Six Traits of Writing

Imagine a simple sandwich: two pieces of white bread and one slice of turkey with a little mustard.

Compare that to a gourmet deli sandwich: two asiago cheese buns holding fresh turkey, crisp lettuce, juicy tomato, and creamy Miracle Whip dressing. Each layer is organized and unites into a delicious bite.

Writing is like making a sandwich.

Bread = Ideas, holds the content together

Turkey = Voice, the central personality

Lettuce = Word Choice, precise and adds color

Tomato = Sentence Fluency, flow keeps reader interested

Miracle Whip = Organization, binds the flavors together

Plate = Conventions, foundation of writing skills

Cause and Effect Notes

The relationship of events is called cause and effect. The cause is what brings about an event or circumstance. An effect is the result of the event or circumstance.

How does cause and effect appear in math? Barbara has four apples. If Shawn eats one apple, then Barbara will have three apples.

Cause: Shawn ate one of Barbara’s apples.

Effect: Barbara has three instead of four apples.

How does cause and effect appear in science? If Quintin puts a cup of water in his freezer, then over several hours he will have a chunk of ice.

Cause: Quintin puts water in the freezer.

Effect: It is a cup of ice.

Try combining sentences with a cause and effect transition here.

Drawing Conclusions Quiz

If you can answer these questions using complete sentences, you have mastered the reading skill.

·        What is a fact?

·        When do you draw conclusions?

·        Judge the usefulness of drawing conclusions.

·        Contrast the fact “Black and white students attended separate schools” and the author’s interpretation “It was a tough time to be black.”

·        Identify the first step before you read.

·        Compare drawing conclusions, a reading skill, to writing a thesis statement.

·        Paraphrase the steps of drawing conclusions.

·        Revise this fact into an interpretation: Jackie Robinson was the first African-American to play major league baseball.

·        Design a chart to draw conclusions.

·        Contrast reading without the drawing conclusions process to reading with the drawing conclusions process.

"Ribbons" Speech

Prepare a paragraph response for each question, and on Monday I will ask you one question for an impromptu speech.

1.       Hypothesize how Grandmother felt about moving to the United States of America.

2.       Evaluate the conflict: How does “Ribbons” show that differences in culture and between generations can lead to misunderstanding?

3.       Evaluate the resolution: How does “The Little Mermaid” provide a way for Stacy and her grandmother to connect?

4.       Judge why Stacy thinks her Grandmother is a hero.

5.       Predict how Stacy and Grandmother’s relationship may change.

Here is the speech rubric.

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.
Answers the prompt concisely. Supports response with two facts and two story details.	Supports response with one fact and one story detail. Struggles to connect story details and history facts.	Answers the prompt without examples from the text.

Prepare for a Socratic Seminar

Research about Nelson Mandela, apartheid, and the movie Invictus. Write research notes.

Mandela Day

Anti-apartheid movement

If you were absent today, you will need to copy the Socratic Seminar notes in your composition notebook. Also copy the participation goal chart.

Response to Literature Objectives

Students will write simple, compound and complex sentences.

Students will write an effective hook and thesis statement.
Students will support ideas with direct quotations from the literature and personal anecdotes.

Students will organize paragraphs with effective expository transitions.

Students will connect supporting details to the thesis.

Contrast Clauses and Phrases

Review
Clause = Subject + Predicate
(Example) Mrs. Adler dances.

Subordinate conjunctions begin dependent clauses.
(Example) Students laugh because Mrs. Adler dances.

NEW
Prepositional phrases show the position of an object.

Some prepositions are also subordinate conjunctions.

Subordinate Conjunctions	Both	Prepositions
although as soon as because even though when if since that while	after as before until	of about on with in

These are examples of prepositional phrases.
1. The study of weather is called meteorology.
2. Meteorologists make predictions about the weather.
3. Their forecasts are broadcast on television.