Friday, September 23, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Self-Discipline Quote
The first President of the United States, George Washington, once said, "Nothing is more harmful to the service, than the neglect of discipline; for that discipline, more than numbers, gives one army superiority over another."
Many students and people know of President George Washington because his birthday is celebrated nationally, because he was the first President of the United States, and he is on the dollar bill and quarter.
What many people and students do not know was Washington's character as a leader. This quote is extremely relevant to today because we must first have discipline before we can accomplish our goals, whether it be in the classroom, on the athletic field, or in our careers and families.
This week is Self-Discipline week at Lodge. Let us remember President Washington's quote with sincerity.
Many students and people know of President George Washington because his birthday is celebrated nationally, because he was the first President of the United States, and he is on the dollar bill and quarter.
What many people and students do not know was Washington's character as a leader. This quote is extremely relevant to today because we must first have discipline before we can accomplish our goals, whether it be in the classroom, on the athletic field, or in our careers and families.
This week is Self-Discipline week at Lodge. Let us remember President Washington's quote with sincerity.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Wednesday, September 21
TONIGHT'S HOMEWORK (DUE THURSDAY): SPELLING WORKSHEET PP.10-11 (WRITING SECTION ON BACK IS BONUS)
Good afternoon Lodge parents and families,
Today we continued our substantial language arts unit that encompasses narrative writing, which is a type of non-fiction writing (Indiana DOE Standard 4.5.1). Yesterday, students listened to me read an example of narrative writing, entitled "Under the Sea." We discussed the writer's purpose of the narrative, and students were able to understand that the purpose was to discuss their amazing scuba diving experience.
In today's lesson, I displayed a graphic organizer onto the Promethean Board and the students copied this into their Language Arts notebook. They discussed and wrote about what they thought was meaningful in the narrative, what vivid details the author used, what they thought was interesting, and explained whether or not they thought the writer stayed focused in their writing. I discussed the importance of staying on topic when writing a major paper. Students will be using this graphic organizer to help generate ideas for a personal narrative that they will write. This will be the first major paper of the school year.
Please encourage the students' writing at home. We have been working diligently by looking at narrative examples, and we have created individual narratives through writing prompts and selected topics. They appear to be enjoying the writing process thus far.
For grammar, we progressed with our learning of the verb skill (Indiana DOE Standard 4.6.3 and 4.6.4). Today, we discovered new ways to say the word "said." We use the word "said" redundantly, especially when using dialogue. For example, instead of saying, "Bobby!! It's time to wake up!" said mother, we could say, "Bobby!! It's time to wake up!" shouted mother.
Students had Spelling homework tonight. See the homework assignment at the beginning and the end of this post. The Spelling test will be on Friday. Have a great evening!
~Mr. Polk
TONIGHT'S HOMEWORK (DUE THURSDAY): SPELLING WORKSHEET PP.10-11 (WRITING SECTION ON BACK IS BONUS)
Good afternoon Lodge parents and families,
Today we continued our substantial language arts unit that encompasses narrative writing, which is a type of non-fiction writing (Indiana DOE Standard 4.5.1). Yesterday, students listened to me read an example of narrative writing, entitled "Under the Sea." We discussed the writer's purpose of the narrative, and students were able to understand that the purpose was to discuss their amazing scuba diving experience.
In today's lesson, I displayed a graphic organizer onto the Promethean Board and the students copied this into their Language Arts notebook. They discussed and wrote about what they thought was meaningful in the narrative, what vivid details the author used, what they thought was interesting, and explained whether or not they thought the writer stayed focused in their writing. I discussed the importance of staying on topic when writing a major paper. Students will be using this graphic organizer to help generate ideas for a personal narrative that they will write. This will be the first major paper of the school year.
Please encourage the students' writing at home. We have been working diligently by looking at narrative examples, and we have created individual narratives through writing prompts and selected topics. They appear to be enjoying the writing process thus far.
