Halfway Point!

We just passed the halfway point of the first 9 weeks!  Students are back in the routine of school, and we're making great progress in class!

Reminders:

• Progress reports will only be sent home if your child has a 73 or below in a class.
• You can access you child's grades online at anytime by clicking here or by following the link to the right.
• Students complete weekly assessments every Friday in class, so help them do well by encouraging them to study!
• We do a lot in class every day, so if your child is absent, he/she needs to come to tutoring to make up any missing work.  I offer tutoring every morning from 8-8:30.

One of my goals is to increase technology use in the classroom, and the district has approved letting my students bring personal laptops, iPads, and cell phones to use during class activities!  I'll send home more information as well as Responsible Use Procedures, which must be signed and returned so your child can bring his/her own device to use in class.

Also, check out what your child is learning in class by visiting the class website!

• Click here 8th ELA
• Click here for 8th PreAP ELA
• Click here for English I PreAP

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact me!

~Mrs. Burns

Thank You!

Thanks so much to all the parents who dropped by for Meet the Teacher on Tuesday evening!  It was great to visit with all the parents who came by!

This week in class...

• 8th ELA:  We reviewed some prefixes, went over elements of plot, and read a short story in class.  Friday there's a quiz over story elements, so be sure your child studies the notes!  
• 8th PreAP ELA: Since our summer reading was historical fiction about WWII, we did an overview of the Holocaust and of events that took place in The Book Thief.  Friday, students have an essay test; the essay question is posed on the class website.
• English I PreAP: We took a look at the relationship between the settings and the characters in Of Mice and Men.  Students have an essay test on Friday that will explain those relationships!  Check the class website for the essay question.

Monday is Labor Day, so teachers and students get to sleep in and enjoy a day off!

Don't forget to check out the class website: learnringburns.weebly.com.  Bookmark it for easy access, and keep up with what your child is learning in ELA!

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions!

~Mrs. Burns

Week One Is Finshed!

We made it through the first week of school!  Since I taught 7th last year, I already knew many of my 8th grade students this year, and it was fun seeing how much they'd grown over the summer!  I have a great group of students, and I'm excited about teaching them this year.

During the first week, we went over rules and expectations, and we did a lot on the laptops.  Students did a great job using the technology, which encourages me to find more technology activities to go with what we're learning in class.

Next week we'll explore Gaggle, which  is a student email and learning learning tools system provided by the district.  For more information on Gaggle, click here.  We'll also begin reading short stories from the literature book, and we'll review literary terms and vocabulary.

Don't forget:  Meet the Teacher Night is this Tuesday from 6 to 8!

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me!

~Mrs. Burns

Computer Usage

We're going to start using laptops in class this week!  Anytime we use computers for assignments, we'll either use netbooks in the classroom, or we'll use the computer labs.  Tomorrow, each student will sign GPISD's acceptable usage policy, which can be found by clicking here.

We'll use computers this year to supplement lessons, to create projects, and to access Gaggle, which provides students with a school-based email account as well as numerous learning opportunities.  If you want to access your child's ELA class website, you can click here or follow the link to the right of the blog.

If you ever have any questions, feel free to contact me!

~Mrs. Burns

First Day!

Our first day back to school went great!  We went over the student handbook and did some ice-breaker activities in class to let students get to know each other.  Dress code requires students to tuck their shirts in and wear belts, and overall, students did a good job!

Feel free to contact any of your child's teachers with any questions or concerns!

~Mrs. Burns

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to another school year at Arnold Middle School!  I hope you and your family had a great summer!

Hopefully you'll be able to use this blog as a way to keep up with assignments, class novels, projects, and information in general.  On the right you'll see my contact information as well as some links you can use to navigate to relevant websites.  Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments!

Reminders:

• We're moving from 6 week to 9 week grading periods this year.
• Report cards won't be sent home, so be sure to check the gradebook online!  (Click the link to the right for easy access)
• We're preparing for STAAR tests this year; no more TAKS tests!  Click here for more information.

We're going to hit the ground running this year, and I'm ready for a great year with my students!

~Mrs. Burns