Wrapping Up Presents...and The Giver

In the midst of the holiday season--with presents to wrap, traditional foods to indulge in, family and friends to visit, and good cheer to spread--students are wrapping up their reading of The Giver.  They are exploring their own visions of utopia in poems they are writing, and they are creating storyboard posters focused on an element of fiction:  character, conflict, theme, or the dystopian genre.  Our schedule this week will be to work on poems at home and the storyboard in class.  The goal is to complete at least one (most likely the poem) by Thursday to turn in.  If students are not finished with the storyboard by the end of class Thursday, they may turn it in upon return in January.  We will kick off 2018 with a new unit on nonfiction during which students will read a nonfiction book of their choice.  

I wish everyone happy holidays and a fun winter break!

Homework:

Monday-Wednesday:  work on utopia poem.  If finished by Thursday, can turn it in.

Thursday/Friday (break):  Can turn in storyboard at end of class on Thursday if finished;  if more time is needed on poster, finish over break and turn in 1/2.

Giver Storyboard Activity

The Truth Will Out...Or Does It?

Toward the end of the novel, Jonas begins to realize some truths about his community.  Through his Assignment as Receiver of Memory and the power inherent in it, he comes to understand the sacrifices people have made to achieve this place in which conflicts are rooted out, strong feelings are neutralized, and everyone seems to co-exist in harmony.  However, underlying this supposed utopia are profound sacrifices:  color and music no longer exist, love and family connection is obsolete, life is about the group not the individual...and most significant, people have no freedom of choice--about anything--and thus have relinquished their individualism.  As readers, we are beginning to understand the irony that the very things they tried to eliminate to achieve utopia make this community a dystopia.  As we approach the resolution of the novel, we are reaching some conclusions about the philosophical question of whether utopia is even possible.  Lois Lowry teases readers in the end to make their own interpretation of Jonas' fate:  does he reach Elsewhere?  And where/what is it?

Students are working on a vocabulary activity using words from the novel.  Later this week, upon completion of the book, we will read and analyze some poems about utopia, and then students will begin to create their own.

Homework: (vocab activity is due on Thursday)

Monday:  Rd. ch. 20/21 w/charts

Tuesday:  Rd. ch. 22/23 w/charts (to be turned in tomorrow)

Wednesday:   Vocab activity due tomorrow

Thursday:  Work on utopia poem--due Wed. 12/20

Friday:  Utopia poem due next Wed.

Utopia Poem

"Early Release" on Wednesday...

...takes on a new meaning when you're reading the The Giver.  During our morning announcement, Ms. Wilson reminded students of their "early release" (aka half-day) on Wednesday which sent many students into a tizzy because in the novel, release appears to mean banishment or even death!  It was a serendipitously appropos choice of words, unbeknownst to our principal, as we are looking at euphemisms in the novel and pondering why Lois Lowry might use them.  It seems ironic given the community's value of "precision of language."  

In addition to this language study and reading and discussions of the novel, we will take a look at short articles on utopias, including one attempted right here in Florence in the 1800s.  The Northampton Association of Education and Industry was established in 1842 as a utopian community in which "the rights of all are equal without distinction of sex, color or condition, sect or religion."  A core value of this community, of which Sojourner Truth was a member, was the abolition of slavery.  There is a link below to the article and Historic Northampton website; the virtual tours are interesting and informative.  As we analyze the community of The Giver, we will be deciding whether it is a utopia, and whether the trade-offs to achieving this are worth the result.

Homework: reading & completing charts as needed:

Monday:  Ch. 10 & 11 

Tuesday:  Ch. 12 & 13

Wednesday:  Ch. 14 & 15

Thursday:  Ch. 16 & 17

Friday:  Ch. 18 & 19;  Vocabulary activity introduced today due 12/14

Northampton Association of Education and Industry article/Historic Northampton

Giver Vocabulary Activity/Rubric

THE GIVER: Jonas' World

Today students pondered the characteristics, in their minds, of a utopian community, and then contrasted that with their vision of a dystopian society.  This will be one of the underlying themes of our current novel, The Giver by Lois Lowry.  As the setting unfolds in the exposition of the book, students will examine the unique features of this fictional world, from the geographical landscape and climate to the social structure and rituals of the people.  They will also begin to analyze characters that emerge, and look at the ways in which setting defines character as well as plot events.

I've encouraged students to listen to the audio as they read along if this helps them, and Ms. Deal has linked it to her website.  Students are filling in character and plot charts at the end of each chapter to trace the development of these elements; as well, they may use sticky notes to practice reading strategies such as prediction, questioning, clarifying, and ah-ha! moments.  There will be periodic quizzes as an accountability and formative assessment measure, and various activities connected to the story.  We will also engage in language study, examining not only new vocabulary, but the author's unique use of language as a characteristic of this society.  

Please remind your student that their short stories are due on Friday!  I'll be reminding them in class too!

Homework:  Short stories due Friday!

