Help with Apostrophes

Student notes on Possessives.doc

Overheads for Possessives(1).doc 



Other information about apostrophes:

Noticing Sentences and Apostrophes

Using Apostrophes to Show Possession

 A Game for Contractions: http://www.vocabulary.co.il/contractions/intermediate/where-does-the-apostrophe-go/ 

and another: http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/game/en29punc-game-beat-the-clock-apostrophes

Another game: Possessives or Not?  and Soccer:

http://www.firstschoolyears.com/literacy/word/punctuation/apostrophes/interactive/possapos.swf

You could also go to http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/interactive/literacy2.htm#apo   and look for the activities and instructions for apostrophes

 Here's what Grammar Girl has to say: http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/apostrophe-1.aspx

and

http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/apostrophe-plural-grammar-rules.aspx 

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Cool video about apostrophe use:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE0IBPtbY2o

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Important samples:

a.  Do you have a month's supply of pencils?   Notice that the "supply" belongs to the "month" and that because it is just one month, you just add an "'s" to the word "month."

b.  Ms. Dorsey just assigned  us four months' worth of homework.  There's no way we can get it done before school gets out.    The amount of homework belongs to four months.  Because months is already plural with an "s" at the end, you just add an apostrophe to the end.

Contractions: 

c.  In '89 when the big Northern California earthquake struck, I was living in San Jose.  

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More samples:  Notice how apostrophes are used.

This is Ben's book.   (The book belongs to Ben.)

Julie, Sue, and Patty were eating lunch.  Joey ran up and dumped the girls' plates onto the floor.  They weren't happy with him.

It's Presidents' Day today.  It's my dad's birthday as well. 

James's sister put his homework into their brother's backpack. 

James is only one of five brothers in Susan's family.  The boys complain that Susan is always hiding her brothers' belongings. 

We're not going to school today.  I'm going to the zoo instead.

My best friend is Hailey Jones.   She's a great friend.

Hailey Jones's dad owns the zoo. 

I'll be going to the zoo with the Jones family.

The Jones' car is a Hummer.   

The children's favorite place at the zoo is the gorillas' habitat. 

Hailey's brother Sammy was born in '99.

Hailey's and Sammy's rooms are on the third floor of their mansion.  

Their mom's and dad's first names are Florence and Jess.  

Florence and Jess's  bedroom suite takes up the whole  fourth floor of their mansion.  (or) Their mom and dad's bedroom is on the fourth floor.

Hailey's family is going to visit their uncle's home in France this summer.  

Their uncle's name is George Smith. 

Next summer they will visit their aunts' homes in Australia.  

It's a day's journey in a car from one aunt's home to the other's. 

It's three days' journey from there to Brisbane, where Florence grew up.

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Tuesday, February 7, 2012

1. Self-Starter: In your composition book, under "Quick-Writes and Notes," write a half page or more about your own experience with the topic or opinion found in ONE (only one) of these quotations or themes from Words By Heart:  Self-Starter Journal Themes.docx

a.  Topic: Loss    

Theme: “Something always comes to fill the empty places.  Something comes to take the place of what you lose.” --Papa,  page 30

b.  Topic: Forgiveness    

Theme: It is better to be understanding and forgiving of others than it is to blame and to seek revenge.  

c. Topic: Forgiveness

Theme: Forgiving is not an easy thing to do.

 

d.  Topic: Self-Worth  

"Rewards don't prove you're somebody.  You need to know that within yourself." -- Papa in Words By Heart

 

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 2. Mini-Lesson on  Theme and watching for  themes in the video of Words By Heart. 

theme worksheet.docx

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For next time:  You should have finished reading your book by February 9th, and should have taken notes on character, conflict, and theme. 

Bring your book or the information about your book (title, author, number of pages) and bring your notes on character, conflict, and theme in your book.  

 We will take the Book-of-the-Month Assessment on February 9.

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Notes and Links for THEME

The Theme or Message:

What  does this book teach about how life could or should be lived?

--- about what is of value in life?

Links about theme:

Words By Heart: Topics and Themes

Topic and Theme
  
More About 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

Additional Themes in Literature

 

Originally published on Friday,  January 3, 2012

Friday, February 3, 2012

Self-Starter:  All students who did not get full points on the quiz should complete the apostrophes practice: Apostrophes 3.   Those who did may read quietly.

Noticing Sentences and Apostrophes

2. Spelling Test on im- words.

Vocabulary/Spelling #9              Test on  February 3

Prefix to study:   im- which means not     

                                   For extra credit, what part of speech are all of these words?

