School House Rock - Mr. Morton

Okay, everyone. We have spent a lot of time thinking about sentence types and identifying subjects, predicates, and prepositional phrases in our work.  This video offers a different, more modern take on the Mr. Morton song from Grammar Rock. 

Watch this if you still not sure about subjects and verbs.  Enjoy!

All Summer in a Day Homework Packet

Here's the homework packet for our latest short story, All Summer in a Day.
All Summer in a Day Homework Packet

Happy Birthday to Mr. Collins!

It's a little known fact that Mr. Collins's birthday is the reason we get this whole week off from school, so please join Mr. Rouch in wishing him a happy cake day!

Trimester 1 Realm of the Four Winds Winner!

It was a tightly contested battle, but here is the final standings for Trimester 1.  Congratulations to House Tramontane, as their hard work was evidenced in having the highest GPA, and their participation was on full display in winning all three blog contests!  House Ostro was right on their heels, however, by regularly completing the most homework and earning the highest ranking during Mr. Vazquez's week of guest teaching.  Congratulations to House Scirocco for winning the "Best First Impression" award!

 

All the beans have been counted and convereted into points, which were then added to the in-class activity awards and blog contest points.

 

Here's the final shakedown:

 

1st: House Tramontane - 2086 points

 

2nd:  House Ostro - 2065 points

 

3rd: House Scirocco - 1962 points

 

4th: House Ponente - 1789 points

Keep working hard for Trimester 2, citizens, and as always...

May the winds be forever at your back!

Word Parts/Spelling List

A couple of you mentioned that you cannot find your blue 7th grade LA Handbook, so here's the word parts and spelling list for the entire year.

However, please keep in mind that we will still be using the handbook for the remainder of the school year, so you will be responsible for purchasing a replacement from the library.

Figurative Language Mini Book

Click here for instructions on how to make the mini books we created in class, then use the presentation below to fill your book out.

Mr. and Mrs. Rouch Had Their Baby!

Hopefully you noticed that there were guest teachers in Mr. Rouch's room last week.  That's because Rocky Michael David was born on Wednesday, November 7 at 12:57 AM! He weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces, and he was 19 inches long.

Anti-bullying Talk Back!

Good Afternoon!

     This morning we were fortunate enough to experience an amazing assembly from professional Strongman and presenter Bud Jeffries that focused on strength and our ability to use it to do good and to help others.
  
      We saw some entertaining displays of great strength (just ask Mrs. Hodge) that showed us not only the power of our bodies, but the power of our minds as well.
   
     The most important message was that we all possess the inner strength necessary to be nice to others and to stand up to bullies, both for ourselves and for others who need our help.  The video below is a news story from Mississippi spotlighting Jeffries' work with a school there.

     Here is your opportunity to post your thoughts and reactions to Mr. Jeffries' performance and message, and to offer any personal lessons you have taken away from the experience.  As always, the House with the highest number and with the most insightful comments will earn a grand total of 100 bonus beans for its jar!

     The challenge has been extended!  Watch the video as a reminder before you get started, and don't forget to sign each comment with your initials and House name.  Good luck to all, and please encourage those who may not normally weigh in to offer their ideas.  They are ALL valuable!

     The contest ends on Monday, November 12th!  Once again, Good Luck and...

May the Winds be Ever at Your Back!

Mr. Collins and Mr. Rouch

Proclamation to the Realm! - House t-shirts are now available!

T-shirts have been designed for all the Houses of the Realm! You may have seen Mr. Rouch and Mr. Collins today sporting their special Realm shirts. The design pictured below is for House Scirocco, however each house has its own design, based on this layout with the initial on the front left chest and the House name and symbol boldly displayed across the back. For only $7.00 you can literally wear your House pride all over campus! Order forms will be available from either Mr. Rouch or Mr. Collins starting Monday, November 5th. Some great events are planned and you will want your house to look it's best! Imagine being in a sea of Tramontane Navy Blue, Ponente Forest Green, Vibrant Scirocco Gold, or Deep Ostro Burgundy. The feeling you will get as a part of that group cannot be matched! Make plans to pick up an order form on Monday, and prepare to join the ranks of other citizens of the Realm who embody true spirit and pride!
Scirocco Shirts

Trimester 1 Final Review

Howdy ya'll,

If you're up late thinking about tomorrow's final, check out these three links to help prepare yourself:

Different Types of Nouns

Reading Comprehension Strategies

Character/Theme/Plot/Conflict/Setting/Point of View

Good luck, and may the winds be forever at your back!

iPod nano Troubleshooting

Understanding informational text can be very important in the real world.  For example, pretend you're having trouble with your new iPod nano.  Where are you going to look?

