Week at a Glance November 16 – 20
Welcome to our blog. Our class blogs are up and running. Each student has their own blog, accessed by a username and password given to them in class. You can find your child’s blog by clicking on the links listed on mine. Students may use these blogs to publish their writing, share what they think about the books they read, and respond to each other’s ideas. Students are free to personalize their blogs and respond the each other’s posts as long as content remains school appropriate. Any inappropriate content will be dealt with as a discipline issue.
Monday – Poem: “The Fish”
Explode a moment and shrink a century. Students will experiment with time in their memoirs. They will work with a partner to identify the important moments in their memoir and then slow it down by adding thoughtshots and snapshots and dialogue. Students will write revisions directly on their printed copy of their draft.
Homework: Choose 5 words for word study. Read 30 minutes and record on Reading Log.
Tuesday – Poem: “Tree Heartbeat”
Digging Deeper for Details. Students will practice digging for details by asking questions. Then they will help each other dig for details in their memoirs by asking each other questions. Students will then revise their memoirs by adding details while needed.
Homework: Read 30 minutes and record on reading Log.
Wednesday- Poem: “Campfire Lullaby” & “night songs”
Revise memoirs. Students will incorporate their revisions into their memoir and print out a new copy.
Homework: Three to five pages of writing due. Read 30 minutes and record on Reading Log. Complete Word Study
Thursday- Poem: “Peaches” & “Craisins”
Edit & turn in memoirs. Students will use their individual proofreading list to edit their memoirs. Corrections may be written directly on their draft. Students will then turn in their memoirs.
Homework: Word Study due. Read 30 minutes and record on Reading Log. Get Reading Log signed.
Friday– Poem: “I Can’t Forget You.”
Reading day. Students should add “Favorite Young Adult Authors” to their Reading Journal. They will be choosing an author to research and read. After browsing through the list of authors, they have a free reading day. Reading Logs are due today.
Homework: Read 30 minutes and record on Reading Log.
Happy reading!
Monday – Poem: “Cat”
Finish book projects. The letters and video book trailers have taken longer than I thought. Students may finish them on Monday.
Homework: Choose 5 words for word study. Read 30 minutes and record on Reading Log.
Tuesday – Poem: “Dogs”
Post book projects on blog. Students will post their letter or video book trialer on their blog page. Students will also reflect on what they learned from reading the memoir and completing the project.
Homework: Read 30 minutes and record on reading Log.
Wednesday- Poem: “Dog’s Death”
Peer conferences. Students will complete a peer conference focusing on sensory details. They must ask at least three questions to help their partner dig for more details. They should add revisions to the printed copy of their draft.
Homework: Three to five pages of writing due. Read 30 minutes and record on Reading Log. Complete Word Study
Thursday- Poem: “Birch” & “Shelter”
Book Fair. AFter completing weekly partner quizzes, students will go to the library to visit the Scholastic Book Fair. They should also take care of any library business.
Homework: Word Study due. Read 30 minutes and record on Reading Log. Get Reading Log signed.
Friday– Poem: “Sonnet for Shoelace”
Second peer conference. Students will complete a second peer conference focusing on thoughts and feelings. They should add revisions to the printed copy of their draft.
Homework: Read 30 minutes and record on Reading Log.
Happy reading!
Monday – Poem: “Dharma” & “Man and Dog”
Practice craft and peer conference. Students will brainstorm synomyms for “walk.” They will look in the first draft for boring verbs they can replace with specific verbs. Students will learn to “crack open” an image by asking questions about what it looks like, sounds like, feels like. Then they will do a peer conference to help each other add those sensory details.
Homework: Choose 5 words for word study. Read 30 minutes and record on Reading Log.
Tuesday – Poem: “Love that Cat” & “Cat Smile”
Type drafts of memoirs. Students will type the draft of their memoir if they have not done so already. They may also work on their memoir book project that is due Friday.
Homework: Read 30 minutes and record on reading Log.
Wednesay- Poem: “Dog in Bed”
Thoughts and Feelings. Students will lread “Backing Up” and highlight where I included thoughts and feelings. The will then look for places they can add their thoughts and feelings to their memoir. They may continue typing and working on their book projects
Homework: Three to five pages of writing due. Read 30 minutes and record on Reading Log. Complete Word Study
Thursday- Poem: “Primetime”
Evaluate book projects. Students will use the rubrics for the essay letter or video book trailer to evaluate one of my example projects.
Homework: Word Study due. Read 30 minutes and record on Reading Log. Get Reading Log signed.
Friday– Poem: “A Reason for Black”
Turn in book projects! Students will post their completed letter-essays or video book trailers on their blog.
Homework: Read 30 minutes and record on Reading Log.
Happy reading!