Steal Away. . . to freedom by Jennifer Armstrong

The book begins with a letter to someone called "Free."  It is sent in 1928 from a hospital in the Philippines.
Go to the Pioneer Library and use the World Book to find out about the Philippines.

The page right after the letter says that the book will be an account (story) of a journey made by Susannah McKnight Emmons 
and Bethlehem Reid.
It says there are notes by Mary Emmons, who is also the person who wrote the letter on the pages before it.


The first chapter begins in 1896.
The narrator is from New York City.  She has a dear friend named Amy Van Tassel.
The narrator is 13 years old. 
Her grandmother, whom she calls Gran lives with them.
The grandmother announces she's received a letter from Bethlehem.  Could that be the Bethlehem Reid who stole away to freedom?
Bethlehem is in Toronto, Canada, so Gran is going there and wants to take Mary.
Gran says that Bethlehem "thinks we should write it all down before she gets much worse."

Mary's mother comments that Bethlehem is "an old slave."  That makes Gran mad.

Mary says she helped Gran and Bethlehem write their story down.  She says she found out that "Bethlehem was no longer in bondage, but that she truly never had been."

Mary	writes a letter	granddaughter to Susannah
Susannah		grandmother to Mary	born in Vermont sent to Virginia with an uncle after her parents died (She was 13.)
Bethlehem	p. 14 given to Susannah as a slave	friend to Susannah
Susannah's uncle	p. 8 a minister -- relentless, stern, sparing of words p. 10 a man to instruct, not to converse	Susannah's uncle	lives in Virginia, owns 10 slaves p. 9
Fidelia		Susannah's cousin -- a sharpness to her voice p. 12 14 years old
Aunt Reid		Susannah's aunt
Byron		Susannah's cousin

Topics: slavery, abolition,

A Few Transition Words and Phrases

TRANSITIONS TO CLARIFY for example for instance in other words put another way seems clear from this simply stated stated differently that is to clarify to illustrate the point

TRANSITIONS TO ADD INFORMATION additionally again along with also and another as well besides equally important finally for example for instance further furthermore in addition likewise moreover next together with

TRANSITIONS TO CONCLUDE OR SUMMARIZE accordingly all in all as a result consequently due to finally in closing in conclusion in short in summary in the last analysis lastly logical conclusion is therefore thus to conclude

TRANSITIONS TO ENUMERATE These transitions are to be used as sets; more transitions can be added to each set as needed. first second third one important equally important most important a significant another significant of greatest significance first next last in the beginning toward the middle at the end one also in addition

Combining Sentences Using Commas in a Series

The fox coughed.
The fox gagged.
The fox sneezed.
The Stinky Cheese Man flew off his back and into the river, where he fell apart.
(from Jon Scieszka, The Stinky Cheese Man)

Example of combining the above sentences:
The fox coughed, gagged, and sneezed, and the Stinky Cheese Man flew off his back and into the river, where he fell apart. 

I have  hair the color of carrots in an apricot glaze.

I have skin fair and clear where it isn't freckled.

I have eyes like summer storms.

(from -- Polly Horvath, Everything on a Waffle -- 2004)

Here is the original: 

I have hair the color of carrots in an apricot glaze, skin fair and clear where it isn't freckled, and eyes like summer storms.  

Now, everybody say "Awwwww"

Penguins in Sweaters
http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3756813

History Stuff

What historical periods and events are you especially interested in?  Here are some bits of information from our history:

Japanese Internment
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/01/04/144684260/gordon-hirabayashi-has-died-he-refused-to-go-to-wwii-internment-camp?sc=fb&cc=fp

Thursday, January 5, 2012

No late, make-up, or extra credit work will be accepted in this class after Friday, January 6. 

Self-Starter:  Under "Notes and QuickWrites" in your composition book, list all the emotions you can think of.  Select one and write at least a half-page about a time you felt that emotion.

1. Spelling Test on "fore-"

Vocabulary/Spelling #5              Test on January 5, 2012

Prefix to study:   fore- which means front (or before)

1.      forehead  (no extra credit)

2.       forecast     -- casten "contrive." Contrive = find out, imagine   So forecast means to "find out or imagine before"

3.      forethought  -- thought is from Old English: "cause to appear to oneself.”  So forethought means to "cause to appear to oneself before" 

4.      forefront  -- (no extra credit)  Note: Something at the forefront stands out, projects,  or comes first.  

If you are absent for today's test, get with me right away to take it before the end of the term.

____________________   

2. Receive words for the next test.
Next test: 

Vocabulary/Spelling #6              Test on  January 11, 2012

 Suffix to study:   -er, -or which means one who, that which (noun)

1.      farmer
2.      baker
3.      dancer
4.      teacher
5.      author
6.      doctor
_____________________

3.  We read from The Giver --  If you were absent, see the folders at the back of room for a copy, or ask me for the question packet.
The Giver
A1  page 125 to (Students are reading chapters 17, 18, and 19 on their own and answering questions in a packet.)
A2  page 130  to  (Students are reading chapters 17, 18, and 19 on their own and answering questions in a packet.)
A3  page 126 to (Students are reading chapters 17, 18, and 19 on their own and answering questions in a packet.)
A4  page135 to (Students are reading chapters 17, 18, and 19 on their own and answering questions in a packet.)

Reminders:

If you have not taken or finished the November/December Book-of-the-Month Assessment, you need to come in this week to finish it.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

No late, make-up, or extra credit work will be accepted in this class after Friday, January 6. 

Self-Starter:
a.  "Holiday"
      Write/list/ get down all you can think of about your Christmas/New Year's vacation.  Write continuously for about five minutes. Don't worry about writing complete sentences or about spelling or punctuation as you do this. 
b.  Clocks -- set appointments
c.  Pair Share
d.  Write, in complete sentences,  describing  Christmas the best you can for someone who has never experienced or even heard of it before.  This would be someone like the people who live in the community of the Giver -- people who do not have books or movies or passed-down memories, or even weather the way we know it. 


We read from The Giver --
The Giver
A1  page 108 to page 125, right after "'Love.' It was a word and concept new to him."
A2 page 118 to page 130
A3 page 118 to page 126, right before the page break and "Father? Mother?"
A4 page 121 to page135, right before the page break and "Back in their dwelling, that evening. . . "

Reminders:
The spelling test on "fore-" will be given on January 5.
The next test will be on the suffixes -er and -or  on January 11.

If you have not taken or finished the November/December Book-of-the-Month Assessment, you need to come in this week to finish it.

No late, make-up, or extra credit work will be accepted in this class after Friday, January 6.