Mrs. Benson

2009-05-22T10:07:00.001-07:00

Week of May 25

Monday, May 25 is Memorial Day. Enjoy your day off! Here is a little history regarding this holiday:

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 25 in 2009). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the civil war), it was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action.

* Don't forget that the AR book report is due on Tuesday, May 26.

2009-04-17T09:58:00.000-07:00

Week of April 20

On Wednesday, the 7th grade will take a field trip to the Technology Center of DuPage in Addison for a Career Fair. Students will have the opportunity to listen to presenters speak about their careers. Presentations will be given by pilots, chiropractors, nurses, police officers, air traffic controllers, chemists, firefighters, and many others.

Following the field trip, students will dine at Mc Donald's for lunch. Don't forget to bring money for lunch that day!

2009-03-27T10:01:00.000-07:00

Week of March 30

Have a wonderful Spring Break! See you back on April 6.

2009-03-12T07:47:00.000-07:00

Week of March 16

This week we will continue working on prepositions. Can you name at least 10 prepositions from memory? Can you use them in a prepositional phrase?

We will finish reading The Wanderer this week. What do you think will happen to Sophie? Will she find Bompie and will he recognize her?

2009-02-27T10:06:00.000-08:00

Week of March 2

This week is ISAT week. Tests will be given Tuesday through Friday. 7th graders will be tested in the following areas: Reading, Math, and Science. Calculators are allowed so make sure you have one with you! Also, eat a good breakfast this week to avoid hunger during the test.

Have a great day off on Monday!

2009-02-20T09:24:00.000-08:00

Week of February 23

This week we will continue working on Reading Extended Responses. Be sure to complete your response to the Doc Marlowe story by Monday. Have you memorized the Extended Response template taught to you during class?

The Advanced Reading class will begin the novel, The Westing Game, this week. The Westing Game is a novel by Ellen Raskin that was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1979. The sixteen heirs of magnate Sam Westing are called upon at the reading of his will to unravel the secret behind his untimely demise. This also happens to be one of my favorite books. I hope you enjoy it too!

2009-02-06T09:53:00.000-08:00

Week of February 9

Congratulations to Emily Pikul and Kristian Cikoch for winning the 7th grade Spelling Bee. These terrific spellers now advance to the District Bee whereupon they will compete against other great spellers in the district. Good luck!

This week we will begin the novel, The Wanderer, by Sharon Creech. This novel involves a high-seas adventure taken by a very curious 7th grade girl named Sophie.

2009-01-30T09:56:00.000-08:00

Week of February 2

Congratulations to the following students for winning their classroom Spelling Bees:

Emily Pikul
Chadree Lacanlale
Rebecca Martinez
Cameron Welker
Corey Bredwell
Ellen Chiligiris

On Monday, February 2, they will compete in the grade level Spelling Bee. Good luck!

2009-01-23T09:53:00.000-08:00

Week of January 26

On Monday, the Spelling Bee will take place during Language Arts classes. If you'd like to see a list of the words, go to: www.spellingbee.com Be sure to note the definition and origin of the word you are attempting to spell.

Persuasive essays are due on Friday. The final draft must be typed and double-spaced. You will have some class time on Tuesday to work on your essays. Please see me if you have questions regarding this assignment.

2009-01-16T08:35:00.001-08:00

Week of January 19

Enjoy your day off on Monday, January 19. Do you know the significance of Martin Luther King Jr.?

Here's a little information on MLK:

Martin Luther King, Jr., (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968) was born Michael Luther King, Jr., but later had his name changed to Martin. His grandfather began the family's long tenure as pastors of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, serving from 1914 to 1931; his father has served from then until the present, and from 1960 until his death Martin Luther acted as co-pastor. Martin Luther attended segregated public schools in Georgia, graduating from high school at the age of fifteen; he received the B. A. degree in 1948 from Morehouse College, a distinguished Negro institution of Atlanta from which both his father and grandfather had graduated. After three years of theological study at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania where he was elected president of a predominantly white senior class, he was awarded the B.D. in 1951. With a fellowship won at Crozer, he enrolled in graduate studies at Boston University, completing his residence for the doctorate in 1953 and receiving the degree in 1955. In Boston he met and married Coretta Scott, a young woman of uncommon intellectual and artistic attainments. Two sons and two daughters were born into the family.

