February 10/11, 2010

1. Spelling test on -ment words.
-ment means action, state of, result of
government, equipment, amendment, environment

Receive re-words for test on February 17/18.

Prefix to study:   re-  which means   again
1.    receive           extra credit:   (1 Point)   “ceive” is from the Latin capere “to take”
2.    review        extra credit:   (1 Point)   “view”  is from the Latin videre “to see”
3.    revise         extra credit:   (1 Point)   “vise”   is from the Latin videre “to see”
4.    revoke       extra credit:   (1 Point)   “voke”  is from the Latin vocare “to call” 

B4 did not receive the "re-"  words today.  However, they are available here, so you can start studying.  The test will still be on February 17/18.  

2. Persuasive writing about The Giver  -- What would you say to convince people to have or not have a community like that in The Giver? 

Your task to argue either 
    We should change our community to be more like that in The Giver in one or more ways.  (Security is more important the freedom.)

           (or)
    The community in The Giver should change in one or more ways.   (Freedom is more important than security.)

Audience:  Either the leaders/elders or the people/community members. 

For links to handouts and model essays go to : 
http://cavemanenglish.pbworks.com/Giver
You'll find these items:  
Persuasive Writing Guide
Sentence Outline 
Writers' Models to show what it takes to receive the various scores. 

We are working on MyAccess 
user name:  firstnamestudentnumber
password: 999lastname

Prompt: An Important Issue -- HB Unit 5 Level B 

The last day to submit these essays is March 12, but sooner is much better.  No revision points will be given for essays submitted after March 4. 


Important Notice:   February Book
Nonfiction for the February (spilling into March) Book-of-the-Month --

Have your book to bring to class before or by February 19.  You may begin reading it before then. 
You will create at least one type of external text feature for your book.   See the post for February 12/16.

 

February 8/9, 2010

1. Finish reading The Giver -- Hopefully! using Reading Maps

The Giver, chapters 21 - 24  = 27 minutes 
chapter 21 -- 11
chapter 22 -- 7
chapter 23 -- 9 




2. Writing persuasively --
Students will begin writing a persuasive essay based on The Giver.
Your task to argue either 
    We should change our community to be more like that in The Giver in one or more ways.  (Security is more important than freedom.)
           (or)
    The community in The Giver should change in one or more ways.   Freedom is more important than security.)



Audience:  Either the leaders/elders or the people/community members. 

For links to handouts and model essays go to : 
http://cavemanenglish.pbworks.com/Giver
You'll find these items:  
Persuasive Writing Guide
Sentence Outline 
Writers' Models to show what it takes to receive the various scores. 

We'll be writing these essays next time.  

 
 

What do you know about writing persuasively?  

Practice Spelling  -- Test Next Time!
-ment which means action, state of, result of   
government, equipment, environment, amendment 
Other -ment words:  judgment, acknowledgment,  abridgment; refreshment), a product (fragment), or means (ornament). monument,  appeasement, advancement, adornment , chastisement, containment,

Organizing Persuasive Writing

Organizing Persuasive Writing
for February 10/11

Ordering Books

Ordering online for Scholastic Book Clubs is set up for February.   Due February 12.

Link to Parent Ordering

Recommended books:
TAB Book Club
Fiction

The Lightening Thief  # 41 (read it before you see the movie)  
      fits the genre for the March Book-of-the-Month

Dragon Slippers #24  Great fantasy by a Utah author  -- March genre

Any in the Uglies series #82  -- March genre

Candy Shop War #14  -- March genre

Inkheart books #35 -- March genre

Ghost of Spirit Bear #29  -- April Genre  -- Adventure (sequel to Touching Spirit Bear)


Nonfiction 
Bodies from the Ash #6  -- Pompeii  --  February genre

The Secrets of Alcatraz #48   -- February genre

Bury the Dead #12 -- February genre



ARROW Book Club

Fiction
When You Reach Me  #87 (This is the book I'm reading next on my own.)  You could use this, too in March.


Nonfiction 
Knots in My Yo-Yo String  - #43- autobiography of Jerry Spinelli  -- February genre

Students on Strike: Jim Crow, Civil Rights, Brown, and Me  -- February genre

Amazing Students Come Up with Lots of "-ment" Words

accomplishment
aggrandizement
alignment
announcement
apartment
assessment
assignment
astonishment
atonement
basement
cement   (The word part "-ment" is used as a suffix here, added to word part that means "to cut" as in cutting stones in a quarry.)
comment   (The word part "-ment" isn't used as a suffix here.)
commitment
compartment
compliment
concealment
condiment
containment
contentment
element (The word part "-ment" isn't used as a suffix here.)
embarrassment
encampment
entrancement
envelopment
excitement
excrement (gross!) 
experiment
filament
fragment
fulfillment
garment 
internment
judgment
lament  ? (The word part "-ment" isn't used as a suffix here.)
ligament
merriment
ornament
parliament
placement
punishment
reenactment
retirement
resentment
sediment
sentiment
settlement
shipment
statement
torment
tournament
treatment
wonderment



(Kyle K. had a longgggg list.)