Monday:  Finish reading ch. 1 & 2; fill in charts

Tuesday:  Finish reading ch. 3, 4, 5; fill in charts (possible quiz tomorrow)

Wednesday:  Work on editing/revising/finalizing short story

Thursday:  Finish reading ch. 6 & 7 if needed; fill in charts; STORY DUE TOMORROW!

Friday:  Read ch. 8 & 9; fill in charts

Reading support charts

Vocabulary Lists

Class discussion questions

Language Study: Euphemisms

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just a quick update this week.  Students continue to draft their short stories in class; this will be the last in-class time they will have to work on them.  I've given students an editing sheet to guide them in editing and revision.  The final format is up to them, per the instruction sheet; final stories (in whatever format) are due 12/1.

Upon return from Thanksgiving break, we will begin reading The Giver by Lois Lowry.  Set in the future, this provocative novel explores themes of equity, loyalty, friendship, and what it means to live in a utopian (or is it dystopian?) community.   I encourage students to listen as they read at home if that is helpful to them; they can access the audio online.  We will occasionally listen to the audio in class as time allows.  As we read, we will engage in language and vocabulary study, including a look at euphemisms and other unique aspects of the author's language;explore character and setting development; and follow the overall structure of the plot.  Our discussions of the story will get at the themes of the novel, and in the end we will view video clips of Lois Lowry explaining her inspirations for and writing of the book.  There may be occasional short quizzes throughout our reading time, and we will culminate with a final essay and/or creative project.

I wish everyone a peaceful and pleasant Thanksgiving holiday!

Homework:

Work on short stories:  finish drafting; use editing sheet (both sides) to edit and revise.  Decide on final format and work on this.  Final story due Friday, Dec. 1.

Editing Form

Short Story Writing Instructions

A Blizzard of Words--Only Words!

Gazing out our windows this morning at a cold grey sky that hints at snow, I'm thankful that inside there is only a flurry of writing.  Students are indeed producing a blizzard of words as they finish up pre-writing activities and move on to drafting their stories.  They've brainstormed setting details using all five senses; "interviewed" their characters to get acquainted with them; and mapped out their plots in multiple ways.  This week they will learn the grammatical rules of dialogue writing and practice using them; finally, they will exercise their descriptive writing skills by practicing "show, don't tell" writing.  From creepy dolls to heroes' journeys, I predict that I'm in store for some captivating reading!

The goal is for students to begin drafting stories on or before Friday (a few began today!)  Next week will be the last in-class time to work on stories, so they will be drafting on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday if needed.  If they are done by Wednesday, they can use that class period to peer conference and edit.  The final story (in student's choice of format, per instructions) is due by Friday, December 1.

Homework:  

Monday:  work on station #3 brainstorming (due by Wed.)
Tuesday:  finish station #3 brainstorming
Wednesday:  finish "Show, Don't Tell" practice
Thursday:  finish Dialogue Writing practice
Friday:  work on short story draft

Natural Born Writers

Writing fictional stories seems to percolate naturally for most adolescents, which is why it is always productive, beneficial, and FUN! to engage in this process in class.  Between today and Thanksgiving break, students will be rotating through five stations to brainstorm for their stories:  character, setting, conflict/plot, dialogue writing, and "show don't tell" language.  Along the way, they will produce brainstorming on charts, questionnaires, and storyboard templates, as well as through sketches and even paper dolls if they choose.  As students are starting in and moving through stations at different rates, the stations will be labeled in Aspen by number; students have their own tracking chart to keep tabs on their progress.

The final story can be produced in a variety of ways.  They could simply type up the story, or they could format it as either a chapter or picture book or as a storyboard.  If a student is a techno/movie-making whiz, they could produce a film of their story.  No matter the format, each student is demonstrating that they have developed the elements of fiction as represented in the brainstorming stations.  The completed story in its final form is due by December 1.


HOMEWORK:  This is the schedule; however, some students may be working ahead depending on their individual pace.

Monday:  work on station #1 brainstorming

Wednesday:  station #1 work due tomorrow

Thursday:  work on station #2 brainstorming; due on Monday 11/13.


Character Brainstorming

Setting Chart

Conflict/Plot Organizers

Happy Autumn...and Halloween!

Halloween week is the perfect time to indulge in a little Edgar Allen Poe!  Today students watched a short biography of Poe, a quick video to introduce "The Raven", and a YouTube video of Christopher Walken performing this famous Poe poem.  Students will work in groups to analyze the ballad structure (including elements of fiction), literary allusions, rhyme scheme, rhythm and beat, and symbolism.  Next, they will work with a different group to plan a performance of two stanzas.  For their performances, students will consider the use of their voices, gestures, and musical instruments to convey the mood and meaning of the words.  We will wrap up this study of "The Raven" with a quiz.

If time allows later this week, we will read "The Tell-Tale Heart", also by Poe, and perhaps "The Monkey's Paw", by W.W. Jacobs.

I'm asking that students take home their "I Am From" projects this week, though I'll be sad to see them go.  If you can remind your child if they haven't come home with it yet, that would be helpful.

