It's Writing Time!

 Today's Learning Objectives  * Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. 

100 Word Challenge: Drafting Enjoy some time today to continue drafting your 100 Word Challenge: Five Words (Week 30) story. Are you skillfully incorporated the words from this week's prompt? Do you have a clear beginning, middle, and an end? Are making a point to include precise words and descriptive details? Continue to show the world your best writing! After drafting today, you will engage in a peer revising and editing session, and tomorrow we publish! 

Peer Revising and Editing  Today you will have the opportunity to share your current piece of writing, 100 Word Challenge: Five Words (Week 30), with one of your peers in class. Remember that your task when reviewing someone else's writing is to both help with basic editing and to provide constructive feedback that is helpful to the writer. Your peer editing should include a balance of corrections, suggestions, and compliments. Positive feedback is important too!  

After you know who you will be sharing your writing with, click on "Share at the top of your document. Next, enter their full name and click "Done." The document should now be available in the "Shared with Me" or "Incoming" section of your Google Drive.

 

Remember to let our rubric (below) be your guide. If you notice a run-on sentence or fragment, let them know. If you can think of a more descriptive or precise word to use, suggest it. If verb tenses are inconsistent, make that clear. If a transition word or phrase might be helpful in moving events along, mention it. 

There are a couple of ways to make suggestions and comments. You can use the "Suggesting" function within Google Docs, where you can make suggested edits that the writer can then later accept or reject. Secondly, you could also simply highlight text and make comments and suggestions that way.

I would encourage you to also engage in conversation with each about each other's pieces of writing. If you have questions about your partner's story, ask. If you're unsure about what your peer editor is suggesting, seek clarification.  

Homework  (1.) Read your A.R. book at home for at least 30 minutes and make a Digital Reading Log entry using the new 4th Quarter Reading Log, which has been placed in your Language Arts folder. (2.) Continue working on your 100 Word Challenge: Five Words (Week 30) story, which we will publish Friday, May 1. (3.) Complete the  Analyzing Arguments - Scavenger Hunt, Analyzing Arguments - Scavenger Hunt ("Is Miley Cyrus Out of Control?"), and the Analyzing Arguments - Scavenger Hunt ("Should Stores Be Allowed to Spy on You?") assignments, all of which are due tomorrow, Friday, May 1. 

Analyzing Arguments: Should Stores Be Allowed to Spy on You?

 Today's Learning Objectives  * Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in text. * Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details. * Identify textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says.  

Analyzing Arguments: Should Stores Be Allowed to Spy on You? Stores across the U.S. have started to use technology to gather information about their customers. But is this a good idea? Two writers face off on the debate, and you decide who makes the best argument. You can find the debate here. The assignment Analyzing Arguments - Scavenger Hunt ("Should Stores Be Allowed to Spy on You?") can be found in your Language Arts folders.

Homework  (1.) Read your A.R. book at home for at least 30 minutes and make a Digital Reading Log entry using the new 4th Quarter Reading Log, which has been placed in your Language Arts folder. (2.) Continue working on your 100 Word Challenge: Five Words (Week 30) story, which we will publish Friday, May 1. (3.) Complete the Analyzing Arguments - Scavenger Hunt ("Should Stores Be Allowed to Spy on You?") assignment. 

Analyzing Arguments: Is Miley Cyrus Out of Control?

Is Miley Cyrus out of control? 

 Today's Learning Objectives  * Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in text. * Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details. * Identify textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says.  

Analyzing Arguments: "Should Josh Become a YouTube Star?" Josh wants to start his own YouTube cooking series and become famous. His mom thinks he’s too young. Who makes the best argument? You decide. You can find the debate here. The assignment Analyzing Arguments - Scavenger Hunt can be found in your Language Arts folders.

Analyzing Arguments: "Is Miley Cyrus Out of Control?" Many are questioning pop star Miley Cyrus’s outrageous antics. But is she really out of control? Two writers face off on the debate. Who makes the best argument? You decide. You can find the debate here. The assignment Analyzing Arguments - Scavenger Hunt ("Is Miley Cyrus Out of Control?") can be found in your Language Arts folders.

Homework  (1.) Read your A.R. book at home for at least 30 minutes and make a Digital Reading Log entry using the new 4th Quarter Reading Log, which has been placed in your Language Arts folder. (2.) Continue working on your 100 Word Challenge: Five Words (Week 30) story, which we will publish Friday, May 1. (3.) Complete the  Analyzing Arguments - Scavenger Hunt and Analyzing Arguments - Scavenger Hunt ("Is Miley Cyrus Out of Control?") assignments.  

