The first selection of he test will be a poem.
It will NOT be a Narrative Poem. This means students need to know the difference between a lyric poem and a free verse poem.
The SPEAKER of the poem is the person talking in the poem.
Figurative Language often compares two Unlike things.
The second and third selections of the test are paired passages. The first is a person's fictional diary entry. The second is non-fiction over Juneteenth.
When we see paired passages the questions are going to involve some comparing and contrasting.
For this section students should review: SUMMARY (which kicked their tail ends on the last test), MAIN IDEA, FIGURATIVE LANGAUGE, CONCLUSIONS, COMPARE and CONTRAST, and THEME!
There will be TWO questions on this test over THEME so reviewing it would be a good idea!
The fourth selection is non-fiction in the form of an Internet webpage. Students should know when you click on the tabs at the top of a web page it takes you to information about that topic.
Students should review the way non-fiction can be organized by headings. Students should review text features and how they can help them understand a text.
Students need to understand dictionary entries.
The final selection of the test is a Drama.
Students needs to be familiar with the elements of drama.
The drama includes standard fiction questions about characters, setting, and plot. There is also a LONG summary question so please encourage students to read carefully, take their time, and search for a beginning, middle, and end as well as a problem and solution.
Students will also have a difficult question regarding the DENOUEMENT, or FALLING ACTION of the play. This occurs after the problem has been solved and right before the end of the story.
Students should pay close attention to vocabulary and using context clues.
Make sure they sleep well and eat breakfast in the morning!
Hopefully this will help a little with knowing what to study. All of this information can be found in the blog.
Thanks for all you do!
Monday, December 15, 2014
This week December 15-19
Good morning!
Just a few things today...
Yellow conduct folders and graded papers did go home Friday so make sure you ask to see these.
Also this week will be review and a third six weeks test tomorrow including poetry and drama.
Thursday is Early Release at 11:30 so everyone can go to that STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!
We will not have school on Friday!
In my homeroom class on Thursday we will be having a Christmas party! I am going to allow students to bring something to drink and their favorite treat (enough to share with the class). This will not be anything huge, just snacking and watching Christmas movies. There are 23 students in my homeroom if you choose to send snacks! If you have questions give me a message, email, or call.
Thanks for all you do for our students!
Just a few things today...
Yellow conduct folders and graded papers did go home Friday so make sure you ask to see these.
Also this week will be review and a third six weeks test tomorrow including poetry and drama.
Thursday is Early Release at 11:30 so everyone can go to that STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME!
We will not have school on Friday!
In my homeroom class on Thursday we will be having a Christmas party! I am going to allow students to bring something to drink and their favorite treat (enough to share with the class). This will not be anything huge, just snacking and watching Christmas movies. There are 23 students in my homeroom if you choose to send snacks! If you have questions give me a message, email, or call.
Thanks for all you do for our students!
Thursday, December 11, 2014
All About Drama
What students need to know about Drama...
Drama is also referred to as a Play.
When a Drama is written out it is called a SCRIPT.
The SETTING, CHARACTER'S ACTIONS and how the actors should SAY and DO things when they are acting are all included in the drama's STAGE DIRECTIONS. STAGE DIRECTIONS are always written inside parentheses ( ) and are written in italics.
Dramas include a CAST of CHARACTERS at the beginning of the script which indicates how many actors are needed for the play.
Dramas are written in lines as follows:
CARL: (with excitement) Let's go to the zoo!
The character's name is in bold print. It is followed by a colon (:) and then any stage directions the playwright wishes the actor to know. The last thing in the line are the character's exact words. No quotation marks are necessary in a drama because of this special form.
The author of a drama is called the PLAYWRIGHT.
Drama is divided into sections. The larger sections of a drama are called ACTS. Inside ACTS are smaller sections that require a change in set called SCENES.
Sets are the background of the play that gives the audience the idea of another place such as a park or school. This is also called SCENERY.
PROPS are the items the actors use in the play to help act out their scenes.