For grammar, we progressed with our learning of the verb skill (Indiana DOE Standard 4.6.3 and 4.6.4). Today, we discovered new ways to say the word "said." We use the word "said" redundantly, especially when using dialogue. For example, instead of saying, "Bobby!! It's time to wake up!" said mother, we could say, "Bobby!! It's time to wake up!" shouted mother.
Students had Spelling homework tonight. See the homework assignment at the beginning and the end of this post. The Spelling test will be on Friday. Have a great evening!
~Mr. Polk
TONIGHT'S HOMEWORK (DUE THURSDAY): SPELLING WORKSHEET PP.10-11 (WRITING SECTION ON BACK IS BONUS)
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Spelling List for Week of Sept.19-23
The Spelling list for the week was sent home with students yesterday. You may keep that sheet as a study guide for Friday's test.
Here are the Spelling words for this week. The focus is on the long "a" sound, such as in the word "cake."
1) pale
2) face
3) crate
4) clay
5) stray
6) cane
7) slate
8) today
9) bail
10) rail
11) break
12) ache
13) drain
14) faint
15) flame
16) claim
17) steak
18) neigh
19) mane
20) graze
Bonus
1) grim
2) plum
3) cash
4) neighbor
5) railway
Here are the Spelling words for this week. The focus is on the long "a" sound, such as in the word "cake."
1) pale
2) face
3) crate
4) clay
5) stray
6) cane
7) slate
8) today
9) bail
10) rail
11) break
12) ache
13) drain
14) faint
15) flame
16) claim
17) steak
18) neigh
19) mane
20) graze
Bonus
1) grim
2) plum
3) cash
4) neighbor
5) railway
Homework from Monday/Tuesday
Monday's homework was the narrative worksheet p. 27.
Students finished their lab report from Friday's Science Water Table lab yesterday. We began narrative writing and students received the Spelling list. A test will be on Friday. I will post the list later today.
Today, we are continuing our work on narrative writing. We are also working on the verb skill for language arts and grammar.
Tonight's homework (due Tuesday) is Spelling Worksheet p. 9.
Students finished their lab report from Friday's Science Water Table lab yesterday. We began narrative writing and students received the Spelling list. A test will be on Friday. I will post the list later today.
Today, we are continuing our work on narrative writing. We are also working on the verb skill for language arts and grammar.
Tonight's homework (due Tuesday) is Spelling Worksheet p. 9.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Wednesday, September 14
HOMEWORK FROM WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 WAS: WORD WISDOM P. 17 (QUIZ TOMORROW)
SCIENCE WEEK
In class, we are continuing the unit on the Earth's Changing Surface. Students have read from our kit textbook, participated with the Promethean board by looking at slides of landforms, and they receive Polk Pride tickets for coming up to the board to write their answers from the bell ringer. When looking at the slides, they study the picture of the landform, they turn and talk to their group mates about what's going on in the picture, and then they make a sketch of picture, and finally explain the scientific process that is going on in the picture: (erosion, weathering, or deposition). The students did a nice job with their sketches and enjoyed the active assignment.
Students have also been developing their scientific notebooks in class by adding their table of contents and their word bank (science vocabulary words and definitions).
Students need to remember the seven steps of our scientific note-booking process. They are:
1) Question (Focus Question)
2) Prediction
3. Procedure/Plan
4) Observation
5) Claims and Evidence
6) Conclusion
7) Reflection
Students are expected to be ready for a pop-quiz on the seven steps of the note-booking process.
I have been vigorously trying to obtain all of the materials needed for our first real lab in class. I got some more last night at Wal-Mart. I am hoping to have it ready for Friday. If not tomorrow, we will do it early next week (even though it will be Language Arts week).
HOMEWORK FROM WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 WAS: WORD WISDOM P. 17 (QUIZ TOMORROW)
I will post later today for tonight's homework and reminders.
