11/24/08

Welcome to a new trimester! I'm a bit late getting started with my blog for this tri--I hope you'll forgive me.

Things we have already discussed:

Glossary

During reading time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, you will be required to enter a word you your glossary. A glossary is a collection of vocabulary words and definitions found in the back of technical books. Your glossary will be a collection of words and definitions you find from the books you will read during reading time. I would like you to keep a glossary in the back few pages on your journal. Your glossary should be a chart with these headings: date, word, book page #, definition. As you read, look for words that may be unfamiliar, interesting, fun to say, or just plain curious. When you find a word you'd like to add to your glossary list, record the date, the word, the book and page number where you found your word, and a definition of the word in your own words.

This is not a dictionary activity. I repeat, this is not a dictionary activity. That means, don't use a dictionary to find your definitions. You will find your definitions right there in the book you are reading. Look for context clues (clues in the text of your book), first in the sentence the word is part of, then in the sentences before and after that sentence. Sometimes the context clues come through an entire chapter. I promise there are clues in every book you read to help you understand the words in the book.

Here is an example from Breaking Dawn, by Stephenie Meyer. On page 77 it says, "Finally the curiosity I'd suppressed so long got the best of me." The word suppressed might be an unfamiliar or interesting word to you. So let's look at the sentence to see if we can figure out what it means based on how it is used. Clue #1: curiosity. We know what curiosity is. It means an inquisitive state of being. She wants to know something, and she wants to know it bad. Clue #2: got the best of me. We know that means it won the contest, took over, or overcame. Clue #3: finally. We understand that to mean that it was a long time before the curiosity took over. That means she was able to hold back her curiosity for some time. So now we're ready to guess based on our clues. What does suppressed mean? It must mean to hold back. So for your definition, you would write "hold back" or some similar phrase.

It's just that easy.

This is a skill that you will use again and again. If you are able to use context clues properly, it will help you to be a life-long learner. Plus it makes school a whole lot easier.

You will turn your glossary in at mid-term and at final. I expect at least one word for every reading period we have. That means by the time the trimester is over, you should have about 36 words in your glossary. Each entry is worth 3 points. Make sure to keep up with your glossary every time we read so you won't have to make it up at the end.


On Friday, we read "Thanksgiving: A Meal Without Forks and Other Feast Facts" on page 137 in the literature textbook. After reading the essay, we made a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting the first Thanksgiving with our modern-day Thanksgiving traditions. This was a pre-writing activity to prepare us for a compare/contrast essay we will be writing today, tomorrow and Wednesday.

Today we started with reading/glossaries. You should have two words in your glossaries after today.

Next we continued with our prewriting activities--this time we wrote an outline. An outline is a like a map that shows us where to go (and what to write) in our drafts. This is what we covered today:

Structure of a five paragraph compare/contrast essay

Introduction (3-5 sentences)
• Hook: Grab the reader’s attention with a quote, scenario, question, vivid description, etc. Must be related to your topic. 1-2 sentences
• Thesis statement: Simply and clearly state the main idea of your essay.1 sentence
• Three sub-topics. Choose three points of similarities and differences you will write about. Briefly state these ideas here. 1-3 sentences

Paragraph 2 (5-8 sentences)
• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your first sub-topic
• Write a paragraph including specific details and examples from the text and your own experience
• Write a transition sentence.

Paragraph 3 (5-8 sentences)
• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your second sub-topic
• Write a paragraph including specific details and examples from the text and your own experience
• Write a transition sentence.

Paragraph 4 (5-8 sentences)
• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your third sub-topic
• Write a paragraph including specific details and examples from the text and your own experience
• Write a transition sentence.

Conclusion (3-5 sentences)
• Summarize—restate your thesis statement and three sub-topics in different words
• Make a closing statement. Tie your closing statement back to your opening hook.

Do not use phrase like:
• I’m writing my essay about . . .
• This assignment is . . .
• My first (second, third) sub-topic is . . .
• My thesis statement is . . .

Outline, Compare/contrast Essay
Directions: Use the outline form below to organize your compare/contrast essay. Choose your topic and three sub-topics to show similarities and differences. Section I is for your introduction. Section II is for the body (one paragraph for each sub-topic). Section III is for your conclusion.