DIALOUGE is the conversations of the play.
The NARRATOR of the play is not an acting character but someone who fills in the gaps for things the actors cannot act out, such as a passage of time or background information.
Drama is also referred to as a Play.
When a Drama is written out it is called a SCRIPT.
The SETTING, CHARACTER'S ACTIONS and how the actors should SAY and DO things when they are acting are all included in the drama's STAGE DIRECTIONS. STAGE DIRECTIONS are always written inside parentheses ( ) and are written in italics.
Dramas include a CAST of CHARACTERS at the beginning of the script which indicates how many actors are needed for the play.
Dramas are written in lines as follows:
CARL: (with excitement) Let's go to the zoo!
The character's name is in bold print. It is followed by a colon (:) and then any stage directions the playwright wishes the actor to know. The last thing in the line are the character's exact words. No quotation marks are necessary in a drama because of this special form.
The author of a drama is called the PLAYWRIGHT.
Drama is divided into sections. The larger sections of a drama are called ACTS. Inside ACTS are smaller sections that require a change in set called SCENES.
Sets are the background of the play that gives the audience the idea of another place such as a park or school. This is also called SCENERY.
PROPS are the items the actors use in the play to help act out their scenes.
DIALOUGE is the conversations of the play.
The NARRATOR of the play is not an acting character but someone who fills in the gaps for things the actors cannot act out, such as a passage of time or background information.
All About Poetry
Poetry terms and information students should know...
Three forms of poetry:
1. Narrative: tells a story and has characters, setting, and plot complete with a problem and solution.
2. Lyrical: has a specific rhyming patter and rhythm. Lyrical poetry is what we hear in the songs we like.
3 Free verse: free verse poem breaks all writing rules! It does not require a specific rhythm pattern, rhyming words, punctuation, or capitalization.
Other poetry terms:
Poems have LINES not sentences.
Poems are made up of STANZAS (which are similar to paragraphs).
Poetry has METER (the beat) and it can have a musical quality created by the meter.
Poetry often have various RHYME schemes.
REPETITION is a popular technique used in poetry. Repetition of an entire stanza or the last lines of stanzas is referred to as REFRAIN which is like a CHORUS we hear in songs.
REPETITION is also seen through ALLITERATION which is the repetition of beginning sounds of words such as Sally Sells Seashells by he Seashore.
Three forms of poetry:
1. Narrative: tells a story and has characters, setting, and plot complete with a problem and solution.
2. Lyrical: has a specific rhyming patter and rhythm. Lyrical poetry is what we hear in the songs we like.
3 Free verse: free verse poem breaks all writing rules! It does not require a specific rhythm pattern, rhyming words, punctuation, or capitalization.
Other poetry terms:
Poems have LINES not sentences.
Poems are made up of STANZAS (which are similar to paragraphs).
Poetry has METER (the beat) and it can have a musical quality created by the meter.
Poetry often have various RHYME schemes.
REPETITION is a popular technique used in poetry. Repetition of an entire stanza or the last lines of stanzas is referred to as REFRAIN which is like a CHORUS we hear in songs.
REPETITION is also seen through ALLITERATION which is the repetition of beginning sounds of words such as Sally Sells Seashells by he Seashore.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Figurative Language
Figurative Language is important for students to know when reading and writing.
Here is a list of the figurative language we are discussing currently.
Oxymoron- a combination of words that have very different meanings from each other used to describe.
Ex. "pretty ugly" as in "That dog looks pretty ugly to me."
Hyperbole- means an exaggeration.
Ex. "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!" just means that someone is really hungry not that they could actually eat a horse.
Simile- comparing two unlike things using the words like or as.
Ex. "He was as fast as lightening." or "She was sweet like candy."
Compares a boy's speed to the speed of lightening. Compares the girl's sweet personality to candy.
Personification- giving a non-living thing human traits.
Ex. "The walls have ears!" or "The cloud is crying big tears."
