October 22, 2023
Dear families,
I hope you had restful weekends and found time to unwind from the school week. This is my October newsletter, where I will share important information about English class. You should expect a newsletter from me each month. In this newsletter I will share what we have been studying in class, material that we will be covering as the term comes to a close, and important information and dates to remember.
What we have been learning:
For the past month and a half, we have reviewed the essential parts of a story: characters, setting, plotline, conflict, and theme. We reviewed the summer reading book Crossover, toured the Keefe Library and equipped all students in the cluster with a Boston Public Library card and Hoopla account. Students made Artphones (see below) where they shared some goals.
What we are currently working on:
Currently, we are sharing the “Introducing Me” slide shows each student designed about themselves. We have been loving student presentations, as we get the opportunity to learn about each other, building classroom community. We are also reading the graphic novel New Kid by Jerry Craft, and Friday students submitted their independent reading book project for term 1. Hopefully your child shared their “Book Tok” inspired film with you to view. On Monday, students will have the chance to watch their classmates’ Book Toks. Hopefully, each student will walk away with a “TBR” To-be-read list, prepared with some titles to read for their term II independent reading book.
What is coming:
We will be finishing our study of New Kid this week. The test on the book will take place on Thursday, November 2nd. It will include information from the story including plotline, characterization, conflict, and vocabulary. The binder check will also take place on November 2nd. Everything listed in the “Table of Contents” in the English binder will need to be organized in page order and made into a packet. I will check that all worksheets have been collated and completed. We organize our binders to practice executive functioning skills, to study the content for the unit test, and to clean out our binders to make space for the next term. Finally, I will be introducing class declamation next month. It is a 6-week process. The first two weeks involve finding a piece to declaim. Students will need to find a poem or passage from a story that is at least 225 words. I will share more details in early-November.
Reminders:
Please have your child bring pens and pencils. Many students are asking for these supplies.
Tissues are still needed
Some students still need to return the permission slip for the field trip to the BSO.
We need chaperones for the field trip to the BSO. If interested, please contact Ms. Jacboson-Peregrino at rjacobsonperegrino@bostonpublicschools.org
End-of-Term I:
The end-of-the-term is November 9th.
Book Tok (independent reading book project) -- due Friday, October 20th
Unit test on New Kid the graphic novel – Thursday, November 2nd
Binder Packet due – Thursday, November 2nd
Upcoming Dates:
Field trip to the Boston Symphony Orchestra –- October 25th
BLS Halloween Costume Contest (optional) – October 31st
In partnership,
~Mrs. Callum coccean@bostonpublicschools.org
