Friday, February 11, 2011

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentines' Day!

Reminder: Book of the Month Project due this Friday, February 18.

Bell-Ringer:   Problems with Subject-verb Agreement
Problem 1:  I get confused by words that are stuck in between the subject and the verb!
Sometimes an "intervening expression" comes between the subject and the verb.  You need to mark out the "intervening expression" before you check for subject-verb agreement.

Example:
The famous rock star along with his many fans was trying to enter the Energy Solutions Arena.
The famous rock star along with his many fans was trying to enter the Energy Solutions Arena. 
subject: rock star    verb: was 

Now, try it yourself: Cross out the words that come between the subject of the sentence and the verb.  Then circle the verb that agrees with the subject.

1. A young mother with three small children (want, wants) to get on the bus.
subject: _________________   verb:  ____________________

2. The student who brings the most dark chocolate for Ms. Dorsey (receive, receives)  the best grade in the class.  (Just kidding!)
subject: _________________   verb:  ____________________

3. Taylor as well as many other students ( enjoy, enjoys) going to the school dances.
subject: _________________   verb:  ____________________

4. Forty-five teachers at American Fork Junior High including Ms. Dorsey (think, thinks) that school should start later in the morning because teenagers need more sleep.   (This is a made-up statistic.)
subject: _________________   verb:  ____________________


Watch out though, because if the conjunction "and" is used, the in between words become part of the subject.
Example:
The famous rock star and his many fans were trying to enter the Energy Solutions Arena.

subject: rock star and fans   verb:  were

This will go in your composition book, folded over and taped in. 
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Video: 
A1 from   "I knew help would come, but to be your, Lena, how wonderful" to the end.  Read to the end of the book if you've been absent.


A2  from  Lena after she comes back from Hawk's Hill to end.   Read to the end of the book if you've been absent.


A3 from  Lena at Hawk's Hill , Claudie puts the cow in the barn and runs back into the house, Lena at the fence -- crossing the barbed wire, finds wagon  to the end.
Read to the end of the book if you've been absent.


A4 from  Lena leaving to find her father to the end.
Read to the end of the book if you've been absent.

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Short Story: "Song of the Trees" by Mildred Taylor -- Theme and comparing with Words By Heart.

Make two charts in your composition book.
One will be titled "Song of the Trees"
Fill it in for 
Setting:     time and place
Characters:
Themes:

On another page, divide the page into three parts:
Title this page Comparing and Contrasting
Label them "Just Words By Heart," "Both," and "Just Song of the Trees."
As you read, fill in the charts.  

A1 to page 35,  2nd column, paragraph 3  (You should have at least 7 characters.)
A2 to  page 35,  2nd column, paragraph 3  (You should have at least 7 characters.)
A3 to page 32, top of 2nd column (You should have at least 6 characters so far.)
A4 to page 31, 2nd column, to "Big Ma's voice drifted. . . . . "


Fill in the charts as you listen to and read (in class) "Song of the Trees"  or, if you were absent,  as you read the story.  You could do this during Cave Time.


Reminder:  I'm concerned for many of you who don't seem to have started on your January/February book project which is due this Friday!   
     See the tab above for Book-of-the-Month. 

See an example of a student who is working on his project at http://a2cavemen2011.pbworks.com/w/page/35264438/Adam-P-Historical-Fiction 

http://a3cavemen2011.pbworks.com/w/page/35267564/Eric-F-Historical-Fiction 

 This student has finished her project! She has earned extra credit.