At the age of thirty-five, Martin Luther King, Jr., was the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize. When notified of his selection, he announced that he would turn over the prize money of $54,123 to the furtherance of the civil rights movement.

On the evening of April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of his motel room in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was to lead a protest march in sympathy with striking garbage workers of that city, he was assassinated.

Week of January 12

2009-01-09T09:49:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

This week is IOWA week. Be sure to have a healthy breakfast everyday and get lots of sleep this week.

Book reports begin on January 12. It might be a good idea to practice your presentation in front of someone. Don't forget to include an exciting opening statement before beginning your report.

Last Week Before Break!

2008-12-12T09:20:00.001-08:00

This week the regular Reading classes will continue with the short stories unit. Two stories to be read include, "The White Umbrella" and "The Defenseless Creature."

The Accelerated Reading class will finish reading the play, "Diary of Anne Frank."

Be sure to complete the persuasive essay chart so you can begin writing your persuasive essay. What do you plan to persuade someone to do? Remember to make sure you keep your audience in mind when writing this essay.

Poetry Unit

2008-12-04T07:55:00.001-08:00

Enjoy the following poems by these talented students in my Reading class.

Family
Brother and sister
We fought all the time
You were there for me
I'm here for you.
More than miles apart
You're there while I'm here
We talk somewhat,
But not enough.
I still think of the memories
that we shared
many good.

Life
I know it has taken me some time,
But I've finally seemed to realize
That with every helping hand you gave,
You seemed to make my whole life change.

I know that now you're gone
And nothing is the same,
But please don't regret the things you've done.
You made my whole life change.

Roads and Paths
I'm up and down this road again
Like I have been all my life
The same steps and the same routine
But I don't dare to find-

All of these things and people
That I wish to know
All of these places I think
I'd want to go.

But I live within the world
Where I want to find my path.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-21T09:58:00.000-08:00

This week is a short week of school, only two days, in fact. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving break. Take a few minutes to reflect on things for which you are thankful. Share these things with family and friends!

Here is a poem for you to enjoy:

Thanksgiving Feasting

When the Halloween pumpkins are gone,
And the leaves have all fallen to ground,
When the air has turned windy and cold,
Then Thanksgiving will soon be around.
Thoughts of loved ones all feasting together,
Pleasant pictures from past times appear
To dwell in each heart and each mind--
Then Thanksgiving is finally here!

Week of November 17

2008-11-18T09:44:00.000-08:00

This week in Language Arts, we will continue studying verbs. Can you name the six Progressive Verb Forms?

In Reading, the Accelerated class will read the eerie story, "The Hitchhiker." This story requires a vivid imagination and an understanding of the super natural.

Periods 6 and 8 will begin studying poetry. Robert Frost will be the first highlighted author.

Week of November 10

2008-11-07T08:04:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, November 11 is Veterans Day. Here is a brief history of this special day:

Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislation that was passed in 1938, November 11 was "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.'" As such, this new legal holiday honored World War I veterans.

In 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress -- at the urging of the veterans service organizations -- amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, Nov. 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
In 1968, the Uniforms Holiday Bill ensured three-day weekends for federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. Under this bill, Veterans Day was moved to the last Monday of October. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holiday on its original date. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on Oct. 25, 1971.

Finally on September 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of Nov. 11, beginning in 1978. Since then, the Veterans Day holiday has been observed on Nov. 11.

