Avoiding Sentence Fragments and Marking Poems

Grammar in Context: Sentence Fragments  A sentence expresses a complete thought. A fragment is only a piece of a thought. Let's examine several fragments in the short story "Eleven" and see if we can transform them into complete sentences. 



BrainPop Video: Sentence Fragments  Let's continue to learn about what sentence fragments look like and how to avoid them by watching a BrainPop video. I will show the video whole-class and then lead you in an interactive quiz. If afterwards, you would like to explore the topic independently in BrainPop, you may. Just go to Google Drive. Click on the group of squares located towards the top of your Drive screen. Click "More" to see additional apps. Locate "BrainPOP" and click. 

Once you're in the BrainPop program, enter 'Sentence Fragments' in the search bar. From there, locate your chosen topic and explore the video and related activities. 

Poetry Marking: "On Turning 10"  In this activity, you will explore how the speaker of the poem “On Turning 10” feels about growing up by marking the text and answering questions. The activity Text Marking: “On Turning 10” can be found in your Language Arts Google Classroom.

Homework  (1.) Complete the activity Text Marking: “On Turning 10” which is due next Friday, September 18. (2.) Complete and 'turn in' assignments from the past week by tomorrow, Friday, September 11, which include: Making Inferences ("Dear Future") and Analyzing Character ("Dear Future"). (3.) Read your A.R. book at home for at least 30 minutes and, if you choose, make a reading log entry using the Digital Reading Log. (Remember you must have made at least two entries by the end of the day tomorrow.)  

Analyzing Characters and Making Inferences

Analyzing Characters in 'Dear Future'  Today we are going to continue the short story "Dear Future." Our focus will be on analyzing the character of James, as we track his changing attitudes about growing up from the beginning of the story to the end. We will also consider the question: What causes James's attitude to change? Once again, you can find a copy of the story "Dear Future" in your Language Arts Google Classroom (and a link to it here). The Analyzing Character ("Dear Future") assignment can also be found in your Language Arts Google Classroom. (This assignment is due this Friday, September 11.)

Making Inferences  In addition to analyzing characters, we will also be using "Dear Future" to learn more about making inferences. When you make an inference you use clues from the text and your own experiences to reach a conclusion. To learn more, watch the short video below. 

Now let's apply our new understanding of how to make inferences to the short story "Dear Future." Using the document Making Inferences ("Dear Future"), located in your Language Arts Google Classroom, make some inferences about the story and then explain how you came to that conclusion. (This assignment is also due this Friday, September 11.)

Homework  (1.) Complete the assignments Making Inferences ("Dear Future") and Analyzing Character ("Dear Future") by this Friday, September 11. (2.) Read your A.R. book at home for at least 30 minutes and, if you choose, make a reading log entry using the Digital Reading Log. (Remember you must have made at least two entries by the end of the week.)  
 

Fiction and the 'Future'

Scope Magazine Fiction Story: "Dear Future"   Today we are going to continue to explore short fiction and characters by beginning to read a story from Scope Magazine entitled "Dear Future." Following in the footsteps of Sandra Cisneros's "Eleven" and Lois Lowry's "Who's the New Kid?," "Dear Future" is another piece of literature about identity and growing up. As we read, we will pay special focus to making inferences and analyzing characters. You can find a link to the story "Dear Future" here, as well as in your Language Arts Google Classroom. Additionally, two "Dear Future" activities (Making Inferences and Analyzing Character) can be located in your Language Arts Google Classroom. We will spend the next several class periods working through this story (and its accompanying 'paired text') together.   

Homework  (1.) Complete the assignments Making Inferences ("Dear Future") and Analyzing Character ("Dear Future") by this Friday, September 11. (2.) Read your A.R. book at home for at least 30 minutes and, if you choose, make a reading log entry using the Digital Reading Log. (Remember you must have made at least two entries by the end of the week.)  

Aloha Friday!

Friday Assignment Turn-In  Aloha Friday! Congratulations on almost completing another week of 6th grade and almost beginning your three day weekend!. Let's start today by turning in all of your Language Arts assignments from the week. If you haven't already, please make sure you have completed and 'turned in' the following assignments: Writer's Workout #1: Analyze Character Traits, Character Traits in "Eleven", and Comparing Texts - 'Eleven' / 'Who's the New Kid?'. If these assignments have not been completed, please make sure you do so ASAP. Your grade in this class depends on it. 