Student Example for Essay about Theme

Here is an essay that was written this term by one of our students:



        A whole society of people will stop questioning the authority out of fear. A person will do anything for someone if they really love them. These two themes don't sound like they belong in the same book. However, the book The Hunger Games shows how they go hand in hand. On every page it tells how people act on fear and not always on what's best for them and their family.

        It is sick to know that a government such as the Capitol can brain wash and corrupt a society for power. Power is the enemy. Many people will do anything for power. "Look how we take your children and sacrifice them and there's nothing you can do. If you lift a finger, we will destroy every last one of you. Just as we did in District Thirteen." (18) This is what the Capitol does to get everyone bowing down to them. They treat the hunger games like a sport when in reality it's their way of saying that they're in control. They have ALL the power. Time and Time again this is shown throughout the book.

         Another example is when Katniss arrives at the Capitol to prepare for the games she meets a mute servant-girl. The Capitol's term for her is Avox "They cut her tongue so she can't speak... She's probably a trader of some sort." (77)

        They keep the people in Districts to show they are under the Capitol's control. No one can leave the fence, and everyone has to work for the Capitol. "In closing all of District 12 is in a high chain-link fence topped with barbed-wire loops." (4)     

        Despite the threats from the Capitol, the people in the districts still show love. They will do just about anything to keep their family and loved ones alive and "safe". When Katniss's little sister Primrose was chosen to be the next tribute she couldn't help but to volunteer in her place. "'I volunteer.' I gasped. 'I volunteer as a tribute.' There was some confusion on the stage. District 12 hasn't had a volunteer in decades."(22)

        Katniss isn't alone in the fact that she really cares about people but because of the Hunger Games she's scared to get married and have a family. "I know I'll never get married, never risk bringing a child into the world, because if there's one thing being a victor doesn't guarantee, it's your children's safety."(311) She really wants to be able to love but in this society how can she?

        Everyone wants to change the Capitol but no one has the power and authority to do so. "I keep wishing I could think of a way to show the capitol they don't own me. That I'm more then just a piece in their games."(142) Any negative talk towards the Capitol can get you severally punished. "When I was younger, I scared my mother to death, the things I would blurt out about district 12, about the people who rule our country, Panem... eventually I understood this would only lead us to more trouble."(43) Eventually Katniss has an opportunity to make a difference. The Districts supports Katniss but the Capitol doesn't agree. "Listen up. Your in trouble. Word is the Capitol's furious about you showing them up in the arena."(356)

        The most frightening thing about these two themes is that we see them happen all around us. Many people love their family and friends and do what ever they possibly can to help them survive. While they try to help their families they still act in fear. Power in government can be a dangerous thing in the wrong hands. It is up to the people to keep it in balance even if it means risking our lives as Katniss did.

Thank you to Kortnee!

February 3/4, 2010

Spelling:  The suffix for today is -ment.

Vocabulary/Spelling #16           Test on February 10/11

 Suffix to study:   -ment  which means action, state of, result of

Notice that -ment turns words (usually verbs)  into nouns.

1.     government       gov -  ern   - ment          

             Extra credit: “Govern” comes from a Latin word meaning “to steer” as in steering a ship.  

2.     equipment      e – quip – ment

                Extra credit:  “Equip” comes from an Old Norse (Scandinavia/Norwegian) word meaning “ship” because it originally had to do with fitting out (preparing everything needed for)  a ship.  

     

3.     environment      en-vi-ron-ment

                  Extra credit: “En” means “in.”   “Viron” comes from  “around, circle, turn.”

4.     amendment    a-mend-ment

                  Extra credit: “Amend” means to “correct, or to free from fault.”

                 Do you know about any of the amendments to the Constitution of the United States?

                                     Ode to "-ment"

                     Modifying  words into  

                        Everyday 

                          Nouns.

                             Tricky 

                                Old 

                                   Suffix!

For all the prefix/suffix spelling assignments, see http://cavemanenglish.pbworks.com/Prefixe-Suffixes-Spelling-Term-3



The Giver, chapters 17 - 20 = about 53 minutes
        Today you'll be reading on your own and answering questions about what you read.

chapter 17 --  13 minutes  
chapter 18 -- 11
chapter 19 -- 10
chapter 20 -- 19