1. impossible
2. improbable
3. imperfect
4. immobile 

3. New Spelling words: Receive the handout for un- and -ist words.

If you wish, you can see this post for an extra credit opportunity:  un- and -ist extra credit

Vocabulary/Spelling #10 and #19   -- Test on February 9 

Vocabulary/Spelling #10              

Suffix to study:   -ist which means one who (nouns)

1. artist
2. physicist
3. chemist

and

Vocabulary/Spelling #19           

 Prefix to study:   un-  which means   not   (adjectives)

1.      unable

2.      unfit

3.      unequal

4.      unearned

5.      undone

4. Read more of Words By Heart.
 
Words By Heart Student Notes 2012.docx
A1    top of page 23             Video to end of spelling bee about 8 minutes in. 
A2    top of page 36             Video to  end of spelling bee about 8 minutes in. 
A3    page 10 to page  25 ?   Video to  end of spelling bee about 8 minutes in. 
A4    page 7, right after  "burdened by something"  to page 20   Video to end of spelling bee about 8 minutes in.  

Your book assessment is on February 9.
Your essay is due by or on February 15.


5. Computer lab  (Lab 201, second half) to do research on the nonfiction background of your book:
Historical Fiction Essay Research.docx
Historical Fiction Books and Topics
 Sample for Historical Fiction Essay
Rubric for Historical Fiction Essay.docx

 
Students who have finished their research could work on their MyAccess narrative story or essay.

Monday, January 30, 2012

1. Self-Starter 
A. Take the apostrophe quiz. 
B.  Put the two tape-ins into your composition book, and follow the directions.

Notice these examples:

His room smelled of cooked grease, Lysol, and age.   -- Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969)

Hector's room smelled of gym socks, Hot Cheetos, and lies. -- Jeff Anderson

Mine:  My car smells of Armour-All vinyl cleaner, banana peels, and teenagers.

Now create your own sentence using commas in a series. 

Use this pattern.

[Place] smells of ______________, _____________, and __________________.

To practice more with commas in a series, see this post: Commas in a Series

2.  Words By Heart 
Words By Heart Student Notes 2012.docx
A1  to page 13, halfway down
A2  to page 21, halfway down
A3 to the beginning of chapter 2, page 10
A4 to page 7, right after  "burdened by something"




Book of the Month Assessment Documents
Taking notes while reading:
Historical Fiction Assess Literary Elements. A(1).docx

Questions:
BoM Questions for Jan Feb.doc

Answers:
My January February Book-of-the-Month Assessment.doc 

Grading:
Grading for Jan-Feb Book of the Month.doc

------------------------------------------------- Essay Assignment 

We will hopefully have the computer lab   on February  3rd  and 15th, on the third to do some research and on the fifteenth to finish up your essay if needed. 

Create it as a word document.  You may hand it in prior to February 15th.  

Historical Fiction Essay Research.docx

Book of the Month Essay for Historical Fiction.docx


This will be graded based on your writing a complete essay, presenting your research on the background of your novel, using informal citation, and using seventh-grade-appropriate conventions.

http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/apostrophes.htm

Friday, January 20, 2012

1. Self-Starter: What Do You Notice?

Title: What Do You Notice?  -- You will tape a half-sheet handout  into your composition book under “Editing.” This is what is on the half-sheet:
What do you notice about these sentences?    Write about three things you notice about them.  What you notice could be about individual sentences or about all of them. Begin at least three sentences with  “I notice that. . . .” (Your “noticings” should be about the sentences themselves, not where they’re from or who wrote them.)
1.  Harold's eyes were glued to the floor.  He couldn't look.
2.  Harold is in the principal's office.  

  --Dav Pilkey, Captain Underpants and the Preposterous Plight of the Potty People (2006)

3.  Spelda tousled her son’s thick, black hair. 
        -- Paul Stewart and Chris Riddle, The Edge Chronicles: Beyond the Deep Woods (1999)
4.  Mac’s office is located in the East Wing boys’ bathroom, fourth stall from the high window.    
         -- Chris Rylander, The Fourth Stall

You could notice many different kinds of things, but here is something I hope you'll notice.  

Noticing Sentences and Apostrophes

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2.  Spelling test on "il-" words
See illustrations for the words here:  Illustrations for il-

3.  New Words: Vocabulary/Spelling #8              Test on January 26

 Suffix to study:   -ful which means full of, characterized by (adjective)

1. careful
2. beautiful
3. useful
4. helpful
5. frightful 

 

4.  Poem and discussion:

MERRY-GO-ROUND  by Langston Hughes 


Where is the Jim Crow section
On this merry-go-round,
Mister, cause I want to ride?
Down South where I come from
White and colored
Can't sit side by side.
Down South on the train
There's a Jim Crow car.
On the bus we're put in the back—
But there ain't no back
To a merry-go-round!
Where's the horse
For a kid that's black?