Alliteration- repeating beginning words sounds
Ex. "busy bumbling bee" or "Sally sells seashells by the seashore."
Metaphor- compares two unlike things by saying that one thing IS another thing.
Ex. "The problem was a sledgehammer on my brain." or "She was a graceful swan when she swam."
Idiom- an expression that DOES NOT mean what the individual words mean
Ex. "It's raining cats and dogs." or "The test was a piece of cake."
Onomatopoeia- the use of words that suggest a sense of sound
Ex. Buzz! Bang! Hissss! Clap!
Here is a list of the figurative language we are discussing currently.
Oxymoron- a combination of words that have very different meanings from each other used to describe.
Ex. "pretty ugly" as in "That dog looks pretty ugly to me."
Hyperbole- means an exaggeration.
Ex. "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!" just means that someone is really hungry not that they could actually eat a horse.
Simile- comparing two unlike things using the words like or as.
Ex. "He was as fast as lightening." or "She was sweet like candy."
Compares a boy's speed to the speed of lightening. Compares the girl's sweet personality to candy.
Personification- giving a non-living thing human traits.
Ex. "The walls have ears!" or "The cloud is crying big tears."
Alliteration- repeating beginning words sounds
Ex. "busy bumbling bee" or "Sally sells seashells by the seashore."
Metaphor- compares two unlike things by saying that one thing IS another thing.
Ex. "The problem was a sledgehammer on my brain." or "She was a graceful swan when she swam."
Idiom- an expression that DOES NOT mean what the individual words mean
Ex. "It's raining cats and dogs." or "The test was a piece of cake."
Onomatopoeia- the use of words that suggest a sense of sound
Ex. Buzz! Bang! Hissss! Clap!
Monday, December 1, 2014
December 1-5
Good morning!
This week we will begin our very fun journey into Sensory Language and Poetry!
Vocabulary words will all be words that appeal to the five sense: sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound. We will practice using these words to be more descriptive when we explain things to others.
Students will have homework over sensory language vocabulary due on Wednesday.
Our focus on poetry this week will be on the ways that poets use sensory and figurative language in poetry to paint a picture in the reader's mind.
Tomorrow we will be going over the different types of figurative language that the students need to be familiar with.
This week will be spent mostly introducing figurative language, sensory words, and poetry.
We will continue with poetry and move into drama over the next two weeks. We will have a third six weeks test that will focus predominantly on poetry and drama before we release for the Christmas break.
Thank you for all you do and I hope your Thanksgiving holiday was blessed!
This week we will begin our very fun journey into Sensory Language and Poetry!
Vocabulary words will all be words that appeal to the five sense: sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound. We will practice using these words to be more descriptive when we explain things to others.
Students will have homework over sensory language vocabulary due on Wednesday.
Our focus on poetry this week will be on the ways that poets use sensory and figurative language in poetry to paint a picture in the reader's mind.
Tomorrow we will be going over the different types of figurative language that the students need to be familiar with.
This week will be spent mostly introducing figurative language, sensory words, and poetry.
We will continue with poetry and move into drama over the next two weeks. We will have a third six weeks test that will focus predominantly on poetry and drama before we release for the Christmas break.
Thank you for all you do and I hope your Thanksgiving holiday was blessed!
Monday, November 17, 2014
November 17-21
Good morning!
This week we will be working on Persuasive Text and Geography Words for vocabulary.
Students will have one sheet of vocabulary homework that is due Wednesday.
Students reading logs will be due Friday for the month of November. This sheet should be the same one they completed in October.
Also the Field Trip is tomorrow so be sure the kids dress warm! We will be outside quite a bit and it is supposed to be cool.
Today is the awards assembly at 9:45.
Also we will be having a Strategy Night tomorrow night from 6-7. Hot dogs will be served after the meeting.
This week as we study persuasive test try to point out things that persuade to your kids such as advertisements or when they try to get you to do something for them. Persuasion is everywhere so hopefully they will understand this TEKS easily!
Thanks for all you do!!
