Literacy - Mr. Rowan

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Weekly Update - May 28

This week, students will finish the final few pages of They Graveyard Book. They will get a chance to reflect on the book and do a final project. They will get to choose from the following options:
 

 

The Graveyard Book/Jungle Book Project Selection Sheet

 Individual Project: In lieu of a test, you will select one of the following options to complete a final project on The Graveyard Book/Jungle Book.

  1. Create a summary of the novel in comic strip format. Your comic strip should contain at least eight ‘frames’ (two for the beginning, four for the middle where the majority of the story’s action happens, and two for the ending). Be sure to include all significant events in the story.
    1. Pre-writing: a web or outline for the comic
    2. Rough draft: rough sketch of comic frames and dialogue
    3. Final draft: at least 8 frames, in color, with dialogue and looking professional
  1. Use 3x5 index cards to create trading cards for four of the main characters in The Graveyard Book/Jungle Book.
    1. On one side, illustrate the character using color and creativity.
    2. On the other side, identify the character by name, age, group, his/her role and relationship to others in the story, and how this character relates to your life.
    3. When writing about his/her relationship to others in the story and how this character relates to your life, you must use full sentences and have 4-5 sentences for each part.
  1. Create the soundtrack for The Graveyard Book/Jungle Book. Select five important scenes from the novel (1 from the beginning, 2 from the middle and 1 from the end) and choose a modern or historical song that you would include in the movie version for each scene. For each, describe the scene, the characters involved and why this song and/or artist is appropriate.
    1. Pre-write – Brainstorm notes / mental map
    2. Burn a cd with the songs you’ve selected for your soundtrack
    3. Final draft – Describe each scene and why the song or artist is appropriate. (100 words per song, double spaced).
    4. Design the cd or album cover for the soundtrack.
  1. Create a book jacket! Design a “Special Edition” copy of The Graveyard Book/Jungle Book.
    1. Front Cover Directions: Create cover art for the jacket. Think about specific parts in the novel that are important to the plot, and use those ideas to work from.
    2. The cover MUST be relevant to the book, and may not be random or unrelated artwork. Make the cover as colorful and attractive as possible.
    3. Inside front fold directions: Describe an exciting scene from the book to try and entice students to read the book. Leave it as a cliffhanger! Why would a person want to read this book? (100 word minimum) Spine directions: The title of the novel (The Outsiders) and the author (S.E. Hinton).
    4. Back cover directions: At the top, write a summary of the novel in your own words (200 words). Underneath the plot synopsis, include a review of the novel. This should be written in your own words. You may create reviews by fictitious or famous people. Get creative! 
    5. Inside back fold directions: Your choice! Tell us about the author; add more “reviews,” or illustrations.
    1. Ends with a question or scene that makes the audience want to read the book

 

Read to Page 160 in The Graveyard Book

Students should read to page 260 tonight and be ready to discuss and answer questions about page 248-260 tomorrow. 

Weekly Update - May 20

Over the weekend, students were to read to the 20 pages we had left on Friday to the end of Chapter 6 and be ready to discuss these 20 pages on Monday. I will also give students 2-3 comprehension questions from this section to make sure they are doing the reading we discuss in class. We will continue reading chapters 8 and 9 during the week and finish up the book on Thursday.
Students will also be working on finishing their final compare and contrast drafts on Monday and Tuesday. I've graded and given feedback on their rough drafts and they are now adding evidence from the Jungle Book and Graveyard book to their body paragraphs. 

Weekly Update - May 13

This week in Language Arts, we will continue working on two different things. Students should have read Chapter 3 over the weekend, so we will discuss what happened in this chapter and compare it to The Jungle Book. 
Students will also continue working on their compare and contrast essay where they are looking at how Mowgli came to live with the wolves in the Jungle and how Bod came to live with the spirits in the graveyard. 
Finally, we will continue reading and discussing The Graveyard Book. I will be sending you messages through Edlio on what pages students should be reading each night, but for sure students will need to be reading each night for the rest of the quarter. Please check your email each night for the reading assignment.

Read Chapter 3 of the Graveyard Book

Over the weekend, students should read and annotate Chapter 3 of The Graveyard Book. Students should be ready to discuss what happened and how this section was similar to The Jungle Book.

Weekly Update - May 6

In Language Arts this week we will continue our work with The Graveyard Book. After reading the first two chapters, we are going to write a compare/contrast essay that will looks at the similarities and differences between how Mowgli in The Jungle Book came to live as one of members of the wolf pack with how Bod, from The Graveyard Book came to live as one of the members of the Graveyard. As we read and annotated the first two chapters of The Graveyard Book, we highlighted the characters, settings and plot events that were similar and different.
After we write this essay, we will continue to read The Graveyard Book. I will let you know each night what pages students need to read to depending on how much we read during class. Students should expect to read every night.