Homework:

The only homework this week is to finish up and share with me the "Rikki Tikki Tavi" essay, if not already done (it was due at the end of last Friday's class).

The Writing Life

Last week, students took a test on the story "Rikki Tikki Tavi".  It was designed a la MCAS/PARCC style questions in order to embed test-taking practice, and questions were intended for students to demonstrate their understanding of the story as we read and discussed it in class.  The final question was an open response (short essay), and based on students' writing, I am differentiating writing practice this week.  Some students will be reading additional material on Kipling and the story and writing a group essay based on that; other students are completing an essay exemplar with a partner, and then working on one of two other essay topics.  This writing practice is differentiated to accommodate the varying needs within each class.  Students will engage in the writing process of brainstorming/outlining, drafting, editing, and revising.  As we are working on these essays in class, potentially each student can accomplish all or most of each day's work in class; however, if they need extra time for each part, they will finish it up for homework.  Below is an outline of what should be completed each day.

Homework:

Monday:  check Aspen for missing assignments and turn in asap.

Tuesday:  complete essay organizer

Wednesday:  complete roughly half of essay draft

Thursday:  complete draft

Friday:  revise essay to turn in on Monday (if not completed in class)

"The great war begins!"

Rikki Tikki Tavi's war, that is, fought against the great cobras Nag and Nagaina, in his efforts to protect his new family and become their "house mongoose."  This week we are reading the classic tale "Rikki Tikki Tavi" by Rudyard Kipling.  We will explore the behaviors that humans and animals have in common; the idea of heroes and anti-heroes in the story; and consider whether this is more than just a simple children's tale.  In light of Kipling's background and the time period of the story, students will ponder whether Kipling was trying to paint a picture of colonial England.  Could it be that Rikki Tikki represents the British and the cobras represent the Indian people?  Or that Rikki Tikki symbolizes the Indian that acculturated and sided with the British?  Is it possible that "the great war" was not just between predator and prey in the wild, but between two very different countries and their people?

As we'll be reading and working with this story in class, the only homework this week is to finish reading choice books and completing any overdue responses.  It might be a good time, if you haven't done so already, to check Aspen with your child to determine if there is missing work to be completed.  As well, I am offering an extension activity for the choice book for any student interested in going the extra mile!  I've asked them to see me for instructions, and they are linked below.

Independent Reading Extension Activity

Nice Long Weekend...Back to Work!

This weekend I went to New York City to visit my daughter, and my mother, who hasn't been in the city since I was in college (!!), joined us.  She got the full experience of a packed subway, endless walking, as well as a bumpy taxi ride!  We visited South Street Seaport, where my daughter's office building is located, and the World Trade Center memorial.  The following day, we meandered around the NY Botanical Gardens to see the special exhibit of glass artist Dale Chihuly, whose work was installed around the grounds.  Throughout were posters of poetry written by NYC school children who were inspired by the gardens and Chihuly's creations; it reminded me of past visits we have made to the Smith College pond and art museum to find inspiration for poetry.  I hope we can do something similar again this year!

This week students are reading Mark Twain's "The Californian's Tale", a story inspired by the time he spent in mining camps out west during the Gold Rush.  They will identify various elements of fiction in the story, and examine Twain's use of "local color" to describe the setting.

Students should be wrapping up their choice book reading this week.  A final response is due on Friday.  They will take a vocabulary quiz on Friday to also wrap up list #2.

Homework:

Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday:  Read w/sticky notes; final response due Friday.  Vocabulary quiz on Friday.

Californian's Tale questions

Students are Engaged in Active Reading!

We are kicking off the week with a new list of vocabulary words.  Students have recorded them in their binders, and there is a link below to a deck set on quizlet.  In addition to the activities we do with the words in class, students can use quizlet to study and play games with the words.

Tomorrow we will read a short story by O. Henry titled "After Twenty Years".  It has a little twist at the end that spurs the reader to think about the characters and issues of loyalty and friendship.  Students will work in small groups to examine setting and tone, characterization, foreshadowing and the twist ending, and themes, and they will present their findings to the class.

Students will take a benchmark test three times this year to help me monitor their growth and progress with ELA concepts.  The test was created by ELA Department faculty, and it mirrors MCAS/Parcc style.  This is not only good test-taking practice for students, but teachers use the benchmark data to inform their instruction.  These scores will not be inputted into Aspen nor counted towards students' report card grades; they are merely informational for teachers.  That being said, I plan to administer the first session of the test on Thursday.

As I read students' reading responses this weekend, I was pleased to see that, for the most part, they seem to be enjoying their choice novels.  They also demonstrated in their responses that they understand the difference between summary and response, as well as the elements of fiction.  The icing on the cake for me was that many students wrote about the author's use of language--and words from vocabulary list #1 were popping up, too!

