Blog Post #1: 5th 6 Weeks

It’s time to self-assess and set some goals. Some of you may be thinking that the STAAR test is pretty far away. You’ve got time to work on those skills later. You have a life, right? Here’s the reality . . . the STAAR test is actually only 42 school days away! What seems like forever, always gets here quite a bit faster than we sometimes want to admit.

We are in STAAR mode here at Mackenzie. 5^th 6 weeks is essentially the time we spend revisiting skills that might appear on your STAAR test. We work hard this six weeks because we need to maximize our learning and preparation. Don’t be intimidated, though. We know how to make the units for this six weeks fun, and Mrs. Jackson and I have been working hard to do just that. Be prepared to work and prove to us and yourself that you will be successful on that test!

Your initial question: How are you progressing this year? To answer this question, consider the following sub-questions: 1) What are your strengths? Weaknesses? 2) Are you reading regularly? It’s been proven that people who consistently read outside of class make better grades when it comes to the assessments, not to mention school in general. You have to read! 3) How can you work on your weaknesses so that they become your strengths? 4) What goals do you have for the future? Set one goal for the immediate future (within this year) and one for the distant future.

Remember, you are to answer the initial and sub-questions in 4 complete, thoughtful sentences. Happy writing!

Blog Post #5: 4th Six Weeks

This week has been quite a whirlwind! We spent the week reading several short stories from a variety of cultures. We’ve been reviewing plot, sequence, characterization, and summary. All of those skills will play an integral part in your district assessments from here on out. They will likely make an appearance (or several appearances) on your STAAR exam in April, too.

Understanding the plot of the story is essential to understanding the story as a whole. Remember that an understanding of plot leads ultimately to an understanding of theme, which basically is the purpose of any story. Remember also that theme is not one word. It is a sentence that states what the author feels about the subject of a story.

For this week’s prompt, I want you to think about one of the stories we read in class. If you’ve been absent, think about a familiar fairy tale, such as Cinderella or Beauty and the Beast. The initial question: How does the story’s plot help you understand the theme or point of the story? To answer this question, consider the following sub-questions: 1) What happens in the story? 2) Who are the protagonist and antagonist? 3) What lesson does the protagonist learn in the story? 4) What is a one-word subject of the story? 5) What is the theme of the story? Ask what the author feels about the subject of the story.

Answer the initial question and sub-questions in 4 complete, thoughtful sentences. Happy writing!