Links to Media Sites

News Magazines:

• Time
• Newsweek
• U.S. News & World Report
• Scholastic/NYT UpFront

Newspapers:

• Corpus Christi Caller-Times
• New York Times
• Los Angeles Times
• USA Today
• Washington Post
• San Antonio Express News
• Houston Chronicle
• Dallas Morning News

Cable News & National TV News:

• CNN
• CNN Student News
• Fox News
• MSNBC
• ABC News
• CBS News
• CBS 60 Minutes

Local News:

• KRIS Channel 6 NBC
• KIII Channel 3 ABC
• KZTV Action 10 News CBS

Welcome to Mrs. Trial’s Website!

Welcome to the 2009-2010 school year!  As you use this site, you will find the following tools:

• Current reading schedules for our whole-class novel studies
• Current spelling and vocabulary lists, published beginning August 24 on a two-week cycle
• Information about independent novel studies
• Helpful links to online dictionaries and thesauruses as well as other great language arts websites
• Information about me, including my favorite books

Our spelling and vocabulary lists change every two weeks.  The lists consist of:

• two vocabulary lists: grade-level and advanced
• two spelling lists: grade-level and advanced
• grumpy grammar:  one of Mrs. Trial’s “pet peeve” grammar mistakes, usually a common, widespread error
• roots:  six Greek or Latin prefixes, suffixes, or roots

Every student receives this handout to put in his or her binder, but the list is also posted on this website.  The lists are named according to the grade level and date of distribution.  For example, a list distributed on August 24 would be named S&V_7th_0824, and S&V_8th_0824.

www.vocabtest.com

List 2 vocabulary words are from www.vocabtest.com.   Here’s how it works:

1.  Go to www.vocabtest.com.

2.  Select your grade level on the left side of the page.

3.  Select unit 1.  Do the first exercise, “learning definitions.”

4.  When you’ve gone through the exercise and get to the scoring page, print it out.  Staple or tape it in your spiral notebook, and write the grade level and unit number on it. 

5.  You should have missed more than four words.  If not, go to the next grade level and repeat. 

6.  When you miss more than 4 words, that’s the grade level where you should stay during this school year. 

Next week, when we do another vocabulary exercise, you’ll do a second exercise with the same words.  When it’s vocabulary quiz day, you’ll do a third exercise with the same words as part of your quiz. 

Talk to Mrs. Trial if you have additional questions.

Greek Week

The week before spring break is Greek Week, culminating in a festival on Friday.  Greek Week 2008 included: 

• vocabulary from mythology
• original myth-writing
• mythology tabloid writing
• mythology reading assignments
• mythology group projects
• Olympics in P.E.
• social studies lessons (Greece and Italy as part of 6th grade World Cultures, foundations of modern government in 8th grade American History, etc.)
• discussions about Ancient Greek mathematicians
• Greek magazine covers designed by journalism students

During Greek Week…

• vocabulary words from mythology are posted around campus
• student writing projects related to mythology are on display
• the classroom doors are decorated with pillars
• Olympics projects are on display

On Friday of Greek Week…

• Students and faculty members dress in togas
• Volunteers participate in our Toga Fashion Show
• Students play mythology games (archery, jeopardy, etc.)
• Winners of the Olympics and the Toga Fashion Show are announced
• Winners may have a portrait taken and put on a magazine cover