SCIENCE WEEK
In class, we are continuing the unit on the Earth's Changing Surface. Students have read from our kit textbook, participated with the Promethean board by looking at slides of landforms, and they receive Polk Pride tickets for coming up to the board to write their answers from the bell ringer. When looking at the slides, they study the picture of the landform, they turn and talk to their group mates about what's going on in the picture, and then they make a sketch of picture, and finally explain the scientific process that is going on in the picture: (erosion, weathering, or deposition). The students did a nice job with their sketches and enjoyed the active assignment.
Students have also been developing their scientific notebooks in class by adding their table of contents and their word bank (science vocabulary words and definitions).
Students need to remember the seven steps of our scientific note-booking process. They are:
1) Question (Focus Question)
2) Prediction
3. Procedure/Plan
4) Observation
5) Claims and Evidence
6) Conclusion
7) Reflection
Students are expected to be ready for a pop-quiz on the seven steps of the note-booking process.
I have been vigorously trying to obtain all of the materials needed for our first real lab in class. I got some more last night at Wal-Mart. I am hoping to have it ready for Friday. If not tomorrow, we will do it early next week (even though it will be Language Arts week).
HOMEWORK FROM WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 WAS: WORD WISDOM P. 17 (QUIZ TOMORROW)
I will post later today for tonight's homework and reminders.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
HOMEWORK FOR TONIGHT, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2011: WORD WISDOM: P.14 (REMINDER: QUIZ FRIDAY)
Today, we are continuing "Fairness" week. Albert Einstein once said, "I speak to everyone in the same way, whether he is the garbage man or the president of the university."
I think this message is important because even though the duties of the aforementioned jobs vary deeply, they are both truly important. We need to remember to treat each person with respect, the same respect you would want to be treated.
Today, be respectful or say something kind to someone you normally would not.
I will try to post later today whether or not I will need parent volunteers for our science lab later this week.
HOMEWORK FOR TONIGHT, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2011: WORD WISDOM: P.14 (REMINDER: QUIZ FRIDAY)
Today, we are continuing "Fairness" week. Albert Einstein once said, "I speak to everyone in the same way, whether he is the garbage man or the president of the university."
I think this message is important because even though the duties of the aforementioned jobs vary deeply, they are both truly important. We need to remember to treat each person with respect, the same respect you would want to be treated.
Today, be respectful or say something kind to someone you normally would not.
I will try to post later today whether or not I will need parent volunteers for our science lab later this week.
HOMEWORK FOR TONIGHT, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2011: WORD WISDOM: P.14 (REMINDER: QUIZ FRIDAY)
Monday, September 12, 2011
Lifeskill this week: FAIRNESS
Lifeskill this week: FAIRNESS
The lifeskill for this week is FAIRNESS. Eleanor Roosevelt once, "Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both."
We just celebrated the ten-year anniversary of 9/11. I was in high school when this horrific event took place. I remember feeling numbingly shocked, and I felt like time stood still. Nothing at school seemed to matter that day. Classrooms and teachers tuned into the events on CNN and other local news networks. We need to be thankful for the freedoms that we can celebrate each day. Unfortunately, our freedoms were taken away for one day, that has endured for some families for ten years. Make sure, if you have not already, pause, and reflect for those families who lost loved ones on that historic day.
In our schools, today, justice must be for everyone. It doesn't exclude anyone. Eleanor Roosevelt's quote has truly stood the test of time, but we must show it in everything we do. I will be posting some fairness videos that Mrs. Kranning, our school counselor, has shared with us.
~Mr. Polk
The lifeskill for this week is FAIRNESS. Eleanor Roosevelt once, "Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both."
We just celebrated the ten-year anniversary of 9/11. I was in high school when this horrific event took place. I remember feeling numbingly shocked, and I felt like time stood still. Nothing at school seemed to matter that day. Classrooms and teachers tuned into the events on CNN and other local news networks. We need to be thankful for the freedoms that we can celebrate each day. Unfortunately, our freedoms were taken away for one day, that has endured for some families for ten years. Make sure, if you have not already, pause, and reflect for those families who lost loved ones on that historic day.
