Author Archives: mwasherstein
Grade 8: Debate Brainstorm Due: Monday 9/16
Student voice matters! We will begin preparing in-class debates when we return from the retreat. Students will find out more information about the format/debate itself next week. Today students are being tasked with brainstorming a list of topics that they are interested in debating!
Please submit five topics that you believe would lead to an interesting class debate by Monday. You can submit these ideas via Google Doc!
Check It Out!
OJCS Library Catalog
Need a book? The OJCS Library has you covered! Students and teachers will have access to browse our collection from their classrooms, home, or even on your device as there is an app available for download.
Click the link below to access the online library catalog:
New for this year: Students and parents can search for books and see the Accelerated Reader book level on our library catalog as well. This will allow parents and students to help find “just right” books.
Log Information for students is as follows:
Username= first letter of first name. last name
Password= books
For example mine would be:
Username: m.washerstein
Password: books
Here is an example of what a full record in the new system looks like…
Teachers will have the ability to create book lists for their students. Additionally, students will be able to read and write book reviews!
Grade 6: River of Life Assignment (Due: Monday 9/9)
In class yesterday the students participated in a Kahoot activity to learn a little bit more about my personal story. The first assignment for the Grade 6 class is for each student to create their own River of Life.
The River of Life is a visual narrative that helps people tell the stories of the past, present, and future. Students may use pictures, words, and phrases to indicate key moments/changes throughout the course of their life
River of Life must include:
- Visuals depicting various moments in your life
- A written description of 3-5 sentences for each stage explaining a key event from each of the following: The past, present, and future
I can’t wait to hear all about your narrative. Check out my example below!
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Welcome Back OJCS Middle School!
I hope everyone had a fantastic summer! I am looking forward to teaching, challenging, and encouraging our middle school students this year in Language Arts. Yesterday we reviewed the Seven Habits, North Stars, behavior expectations, homework policy, and uniform policy. Our goal is for each student and parent to clearly understand these policies. There are a lot of exciting upcoming events in the middle school!
If you have not turned in the retreat and JCC permission slips, please do so by tomorrow.
Please feel free to check out and review the presentation that we shared with the students yesterday. Additionally, you will find a link to my own classroom policies for the year.
Mr. Washerstein’s Classroom Policies
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Grade 8: Update + Mini-Debate (Friday 6/14)
Reminder: Lord of the Flies Final Project is due Monday, June 3rd. Presentations for this project will also begin on Monday.
The end of the school year is approaching rapidly. We spent the last week working on developing and refining thesis statements. Now we are switching gears and focusing on preparing for our mini-debates.
Students will need to decide amongst their group members who will fulfill the following roles:
- Opening Statement-Gather the main arguments into an introductory statement. Do not give specific information; just provide the main argument with a rationale
- Presenter of the Argument-Present the main arguments for the team. Each presenter gives specific details that prove each rationale.
- Presenter of the Rebuttal- Answer the arguments of the other team. These presenters must take notes as the other team is presenting their arguments and respond to every argument, using specific information to disprove them.
- Closing Statement-Present the closing arguments for the team. Repeat the main idea with rationale and or counter-argument.
Important details to note:
- Some teams only have three members (one team member will have to fill/prepare two roles)
- Everyone will have the opportunity to prepare and ask questions to the opposing team during the “Crossfire Question” time allotment
- Each person is required to do research and come up with at least 3 arguments (facts + expert opinions to support their claim)
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Grade 6 & 7 Literature Circle Update: Making Connections
Question: Why do we need to make connections while reading?
Student challenge: As you complete your creating connections activity with your literature circle groups today, discuss the question above. Reply to this blog post with your group’s thoughts and feelings about this topic.
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Grade 8: Debate Topics
Student voice matters! As requested by members of the Grade 8 class, we will begin preparing for mini-debates in class. Students will find out more information about the format/debate itself next week. Today students are being tasked with brainstorming a list of topics that they are interested in debating!
Click the link below to add your debate topic choices:
Grade 8: Lord of the Flies Compare and Contrast (Due: Thursday 5/23)
Today we will finish watching the Lord of the Flies film in class. Students were asked to take notes and write down the differences between the film and the novel.
Assignment: Students are being asked to consider the following questions as they complete their compare and contrast assignments. You can create your comparison via a chart or in paragraph form.
Note: If you are unsure/can’t remember if a particular scene occurred in the book, please refer back to the text.
Questions to consider
- Were any of the characters altered?
- Are they the most central characters or others?
- On the whole, in what way have they changed?
- Did the changes in characterization affect your response to the film as a whole?
- Did the changes help clarify certain situations for you?
- Do you think that the changes occurred because of the inevitable condensing of the novel necessary in making a film of ninety minutes?
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Grade 6: Literature Circles Have Begun!
We are reading various Holocaust themed novels for our Grade 6 literature circles. We will be unpacking the experiences that are described in each novel and developing our own personal connections. Students are expected to be reading each night to ensure that they have completed their predetermined page numbers/chapters by Friday of each week. On Fridays, groups will be discussing their reading and participating in various reading strategy skill building activities.
Please see the Google Docs for each group below to access the link to the audiobook, weekly reading breakdown, along with access to the One-Pager Final Project.
Number the Stars Group Google Doc
Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl Group Google Doc
The Sky is Falling Group Google Doc
Note: The One-Pager Final Project is due on Wednesday, June 12th. You will need to work on this project at home over the course of the next three weeks to ensure that you have adequate time to complete the assignment.