7^th Grade Language Arts

with Mrs. Hiller and the Patos Island Team

Directions for a Fiction Summary:  Two Student Written Summaries: Sisterhood and Deepwoods

Sentence Pattern Examples

Student metaphor poems

Student Created Persuasive PowerPoint: Bats In Our Town

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Current Activities

Notes from Class...

Name and define the four elements of a story: Plot Characters  Theme Setting

Plot:

The five parts of a plot: Understanding Plot Development

Plot Graphic Organizer: Plot Chart

Website to Visit: Constructing Plot

Character: Trait and Evidence Chart

Assignments

“Letters from Rifka” Page 224-228	“Two Kinds” Page 231-244
Meet with Hiller as a story group (2 days) Anticipation Guide Part Vocabulary Introduction Read together for predictions and literary elements-plot and character Plot Organizer: Sequence of events organizer Homework: Anticipation Guide Part 2 Due _______	Grass is Greener activity (2 class days) On LA web page Follow study guide directions Homework: Anticipation Guide Part 1 and 2 Due ________
End of Story Questions Thinking about the Selection 1a……2a & b…..3a & b…..5a & b….. Reading Skills…Predicting 6a & b….7a & b….. Literary Analysis…Character traits 9…..	Meet with Hiller as a story group (1 days) Anticipation Guide Part Vocabulary Introduction Read together for predictions and literary elements-plot and character Short Story Plot Organizer
Assessment Practice page 2 Follow directions for 1-4 Timed writing.  Follow the directions for 20 minutes.  Put your thinking into a chart to show classmates your thinking.  You create the chart or graphic organizer that shows your thinking and reasoning.	Read story Complete graphic organizers (plot and character) as and after you read
Literary Analysis Do vocabulary word below	End of Story Questions Thinking about the Selection 1a……2a & b…..3a & b…..4a & b….. Reading Skills…Predicting 5…..6….. Literary Analysis…Character traits 7(character graphic organizer)…..8…..
Both Groups….. Literary Analysis Vocabulary: On notebook paper, write the literary vocabulary word and a definition for each.  Use it as a study guide. Character Kinds of characters Character traits Character’s motives Direct characterization Indirect characterization	Assessment Practice page 247 Follow directions for 1-4 Timed writing.  Follow the directions for 20 minutes.  Put your thinking into a chart to show classmates your thinking.  You create the chart or graphic organizer that shows your thinking and reasoning. Do vocabulary words.

SHORT STORY

Learning Targets

• I can name, define, and identify the elements of a story.
• I can understand and use new vocabulary into my speaking and writing.
• I can state the theme of a story and give evidence from the story that supports my thinking.
• I can compare and contrast common recurring themes in books and in other.
• I can connect the theme of the story to my life or the world around me.
• I can explain how important events lead to the conflict in the story and how each contributes to the resolution.
• I can choose a dominate character trait of the protagonist and antagonist with support from the story (the character's actions, conversation, thoughts, feeling, and interactions of other characters).
• I can compare characters from two stories.
• I can make logical predictions using clues from the story's plot.
• Analyze a story to understand the decisions an author makes to communicate his/her message or theme.

Scanning Skills Quiz

Take the quiz at SkillsWise Words sit to test your skimming skills

Scan-to obtain specific information.

Skimming- to obtain the gist, overall sense of a piece of text. Usually used when previewing text before reading to set a purpose and make connections before reading.

Most work will be done in class. Homework may be assigned for those who do not use class time wisely or it may be assigned to complete the writing process on the story’s writing assignment.

Parents can help students become better writers.  Visit the site from the National Council Teachers of English to view their researched recommendations.  Teens and all readers.

Language Arts Links

Links for Learning and Researching Language Arts Connection:News SourcesClass Projects History Connection:Washington State History Medieval Ages History Writing and Reading History Researching: Research RoomA+ Reading and Research Hiller’s Cool Links of all Kinds Product Links: PowerPoint Guidelines Skills Practice: Student and Teacher Choices Main Idea Practice #1 Main Idea Practice #2	Good Books To Read Good Books For Kids To Be Reading Guys Read Best Children's Books of the Year Children's Literature Web Site Cyber Guide - SCORE    By grade levels.  CDE.Database of Award Winning Children's Literature Grade Level Reading Lists & Teacher Recommended Reading Lists (K-8)Recommended Reading Lists 7th & 8th Grade International Reading Association - Recommended Reading Lists One Hundred Books that Shaped the Century One Hundred Picture Books Everyone Should Know.   New York Public Library.  K-4Young Readers' Choice Awards Youth Recommended Reading Lists St. Charles Public Library Classroom Reading Program SSR Program in PowerPoint SSR- Independent Reading
Reading and Writing Strategies Strategies and GuidesSQ4R Study Strategy Strategies Site: Muskingum College Learning Strategies Homepage	Grammar Links Big Dog’s Grammar Self-Study Grammar Quizzes Grammar Bytes Daily Grammar Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL)
Writing Links The Writing Process The Writing Process for Students and Teachers The ABCs of the Writing Process Edit for Sentence Variety Expository The Five Paragraph Essay- Expository Kinds of Writing- Expository, Persuasive, Descriptive and mo reColor Coding the Expository Essay Mt. Rushmore Example of Expository Writing Comparison/Contrast Essay Persuasive Persuaders essay writing space with assessment features and feedback and analysis of writing and conventions Persuasive Essay with color coded parts The Five Paragraph Essay- Persuasive Washington State WASL papers Prompt Practice- Persuasive Prompts and Other Online Sources Persuasive writing ideas Narrative Letters Friendly Letter Format Letter Writing Guide Guide to Letter Writing -New Essay and Paragraphs How to write a paragraph Parts of a Paragraph How to write an essay The Basic Essay Kinds of Essays (formats) and Samples of Essays General Writing Sites Helpful Web sites for Writers Online Dictionary Pizza Center Guide to Basic Writing Prompt Generator	Reading Links Literature The Children's Literature Web Guide Five Facts about Fiction Story Mapping\ Informational Text How to read a text book page Reader’s Theater READER’S THEATER Basic information The Power of Reader’s Theater Graphic Organizers Write Design Online Graphic Organizers Graphic Organizer Index Mrs. Hiller’s favorite site for examples of kinds of note taking organizers Great graphic organizer for topic/detail notes Scholastics for Kids suggestions PDF Files of Sample Organizers Cornell Notes at a site “Tools for Writing and Thinking” Summary Notes Graphic Organizers with Enchanted Learning Organizers (PDF files)-excellent
Poetry Links Garden Poems Poetry Lessons for Students by Topic Poetry 180Daily Poems Stone Soup: Kid poems and Publication opportunities Poetry Zone Many Links to Poetry	Tools Flash Card Maker Calendar Maker Study Tools Make a To Do List4Learning-teacher and student tools Scoring Writing Tools Bellingham School District’s Writing Rubrics
PowerPoint Links: PowerPoint Self Guided Lessons Brainy Betty Free Backgrounds for school Visual Literacy: National Gallery of Art	Classroom Resources Reader’s Handbook Write Source, 200
Media Literacy	Novel: The Outsiders 1960’s History Museum
Curriculum Classroom Classroom Curriculum Overview ClassroomTargeted Reading, Writing, and Research Skills and Strategies District Literacy Curriculum Language Arts Syllabus for 2006 District Bellingham School District Home Page State OSPI Essential Academic Learning Requirements	Extra Credit Policy Is There Extra Credit? Homework Policy and Homework Links District Homework Policy and Research Homework Helper Link