Week of January 26, 2009
This is the beginning of the 4th marking period (second semester) of the year. We will be engaging in a medical biotechnology unit, which will serve as the basis for writing a realistic fiction piece. This will be a very exciting unit! It is my hope that ALL students find themselves interested in every part of it. So, I invite you to come with your hearts, minds, and imaginations ready to explore medical miracles and stem cell usage, as well as, write about the truest and deepest parts of yourselves. Let’s have fun imagining and exploring together!
Monday, January 26th
Bell Work: What is your ELA goal for this marking period?
1. Students will finish typing, revise, edit, and print their personal essays.
2. Next, evaluate their essays using the rubric.
3. Then, turn in their essay with rubric attached.
Tuesday, January 27th Today we celebrate the completion of the personal essays!
Bell Work: 1. Get and fill out a PLUS Compliment sheet (if your essay was complete and turned in yesterday) 2. Read the PLUS Compliments Starters.
1. Each student will be given two post-it notes.
2. Students will rotate around the room. In silence, they will read the personal essay, then write on the post-it sheet a compliment and leave it on the sheet next to the essay. Then, move to the next available essay.
3. Next, the vocabulary term, realistic fiction, will be introduced.
4. First, students will write down what they think it means. Second, share their definition with their table partners. Third, decide as a group which is the best definition at your table and it is to be written on a much larger sheet of paper. Fourth, each table will have a reporter present your table’s definition to the class. Last, the class will vote on the best definition.
Extension: Each class will vote tomorrow on the best definition out of the five (one per class). The winning definition will be the one used for our class purposes and there will be a small prize given.
Wednesday, January 28th
Bell Work: Realistic Fiction definition voting
1. Mini Lesson: “Imagining Stories From Ordinary Moments”
2. Quiet Writing:
a. Look through your writer’s notebook, rereading possible seed ideas that might become story ideas. Place a sticky note on it. Then, write five or six sentences about that one story idea.
b. You should repeat this process until you have about five story ideas written down.
3. Share Time: A few students will read one of their story ideas.
Homework~ “Finding Notebook Entries Where Stories Hide”
Advanced Homework~ “Writing Story Ideas”
Thursday, January 29th
Bell Work: (define in own words, draw a picture, & rate understanding)
1. Mini Lesson: “Imagining Stories We Wish Existed”
2. Quiet Writing:
a. First, think about the books you want to read. Then, invent a character with traits, a particular struggle, and actions. –OR-
b. Use the “Somebody Wanted But So” strategy to identify who the character will be, what he/she wants, what the struggle/hinderance is, and how it is resolved in the end. -OR-
c. Think about an issue that is important to you and create a character who struggles with that issue.
3. Share Time: Have students take turns story telling their story ideas to the rest of their table group.
Homework~ “Writing Missing Story Ideas”
Advanced Homework~ “Collecting Story Ideas”
Friday, January 30th
Bell Work: Turn in bell work sheet.
1. We will go to the library.
2. Students will rotate through three stations.
a. Quiet Writing~ Students will create a believable character for their realistic fiction story using the “Developing My Character” chart.
b. Book Exchange~ Return, check out, and renew books.
c. Accelerated Reader~ Sign up for the Reading Race and take an A.R. quiz
3. When done, students will read silently for the rest of the hour.
This is the beginning of the 4th marking period (second semester) of the year. We will be engaging in a medical biotechnology unit, which will serve as the basis for writing a realistic fiction piece. This will be a very exciting unit! It is my hope that ALL students find themselves interested in every part of it. So, I invite you to come with your hearts, minds, and imaginations ready to explore medical miracles and stem cell usage, as well as, write about the truest and deepest parts of yourselves. Let’s have fun imagining and exploring together!
Monday, January 26th
Bell Work: What is your ELA goal for this marking period?
1. Students will finish typing, revise, edit, and print their personal essays.
2. Next, evaluate their essays using the rubric.
3. Then, turn in their essay with rubric attached.
Tuesday, January 27th Today we celebrate the completion of the personal essays!
Bell Work: 1. Get and fill out a PLUS Compliment sheet (if your essay was complete and turned in yesterday) 2. Read the PLUS Compliments Starters.
1. Each student will be given two post-it notes.
2. Students will rotate around the room. In silence, they will read the personal essay, then write on the post-it sheet a compliment and leave it on the sheet next to the essay. Then, move to the next available essay.
3. Next, the vocabulary term, realistic fiction, will be introduced.
4. First, students will write down what they think it means. Second, share their definition with their table partners. Third, decide as a group which is the best definition at your table and it is to be written on a much larger sheet of paper. Fourth, each table will have a reporter present your table’s definition to the class. Last, the class will vote on the best definition.
Extension: Each class will vote tomorrow on the best definition out of the five (one per class). The winning definition will be the one used for our class purposes and there will be a small prize given.
Wednesday, January 28th
Bell Work: Realistic Fiction definition voting
1. Mini Lesson: “Imagining Stories From Ordinary Moments”
2. Quiet Writing:
a. Look through your writer’s notebook, rereading possible seed ideas that might become story ideas. Place a sticky note on it. Then, write five or six sentences about that one story idea.
b. You should repeat this process until you have about five story ideas written down.
3. Share Time: A few students will read one of their story ideas.
Homework~ “Finding Notebook Entries Where Stories Hide”
Advanced Homework~ “Writing Story Ideas”
Thursday, January 29th
Bell Work: (define in own words, draw a picture, & rate understanding)
1. Mini Lesson: “Imagining Stories We Wish Existed”
2. Quiet Writing:
a. First, think about the books you want to read. Then, invent a character with traits, a particular struggle, and actions. –OR-
b. Use the “Somebody Wanted But So” strategy to identify who the character will be, what he/she wants, what the struggle/hinderance is, and how it is resolved in the end. -OR-
c. Think about an issue that is important to you and create a character who struggles with that issue.
3. Share Time: Have students take turns story telling their story ideas to the rest of their table group.
Homework~ “Writing Missing Story Ideas”
Advanced Homework~ “Collecting Story Ideas”
Friday, January 30th
Bell Work: Turn in bell work sheet.
1. We will go to the library.
2. Students will rotate through three stations.
a. Quiet Writing~ Students will create a believable character for their realistic fiction story using the “Developing My Character” chart.
b. Book Exchange~ Return, check out, and renew books.
c. Accelerated Reader~ Sign up for the Reading Race and take an A.R. quiz
3. When done, students will read silently for the rest of the hour.
posted by Mrs. Frazier @ 7:12 AM
0 comments
