Tuesday/Wednesday, April 12/13, 2016

Announcements and Reminders: Your seats are the same today.  They are just  turned.      Your Book of the Month Assignment is due today!  March Book of the Month 2016                                                                Next time students will take tests on comma rules and  word parts.  Pick up your pink comma review packets if you haven't already, and spend some time studying them for the test next time.      Using Commas Use your magical study guide and/or the chart you received to study your word parts.      Word Parts 2015-2016

Targets for Today: 1. I can understand and share my observations about interactions in a text.  State Core, Reading Informational Text, Standard 3:Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events). 2. I can determine the meaning of unknown words using context and word parts. State Core, Language, Standard 4, 5b 3. I can recognize the theme  (main point) of a piece of literature (poem). State Core, Reading Literature, Standard 2: 4. I know the meanings of frequently used word parts. State Core, Language, Standard 4b

Today’s  Agenda: 1. Individual Reading  and prepare to share your Book of the Month project. [Receive back your pink comma review packet, so you can use it when studying for the test next time.]     Using Commas 2. Share a poem.  3. Share your Book of the Month project. Turn in your book project. Also turn in the paper you filled out as you discussed your book with the other students. 4. B-Day Classes --  Using Context Clues  NOTE:  We are saving the context                                                                              clues lesson for another day for B-Day. B5 worked with the first two sentences on the worksheet. B6 worked with the first sentence on the worksheet. B7 worked with the first sentence on the worksheet. A1 Mrs. Mace -- Using Context Clues         What happens when we don't have a context for understanding? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybcvlxivscw&nohtml5=False begin at 37 seconds (5) If there is time left -- Word Parts Sparkle Some Types of Context Clues  Synonym or definition Noticing what the word is doing in the sentence: which part of speech it is. Antonym Familiar Words the unfamiliar word sounds like -- that would help it make sense Word parts  Here is the document to study for Context Clues: LessonAideContextClues.docx

Poetry by e.e. cummings

[in Just-]

BY E. E. CUMMINGS

in Just-

spring          when the world is mud-

luscious the little

lame balloonman

whistles          far          and wee

and eddieandbill come

running from marbles and

piracies and it's

spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

the queer

old balloonman whistles

far          and             wee

and bettyandisbel come dancing

from hop-scotch and jump-rope and

it's

spring

and

         the

                  goat-footed

balloonMan          whistles

far

and

wee

 

If You Were Absent: See above. Here is the document for Context Clues:  LessonAideContextClues.docx

Monday, April 11, 2016

 Read the following poem quietly out loud to yourself.

Example:
Without a comma at my command, more
punctuation I would demand.
There'd be no brake to slow the rush of cursor
crayon pen or brush.
My days of writing soon would end without that
modest little friend
Who slips quietly in between the words in series
long or lean. 

Now, read it again to figure out where three missing commas should go. 

© Great Source

Commas keep words and ideas from running together in a sentence. They are used between words, phrases, or clauses when there are three or more in a series. 

Announcements and Reminders:                                                                    Your Book of the Month Project is due next time. The time after you will take tests on comma rules and word parts (your magical study guide word parts).  Comma games online:  http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/grammar/punctuation.htm -- Select Comma Chameleon Quiz: http://www.softschools.com/quizzes/language_arts/punctuation_comma/quiz2140.html or http://www.softschools.com/quizzes/grammar/using_commas/quiz1004.html http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hme/6_8/grammar/gr6/launcher.html?qid=0605

Targets for Today: 1.  I can recognize a theme (central idea) in poetry. 2.  I can use commas correctly. 3.  I know the seventh grade Greek and Latin word parts!

Today’s  Agenda: Individual Reading and (hopefully) finish up your Book of the Month project. Poetry -- Today's Poems This poem shared by Mrs. Mace -- After Zeno "For my Father" When he was I was. But I still am and he is still. Where is is when is is was? I have an is but where is his? Now here-- no where: such a little fatal pause. There's no sense in past tense. -- by Kay Ryan This poem shared by Ms. Dorsey -- APRIL - POEM BY SARA TEASDALE The roofs are shining from the rain.  The sparrows tritter as they fly,  And with a windy April grace  The little clouds go by. Yet the back-yards are bare and brown  With only one unchanging tree--  I could not be so sure of Spring  Save that it sings in me.  What is the theme (the big idea that the poet is trying to express)? Is there rhyme? Is there a rhythm?  Commas  Sentence Types and Commas.pptx Word Parts  Word Parts 2015-2016 A Long Walk to Water    B5 page 17 to page 20 B6 page 25 B7 page 20

If You Were Absent: See above.

Text Structures and Beach Balls!

4. More on Text Structure

Today's Target: 
I can identify and write several different kinds of text structures -- using my notes -- especially the ones highlighted here. 

• description/definition
• sequence
• chronological
• cause and effect
• compare/contrast
• problem and solution
• classification

--State Standards Writing 2a, Reading Informational Text 5

Activities for Text Structure

TS 1.  In your composition book,  list all the types of balls you can think of. 

Definition of "ball" for our purposes: a solid or hollow sphere or ovoid, especially one that is kicked, thrown, or hit in a game.

TS 2. Add signal words to your notes.  

Your notes will provide you with words to use when you write, so get as many as you can. 

Text Structure	Signal Words
Description/definition	For example,  to illustrate, characteristics of, for instance such as…, to begin with, an example,  characteristics are, is  •It emphasizes sizes, shapes, colors, and details. *Look for the topic word (or a synonym or pronoun) to be repeated.
Sequence	before, after, first, second, next, then, finally, following, not long after, now, soon, when, previously, etc.
Chronological	before, after, first, second, next, then, finally, following, not long after, now, soon, in the end (dates, years, times, etc.)
Cause and Effect	as a consequence, reasons why, so, because, since, therefore, if…then, this led to, as a result, may be due to, effect of, consequently, for this reason
Compare/Contrast	alike, different, same as, similar, resemble, as well as, not only…but also, both, instead of, on the other hand, different from, however, although, more than, less than, on the contrary, as opposed to
Problem/Solution	dilemma, question is…, the puzzle is…, to solve this…, one answer is…, issue,
Classification *Look for the overall topic word to be repeated.	categories, characteristics, classes, classify, divide, dimensions, elements, features, groups, kinds, methods, aspects, (numbers),  parts, sorts, types, ways

For many signal words and questions in Spanish, see the second page of this document:

https://staff.rockwood.k12.mo.us/hermachcheryl/9lamaterials/Documents/LA_TextStructureSignalQuestions.pdf

If you would like extra practice, try this Text Structure Online Quiz:  http://www.quia.com/quiz/1137258.html

In case you didn't get all the notes from the PowerPoint, here it is:

Understanding_Text_Structures Revised (2).ppt

Text Structure 3 column notes.docx

TS 3. Beach Ball Text Structure 

a. Write a paragraph explaining how to blow up a beach ball, starting with the ball in its packaging.  (Notice how its is spelled!)  Use signal words!   (Use the half-page provided.  You'll write another paragraph on the back.)

Trade your paragraph with a neighbor as directed.  Circle your neighbor's signal words.

Pass back the paragraph.

What structure are you using?  

Did you put the steps in order?

Did you use signal words?

Small White Board Activity: 

b. Which structure is each of these paragraphs?  (3)

(You may use your notes on Text Structure/Purpose.) 

(white boards and markers) elbow partners (or slap)

With your partner, write which 

structure it is and two or more signal 

words or other clues.  Do not show 

your board until told to do so.