This week Character Counts Club started at Lakeview. Here is some information on the club.
The Club is designed to allow the students to participate in character building activities, teach positive character traits, and help out the school and community. Any sixth, seventh, or eighth grade student is invited to join as long as they attend the Tuesday morning meeting (7:30). During that time we meet to discuss any upcoming events.
The main component of the Character Counts Club is our field trips to Prairie View and Elizabeth Ide. When the Club visits these schools, we enter the classroom or perform assemblies encouraging positive character traits. We will take these small field trips three times during the school year. Your son or daughter will miss part of the school day for the field trip and be responsible for the missed work.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
New Novel in Reading
The 6th Grade Reading students were introduced to a new novel this week. We will be reading this novel together in class over the next couple of weeks. The students will be focusing on different vocabulary techniques (using context clues, writing new words in compound/complex sentences, and stating synonyms or antonyms). We will also continue to discuss different comprehension activities and practice the reading extended response format.
This is a synopsis of the novel:
Taking Sides is about a teen that lived in the barrio and then moved to the tree-lined streets of the suburb. Since the move he still has many friends in his old neighborhood but he also has made some new ones in his new school. He is still very loyal to his old school basketball team but he plays on the team from the suburbs. When he looks at the game schedule for the year he notices that he will have to play against his old team for the league championship. Still being torn between to schools and teams he is worried about how he can play his best while he is still very loyal to the team he will be playing. To find out how he plays against his old team and who wins the game you will need to read Taking Sides by Gary Soto.
This is a synopsis of the novel:
Taking Sides is about a teen that lived in the barrio and then moved to the tree-lined streets of the suburb. Since the move he still has many friends in his old neighborhood but he also has made some new ones in his new school. He is still very loyal to his old school basketball team but he plays on the team from the suburbs. When he looks at the game schedule for the year he notices that he will have to play against his old team for the league championship. Still being torn between to schools and teams he is worried about how he can play his best while he is still very loyal to the team he will be playing. To find out how he plays against his old team and who wins the game you will need to read Taking Sides by Gary Soto.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Reading Response Chart
Well we are two weeks into your first book report project. All sixth graders have received their temporary library card and have checked out a book to read independently. While reading, the students should be completing a Reading Response Journal in place of a formal book report. We have practiced using the chart in Reading class while reading a short story together. After reading a section in their book, the students should record the pages read, write a short summary, and a response. Below is the explanation of what we are looking for in the students' responses.
Response: (choose one for each summary/section)
1. a prediction of what will happen next
2. a question about something you don't understand
3. a reaction to something a character did or said
4. an opinion about what you liked, disliked, or found interesting
Response: (choose one for each summary/section)
1. a prediction of what will happen next
2. a question about something you don't understand
3. a reaction to something a character did or said
4. an opinion about what you liked, disliked, or found interesting
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Smiley Face Tricks
This week in LA, we introduced a way to make the students' writing come alive!
After learning about different tricks, students have been writing paragraphs using two different prompts; Write about a superhero power you would like to have, and discuss a most embarrassing moment. Students were asked to write a story using differnt "Smiley Face Tricks" to make thier writng more interesting and fun!
The following are the tricks presented in class:
1. Hyphenated Modifiers – describing a noun, pronoun, verb, or adjective with a series of words “glued” together with hyphens
Example: The teacher shot the class a I-know-this-test-is-going-to-stump-you-all look, as she passed out the quiz.
2. Magic Three – three groups of words, separated by commas. Each group has its own modifiers. Make sure ALL verbs are in the same tense!
Example: I was scared! My palms became sticky and wet, my back tingled with fear, and my body began to feel weak and cold.
3. Figurative Language – using comparisons can “spice up” our writing
1. Simile: a comparison using like or as
2. Metaphor: a comparison of two seemly unlike things (not using like or as)
3. Personification: giving human qualities to something inhuman
4. Hyperbole: using an exaggeration that is not totally true, but exaggerates the truth
Example: She was as embarrassed as a kid tripping on the first day of school. She nearly died when the the desk walked right in front of her.
After learning about different tricks, students have been writing paragraphs using two different prompts; Write about a superhero power you would like to have, and discuss a most embarrassing moment. Students were asked to write a story using differnt "Smiley Face Tricks" to make thier writng more interesting and fun!
The following are the tricks presented in class:
1. Hyphenated Modifiers – describing a noun, pronoun, verb, or adjective with a series of words “glued” together with hyphens
Example: The teacher shot the class a I-know-this-test-is-going-to-stump-you-all look, as she passed out the quiz.
2. Magic Three – three groups of words, separated by commas. Each group has its own modifiers. Make sure ALL verbs are in the same tense!
Example: I was scared! My palms became sticky and wet, my back tingled with fear, and my body began to feel weak and cold.
3. Figurative Language – using comparisons can “spice up” our writing
1. Simile: a comparison using like or as
2. Metaphor: a comparison of two seemly unlike things (not using like or as)
3. Personification: giving human qualities to something inhuman
4. Hyperbole: using an exaggeration that is not totally true, but exaggerates the truth
Example: She was as embarrassed as a kid tripping on the first day of school. She nearly died when the the desk walked right in front of her.
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