Welcome Back! 2018-2019 School Year!

OCTOBER UPDATE

October is quickly coming to an end! Here is an overview of what we worked on this month:

In reading we are continuing our close read strategies from "Notice and Note: Strategies for Close Reading" by Kylene Beers & Robert E. Probst. Students are working hard to identify Contrast and Contradictions, Aha Moments, Memory Moments, and recently introduced Tough Questions.  As we roll into November, I will also be introducing Words of the Wiser and Again and Agains.  A quick review of what each strategy means and how it helps students analyze and make inferences with the literature they are reading.

Contrast and Contradiction.  When students notice a character behaving differently than they would expect or usually do, they need to STOP and ask themselves, "Why is the character doing that?".  The answers can help students make predictions or inferences about the character, conflict, and or plot. 

Aha Moment! When students are reading and suddenly a character realizes, understands, or finally figures something important out about themselves, the people around them, or their world, they need to STOP and ask themselves, "How might this change things?"  The answer can help students undertand the theme of the story if the character realizes a life lesson or if the character solves a problem, it reveals the conflict. 

Memory Moments: When students are reading and notice the author interrupts the action to tell a memory, they need to STOP and ask themselves, "Why might this memory be important?" The answers will help students determine the theme, conflict, or identify foreshadowing in the novel.

Tough Questions: When students are reading and the character asks himself/herself a REALLY difficult questions, they need to STOP and ask themselves, "What does this question make me wonder?".  The answers will help students identify the conflict and give them clues and ideas about what will happen later in the story. 

Words of the Wiser: When students are reading and a character (who is probably older and a lot wiser) takes the main character aside and give them advice, students should STOP and ask themselves, "What's the life lesson and how might it affect the character?"  The answers will help students identify the theme of the novel. 

Again and Again: When students are reading and they notice a word, phrase, object, or situation mentioned again and again, they must stop and ask themselves "Why does this keep showing up again and again?" The answers will help students identify the theme, conflict, or foreshadow what will happen later in the story.  

Students are using these close reading strategies in our classroom novels The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (7th grade) and The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney (8th grade) and also applying them to their independent reading books. 

Students have also been working hard on their Book Talks which are due at the end of this month.  Their book talk assignment involves delivering a 5 minute book talk to the class about the novel they have read for independent reading.  The object of a book to is to convince the listener to read the book you are recommending.  This book talk is essentially a persuasive speech to convince the listener that they should read a specific book.  

In writing, we are currently working on Halloween narratives and focusing on the elements of narrative writing.  Students are working on SHOWING and not just TELLING their story, by using sensory details (Describing what the character sees, smells, tastes, touches/feels, and hears). They are using descriptive language to draw the reader into their story and helps the reader really imagine/picture what is happening.