Romano’s Recipe for Reading and Writing

As we begin to put pen to paper on our first major piece of writing, I want to encourage students to focus their writing on one specific event that has impacted their life.  Students should be able to answer the question "So What."  By answering this question, students will know whether what they have written will convey the meaning they were hoping for. 

Students worked on outlining their personal narrative today in class.  This was done by using an events chart which allowed students to decide which events were important to include in their writing, what details would help them convey this event as well as what feelings they had at the time of the event. 

Students also made a foldable for their vocabulary words in class today.  Please have students study these words and definitions for their vocabulary test.  Thursday – A day, Friday – B-Day. 

These words and definitions may be found on my last blog. 

We have spent the past several weeks leading up to our first large piece of writing.  Students are starting a personal narrative based on something that has happened in their life that has had a large impact on them.  Please see the attached assignment so that you are aware of what the students are working on. 

We continue to read Stargirl aloud in class every day.  Students have now had two quizzes based on this reading.  Each time they have a quiz, they are given study guides to use as a reference.  Please be sure to ask students if they have used these study guides to prepare for the quizzes. 

Students have also received their second set of vocabulary words for our other in-class novel, Touching Spirit Bear.  They will be having a quiz on these words next Thursday for A day students and next Friday for B Day students.  We are doing several in-class activities to familiarize them with these words, but they really must study at home as well. 

Please make sure your children are reading on a nightly basis.  This is imperative in order to improve both their reading and writing skills. 

Progress reports went home yesterday with A day students and went home today with B day students.   All students need to get them signed and bring them back.  I will be more than happy to print a second copy if necessary.  Download vocabulary_tsb_list_2_modified.doc

Download personal_memoir_instructions.doc

We have spent the past several weeks leading up to our first large piece of writing.  Students are starting a personal narrative based on something that has happened in their life that has had a large impact on them.  Please see the attached assignment so that you are aware of what the students are working on. 

We continue to read Stargirl aloud in class every day.  Students have now had two quizzes based on this reading.  Each time they have a quiz, they are given study guides to use as a reference.  Please be sure to ask students if they have used these study guides to prepare for the quizzes. 

Students have also received their second set of vocabulary words for our other in-class novel, Touching Spirit Bear.  They will be having a quiz on these words next Thursday for A day students and next Friday for B Day students.  We are doing several in-class activities to familiarize them with these words, but they really must study at home as well. 

Please make sure your children are reading on a nightly basis.  This is imperative in order to improve both their reading and writing skills. 

Progress reports went home yesterday with A day students and went home today with B day students.   All students need to get them signed and bring them back.  I will be more than happy to print a second copy if necessary.  Download vocabulary_tsb_list_2_modified.doc

Download personal_memoir_instructions.doc

We have spent the past several weeks leading up to our first large piece of writing.  Students are starting a personal narrative based on something that has happened in their life that has had a large impact on them.  Please see the attached assignment so that you are aware of what the students are working on. 

We continue to read Stargirl aloud in class every day.  Students have now had two quizzes based on this reading.  Each time they have a quiz, they are given study guides to use as a reference.  Please be sure to ask students if they have used these study guides to prepare for the quizzes. 

Students have also received their second set of vocabulary words for our other in-class novel, Touching Spirit Bear.  They will be having a quiz on these words next Thursday for A day students and next Friday for B Day students.  We are doing several in-class activities to familiarize them with these words, but they really must study at home as well. 

Please make sure your children are reading on a nightly basis.  This is imperative in order to improve both their reading and writing skills. 

Progress reports went home yesterday with A day students and went home today with B day students.   All students need to get them signed and bring them back.  I will be more than happy to print a second copy if necessary.  Download vocabulary_tsb_list_2_modified.doc

Download personal_memoir_instructions.doc

We have started reading the novel Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Michaelson.  Students will be required to preview the chapter that we will read during the next class, so they can be knowledgeable when it comes to class discussion.  Touching Spirit Bear is a novel which centers around Cole Matthews, a young boy who has had several run ins with the law in his brief lifetime.  During what most people would consider his "last chance," Cole, with the help of some unexpected people, discovers what he needs to turn his life around. 

Homework:

Book talks are now considered late.  These should be done as soon as possible to avoid further loss of points. 

Vocabulary test – A Day-Thursday, B-Day-Friday.  (The words with their definitions is attached.)

Download touching_spirit_bear_vocab_def_list1.doc

Have a great weekend!

Today’s lesson will be focusing on using sensory details in writing.  We will be reading an excerpt from Maya Angelou’s "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."  Students will then have to identify what Maya saw, heard, smelled, tasted and felt in this passage.  They will identify the exact words the author used to create a picture in our minds. 

This week’s homework:

• Complete vocabulary activity #2 – Touching Spirit Bear
• Read Chapter 1 of Touching Spirit Bear
• Booktalks due by Friday