Thanks you for a great year! Please do some reading this summer.  follow this link for some great suggestions: http://www.fcps.edu/dis/readlist/78.htm

We have finished up the year by seventh graders reciting and writing poems. We'll finish this activity on Monday, June 8 and the poetry journals will go home then. The awards ceremony is on Wednesday at 6 o'clock. Come early since parking is tough to come by! Due to transportation challenges, the trip to Boomer's is not possible but seventh graders will be going to the movies which promises to be lots of fun. Be sure to get permission slips and the $9 in no later than Monday. Two snack packages exist and we will need a count on Monday.

Eighth graders have finished Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, have taken home their plants and have their celebration of favorite family foods. Monday is Harbor Cruise and Thursday promotion.  We will have a practice on Wednesday at 10:20. Don't forget the awards ceremony on Wednesday at 7 o'clock. Students are due at school at the regular time in Thursday in appropriate clothing -- see the Twin Peaks web site for details. Come early to get a good place in the quad. I look forward to seeing you there.

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Mrs. Moir’s guide to

Response to Literature

This is a five-paragraph essay.

The Introduction (paragraph one):

• The first sentence should mention the name of the story or book*[1], the author’s) name**, and the character’s name.  An example of the first line is:
• In ______________________, by ________________, __________________, a

               (title of the story or book)          (name of the author)   (main character)

______________ meets the challenge of _____________________.

(renamer)                                                        (conflict of the story or book)

• Must provide the context for the essay, a one or two-sentence summary of the plot (not a full-length summary of the story or book).  An example of how to begin is:
• It all begins when…(list main events, using transitions. This is a brief plot summary).

• The introductory paragraph must end with the thesis statement, which is an analysis of one character or the theme. An example of the set-up for this sentence is:

• As ______________________   _______________________________

(main character)                     (does what – describe the action)

he/she discovers _______________________________________.

                          (theme)

The thesis statement is the last sentence of the introductory paragraph.  It should be able to stand alone and must include a subject and an opinion.

The body paragraphs (these will be paragraphs two, three, and four):

Each one of these paragraphs must begin with a topic sentence that includes transitions.  The three body paragraphs (paragraphs two, three, and four) will either:

o   chronologically track the changes in a character (this means you need to start with the character at the beginning of the story or book, then describe the character in the middle of the story or book, and conclude with describing what the character is like at the end of the book.  OR

o   describe an element or part of the theme and use details from the beginning of the story or book, the middle of the story or book, and the end of the story or book.

*Remember that the title of a story is shown in quotation marks while the tile of a book is either underlined or written in italics.

** The author is the person who wrote the book.

The second sentence of the paragraph will include concrete detail (a fact), which cites evidence from the story to support the topic sentence.  It may begin

o   “For example…”

The next two sentences (sentences three and four) will provide commentary, where students interpret the quoted citation (this means you explain the quote that was used for the concrete detail.  If a quote wasn’t used, explain the fact).  This means using language that forces the writer to interpret rather than merely retell.  An example of this is:

o   “This means that…”  “The character is saying…”  “The author demonstrates…”

The last sentence of the paragraph (sentence five) is a concluding statement that gives a finished feeling to the paragraph.  It might begin:

o   “As a result…”

Conclusion (paragraph five)

The final paragraph should cover “so what.”  In this paragraph, the writer answers the question, “So now that you have said all of this, so what?  There are several ways to do this:

o   Explain why the topic is universal in its nature – how it affects the reader.

o   Expand on the narrow topic to a more universal observation about life, history, literature, etc.

o   Motivate the reader to take a certain action or think in a certain manner (actually ask the reader to do something).

Hello!  I am Mrs. Moir (pronounced moyer).  Summer seems to be over (too soon, I know) and it is time to get back to the business of learning and preparing for your future.  I hope you all had a great vacation, and are coming back refreshed and re-charged.  I am excited about the new year, and am looking forward to meeting all of you.   Together, we will work hard, have some fun, grow, and come out on the other end well prepared for high school (some of you) and for eighth grade (the rest of you).

Here is an important reason that I spent much of my summer in Gilbert, Arizona, a Phoenix suburb. This is our grandson, Jake, who just turned four.  He loves to help me "cook" and is a real expert at salad. This day, we expanded our horizons to make (and taste) "dirt." The family all voted that our dirt was great and we can fix it again!  Jake lives with his parents, our daughter and son-in-law, and OUR NEW GRANDDAUGHTER, KATE, who was born on August 15th! It was a long hot summer in Gilbert, but she finally made her appearance.  Mother and daughter (and Grandma!) are doing fine.  Jake is proud to be the big brother and Kate's "chief protector". 

Meet Katherine Ellen Bowman:

Needless to say, I am happy to be back in the pleasant climate of San Diego/Poway, but I had to leave  part of my heart in Gilbert. 

To find out more about me, and see some more pictures, visit "Meet Mrs. Moir."

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SCHOOL YEAR 2008 - 2009                    

  This is a good time for parents and students to sit down together and discuss some strategies for success. Review my requirements of ink and cursive.  Work in pencil will receive no credit and if you feel your student should be excused from writing in cursive, please write to me explaining why and come up with a plan for daily practice so that by June, your student is proficient. This is a California State Standard for students in 3rd grade -- after a standard has been introduced, students are expected to continue to meet it.

