Theme Presentation

With a partner students will present one theme for two poems. Students will also memorize their poems (one poem per partner.) Below is the presentation rubric and an example of a theme explanation. Students will be graded individually.

A	B	C
Speaks with a loud, clear voice and uses meaningful eye contact. All memorized.	Speaks with a loud, clear voice, but uses little eye contact. Half memorized.	Did not memorize a poem. Speaks quietly or mumbling. Uses little eye contact.
Articulates thoughts in complete sentences and descriptive vocabulary.	Articulates thoughts in complete sentences and generic vocabulary.	Speaks in fragments. Uses minimal or confusing vocabulary.
Answers the prompt concisely. Supports response with two literary devices.	Supports response with one literary device.	Supports response with zero literary devices.

Ms. Avery’s presentation:

You will notice in “Fable” and “If” a theme about personality. The squirrel in “Fable” describes different personalities in this example of imagery, “all sorts of things and weather…make up a year and a sphere.” In the poem “If” the father encourages his son to “walk with Kings.” This is a metaphor comparing the son’s personality to great leaders.

Figurative Language Notes

A.K.A. Literary Devices

Imagery is language that appeals to the senses.

Ex: He loves the scent of blossoming flowers and the twittering of birds.

A simile is a description that compares two unlike things using like or as.

Ex: The rain seemed like an old friend who had finally found us.

A metaphor is a direct comparison (not using like or as.)

Ex: He was a library of information about baseball.

Hyperbole is an obvious exaggeration.

Ex: I was so hungry that I ate the plate!

Look at the poems on pages 131-134, and fill in the chart with at least one example from each poem.

Imagery	Simile	Metaphor	Hyperbole

Unit 3 Vocabulary

These are complex sentences, and the unit three roots are underlined. Study for the quiz on Friday.

You look great in these pictures because you are photogenic.

If I had X-ray vision, I could see through walls.

Even though he turned up the thermostat, the room was still cold.

We call areas where buildings are built construction sites.

The people who go to a concert make up the audience.

Theme Notes

The thesis is specific and communicates your perspective about the topic.

Writing Assignment #1: Choose a summer movie and describe the story to Ms. Avery.

Thesis: Many fans will agree with me that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows is the most thrilling adventure story.

Writing Assignment #2: Who do you admire most? Explain.

Thesis: Of all the humans on the planet, my mom wins the prize for best person.

Writing Assignment #6: Compare two characters and explain their relationship to the elements of mystery.

Thesis: A mystery writer includes details about characters that make us slightly uncomfortable.

Introducing Theme

---Same root as thesis

---Greek tithenai “to put” or “to place”

---As if you are saying, “Here is my idea about…”

What are some common themes?

---Defend what you love.

---True friendship stands the test of loyalty.

Unit 4 Vocabulary

That ringtone means my mom is contacting me.

This statue commemorates the veterans of World War II.

Put the old newspaper in the recycling bin.

Nowadays, actors must also sing and dance.

A chart or table in book is a graphic element.

Greek & Latin Roots 1st Semester

Vocabulary Study Guide

bio life nat born aqua water spec see/look gen birth/kind

ped foot mater mother loc place sign mark cogn know

aud hear struct build vis see photo light therm heat

act do mem recall tact touch cycl circle graph write

Mystery Character Essay

Students have read several mysteries, and they will write four paragraphs to answer the following essay question. Compare one character from the mystery novel And Then There Were None and one character from another mystery ("The Landlady," "The Highwayman," or "William Wilson").

Objectives
1. Students will compare characters from two stories.
2. Students will connect the character traits to elements of a mystery.
3. Students will write an effective hook and thesis statement.
4. Students will organize supporting details by topic paragraphs: appearance, action and dialogue.
5. Students will support ideas with direct quotations from the literature.

Response to Literature Part 2

Notes Review: Hook and Thesis Statement

A hook connects the audience to the writer’s idea in the first 1-2 sentences.

1. “Imagine”

2. Dictionary definition

3. Famous Quotation

Write a thesis statement at the end of the introduction paragraph. The thesis is specific and communicates your perspective about the topic.

Check your writing plans.
1. List of actions, appearance and dialogue with page numbers.
2. Analogy illustrations

Answer this question to help you construct a thesis statement: How are these characters mystery characters?