If the Nov. 11 holiday falls on a non-workday — Saturday or Sunday — the holiday is observed by the federal government on Monday (if the holiday falls on Sunday) or Friday (if the holiday falls on Saturday). Federal government closings are established by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management — a complete schedule can be found here. State and local government closings are determined locally, and non- government businesses can close or remain open as they see fit, regardless of federal, state or local government operation determinations.
United States Senate Resolution 143, which was passed on Aug. 4, 2001, designated the week of Nov.11 through Nov. 17, 2001, as "National Veterans Awareness Week." The resolution calls for educational efforts directed at elementary and secondary school students concerning the contributions and sacrifices of veterans.

Week of October 27

2008-10-27T09:59:00.000-07:00

Here is some information on Halloween...are you dressing up this year? What has been your favortie costume?

Halloween, or Hallowe’en, is an international holiday celebrated on October 31. Halloween activities include trick-or-treating, ghost tours, bonfires, costume parties, visiting haunted attractions, carving jack-o'-lanterns, reading scary stories and watching horror movies. Irish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to North America in the nineteenth century. Other western countries embraced the holiday in the late twentieth century. Halloween is celebrated in several countries of the Western world, most commonly in the United States, Canada, Ireland, Puerto Rico, Japan, New Zealand, United Kingdom and occasionally in parts of Australia. In Sweden the All Saints' official holiday takes place on the first Saturday of November.

The carved pumpkin, lit by a candle inside, is one of Halloween's most prominent symbols in America, and is commonly called a jack-o'-lantern. Originating in Europe, these lanterns were first carved from a turnip or rutabaga. Believing that the head was the most powerful part of the body containing the spirit and the knowledge, the Celts used the "head" of the vegetable to frighten off any superstitions.[7] The name jack-o'-lantern can be traced back to the Irish legend of Stingy Jack, [8] a greedy old farmer. He tricked the devil into climbing a tree and trapped him by carving a cross into the tree trunk. In revenge, the devil placed a curse on Jack, condemning him to forever wander the earth at night with the only light he had: a candle inside of a hollowed turnip. The carving of pumpkins is associated with Halloween in North America,[9] where pumpkins were readily available and much larger, making them easier to carve than turnips. Many families that celebrate Halloween carve a pumpkin into a frightening or comical face and place it on their home's doorstep after dark. In America the tradition of carving pumpkins is known to have preceded the Great Famine period of Irish immigration. The carved pumpkin was originally associated with harvest time in general in America and did not become specifically associated with Halloween until the mid-to-late 19th century.

Week of October 20

2008-10-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

On Monday, there will be an assembly to kick off Red Ribbon Week. Do you know the significance of Red Ribbon Week?

On Friday, the seventh grade will head to Chicago for a field trip to the Sears Tower and the Freedom Museum. Here are some interesting facts about the Sears Tower:

Sears Tower is strategically located on Wacker Drive in the heart of the West Loop, Chicago’s premier submarket and home to its largest corporations and commuter rail stations. Completed in early 1973, Sears Tower is an attractive and contemporary 110-story trophy office tower consisting of steel columns and beams in a “mega-module” system. The building contains approximately 3.8 million rentable square feet (“RSF”) including approximately 159,000 RSF of retail space. The Property also features a 160-car executive parking garage accessible from Franklin Street. Other amenities include a world-class broadcast platform, tallest skydeck, full-service conference center, fitness facility, and exceptional technology features. Sears Tower, completed May 3, 1973, rises to a height of 1,450 feet and is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the Chicago skyline and in the world. Sears Tower held the record for the world’s tallest building for 25 years until the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia were built in 1998. Then in the Fall of 2004 Taipei 101 took all but one title -- tallest to the tips of the antennas, which Sears Tower still owns. Including the Sears Tower antennas, the total height of Sears Tower increases to 1,725 feet. Designed by the architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill for Sears, Roebuck & Company, the world’s largest retailer at the time, the 3.8 million RSF building is the preeminent office address in Chicago and one of the premier properties in the world.

Week of October 13

2008-10-10T09:26:00.000-07:00

Do you know the meaning of Columbus Day?

