Good evening parents,
THIS WEEKS EVENTS:
Monday we will begin our Magic Lens lesson which is how we will be covering grammar this year. It is a method that will stay with the kids through high school. It is a bit of a boring day, and one of the very few "lecture/notes" days that we will do. I will be recording this day for youtube in case any of the notes are missed or need repeating.
Tuesday we will put their grammar knowledge to work with a bellwork that checks how much they learned the previous day. The meat of the day will be spent covering our first poem where they have to critically analyze a poem to figure out who the speaker is. It's a fun day. This class will also be recorded.
Wednesday is a book report work day. The kids HAVE to bring their book (or edevice if that is how they are reading it) with them to class so that they can make good use of the class. I will also have magazines for them to access to cut out pictures if they don't want to read. I don't give many in-class work days for the book report and how they use this day will determine future ones. :) No recording of this day.
Thursday we will be taking a look at a non-fiction article and discussing it. I want to work in more news articles this year and try discussing them in class. I did it a few times last year and really liked it. This day will be recorded.
Friday is a half day/early-dismissal day and I plan to use this for tech. I am setting up a class Socrative site the kids will access with their devices. This will be a first time for me, and I'm excited to test it out. Not sure if I will be recording this day yet or not. We'll see. :) I will be recording class and posting it to YouTube on Mon, Tues, and Thurs this week.
This WEEK'S HOMEWORK
First Reading Log check will be on Wednesday.
Must be initialed by parent/guardian for points.
Continue working on their book reports.
THEY WILL NEED TO BRING IN THEIR DEVICES ON FRIDAY
My goal is to test our tech and devices this Friday with the Socrative app. They will need to bring in their device this Friday on the half day so we can test this cool educational site.
EXTRA B POINTS OPPORTUNITY – HSE PASTA BOWL
Fishers Junior High is participating in the HSE Pasta Bowl competition where each building has their students donate unopened boxes of pasta to be given to the local food pantries. To help encourage this and reward their charity and benevolence, I am offering up THREE B POINTS for EACH BOX they bring in and donate. Up to a total of FIFTEEN B POINTS total for the drive. Or they can bring in Ramen Noodles packages, but they are worth 1 point a piece as opposed to 3. The boxes need to be brought in to me in my room so that I can keep track of them and give proper credit.
Friday is the last day for the Pasta Bowl as the HSE-Fishers game is that night.
THE WEEKLY READING LOG
The log is being completed by all students across the 7th grade at FJHS this year. It is to log how much the kids read and to try and make them a bit more responsible for reading. I don’t want it to make life stressful or to make them hate reading. Really they should already be reading somewhat and this is just a way for them to keep track of it and get points for it. I’m pretty open as to the “what” they’re reading as long as they are reading. Every kid has their own level and reading ability and I will trust you as a parent to keep them responsible and honest.
This *IS* an assignment, but all the reading that goes over the 70 minutes a week will eventually earn them extra B points. I know some kids will easily surpass the required number and I want to give them motivation to push themselves.
If you have any questions, then please feel free to contact me.
MR. BROVIAK’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL I record my class daily and post it to YouTube. Kids are EXPECTED to watch the recorded class for any day they are ABSENT. I have a “page” that you can subscribe to make it easier to get the newest ones (http://www.youtube.com/user/kaivorb), or you can just browse by “brovicast”, “kaivorb” or “Broviak”. I always post the video with the 6 digit date (an example for Sept 13th would be 090914 and then a description of the lesson plan). Kids are expected to watch the videos when they are absent, as they will be responsible for anything that is covered on the days they are gone. If they come in and ask me what they missed, my answer is the same – watch the podcast. Covers everything that way. I don’t record and post every class period, but I will record one class a day and post it so that the kids can keep up with what is happening. It also allows parents to peek in and watch class in case they are curious as to what we are covering. And some days I won’t record class at all, depending on what we are doing. If it is a test day or a silent reading day, then there isn’t much point in recording 45 minutes of silence. So on those occasions nothing will be posted.
REMIND 101 FOR CLASS There is a great service out there called “Remind 101” (although I believe they just renamed themselves to “Remind” recently) that I use with class. It allows me to send out “reminder texts” to anyone who signs up for it. I use this in class to send out reminders the night before homework is due or before we have a major test. It helps with that whole “getting distracted and forgetting thing” that occurs with teenagers (and most other humans). To sign up for it, a cell phone is needed or at least some method of texting. I have had students in the past sign up using an ipod/ipad/tablet but it is hit or miss on reliability with those types of devices. Mobile phones are the best option if possible. To sign up for my class, just text the number 317-608-1014 with the message “@brov” (no apostrophes needed in message). That “activates” the phone for my class and allows the user to get updates. I will be making use of this most weeks.
Use My Website My class website is www.MrBroviak.com and all assignments and the calendars will be posted there. I used Blackboard quite a bit, so I’m expecting to make good use of my website this year, too.
ATTACHMENTS:
**MAGIC LENS NOTES --The notes we will be doing over grammar to be used this year
**READING LOG --To be completed each week for a grade. I am looking for kids to read 70 minutes a week and to keep track of it.
**PERSONALITY COLLAGE FILES -- I am including a copy of the book report directions and rubric. Again they will receive a copy in class, but I am including this as a backup for both you and them.