Homework: 

Monday:  read w/sticky notes; response #2 due Wed.
Tuesday:  response #2 due tomorrow (preferably typed)
Wednesday:  read w/sticky notes; bring choice book in tomorrow
Thursday:  read w/sticky notes
Friday:  read w/sticky notes; next response due Tuesday 10/10

Quizlet: Vocab list #2

A Bit of This and That

We'll be bouncing around a bit in ELA this week.  For starters, students are reading a suspenseful story called "The Fallen Angel" by Evan Hunter.  This is a good one to explore the concept of foreshadowing.  The author drops many hints about the supposed protagonist, who will in fact become the antagonist, that lead the reader to grasp his true identity in the end.  Students will also demonstrate their understanding so far of the elements of narrator, tone, conflict, characterization and theme through written answers to questions. I will model how to write an answer to a question, and how to properly prepare work for submission to the teacher.

We are wrapping up practice with the vocabulary list, and students will demonstrate their knowledge of the words on a quiz Thursday.  

Last Friday we enjoyed a day in the library, choosing novels and beginning to read.  I was so surprised to hear a few students say that they actually finished their books already! Today we discussed the activities they will do as they read (they have this handout in their binder and it is attached herewith).  They are practicing reading strategies (predict, clarify, visualize, question/wonder, make connections, summarize) and using sticky notes to record their thoughts as they read.  They will also be writing a response four times throughout their reading, and will compose an essay (topic choices on handout) as the culminating activity with their books.  I will be modeling these strategies and ways of writing in class.

Finally, we are engaging in a school-wide collection of items to help those in Puerto Rico.  Attached is a flyer with information to donate goods.  These can be dropped off in the office, sent in with students, or brought to Open House on Thursday.  Many thanks for your support in this important endeavor!

Homework:

Monday:  finish reading "The Fallen Angel"; proj. due Wednesday; voc. quiz Thursday

Tuesday:  proj. due tomorrow; voc. quiz Thursday; read choice book w/sticky notes; first response due Friday.

Wednesday:  voc. quiz tomorrow; read choice book w/sticky notes; first response due Friday

Thursday:  read choice book w/sticky notes; first response due tomorrow

Friday:  read choice book w/sticky notes; finish "Fallen Angel" questions for Monday

Independent reading activity

Reading response schedule (due dates for responses)

Donation Drive for Puerto Rico

From Roots to Mountains...of a Sort...

This week brings a variety of ELA concepts and activities.  We've begun vocabulary study with the first list of 12 words.  Students will play with these words in varying ways over the next week, including "drawing" them, using them in stories or skits, examining root words some contain, and entering them into Quizlet.  Through all of this repeated use, the words will become embedded just in time for a quiz late next week, but more importantly to use forever in their oral and written communication.

This week we will also finish taking notes on the elements of fiction, a reference sheet that students are asked to keep in their "save" section of ELA in their binders.  We will examine Freytag's Pyramid, aka plot line mountain, to understand the movement of a fictional story, and students will apply this concept to various stories we read in class.  The first will be "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant, which we will read on Wednesday, noting character traits, conflicts, setting, and theme in the story.

On Friday we are off to the library!  Students will be given a quick intro to the library's layout and then will find a novel of their choice to read.  They will keep a dialectical journal type of log of their thoughts as they read and, at a later point, they will be given a choice of assignments to complete based on their novel to show what they've learned thus far about the elements of fiction.

I do hope students have been busy working on their "I Am From" poetry projects.  We are revisiting the instructions today as a reminder, and noting that projects are due by Wed. 9/27.

Homework:

Monday:  work on project

Tuesday:  project; finish vocab puzzles

Wednesday:  project; enter vocab words on quizlet and play!

Thursday:  project; vocab quizlet games; BRING IN novel if you just started one (library visit tomorrow!)

Friday:  PROJECT; vocab quizlet games; read choice book

From Poems to Stories

While students are busy at home revising and finalizing their poems and creating projects that represent themselves and their writing, we are embarking on an exploration of the elements of fiction in numerous short stories.  Mid-week we will read Ray Bradbury's All Summer in a Day and examine the language he uses to create setting; as well we will determine the character traits of the protagonists to understand how the conflict between them arises.  Students will work in groups to analyze these elements and answer plot/theme related in questions, and then we will do a carousel rotation for all to read and add to each other's work.

I look forward to meeting family members at our team breakfast social--hope you will attend!

Homework:

Monday--Wednesday:  final draft of poem due Thursday; work on projects

Thursday, Friday:  work on project

Projects (with poem incorporated into them) due by 9/27.

I Am From project instructions

Happy New Year!

The new school year has brought significant change for me.  On the personal side, my daughter has launched herself from college to the working world, which involved a move to New York City.  On the professional side, I have been launched from one academic team and end of the seventh grade hall to another, which means a new perspective both from the classroom windows as well as from different colleagues.  These changes have thus launched the new year with great excitement and anticipation of the adventures that lie ahead!