Use Apple's iPod nano User Guide to answer the following questions (scroll to page 56 for the Tips and Troubleshooting section):

1. What 5 basic suggestions should you try one at a time if you're having a problem with your iPod nano?
2. What should you do if your iPod isn't playing music, but you've already checked to make sure the volume is adjusted properly?
3. If your music stops playing when the iPod nano screen turns off, what should you check?

iPod Nano User Guide - Troubleshooting

Tower of Cards Winner!

We had a tie for the tallest tower of cards built in Mr. Rouch's class.  However, both teams were from House Tramontane, so House T will be getting the 50 bonus beans.  Congrats guys and gals!

Informational Text - How to Build a Tower of Cards

Before next week's final, we'd like to shift our focus to a special type of nonfiction writing called informational text.  As you may have guessed from its name, the purpose of informational text is to inform the reader about something -- like a schedule of movie showtimes, a menu, a scientific article, or instructions for how to perform a task.

For Friday's class, we will be exploring informational text by following the instructions linked below:

How to Build a Tower of Cards: 7 steps (with pictures) - wikiHow

After you've followed the directions and built your tower of cards, take a picture of it and email it to us at collinsrouch@gmail.com so we can see how well you've done.  The house with the tallest tower will get 50 bonus beans -- but you must have the picture to prove it!

The "Best First Impression" Award Winner!

So, Mr. Collins wasn't in his classroom today which gave all the citizens of the Realm a wonderful opportunity to make a first impression on our initial guest teacher of the year in Rm. 24, Mr. Vazquez.

In order to help everyone put his or her best foot forward and represent Mr. Collins and Mr. Rouch, him or herself, and the Realm of the Four Winds with honor and dignity, a prize of 50 Bonus Beans will be awarded to the House that has made the best first impression!

Thanks to a combination of some great choices and Mr. Vazquez's keen observations, we now have a winner! Congratulations go out to House Scirocco who had no fewer than three periods earning top rankings throughout the day!

Thank you for representing your House, your teachers, and yourselves well!  You have earned the gratitude of the entire Realm.

Until the next,
RC

Western Spaghetti

After taking the Amigo Brothers test, check out this very creative short video by filmmaker PES, called Western Spaghetti.

Once you've checked out the vid, fill out the form below with your choice of:

Option A) 3 sentences describing the video that use any of the vocab words from Lessons 1 through 8

--OR--

Option B) 5 word parts that would fit this video and why you chose them

Note: Once you have filled out the form, press SUBMIT one time.

Cavaliers Finale 200 - Winner!

Well, the comments have been tallied, and the results are in!

And the winner is...House Tramontane! The mighty polar bears from the Arctic started with a flurry of awesome observations, but slowed the pace to let the other houses back in, only to finish with a final push to seal the victory!  50 Bonus Beans are yours!

They used 40 vocabulary words scattered throughout their creative and insightful sentences and also demonstrated a positive team spirit!  Congratulations, Tramontane!  

All citizens of the Realm...keep an eye out for the next challenge and maybe you too can share in the glory of achievement!

Literary Conflict

Check out a short video and today's notes about the four main types of literary conflict we find in our stories:

Literary Conflict Presentation

Amigo Brothers Homework Due Tuesday!

Heads up, our classwork and homework for Amigo Brothers will be due tomorrow (Tuesday, October 16, 2012).

Also, please notice that we will be grading our 4-column vocab lists for lessons 2 through 5.

Make sure to staple your packet in the same order that the assignments are listed, with your cover sheet on top.
Amigo Brothers Homework Packet

Lesson 8 Flash Cards

Lesson 8's flash card sentences are here!  As we do not have school this Friday, they will be due next Monday, October 15.
Download Flash Card Sentences - Lesson 8

Four Square Planning Page (Outline Notes)

Check out the notes from class on how to complete this outline. If you were absent or just need a little help, use these ideas to kick start your thinking in the right direction! Keep an eye out for the Quick Note/Quick Sketch outline coming soon.

