Week of 1/14/2019 to 1/18/2019
NWEA Testing this week!
This week we will be taking the MOY NWEA Test in ELA Class. All students will have to 2 days to test with Friday being a day for make up testing. Please be sure to get a good night's rest along with a healthy breakfast. All students will be testing for 2 hours straight and we want to make sure they are ready.
No Read Theory this week!
Continue to read for 30 minutes or more every day.
NWEA Testing this week!
This week we will be taking the MOY NWEA Test in ELA Class. All students will have to 2 days to test with Friday being a day for make up testing. Please be sure to get a good night's rest along with a healthy breakfast. All students will be testing for 2 hours straight and we want to make sure they are ready.
No Read Theory this week!
Continue to read for 30 minutes or more every day.
1/14/2019
Our Valentine’s Event
Attention Students/Parents/Guardians,
You are cordially invited to the Ray School Valentine’s Day sale! In an effort to spread positivity around the school, student council will be selling poems and candy bags ($2). Don’t miss out, send your children to school with money so that they will be able to purchase items to either give to friends at school or simply buy for themselves. The more money your children are supplied with, the more items they will be able purchase. All proceeds go to funding for graduation festivities at the end of the year. Student Council will be collecting the money with orders on the week of February 1st - 8th. We will ONLY take orders that week! Deliveries of poems and candy will be made to students on Valentine’s Day, February 14.
Thank You,
Student Council
Our Valentine’s Event
Attention Students/Parents/Guardians,
You are cordially invited to the Ray School Valentine’s Day sale! In an effort to spread positivity around the school, student council will be selling poems and candy bags ($2). Don’t miss out, send your children to school with money so that they will be able to purchase items to either give to friends at school or simply buy for themselves. The more money your children are supplied with, the more items they will be able purchase. All proceeds go to funding for graduation festivities at the end of the year. Student Council will be collecting the money with orders on the week of February 1st - 8th. We will ONLY take orders that week! Deliveries of poems and candy will be made to students on Valentine’s Day, February 14.
Thank You,
Student Council
Week of 1/7/2019 - 1/13/2019
Welcome back and Happy New Year!
This week we will begin reading our new novels. 7th grade will be reading Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Patillo-Beals and 8th grade will be reading Night by Elie Wiesel. We will start with chapters 1 and 2 of each book, answer text-dependent questions, and annotate non-fiction articles as supplemental resources.
Homework and due dates
Book logs - due Tuesday and Wednesday
Read Theory - Due Friday
Read every night for 30 minutes and mark book log
Welcome back and Happy New Year!
This week we will begin reading our new novels. 7th grade will be reading Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Patillo-Beals and 8th grade will be reading Night by Elie Wiesel. We will start with chapters 1 and 2 of each book, answer text-dependent questions, and annotate non-fiction articles as supplemental resources.
Homework and due dates
Book logs - due Tuesday and Wednesday
Read Theory - Due Friday
Read every night for 30 minutes and mark book log
Spelling Bee
The Ray School Spelling Bee will be held on Wednesday, January 9th. A list of words were given to students who were interested in participating. Our in-class spelling bee will be held on January 7th and 8th. The winners will move on to the school wide spelling bee. Good luck to all of our spellers!
The Ray School Spelling Bee will be held on Wednesday, January 9th. A list of words were given to students who were interested in participating. Our in-class spelling bee will be held on January 7th and 8th. The winners will move on to the school wide spelling bee. Good luck to all of our spellers!