This week we will be working on Persuasive Text and Geography Words for vocabulary.
Students will have one sheet of vocabulary homework that is due Wednesday.
Students reading logs will be due Friday for the month of November. This sheet should be the same one they completed in October.
Also the Field Trip is tomorrow so be sure the kids dress warm! We will be outside quite a bit and it is supposed to be cool.
Today is the awards assembly at 9:45.
Also we will be having a Strategy Night tomorrow night from 6-7. Hot dogs will be served after the meeting.
This week as we study persuasive test try to point out things that persuade to your kids such as advertisements or when they try to get you to do something for them. Persuasion is everywhere so hopefully they will understand this TEKS easily!
Thanks for all you do!!
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Science Vocabulary for This Week
Forms of Energy
Energy- That which is needed to do work.
Light Energy- Energy that can be seen by the eye.
Thermal/Heat Energy- Energy that causes a change in temperature between materials.
Electrical Energy- Energy produced by a power source.
Mechanical Energy-Energy produced by a machine or a moving part.
Sound Energy- Energy produced from the vibration that you can hear.
Energy- That which is needed to do work.
Light Energy- Energy that can be seen by the eye.
Thermal/Heat Energy- Energy that causes a change in temperature between materials.
Electrical Energy- Energy produced by a power source.
Mechanical Energy-Energy produced by a machine or a moving part.
Sound Energy- Energy produced from the vibration that you can hear.
Monday, November 10, 2014
November 10-14
Good morning and Happy Third Six Weeks of School!
This week we will be covering Main Idea and Summarizing which is TEKS 4.11A.
On Wednesday we will have a big review for our Second Six Weeks Test which will be Thursday.
The test will include Non-Fiction passages and all of the TEKS we covered in the Second Six Weeks of school.
Students are encouraged to watch any videos that have been made available to them as a review. Also, expect their reading journals to be coming home as a study guide.
There will be no new vocabulary introduced this week.
Students only homework will be to study and prepare for their test and read 20 minutes a night as part of their reading log.
Thanks for all you do!
This week we will be covering Main Idea and Summarizing which is TEKS 4.11A.
On Wednesday we will have a big review for our Second Six Weeks Test which will be Thursday.
The test will include Non-Fiction passages and all of the TEKS we covered in the Second Six Weeks of school.
Students are encouraged to watch any videos that have been made available to them as a review. Also, expect their reading journals to be coming home as a study guide.
There will be no new vocabulary introduced this week.
Students only homework will be to study and prepare for their test and read 20 minutes a night as part of their reading log.
Thanks for all you do!
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Monday, November 3, 2014
Social Studies Vocabulary- Texas Missions
1. Villa- a town
2. Padre (Priest)- father
3. Mission- a religious settlement
4. Presidio- a fort
5. Spanish- Laid claim to TX from 1690-1821 before the Mexican's rule began
6. Francisco Coronado- Spanish settler living in Mexico City traveled to TX in 1540 looking for gold and jewels, but returned home empty handed
7. Spanish Missions- A place where refugees would go when they wanted o learn Christianity or had just arrived in TX
8. Christopher Columbus- This Spanish explorer made four voyages to the Americas between 1492-1503. His voyages are considered the most significant voyages for Europeans exploring America.
9. Rene Robert Cavelier- French explorer landed in TX and explore the Rio Grande setting up the first French settlement in TX.
10. Moses Austin- Received a land grant to start the first English settlement in TX.
11. Colonization- creating colonies or villages in TX.
12. Álvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca- Spanish explorer taken prisoner for seven years by the Native Americans in TX.
13. Stephen F. Austin- known as the "Father of Texas", brought 300 families to TX to start the first English settlement. He settled our capital city.
