Ms. Allen’s Reading Corner

MONDAY:

Warm-Up: Complete and check “Editor-in-Chief” #14.
Class work: Review week verb pattern: passive voice. Continue work on “Letting Verbs Do the Work” in the On Target workbooks. Complete exercises 2 & 3 (16-17).
Homework: None

TUESDAY:

Warm-Up: Complete and check “Editor-in-Chief” #15.
Class work: Review week verb pattern: linking verbs. Continue work on “Letting Verbs Do the Work” in the On Target workbooks. Complete exercises 4-5 (18-19).
Homework: None

WEDNESDAY:

Warm-Up: Are secrets harmless or harmful? How do you know? Are children’s secrets different from the secrets adults might keep? If you think so, provide and example of how they differ. Write about any personal experiences you’ve had with sharing or keeping a secret. (1/2 page minimum)
Class work: Assign parts and introduce play. The read aloud “Secrets to Keep” (16-25) in READ magazine. If time allows, read “Confidences and Betrayals” (4-7).
Homework: None

THURSDAY:

Warm-Up: Return grades papers.
Class work: Finish “Letting Verbs Do the Work” in the On Target workbook: warm up T-chart and exercises 1-10 (15-22). Make sure exercises are clearly identified, correctly ordered, and stapled. Turn in on wall by period’s end.
Homework: Finish identifying the verbs in your “Best Friend” essay, either by highlighting them or listing them on a separate sheet of paper. Remember that “to + a verb” is NOT a verb. Also look carefully at words ending in -ing. Although these words looks as if they may be verbs, they often are not. Once this has bee done, count the number of times you used linking verbs and the number of times you used a passive voice verb. Write these totals on the top of your planning sheet. These will be collected on Friday.

FRIDAY:

Warm-Up: Collect “Best Friend” essays.
Class work:   Write a thirty-five minute timed expository essay using the following prompt:

Writing Situation: Imagine that you can travel to any place in time.  You could return to the past, remain in the present, or journey into the future.  Where would you like to go?  Why would you choose to visit there?

Directions for Writing: Before you write think about the past, the present, and the future.  Consider all the  places that have existed in the past, still exist today, and may exist in the future.

Now write an essay to tell the reader where you would go in time and why you would wish to visit there. Support your ideas  with examples and details.

Homework: None

MONDAY:

HOLIDAY!!!

TUESDAY:

Warm-Up: Complete and check “Editor-in-Chief” #7 & #8.
Class work: Take Vocabulary #2 quiz.
Homework: (Due tomorrow) – Complete ONE of the 2 assignments that follow:

CHOICE A: TAKE NOTES on the rules of capitalization and complete ALL exercises (189-200) in your brown grammar workbook.

CHOICE B: TAKE NOTES on the rules of capitalization and complete ALL exercises (638-650) in your grammar textbook.

WEDNESDAY:

Warm-Up: Complete and check “Editor-in-Chief” #9 & #10.
Class work: Collect capitalization assignment from yesterday. Then complete (127-135) in Language Handbook. Follow the directions but instead of using circles, simply write the words which need to be capitalized. Turn in on wall by period’s end.
Homework: QUIZ over capitalization tomorrow. You may wish to review rules and examples in you grammar textbook (638-650).

THURSDAY:

Warm-Up: Complete and check “Editor-in-Chief” #11 & #12.
Class work: Take quiz over capitalization.  Copy lists of linking verbs and helping verbs (334-338) in your grammar textbook.  Then return “Best Friends” essay.
Homework:  Create a T-chart with “Subjects” on the left and “Verbs/Verb Phrases” on the right.  Then identify the subject and verb of every sentence of your essay.

FRIDAY:

Warm-Up: Return grades papers.
Class work:     Homework:

MONDAY:

Warm-Up: None
Class work: Review what we’ve learned about writing essays. Then write a timed expository essay using the following prompt:

Writing Situation: People young and old have friends that they enjoy. Who is your best friend?

Directions for Writing: Before you write think about your best friend. What qualities does this friend have? Why are these qualities important?

Now write an essay telling who your best friend is and explaining why he or she is your best friend. Support you reasons with examples and details.

Homework: Work on vocabulary #2 written assignment (Due Thursday, 1/17). This assignment was initially explained last Friday. Vocabulary #2 written assignment:

Yarns and tall tales: Stories told in common language about impossible happenings. Select a theme from one of the following or create a tall tale topic of your own and stretch it into an outrageous and unbelievable yarn:

* How an elephant’s trunk became the first fire truck.
* How a dinosaur’s sneeze started breezes.
* How a grandfather’s clock became the first wristwatch.
* How an anteater invented the first trumpet.
* How a tickle bone was discovered.
* How a spider became a spider monkey.
* How a hole became the Grand Canyon.

Be imaginative and use specific details. Your tall tale should be told from third-person point of view, written in a simple dialect, and contain exaggeration. Your tale’s hero or protagonist should be “larger than life.” DUE THURSDAY. FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES IN YOUR BINDER.

TUESDAY:

Warm-Up: Complete and check “Editor-in-Chief” #4 & #5.
Class work: Review use of specific verbs. Complete “Gotitus: A Deadly Disease” (handout) and “Verb Variety” chart activity. Turn in on wall by the period’s end or finish for homework. (Due tomorrow)
Homework: Work on vocabulary #2 written assignment (Due Thursday).

WEDNESDAY:

Warm-Up: Discuss “Gotitus” handout.
Class work: Collect verb assignment from yesterday. Introduce active and passive voice. Complete the following: Ex. 5 (521) in Ms. Allen’s red book and Ex. A & B (37-38) in Ms. Allen’s red workbook.
Homework: Work on vocabulary #2 written assignment (NOTE CHANGE: DUE FRIDAY).

THURSDAY:

Warm-Up: None
Class work: Take Think Link test. Finish yesterday’s active & passive voice assignment.
Homework: Work on vocabulary #2 written assignment (NOTE CHANGE: DUE FRIDAY).

FRIDAY:

Warm-Up: Return grades papers.
Class work: Review vocabulary #2 words using tall tale written assignments.  Then watch a tall tale.  List at least 10 examples of hyperbole and/or “firsts.”
Homework: Study for vocabulary #2 quiz.