Ms. Avery’s Example

Dr. Armstrong	The Landlady
Appearance “eyeballs ached” (35) He is tired. Action “hands clammy…difficulty holding the scalpel” (91) He is nervous. Dialogue “Murder in hospital..Safe—yes, safe as houses.” (115) He is thinking about getting away with murder!	Appearance “blue eyes, round pink face” (74) She seems harmless. Action “body half turned toward him and he could feel her eyes resting on his face” (78) She studies him like a beast after its prey. Dialogue “No, my dear, only you” (80) She is focused on attacking him.

Ms. Avery’s Thesis Statement: A mystery writer includes details about characters that make us slightly uncomfortable.

Ms. Avery’s Introduction Paragraph:
            Imagine meeting a doctor or a little old lady. Most people will experience friendliness and trust. A mystery writer, however, will change your mind, and you will suspect characters like Dr. Armstrong and the Landlady. A mystery writer includes details about characters that make us slightly uncomfortable.

Response to Literature Part 1

Compare two characters and their relationship to the elements of mystery. In the introduction paragraph, include a thesis statement about your interpretation of the characters. Compare the characters’ actions as one topic paragraph, appearance in another, and dialogue in another topic paragraph.

Notes Review: Elements of a Mystery

1. Identify the crime.

2. Identify the suspects.

3. Identify the clues by the writer.

   --Check the alibis.

   --Check setting changes.

Writing requirements in a response to literature:

·        a hook

·        a thesis

·        supporting details with page numbers

Computer Lab Thursday

1. Log in.
2. Open the Language Arts folder. (Click Start, My Computer, and finally P-Drive).
3. Open "QuickSolve Internet Activity."
4. "Save As" your username in the "QuickSolve Graphs" folder.
5. Type your name and core number in the document. Follow the directions; fill in the table chart; create a Pie Graph of your results.
6. "Save As" your username in the "QuickSolve Graphs" folder AGAIN! (Yes, replace existing file.)

Care Creates Change

We will type our essays describing a caring person on Thursday. Your body paragraphs should include ideas about education, goals, and relationships. You must also include these terms: value, positive, success, effort, and focus. You may also look at the previous post for the complete prompt.

And Then There Were None Ch. 1-2

We finished reading chapters 1-3, pages 1-61. This is what we know about the characters:

1. General Macarthur is a negative, old man.
2. Thomas Rogers is a respectful servant who follows orders.
3. Ethel Rogers has shifting eyes; she seems scared or paranoid.
4. Anthony Marston drives fast and calls himself a man of action. He is reckless.
5. Philip Lombard seems dangerous. He walks like a panther and watches everyone carefully.
6. Dr. Armstrong says he is a good doctor because of his luck.
7. Justice Wargrave looks reptilian and has shrewd eyes.
8. Vera Claythorne is pretty but ordinary looking. She hates the sea.
9. William Blore pretends to be Mr. Davis from South Africa. Everyone suspects him.
10. Emily Brent is stiff, and she believes everyone else is wicked.

Mystery Novel

Yesterday we took notes about mysteries.

1. Identify the crime. (What happened? When and where did it happen?)
2. Identify the suspects. (Who possibly committed the crime? Who has the motive, or why would the suspect commit the crime?)
3. Identify the clues. Check the alibis. (How does the suspect's excuse match the evidence?)

Today we started reading a mystery novel And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie. Ten characters are invited to Soldier Island. We identified each guest by name and discussed why they are going to the island.

1. General Macarthur
2. Anthony Marston
3. Philip Lombard
4. Dr. Armstrong
5. Justice Wargrave
6. Vera Claythorne
7. William Blore
8. Emily Brent
9. Thomas Rogers
10. Ethel Rogers

On Monday students will work in groups and write profiles about two of the characters using the chart below.

Appearance	Action
He/She Says	Others Say/React

Writing No. 5: Hook and Thesis

Students applied each hook (imagine, definition, and famous quotation) to their introduction paragraphs of Writing No. 5 "Care Creates Change." Students will submit a final draft of the best introduction paragraph on Friday.

Write a Hook and Thesis

To answer an essay question, students will be able to compose an effective introduction paragraph. Today in our notes, we focused on writing a hook and thesis.

The hook connects the audience to the topic. We talked about three ways to begin an introduction paragraph.

1. Write "Imagine" as the first word of your paragraph and create a situation the reader can visualize about the subject.

2. Write definition or fact about the subject.

3. Write a famous quotation related to the subject.

In our notes we reviewed our first writing assignment of the school year: Describe a summer movie. Students wrote these example hooks.

