AC Language Arts

Students are asked to bring in a three-prong folder to use as their “Lottery Rose portfolio” as we read and respond to the novel.  (I am asking for a folder rather than a small binder because I will occasionally be taking them home and folders are much easier to transport.)

Today, we worked on our first two items for the portfolio:  the anticipation guide and the “A Book by Any Other Name” assignment below.

“A Book by Any Other Name”:  Review the book description found on the back cover. Using this information, and this information alone, construct two alternative titles for the book that appeal to you. Pick one of the two titles and create an advertising catch phrase & a movie poster to sell the newly titled novel.Examples of movie posters with “advertising catch phrases”:

The Lightning Thief movie poster (”Worlds Collide Feb 2010″)

The Outsiders movie poster (”They grew up on the outside of society. They weren’t looking for a fight. They were looking to belong.”)

Twilight movie poster (”When you can live forever, what do you live for?”)

For the last four class periods, we have been preparing for our novel study by…

…learning and/or reviewing important literary terms:
1. protagonist
2. antagonist
3. dynamic character
4. static character
5. round character
6. flat character
7. first person point of view
8. third person point of view
9. omniscient third person point of view
10.  limited third person point of view
11. setting
12.  mood
13. imagery
14. flashback
15. foreshadowing
16. symbol
17. symbolism
18. allusion

…reading & responding to excerpts from the following texts:  Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes; Travel Team by Mike Lupica; Heart of a Chief by Joseph Bruchac; An American Childhood by Annie Dillard; and the poem “Epigram” by Langston Hughes.

…& completing pages 60-63, 70-71, 73, 79,  127, 129, & 341 in the Reader’s Journey worktext.

Homework for Tuesday night: Finish work on pages 127, 129, & 341 IF you didn’t finish in class.

Today we read the short story “Stolen Day” by Sherwood Anderson.  As we read, we focused on this guiding question:  Does the main character believe he is telling the truth? How do you know?

After reading the story, students discussed the guiding question in small groups and formed a group consensus as to the answer to the question.  They then presented evidence from the text to answer the “How do you know?” part of the guiding question.  (FYI- In each class, some groups thought “yes” and some thought “no”.  Our debates were VERY interesting!)

If you were absent today, you should read the short story by clicking HERE. Then, decide for yourself:  Does the main character believe he is telling the truth? How do you know? 

Sherwood Anderson is most famous for his book titled Winesburg Ohio:

This is not a required assignment, but this sounds like a fun prompt and I KNOW that some of you could do an excellent job with this! Check it out!

NEW STUDENT WRITING CONTEST: Summer Parent Persuasion

Congratulations and thanks to the thousands of students and teachers who participated in past seasons’ Hurricane Katrina, Iraq Adventure, Make Your Case, Dream On, Election of a Lifetime and Guide to Substitute Teacher Success writing contests! Here are the details of our new student writing contest, sponsored by The Esther Diamond Memorial Scholarship for Excellence In Children’s Writing:

FINAL Deadline: Apr. 30, 2010
Who can enter?: 3rd through 8th grade students
Categories: grades 3-5; grades 6-8
Prizes: One First Prize-winning author in each of the two categories will receive a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card, with the top three authors in each category receiving a copy of the book, 6 Tricks to Student WRITER’S ORIGAMI Success (A Fun and Easy Guide for Students, Teachers and Parents).

Writing Details

Persuasive Writing Prompt: Write a letter to your parents, either to convince them to approve and bankroll your desired plans for summer vacation, or to dissuade them from plans THEY ALREADY have in mind for you. Perhaps you would really like to attend a certain sports or science camp, or maybe you really don’t want to spend your summer at grandma’s house.

Maximum Length: 4 hand-printed sides or 2 typed, double-spaced sides

You may have heard that there is a t-shirt sales campaign going on at McClure and not know the background of the ”why”.  At McClure, we have several students dealing with significant medical issues (among those cancer and organ transplant needs).  We as a school community wanted to reach out to help those families and to show our support for them financially and visually.

Each advisement group was asked to develop a theme – one line – that would show visual support for these students as we wear the shirts, but also generate conversation about why we are wearing them.  Each advisement group submitted suggestions and the student body as a whole chose the winning theme “got hope?”

We are currently selling the t-shirts for $10 or a bracelet that says got hope? for $3.  You can purchase both as a set for $12.  All proceeds from the shirts will be given to these families to meet the additional financial needs that they are incurring.  The families may choose to give the funds to the charity of their choice if they personally don’t need the funds.  One of the families has been assisted tremendously by the Rally Foundation and may earmark the funds they receive for that organization.

This is a time where we can all step out and make a personal difference to students at our school.  We hope that you will purchase a shirt and talk to your friends and neighbors about purchasing one as well to help these families!  The shirts are on sale for the next few days and are available in black with white print, black with hot pink print and brown with turquoise print.  Checks may be made payable to McClure Middle School PTSA.

Thanks for your support!

Susan Wing, Principal

Our second novel study of the year will be The Lottery Rose by award-winning author Irene Hunt.  A class set of these novels is available for use at school, but students are encouraged to procure their own copy of the novel if possible.

Synopsis from the back of the book: 
“Abused by his mother and her boyfriend, Georgie Burgess learns to hide his hurt.  He withdraws into a safe and secret world of beautiful gardens filled with roses; just like those in the library book he treasures.

When Georgie wins a small rosebush in a grocery store lottery he gives it all the love and caring he has never had.  Georgie’s life begins to open up for him when the courts send him to a home for boys where he will be safe.  Slowly, and not without pain, Georgia learns to give– and to receive love.”

• Don’t forget about LITERACY NIGHT at 7pm TONIGHT at McClure!

• Today was a DEAR day. Every student in period 5 earned Maverick Money for coming in & getting straight to work without having to be prompted even once! WOW!

• Tomorrow we will be in the PC Lab to finalize work on our technical writing unit.

• Evidence of independent reading (500 pages) is due Monday, March 8!

  

Click HERE to read about LITERACY NIGHT at McClure!

Click HERE to read all about McClure’s first-ever BOOK SWAP!

We are full swing into our technical writing project:  a “survival manual” for rising sixth grade students.  Student teams are working together to create the pages for the manual, with topics such as:  All About Lockers; How to Study; What is Pinnacle?; Breakfast at McClure; and much, much more!  In order to facilitate collaboration across classes on this huge project, students are using Google Docs and Google Groups to share and respond to one another’s work. To take a tour of Google Docs, click HERE!  To check out what you can do with Google Groups, click HERE!

We have been in the PC lab each day this week.  Next week, we will be in the Mac lab on Monday and Tuesday, and our final lab day will be in the PC lab on Wednesday.  After that point, any work not completed will have to be finished at home.  All work on the sixth grade survival manual is due FRIDAY, MARCH 5.

Reminder:  Evidence of independent reading can be submitted through Monday, March 8!

If you were absent on Thursday 2/18, you need to see Ms. Smith to borrow a “how-to” book and complete the following assignment:

First, read 15 pages from your how-to book. (They should be pages with some text, not all pictures/diagrams.)

Then, respond to the following:
1. Write the title (underlined) & author of your book.
2. Describe the ORGANIZATION of this book. (How is it organized?)
3. Describe the author’s STYLE (word choice, tone, voice, sentence structure).
4. Would you consider this book “middle school appropriate?” (In other words– does it belong in our media center?) Why or why not?
5. If this was a subject/topic that interested you, would you find this book helpful? Why or why not?