Another newcomer to our Green Revolution team is science teacher Jacob Masenior who, on the second day of school, exuberantly visited me first thing in the morning to ask if I would introduce the word palpable, from the Latin palpare (to touch).  I said that I would be happy to oblige as that word would be quite easy to incorporate.  I told classes throughout the day that the intelligence and thoughtfulness was palpable in the room as they brainstormed guidelines for a productive and dynamic year.

I'm anticipating that in the upcoming weeks I will note that their creativity will also be palpable in our room.  Hints of creativity will begin this week with our reading of George Ella Lyon's poem, "Where I'm From".  After deconstructing the language and form of this poem, students will embark on composing their own biographical poems.  While writing, conferencing, and revising in class, they will begin at home a self-reflective 3D project that incorporates their poem in the project.  I love to do this activity each year as it gives me a snapshot of so many things about each student:  who they are as individuals, their understanding and use of language, their writing skills, and how they work within groups as well as individually.  Projects will be due on or before 9/27 so that you will be able to enjoy viewing them at Open House.

I will publish a blog post at the start of each week to give you an overview of our work.  I will also list the homework for the week and attach relevant handouts,  (Please know that occasionally homework for a given class may shift due to extenuating circumstances, like an assembly that ate up class time, or we got sidetracked on a rich discussion that I didn't want to cut off).  In any event, students are writing their homework daily in their planners, and I've encouraged them to check this blog when they are absent in order to stay current with their work as much as possible.

So, cheers to a happy new school year launched with changes, thoughtfulness and creativity that can spark endless possibilities for growth and learning!

Homework:

Tuesday:  no homework (unless you didn't bring in a writer's notebook yet, then need to do so)

Wednesday:  finish poem brainstorming chart

Thursday:  work on poem

Friday:  draft of poem due Monday for conferencing

Handouts:

I Am From project instructions

"Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you may still exist, but you will cease to live." --Mark Twain

Thanks to the heroics of Tom, our young couple is saved!  Just as the villagers begin to mourn his loss (again!), he makes his appearance, having saved Becky, and becomes the glittering hero (again!).   Injun Joe is not so fortunate, unable to find his way out of the dark labyrinth of the caves.  As Tom dreams up their next adventure, the final plot thread will be tied up:  what becomes of the treasure?

Tom embodies Twain's quote about illusions; he is forever searching for the next adventure, pursuing his dream of the moment.  Through him Twain conveys truths about the complexities of human nature and the notion that perhaps we never really "grow up"; or if we do, he implies the hope that we maintain the carefree illusions and dreams of childhood.

My parting wish for students is to hold on to your illusions, pursue your dreams, and don't just exist, but live!  Search for "buried treasure", try on different personas (well, maybe not a robber or pirate!), have fun with your friends, and try not to get into too much trouble!  Know that we are all a little bit grown up and a little bit childish, and that our dreams help to make us dynamic characters as we write the stories of our lives.

Homework:

Monday:  Rd. ch. 34; add to packets; check Aspen and turn in anything missing asap.
Tuesday:  Finish packet; turn in tomorrow.

Books and packets will be collected on Wednesday.

Oh, the twisted plot Twain weaves...."

Students are hot on the trail of the buried treasure--buried in #2 under the cross!  As they follow Tom and Huck on this new adventure, they're also wondering:  will Injun Joe follow through with the "revenge job"?  Will the boys escape his menace?  Is there hope yet for Tom and Becky?  Will the mischievous Tom ever "grow up"?  Despite being three quarters through the book with only a week left to read, there is still a lot of plot to unravel!

Students are wrapping up their vocabulary work with a mini-project due Thursday, along with their Personal Dictionary Logs.  Next week, upon completion of our reading, they will turn in their packets along with their books.  Then, we will watch the movie "Tom and Huck" to compare and contrast this film version of the novel.

HOMEWORK:

Tuesday:  Work on vocab project
Wednesday:  Finish ch. 29 if needed; finish vocab project--due tomorrow w/PD logs
Thursday:  Finish ch. 30 if needed; add to packets as needed
Friday:  Read ch. 31/32; add to packets as needed

Tom Sawyer Vocab Activity

"Never put off till tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow just as well."

Funny words from Twain, but ones I'm hoping students save for the lazier days of summer!  It seems that students are keeping up with the reading; I am trying to give them time each day to at least begin the chapters.  I've plotted them out on a calendar to finish the book by the end of the year, reserving two days at the end to watch the movie, Tom and Huck. 

At the same time, students have been adding words to their personal dictionaries and doing some activities around elements of fiction.  Our class discussions of the novel center around summarizing the story, analyzing characters, examining Twain's language, and identifying broader statements that Twain seems to make about human nature through the antics of Tom and his community.

On Thursday I will give a writing assessment based on the novel.  Students will have a choice of four prompts; they will write on ONE and share their short essay with me by the end of class.  On Tuesday I will give them the general topics of the prompts (Twain's language and character analysis) so that they can think about and perhaps decide which they want to do; if they wish, they could also make some notes on the general topic they choose.  The assessment will be open book and open note, if the student makes notes to use.

HOMEWORK:

Monday:  Finish rdg. ch. 13/14; begin "Escape to Jackson Island" page in packet.

