Writing With Writers -- Online Activity

Writing News Stories
http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/news/index.htm

Nouns

This one is more for the moms (and dads) than for you students:

List of Character Traits

Character Traits – List 2

Characters (and real-life people) have unique attributes called traits. Use the following list of character traits as a guideline when writing book reports and essays about the different characters you've read about. Don't stop with this list, though; you can probably think of many more terms to describe your characters.

# Honest

# Light-hearted

# Leader

# Expert

# Brave

# Conceited -- Humble

# Mischievous

# Demanding

# Thoughtful

# Keen

# Happy

# Disagreeable -- Agreeable

# Simple

# Fancy

# Plain

# Excited

# Studious

# Inventive

# Creative

# Thrilling

# Independent

# Intelligent

# Compassionate

# Gentle

# Proud

# Wild

# Messy

# Neat

# Joyful

# Strong

# Bright

# Courageous

# Serious

# Funny

# Humorous

# Sad

# Poor

# Rich

# Tall

# Dark

# Light

# Handsome

# Pretty

# Ugly

# Selfish

# Unselfish

# Self-confident

# Respectful

# Considerate

# Imaginative

# Busy

# Patriotic

# Fun-loving

# Popular

# Successful

# Responsible

# Lazy

# Dreamer

# Helpful

# Simple-minded

# Humble

# Friendly

# Short

# Adventurous

# Hard-working

# Timid

# Shy

# Bold

# Daring

# Dainty

# Pitiful

# Cooperative

# Lovable

# Prim

# Proper

# Ambitious

# Able

# Quiet

# Curious

# Reserved

# Pleasing

# Bossy

# Witty

# Fighter

# Tireless

# Energetic

# Cheerful

# Smart

# Impulsive

# Loyal

Character Traits list from

© 2000-2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Enrichment:  Extra Information about Adjectives:

Character Traits and Adjectives

  Previously published 10/2/10

Hints for Revising, Finishing Outsiders Essays

Hints for Your Outsiders Essays

Character Traits

Use the pattern that you copied on that folded sheet and taped in your composition book:

Paragraphs:

1. Introduction ending with a topic sentence that tells which three qualities you will be writing about.

2. Paragraph proving that your character has the first character trait and explaining how it affects or influences other characters in the book.

3. Paragraph proving that your character has the second character trait and explaining how it affects or influences other characters in the book.

4. Paragraph proving that your character has the third character trait and explaining how it affects or influences other characters in the book.

5. Concluding paragraph that brings the essay to a close and has a final concluding sentence.

·      Use specific evidence from the book that the qualities you choose fit your character.

·      Use the words from the prompt: character traits, positive, negative, affect, effect, etc.

Analysis

Use the pattern that you copied on that folded sheet and taped in your composition book:

Paragraphs:

1. Introduction ending with a topic sentence that tells which three qualities you will be writing about.

2. Paragraph proving that your character has the first character trait by using things that he says and does and/or things other characters say to or about him.

3. Paragraph proving that your character has the second character trait by using things that he says and does and/or things other characters say to or about him.

4. Paragraph proving that your character has the third character trait by using things that he says and does and/or things other characters say to or about him.

5. Concluding paragraph that brings the essay to a close and has a final concluding sentence.

·      Use specific evidence that the adjectives you choose fit your character.

·      Use in your essay words from the prompt:  adjectives, what he says, what he does, and how other characters react to him, and how he reacts in certain situations.

Use italics, not quotation marks, for book titles.

Friday, October 7, 2011

You will have a substitute teacher today because I will be attending the Utah Council of English Teachers Conference and meeting Neal Shusterman, author of  The Schwa Was Here, Antsy Does Time,  Unwind, and others.   You will accomplish much while I am gone, I trust.

P.T.S.A. Reflections entries are due by Wednesday, October 19.   Extra credit is available in English class for entering the literature division.

Book orders are due by the 14th.  I could send an order before that if I receive enough requests.

Self-Starter:  Students completed a packet about "The Perfect Paragraph."  If you were absent, pick up a packet from the back of the room.

The class watched part  of  The Outsiders.
 A1 to the point where Johnny and Ponyboy at the lot.
A2 to Johnny and Ponyboy on the train.
A3 to Johnny and Ponyboy getting help from Dally before leaving town.
A4 to Dally, Johnny, and Ponyboy at the Dairy Queen.

Students filled out a Venn Diagram to compare and contrast the movie and book so far.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Self-Starter: Students picked up their composition books and the worksheet about TOPICS.  Find it in the folders at the back of the room, or download here:  topics and topic sentences.doc 

2.  We started investigating a "crime"   to begin learning how to state a simple argument with evidence, rule, and conclusion.   Students took some notes in their composition books under "Notes and QuickWrites," and in small groups wrote out more evidence and rules on a handout.  Look in the folders at the back of the room for the information about the case  and for the small group handout.

Mock Trial starts today.
Ms. Dorsey's classroom during Cave Time


Tonight is Shakespeare Night.

7 pm in the New Auditorium 

Free

Monday, October 3, 2011

 Self-Starter:
Step 1.   In your composition book, label this entry Positives and Negatives and add today's date.  Create a chart of two columns to list your ideas about what makes it either good or bad that October or Autumn is here:

Positives  (Pro)         Negatives (Con)  

Step 2.  When the teacher directs you to do so, move to your assigned group.  Working with two or three classmates, share your ideas, and decide whether you would like to argue pro or con.  Select the three best reasons from your list and create a paragraph that presents your argument. 


Do's and Don'ts 
Do use complete sentences.
Do use
1) a topic sentence that introduces the topic and makes a statement about it,
2) three supporting details (evidence) in the body of the paragraph,
3) and a conclusion that makes the paragraph feel complete. 

Do not start out using the words "I am going to tell you about. . . " or anything like that.
Do not end with "The End," or "That's all I have to say," or anything like that.
Avoid the word "you."

Write a clean copy of it on a neat piece of lined paper.  Make sure all of your names are on THE BACK OF THE PAGE.  Turn it in to the wire basket.

Paragraphs -- Let's Make Sure You Understand

___________________________

3.  Reading The Outsiders (and listening to the audio book) --
A1 from page 99 (Chapter 6, 22:31) to  page 104 (Chapter 6, 32:48)
A2 from  page 98 (Chapter 6, 22:21? top of page 98) to page 110 (Chapter 7 -- page 110, nightmare)
A3  from page 93, (Chapter 6, 14:36) to page 101 (Chapter 6, 20:05)
A4 from   page 104, (Chapter 6, 32:0) to page112 (page 110, nightmare 3:00)

List episodes/events in your composition book.   Notice conflict.

________________________________________

Make up for the September Book-of-the-Month Club is available on Thursday, October 6.  Come to Ms. Dorsey's room for Cave Time.  Bring your book and notes.   Because this is a test, you may not do it at home.

When you come to do it, you will go to Friday, September 23, 2011 on this blog.

Scholastic book orders are due by October 14.

Go here to see Stuff about Books that you used or may want to use for your Book-of-the-Month