Topic_____________________________________________________
I. Introduction
a. Hook___________________________________________________
b. Thesis statement____________________________________________
c. Sub-topic #1_________________________________________________
d. Sub-topic #2_________________________________________________
e. Sub-topic #3_________________________________________________
II. Body
a. Sub-topic #1_________________________________________________
i. Example #1____________________________________________
ii. Example #2____________________________________________
iii. Example #3____________________________________________
iv. Transition_____________________________________________
b. Sub-topic #2_________________________________________________
i. Example #1____________________________________________
ii. Example #2____________________________________________
iii. Example #3____________________________________________
iv. Transition_____________________________________________
c. Sub-topic #3_________________________________________________
i. Example #1____________________________________________
ii. Example #2____________________________________________
iii. Example #3____________________________________________
iv. Transition_____________________________________________
III. Conclusion
a. Restate thesis (different words)__________________________________
b. Restate sub-topics (different words)_______________________________
c. Clincher (tie it all together)______________________________________

The outline is due tomorrow!

11/17/08

Make sure to turn in your hall passes and late work vouchers for extra credit today. Tomorrow is the last day of the tri!

11/13/08

Today we started a five-paragraph persuasive essay. We talked about structure and we wrote an outline. We watched this PowerPoint presentation.

Structure of a five paragraph persuasive essay

Introduction (3-5 sentences)
• Hook: Grab the reader’s attention with a quote, scenario, question, vivid description, etc. Must be related to your topic. 1-2 sentences
• Thesis statement: Simply and clearly state your position on the issue. 1 sentence
• Three arguments. Choose three arguments you can use to convince your reader of your position. Briefly state these arguments here. 1-3 sentences

Paragraph 2 (5-8 sentences)
• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your first argument
• Write a paragraph about it
• Use specific examples to support your argument
• Write a transition sentence.

Paragraph 3 (5-8 sentences)
• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your second argument
• Write a paragraph about it
• Use specific examples to support your argument
• Write a transition sentence.

Paragraph 2 (5-8 sentences)
• Go back to paragraph one
• Find your third argument
• Write a paragraph about it
• Use specific examples to support your argument
• Write a transition sentence.

Conclusion (3-5 sentences)
• Summarize—restate your thesis statement and three arguments in different words
• Make a closing statement. Tie your closing statement back to your opening hook.


Outline, Persuasive Essay
Directions: Use the outline form below to organize your persuasive essay. Choose your topic and three arguments to support your opinion. Section I is for your introduction. Section II is for the body (one paragraph for each argument). Section III is for your conclusion.

Topic___________________________________________________________________

I. Introduction
a. Hook_______________________________________________________
b. Thesis statement______________________________________________
c. Argument #1_________________________________________________
d. Argument #2_________________________________________________
e. Argument #3_________________________________________________
II. Body
a. Argument #1_________________________________________________
i. Example #1____________________________________________
ii. Example #2____________________________________________
iii. Example #3____________________________________________
iv. Transition_____________________________________________
b. Argument #2_________________________________________________
i. Example #1____________________________________________
ii. Example #2____________________________________________
iii. Example #3____________________________________________
iv. Transition_____________________________________________
c. Argument #3_________________________________________________
i. Example #1____________________________________________
ii. Example #2____________________________________________
iii. Example #3____________________________________________
iv. Transition_____________________________________________
III. Conclusion
a. Restate thesis (different words)__________________________________
b. Restate arguments (different words)_______________________________
c. Clincher (tie it all together)______________________________________

We will be going to the computer lab tomorrow.

11/4/08 - 11/12/08

Mrs. Cheney has been a slacker! So sorry. Here is a recap of what we've done in the past week or so. We finished up the compare/contrast unit with a group project. Each group created a Venn diagram, then wrote a one paragraph summary of the differences and similarities between "The Monkey's Paw" and "The Third Wish." If you missed this activity, come see me.

The next few class periods we spent reading "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes. This story is in your red literature books. If you missed one or more days during the four days we read, you will need to check a book out and read the part you missed.

Today we are taking a test (of sorts) on "Flowers for Algernon". This is a making connections test--I'm far more interested in what you think about the issues surrounding Charlie in our story than the nit-picky details of the story. If you missed today, you will need to be prepared to fill in a plot map and answer several essay questions using examples from the story and from your own experiences to show me what you think.

Tomorrow we will start writing a persuasive essay.

Remember, due dates are a-coming! Don't forget--Friday is your last day to turn everything in.

11/3/08

We read "The Third Wish", by Joan Aiken, today. We filled out our compare/contrast chart. We found that this story was quite different from "The Monkey's Paw" even though they are centered on a common motif. Tomorrow we will be making connections with the similarities and differences.

Be sure to study your spelling words and know your POSOTW.

10/31/08

Happy Halloween!

Today we told scary stories in the dark. CREEPY!!!!

We talked about story telling techniques such as volume of your voice, rate of your speech, hand gestures, facial gestures, sound effects, lighting, etc. We practiced using our very best story-telling techniques to scare the socks off of each other. Did it work?

10/30/08

We read the second part of "The Monkey's Paw" today. Check out a book if you missed class.