14. Martin de Leon- wealthy Mexico native living in TX that created the first cattle brand recoded in TX.
2. Padre (Priest)- father
3. Mission- a religious settlement
4. Presidio- a fort
5. Spanish- Laid claim to TX from 1690-1821 before the Mexican's rule began
6. Francisco Coronado- Spanish settler living in Mexico City traveled to TX in 1540 looking for gold and jewels, but returned home empty handed
7. Spanish Missions- A place where refugees would go when they wanted o learn Christianity or had just arrived in TX
8. Christopher Columbus- This Spanish explorer made four voyages to the Americas between 1492-1503. His voyages are considered the most significant voyages for Europeans exploring America.
9. Rene Robert Cavelier- French explorer landed in TX and explore the Rio Grande setting up the first French settlement in TX.
10. Moses Austin- Received a land grant to start the first English settlement in TX.
11. Colonization- creating colonies or villages in TX.
12. Álvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca- Spanish explorer taken prisoner for seven years by the Native Americans in TX.
13. Stephen F. Austin- known as the "Father of Texas", brought 300 families to TX to start the first English settlement. He settled our capital city.
14. Martin de Leon- wealthy Mexico native living in TX that created the first cattle brand recoded in TX.
Sunday, November 2, 2014
November 3-7
Good evening!
This week we will continue our work with non-fiction.
We will be specifically concentrating on non-fiction text features including: headings, captions, pictures, charts, graphs, insets, and various graphic organizers.
The important thing for students to remember about non-fiction text features are that they are a way that the non-fiction author breaks up text to make it easier to comprehend.
Without the visuals in non-fiction, the headings that break the subject into sections, and the other various features we will be discussing non-fiction would be even harder for students to read than it already is.
We will also be working on prefixes with our vocabulary that will come home tomorrow.
ALSO don't forget students will be released early on Friday!
This week we will continue our work with non-fiction.
We will be specifically concentrating on non-fiction text features including: headings, captions, pictures, charts, graphs, insets, and various graphic organizers.
The important thing for students to remember about non-fiction text features are that they are a way that the non-fiction author breaks up text to make it easier to comprehend.
Without the visuals in non-fiction, the headings that break the subject into sections, and the other various features we will be discussing non-fiction would be even harder for students to read than it already is.
We will also be working on prefixes with our vocabulary that will come home tomorrow.
ALSO don't forget students will be released early on Friday!
Monday, October 27, 2014
Social Studies Vocabulary
Social Studies Vocabulary for Native Texans quiz on Friday!
Hunter and Gatherer- People who got Al they needed from the land.
Indian- The name mistakenly given to the native people of North and South America by European Explorers.
Sedentary- People who stayed in one place, such as a village, most of the time
Pueblo- Multiple dwelling made of adobe, usually against a cliff face
Jump site- A place where Indians herded buffalo over the edge of a cliff in order to kill many at once
Nomad- A tribe that moves from place to place, usually seasonally
Travois- A transport device made of poles and pulled by an animal
Adobe- A sun-dried brick made of clay and straw
Hunter and Gatherer- People who got Al they needed from the land.
Indian- The name mistakenly given to the native people of North and South America by European Explorers.
Sedentary- People who stayed in one place, such as a village, most of the time
Pueblo- Multiple dwelling made of adobe, usually against a cliff face
Jump site- A place where Indians herded buffalo over the edge of a cliff in order to kill many at once
Nomad- A tribe that moves from place to place, usually seasonally
Travois- A transport device made of poles and pulled by an animal
Adobe- A sun-dried brick made of clay and straw
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Information!!! October 27-31
Good evening!
Yellow folders went home on Friday with graded papers included inside of them. Please sign and send back.
Also last week student's received reading logs for our 80 minute a week AR reading for the Book It program. If students read each night of last week for 20 minutes a night Monday-Thursday nights, and read this week Monday-Thursday for 20 minutes a night, and bring their reading logs Friday Oct. 31 to turn in they will receive a free personal pan pizza coupon as part of the Book It reading program through Pizza Hut. They also earn a 100 homework grade for completing the log.
This week is also Red Ribbon Week! Tomorrow is Wear Red day! Stay tuned for further postings about what students will dress up like the rest of the week.
