Authors of Substance Unit

Today is March 11, 2013 and we will be practicing for the ELA test coming up in April.  Students will take a practice test with multiple choice questions and a written response based on the passage.

We will continue reading our Authors of Substance books. Students will hand in their pamphlet notes today and get them back tomorrow to see what information they still may need.  On Tuesday we will be looking at ways to effectively reasearch online and perform Google search techniques.  

We will keep you posted as activities develop throughout the week.

Here is a super helpful link on how to effectively use Google search: click here :)

Another helpful link with the same search tips made simple: click here too!

Here is a link to a resource to help with making correct citations in your work. See page 9 for examples of citations for websites, magazines, encyclopedias, books, and beyond. Citing sources for your works cited  Also, feel free to explore this document for all things related to citing your sources.

Happy Pi Day.  In celebration of pi we will be doing pi poetry in class today!  Here is a little pi song for   all - 3.14

*Use this link to access the first page of your brochure. You will need to download it for your OWN use. Click here: Author of Substance brochure

Click here for a brief tutorial on how to cite images (pictures) for your brochure: click

*Here it is! Page two of your Author of Substance brochure is now available to download from Google docs: click here   (Complete brochure due Thursday 3/28).

Week of February 25 - March 1

Last week of the Poetry Unit:

ELA poetry practice and reading workshop on Monday

Poetry workshop, annotating poems, "Snow Day" by Billy Collins on Tuesday

Study skills and reviewing for poetry unit test on Wednesday

Poetry review games, BINGO and Around the World on Thursday

Poetry unit test today, Friday

*Read for 30 minutes a night for H.W., work on portfolio #2

New for the Week of February 4-8, 2013

We are introducing an all new poetry unit!!  Tuesday we will examine the basics of rhyming poetry. We will read rhyming poems and be able to identify the rhyming schemes.  Wednesday we will practice writing poetry with rhyme and rhythm. Thursday and Friday we will have a look at structured poems. A couple examples of structured poems are tanka and diamante. Thursday we will read them and on Friday we will practice writing them.

Here is a sneak peak at an example of a rhyming poem:

Our London Trip
 

When you go to London remember to visit the queen.
There will be many beautiful, tall buildings older than you have ever seen.
You will have to eat breakfast, they always serve tea.
But go for the rolls and jam take it from me!
We went there you know, my family and I,
We rode on the top of a red double-decker bus that was ever so high.
At there Tower of London the Crowned Jewels will be there.
The actual rubies and diamonds the queen wore in her hair.
Now for lunch, it is bangers and mash, we ate on the dock.
We needed energy to see our next sight, Big Ben, the clock.
Sherlockís home, the steps of St. Paul's and Westminster Abby.
By now Iím beginning to get crabby.
We hopped on the train
As it started to rain.
The conductor called out " mind the gap."
I thought to myself " London is great, lets call it a wrap!" 

Preview for the week of January 22

This week we will be exploring character perspectives according to each of your historical fiction books!  Make sure you know your characters and each of their perspectives. For instance, if they are a Patriot, a Tory  a woman, a slave, a child or a combination of these.