Week of December 17

This is the last week before Winter Break! Are you ready for 2 weeks off?

This week in Reading, you will be selecting books for the next book report. It will be Accelerated Reader, any type of fiction. Miss Hagensee is busy putting aside a fine selection for you to decide upon.

On Friday afternoon, the seventh graders will be watching a movie. Can you guess which one that might be? Stay tuned for the answer!

Week of December 10

Thought of the week: If you could open your own retail store, what type of merchandise would you feature?

My answer, of course as many of you have already guessed, is SHOES!

We will continue studying verbs this week. Hopefully you are learning more and more about that part of speech each week.

Have you ever wondered what your life would have been like if you lived during the 1840s? The novel, Lyddie, depicts just that. Would you like to churn your own butter, 'fetch' your own dinner, and work on chores all day?

Week of December 3

This week, the advanced Reading class begins a new novel, Lyddie. It is a historical fiction selection about a girl learning to adapt to the pressures of providing for her family. Hopefully you will learn something about the working conditions in the 1800s by the end of the novel.

The Wanderer has entertained the other students with its "high seas" adventures. This week, the main character Sophie will learn to deal with living on a boat with her cousins and uncles.

Book reports begin on December 5. Be prepared to give your speech on Wednesday. Feel free to bring in your projects early if you'd like.

Week of Nov. 19

This week a guest speaker will be coming in to teach the history of sign language to the 7th grade. Students already learned the sign language alphabet in their Reading classes. Hopefully after Tuesday, they will know a bit more. Maybe they will even be able to form a sentence in sign language.

Keep reading your realistic fiction books! Book report presentations will begin on December 5. Spend some time over the Thanksgiving break reading those books!

I hope you enjoy the Thanksgiving break. Eats lots of food, get lots of rest, and enjoy every minute of it!

If you weren't able to check out a book for the next book report of Friday, make sure you do that this week. You must select a Realistic Fiction book. It does not need to be AR. You will be doing a project for this book report. That project will be assigned in the near future.

Tuesday, Nov. 13 is the last day to turn in late work. Check your grades on-line to see if you have missing assignments. Be sure to work on those assignments over the weekend if you are missing any!

Did you watch Kid Nation this week? It was great to finally hear from a Lakeview alumni! I hope "she" enjoyed her experiences in Bonanza City! It looks like it was a rather chilly experience for most of the kids.

On Monday, the Miracle Worker Act 3 quiz will be given. This will be the final test for that novel. Be sure to study over the weekend. Vocabulary will be included on that test, so be sure to study those words too!

Students will have the opportunity to watch the award winning film, The Miracle Worker at some point next week. Films are watched to compare and contrast the novel to the film. Though the students probably won't know the actress, Patty Duke, I am certain others of you do. I will be sure to point her out to the students.

Your personal narratives are due on Monday. We will continue studying verbs next week. Can you tell the difference between an action, state of being, or linking verb?

No School on Monday!

We are almost finished reading The Miracle Worker. Have you learned the sign language alphabet yet? Keep practicing those letters! Try to memorize your first and last name. Remember, signing is a form of communication just like speaking.

Here is some interesting information on Helen Keller:

Helen Keller attended Radcliffe College in 1900. She graduated cum laude in 1904. Upon graduation, she became the first deaf-blind person to graduate from college. Throughout these years, Annie Sullivan laboriously spelled books and lectures into Helen's hand. Helen went on to write eleven books and numerous articles on blindness, deafness, and social issues.

Your narrative essays will be due by the end of the week. Remember to double space your essays while typing them.

Have a great day off on Monday!

This week we will continue to work on personal narrative essays. The focus will be on writing great introductory paragraphs. Keep thinking of a story you can use for your essay. A good story is full of interesting facts and details. Remember my story about getting locked in the museum? Think of all the details I used to tell that story.

In Reading, we will finish Act 2. Do you have a favorite character in Miracle Worker? Are you similar to any of the characters? Which character do you relate best to?

Thought of the week: If the temperature had to be the same every day of the year, what would you want the temperature to be?

My answer is 80 degrees!

Next week, on Wednesday, there is an early dismissal. I hope you all enjoy your after noon off!

Friday, October 19 will be the Fall Dance from 3-5 pm. I will be chaperoning that dance, so see you there!

Thought of the week: You've probably heard the expression, "They couldn't pay me enough to do that job." What job would that be for you?

Are you watching Kid Nation? Which one of the 'classes' would you like to be? I think I'd like to be the "cooks". At least it would be warm in the kitchen!

Are you ready to write an essay? Next week we will begin writing narrative essays. Start thinking of a possible topic.

Have a great day off!!!

I hope you enjoy your day off on Monday. I know I will!

Next week we will begin reading the novel, The Miracle Worker. Hopefully, you will even learn how to sign the alphabet! Sign language was Helen Keller's only way to communicate with people.

Thought of the week: If you were in charge of changing the traditional food of Thanksgiving from turkey to something else, what would you choose?

October, my favorite month!

Thought of the week:

If you could fly in a hot air balloon over any city in the world, what city would you choose?



In Language Arts classes this week, we will continue studying elements of The Sentence. This week's focus will be on Fragments, Run-Ons, and Conjunctions. Do you know what these are?

This will be our final week for short stories. Next week we will begin reading our first classroom novel. Can you guess which one we might read? Here is a hint: it is a story about two amazing women who overcome immeasurable odds.

If you didn't check out a book for the next book report, please do so as soon as possible. Be sure to show it to me once you get it!

Week of September 24

Thought of the week:

What is something you believe most people consider a chore that you actually enjoy doing?

Language Arts classes have begun studying the components of The Sentence. They will continue to delve further into that topic this week.

The Advanced Reading class will learn about Rorschach tests while reading Flowers for Algernon. Maybe they'll even learn a little about their peers through the tests they will be taking this week!

The author, O. Henry, will be the focus in periods 6 & 8 this week. Also, these classes will be selecting new novels for the next book report.

9/14/07

The OLSAT test will be given during 4th period on Wednesday, September 19. Students are encouraged to eat a healthy breakfast the morning of testing.

Students will begin learning the components of 'The Sentence' during LA class next week. In Reading class, students will continue reading exciting short stories.

Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Benson 9/7/07

Accelerated Reader tests due September 21. Tests can be taken in the IMC before school or during study hall.

Next week we will continue studying Nouns and read Short Stories. The OLSAT test will tentatively be given on Sept. 12 during 4th period.

Mrs. Benson 8/29

Welcome Back!!!

Hope everyone had a great summer. I am looking forward to meeting all of my students. This year we will be writing essays, reading poetry and novels, and improving public speaking and research skills.

I can be contacted via e-mail at, sbenson@ccsd66.org or by phone at 630-783-5037.