Mr. Broviak
THIS WEEKS EVENTS:
Monday we will begin our Magic Lens lesson which is how we will be covering grammar this year. It is a method that will stay with the kids through high school. It is a bit of a boring day, and one of the very few "lecture/notes" days that we will do. I will be recording this day for youtube in case any of the notes are missed or need repeating.
Tuesday we will put their grammar knowledge to work with a bellwork that checks how much they learned the previous day. The meat of the day will be spent covering our first poem where they have to critically analyze a poem to figure out who the speaker is. It's a fun day. This class will also be recorded.
Wednesday is a book report work day. The kids HAVE to bring their book (or edevice if that is how they are reading it) with them to class so that they can make good use of the class. I will also have magazines for them to access to cut out pictures if they don't want to read. I don't give many in-class work days for the book report and how they use this day will determine future ones. :) No recording of this day.
Thursday we will be taking a look at a non-fiction article and discussing it. I want to work in more news articles this year and try discussing them in class. I did it a few times last year and really liked it. This day will be recorded.
Friday is a half day/early-dismissal day and I plan to use this for tech. I am setting up a class Socrative site the kids will access with their devices. This will be a first time for me, and I'm excited to test it out. Not sure if I will be recording this day yet or not. We'll see. :) I will be recording class and posting it to YouTube on Mon, Tues, and Thurs this week.
This WEEK'S HOMEWORK
First Reading Log check will be on Wednesday.
Must be initialed by parent/guardian for points.
Continue working on their book reports.
THEY WILL NEED TO BRING IN THEIR DEVICES ON FRIDAY
My goal is to test our tech and devices this Friday with the Socrative app. They will need to bring in their device this Friday on the half day so we can test this cool educational site.
EXTRA B POINTS OPPORTUNITY – HSE PASTA BOWL
Fishers Junior High is participating in the HSE Pasta Bowl competition where each building has their students donate unopened boxes of pasta to be given to the local food pantries. To help encourage this and reward their charity and benevolence, I am offering up THREE B POINTS for EACH BOX they bring in and donate. Up to a total of FIFTEEN B POINTS total for the drive. Or they can bring in Ramen Noodles packages, but they are worth 1 point a piece as opposed to 3. The boxes need to be brought in to me in my room so that I can keep track of them and give proper credit.
Friday is the last day for the Pasta Bowl as the HSE-Fishers game is that night.
THE WEEKLY READING LOG
The log is being completed by all students across the 7th grade at FJHS this year. It is to log how much the kids read and to try and make them a bit more responsible for reading. I don’t want it to make life stressful or to make them hate reading. Really they should already be reading somewhat and this is just a way for them to keep track of it and get points for it. I’m pretty open as to the “what” they’re reading as long as they are reading. Every kid has their own level and reading ability and I will trust you as a parent to keep them responsible and honest.
This *IS* an assignment, but all the reading that goes over the 70 minutes a week will eventually earn them extra B points. I know some kids will easily surpass the required number and I want to give them motivation to push themselves.
If you have any questions, then please feel free to contact me.
MR. BROVIAK’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL I record my class daily and post it to YouTube. Kids are EXPECTED to watch the recorded class for any day they are ABSENT. I have a “page” that you can subscribe to make it easier to get the newest ones (http://www.youtube.com/user/kaivorb), or you can just browse by “brovicast”, “kaivorb” or “Broviak”. I always post the video with the 6 digit date (an example for Sept 13th would be 090914 and then a description of the lesson plan). Kids are expected to watch the videos when they are absent, as they will be responsible for anything that is covered on the days they are gone. If they come in and ask me what they missed, my answer is the same – watch the podcast. Covers everything that way. I don’t record and post every class period, but I will record one class a day and post it so that the kids can keep up with what is happening. It also allows parents to peek in and watch class in case they are curious as to what we are covering. And some days I won’t record class at all, depending on what we are doing. If it is a test day or a silent reading day, then there isn’t much point in recording 45 minutes of silence. So on those occasions nothing will be posted.
REMIND 101 FOR CLASS There is a great service out there called “Remind 101” (although I believe they just renamed themselves to “Remind” recently) that I use with class. It allows me to send out “reminder texts” to anyone who signs up for it. I use this in class to send out reminders the night before homework is due or before we have a major test. It helps with that whole “getting distracted and forgetting thing” that occurs with teenagers (and most other humans). To sign up for it, a cell phone is needed or at least some method of texting. I have had students in the past sign up using an ipod/ipad/tablet but it is hit or miss on reliability with those types of devices. Mobile phones are the best option if possible. To sign up for my class, just text the number 317-608-1014 with the message “@brov” (no apostrophes needed in message). That “activates” the phone for my class and allows the user to get updates. I will be making use of this most weeks.
Use My Website My class website is www.MrBroviak.com and all assignments and the calendars will be posted there. I used Blackboard quite a bit, so I’m expecting to make good use of my website this year, too.
ATTACHMENTS:
**MAGIC LENS NOTES --The notes we will be doing over grammar to be used this year
**READING LOG --To be completed each week for a grade. I am looking for kids to read 70 minutes a week and to keep track of it.
**PERSONALITY COLLAGE FILES -- I am including a copy of the book report directions and rubric. Again they will receive a copy in class, but I am including this as a backup for both you and them.
Mr. Broviak
