Cleopatra Writing Assignment

Hello all! This week we will be drafting a writing assignment on the theme of Cleopatra and will polish them over the break. Remember that we have decided that the theme is "coming of age." We will be drafting these in class and discussing them/proofreading with peers. Your final draft is due when you return (Wednesday, 11/9). Here is what will be required. We will be discussing all of this in class, step-by-step.

I. 3 paragraphs
   A. Introduction/thesis paragraph
   B. Body paragraph 1
      1. Topic sentence
      2. (4) pieces of supporting evidence/details from the story that confirm the theme
      3. Transition sentence
   C. Closing paragraph
      1. Refer back to the plot (we will discuss this in class)
      2. Closing thoughts
      3. Concluding sentence
II. Format
   A. Typed
   B. Times New Roman, size 12
   C. Double-spaced
   D. Header (we will discuss in class)

Please, please, please keep track of the graphic organizers on which we will be working and bring them to class each day. Let's get some writing done! :)

A few reminders...

Please hold on to your Cleopatra books until we are finished with our writing assignment next week. It will be an in-class assignment and we will be taking it step-by-step. Stay tuned for more details.

Hold on to your index cards as well - we will be adding supporting details and a conclusion to the topic sentence we wrote today. We will then clip our cards to a ring to use as a tactile reminder for how to build a paragraph.

Tonight's homework does not require complete sentences; simply jot down 5 facts or ideas that support your class's topic sentence. Do not put them on index cards (a scrap piece of paper will be fine).

Topic sentences:

6-1: Winter, one of the most beautiful seasons, is a time for slowing down.

6-2: Winter is a seasonal wonderland that offers many fun things to do.

Great job today brainstorming some winter-related images and feelings!

*So Proud*

I can't stop telling my friends how awesome you guys were for Open Mic this week. Thank you to everyone who came out to read or to listen. This year we heard some beautiful imagery and touched on more themes than ever, including social justice. I'm super proud of you guys and I had an awesome time. Here are a couple photos from Open Mic, plus a random picture of Joi's colored pencils, which I just liked seeing all lined up on the desk. Also, if you're reading this, please remind me to share with you Ms. Chavis's response to "Slimy Ocean Ham."

A golden phoenix for a golden garden!

 One of my favorite poems by G.A. - it took me back to Manhattan.

#tb

Throwback to that one time Spencer was trying to figure out the answer to a Sparkle question and went full Olympian mode

Sentence Fragments

Now that we know that a complete sentence needs a subject and a predicate, we're going to focus on identifying and avoiding sentence fragments. We will have a quiz on sentence fragments this Friday (since there's no vocab). You will need to identify fragments and then correct a few fragments; you will then be asked to write a one-paragraph response to a question, in which you should avoid sentence fragments.

Remember, a sentence fragment is one that is missing either a subject or a predicate; it does not communicate a complete thought. It is not an independent clause and cannot stand on its own. For example:

"Some kids in the class." --- This is a fragment. It contains a subject (kids) but does not tell us what the subject is doing or being. Therefore it is incomplete and considered a dependent clause. Let's add a verb so it makes sense:

"Some kids in the class use Blogger to study."

"Because she didn't like the way the market smelled." --- This is also a fragment. Sentences that begin with "because" are very tricky. Unless the sentence tells you the answer to, "..because what?" it is a fragment. It is a dependent clause that requires more explanation. Either of these corrections would fix it:

"Berenice did not visit the market because she didn't like the way the market smelled."
"Because she didn't like the way the market smelled, Berenice did not visit the market."

We will be discussing these more in-depth this week and completing some class drills in preparation for your quiz. Here's a cool online tool that will help with identifying fragments:

http://www.chompchomp.com/frag01/frag01.htm

Open Mic Night

Hello everyone!

I wanted to post some info regarding Open Mic. Our poetry readings will be in the art room this year. Open Mic is on Tuesday, October 18th, from 6-7pm. It will be happening as a part of Reading Fun Night, so if you have younger siblings, they can enjoy all the games available in Fellowship Hall. Middle School students who attend will be entered into a drawing for a prize that includes a Barnes & Noble gift card AND a Starbucks gift card! The book fair will be open during this time. Middle School students will not be required to complete the stations for the younger children to be entered into the drawing.

Tomorrow in school I'll be passing out tickets to students who want to come. If you would like to read during open mic (remember, there's lots of extra credit available to students who come read!), please be sure have your parents sign your ticket. This way I can get an idea of how much hot chocolate I need and will be able to create a tentative reading schedule.

Please remember to get your ticket signed (whether you're reading or just coming to listen), and if you plan to read, please submit your piece to me before Monday.

Invite your friends! Come out and have a great time as we share some awesome poetry!

Creative Writing Feature

A beautiful poem by R. Baker. :)