When students are absent, they are responsible for getting notes from a friend and making up all quizzes and tests. These need to be made up within a week,  or the grade becomes a zero. Some students neglect to do this, even after several reminders. Please help!

Middle school asks more of students in terms of workload and responsibility.  As a result, it takes some students a quarter to figure out how to make things work. I update my grades weekly so please find a good time each week for the student to check his/her grades and share them with parents. At that first sign of trouble, email me at ellen@moir.org or emoir@powayusd.com. I usually respond within 24 hours.

Handouts remain a luxury during these lean times.  Last year our publications budget was about $2.50 per child which meant that we could run off about 80 copies per child per class but this amount has been greatly reduced this year. I was very fortunate that some parents helped out with cash donations.  Writing a check to Twin Peaks Middle School and asking that it be applied to my pubs budget is a huge help! 

I will need to post information and some assignment sheets here and ask students to download it at home.  This method will requires more effort on the part of students but is efficient.   If a family does not have Internet access please let me know immediately! I am open to any suggestions for other approaches to this dilemma.

Students will need to copy information from transparencies frequently so writing quickly becomes an important skill! If students need a hard copy of any of these, they may borrow the original and go to the LRC to make a copy.  Another way each family can help is to be sure your child has school supplies on a daily basis.  This means binder paper (not just spirals), pens, pencils, and 3 by 5 cards  Students who have a runny nose should also plan on carrying tissues.  I think it is very important that our limited funds be spent on things directly involved with learning and I hope you will agree.  Thank you for your support.

Solutions to Homework Problems

Students sometimes complain about a homework load that is too heavy. If a student is spending too many hours on school work there are several possible explanations:

The work is too hard. In this case, the parent, teacher, and student may need to work together to develop a modified program.

The student is going overboard. Some perfectionist students try to write "The Great American Novel" or a modern equivalent of the Mona Lisa when the teacher asked for two paragraphs or an illustration. Again, work with the teacher who may need to be very specific in providing instructions to your child.

The student is unclear on how to budget time. A student working alone in a bedroom sometimes is distracted or is daydreaming and isn't really working on homework. The kitchen table remains a wonderful location for homework since parents can be close by to help, provide encouragement and monitor progress.

The "Megan Moir syndrome." My daughter was an avid reader and when homework threatened this pastime she was known to place her novel inside whatever textbook she was supposed to be reading. Do any of you have a child who would do such a thing?

The student is spending hours on schoolwork because he/she wants too!

If the work load seems excessive, help your child keep a "homework log."  Write down the assignments that are to be completed and have your child estimate how much time each one should take.  Devise a study plan for 30 - 45 minutes and set a timer.  When the timer goes off, debrief with your child.  What was accomplished?  What wasn't?  Why?  How does the child feel about the productivity during that time period?  After a brief discussion, the child should take a 15 minute break (again, set the timer) to do whatever he/she wants:  have a snack, play outside, call a friend, etc.  When the timer goes off, again meet with your child to develop the next 30 - 45 minute plan, set the timer, etc.  In most cases, students find that the work can be finished in an hour or hour and a half.  If this seems excessive, stop to consider the number of hours a student is involved in a sport.  It frequently is over five hours a week.  Hmm...

Exploring www.moir.org/mrsmoir

Use the icons on the left to navigate my site.  Language Arts 7th Grade and Language Arts 8th Grade have general information on those subjects, while This Week shows all the assignments.  Kids' Corner is a page of links that will be of interest to students,  and the Parents' Page includes information which I think might be of interest to parents.   Personalized grade reports are now available on the new Grade Reports page.  I'm glad that my site is being visited and I love getting email. It is a great way to keep in touch.

It is a good idea to encourage students to read. I  created a lengthy bibliography for my sevenths grade students and Mrs. Bjork will post it on the LRC website.  While I will not have time to create a similar list for sixth graders, I have an extensive class room library that has been culled carefully.  I have added some books that my daughter used when she taught upper elementary grades. I will also try to provide suggestions of "good reads."

Grade Reports will be online. From the Grade Reports page, enter your student ID number and get your grades for the current quarter. They'll be updated at least every other Sunday afternoon.

Our library has created a fabulous web site for the Library Resource Center. Check it out!

Word of the Day

Merriam-Webster has a word of the day on its site, www.m-w.com. The large icon below will be here all year. Try it now and share your findings with me -- who knows, extra credit may be available!

 

Twin Peaks Middle School, a National Blue Ribbon School

Seven years ago, Twin Peaks was named a National Blue Ribbon School, the third time Twin Peaks has received this designation! Schools must first be recognized by their state--we were a California Distinguished School in 1998-1999. Because Poway has seven of that year's Blue Ribbon Schools, it may seem commonplace to some people, but this is a very prestigious award. Remember that only 198 schools nationwide were selected. Twin Peaks is an excellent school as a result of the efforts of the entire school community: students, parents, teachers, staff members, PUSD, PUSD Board, and the Poway community. Take pride in our accomplishments.