:  Team Juan (Andrew, Hannah, Jack, Christopher) and Team Tree (Anna, Abby, Ian, Ted).

Finally, we had our Final Exam for the class.  Rather than looking like a Bingo game, it was a Jeopardy game.  The class was divided into 5 teams and answered questions from the following categories:  Grammar Terms, Writing Terms, A Connecticut Yankee, Sherlock Holmes, Short Stories and Poetry.  (You can go here and see the game.)  They did pretty well, and had some fun in the process.Every year I hit up the huge Northfield Hospital Auxiliary Book Sale and pick up books to use as prizes, so it looks a little bit like Christmas on this last day of class.

I'm pretty proud of these kids.  They've written well, engaged well in class discussions, worked hard on homework, and been generally great all-around kids.  We had a marvelous year reading and writing!

I have a few late bits and pieces of homework that have come in from students.  (If anyone has anything they haven't handed in, please get it in by next Thursday.)  Once those have been graded and I have everything entered in Engrade, I will get the grades sent out.  My goal is to have them done by next Thursday.

Assignments for Next Week:

-- ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!

This week's links:

Class Notes

Jeopardy Final Exam

Have a great summer!

Mrs. Prichard

Writing 2 Class Notes -- Week 15 (May 7)

Greetings!

We had another full class for our last week of classes.  After our customary opening prayer, I had the students write their Reflection Papers.  They were to write about what they've learned about grammar, writing, and literature.  Some students had already written one, so they had the opportunity to write an extra credit Quick Write:  what do you see yourself writing in the future?

Following the Quick Writes, we finished the Play-Offs for our Poetry Jam.  I gave the two teams each a poem that I had brought for them.  T. S. Eliot's "Macavity" cat poem and Lewis Carroll's "I saw an Elephant."  The class scored the finalists, and they were within 1/4 of a point.  (I took videos of their performances, but I'm having trouble uploading them.  Once I figure out the technology, I'll post them.)

Finally, we had our Final Exam for the class.  Rather than looking like a Bingo game, it was a Jeopardy game.  The class was divided into 5 teams and answered questions from the following categories:  Grammar Terms, Writing Terms, Animal Farm, Jekyll Hyde, and Other Literature.  (You can go here and see the game .)  They did pretty well, and had some fun in the process.

I'm pretty proud of these kids.  They've written well, engaged well in class discussions, worked hard on homework, and been generally great all-around kids.  We had a marvelous year reading and writing!

I have a few bits and pieces of homework that have come in from students.  (In anyone has anything they haven't handed in, please get it in by Monday.)  Once those have been graded and I have everything entered in Engrade, I will get the grades sent out.  My goal is to have them done by next Thursday.

Assignments for Next Week:

-- ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!

This week's links:

Class Notes

Jeopardy Final Exam

Have a great summer!

Mrs. Prichard