07 M

Intro: Non-Fiction Unit
Oral Interpretation: Non-fiction story example.
Discussion: Story elements and differences between fiction and non-fiction.
Activity: Autobiography Outline (from birth to death)--This is a realistic, goal-oriented look into your future. How do you think/hope your life will turn out?

Writing Workshop: Begin outline in class (due next class period).

09 W

DUE: Autobiography Outline (rough draft)
Lecture/Discussion: Telling v. Showing
Examples/Practice/Invent
Writers' Workshop: "Show & Tell" #1
1. Create a list of 10 details--words that "show".
2. Next to each of the 10 details, list which sense is used.

Read: "Learn with Book" (226-267)
Assignment: p. 268

11 F

DUE: p. 268
Activity: "Show & Tell" #2
1. Write a paragraph in which you "tell" the reader about something.
2. Using the same subject as paragraph one, write a paragraph in which you "show" the reader the item, feeling, experience....

14 M

Writing Workshop with Audio-Visual Connection--Describe each of the slides shown in this "Video" as follows (about 5 minutes per slide):
1. Mosquito (involve at least 3 senses)
2. Apple (involve at least 3 senses)
3. Two Hands (involve at least 4 senses--could include emotion--could also write as a poem)
4. Girl alone with ice cream (involve all of the 5 senses and emotion in a phrase poem)
5. Women sleeping on grassy field...hat covering face...dog quietly beside her (brainstorm a list of descriptive words.

Assignment Reminder: Final Autobiography Outline due Wednesday

16 W

DUE: Autobiography Outline (final draft)

ICW: Snow Day--Describe what it would be like if you were expecting a snow say and didn't get it. Opposite idea also works: Describe the essence of a snow day from your perspective.

One-on-One Peer Consultation : Trade "Snow Day" papers. Underline the words/phrases that show (descriptive areas). Give 3 ideas of how to make it more descriptive. Share ideas with our partner. (Class Share and input at this time) Trade papers back and rewrite a section of the ICW, making it more descriptive. Again...share. Pass in.

Small Groups: Peer Evaluation and Development of Outlines

Share: Class members help each other to add more active words in outline

Activity: Choose a portion of your Autobiography Outline that is most interesting to you and write this portion of your autobiography. Remember to be realistic. Use descriptive words, sense impressions, and active verbs. (Length: 3/4 to 1 page minimum--Due: Friday)

18 F

DUE: 1 portion of Autobiography Outline written out descriptively.

Student Share: Snow Day Rewrite w/class analysis

Focus: Active Verbs and Descriptive words/phrases that SHOW rather than TELL.

No School

23 W

Focus (part 2) : Active Verbs and Descriptive words/phrases that SHOW rather than TELL.

"Field Trip"--Craft of Vision: We walked to various parts of the school, stopping at 9 different locations. Students observed and wrote the most descriptive words/phrases (sense impressions) that they saw, heard, felt, etc... (Must have at least 5 observations/sense impressions for each location)

Assignment: Write an observation/descriptive paragraph based on one of the field trip locations. Due Friday.

DUE: Observation/Descriptive Paragraph
Reading Time: 30 minutes with short reading report at the end

Assignment:
1. Read "Desert Images" (260-263) Pay close attention to descriptive passages. Identify "Flat" areas that need descriptive enhancement. Be ready to share your findings with the class.

Due: Monday

Reading Time: 20 minutes with short reading report at the end
Moment of Praise: CAYA Report
Group Work: "Desert Images"

1. One paper per group--all group members names included
2. Identify at least 3 "flat" areas in need of enhancement (pages 260-263).
3. Give life to those "flat" areas.
4. Re-write those areas and underline your revisions.
Identify 3 of the most descriptive passages in the story. Tell which senses are used in each.

30 W

Reading Time: 15 minutes followed by short reading report
Writing Workshop: Revision of Autobiography--Second Draft (Typed, Double-Spaced)

Revision Suggestions:
1. Replace weak verbs (was, is, are, were, went, said, ...) with strong, active verbs (jump, spring, yell, laughed)

2. See that each paragraph is limited to one subject.

3. Sentence Structure: Take out sentence fragments and run-ons.

4. Tense (shouldn't shift from past to present, and present to past...)

5. "Show" rather than "tell". Develop "telling" sentences by adding sense impressions. Help the reader to experience your writing.

6. Include at least two specific, vivid times in your life to expand by using descriptive words and phrases.

7. Check basic structure, grammar, etc.

01 F

Study Hall: (teacher in small auto accident)

Writing Workshop: Work on final draft of Autobiography, with emphasis on descriptive words and active verbs. (Computer Labs )

Due at end of class : Final Draft of Autobiography

View: Sample of Non-Fiction: The Miracle Worker

05 W

Study Hall : Tornado Warning...

07 F

Reading Time: 20 Minutes with short report due at end
View: Finish Non-Fiction Example--The Miracle Worker
Student Presentations: Picture Poems

Assignment for Wed: Read Pages 300-304 "The Car We Had to Push" by James Thurber

Quiz: "The Car We Had to Push"

Lecture/Discussion: "The Car We Had to Push" & James Thurber

Activity: Anecdotes and Personal Style/Tone helps you to develop well-rounded writing.

