Publishing Friday

100 Word Challenge: Finishing Touches  Before we publish this week's 100 Word Challenge, take another moment to carefully review your writing. Does your story flow naturally from beginning to end? Do you use descriptive words and sensory details? Do you skillfully incorporate dialogue? Do you carefully review your spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar? Do 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.

100 Word Challenge: Publishing Now it's publishing time! Copy your story from your Google Doc and then login to Kidblog. Make a new post. Give your story an appropriate title. Paste your story. Consider adding a picture. Finally, click 'Publish' and copy the link to your published story. Make sure, however, that when you publish that you make your post "Public," so people around the world can read your story. 

Now it's time to share your story with the 100 Word Challenge. In order to login, I will provide you a working Username and Password. Next, fill out the form similar to the one below, making sure to include the link to your Kidblog story. Click 'Submit' when you're done. Congratulations! You are now an internationally published writer!

Once you have published your story, you are welcome to comment on other stories. Your comments, however, should be respectful, specific, and helpful. If you liked something about someone's writing, explain what specific aspect of their writing you appreciated. For example: I loved your use of descriptive details! If you have a tip about how a student could improve their writing, make sure to share in a way that is helpful and not hurtful. For example: I really liked your story, but I thought you could have used a few more sensory details.

Author's Chair  I would like to invite those of you who are interested to read your stories to the class today. You may want to practice a few read-throughs before you read aloud from the front of the room. Please pay attention to intonation (by making sure your tone changes to match what is being read), phrasing (by reading smoothly and using punctuation to tell you when to stop, pause or emphasize), and expression (by using your voice to express the feeling of what is being read).  

It takes a lot of courage to get in front of a group of people. During a reading, the audience should remain attentive and respectful, and afterwards should try to offer positive and constructive feedback. (Some "response stems" for feedback can be found below.) 

Analyzing Character and Writing Short Narratives

Analyzing Characters in 'Dear Future'  Today we are going to continue working with 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. Finally, 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). 

In order to reflect on what James's attitude is at various points in the story we are going to participate in a jigsaw activity. The class will be divided into three groups. One group will analyze James's attitude at the beginning of the story, the second group will examine James during the middle of the story, and the third group will take on the task of looking how James's attitude has has changed by the end of the story. Each group will record their reflections on their respective Padlet wall (At the beginning of the story, In the middle of the story, and At the end of the story). Afterwards, will share out our work with the other groups and work together to answer the question: What causes James's attitude to change?  

The Analyzing Character ("Dear Future") assignment can also be found in your Language Arts Google Classroom. (This assignment is due tomorrow, Friday, September 30.)

Writing Time: 100 Word Challenge  If time permits today, you may work on your 100 Word Challenge: Five Words story. As you begin to craft your story, make sure to consider the following questions: Does your story flow naturally from beginning to end? Do you use descriptive words and sensory details? Do you skillfully incorporate dialogue? Do you carefully review your spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar? Do 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. We are publishing tomorrow! 

Homework  (1.) Read for at least 30 minutes at home each school night. (2.) Complete your 100 Word Challenge: Five Words story, which will be published tomorrow, Friday, September 30. (3.) Complete the assignments Making Inferences ("Dear Future") and Analyzing Character ("Dear Future") by tomorrow, Friday, September 30. 

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.) Read for at least 30 minutes at home each school night. (2.) Continue working on your 100 Word Challenge: Five Words story, which will be published Friday, September 30. (3.) Complete the assignments Making Inferences ("Dear Future") and Analyzing Character ("Dear Future") by this Friday, September 30. 

Preparing the the CELDT Test and a New 100 Word Challenge

Will a pink giraffe find its way into your 100 Word Challenge story this week? 

CELDT Test Overview  The CELDT (California English Language Development Test) is coming. Many of you will be taking this important test this week. In order to help you be successful on the CELDT, Ms. Prestridge has prepared a Google Slide Show about it here.  

Genevieve, Showcase Winner

Showcase Writer: Genevieve  Many of you have been receiving some wonderful feedback on your writing after publishing you first 100 Word Challenge story on your blogs. One student in particular just received a very special recognition for her story. Our very own Genevieve, from Period 3, was selected as a winner of the Week 2 Showcase for her beautiful and creative story about a girl who leaves her family behind for "Paradise World." Her name and story have been published internationally and she will receive a special showcase badge and certificate for her achievement. If you see Genevieve, give her props for this special honor!  Her original story and new showcase badge are featured below.  