The Final Push

 Today's Learning Objectives  * Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. * Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details. * Identify textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says.  

Showcase Writer: Julian  So many of you have made such incredible progress with your writing and continue to get wonderful feedback readers all over the world. However, one student in particular just received a very special recognition for his 100 Word Challenge: Picture Challenge (Week 28) story. Our very own Julian, from Period 3, was singled out as a Showcase winning writer for his timeless story of love. As part of the Week 28 Showcase, his name and story have been published internationally, and he will receive a special showcase badge and certificate for his achievement. If you see Julian, give him major props for this very special honor! His original story and new showcase badge are featured below.

This Week's 100 Word Challenge This week's 100 Word Challenge is of the five word variety and is explained below. 

The document 100 Word Challenge: Five Words (Week 30) can be found in your Language Arts folders. Let's start writing! 

Analyzing Arguments: "Should Josh Become a YouTube Star?" Josh wants to start his own YouTube cooking series and become famous. His mom thinks he’s too young. Who makes the best argument? You decide. You can find the debate here. The assignment Analyzing Arguments - Scavenger Hunt can be found in your Language Arts folders.

Homework  (1.) Read your A.R. book at home for at least 30 minutes and make a Digital Reading Log entry using the new 4th Quarter Reading Log, which has been placed in your Language Arts folder. (2.) Continue working on your 100 Word Challenge: Five Words (Week 30) story, which we will publish Friday, May 1. (3.) Complete the  Analyzing Arguments - Scavenger Hunt assignment.  

Happy Earth Day!

Video of the Day In honor of Earth Day today, I would like to spend some time talking about the small things that each of us can do to make our planet a better and more sustainable place. What are you doing to save water? What are you doing to save energy? What are you doing to keep our planet (and our school) clean? Check out the video below about how even small measures to protect our planet's resources can make a difference. Every day should be Earth Day! Do your part!

100 Word Challenge Enjoy some time to work on this week's 100 Word Challenge story 100 Word Challenge: X Marks the Spot (Week 29), which we will publish on Friday, April 24.

Library Visit Need a new book? Today's your lucky day, as we are headed to the library. If you need help finding a "just right" book for you, just ask. If you are not looking for books, I expect you to use your library time to work on your writing or silent reading. Remember you are in a competition with the other Language Arts classes to see which can earn the most Accelerated Reader points. The winning class earns a pizza and movie day. Let's get reading!

The 100 Word Challenge and Central Ideas and Details

 Today's Learning Objectives  * Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. * Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details. 

A New 100 Word Challenge This week's 100 Word Challenge can be found below. 

You can find the document 100 Word Challenge: X Marks the Spot (Week 29) in your Language Arts folders. 

Central Ideas and Details Let's continue to examine the article "Your Phone Could Ruin Your Life." Today our focus will be on analyzing the central ideas and details from the text. You can find the document Central Ideas and Details: "Your Phone Could Ruin Your Life" in your Language Arts folders. 

Aloha Friday!

100 Word Challenge: Finishing Touches and Publishing Happy Friday! It's just about time to publish this week's 100 Word Challenge. Please look over your 100 Word Challenge: Picture Challenge (Week 28) story carefully. Did you skillfully integrate the words "the silence was deafening" from this week's prompt? Does your story flow naturally from beginning to end? Did you use descriptive words and sensory details? Did you carefully review your spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar? Did you make sure your verb tenses are consistent and that you have employed correct and varied sentence structures? Please make sure your piece of writing is good as it can be.

Next, it's publishing time! Copy your story from your Google Doc and then login to Kidblog. Make a new post. This week you once again get to title your story whatever you find fitting; just make sure you put 100 WC: before your chosen title. Paste your story. Finally, click "Publish".

Next, copy the web address of your posted story and then head over to 100 Word Challenge. Scroll down and paste the web address into the box that says 'Blog Link'. Enter your first name, 6th Grade, Lakeview Middle School, and for location: Watsonville, California, U.S.A. Finally, click 'Submit'. Congratulations! 

If you post early enough and time permits, feel free to leave positive comments for your fellow writers from around the world. 

Sacred Reading Time  If time permits I offer you the rest of class time to simply read and commune with your books. Some of you will invited to read outside, others in a cozy corner of the room, while most of you will hopefully become enraptured by the words on your pages right at your desks. Enjoy this time! 

Video of the Day Had a tough week? Shake it off! Have a beautiful weekend!