Tuesday:  Finish rdg. ch. 15/16; add to packet pgs. Think about writing topics; make notes.

Wednesday:  Finish rdg. ch. 17/18; add to packet. Think about writing topics; make notes.

Thursday:  Read ch. 19, 20; Ch. 21: read first long paragraph and last section only.

Friday:  Finish rdg. 22, 23, 24; work on vocabulary activity (due Thursday 6/15).

"Success is a journey, not a destination..."

"...It requires constant effort, vigilance, and reevaluation." 

Wise words from Mark Twain, that I bear in mind this week in particular.  Having progressed from a scratchy throat to pneumonia and missing three days last week, I'm afraid I left students without a road map for their reading journey with Tom Sawyer.  Thus, on Wednesday (Tuesday being a combined service/field day), I plan to evaluate where things stand with the reading, and make sure that everyone is on the same page, so to speak, before continuing on.  

I do hope that students have accessed an audio version to read along to if they enjoy doing so.  Once I assess the state of our journey, I will figure out the itinerary for the rest of the week!

Homework:

Wednesday:  Catch up night:  should be read through ch. 9
                       Packet:  pg. 1 complete; pg. 2 & 3 begun with what we've read so far

Thursday:  Finish reading ch. 10; add to packets as needed; everyone at this point should                      have 5 words completed on their personal dictionary log

Friday:  Finish rdg. ch. 11 & 12; add to packets

"Out of the public schools grows the greatness of a nation." --Mark Twain

Noted for his humor and keen insights, the iconic and prolific American author Mark Twain is often quoted.  Students will begin to unfurl the layers of personality and thought embodied by this writer, first by watching an A&E Biography and the as they explore themes in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.  They will examine the way in which the elements of fiction work together to create this novel:  the ways in which the author develops setting and characters; the episodic structure of the novel and intertwining plot lines; and the language choices Twain made, including dialect, to accurately portray the setting and characters.  

Students will keep track of the characters and twisting plot events in a packet of organizers. As well, they will record new words they encounter on their Personal Dictionary logs, which will be shared in class and used in a mini-project.  The book is available on audio (which, on occasion, we will use in class), and I encourage students for whom listening helps to read along to an audiotape.  

While these are our academic goals, my wish is for everyone to enjoy the antics of the mischievous Tom Sawyer and the rollicking tale of his adventures!  For, as Twain also stated:  "I never let my education interfere with my learning."   If students can relate in some ways to this historic peer Tom, they will hopefully come away with an appreciation of a classic author as well as some timeless themes about human nature.

HOMEWORK:  (Please note: if Thursday's Service/Field Day activities are cancelled due to weather, the following may change) (YES, service day is rescheduled; please note amended schedule below):

Monday:  None.

Tuesday:  Finish reading ch. 1, 2, 3

Wednesday:  Finish rdg. ch. 4 & 5

Thursday:  As needed depending on what was finished in class:  Finish rdg. ch. 6; do Ch. 6 activity sheet; find 3 words you don't know (NOT dialect words, but ones you can actually use) and record on personal dictionary log (use example as your model).

Friday:  As needed, depending on what was finished in class:  Read ch. 7-8-9; do "Murder in the Graveyard" packet page 

"Poetry begins as a lump in the throat, a sense of wrong, homesickness, a love sickness." --Robert Frost

It is truly awesome to witness students finding their voice through poetry.  With inspiration emanating internally and externally, students have written on a variety of topics: from grizzly bears to kittens, from olives to vanilla, from Broadway to the Mojave desert.  Our next two poems will be more personal in nature, as students will be asked to explore their thinking as well as their inner landscape.

The inspiration for our first poem this week is Francis Picabia, a French artist and writer who once said, "Our heads are round so our thoughts can change direction."  Pondering that idea, students will reflect on instances in which their own thoughts on a subject changed. After brainstorming some ideas, they will draft a poem to reflect their transformed viewpoint.

Later this week, students will be asked to explore their "inner landscape" of thoughts and emotions.  Again, following some reflection and jotting of ideas, they will craft a poem that depicts their internal world.

On Friday, during my absence (my daughter graduates college this weekend!!), students will take the ELA benchmark test they took in the beginning of the year.  In preparation, they will read an excerpt from "Diary of a Part-Time Indian" on Thursday night.  On Monday, they will retake a writing mechanics benchmark quiz given earlier in the year.  Please note that grades on these tests DO NOT affect students' report card averages, nor will these grades be posted on ASPEN.  They are mandated tests for my information only.

Finally, please see the link below for the Poetry Cafe invitation (a copy was given to your student).  This will be a fun way to celebrate the writing and reading of poetry that students have accomplished, as well as to bid farewell to our student teacher, Neil Vercellin.  No need to RSVP, but students may ask you if they can bring in a snack or drink to share (no nuts or soda, please!).