This Week's 100 Word Challenge: Five Words  This week's challenge is an interesting one. It doesn't involve a picture or a designated phrase, but it's rather made up of a random assortment of five words (pink, giraffe, drilling, teacher, and quietly). Read more about the challenge below. 

You can find the assignment 100 Word Challenge: Five Words in your Language Arts Google Classroom. How will you strategically weave these 5 words throughout your story, while still constructing a logical narrative? What will these specially chosen words add to your story? Remember the words can be used in whatever order you see fit. Also, remember as you write to continue developing your imagery by using precise words and sensory details. We publish on Friday, September 30. Be creative and have fun!    

Homework  (1.) Read for at least 30 minutes at home each school night. (2.) Continue working on your 100 Word Challenge: Five Words story, which will be published Friday, September 30. 

Aloha Friday!

Flocabulary Vocabulary Quiz  Happy Friday! You've learned, practiced, and studied your vocabulary words this week. Now it's time to show me what you've learned! You can find your Vocabulary Quiz below. Good luck!



Library Visit  Today we head to the library. Make sure you bring your books to either return or renew and your student ID card if you want to check out books. You may look for new books, read quietly, or take AR tests. Please take advantage of this opportunity and use your library time well. Time is running out this quarter to earn AR points towards your reading goal! 

Fixing Fragments and a Vocabulary Kahoot

Are you ready to Kahoot today?

Identifying and Fixing Fragments  Let's continue practicing identifying and working with fragments. Visit the Online Writing Lab today and identify whether the clause is a fragment or complete sentence in Exercise 1. After completing the 10 questions, click "show my score" and find our how you did. Next, try Exercise 2. This time you will be provided with fragment and you need to identify the choice that corrects the fragment so it is now a complete sentence. Once again, click "show my score" to get your results. Tomorrow, we will be having a 'Fragments Quiz' in which you will similarly need to be able to both identify fragments and correct them. If you would like to learn more about fragments and study for your upcoming quiz, try the links here and here.

Finally, for homework tonight, continue your practice by completing the activity Identifying Fragments - Practice, which can be found in your Language Arts Google Classroom. This assignment will be due next Friday, September 30.

Kahoot! Activity: Vocabulary Review  Your lastest Flocabulary vocabulary quiz is tomorrow. Let's report to Kahoot! to prepare and have fun reviewing your vocabulary words! 

I would also encourage you to continue studying by reviewing your digital flashcards below. 
  
  
Homework  (1.) Read for at least 30 minutes at home each school night. (2.) Complete your Vocabulary - Unit 2 (Bottom of the Ninth) - Fix the Mistake assignment, which is due tomorrow, Friday, September 23.  (3.) Complete your Comparing Texts - Eleven/Who's the New Kid assignment, which is also due on due tomorrow Friday, September 23. (4.) Study for this week's Flocabulary Vocabulary quiz. 

Writing a Compare and Contrast Paragraph

Compare and Contrast Paragraph: "Eleven" and "Who's the New Kid?" Now that we've read both "Who's the New Kid?" and "Eleven," and discussed their similarities and differences, it's time to write a short paragraph comparing and contrasting these two texts. Your paragraph should feature a clear topic sentence, details that identify similarities and differences, and transition words that help your reader better understand the connections you are making. Write your paragraph using the document Comparing Texts - Eleven/Who's the New Kid located in your Language Arts Google Classroom. Make sure to refer back to the venn diagram we worked on collaboratively, as well as the resources above and below. This assignment will  be due on Friday, September 23.

Flocabulary Vocabulary with Digital Flashcards Today we are going to continue to study this week's Flocabulary vocabulary words:

ample / collaborate / concise / distinct / diversity / dominate / ignite / linger / mimic / objective / parody / rural / strive / superior / urban

To help you remember the meanings of these words I've created a set of digital flashcards using a program called Quizlet that you can find here, as well as below. Please spend some time making sure you understand your words and make sure to study for Friday's quiz. 


  

Homework  (1.) Read for at least 30 minutes at home each school night. (2.) Continue working on your Vocabulary - Unit 2 (Bottom of the Ninth) - Fix the Mistake assignment, which is due on Friday, September 23.  (3.) Continue working on your Comparing Texts - Eleven/Who's the New Kid assignment, which is also due on due on Friday, September 23.