Equality

What word do you see in Equality?  What does that mean?  Describe using at least 2 examples.

Every Rose Has Its Thorns

"Every Rose Has It's Thorn"

Performed by Poison

From Open Up and Say ...Ahh! (1988)

This song is a good example for students of how even a person who is rich or powerful has problems.  It is an easy way to relate to adolescents who struggle with many issues daily.  Think about how this song might relate to Panchito in The Circuit?  Write a paragraph comparing "Every Rose Has It's Thorn" to The Circuit.  Use text evidence to support your response. 

Expectations:

• include details from text evidence
• 6-10 complete sentences
• correct capitalization & punctuation
• stay on topic

The Circuit--Post Reading #2

Pick a character from The Circuit and describe him/her in a paragraph.  Be sure to describe how he or she changed, what he or she thought, how he or she felt, what he or she did, where he or she went, and include character traits.

Expectations:

• 6-10 complete sentences
• correct capitalization & punctuation
• stay on topic
• include details

The Circuit--Post Reading

Now that you have finished reading The Circuit, put your journalism hat on.  What are the small life dramas you see in The Circuit?  Make a list of 3-6 small life dramas and include sensory details.  Title your blog "The Circuit--Small Life Dramas".

The Circuit--During Reading

What do you think it would be like to be a Mexican American migrant farm worker?  What would be pros and cons to having this job?  Include details in your explanation.

Expectations:

• 6-10 complete sentences
• correct capitalization and punctuation
• stay on topic
• include details

The Circuit--Pre Reading

Have you ever changed schools or moved to a different neighborhood?  What was difficult?  Explain.  If you haven't changed schools or moved to a different neighborhood, explain how you imagine it would be difficult.

Expectations:

• 6-10 complete sentences
• correct capitalization and punctuation
• stay on topic
• include details

No Guitar Blues---Post Read

Now that you have finished reading No Guitar Blues, put your journalism hat on.  What are the small life dramas you see in No Guitar Blues?  Make a list of 3-6 small life dramas and include sensory details.

No Guitar Blues--During Reading

1.  Add to your Every Day Small Life Dramas blog entry from 10/10/14.  Add today's date and jot down 3-5 small life dramas you witnessed in the past 24 hours.

Ex:  10/15/14

• Gaitlin excited about no milk left at the Gunn house because it meant he could have fried eggs instead of the same old cereal
• Mr. Duffy got new shoes
• Blood Red moon over Hayward
• Mrs. Gunn finishes the WhistleStop half-marathon in under 2 hours beating her sister to the finish once again!

2. Start a new blog entry titled "Right and Wrong".  Where is the line between right and wrong?  When is it no longer okay to do something?

Is it okay to help a lost pet find its owner?  

Is it okay to get reward money for helping return the pet to its owner?

Is it okay to not be truthful about where you found the pet?

Is it okay to work together to complete your homework?

Is it okay if you answer some of the questions and your study buddy answers other questions and you just share answers?
Is it okay if you give your friend the last couple answers on a worksheet to help him get done in time for class?

No Guitar Blues---Pre-Read

Did you ever want something so bad that you would do almost anything to get it?
Whether yes or no is the answer, explain the situation and the outcome.

Expectations:

• 6-10 complete sentences
• correct capitalization and punctuation
• stay on topic
• include details

I am a Journalist

Journalists observe, jot down story ideas, and then write newscasts.  Start a new blog entry titled: Every Day Small Life Dramas.  Jot down 3-5 small life dramas you witnessed in the past 24 hours. 

Think for a moment about everything you already know about techniques writers use to make their writing more interesting to the reader.  For example, you know that story writers often use dialogue to show characters' traits and emotions.  So do journalists.  Writers also add details using their 5 senses.  Good writers incorporate sensory details to make their writing more vivid. 

Look back at your blog entry from Wednesday.  Revise your entry with dialogue or sensory details to make it more interesting to the reader.  Can you capture the excitement of the SuperBowl setting in your Newscast by including sensory details?  Can you make connections with the reader by adding dialogue?  Give it a try.

When done pick a friend or neighbor's blog to read and comment on their use of dialogue or sensory details.

Newscast

Look over the Super Bowl story ideas you jotted down yesterday.  Pick one you would like to expand into a newscast, and begin writing your first draft of the event.Remember what we know about starting newscasts and writing in general:

• answer the 5 w's in your 1st sentence or two

• add a lead/hook, just a tiny bit of drama, to make it newsworthy and get readers interested 

• use a journalistic tone--concise, 3rd person, dramatic but truthful

When done, pick a friend or neighbor's blog to read and comment on their 5 w's, hook, and journalistic tone.

View the comments below to see examples of other newscast beginnings.

Small Life Dramas

Journalists notice small life dramas and try to capture the who, what, when, where, and why of those dramas to turn them into newscasts.  They especially like to look for dramas that no one notices.  Journalists observe, jot down story ideas, and then write newscasts.

Be a journalist and jot down story ideas from your observations during yesterday's Super Bowl.

Develop Your Power of Observation

Journalists are among the most-read writers in the world.  Believe it or not, you are a journalist, too, as Blog writers are a type of journalist.
Journalists notice small life dramas and try to capture the who, what, when, where, and why of those dramas so they can turn them into newscasts.
Think of something you did this past week at school or at home and write a narrative (story) about it answering the 5 w's.