Imagine	Imagine teenagers battling against evil forces to save their school.
Definition	The Merriam-Webster’s School Dictionary defines adventure as an undertaking involving unknown dangers and risks.
Famous Quotation	Manohla Dargis, a New York Times movie critic, says about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part Two, “It isn’t often in the summer that you enjoy the intense pleasure of a certain kind of old-fashioned cinema experience, the sort that sweeps you up in sheer spectacle…”

The thesis is specific and communicates your perspective about the topic. Perspective is the author's view or interpretation.

Example:

Many fans will agree with me that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows is the most thrilling adventure story.

Drawing Conclusions about Characters

These are today's notes for the composition notebook.

Elements of the Narrative: Characters

How do we readers draw conclusions about a character?

Character’s appearance Example: “On her small feet she wore a pair of quilted slippers…I realized how wobbly she was on her feet.” What does this character like to do? How do you know?	Character’s actions Example: “I thought Grandmother deserved an American-style bear hug. However, when I tried to put my arms around her, she stiffened in surprise…” What is different about these characters based on their actions, hugging and stiffened?
What the character says and how he or she says it Example: “Looking ashamed, Grandmother flapped a hand in the air for me to go. ‘None of your business. Now get out.’” If you heard this character speaking, how would the words sound?	What other characters say Example: “By this point, I was in tears. ‘She’s taken everything else. Now she wants my toe-shoe ribbons.’” One character’s reaction is crying. What does the writer want us to think about the character taking (Grandmother)?

Writing No. 5: "Care Creates Change"

Ms. Sharif was a guest teacher yesterday, and she asked us, "What does it mean to care?" In a series of demonstrations, we discussed the topic of "caring" in our education and relationships. We also talked about using goals when we care. In today's writing prompt students prepared a plan to describe a caring person. Students will explain the topic related to education, relationships, and goals. Students must also use the following vocabulary: value, effort, focus, positive and success.

Drawing Conclusions about Jackie Robinson

Write a paragraph for each of the following questions about Jackie Robinson. Practice each response because you will not be allowed to use your notes during the presentation. You will present on Monday.

1. In what ways does Sharon Robinson reveal her interpretation of her father, Jackie Robinson?

2. In what ways does Robert Peterson connect Jackie Robinson to Civil Rights?

3. Both writers, Peterson and Robinson, talk about other people in Jackie Robinson’s life.

a.  How does Robinson view her brother, Jackie Jr.?

b. How does Peterson characterize Branch Rickey?

4. Why are facts important in a biography?

5. How does commentary direct the reader’s thoughts?

A	B	C
Speaks with a loud, clear voice and uses meaningful eye contact.	Speaks with a loud, clear voice, but uses little eye contact.	Speaks quietly or mumbling. Uses little eye contact.
Articulates thoughts in complete sentences and descriptive vocabulary.	Articulates thoughts in complete sentences and generic vocabulary.	Speaks in fragments. Uses minimal or confusing vocabulary.
Answers the prompt concisely. Supports response with three details from the articles.	Supports response with two details from an article.	Supports response with one detail from an article.

Drawing Conclusions

These are today's notes. Copy these into your composition notebook.

1. Before you read, ask yourself: What do I all ready know about the topic?

2. As you read, determine whether the author is a stating a fact or an interpretation.

3. Interpretation – We take the facts as we know them and add our own understanding.

What I All Ready Know + Facts + Author’s Interpretation = Drawing Conclusions

Rhapsody in Blue Story

Students chose one character from the Rhapsody in Blue video, and they wrote a narrative. I instructed students to write a variety of sentences (complex or compound) and action words. Here is the rubric.

A	B	C	D
3+ complex sentences	2 complex sentences	1-2 complex sentences	0-1 complex sentence
2+ compound sentences	2 compound sentences	1 compound sentence	0-1 compound sentence
Less than 5 to be verbs	5-7 to be verbs	8-10 to be verbs	10+ to be verbs
5 paragraphs	4 paragraphs	3 paragraphs	1-2 paragraphs

I also reminded students to limit the clauses in each sentences. Students should write no more than two clauses per sentence.

Rhapsody in Blue Characters Part 2

We continued describing the characters by movement and facial expressions.

Character #1	Character #2	Character #3
Flexible arms and legs Runs smashes lunch Big, wide eyes Open smile, shows teeth	Slow steps Slouched shoulders sipping coffee staggered steps Dark circles under eyes Frown with pout	Dragged to activities by nanny Clumsy bumps into wall Small, beady eyes Straight line mouth