Mrs. Stoppel

2nd hr. - 6th Gr. Reading

4th hr. 8th Gr. Reading

5th hr. 7th Gr. Reading

6th hr. 8th Gr. Reading

7th hr. Excell Math

8th hr. - 6th Gr. communications

Monthly Calendar

Total year homework points, for participation in the Fun Day on May 3, are due on April 28!  Requirements are 250 points.

Students have the opportunity to read for the Crystal Eagle Award.  Student with the most yearly accumulated points will be awarded a crystal eagle statue.  Deadline for this will be in May.  Exact date to be announced later.

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6th Gr. Reading

4th nine weeks is beginning with a new novel for my sixth graders.  Our class will begin a new novel after spring break titled, Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry.  It is an exciting story told in the setting of World War II.  Nazi Germany is sweeping the European countries by storm.  They are occupying Denmark and arresting Jews to be taken to prison camps.  Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her family take a great chance hiding the daughter of their Jewish friends.  The story rises to an exciting climax as Annemarie finds herself in the middle of a dangerous plan that could cost her family their lives.  This is the story of great courage in the face of life and death circumstances.  Students learn that evil can be overcome if people will fight together toward their belief in what is right.  

 Students have chosen their own homework points to work on during the nine weeks (I do not choose their points, although I will conference with them about them).  This is their homework, and is equivalent to one grade in the gradebook.  Because it represents a whole nine weeks of reading outside the classroom for homework, students earn a detention if they do not accomplish at least 89.5% of their homework.   With the reality of high expectations on government-issued assessments, students will have to read outside the school setting in order to continue becoming more proficient readers.  What we want is comfortable, steady reading throughout the school year, not homework points that are unrealistic and unobtainable.  Sometimes unforeseen circumstances at home can have an effect on reading time (illness, etc.)  Please feel free to contact me anytime if there is a real problem your child is having outside school, that is affecting his/her reading time toward their points.  Please encourage your student to be reading now, and not wait until the last week or two.  This puts unnecessary hardship both on students and parents.  Please take time to read with them, or have them read to you.  So much is gained when they read outside the school setting.  Thanks for your help!

 Note:  If students reach the goal of 250 A.R. points for the year by April 28, they will be able to attend the A.R. Fun Day on May 3.  

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 7th Gr. Reading

 Seventh grade students just finished the novel, The Cay, by Theodore Taylor.  They will be starting a timeless favorite, Old Yeller, by Fred Gipson.  It is an older novel, yet has never lost its popularity amongst young and old readers alike.  Old Yeller takes place in the late 1800’s after the Civil War.  Travis has settled with his parents and brother in Texas.  His step into manhood begins when his father takes the cow herd north on a cattle drive into Kansas, and leaves Travis to be the head of the family while he is gone.  An old “yeller” dog strays onto the farm, becoming a member of the family after several exciting turn of events.  A plague of hydrophobia rips through the area bringing with it many heart-wrenching decisions.  Travis learns the hardest lesson in life is one that requires courage to do the right thing – even when it means giving up what you love the most.

Students have chosen their own homework points to work on during the nine weeks (I do not choose their points, although I will conference with them about them).  This is their homework, and is equivalent to one grade in the gradebook.  Because it represents a whole nine weeks of reading outside the classroom for homework, students earn a detention if they do not accomplish at least 89.5% of their homework.   With the reality of high expectations on government-issued assessments, students will have to read outside the school setting in order to continue becoming more proficient readers.  What we want is comfortable, steady reading throughout the school year, not homework points that are unrealistic and unobtainable.  Sometimes unforeseen circumstances at home can have an effect on reading time (illness, etc.)  Please feel free to contact me anytime if there is a real problem your child is having outside school, that is affecting his/her reading time toward their points.  Please encourage your student to be reading now, and not wait until the last week or two.  This puts unnecessary hardship both on students and parents.  Please take time to read with them, or have them read to you.  So much is gained when they read outside the school setting.  Thanks for your help!

 Note:  If students reach the goal of 250 A.R. points for the year by April 28, they will be able to attend the A.R. Fun Day on May 3.  

 

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8th Gr. Reading

 We will begin the book The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, after spring break.  Hinton was 17 when her first novel (The Outsiders) was published.  This alone intrigues students to want to read her book.  It is a story that takes place during the 1950’s in an Oklahoma town.  A family of three brothers find a sense of belonging in a gang known as the Greasers (named after the heavy hair grease they put in their hair), after their mother and father are killed in a car accident.  They find life very difficult as they battle their own personal hardships of staying together, and making enough money to keep their home.  The presence of the group’s rivals, the Socs (another gang – short for socials or very privileged kids) is always a challenge until one night, a fateful encounter with the two groups goes too far and a life is lost.  The Outsiders is a story of friendship and belonging, and the importance of family and parenting in our lives.  Even though it takes place in the 1950’s, its message is still timeless to young people.

Students have chosen their own point goals to work on during the nine weeks (I do not choose their goals).  This is their homework, and is equivalent to one grade in the gradebook.  Because it represents a whole nine weeks of reading outside the classroom for homework, students do receive a detention if they do not earn at least 89.5% of their goal.   With the reality of high expectations on government-issued assessments, students will have to read outside the school setting in order to continue becoming more proficient readers.  What we want is comfortable, steady reading throughout the school year, not point goals that are unrealistic and unobtainable.  Sometimes unforeseen circumstances at home can have an effect on reading time (illness, etc.)  Please feel free to contact me anytime if there is a real problem your child is having outside school, that is affecting his/her reading time toward their goal.  Please encourage your student to be reading now, and not wait until the last week or two.  This puts unnecessary hardship both on students and parents.  Please take time to read with them, or have them read to you.  So much is gained when they read outside the school setting.  Thanks for your help!

Note:  If students reach the goal of 250 A.R. points for the year by April 28, they will be able to attend the A.R. Fun Day on May 3.  

 

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My 2nd semester Communications students have finished their fable plays.  We also just completed our Community Improvement Speeches.   Currently, we are practicing one-act play.  They must act with only their voices – no costumes or props on this one.  The next assignment will be writing their own one-act play.  The last project of the year will be their formal speech on Citizenship.  Parents are welcome to watch students present these speeches in the gym.  I will let you know the date when we get closer to presentation.    

 

 
6th Gr. Communications

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Study Skills

Students receive remedial instruction on all  subject areas as needed.

 

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