Start Organizing for Fall

 I start early to organize my classes for Fall.  One tip is to create Google Classrooms for each subject.  During the summer, I put ideas for labs, resources, slide decks, etc in different Classrooms.  Google Classroom is free.  If you have a Gmail account, you can create Classrooms.  Add work samples, copies of tests, links, syllabi, everything in one place.  During the summer I archive the past year’s classes.  If I’m teaching the same class, I make a copy of all the resources before I archive last year’s grades and materials.  Google Classroom is fairly intuitive.  Here is the Google Classroom Training Center is you would like more help.

Composition Class Fall Planning

I’m planning for next year’s Composition class which has a different class composition.  Next Fall, we are exploring every form of writing, including four books from Summer Reading List.  (The kids will review the books vs the movies.)  I have a list of topics; all were successful this past year.  Below are topics with sample assignments.

1. Describe your favorite meal.  Here is a sample.  My kids wrote about their favorite birthday meals.  

2.  CER or Claim-Evidence-Reasoning.  I used this Far Side Slide Deck to introduce the topic.  CER is useful to help kids explain their reasoning for science explanations when they write lab reports.

3. Technical Writing includes How to Write a Lab Report, Résumés from Start to Finish, and Email Etiquette for Students.  

4. Writing Prompts are great for impromptu exercises.  

5.  Write a Christmas story with this Guide to Short Story Writing: Holiday Family Narrative.  The kids enjoyed writing about their favorite Christmas story.  

6. Plan a debate.  We held one debate about Processed Food.  Here is a Debate Guide.  We modified the NCFCA Speech Guide.  Next Fall, students with NCFCA experience will help structure classroom debates.

7.  Enter a contest.  We’re going to enter the Faith in Action, an essay contest sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.  We had mixed results from essay contests we entered.

8.  Compare the books with the movies.  Which is better.  Here is a template.

9.  Write an opinion paragraph.  Here are suggestions from the WSJ.

10.  The kids might write book reports. 

11.  Write a  Thank you letter.  We are definitely learning how to write thank-you letters and learning how to  address an envelope.

12.  The kids are going to learn how to write a Five Paragraph Essay.

My composition lessons included grant writing lessons and VBS lessons.  The kids write recommendation letters and résumés.  I’ll play it by ear for additional lessons.

Hoopla

 My students in the Composition class introduced me to Hoopla.  Our library system offers the app for free, along with Libby and Overdrive.  These apps extend the number of books, audiobooks, and films available free.  See if your library has Hoopla.  Down load the app using your library card.  We had to stop into the library for help when the app didn’t accept our library card number.  If you have a newer TV or streaming device, such as Roku, you can add the Hoopla app and stream content on your TV.  I found it hard to search via the TV app.  However, it’s easy to search content on the tablet or phone app.  Films such as My Side of the Mountain, are available on Prime Video, but cost a fee.  Many of the same movies are available on Hoopla.  Try it!

Summer Reading Lists: High School

 I just sent out a summer reading list for next year’s Composition class.  I want the kids to read four books and watch the films to write book vs. movie reviews. I assign material in the summer to allow enough time for kids to either read or listen to the audio versions. Please note some of the books below are oriented to younger students.  I offer books oriented for grades 6-8 as well as high school level books to accommodate students with learning differences.  I’m also looking for books with terrific film versions.  Let me share several book lists at different reading levels: BYU Summer Reading List for Literature,  MODG Grades 8-12 Reading List, Seton’s Grades 6-8 Reading List, Seton’s 9-12 Reading List, Liberty’s K-8 Summer Reading List,  Liberty’s 9-12 Summer Reading List, and Kolbe’s Summer Reading List.  You may notice some overlap to the lists, such as Tom Sawyer or Little Women.  Many of these lists have Classic Literature (6-8).  My initial list has books the kids like.  Take a look and make your own list.  Get listening, reading, and watching!

Virtual Escape Rooms

 Has your family tried an escape room?  I have some virtual escape rooms: Free Virtual Escape Rooms (Escape fro Narnia) and Escape from Tardis.  Many teachers use Escape Rooms in their instruction.  Here are free samples.  Hey, even better!  Make your own DIY Escape Room. What a fun project!

Camp!

 Right now, I have camps on my mind.  I’m leading a science camp and a faith camp.  Additionally, I help with VBS. (The Faith camp is for children behind in receiving the Sacraments and runs two weeks.). Friends at a Montessori school are posting everywhere to advertise their summer camp.  Have you thought about hosting your own camp?  The Montessori School, Hilltop, has Baking and Slime Camps, along with academic weeks of camp.  I’m thinking about a French Camp in August.  There are kids who skipped French 1 and need a blast of basics.  Where do you begin?

1.  Select a theme.  Here is a recent post on my science blog about the Joy of Toys Science Camp.  Sometimes, the Science Camp title is Mad Science because it’s composed of random science labs and activities with stuff I have on hand.  Here is the Pinterest Mad Science board for ideas.  

2.  Once you have a theme, start organizing activities.  I use a spreadsheet and Pinterest.  Get in the habit of linking the activity to a specific website.  Make tabs for snack, games, activities, songs, etc.  

3. Pull supplies and organize into boxes as kits and sort them by activity.  Are you having a baking camp?  

4. Recruit help.  I rely on teens, especially experienced campers.  One family used to volunteer to come and clean up after Science Camp.  What a blessing!  

5. Create a budget.  Generally, I charge a fee for the camp materials.  Below is a budget for the Joy of Toys  camp.  I try to keep costs low so families can afford to attend.

No, hosting a camp is not easy.  But, the kids have a blast!  Give it a try!

Movie Reviews

 My Co-op Composition class decided to do movie reviews for two books: Bridge to Terabithia and My Side of the Mountain.  Two of the teens in the class recommended the books; both have movies: Bridge to Terabithia (1985), Bridge to Terabithia (2007), and My Side of the Mountain (1969).  (BTW see if your library has Hoopla, a digital service.  The kids told me about Hoopla; here are instructions to view films with Hoopla on your television.). The Co-op class is reading both books and watching all three films.  Yes, we started this project weeks ago.  Some assignments just run long.  It takes forever to get kids to all finish the books and watch the films.  Each teen is taking a different approach to the movie critique.  One teen has a ‘List of Complaints’ about Bridge to Terabithia.  Another student wants to explore whether or not Disney’s version really captures the book.  Here, here, and here are suggestions to write a movie review.  Here is a compare and contrast movie vs. book template.  Here is a ten-page template to compare the book with the movie.  Here is the Goldilocks version with questions I can use with the kids.  Eventually, we’ll finish.  Mean while the class and I will wrestle with the books’ themes and whether or not the films captured the books well.