Are You Smarter Than a 7th Grader?

Everyone has heard of Fox's show, Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? hosted by Jeff Foxworthy. In Reading Workshop, I didn't settle for that. I wanted to see if students are smarter than a seventh grader.

Yesterday, students were given an assignment straight out of the Ohio Seventh Grade Reading Achievement Test. As I told them from the start, "this is seventh grade work." The grandmother of Connor, a Reading Workshop student looked at the work and said, "this looks like 12th grade work to me." Obviously, this assignment was challenging.

You can view the test at the ODE website. Just follow the link to the 7th reading March 2006 Full Test. The answer key is there also. Students read a haiku poem and a passage, Do You Want to Write Haiku.

The passage had seven multiple choice questions and two extended response. As students worked on the passage yesterday, they put forth tremendous effort and concentrated on their work. Tension was high today as students scored their answers.

Student success was determined based on cut scores from the Ohio Department of Education, that determined reading proficiency for Ohio students in the seventh grade. Remarkably, in the two classes, 38 out of 43 students passed! I am amazed by such a successful sixth grade class!

Journal Responses that Count

Each day I read aloud from a fictional book. Currently, I am reading Double Identity written by Margaret Peterson Haddix. This story features the main character, Bethany, that unexpectedly gets dropped off at an aunt's house that she didn't even know existed.




Students journaled about the topic, "If I was Bethany." Here are samples from students' work.


Kari W.
Why did they keep Elizabeth a secret? They should have told me a long time ago. It's not like I would have been too disappointed. I wouldn't be crying all the time like Mom. I would like to know this kind of stuff. Are they keeping more secrets from me? If so why don't they tell me? I thought parents were supposed to tell their kids everything.

Kyah H. Bethany is a girl who has been spoiled since she was a little girl. Her life was great until one day she was dropped off at a relative's house. She never met this relative and her parents are leaving her with Aunt Myrlie. All of these things are happening in the book Double Identity.




Katie W.
I'm kind of mad at my parents for keeping a secret from me for thirteen years. I also feel bad for them because their daughter died. I don't know what to feel right now. I mean I never thought that they'd keep something like that from me. I'm just confused. First Mom calls and keeps saying I'm Elizabeth, then Myrlie tells me Elizabeth is my sister who died. Since they kept that from me I can't help but think what else could they have kept from me?



Baylie M.
I feel like my stomach and insides are coming up through my throat. I also feel like I have known Elizabeth for a long time. I just wish that my parents would have told me sooner so I would not have to come here to Myrlie's. I'm wandering why my parents didn't tell me about my sister. I am afraid to sleep, now that I'm wondering about Elizabeth. The more I wonder the more I feel like it's my fault for Elizabeth's death. Now I know why my mom was saying, “Elizabeth don't go to that amusement park. I fear that something bad is going to happen.”



Micah L.
I feel lost, like no one is watching over me. I feel alone stuffed in a box that someone sits on. I don't know what to do. Nothing is helping. I away feel so depressed. I can't keep my head straight. My dad will not talk to me and I'm weirded out about my parents.





Molly V.
Today, I found out that I had a sister, whose name is Elizabeth. I still don't understand. What I don't understand is why have my parents kept this from me? I don't understand why they haven't told me all these years.





Shayna T.
Shayna had an excellent example that must be in some folder far, far, away, never to be seen again. The closest anyone can figure, the journal thieves got it. If they are brought to justice, then maybe her writing can join that of her peers.




These are excellent examples getting into the character. Way to go girls! Oh, by the way, the boys did this assignment too. Hopefully we can showcase their work soon (which will happen as soon as they step it up).

Do You Get the Question?

This week, we are focusing on questions. Students are not even getting to see the passage that a question goes with, but they are expected to begin their answer. Sound impossible? Well, it is difficult but our students are proving they can do it.

Last week, Mrs. Stevenson, Mrs. Caudill and I scored the practice run of the Ohio Achievement Test that students took on March 18. Students did well, especially on the multiple choice questions. As we scored the tests, the amount of effort students put forth, clearly showed.

One area that I noticed as an overall weakness, was in setting up short answer and extended response answers in a way that would make 2 or 4 points easy to attain. With this in mind, our instruction for the next two weeks, will focus on using the question to set up the best answer possible. This will help students as they take the Achievement Test, and even more important, as they move up through jr. and sr. high school.

Each day, students receive a paper with one or two questions. They must set up their answer, without being able to use the selection as a resource. Below is a typical question, and the beginning of an answer by Trevor S.

Saturday School and Loving It

Well, after a million and a half snow days, today we paid the price. Yes, we're in school on Saturday. And it feels different. For some reason, today is just a little more relaxed. It seems like the pace is a little slower, and people are talking more. Students this morning seemed a little extra friendly. The discussion had a bit more of an edge or alertness, with everyone involved. And really, there hasn't been much complaining. As Mrs. Stevenson said, "you know, it really hasn't been that bad."

There are some students that missed due to prior commitments. Scotty is at the state wrestling meet (good luck and bring home the gold). A few students skipped out. One parent told a teacher, "Saturday is kid's day, and kid's shouldn't have to work." What kind of a load of crap is that? What about the ten school days that his kid missed during the bad weather?

Overall today has been quite a success. Students are working hard and learning in Language Arts Workshop. People seem to be smiling. Most everyone here wants to be here. The sun is shining in Laurelville. Who would believe it, Saturday school and loving it. Maybe we should do this more often. . . .NNNNAAAHHH!

Secret to Success

Today we had a special visitor in our class. Jennifer Hardwick, an LE grad, and sixth grade student from a few years ago came in and talked with students about how to be successful in the sixth grade. Jennifer discussed ways she managed to do well, and ideas students could use.

Some of her tips included:
1. make doing assignments a habit;
2. constantly work at being organized;
3. always do your best.

Thanks to Jennifer for her contribution to the success of Laurelville students. It is a great day for a teacher when you get to see one of your former students doing well.

Students have begun work on Study Island, the computer on-line learning program. This week we are doing pretests in reading and math.

Congrats to Conner H. for answering a Question of the Day!

Today's journal topic--"Mr. McGuire Admires Hard Workers . . ." due tomorrow.