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5. Character:  How does an author reveal information about a character?

Examples from the opening scene of the movie Tangled: 

The narrator shows us what Mother Gothel does.   She hoards the flower.  She steals the baby.  

The narrator tells us that the king and queen are beloved by their people. 

We hear what Mother Gothel says and how she says it when she is explaining to Rapunzel why she can't go outside.

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Begin Words By Heart.
A1 to top of page 3
A2 to page 5, middle of page
A3 did not read today
A4

We noticed ways that the author showed us what some of the characters are like.
We also pointed out in A2 some conflict and a theme.

Conflict:  Lena vs. Winslow  = man vs. man
Theme: Those who are considered weak or foolish can sometimes overcome the strong and supposedly wise.


See   Third Term Requirements.
Words By Heart Student Notes 2012.docx


Research and Essay for Historical Fiction:
Book of the Month Essay for Historical Fiction.docx

Historical Fiction Essay Research.docx

Book of the Month Assessment Documents
Taking Notes;
Historical Fiction Assess Literary Elements. A(1).docx

Questions:  BoM Questions for Jan Feb.doc Answering the Questions in class on February 9: My January February Book-of-the-Month Assessment.doc Grading: Grading for Jan-Feb Book of the Month.doc

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Poems for Words By Heart

A Poem to Go with Words By Heart and the Topic of Identity

http://www.pbs.org/teachers/thismonth/civilrights/index1.html

Noticing Sentences and Apostrophes

On the January 20, 2012 self-start no  answer based on the sentences is wrong.
However, whether you noticed or not, we will look at how apostrophes are used in the sentences.
You will receive another tape-in about ---

Stuff You Need to Know about Apostrophes

•    Apostrophes show two meanings.

•    An apostrophe s added to a singular noun shows possession.

•    An apostrophe after the s in a plural word shows possession.

•    Apostrophes also show where letters were removed.

•    Words shortened with apostrophes are called contractions.

Don’t let this confuse you:

•    Not every word that ends with an s needs an apostrophe.

•    Don’t rely on chance rather than meaning with the apostrophe

•    Don’t use apostrophes to show pronoun possession.

          his, hers, yours, its, theirs

 It's a matter of style whether you write  1800's or 1800s.

Ouch!  Can you find the error?

Using Apostrophes to Show Possession

Using Apostrophes to Show Possession

at GrammarBook.com

at the Purdue OWL

another link about apostrophes

March 30/31, 2010

March 30/31, 2010
Bring your science fiction or fantasy book-of-the-month club book to class.

Practicing using apostrophes to show possession. 

Subject-Verb Agreement -- Individual quiz on subject-verb agreement (verbs agree with a singular or plural subject) to see if understand it yet.
Link: This site includes rules and quizzes. If you are assigned to complete the practice quizzes (or if you received less than 18/20 on the in-class quiz on March 30/31), this is the site to go to.  

Also, see examples of singular and plural at our PB wiki.

More Love That Dog and writing based on it.

Love That Dog assignments in your composition book:
Write a poem imitating "The Red Wheelbarrow."
Write a poem imitating "Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright."
Write a stanza imitating "Stopping By Woods":  "Whose woods these are, I think I know. . . "
List sounds you would hear in a place you know well. (Based on "Street Music.") 
Collect words and phrases you could use to describe a pet or another animal when it is sitting, running, sleeping, or performing some other action.
Write a poem imitating "Love That Boy."

See  Poems to Imitate, to be INSPIRED BY

Some classes have read the poem "A Slice of Life" and written in response to it.

A Slice of Life What's as confusing as last week's science lab? Can be as sweet as sugar? Then, sharp as a knife? Comes quickly But with no instructions on how to handle it? Can take you up to the stars Or throw you sprawling against a rock? Just when you think you've got it figured out, It takes an unexpected turn. Those who have lived it Either warn you about the dangers it brings, Or tell you to live it to the fullest, Perhaps you know what I am talking about. Don't let it pass by without making a mark Or saving a memory, because It will only come once, and soon the opportunities, The moments, the dreams Will all just be a slice of your past The piece of life that we call Adolescence. Katherine T. 1.  Write quickly for 2-3 minutes about all that this poem brings to mind for you.

 2. Borrow one line from the poem and write again, this time focusing on that line, using it as the basis as a passage that will perhaps be poetic. 
3. Write about what adolescence has been like for you so far.

ad·o·les·cence

 /ˌædlˈɛsəns/ Show Spelled[ad-l-es-uhns] 

–noun

1.

the transitional period between puberty and adulthood in human development, extending mainly over the teen years and terminating legally when the age of majority is reached; youth.

2.

the process or state of growing to maturity.

3.

a period or stage of development, as of a society, preceding maturity.