Monday/Tuesday, November 10/11, 2014

Announcements and Reminders: 
On November 11, all seventh graders will be job shadowing rather than attending school.

On Wednesday, November 12, and again on Friday, November 14 (for those who were on the science fieldtrip) a  make-up opportunity will be available during Cave Time in case you did not complete or did not hand in the paper for the External Text Feature Scavenger Hunt.  Also available during that Cave Time will be an opportunity to redo the activity finding external text features in books.
To prepare, study these examples:

External Text Features, Alphabetically 

Parent-Teacher Conference will be on November 20.  

Your November Book Project is due November 24 (B-Day)/November 25 (A-Day).

___________________________________________

Today: 

1. Finish the practice-test-packet you started last time. 
Write paragraphs for the last three questions: 5a, 5b, and 6. 

• Notice that 5a and 5b ask you to compare and contrast.
• Question 6 asks you to evaluate -- deciding which as most successful. 
• Use evidence from the article and story in your paragraphs. 

FYI:  The climax in the action  is the highest point -- the point 

of greatest tension.  At the point of climax, something 

important changes -- usually the conflict is resolved.

When you finish, read your nonfiction book.  

If you did not receive your November Book Assessment, you can pick up a copy from the English Handouts box, or find it here:  November Book of the Month.docx 
Click on the Download tab to open and print this document. 

2.  Discuss the articles, questions, and answers.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/9150922/ns/technology_and_science-space/t/millionaire-counting-down-space-launch/#.VGDA9fTF_u4

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/9313347/ns/technology_and_science-space/t/space-passenger-rides-out-highs-lows/#.VGDAwPTF_u4

Reading questions:
What is each question asking?

Multiple choice:
Notice Key words
Read all of the answers before you select one.

What is each question asking you to do?  Notice the VERBS. (See #6, #7)

#6  You are using context to find meaning.
Word parts can also be helpful when figuring out meanings:
Did you know that "astro" means star and "naut" means sailor?
So an astronaut is a star sailor.

#7   Different transitions show different relationships.
How different would the meaning be if the sentence said,
 "Greg Olsen enjoyed his trip into space because preparing for it was not easy."


Mission to Mars
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/chronology_mars.html

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/smith-mars-timeline/

Interesting connection:
http://www.marssociety.org/home/press/tms-in-the-news/walking-on-mars---in-utah

3.  Selecting Our Class Dispositions.  

 “A successful classroom is about relationships 

– about how we are together.”

dis·po·si·tion

ˌdispəˈziSH(ə)n/

noun

1. 1.

   a person's inherent qualities of mind and character.

   "a sweet-natured girl of a placid disposition"

   synonyms:

   temperament, nature, character, constitution, makeup, mentality "a nervous disposition"

Today we are working on creating a  constitution for the classes that meet in this room, selecting the qualities we feel are most important to a successful classroom.   In a couple of days, all of the English classes will vote on the qualities that will become the standard in this room.  

1.