GEO / TERR

For the next two weeks, we'll be studying words that have the root "geo" or "terr," meaning earth. You will find many connections to these words and what you have learned/ are learning in science, math, and history.

DIRECTIONS:
1. Find a word with the root "geo" or "terr" in your social studies, math, or reading book.
2. Share what you learned about this word and/or concepts you found related to this word. Your response for this step should be 3-5 sentences.

Dialogue

This week, we learned that dialogue can be used to make our writing more descriptive. It can provide readers a window into our characters' personalities. Remember that dialogue should have speech tags, so that the reader knows who is talking. Also remember that good writers break up their dialogue with action – characters are never static!

DIRECTIONS:

1.    List the book title and author.

2.    Record 2-3 sentences in which the author uses dialogue, speech tags, and action.

3.    Record a sentence of your own in which you use dialogue, speech tags, and action. Remember to punctuate it correctly. Check your dialogue handout.

NOTE: You will not get full credit unless your book example AND your writing journal example includes all three of the following: dialogue punctuated correctly, speech tags, and action.

Transition Words

Last week, we learned about transition words and phrases. Writers use transition words and phrases to improve the organization and understandability of their writing. There are different transition words that you can use for a variety of purposes. Refer to the transition words and phrases handout for a complete list of these words.

DIRECTIONS:

1.     List the title of the book (underlined, important words capitalized) and the author.

2.     Record a part of the text (2-5 sentences) in which the author uses transition words or phrases.

3.     Underline or italicize the transition words or phrases in the text you recorded.

4.     Share THREE sentences FROM YOUR WRITING JOURNAL in which you used transition words or phrases to improve the organization and understandability of your own writing. 

5.     Underline or italicize the transition words or phrases you used in these three sentences.

Word Choice

On Tuesday, we discussed how word choice impacts the quality of our writing. When we polish our writing, we look for words that we can make more specific.

DIRECTIONS:

1.     List the title of the book (underlined, important words capitalized) and the author.

2.     Record a part of the text (2-5 sentences) in which the author uses impressive word choice.

3.     Underline or italicize the words that impress you in the passage. You might want to try using these words in your own writing at a later time!

4.     Share THREE words that you improved IN YOUR WRITING JOURNAL.  You should include the original words and the improved words. For example, you might write, “I changed said to muttered, went to sauntered, and nice to satisfying.”

Starting a New Paragraph

On Tuesday, we learned when to start a new paragraph. Writers start new paragraphs for the following reasons:
* new topic
* new time
* new place
* new speaker
* dramatic effect
Refer to Tuesday's handout to complete this assignment. You must follow all of the directions below to get full credit for this blog assignment.

DIRECTIONS:
1. Open up to the page you are currently reading in your reading workshop book.
2. Identify the name of the book and the author.
3. Type two paragraphs from your text.
4. Explain why the author decided to start a new paragraph at this point. (Hint: It should be one of the reasons listed above.)

Complete Sentences/ Varying Sentence Structure

Last week, we learned how to write in complete sentences and how to vary our sentence structure. We learned 3 types of sentence structures: simple, compound, and complex sentences. Please refer to the powerpoint on varying sentence structure to complete this blog assignment. You must complete all of the steps below AND correctly punctuate your sentences in order to get full credit.

DIRECTIONS:
1. Write one simple sentence from your personal narrative writing piece. Label the sentence as a simple sentence.
2. Write one compound sentence from your personal narrative writing piece. Label the sentence as a compound sentence.
3. Write one complex sentence from your personal narrative writing piece. Label the sentence as a complex sentence.

Vocabulary: mal

For the next two weeks, we'll be studying words that have the root "mal," which means "bad." 
DIRECTIONS:
1. Look up an original word that is not on our list (or similar to a word on our list) that has the root "mal."
2. Define the word.
3. Use the word in a meaning-loaded, complete sentence.

Personal Narrative Writing Ideas

Today, we read The Wall. Last Friday we read The Memory String. Last Wednesday, we read Up North at the Cabin. Through reading these texts, we learned that we can generate personal narrative writing ideas related to small moments in a special place, small moments surrounding an important object, or small moments with a special person.

DIRECTIONS:
1. List one writing idea from each of these categories (that means you'll list 3 ideas total) that you wrote in your writing idea chart in your composition book.

2. Give a more detailed description/summary of one of these personal narrative ideas that you plan on writing first (or already started writing).

SGI Podcasts - Group 1

Check out the podcasts that the first SGI writing group created! Students analyzed Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne and created stories told from various points of view using voice appropriately. Can you find the similarities in the events that unfold and yet the differences in the way the stories are told? Choose one of the following ways to respond. 

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Listen to the podcasts under the same heading (example: Robbery Voice 1, 2, 3, and 4). There are 3-4 stories in each set. You only need to listen to one set.

2. Find 4 similarities between the stories in one set. 

3. Find 2 differences between two of the accounts within one set.

OR 

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Listen to the podcasts under the same heading (example: Robbery Voice 1, 2, 3, and 4). There are 3-4 stories in each set. You only need to listen to one set.

2. Identify one thing that EACH of the authors did well in his or her writing. Make sure that your compliments are specific and positive.

 

Click here to be directly connected to the first SGI group's podcasts. All podcasts are posted on the Blue Barracudas' website under writing. Enjoy!