We had a good class today. The students were ready to learn and we got a lot accomplished.
How does one think? I propose that thinking is really made up of asking and answering questions. And since writing=thinking, it makes sense to spend some time cultivating the skill of asking good questions. When you get good at asking questions, you will never lack for anything to write about! Our Quick Writes This year will be focused on the skill of asking good questions. This time, students were given the topic of Pencils. In three minutes, students each generated as many as possible:
things about
topics pertaining to
aspects of
PENCILS
as they could think of. They had some GREAT ideas! Each week we do it, the better they will become.
Grammar
Today, we talked through the parts of speech group projects. A sign up sheet was circulated for students to choose their own groups. (If you were absent, I assigned you a group. See the list below).
Group assignments are based on the mnemonic device IVAN CAPP. Each letter stands for a part of speech. Students will be presenting their part of speech using the model:
I do (explain the concept)
We do (lead the class in a short game)
You do (assign the class a worksheet designed by your group)
Each component of the presentation should take no longer than five minutes–15 minutes max. total. Students will have time next week in class to prepare for their presentations.
They got started on a Grammar Pre-Test to see how much they already know about the parts of speech. They have two weeks to complete and correct it at home. (KEY is posted on GC.) They will receive a base score no matter how many they have incorrect. At the end of the semester, they’ll re-take it and see how much they have learned!
As an optional assignment, they can submit a picture of "IVAN CAPP" to be voted on as a class favorite to use as a mascot for this unit.
We didn’t take time to discuss Ender’s Game in Literature today. Instead, we will have a more in-depth discussion next week for a Literature Discussion. For homework, they will read chapters 3 & 4 and complete 3 Reader Response questions.
Writing
In the writing portion of our class, we shifted from writing a Key Word outline for factual articles into a different type of outline used for narratives (stories). It is called a Story Sequence Chart. Instead of choosing 3 key words from each sentence as in a KWO, I modeled how to answer questions for each part of a story: setting/characters, plot/conflict & resolution.
I wrote a blank Story Sequence Chart on the board and students copied it in their notes. I asked students to memorize it for next week. (There will be a quiz on it!)
Then we filled in the template together after reading Aesop’s fable “The Wind and the Sun.” Students are to finish it as homework and bring it next week. (I attached a copy of my SSC you can look at if you need extra help.) In the future, we will rewrite the fable using that chart.
Links for This Week
Win a Prize!--IVAN CAPP drawing
“Wind and the Sun” Story Sequence Chart we made in class
Homework
Grammar Pre-Test–correct it (due 9/26)
Read Ender’s Game Chs. 3 & 4
Story Sequence Chart, Template & Source Text–Complete the template & bring it next week
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