In our schools, today, justice must be for everyone. It doesn't exclude anyone. Eleanor Roosevelt's quote has truly stood the test of time, but we must show it in everything we do. I will be posting some fairness videos that Mrs. Kranning, our school counselor, has shared with us.
~Mr. Polk
NEW POST!! Monday September 12
HOMEWORK, MONDAY SEPTEMBER 12: Word Wisdom, pp. 12-13, (QUIZ FRIDAY for Word Wisdom Unit 1, Part 2)
SCIENCE WEEK
It has been a week since I have posted. It was a busy week last week for sure! I will try to update daily again.
Last week, we completed our study and review of capitalization, as the students finished with a quiz on Friday. I thought a good number of students did a nice job, but make sure you review with your son/daughter major skills of capitalization, such as not capitalizing minor words in a title i.e. (Back to the Future).
We also continued with writing as we discussed and reviewed topic sentence, and writing supporting details for a topic sentence. We did examples in class and even had homework with this skill one night. Students are expected to be able to write a basic paragraph with a topic sentence, three supporting details, and a concluding sentence. Next week, we are going to take it a step further and begin narrative writing.
In science, we are continuing with the "Earth's Changing Surface" Unit. We are discussing terms such as erosion, sediment, weathering, deposition, and water tables. We will be looking at a landform chapter in the Kit Textbook (stays at school), and we will be looking at landform slides, trying to decide what caused the Earth's surface to change in these slides. We are also preparing a Water Table lab for Wednesday/Thursday of this week. BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A PARENT HANDOUT INVITING PARENT VOLUNTEERS FOR THE LAB.
Have a great week, and e-mail me with any questions.
~Mr. Polk
ben.polk@evsc.k12.in.us
HOMEWORK: Word Wisdom pp. 12-13 (Word Wisdom Quiz on this Friday 9/16 over Unit 1, Part 2).
SCIENCE WEEK
It has been a week since I have posted. It was a busy week last week for sure! I will try to update daily again.
Last week, we completed our study and review of capitalization, as the students finished with a quiz on Friday. I thought a good number of students did a nice job, but make sure you review with your son/daughter major skills of capitalization, such as not capitalizing minor words in a title i.e. (Back to the Future).
We also continued with writing as we discussed and reviewed topic sentence, and writing supporting details for a topic sentence. We did examples in class and even had homework with this skill one night. Students are expected to be able to write a basic paragraph with a topic sentence, three supporting details, and a concluding sentence. Next week, we are going to take it a step further and begin narrative writing.
In science, we are continuing with the "Earth's Changing Surface" Unit. We are discussing terms such as erosion, sediment, weathering, deposition, and water tables. We will be looking at a landform chapter in the Kit Textbook (stays at school), and we will be looking at landform slides, trying to decide what caused the Earth's surface to change in these slides. We are also preparing a Water Table lab for Wednesday/Thursday of this week. BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A PARENT HANDOUT INVITING PARENT VOLUNTEERS FOR THE LAB.
Have a great week, and e-mail me with any questions.
~Mr. Polk
ben.polk@evsc.k12.in.us
HOMEWORK: Word Wisdom pp. 12-13 (Word Wisdom Quiz on this Friday 9/16 over Unit 1, Part 2).
Friday, September 2, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
Good morning Lodge families,
I want to thank again the parent volunteers who came out yesterday to go on our "Earth's Changing Surface" walks at Lodge yesterday. The students enjoyed it and learned a lot of information, including terms such as sediment, erosion, deposition, and weathering.
We are taking a quiz today for Word Wisdom. Homework for Word Wisdom p. 11 was due today. Grades will be updated this weekend, so you will be able to follow the progress of your child in my classes.
In Science today, we are working in our cooperative groups creating posters that display what they have learned this week, specifically: sediment, erosion, deposition, and weathering. Each student is being assigned a different term to write, define, and to draw during class time. This will work as their science assessment for the week.