Many countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, which occurred on October 12, 1492.
Columbus Day celebrations commemorate the Genoese explorer's first expedition across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492. Columbus, on commission by the Spanish monarchy, was hoping to find a new naval route to India and the other nations of the East, but instead found the American continent which was virtually unknown to Europeans at the time. Columbus's sailor Rodrigo de Triana was the first on the voyage to spot land in the New World; he found the island the natives called Guanahani at approximately 2:00 AM on October 12, 1492. The exact location of this island is unknown, though it was somewhere in the Bahamas. Columbus's expedition launched the first large-scale European colonization of the Americas.

Have a great day off!

Week of September 29

2008-09-26T07:19:00.000-07:00

Do you know what happened in February 1866 that will not happen again for another two and a half million years?

Here's a hint: the answer has something to do with the moon....

This is the year for the Cubs! Are you ready for the playoffs? Do you have a favorite player on the team?

Week of September 22

2008-09-22T07:47:00.000-07:00

This week we will finish the unit on The Sentence. There will be an intensive review on Monday and the quiz will be on Tuesday. Once finished with the components of the sentence, we will begin lessons on Nouns. Do you know the difference between a proper noun and a common noun?

The accelerated class will begin book report presentations this week. Don't forget to add captions to your story board. Be sure to practice your speech before giving it to the class!

2008-09-15T05:56:00.000-07:00

This week we will be studying ISAT lesson 2. Don't forget to bring your workbooks to class!

The Advanced Reading class will read the exciting short story, "The Great Rat Hunt." There will be a quiz over the story on Thursday.

The regular Reading class will read the short story, "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi." This story is one of my personal favorites! There will be a quiz over that story on Wednesday.

Have a great week!

2008-09-05T07:22:00.001-07:00

Do you know the meaning of Labor Day? Here's some information for you to consider:

Labor Day: How it Came About; What it Means

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

What did you do on your day off? Hope you had a great day!

2008-08-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back!

I hope you all had a wonderful summer. Below you will find the welcome letter handed out in class. Please have this signed and returned back to me by September 5.

Dear Parent(s):

Welcome to a new school year. My name is Mrs. Benson. I began my career at Lakeview several years ago as a student teacher. Since that time, I have taught 7th grade Language Arts and Reading to regular education students as well as accelerated and gifted students. The following is a brief overview of the homework policy, curriculum, and expectations for this year. Please read the material below. If you have any questions, please contact me via email, sbenson@ccsd66.org or by phone, 630.783.5037.

Homework Policy:
Students are expected and encouraged to complete all assignments on time. Failure to do so will result in penalty grades. Essays, major projects, and daily homework will receive a full letter grade penalty each week the assignment is late (i.e., if the assignment is late one day to one week and the student scores a B on it, the penalty grade will be a C). Workbook and ISAT Coach assignments turned in late will suffer a two letter grade penalty. Late assignments may be turned in up to one week prior to the end of the trimester.

Books to be used this year:
English, English Workbook Plus, Language of Literature, ISAT Coach, and various novels. Textbook are always available for overnight check out.

Curriculum to be covered includes:
Short Stories, Poetry, Non-Fiction, Essay writing, Grammar, Public Speaking, ISAT Prep, Journal Writing, Vocabulary Development, Book Reports

Sincerely,
Mrs. Benson
7th grade Language Arts/Reading

Acknowledgment of Responsibilities

Please sign and return this portion to me by September 5, 2008.

I have read and understand the information regarding classroom rules and expectations.

______________________________
Parent signature

_______________________________
Student signature

Week of May 13

2008-05-13T08:53:00.001-07:00

On Thursday there will be a Harriet Tubman quiz over chapters 18 and 19. Make sure you study the vocabulary too!

'How To' speeches begin on Tuesday for the Accelerated class. Be sure to practice your speech and don't forget to add commentary and interesting facts regarding your talent.

Wednesday is our field trip to the museums. Don't forget to bring a lunch with you!