This week in class we will continue to work on TEKS 4.11C which includes Cause and Effect and Sequencing. Students seemed to struggle with these two skills last week so we are taking the time to go over them again to make certain they are prepared for these types of questions on the STAAR test.
We are also working on Guided Reading and Literacy Circles. Students are really eager to work on their leveled novels and I love hearing them read!
One more thing to be looking for... I am currently attending graduate school to receive my Masters in Educational Leadership. As part of my master's completion I am studying the effects of technology in the classroom. I will be posting a survey as well as sending home a paper copy for you parents this week to fill out. They are anonymous and are simply asking for your opinion of technology in the classroom and how it helps you. Please take the time to fill this out if you can so I assess the effectiveness of all of the technology I have been implementing. I would appreciate it very much!
Once again I thank you all for all that you do and for the great kiddos you let me borrow every day! :)
Yellow folders went home on Friday with graded papers included inside of them. Please sign and send back.
Also last week student's received reading logs for our 80 minute a week AR reading for the Book It program. If students read each night of last week for 20 minutes a night Monday-Thursday nights, and read this week Monday-Thursday for 20 minutes a night, and bring their reading logs Friday Oct. 31 to turn in they will receive a free personal pan pizza coupon as part of the Book It reading program through Pizza Hut. They also earn a 100 homework grade for completing the log.
This week is also Red Ribbon Week! Tomorrow is Wear Red day! Stay tuned for further postings about what students will dress up like the rest of the week.
This week in class we will continue to work on TEKS 4.11C which includes Cause and Effect and Sequencing. Students seemed to struggle with these two skills last week so we are taking the time to go over them again to make certain they are prepared for these types of questions on the STAAR test.
We are also working on Guided Reading and Literacy Circles. Students are really eager to work on their leveled novels and I love hearing them read!
One more thing to be looking for... I am currently attending graduate school to receive my Masters in Educational Leadership. As part of my master's completion I am studying the effects of technology in the classroom. I will be posting a survey as well as sending home a paper copy for you parents this week to fill out. They are anonymous and are simply asking for your opinion of technology in the classroom and how it helps you. Please take the time to fill this out if you can so I assess the effectiveness of all of the technology I have been implementing. I would appreciate it very much!
Once again I thank you all for all that you do and for the great kiddos you let me borrow every day! :)
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Monday, October 20, 2014
Monday Homework
No video tonight!
Students do have vocabulary homework but it isn't due until Wednesday.
Help them study though!
We are learning the Greek word parts -cycl which means "circle" and -meter which means "measure."
Learning the ancient roots of words helps students understand the often confusing English language better because our language is one of the only ones that "borrows" from other languages.
By recognizing that cycl in a word has something to do with the word "circle" and that meter has something to do with "measure" students are better prepared to comprehend the meaning of many words they may encounter in their reading.
Students do have vocabulary homework but it isn't due until Wednesday.
Help them study though!
We are learning the Greek word parts -cycl which means "circle" and -meter which means "measure."
Learning the ancient roots of words helps students understand the often confusing English language better because our language is one of the only ones that "borrows" from other languages.
By recognizing that cycl in a word has something to do with the word "circle" and that meter has something to do with "measure" students are better prepared to comprehend the meaning of many words they may encounter in their reading.
Week of October 20-24
A little behind this week so bear with me guys!
This week we are discussing TEKS 4.11C.
This TEKS talks about the organization of non-fiction text or as we have said in class Non-fiction text structures.
In third grade we are focusing on three types of non-fiction text structures:
Cause and Effect
Sequence
Comparison.
Cause and Effect- The cause is what makes something happen and the effect is what happened or the result of that event.
In class we discussed one way of an author using this text structure to organize a non-fiction text about the water cycle.
The author could start by saying that the rain is Caused by condensation in the clouds, and because it rains it Causes puddles on the ground. The heat from the sun Causes evaporation and the puddle to disappear.