Week of 12/17/18 to 12/21/2018
It's Spirit Week
Monday- Ugly/Beautiful Sweater Day, Contest by grade level (Junior Achievement Day)
Tuesday- Candy Cane Day, Bring to share with classmates and/or dress like one (Field trip - Wolves Hockey Game)
Wednesday- Best Green and/or Red Outfit
Thursday- Pajama, Stuff Animal, Optional Movie Day in classrooms
Friday
Morning -Winter Caroling starting @9am (Same as last year, 1st Floor first)
Afternoon -Sports Day by class or grade level
It's Spirit Week
Monday- Ugly/Beautiful Sweater Day, Contest by grade level (Junior Achievement Day)
Tuesday- Candy Cane Day, Bring to share with classmates and/or dress like one (Field trip - Wolves Hockey Game)
Wednesday- Best Green and/or Red Outfit
Thursday- Pajama, Stuff Animal, Optional Movie Day in classrooms
Friday
Morning -Winter Caroling starting @9am (Same as last year, 1st Floor first)
Afternoon -Sports Day by class or grade level
Week of 12/10/18 to 12/14/2018
This week we will continue to work with non-fiction text. 7th grade will continue to study The Civil Rights Movement while 8th grade studies The Holocaust. We will conduct 2 close reads of our articles. The first read will be for the purpose of understanding and annotating while the second read will focus on making inferences from the text. We will also continue to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words in these articles and add them to our vocabulary section of our Reader's Notebook.
Homework
All assignments not finished in class should be done for homework unless stated differently
30 min reading every night (Parents I need your support to ensure this is happening)
Mark book logs (due next week)
Read theory (4)
Attendance Challenge
Please continue to arrive to school EVERYDAY and on-time for the rest of the December. Students will be rewarded for their perfect attendance for this short month, before winter break.
This week we will continue to work with non-fiction text. 7th grade will continue to study The Civil Rights Movement while 8th grade studies The Holocaust. We will conduct 2 close reads of our articles. The first read will be for the purpose of understanding and annotating while the second read will focus on making inferences from the text. We will also continue to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words in these articles and add them to our vocabulary section of our Reader's Notebook.
Homework
All assignments not finished in class should be done for homework unless stated differently
30 min reading every night (Parents I need your support to ensure this is happening)
Mark book logs (due next week)
Read theory (4)
Attendance Challenge
Please continue to arrive to school EVERYDAY and on-time for the rest of the December. Students will be rewarded for their perfect attendance for this short month, before winter break.
Week of 12/03/18 to 12/07/18
This week we will continue to work on non-fiction text using A Pivotal Moment in the Civil Rights Movement for 7th grade and Facing History and Ourselves - The Holocaust for 8th grade. All students will examine and analyze non- fiction text related to these topics, looking for central ideas and evidence to support. We will also examine the structure of the text.
Homework
30 min reading every night (Parents I need your support to ensure this is happening)
Mark book logs (due next week)
Read theory (4)
This week we will continue to work on non-fiction text using A Pivotal Moment in the Civil Rights Movement for 7th grade and Facing History and Ourselves - The Holocaust for 8th grade. All students will examine and analyze non- fiction text related to these topics, looking for central ideas and evidence to support. We will also examine the structure of the text.
Homework
30 min reading every night (Parents I need your support to ensure this is happening)
Mark book logs (due next week)
Read theory (4)
Week of 11/26/2018 to 11/30/2018
This week we will continue to work on non-fiction text using A Pivotal Moment in the Civil Rights Movement for 7th grade and Facing History and Ourselves - The Holocaust for 8th grade. All students will examine and analyze non- fiction text related to these topics, looking for central ideas and evidence to support. We will also examine the structure of the text.
Homework
30 min reading every night (Parents I need your support to ensure this is happening)
Mark book logs (due next week)
Read theory (4)
Week of 11/5/2018 to 11/9/2018
This week begins the 1st week of the 2nd quarter. Just a reminder 1st quarter report card pick up will be November 14, 2018 where you will have a chance to meet with your child's teachers about their progress in school.
This week in ELA 7th grade will continue working on their personal narratives. We will focus on adding dialogue to our stories as well as learning how to show and not tell details in the story. Students will continue drafting during class this week. Parents, please check for your child's short story. They should have about half of it written at this point.
Drafts are due Friday of this week!
8th grade will be working on developing their analysis and writing skills by using our independent reading novels. It is important that students master writing an analysis. Students are required to write an analysis twice per month. We will also review a few concepts that we didn't master in quarter 1.
This week's homework
30 min reading every night (Parents I need your support to ensure this is happening)
Mark book logs (due this week)
Read theory (4)
Drafts for 7th grade (Friday)
This week begins the 1st week of the 2nd quarter. Just a reminder 1st quarter report card pick up will be November 14, 2018 where you will have a chance to meet with your child's teachers about their progress in school.