The District Benchmark Pre-Assessment  Today if need bee you continue taking the online District Benchmark Pre-Assessment. Remember to go to www.pvusd.net. Click on Students, then scroll down to Illuminate Home Portal. Login, click on the link for Gr 6 ELA Pre Assessment, and begin. 

  

You may 'Pause' the test at anytime by clicking the 'pause' button if you need to stop the test and then resume it later. When you are ready to finish the test once and for all, click Review/Finish and review your responses one final time before submitting your exam to be scored. 

Independent Literacy Time  If you have completed and 'turned in' each of the assignments above, you may use this time to do any of the following: take an Accelerated Reader quiz, make a Digital Reading Log entry, read a Newsela article, or read from your A.R. book.

The District Benchmark Pre-Assessment

The District Benchmark Pre-Assessment  Today you will be taking the online District Benchmark Pre-Assessment in an attempt to measure what you know at the beginning of the school year. This is a very important test and I expect you to try your best. Directions on how to log in the Illuminate Student Portal and get started with your test can be found below. 

Step 1: Go to www.pvusd.net. Click on Students, then scroll down to Illuminate Home Portal.   

Step 2: Students must select the Student tab on the Illuminate Home Connection screen.

Step 3: Login protocol.

                     Username: student ID#

                     Password: student birthdate:

                                 Ex.: January 7, 2000 is entered Ja072000

                                 (the first letter only is capped). 

Step 4: Students select Assessments from under the list located under "What Would You Like to See." 

Step 5: Students click on the link for Gr 6 ELA Pre Assessment under "Pending Online Assessment" to select your exam. 

Step 6: Students click Begin Test to start the exam. 

Step 7: You may 'Pause' the test at anytime by clicking the 'pause' button if you need to stop the test and then resume it later. When you are ready to finish the test once and for all, click Review/Finish and review your responses one final time before submitting your exam to be scored. 

Note: You are allowed to use headphones during the audio portions of the exam. If you don't finish the test today, you will have an opportunity to complete it tomorrow. 

Homework  (1.) Make sure you complete and 'turn in' the following assignments by tomorrow, Friday, September 4: Writer's Workout #1: Analyze Character Traits, Character Traits in "Eleven", and Comparing Texts - 'Eleven' / 'Who's the New Kid?' (2.) Read your A.R. book at home for at least 30 minutes and, if you choose, make a reading log entry using the Digital Reading Log. (Remember you must have made at least two entries by the end of the day Friday.)   

Taking Care of Business Wednesday

Academic Business Time  Due to the fact that there are various projects and assignments that we have been working on that are due soon, I would like to give you some structured time today to work on them. You have a choice today with regards to focus on, but I would prioritize them as follows: 

1. Writer's Workout #1: Analyze Character Traits
2. Character Traits in "Eleven"
3. Comparing Texts - 'Eleven' / 'Who's the New Kid?'

Each of these assignments can be found in your Language Arts Google Classroom and are due and must be 'turned in' by Friday, September 4.

 

Independent Literacy Time  If you have completed and 'turned in' each of the assignments above, you may use this time to do any of the following: take an Accelerated Reader quiz, make a Digital Reading Log entry, read a Newsela article, or read from your A.R. book.

Homework  (1.) Complete the assignments listed above by this Friday, September 4. (2.) Read your A.R. book at home for at least 30 minutes and, if you choose, make a reading log entry using the Digital Reading Log. (Remember you must have made at least two entries by the end of the week.)  

Independent Reading and Paragraph Writing

Valerie is reading and working hard to earn points and reach her A.R. goal. Are you?

Independent Literacy Time  Welcome to another glorious day of Language Arts! You may use this time to do any of the following: take an Accelerated Reader quiz, make a Digital Reading Log entry, read a Newsela article, or read from your  A.R. book. Use your time wisely! Enjoy! 

Analyzing Character Traits and Paragraph Writing  Today we are going to continue to write our own paragraphs analyzing the traits of one of the main characters from the short story "Eleven." The assignment Writer's Workout #1 can still be found in your Language Arts Google Classroom. 

For your reference, a list of character traits can be found here. A list of transition words to hep connect the ideas of your paragraph can be found here.  
 
Remember that the assignment will count also towards your assessment grade. I will be using the rubric below to grade your work. 

Homework  (1.) Complete the assignment Writer's Workout #1 by this Friday, September 4. (2.) Read your A.R. book at home for at least 30 minutes and, if you choose, make a reading log entry using the Digital Reading Log. (Remember you must have made at least two entries by the end of the week.)