Homework:

Monday:  Finish "Our heads are round..." brainstorming chart
Tuesday:  Finish draft of "Our heads are round..." poem
Wednesday:  Prepare final draft of poem; turn in tomorrow.
Thursday:  Read "Diary of a Part-Time Indian" excerpt; work on inner landscape poem brainstorming
Friday:  Inner landscape final poem due Tuesday 5/16.

Our Heads Are Round...poem instructions

Our Heads Are Round... poem brainstorm chart

Inner Landscape brainstorming chart

Poetry Cafe Invitation

"A poet is, before anything else, a person who is passionately in love with language." --W.H. Auden

In this digital age of speedy, temporal, and inundating communication, it seems important to always bear in mind the power of language.  Writing poetry allows us to pause, to reflect on ideas and emotions, and figure out the most effective way to convey their essence.  As students grapple with choosing "just the right word, not its second cousin", as Twain once stated, their awareness of language raises to a new height.  When they play with literary devices to create fresh new imagery for their reader/listener, they take ownership of language that they can call their own.  The distillation of words and imagery in a poem demonstrates the power of language, which is the gist of our poetry unit.  If students can feel empowered to convey thoughts, ideas, experiences, emotions, and humor by using language to create unique images, then they are truly poets.

Today we are reading some of Pablo Neruda's odes to foods, and students will write their own.  Later in the week we will read odes to various people, and students will try their hand at that type of ode as well.

Homework:

Monday:  Complete brainstorming for food ode.
Tuesday:  Food ode draft due tomorrow for conferencing.
Wednesday:  Final draft food ode due tomorrow.
Thursday:  Complete brainstorming for person ode.
Friday:  Person ode due Monday.

Neruda's Food Odes

Food Ode Brainstorming Sheet

"If there was no poetry...there would be an intolerable hunger." --Muriel Rukeyser

So I was pleasantly surprised this year to not get the typical 7th grade response to poetry which involves muffled moans and groans and looks of despair.  If anyone was cringing inwardly, they have quickly proved that they are poets, they just didn't know it!  Once students' inner poets are set free, they usually find that writing poetry is not so bad or even difficult.   As time goes forth and poems unfurl from their pencil points, most even find that they want to write poems--maybe even more than what I ask them to write.  They begin to know the hunger of life without poetic language, without the sounds, images, emotions, humor and revelations that can feed their minds and spirits.

This week, students will conference their poems with a partner to gain the benefit of fresh eyes and ears to help them revise.  They will also pool their creative genius in small groups by turning "bad poems" into good ones.  As they delve deeper into descriptive language, they will use their skills and creativity to write group poems about an unseen object.  The goal is to describe the object so well that others in the class can guess what it is by hearing the poem.







Homework:

Monday:  Final drafts of mood/memory poem and acrostic poem due tomorrow.

Tuesday:  Find a poem (in a book, online) to read aloud to someone at home.  After reading it, point out to your listener the descriptive words and devices that help convey imagery and the subject of the poem.

Happy Spring Break!

After all the teasing winter handed us, spring has finally sprung!  I look forward to this break to enjoy the outdoors, clean up our gardens, and refresh my spirit for the sprint to the end of the school year.  I wished students a wonderful vacation week with the hope that they, too, will get outdoors--to play, to chill, maybe even to read or write a poem or two!

This past week, students were inspired by a music video and poem, "A Listening Air", to write their own poems.  They could choose one of two inspirations, either the mood of "A Listening Air" or a memory of summer.  After doing some brainstorming (organizer attached), they began drafting in class today.  

Their goal as poets is to turn inward to listen to the music of words in their hearts and minds, and to make the reader/listener see their subject matter in a whole new way.  They're being encouraged to take the expected and make it unexpected; to turn an ordinary line on its head to recast its shape and meaning; to distill language to its most essential words that offer the reader/listener sensory images that plunge him/her into experiencing the poem. While it's fun to dispose of the rules of standard written English, they are making deliberate choices about vocabulary, punctuation, and format that help convey the meaning and subject of the poem.

Attached is a copy of "A Listening Air", the brainstorming organizer, and the criteria for every poem written (students have these in their binders).

Happy spring, happy vacation to all!

Homework due Monday 4/24:

Draft (hard copy) of poem for peer/teacher conferencing.

"A Listening Air"

Brainstorming Organizer

Poetry Criteria

"Poetry is as precise a thing as geometry." --Gustave Flaubert

Wow!  Ah-ha!  Hmm...interesting…  I can relate!   I wonder… These were just some of the “nonfiction moments” students experienced while reading and interacting with a nonfiction book of their choice.  They wrapped up their reading and analysis with splashy slideshow presentations--what fun to hear about a slew of subjects! Topics included biographies of Hank Aaron and Maya Angelou; compilations by chefs, soldiers, and survivors of wars; pet care and babysitting; the solar system and larger universe; chemistry and writing; and one student even read about her ancestor who was accused of being a witch during the Salem Witch Trials!  