Sequence- sequence is a simple way for author's to organize information. They are simply putting things in order! Author's of non-fiction text like to throw in recipes, directions for how to do something, and sometimes lists with sequence text organization.
Sequence has signal words to look out for like "first" "next" and "finally" to name a few.
Comparison- Comparison we have already talked about a lot as we studied the fiction TEKS the first six weeks of school. It's simply telling how to things are alike and how they are different.
One way we discussed author's could use comparison to organize text was the following example...
If an author is comparing a squid to an octopus they can write one paragraph comparing the two creatures and a second paragraph stating their differences. This would make the text easy to follow.
I hope this helps you understand what we are learning this week!
Thanks for all you do!
This week we are discussing TEKS 4.11C.
This TEKS talks about the organization of non-fiction text or as we have said in class Non-fiction text structures.
In third grade we are focusing on three types of non-fiction text structures:
Cause and Effect
Sequence
Comparison.
Cause and Effect- The cause is what makes something happen and the effect is what happened or the result of that event.
In class we discussed one way of an author using this text structure to organize a non-fiction text about the water cycle.
The author could start by saying that the rain is Caused by condensation in the clouds, and because it rains it Causes puddles on the ground. The heat from the sun Causes evaporation and the puddle to disappear.
Sequence- sequence is a simple way for author's to organize information. They are simply putting things in order! Author's of non-fiction text like to throw in recipes, directions for how to do something, and sometimes lists with sequence text organization.
Sequence has signal words to look out for like "first" "next" and "finally" to name a few.
Comparison- Comparison we have already talked about a lot as we studied the fiction TEKS the first six weeks of school. It's simply telling how to things are alike and how they are different.
One way we discussed author's could use comparison to organize text was the following example...
If an author is comparing a squid to an octopus they can write one paragraph comparing the two creatures and a second paragraph stating their differences. This would make the text easy to follow.
I hope this helps you understand what we are learning this week!
Thanks for all you do!
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Yellow Folders
Yellow conduct folders did come home Friday with graded papers inside of them... be sure to check for them, sign them and return them. Thanks so much!
Also... the third and fourth grade Awards Assembly will take place on tomorrow at 9:45.
Also... the third and fourth grade Awards Assembly will take place on tomorrow at 9:45.
Week of October 13-17
Good morning!
This week we will be covering TEKS 4.11B- Fact and Opinion!
Students will be learning that a Fact is something that can be proven to be true. You can prove it by seeing it, researching it, or measuring it.
One difficulty students normally have when determining a Fact is that some Facts can be proven to be not true. For example I can say: Mrs. Harville is 6 feet tall. This can be proven to be false by measuring Mrs. Harville's height. What students fail to understand is that just because a statement is proven false such as this one, doesn't make it necessarily an opinion... it is simply a false fact! Students need to be aware that just because a statement is not a true statement it doesn't necessarily mean it is an opinion.
An Opinion is a statement about what one person Thinks, Feels, or Believes.
For example: Fridays are the Best day of the week! This is an opinion because someone else might feel that Saturdays are the best day of the week.
Opinions have key words that students can look for such as: best, beautiful, most, worst... and so on.
Facts and opinions are very commonly found in advertisements. For homework on Wednesday students will have to watch a few cute commercials posted and find 3 facts and 3 opinions from each one. As you may be watching television at home or reading the newspaper help your child point out the facts or opinions they might see or hear. This can be an ongoing process through the school year that could cement their foundation of knowing the difference between the two and you can also make it a fun game!
Thanks for all you do!
This week we will be covering TEKS 4.11B- Fact and Opinion!
Students will be learning that a Fact is something that can be proven to be true. You can prove it by seeing it, researching it, or measuring it.
One difficulty students normally have when determining a Fact is that some Facts can be proven to be not true. For example I can say: Mrs. Harville is 6 feet tall. This can be proven to be false by measuring Mrs. Harville's height. What students fail to understand is that just because a statement is proven false such as this one, doesn't make it necessarily an opinion... it is simply a false fact! Students need to be aware that just because a statement is not a true statement it doesn't necessarily mean it is an opinion.