Book Report Tutorials

A few of you have asked for a reminder of how to complete our monthly book reports.  Welp, here you go!

Note: Play the videos in Full Screen mode and click the gear icon to view the videos in HD so you can read the fine print.


Sample Book Report

Amazing Hand Animals Winner!

Congratulations to House Tramontane for winning our vocabulary contest, and the 50 bonus beans prize.  They used 48 vocabulary words in their comments, and almost all of them were used correctly!

Special shout-out to Jacob J. for his contribution to his house.  Sir Jacob dished out a 14-sentence paragraph which contained 15 vocab words!  Way to go dude!

Lesson 7 Flash Cards

Check out this week's flash card sentences.  As always, try to fill in the blanks with great context clues!


Download Flash Cards Rubric Lesson 7

Cavaliers Finale 2000

The Amazing Hand Art House comment challenge concluded last Friday, and the winner will be announced soon! 

For the next challenge, we're offering a video that demonstrates how hours of dedicated practice and discipline can pay off.  With some crazy formations and complex musical arrangements, the Cavaliers, out of Rosemont, Illinois, earned a share of the DCI World Championship. Watch this clip from the 2000 Drum Corps International Finals and post a comment!  As always, the House with the most comments combined with the most creative use of vocabulary will win!

Rules: The same rules still apply.

• Each sentence must contain at least one vocab/spelling word from Lessons 1-7. 
• Submit each sentence as a separate comment to this post.

•  Make sure you leave your House's name in the comment.

• The challenge will end Monday, October 15

"Amigo Brothers" Trailer

Grab a sneak peak of our latest short story, "Amigo Brothers," with a quick vid made by Boulder Ridge's own Mrs. Pink.

Then, with your partner, complete the following task:

1. Leave a comment answering the question "Does every conflict have a winner?" Make sure you back up your opinion with reasons or examples.
2. Post a reply to another group's response.  You can either agree or disagree, but be polite in whatever you choose.
3. Click here to visit Mrs. Pink's blog, and post a reply to someone from her class.
• In the Email field, please type collinsrouch@gmail.com
• In the Name field, please type both partners' first and last initials and your house name
• Leave the Website field blank

School House Rock! Does Pronouns

Okay everyone! As promised earlier, here is the School House Rock pronouns song, "Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla"! So many great examples of personal pronouns in this one! Enjoy!

The Ransom Has Been Paid...

...and Mr. Collins' ducky has been returned safely.

Summary Writing With "Zoom Broom!"

The CST Writing Test is fast approaching! There are now two summary slideshows available to help you prepare! Use them well! This is the step-by-step process for completing a summary, featuring the story "Zoom Broom" by Margie Palatini.  Use it as a refresher, or as a guide  while completing future assignments.

Mr. Collins' Duck Being Held Hostage

Ransom: One ice cold Dr. Pepper

Lesson 6 Flash Card Sentences

Here we go.  Please make sure you get your flash cards finished by Friday.
Download Flash Cards Rubric Lesson 6

"Seventh Grade" Plot Line

Here's our notes about some of the key plot elements in Gary Soto's short story "Seventh Grade."

Nouns Test

Please read the gray directions carefully before selecting your answer.

Press "Submit" when you have finished.

Good luck!

Lesson 5 Vocab

Okay citizens! Here are the Lesson 5 vocabulary words, parts of speech, definitions, and pictures! These need to be added to your notebooks in the four column format. Don't forget flashcards are due Friday the 21st, and the Lesson 5 word parts/vocab test will be next Wednesday the 26th!

Amazing Hand Animals

Think you're good at making hand animals?  Artist Guido Daniele takes it to a whole new level.

50 bonus beans to the house that can create the most sentences describing this awesome body art!

Rules:

• Each sentence must contain at least one vocab/spelling word from Lessons 1 through 5 (be creative!)
• Submit each sentence as a separate comment to this post.
• Make sure you leave your House's name in the comment.
• The challenge will end Friday, September 28

Lesson 5 Flash Card Sentences

Huzzah!  We're back to 10 word parts this week!  Please complete Lesson 5's flash cards by Friday, September 21.

This week, you will be required to complete the blanks for each sentence with a context clue that helps you understand what the vocabulary word means.