Share your blog entry with a friend or neighbor, have him/her check that you have answered all 5 w's, and then leave a comment about the 5 w's or about how well you met blog expectations. 

Are you, you?

Yesterday you read a poem about twins who were switched at birth and forever confused with each other.  If that ever happened to you...."What would you do, if you were me, To prove that you were you?"

Expectations:

• 6-10 complete sentences
• correct capitalization
• stay on topic
• include details

"Mistakes Were Made" Rewrite

The prisoner stood before the court and said, "Mistakes were made," and "I'm sorry for what happened."

"The way he puts it, you'd hardly guess that he had anything to do with that burglary," muttered the woman whose store he broke into.

Rewrite the prisoner's words, to more accurately reflect what really happened.

Expectations:

• at least 6-10 sentences
• correct capitalization & punctuation
• stay on topic
• include details

Icky

What's icky?  Write 6-10 sentences describing 6-10 icky things.

Expectations:

• 6-10 complete sentences
• correct capitalization & punctuation
• stay on topic
• include details

Great Truck

It was a great truck, a fantastic truck, the truck of Carter's dreams.  No one had ever seen a truck like it.  It made Carter so happy.

Describe his truck.

Expectations:

-6-10 sentences

-correct capitalization and punctuation

-stay on topic

-include details

Doubles

Write a paragraph that includes twenty words with double letters.  Examples:  poodle, peep, needle, better

Story Elements

Yesterday you learned the Elements of a Story:  Plot, Setting, Conflict, Character, Theme, and Point of View.  Thinking of the story elements, write a short story from the following prompt:
A child finds an extraterrestrial in her backyard.  It’s not E.T. Who is it?  What is it like?  What does the child do?  What happens?  Explain.

Expectations:

-6-10 complete sentences-correct capitalization and punctuation-stay on topic-include details

Why?

Why?  Why?  Why?  A four-year-old wants to know why chairs have four legs.  You explain that it is for balance.  "Why else?" she asks.  She won't stop asking "Why?"  until you help her think of every reason imaginable.

List all the reasons you come up with, both serious and fanciful.

Expectations:

• 6-10 sentences
• correct capitalization and punctuation
• stay on topic
• include details

Urban, Suburban, Rural

On Wednesday we learned more about the differences between Urban, Suburban, and Rural.  Thinking about the physical and Human characteristics of each, which setting would you prefer to live in?  Why?  What type of job and recreational activities would you like to do in that setting?

Expectations:

• 6-10 complete sentences
• correct capitalization and punctuation
• stay on topic
• include details

Where were you?

We have now listened to 3 songs--including Alan Jackson's "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning"--based on a memorable event for all Americans living on September 11, 2001.  Today you are to write about an event that is memorable to you.  Be sure to include details and where you were when it occurred.

Expectations:

• 6-10 complete sentences

• correct capitalization and punctuation

• stay on topic

• include details

Perspective

Yesterday we listened to the song "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning" by Alan Jackson.  Although this song resonates with most people who experienced the events of 9/11,  you will see a different response or reaction from those who listen to it.  Write a description of what 5 different reactions might be.

Expectations:

• 6-10 complete sentences
• correct capitalization and punctuation
• stay on topic
• add details

Heroes

A hero is defined as "a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his/her life."  A hero doesn't have to be Superman, Batman, or Ironman.  We saw many heroes during the events of 9/11--firefighters, police officers, volunteers, strangers, etc.  Think about all the heroes in your life; it could be a parent, teacher, friend, etc.  Pick one of your heroes to write about.  Try to answer the 5w's in your writing.  (Who, What, When, Where, Why)

Expectations:

• 6-10 complete sentences

• correct capitalization and punctuation

• stay on topic

• include details

Like a Needle in a Haystack

Like looking for a needle in a haystack is a descriptive phrase we have all heard.  Think of all the chaos caused from the twin towers collapsing.  Now imagine you have a loved one who worked in the towers and might be trapped inside the rubble and debris.  Describe how you might be feeling.  What might you be thinking?  Would you still have hope?

Expectations:

• 6-10 complete sentences

• correct capitalization and punctuation

• stay on topic

• include details

Dear Body,

Pretend you are your foot after a long day of school and all of your after school activities.  Write a letter to your body explaining how you are feeling.

Remember how the format of a letter looks.

Expectations:

• 6-10 complete sentences
• correct capitalization and punctuation
• stay on topic
• include details

What does that say about you?

Writers can often tell something about a character by what the character says and how he says it.  

For example, if a 3rd grader walks into a classroom and says, with a little bow, “Good afternoon, Mrs. Lee.  I am extremely pleased to be attending your class today, and I wish you a successful and satisfying lesson,”  the reader knows that student is probably not your average, ordinary American child--at least not from this century.  

Try your hand at telling something about a character through his words, and how he says them.  Imagine each of the characters below and write out what each might say in turning down an offer to go on a fishing trip.

• A teenaged boy turns down his grandfather.
• A businessman eager for a promotion turns down his boss.
• A wife just back from her weekly trip to the spa for a styling and manicure turns down her husband.

Learning Style/Multiple Intelligence

How can you use your learning style(s) and multiple intelligence(s) to maximize your learning potential?


Expectations:

• Write 6-10 complete sentences 
• Use correct capitalization and punctuation
• Stay on topic
• Provide details