The positive attitude quote of the day is: "The only difference between a good day and a bad day is your attitude," written by Dennis S. Brown. I think that quote culminates all of the quotes this week from the life skill of having a positive attitude. Choose to have a positive attitude, and you will have a good day!
REMINDER: NO SCHOOL ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 IN HONOR OF LABOR DAY.
We will do a couple more science days in the shortened week next week, and we will have a couple of writing days.
Have a nice weekend!
~Mr. Polk
I want to thank again the parent volunteers who came out yesterday to go on our "Earth's Changing Surface" walks at Lodge yesterday. The students enjoyed it and learned a lot of information, including terms such as sediment, erosion, deposition, and weathering.
We are taking a quiz today for Word Wisdom. Homework for Word Wisdom p. 11 was due today. Grades will be updated this weekend, so you will be able to follow the progress of your child in my classes.
In Science today, we are working in our cooperative groups creating posters that display what they have learned this week, specifically: sediment, erosion, deposition, and weathering. Each student is being assigned a different term to write, define, and to draw during class time. This will work as their science assessment for the week.
The positive attitude quote of the day is: "The only difference between a good day and a bad day is your attitude," written by Dennis S. Brown. I think that quote culminates all of the quotes this week from the life skill of having a positive attitude. Choose to have a positive attitude, and you will have a good day!
REMINDER: NO SCHOOL ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 IN HONOR OF LABOR DAY.
We will do a couple more science days in the shortened week next week, and we will have a couple of writing days.
Have a nice weekend!
~Mr. Polk
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Science Walk a "Success"
Homework tonight (Thursday)- Word Wisdom p. 11
Thank you to all of the parent volunteers for coming to Lodge today to help our students with the Science walk today. The students used their knowledge of science concepts by applying themselves outside the school, as they may have realized for the first time that science is all around them, literally!
We have been discussing specifically the Earth's changing surface, and we continued our scientific conversations discussing terms such as sediment, erosion, deposition, and weathering. The students found real-life examples of all the scientific terms we discussed. I was worried because I knew it was going to be scorching hot today, but we weren't outside too long, and the students enjoyed getting sprayed with water at the end!
Our lifeskill of having a positive attitude continues this week. The quote of the day was from Betty Smith, "Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time." The students have seen the playground hundreds of times, but they may have never thought of the playground as having so many scientifically-related items within. I even learned new things myself today from the students. It's important to remember that we learn from each other! =)
Our week is winding down, and I hope everyone has a nice holiday weekend.
We have a quiz tomorrow over the ten Word Wisdom words for the week. The words are found in pp. 6-11 of their Word Wisdom books. We will conclude our "Science week" tomorrow. Until next time!
~Mr. Polk
Homework tonight (Thursday)- Word Wisdom p. 11
Thank you to all of the parent volunteers for coming to Lodge today to help our students with the Science walk today. The students used their knowledge of science concepts by applying themselves outside the school, as they may have realized for the first time that science is all around them, literally!
We have been discussing specifically the Earth's changing surface, and we continued our scientific conversations discussing terms such as sediment, erosion, deposition, and weathering. The students found real-life examples of all the scientific terms we discussed. I was worried because I knew it was going to be scorching hot today, but we weren't outside too long, and the students enjoyed getting sprayed with water at the end!
Our lifeskill of having a positive attitude continues this week. The quote of the day was from Betty Smith, "Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time." The students have seen the playground hundreds of times, but they may have never thought of the playground as having so many scientifically-related items within. I even learned new things myself today from the students. It's important to remember that we learn from each other! =)
Our week is winding down, and I hope everyone has a nice holiday weekend.
We have a quiz tomorrow over the ten Word Wisdom words for the week. The words are found in pp. 6-11 of their Word Wisdom books. We will conclude our "Science week" tomorrow. Until next time!
~Mr. Polk
Homework tonight (Thursday)- Word Wisdom p. 11
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