Welcome to February, 2012 Dear parents:  This web page is for 6th, 7th, & 8th grade English and 6th grade computers.  Please come by the school and visit.  Our classroom is located off the gym and next to the shop class. All homework that is assigned is part of an assignment we did not finish in class and is review.  We do correct it in class the next day.  Students  are given a chance to correct any part that is incorrect.  The are not penalized if they have to make changes.  They are given a zero for not completing their homework prior to class starting.  Homework assignments are listed in Power School. We write "corrected in class," on the homework papers.  I encourage all students to keep these assignments so they can use them to study for up coming tests. The Idaho State Standards for Jr. High English  cover many of the same topics in grammar and writing but the depth that is covered and the level of mastery is different for each grade level.  All students were pre-tested on their grammar knowledge at the beginning of the school year.  We will take this test again at the end of the semester and at the end of the year.  We are working towards nothing short of mastery. It is my hope that this intensive grammar review will better prepare all of my students for their upcoming English classes and for testing. Below are the links to the Idaho State Standards for Language Arts and Technology. Please let me know if you have questions. Thank you, Devon Barker-Hicks National Board Certified Teacher School phone: 208-347-2411 Email: dbarker@mvsd11.org http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/content_standards/assessment.htm   Language Arts http://www.sde.idaho.gov/site/content_standards/infoCommTechStandards.htm   Technology                        Read Ms. Barker's Biography. Click on her photograph.

Class Subject News... 6th English 8th Grade English 3 Week Objectives: prepositions, prepositional phrases, compound subjects, helping verbs, infinitives, subject of imperative sentences, prepositions vs. adverbs, direct objects, and compound objects. Instruction: Easy Grammar Plus Introduce- Nouns Review: Preposition Verbs   Activities: Students will complete worksheets on parts of speech, daily writing, and take a spelling and usage test each week. . Assignments: Assignments are in class and maybe finished as homework. Schedule for tests and presentations: We are finished with 50 commonly misspelled words.  We are now working on 100 spelling words 6th graders should know.  All 150 have been sent home.  Please contact me if you need an additional copy of the word list. Spelling Test 1/20/12- myth, nuclear, occurrence, physical, ounce, pesticide, poisonous, pieces, and popularity. On the test, the students will not only have to spell the words correctly, but they will have to use them in a paragraph(s).  Next, they will have to identify the parts of speech in each sentence.  Students will have to demonstrate their use of PP- prepositional phrases,  (I) infinitives, [NOT],  ADV- adverbs ending in ly, D.O.- direct objects from the action of the verb, P.N.- predicate nominatives- renaming of the subject, and P.A. - predicate Adjectives- come after the verb but go back to describe the subject at least once in their sentences. These paragraphs can be created at home, but will have to be written from memory on test day. ! I cannot wait to read them.  3 Week Objectives: Literary Response paper and revisions and editing & interjections and conjunctions. Instruction: Easy Grammar Plus and Daily Grams Introduce: interjections and conjunctions Review: ·         Prepositional phrases ·         Compound Subject ·         Helping Verbs ·         Infinitives ·         Subject of Imperatives Sentences ·         Prepositions vs. Adverbs ·         Direct Objects ·         Compound Direct Objects         Verbs            Nouns Activities: Students will complete worksheets on parts of speech, daily writing, and take part in class activities. Students need to be able to identify the parts of speech on the worksheets and in their own writing. Writing Assignments: Narrative Writing Final Draft Narrative Fiction Writing Final Draft  Literary Response Schedule for tests, papers and presentations: Literary Response  edits 2/3/12 7th Grade English 6th Grade Computers 3 Week Objectives: Everything you need to know about NOUNS: concrete, abstract, defined, determiners, common and proper, singular and plural, possessive, predicate nominatives, appositives, and gerunds. Instruction: Easy Grammar Plus and Daily Gram review Introduce: Nouns Review: subject, verbs and  prepositions Activities: Students will complete worksheets on parts of speech, daily writing,and in class activities. Assignments: in class or finished as homework. Writing Assignments: Sentence Combining    3 Week Objectives: This 6th grade computer class is designed to teach typing and academic preparation. Instruction: Website based typing lessons and Keyboarding & Information Processing text. Mini units on academic preparation for tests, exams, and reviews will be taught. Activities: Daily typing, computer skills, and academic preparation. Assignments:  Typing practice using www.freetypinggame.net  We are reviewing the 10 Key Pad and  learning our home row keys . Schedule for tests & presentations: Typing Test every Friday     Websites for fun and interactive learning:   http://www.spellingcity.com/ www.freetypinggame.net http://geography.nuvvo.com/lesson/9827-animaniacs-nations-of-the-world-song http://www.sciencebase.com/periodic_table_song.html   http://www.prepdog.com/6th_grade/6th_grade_practice_tests.htm http://www.prepdog.com/7th_grade/7th_grade_practice_tests.htm http://www.prepdog.com/8th_grade/8th_grade_practice_tests.htm   http://www.howmanysyllables.com/words/recess.html   Click below for video projects, pictures, Multiplication Mastery, and Dare to Kayak!   6th Grade Learning Experiences Past 6th Grade September Student Projects 6th Grade Present 2009-10 Learning Adventure Archive 6th Grade Stories Multiplication Facts Help Page Math Matters!

6th Grade Poetry

              

3rd Grade Kayaking at Zims 2010

6th Grade Kayaking at Zims 2010

                                

		NOTICE TO PARENTS
		If you have any questions call me at 208-347-2411. Thank you for your time and I look forward to another productive semester with Meadows Valley students. Sincerely,   Mrs. Barker-Hicks Click Here to E-Mail Mrs. Barker-Hicks
		Mrs. Barker-Hicks sending an update to her class from Germany.