15 F

20 W

22 F
M/W Sched

Reading Lab: 15 min with short report at the end

GRAMMAR VOCAB :
1. Comma Splice: a run-on that occurs when two independent clauses are joined by just a comma.
2. Run-on Sentence: created when two independent clauses are joined incorrectly
3. Sentence Fragment: an incomplete sentence (a dependent clause without support)
4. Double Negative: I don't never go there!

Activity: Grammar Practice (Extended Activity Guided by Teacher)
..............Worksheet: #14 "Focus on the Right Word"

Writing Lab--20 minutes : Continue working on revising autobiographies (due Friday, end of class period).

Assignment for Friday: Worksheet #16 "Mixed Review"

03-09 Spring Break

10 M

Reading Workshop with Report: (These reading workshops have allowed students class time to get a head start on the reading of To Kill a Mockingbird)

New Grammar/Punt Vocab Words with Definitions (possible quiz at any time)

1. Rambling Sentence: A wordy sentence that has no real structure
2. Apostrophe: Punctuation mark used to show possession
3. Hyphen: Punctuation mark used to indicate that the last part of a word at the end of a line appears at the beginning of the next line. (Be sure to divide words between syllables.)

Grammar Practice: Editing and Revising a problem paragraph (directed)

Assignment: Read Chapters 1 & 2 of To Kill a Mockingbird

12 W

Quiz: To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapters 1 & 2 (with possible addition of Grammar study words)

New Unit Intro: Classic Novel--To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Lecture/Discussion: Harper Lee, Historical Background, and Chapters 1 & 2, Point of View, Main point of book...to be discussed.

Assignment: Read Chapters 3 & 4 of To Kill a Mockingbird

Quiz: To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapters 3 & 4

ICW: Until you walk in his shoes... (your thoughts on this lesson re: judging others, 1/2 page min)

Assignment: Study all grammar vocabulary words for possible quiz (including these new ones).

New Grammar/Punt Vocab Words with Definitions:

1. Pronoun: A word that replaces a noun
2. 1st Person Pronoun Examples : I, Me, We, Us...
3. 2nd Person Pronoun Examples : You, Your, Yourself...
4. 3rd Person Pronoun Examples: It, He, She, They, Them...
5. Parentheses: ( ) a word, phrase, or sentence inserted in a passage to explain or comment on it

17 M

19 W

21 F Staff Dev.

ICW: Happiness--What makes me happy? How to find happiness. What to do to make others happy.
Lecture/Notes: Ch. 1-8
Assignment: To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapters 9-10

Quiz: Ch 9-10
Lecture/Notes/Plot Chart (short story v. novel)... Examples from To Kill a Mockingbird

Assignment: Perspective
Choose a time in your life when you were young. It can be as simple as remembering how your parent(s) used to tuck you in to bed, a memory of playing in the sand with your sibling, or something that has greatly affected your life.

Write 1/2 page or more describing this moment from the perspective of you as a child.
Example: Scout's narration in To Kill a Mockingbird, you may not be able to understand everything.

Write some words phonetically. Use shorter sentences, etc.)
You may wish to explain something seriously, but humorously incorrectly.
Example: Scout's explanation of the Dewey Decimal System.

02 W

04 F

Writing Lab: Point of View

1. Finish typing Draft 1 (Double-spaced)

2. Print Draft 1 + Label clearly

3. Trade with @ least 2 classmates

4. Edit @ least 2 papers,using skills we've gone over in class. (*also see if the point of view is clear)

5.When you get your paper back, revise it and print.

Key Word : Memories

Assignment for Monday: Read To Kill a Mockingbird Ch. 12-14 (pages 117-157)

07 M

09 W

11 F ACT
Noon Dismissal

ACT in our room. Meet in the library today.
Writing Activity: Finish up the essay.
Quiz: Ch 17 --Postponed until Monday (Classes are too short today.)

Assignment: Read Ch 18

**For help with any essay, try this "Cool Tool"...

In your Word document, go to Tools, then Options, Choose Spelling/Grammar TAB, Check the Show Readability Statistics, Under "Writing Style" Check Grammar and Style

14 M

Quiz: Ch 17 & 18
Lecture/Discussion/Notes
ICW
Assignment: Read Ch 19 & 20
Key Word:

16 W

Quiz: Ch 19 & 20
Lecture/Discussion/Notes
Assignment: Read Ch 21

18 F

Quiz: Ch 21
Lecture/Discussion/Notes
ICW
Assignment: Read Ch 22 & 23

21 M

Quiz: Ch 22 & 23
Lecture/Discussion/Notes
Assignment: Read Ch 23 - 25

Quiz: Ch 23 - 25
Lecture/Discussion/Notes
Assignment: Read Ch 26 & 27

28 M

Quiz: Ch 26 & 27
Lecture/Discussion/Notes
Assignment: Read Ch 28 & 29

30 W

Quiz: Ch 28 & 29
Lecture/Discussion/Notes
Activity: Write up a story idea
Assignment: Read Ch 30 & 31

Quiz: Ch 30 & 31
Writing Lab : Work on poem assignment that is due Monday.
Assignment: Final draft of Poem Due Monday

05 M

07 W

09 F

12 M

14 W

16 F (M/W Sched)