This week in ELA 7th grade will continue working on their personal narratives. We will focus on adding dialogue to our stories as well as learning how to show and not tell details in the story. Students will continue drafting during class this week. Parents, please check for your child's short story. They should have about half of it written at this point.
Drafts are due Friday of this week!
8th grade will be working on developing their analysis and writing skills by using our independent reading novels. It is important that students master writing an analysis. Students are required to write an analysis twice per month. We will also review a few concepts that we didn't master in quarter 1.
This week's homework
30 min reading every night (Parents I need your support to ensure this is happening)
Mark book logs (due this week)
Read theory (4)
Drafts for 7th grade (Friday)
Week of 10/22/2018 to 10/27/2018
We are approaching the end of our short story unit and this week 7th graders will begin drafting their narratives. We will revisit plot, point of view, dialogue and using our 5 senses to show not tell. We will draft this week and next week making sure that we are adding all important parts of a story into our narratives. 8th graders will continue to work on their short story projects and begin presenting this week.
Homework
30 minutes of reading every night - mark book log
Read Theory (4)
Due this week
Analysis (2) in the Independent Reading section of our notebooks - please see the rubric
UIC and Loyola - 10/23
U of C and DePaul - 10/25
Week of 10/15/2018 to 10/22/2018
This week we will continue with our short story unit. 7th graders will identify the different types of conflict in their story, Raymond's Run and explain how the conflict moves the story along. We will also work with developing our vocabulary be defining unfamiliar words in from the story as well. 8th grade will define unfamiliar words in their story, The Most Dangerous Game along with starting a project to go along with it. Project details can be found on google classroom.
Homework
30 minutes of reading every night - mark book log
Read Theory (4)
8th grade - begin project (due Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct 23 and Oct. 24)
This week we will continue with our short story unit. 7th graders will identify the different types of conflict in their story, Raymond's Run and explain how the conflict moves the story along. We will also work with developing our vocabulary be defining unfamiliar words in from the story as well. 8th grade will define unfamiliar words in their story, The Most Dangerous Game along with starting a project to go along with it. Project details can be found on google classroom.
Homework
30 minutes of reading every night - mark book log
Read Theory (4)
8th grade - begin project (due Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct 23 and Oct. 24)
Week of 10/8/2018 to 10/12/2018
This week we will continue our short story unit, reading The Most Dangerous Game and Raymond's Run. Students will analyze these stories, respond to text dependent questions, and examine the meaning of the figurative language used. Students will also continue to write their first analysis in their Reader's Notebooks using stop and jots and literary devices.
Please be sure that 30 minutes or more of reading is happening at home on a daily basis and reading is being logged.
This week's homework
Read Theory
Independent Reading/book logs
Due this week
Book logs with school and home reading logged - 10/11/2018
This week we will continue our short story unit, reading The Most Dangerous Game and Raymond's Run. Students will analyze these stories, respond to text dependent questions, and examine the meaning of the figurative language used. Students will also continue to write their first analysis in their Reader's Notebooks using stop and jots and literary devices.
Please be sure that 30 minutes or more of reading is happening at home on a daily basis and reading is being logged.
This week's homework
Read Theory
Independent Reading/book logs
Due this week
Book logs with school and home reading logged - 10/11/2018
Week of 10/1 to 10/5
This week in ELA class we will continue to analyze our short stories from last week, instead we will look at the many different themes in the text. Students will have an opportunity to incorporate last week's vocabulary words into this week's analysis of theme. We will also examine the types of irony in the text and determine its impact on the story.
Homework:
Theme charts are due day 2 of class
Read Theory (4)
Please continue reading every night for 30 minutes or more and log it on your book logs.
This week in ELA class we will continue to analyze our short stories from last week, instead we will look at the many different themes in the text. Students will have an opportunity to incorporate last week's vocabulary words into this week's analysis of theme. We will also examine the types of irony in the text and determine its impact on the story.
Homework:
Theme charts are due day 2 of class
Read Theory (4)
Please continue reading every night for 30 minutes or more and log it on your book logs.