Apropos to the month of April, national poetry month, students are diving into poetry writing and reading.  They will be inspired by music, video, art, the natural world and their own inner landscape of thoughts and emotions to create poems in different forms.  We hope to celebrate in early May with a Poetry Cafe--keep an eye out for an invitation!  

Homework:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: Nonfiction book cover due by Thursday

Wednesday: Finish Mr. Vercellin's exit ticket for Friday

Wrapping Up...

We will be wrapping up the nonfiction unit by preparing slide show presentations.  This will be a fun way for students to hear about each other's books--and it might inspire them to read another!  On a more creative note, they will design and illustrate book covers for their texts.

Students are prepared for the MCAS ELA test which they will take on Tuesday and Wednesday morning.  Please remind them to go to bed early and eat a good breakfast so that they are fully charged to do their best work!

Homework:

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday:  work on slide show

Create a Book Cover

Nonfiction Book Talk

Practice Makes (Almost) Perfect!

This week we will continue practicing for the MCAS/PARCC ELA test, which students will take on the mornings of April 4 & 5.  The goal with our practice is to understand how to take the test, and to be prepared so as to feel confident and comfortable taking it.  The last practice includes an essay which I will collect for a grade.

We're also continuing to work with sentence structure, particularly fragments and run-ons.  On Thursday, students will take a quiz to demonstrate their learning and understanding of these writing elements.

Students should be in the final pages of their nonfiction text, and the final reading log is due on Friday.  Students have shared many "nonfiction moments":  wow!, hmm...interesting, ah-ha! I wonder, and I can relate.  On Friday, they will begin preparing a slide show presentation of their book.

Homework:

Monday:  Finish MCAS practice; rdg. log due Friday
Tuesday:  Run-On activity; rdg. log due Friday
Wednesday:  Frag/Run-on quiz tomorrow; rdg. log due Friday
Thursday:  Reading log #3 due tomorrow
Friday:  Finish MCAS essay if needed and turn in on Monday.

Run-Ons and Comma Splices #2

Nonfiction Moments pic

Thoughts That Are Fragmented...Or Run On

As students read deeper into their nonfiction books, they are recording their thoughts to bits of information that jump out at them.  Good readers are always actively engaging the text: asking questions, making connections, predicting, summarizing, and enjoying ah-ha! moments.  The  goal in keeping logs and using sticky notes while reading is to raise awareness of the active thought process that occurs. This enables greater focus and attention, as well as internalization of the reading.  Readers may find that at times their thoughts are quick, short and fragmented, while other times they may run on in a web of connections and associations.

In class we've been looking at types of sentences with a focus on identifying fragments and run-ons.  Students have been practicing rewriting sentences to correct for these errors by combining fragments and adding correct punctuation as needed.  

Additionally, we looked at an exemplar of a well-written response to a prompt related to an article read in class last week.  Students highlighted the parts of the paragraph (topic sentence, transition words, supporting details, quotes, and clincher) in different colors to visually see the pattern of logical order and cohesion.

Finally, mid-week we will watch a TED talk titled "The Danger of a Single Story" by Chimamanda Adichie and think about the impact of an author's perspective on his/her writing and audience.

Homework:

Monday:  Finish fragment practice #2; BRING IN nonfiction book tomorrow!  Log #2 due Thursday.

Tuesday:  Reading Log due Thursday.

Wednesday:  Finish response to "The Danger of a Single Story" TED talk; Reading log due tomorrow; BRING BOOK tomorrow! (need to renew at library)

Thursday:  Finish "Nonfiction Moments" handout

Friday:  Reading log due next Thursday

Reading Log

Nonfiction Moments Activity

Danger of a Single Story pre & post writing

TED talk: The Danger of a Single Story

Making Sense of Nonfiction...and the Latest Version of the State's ELA Test

It's always interesting to see the books that students choose to read.  Their nonfiction topics range from a volume of chefs discussing cooking to slavery, from a book about Ireland to the atrocities of WWII, from Steven Hawking's theories to circus history and culture.  The first reading log (double-sided) which represents a third of the book is due on Thursday.

To complement their independent reading, in class we are reviewing the features of nonfiction, and looking at how an author chooses language to suit the purpose of their informational text, be it to inform, inform and entertain, or to persuade.  We are accomplishing this using a selection of articles accompanied by MCAS/PARCC style questions.  This practice will help familiarize students with the test format and facilitate critical thinking about the articles they read.  

This week we are taking a closer look at sentence structure by identifying subjects, predicates (verbs), and prepositional phrases, as well as determining subject/verb agreement.

HOMEWORK:

Monday:  
1. Finish "Shark Tales" questions
2. Reading/log #1 (both sides [2 chunks] due Thursday)

Tuesday:
1. Subject/Verb activity sheets
2. Reading/log #1

Wednesday:
1. Finish Subject/Verb Agreement if needed
2. Reading/Log #1 -- DUE TOMORROW!

Thursday:
1. Finish "Quest for Speed" questions 1-5
2. Reading/log #2

Friday:  Reading/log #2 (due next Thursday)

Subjects and Verbs Activities