Reminder of Term 4 Targets

Book-of-the-Month:  Sign up for your book by April 7.  Be half-way through reading it or so by April 18, and bring it to class all that week and the next so you are prepared to do some in-class activities with the book.  The book for this time should be contemporary realistic fiction: a novel that could happen in our time, but is a fictional (made-up) story.  Select a book that has 100 pages or more and that you have not read before.  

Contemporary Realistic Fiction 

Reminder of Term 4 Targets  -- You received this list in class on March 30.
    We will be taking the State Core Test this term (the last week of April).  Improve your score by reviewing and learning these items.

To download and print this list, click on the link here:

Preview of Term 4 Targets.doc

1. Review prefixes and suffixes and associated words.  Prefixes and Suffixes Chart 2010 
2. Test your knowledge of external text features

External Text Features:   Examples of External Text Features
Make sure you can recognize 
captions  (tell you about photos, pictures, other illustrations)
graphs and charts  -- a graph is a drawing illustrating the relations between certain quantities plotted with reference to a set of axes -- http://dictionary.kids.net.au/word/graph
tables -  A table presents information in rows and columns.
table of contents -- found at the beginning of a book, it is a list of divisions (chapters or articles) and the pages on which they start
index -- (in a nonfiction book, monograph, etc.) a more or less detailed alphabetical listing of names, places, and topics along with the numbers of the pages on which they are mentioned or discussed, usually at the back of the book. -- dictionary.com
glossary -- 1.  a list of terms in a special subject, field, or area of usage, with accompanying definitions.

2.  such a list at the back of a book, explaining or defining difficult or unusual words and expressions used in the text. -- dictionary.com

titles -- the distinguishing name of a book, poem, picture, piece of music, or the like. -- dictionary.com
headings -- a main division, as of a  book, lecture, speech, essay, etc. -- http://dictionary.reverso.net/english-definition/heading
subheadings --   Subheadings are titles that divide part of a piece of writing into shorter sections. -- http://dictionary.reverso.net/english-cobuild/sub-heading
bolded words  -- (also called bold face)   a weight of type characterized by thick heavy lines -- http://dictionary.reverso.net/english-definition/bolded

    external text feature test.ppt  This is the test we already took. 

1. Review commonly confused words.  confused words chart.doc

2. Using Apostrophes to Show Possession

3. Lie and Lay 

   Lie and Lay

4. Internal Text Structures   

   chronological, sequence, description 

   Slide show from April 1 ( internal text structures.ppt ) for -- 
   Descriptive   Description Internal Text Structure
   Chronological  Chronological Internal Text Structure
   Sequence   Sequence Internal Text Structure

5. Main Idea, Important Details,  Summarizing

        Also writing paragraphs:  Transition Word List from Ms John.doc

   Play some very simple games with recognizing main idea: http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ela4/h/mainideap2.cfm 

   http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ela4/h/mainideap3.cfm   

   http://www.quia.com/pop/120023.html?AP_rand=109711560

    

6. Writing complete, correct sentences, and how to fix sentence fragments and achieve sentence variety.    Clauses and "Is it a complete sentence?"

   9.  Using context clues of definition and explanation to figure out what a word means.

           Context Clues for Seventh Grade

   10.  Review commas in a series.  

   Example:  The orange highlighted part shows commas in a series.

   "Adverbs, words that describe or add information to verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, should be used sparingly."  

          For more information on Parts of Speech, go to  Parts of Speech.

   Game with Commas in a Series

   Remember this?   Commas in a Series -- What's Different?

   11.  Review parts of a story: exposition, rising action, climax, and falling action. 

   12.  Review how we learn about a character in a story:  through his or her speech, actions, appearance, thoughts, and through what others say about that character.  

   13.  Review figurative language used in writing, especially simile and metaphor. 

   Glossary of Literary Terms

   Narrator in Literature

   14.  Consider more how to choose the best word to use by recognizing shades of meaning.  

   Is the water she spilled on her lap tepid, warm, hot, or scalding?  That would make a difference! 

   Is that person you're going to the jewelry store with your friend,  your helper, or your accomplice.  That could make a difference to you, and, in the case of the last word, to the police! They're all people you could hang out with, but have different shades of meaning.

   Shades of Meaning

   15.  Review effective research and reporting (inquiry), including asking questions, using reference books and reliable sources, and using informal citation.

   16.  We'll also look at more poetry and at author's and reader's purpose.   

    

   Here is a link about narrator:   Narrator in Literature

   And here are some links about theme:

   More About Theme

   Topic and Theme

   Another example of Theme

   Examples of Theme from Movies

   Student Examples for Themes

   More Examples of Theme from Students

    Student Example for Essay about Theme

    

   Links about simile and metaphor: 

   Figurative Language

   Chart for Examples and Non-Examples of Simile and Metaphor

    

   And here are more links about simile and metaphor:

   http://www.buzzle.com/articles/examples-of-similes.html

    

   Using strong verbs:

   Verbs -- Strong and Weak

    

   
   

    

    

   Originally published in March, 2011