For example, for the first card, I could write:

Mr. Hodder's plan to send potatoes to outer space was irrational because spuds can't fly space ships.

Good luck!
Download Flash Cards Rubric Lesson 5

Seventh Grade Plot Quiz

See if you can match the quote from "Seventh Grade" with the correct plot element!

Happy Birthday Mr. Rouch!

On Thursday (Back to School Night day), Mr. Rouch turned 28. Mr. Collins' students wished him the best with a beautiful chorus!

Nouns - Plural vs. Possessive: From class 9/14/12

Here are the nouns we worked with in class today. If you missed anything or were absent, please make sure they all make it into your notes/notebooks. Keep an eye on those patterns!

Back to School Night!

Welcome to Back to School Night!  We're looking forward to having an awesome year!

Collins/Rouch Back to School Night 2012 on Prezi

Lesson 4 Vocab

Please write these down in your vocabulary journal by making 4 columns like the example below.

Lesson 4 Quizlet Flashcards

Master your word parts with Quizlet!  Study with the cards, then test yourself with the scatter game!

Realm of the Four Winds Update!

Your hard work has been appreciated, and it has not gone unnoticed!  Here is the most up-to-date house grade averages:

1st:  House Ponente - 81.5%

2nd:  House Ostro - 80.2%

3rd:  House Tramontane - 80.1%

4th:  House Scirocco - 78.4%

Each house has been awarded "bonus beans" for their grade average rank, as follows:

1st place: 400 beans - House Ponente

2nd place: 300 beans - House Ostro

3rd place: 200 beans - House Tramontane

4th place:  100 beans - House Scirocco

So, after counting all of the beans in each house's jar, and then adding the bonus beans to the total, here is our current overall standings:

1st:  House Ostro - 1215 beans

2nd: House Ponente - 1164 beans

3rd:  House Scirocco - 1112 beans

4th:  House Tramontane - 1086 beans

Keep working hard, citizens, and as always...

May the winds be forever at your back!

Lesson 4 Flash Cards

Here it is folks, Lesson 4's flash card sentences.  Please notice that we have 12 cards to make this week, and don't forget to highlight your context clues.Download Flash Cards Rubric Lesson 4

Collective Nouns - Board Work/Notes

Here is a definition and some great examples of collective nouns from our discussion in class on Tuesday! If you missed anything, feel free to catch up on your own, and don't hesitate to comment with any questions!

Lesson 3 Spelling/Vocab Words

Please put this week's spelling/vocabulary words in your vocab journal.

Lesson 3 Flash Cards

Please use this help sheet to make sure you get all of your possible points on this week's flash cards.

Download Flash Cards Rubric - Lesson 3

Realm of the Four Winds Update!

It's a tight contest, but here is how the houses stand after our first bean count: 

1st:  House Scirocco - 658 beans

2nd:  House Ostro - 657 beans

3rd:  House Tramontane - 599 beans

4th: House Ponente - 572 beans

However, House Ponente is leading the way in the grade book thus far with a house average of 82.4%. Here's how the other houses shake up:

2nd:  House Scirocco - 82.0%

3rd:  House Ostro - 81.0%

4th:  House Tramontane - 79.4%

Keep working hard, citizens, and as always...

May the winds be forever at your back!

Plot With Oktapodi

In books, movies, and TV, the plot is the series of events that form the main story.

Check out this short film, Oktapodi, and the slide show below it for an example of the six elements of plot.

School House Rock! Nouns

For those of you who know and love School House Rock, here is the noun song! Anyone who has never seen this, you need to watch to see more examples of nouns than you're likely to find in any other place! Okay, so grab your handbooks and sing along!

Lesson 2 Spelling/Vocab Words

Check out the definitions and pictures that go along with Lesson 2's spelling/vocab words!

Flash Card Help!

Some of you were asking for help creating your flash cards, so I've attached this week's rubric. Each of your flash cards should have the following parts:

FRONT:

• word part
• picture

BACK:

• definition
• 2 spelling/vocab words
• Word part highlighted
• Sentence (I've given you the sentences to use on the second page of the document)
• Spelling/vocab word highlighted
• Context clue highlighted in a different color

If you scroll to the second page of the document, I've even included a couple sample pictures of what your flash cards should look like!

