Smith English 1: Newsletter 2

Childrens Picture Book PBL

We are just beginning our Childrens Book PBL. This is the cumulative assessments for the English units we
have covered so far this year. Students will be creating childrens books to demonstrate their knowledge of
characterization, plot, and point of view. They will also be assessed for using correct spelling, capitalization,
and homophones. Students will create their book for free on the site storyjumper.com. We are very excited
about this project because students can buy a copy of their book from the site if they so choose. They could
use them as Christmas gifts for younger siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews!

You can find the rubric and the instructions for class each day on my website: asmithkhscd.weebly.com. Just
click on link to current unit on the home page and it will take you the project resources. All due dates for
the project as well as upcoming grammar quizzes are on the calendar at the end of this newsletter.

Independent Reading Update

Please dont forget that students are also responsible for their independent reading this semester. Students
must read 200 pages to earn 75%, 400 to earn 85%, and 600 to earn 100% for independent reading. I highly
encourage that students set aside ten to twenty minutes each night to read in a quiet space.
Missing/Late Work
Students almost always have time to work on assignments in class. Whatever they do not finish in class they
are responsible for finishing at home. If students are missing quarter two assignments they can still turn
them in for partial credit. Many students who are failing could quickly turn their grade around by turning in
missing work. They can also avoid a bad grade in the future by being in class as often as possible and
making good use of their time in class.

I do my best to keep grades updated each week. You can keep up with grades on PowerSchool.

Calendar
12/5 (A Day) 12/6 (B Day) 12/7 (A Day) 12/8 (B Day)
- Planning picture - Planning picture -Picture book plot -Picture book plot
book book pitches pitches
HW: finishing HW: finishing HW: vocab and HW: vocab and
picture book plan picture book plan homophone homophone
practice practice

12/11 (A Day) 12/12 (B Day) 12/13 (A Day) 12/14 (B Day) 12/15 (A Day)
-grammar quiz -grammar quiz -Intro to new vocab -Intro to new vocab -final draft of picture
-first draft -first draft and homophones and homophones book
storyboard storyboard -picture book peer -picture book peer HW: finish final
HW: finishing HW: finishing editing editing draft of picture
storyboard storyboard HW: vocab and HW: vocab and book; vocab and
homophone homophone homophone

12/18 (B Day) 12/19 (A Day) 12/20 (B Day) 12/21 EARLY 12/22 NO SCHOOL
-final draft of picture -grammar quiz -grammar quiz RELEASE
book -picture book -picture book
HW: finish final presentations presentations
draft of picture
book; vocab and
homophone