Week of 9/24 to 9/28
This week we will be starting our unit on short stories. 7th grade will begin with Thank you Ma'am by Langston Hughes and end with The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell, while 8th grade will be reading The Lottery by Shirley Jackson and Raymond's Run by Toni Cade Bombara. With these short stories we will be sharpening our skills of analyzing, inferring, and supporting details with evidence. We will practice literary devices such as identifying character traits, motivation (7th), symbolism, foreshadowing, and irony (8th). By the end of the unit students will have the opportunity to write their own short stories and include at least one literary device, while paying attention to plot and dialogue. We will also continue to practice our stop and jots while reading independently, at home and at school.
All students should have post-it notes. It was apart of their school supply list.
Homework
7th grade - complete character traits and motivation chart
8th grade - complete foreshadow question and symbolism chart
Read Theory (4 passages) due Friday
Reading log due - 10/8/2018
30 minutes or more of daily/nightly reading - mark book log (one side for home and one side for school)
Week of 9/17 to 9/21
Last week we were able to complete NWEA Testing. This week we are going to focus on building and organizing our classroom library. Students will have an opportunity to explore our classroom library and all of the genres we offer, check out books, and practice reading comprehension strategies such as analyzing, inferring, and predicting, using the stop and jot method. All students should have sticky notes as a part of their school supplies. They will be using sticky notes as a part of independent reading.
Homework
Read Theory (4 passages) due Friday
Reading log due - 9/18/2017
30 minutes or more of daily/nightly reading - mark book log
Last week we were able to complete NWEA Testing. This week we are going to focus on building and organizing our classroom library. Students will have an opportunity to explore our classroom library and all of the genres we offer, check out books, and practice reading comprehension strategies such as analyzing, inferring, and predicting, using the stop and jot method. All students should have sticky notes as a part of their school supplies. They will be using sticky notes as a part of independent reading.
Homework
Read Theory (4 passages) due Friday
Reading log due - 9/18/2017
30 minutes or more of daily/nightly reading - mark book log
Week of 9/10 to 9/14
Reminder: Open house will be held Thursday, Sept. 13, from 4:30 - 5:30. There will be an 8th grade parent meeting at 5:30. Place TBD.
This week in ELA
This week students will be taking the Beginning of Year NWEA Test. We ask that all students have a healthy breakfast and get a good night's rest to ensure they perform their best on the test. We will continue with classroom procedures, reader's notebook set-up (all student must have a composition notebook), and classroom library logistics. It is imperative that all students are reading every night/day for at least 30 minutes or more. This will help build reading stamina, fluency and vocabulary.
Homework:
Read Theory starts this week (4 passages 70% or higher) - Due Friday, Sept, 14 by 4:00
Reading and book log
Reminder: Open house will be held Thursday, Sept. 13, from 4:30 - 5:30. There will be an 8th grade parent meeting at 5:30. Place TBD.
This week in ELA
This week students will be taking the Beginning of Year NWEA Test. We ask that all students have a healthy breakfast and get a good night's rest to ensure they perform their best on the test. We will continue with classroom procedures, reader's notebook set-up (all student must have a composition notebook), and classroom library logistics. It is imperative that all students are reading every night/day for at least 30 minutes or more. This will help build reading stamina, fluency and vocabulary.
Homework:
Read Theory starts this week (4 passages 70% or higher) - Due Friday, Sept, 14 by 4:00
Reading and book log
Week of 9/3 to 9/7
Homework
1) Return all forms signed and dated (emergency contact, lunch form, health form, class syllabus)
2) Sign up for Google Classroom, ReadTheory and Class Dojo
3) Bring a novel
*All assignments are due by Friday, 9/7/2018 and will be graded*
Homework
1) Return all forms signed and dated (emergency contact, lunch form, health form, class syllabus)
2) Sign up for Google Classroom, ReadTheory and Class Dojo
3) Bring a novel
*All assignments are due by Friday, 9/7/2018 and will be graded*
Welcome!