Each card is worth 1 point, so if you have all the parts on all the cards, you'll get the full 10 points for the week.

Good luck!

Download Flash Cards Rubric - Lesson 2

Context Clues and the World's Worst Video

On our flash cards this week, I will be giving you the 10 sentences to write on your 10 flash cards.

We will be highlighting the context clues that help us figure out what the word means.

Here's a video about what context clues are.  It may be the cheesiest video on the planet, but it does a really quick job of showing us how to find these context clues in any sentence.

Bear with me if you're brave!

Realm of the Four Winds

This year, each student in Mr. Collins and Mr. Rouch's Language Arts classes will be placed into one of the houses in the Realm of the Four Winds.

The houses will be competing against each other all year long for prizes and the right to be called Realm Champions!

House Spotlight: Scirocco

     Congratulations and welcome to the House! Blasting forth with the raging inferno of the Eastern Wind scream the courageous challengers of House Scirocco! Inspired by the majesty and absolute power of the African Lion, the members of this house use their influence to provide leadership through the positive example of their choices. Knowing that others value them and their opinions brings out the best in each member. It is with this inherent spirit of leadership that you take up the mantle and embark upon your year-long journey of discovery and self- expression. The challenges you are about to face will test your ability to be a productive and contributing member of a team, will dare you to reach beyond what you think you know in an effort to construct, test, and evaluate new ideas, and will, perhaps most importantly, simultaneously reveal and shape your true character as both a student and an active member of the House. Prepare, for the adventures you are fortunate enough to experience this year will establish and cement your lasting legacy as a founding member of...House Scirocco!

House Spotlight: Tramontane

     Congratulations and welcome to the House! Born on the Arctic breath of the frigid North Wind come the weathered warriors of House Tramontane! Inspired by the strength and independence of the solitary Polar Bear, the members of this house reach deep within to do whatever it takes to succeed. They know that ultimately, to tread the path to individual glory requires fortitude from within. It is with this tenacious spirit that you take up the mantle and embark upon your year-long journey of discovery and self-expression. The challenges you are about to face will test your ability to be a productive and contributing member of a team, will dare you to reach beyond what you think you know in an effort to construct, test, and evaluate new ideas, and will, perhaps most importantly, simultaneously reveal and shape your true character as both a student and an active member of the House. Prepare, for the adventures you are fortunate enough to experience this year will establish and cement your lasting legacy as a founding member of...House Tramontane!

House Spotlight: Ostro

        Congratulations and welcome to the House! Raging with the dense, steamy jungle South Wind charge the mighty masters of House Ostro! Inspired by the stealthy, agile cobra, members of this house use their mental dexterity to creatively solve problems and enlighten others with their findings. These free thinkers are never afraid to take a step away from the expected to reach a solution. It is with this spirit of curious exploration that you take up the mantle and embark upon your year-long journey of discovery and self-expression. The challenges you are about to face will test your ability to be a productive and contributing member of a team, will dare you to reach beyond what you think you know in an effort to construct, test, and evaluate new ideas, and will, perhaps most importantly, simultaneously reveal and shape your true character as both a student and an active member of the House. Prepare, for the adventures you are fortunate enough to experience this year will establish and cement your lasting legacy as a founding member of...House Ostro!

House Spotlight: Ponente

     Congratulations and welcome to the House! In the company of the Western Winds, screaming down the rugged mountains of the Pacific Northwest are the formidable forces of House Ponente! Inspired by the perseverance and tireless pursuits of the Forest Timberwolf, the members of this house stop at nothing to reach their goals. They also possess the ability to work together as a pack to complete tasks in the most efficient manner. It is in this collaborative spirit that you take up the mantle and embark upon your year-long journey of discovery and self-expression. The challenges you are about to face will test your ability to be a productive and contributing member of a team, will dare you to reach beyond what you think you know in an effort to construct, test, and evaluate new ideas, and will, perhaps most importantly, simultaneously reveal and shape your true character as both a student and an active member of the House. Prepare, for the adventures you are fortunate enough to experience this year will establish and cement your lasting legacy as a founding member of...House Ponente!

How LeBron Stays Focused

If you watched the NBA playoffs this year, you may have noticed that LeBron James was on fire.

How does he get his mind right before a big game?  Check out this video to see for yourself.

The Secret of Michael Jordan's Success