Reading over the Weekend

Students should read to the end of Chapter 2 in The Graveyard Book by Monday. Based on what was left at the end of class today, that should be less than 10 pages.

Reading Tonight!

Students have their copy of the Graveyard Book. We read part of chapter 1 today. There are 9 pages of chapter 1 left. Please have your student read and annotate the rest of chapter 1 tonight. If your student was absent today, they should read and annotate all of chapter 1.

Weekly Update - April 30

This week we will finish the section of the Jungle Book called Kaa's Hunting. Students will annotate the main plot events, characters and settings. They will also complete the assignment questions for Kaa's hunting in their OneNote. This will be the last section we read of the Jungle Book.
Students will get their copies of The Graveyard Book and we will begin reading this. As we read, we will compare this story to the Jungle Book through various writing activities. 

Weekly Update - April 16

This week, students will use the three days they have to continue reading The Jungle Book
 
Raised by a family of wolves since birth, Mowgli must leave the only home he's ever known when the fearsome tiger Shere Khan unleashes his mighty roar. Guided by a no-nonsense panther and a free-spirited bear, the young boy meets an array of jungle animals, including a slithery python and a smooth-talking ape. Along the way, Mowgli learns valuable life lessons as his epic journey of self-discovery leads to fun and adventure.
 
As they read, they will also be annotating the PDF in their OneNote. I expect them to make notes about main characters, the settings, the main plot events and the conflict in the story. 

Weekly Update - April 9

This week, students will use the two days they have to start reading The Jungle Book
 
Raised by a family of wolves since birth, Mowgli must leave the only home he's ever known when the fearsome tiger Shere Khan unleashes his mighty roar. Guided by a no-nonsense panther and a free-spirited bear, the young boy meets an array of jungle animals, including a slithery python and a smooth-talking ape. Along the way, Mowgli learns valuable life lessons as his epic journey of self-discovery leads to fun and adventure.
 
Before they read, students will answer some questions around what is a normal home and family, what parenting means, and what it means to be an orphan. As they read, they will also be annotating the PDF in their OneNote. I expect them to make notes about main characters, the settings, the main plot events and the conflict in the story. 

Welcome Back

Hello, Westgate families and welcome back for quarter four! This quarter we are looking forward to a strong end of the school year with lots of fun learning happening in the 7/8 pod. This week students will have a regular class schedule on Monday and Friday. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday students will participate in the English Language Arts CMAS testing in the afternoon. In the morning students will have science, social studies, and advocacy. The schedule for those days is as follows: 
                                              
8:15-9:15 Specials
9:15-10:15 Science/SS A
10:15-11:15 Science/SS B
11:15-11:45 Advocacy 
11:45-12:15 Recess and Lunch
12:45 - 3:15 Afternoon Testing
3:15- 3:30 Advocacy 
3:30 Dismissal 
 
As always we encourage our families to make sure their kids are well rested, and well fed before testing and school days.

In Language Arts this week students will be working on a couple of things. First, students should have their visual story scroll of The Outsiders finished. I will collect and grade these on Monday, put them together Monday night and students will present these on Tuesday. Students have done the rough draft of their persuasive essay, and will work on the final draft. I've changed this due date until after break and it will now be due on the Friday of the first week of Q4. We will also spend some time on Monday looking at computer program and sample questions that they will see on the state CMAS test.

Weekly Update - March 18

As we head into the end of Quarter 3, there are a few things we would like to bring your attention to.
  1. This week, on Monday the 19th through Wednesday the 21st, students will be taking the state CMAS math assessments in the afternoon. Please make sure students are well-rested, have a good breakfast and are ready and at school for these assessments. These tests are an important measure of the student's academic progress and one measure of the school's success in fulfilling its charter. In the mornings for these days, students will have Electives, Language Arts and Math. There will be no Social Studies or Science classes this week.
  2. This week on Thursday the 22nd and Friday the 23rd, we will have Parent-Teacher Conferences. Students will not have school on those days.
  3. March 26th - April 6th: Spring Break

Weekly Update - March 11

In Language Arts this week students will be working on two projects. First, students will work in their visual story scroll of The Outsiders. Otherwise known as the Crankie project. Students have done the rough draft, and now they will work on the final draft. This is due on Friday. The second thing students will be working on is their final draft of The Outsiders persuasive essay. This will be due March 21 and the grade will go in the Q4 grade book.