Dear Parents and Students:
Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year at Ray Elementary! We hope everyone had an excellent and relaxing summer. The middle school team is looking forward to a school year filled with a love for learning and growth. We welcome regular and consistent communication and partnership in the education of your child. Parental support will be necessary in order for all students to reach their potential and strive to succeed beyond it.
We are looking forward to a very successful and exciting year! We have high academic and social expectations for your child and will provide supports to help your child achieve those expectations. It is our goal to provide all students with a challenging and fun experience in our classrooms.
Below you will find some needed information about some of the classroom policies.
Expectations
Only your child’s best behavior and work are expected and accepted at all times.
All students must:
Current grades are posted regularly to communicate progress to student and parents on Parent Portal (https://parent.cps.k12.il.us ). Our classroom blogs include links to homework assignments, assignment due dates, and a variety of other helpful information.
Volunteer
We welcome your help! The new CPS volunteer policy and online application are at the CPS Family and Community Engagement website at: https://cpsparentu.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=319488&type=d.
Sincerely,
Ray’s Middle School Team
Communication:
Kiesha Shaw-Nobles - Social Studies (Room 302)
Tisha Grudzien - Science (Room 309)
Nate Florell - Diverse Learners (Room 305)
Christa Kelley - DHH (Room 213)
Dear Parents and Students:
Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year at Ray Elementary! We hope everyone had an excellent and relaxing summer. The middle school team is looking forward to a school year filled with a love for learning and growth. We welcome regular and consistent communication and partnership in the education of your child. Parental support will be necessary in order for all students to reach their potential and strive to succeed beyond it.
We are looking forward to a very successful and exciting year! We have high academic and social expectations for your child and will provide supports to help your child achieve those expectations. It is our goal to provide all students with a challenging and fun experience in our classrooms.
Below you will find some needed information about some of the classroom policies.
Expectations
Only your child’s best behavior and work are expected and accepted at all times.
All students must:
- Be on their honor. Students must do their own work on homework, class assignments, tests and projects.
- Respect themselves, classmates, and teachers.
- Do their best. Always give 100% and be positive.
- Be in attendance and be on time.
- Students shall not engage in activities that could cause harm to themselves or others.
- Students shall not talk to or about themselves, another student, or a teacher in a disrespectful or inappropriate manner.
- Students are to have all homework completed on the day it is due (see Ray Parent and Student Handbook at http://rayschool.weebly.com/ for full homework late policy).
- Students must be prepared each day by having proper materials.
- Students must follow the dress code in the Ray Parent and Student Handbook.
- All the policies in the CPS Student Code of Conduct and the Ray Parent and Teacher Handbook book must also be followed.
Current grades are posted regularly to communicate progress to student and parents on Parent Portal (https://parent.cps.k12.il.us ). Our classroom blogs include links to homework assignments, assignment due dates, and a variety of other helpful information.
Volunteer
We welcome your help! The new CPS volunteer policy and online application are at the CPS Family and Community Engagement website at: https://cpsparentu.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=319488&type=d.
Sincerely,
Ray’s Middle School Team
Communication:
- Email
- Blog
- Parent Portal: https://parent.cps.k12.il.us
Class Dojo: https://www.classdojo.com/
- Note: Each class will receive a special code. Codes will be sent home the first week of school.
- This is a great way to send text messages between home and school, monitor student behavior, and get updates about what is going on in the classroom.
- Email: lalbrecht@cps.edu
- Blog (updated weekly): http://304albrecht.blogspot.com/
- Email: snjohnson7@cps.edu
- Blog (updated weekly): http://middleschoolray.weebly.com/
Kiesha Shaw-Nobles - Social Studies (Room 302)
- Email:krshaw@cps.edu
- Blog (updated weekly):krshaw.weebly.com
Tisha Grudzien - Science (Room 309)
- Email: tgrudzien@cps.edu
- Blog (updated weekly): https://sites.google.com/cps.edu/ray-science-309
Nate Florell - Diverse Learners (Room 305)
- Email: njflorell@cps.edu
- Blog: http://nflorell.weebly.com/
Christa Kelley - DHH (Room 213)
- Email: clvalencia@cps.edu
- Blog (updated weekly): www.mrskelleydhh.weebly.com/
2018/2019 ELA Suggested Summer Homework
ELA List of Vocabulary Words
Directions: Define each term and study definitions
ELA List of Vocabulary Words
Directions: Define each term and study definitions
- Tone and Mood
- Point of View (1st person, 2nd person, 3rd person limited, 3rd person omniscient)
- Theme
- Symbolism
- Author’s Purpose
- Central Idea
- Objective Summary
- Inference
- Cause and Effect
- Context Clues
- Text Structure
- Claim
- Counter-Claim
- Pre-fix
- Suffix
- Root Word
- Figurative Language
- Alliteration
- Hyperbole
- Allegory
- Irony
- Paradox
- Pun
- Oxymoron
- Verb
- Adverb
- Pronoun
- Preposition
- Conjunction
- … and finally have fun reading, reading, and reading!! :-)
Middle School Supply List 2018/2019
3″ Binder with at least 5 dividers
Loose leaf paper
6 composition notebooks
Pens: blue or black
#2 pencils
Enclosed pencil sharpener
Colored pencils (at least pack of 8)
Highlighters (2 different colors)
Glue stick
Scissors
Ruler (with inches and centimeters)
Pocket folders with 3 holes to keep in binder (6)
1 roll of paper towel
1 box of Kleenex
1 bottle of hand sanitizer
1 box of large zip lock bags
1 pack of 3″ x 5″ lined index cards
1 pack of graph paper
1 pack post-it notes
1 ream of copy paper
Safety goggles for science class
3″ Binder with at least 5 dividers
Loose leaf paper
6 composition notebooks
Pens: blue or black
#2 pencils
Enclosed pencil sharpener
Colored pencils (at least pack of 8)
Highlighters (2 different colors)
Glue stick
Scissors
Ruler (with inches and centimeters)
Pocket folders with 3 holes to keep in binder (6)
1 roll of paper towel
1 box of Kleenex
1 bottle of hand sanitizer
1 box of large zip lock bags
1 pack of 3″ x 5″ lined index cards
1 pack of graph paper
1 pack post-it notes
1 ream of copy paper
Safety goggles for science class
This week in ELA 5/21/2018
* NWEA testing will start the week of 5/21/2018 for 8th grade and 5/29/2018 for 7th grade. Please be sure to eat a healthy breakfast and get a good night's rest.
* Reminder
1) Complete Read Theory weekly - 3 quizzes
2) 7th grade - Work to complete all pre-writing activities (due no later than 5/22) as well as your rough draft - Due 5/24
3) 7th grade Final Essay due 6/1
* NWEA testing will start the week of 5/21/2018 for 8th grade and 5/29/2018 for 7th grade. Please be sure to eat a healthy breakfast and get a good night's rest.
* Reminder
1) Complete Read Theory weekly - 3 quizzes
2) 7th grade - Work to complete all pre-writing activities (due no later than 5/22) as well as your rough draft - Due 5/24
3) 7th grade Final Essay due 6/1
Hi Parents!
Ray School is having a roller skating party to raise funds to offset the costs for this year's 8th grade graduation activities. Please join us on May 20th from 12:30 - 3:30 at The Rink located at 1122 E.87th St. Chicago, IL 60619. The tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. All are welcome.Here is the link and we hope to see you there!
http://rayschool.weebly.com/skating-party.html
Mrs. Johnson-Finner
Ray School is having a roller skating party to raise funds to offset the costs for this year's 8th grade graduation activities. Please join us on May 20th from 12:30 - 3:30 at The Rink located at 1122 E.87th St. Chicago, IL 60619. The tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. All are welcome.Here is the link and we hope to see you there!
http://rayschool.weebly.com/skating-party.html
Mrs. Johnson-Finner
Parent/Teacher conferences
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Dear Parents,
Report Card pick-up is scheduled for Wednesday,April 18, 2018 from 11-6. Please be advised that meetings with Mrs. Finner will be on a first come first serve basis lasting up to 10 minutes. If you are unable to make it during this time please contact me at snjohnson7@cps.edu and we can set up a different time that is better for your schedule. Thanks and I hope to see you soon.
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