An Opinion is a statement about what one person Thinks, Feels, or Believes.
For example: Fridays are the Best day of the week! This is an opinion because someone else might feel that Saturdays are the best day of the week.
Opinions have key words that students can look for such as: best, beautiful, most, worst... and so on.
Facts and opinions are very commonly found in advertisements. For homework on Wednesday students will have to watch a few cute commercials posted and find 3 facts and 3 opinions from each one. As you may be watching television at home or reading the newspaper help your child point out the facts or opinions they might see or hear. This can be an ongoing process through the school year that could cement their foundation of knowing the difference between the two and you can also make it a fun game!
Thanks for all you do!
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Monday, October 6, 2014
Week of October 6-10
Good morning!
This week we will begin to wind down our study on fiction texts and introduce non-fiction.
Non-fiction means a story is true, based on factual information.
There are two types of non-fiction texts we will be discussing this week.
The first is biography- the story of a person's life as written by someone else. You learn about the person through the point of view of the writer of the biography They tell about real people and real events.
The second kind of non-fiction we will discuss this week is autobiography- it also tells the story of a person's life but the person telling the story is talking abut themselves. You get the point of view of the person who lived that life. You can learn things about the person that only they know.
This week we will be comparing the events of a fiction story to the life of the author who wrote it.
Questions we will ask ourselves: Did the author experience similar events in their life as the character they wrote about? How does this story relate to the author's life?
We will also compare a fiction story about a topic to a non-fiction story about the same topic. For example an informative article about the stars compared to a fictional story about the stars.
We will also be working on context clues this week. Students will have homework over context clues tonight due Wednesday.
Thanks for all you do!
This week we will begin to wind down our study on fiction texts and introduce non-fiction.
Non-fiction means a story is true, based on factual information.
There are two types of non-fiction texts we will be discussing this week.
The first is biography- the story of a person's life as written by someone else. You learn about the person through the point of view of the writer of the biography They tell about real people and real events.
The second kind of non-fiction we will discuss this week is autobiography- it also tells the story of a person's life but the person telling the story is talking abut themselves. You get the point of view of the person who lived that life. You can learn things about the person that only they know.
This week we will be comparing the events of a fiction story to the life of the author who wrote it.
Questions we will ask ourselves: Did the author experience similar events in their life as the character they wrote about? How does this story relate to the author's life?
We will also compare a fiction story about a topic to a non-fiction story about the same topic. For example an informative article about the stars compared to a fictional story about the stars.
We will also be working on context clues this week. Students will have homework over context clues tonight due Wednesday.
Thanks for all you do!
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Six Weeks Test
I've graded the six weeks test and I must say I am impressed! Students worked very hard today!
Most students seem to have a good grasp on the material we have covered so far. Not all have mastered it, but that is fine! We have time!
I would like to ask parents to keep in mind when scores come home that there were only 8 questions on this test specifically geared to see if students could apply the skills we have learned. So if they come home with a 63, 75, or 88 consider that great! 88 means they missed one, 75 they missed two, and 63 they missed three... if this is the case for your student that means that those particular skills questions are what we will be continuing to work super hard on to improve on. In reading we spiral our skills all year adding new ones but continuously reviewing the previous ones as well so students will be retested on anything they struggle with in the next six weeks test. I will be constantly assessing them in class during guided reading groups and practice passages though watching for growth.
I hope that you are seeing the progress and enthusiasm for reading at home that I am seeing at school! It's an exciting year!
Remember we have a vocabulary quiz and an early release tomorrow!
Thanks for all you do!
Most students seem to have a good grasp on the material we have covered so far. Not all have mastered it, but that is fine! We have time!
I would like to ask parents to keep in mind when scores come home that there were only 8 questions on this test specifically geared to see if students could apply the skills we have learned. So if they come home with a 63, 75, or 88 consider that great! 88 means they missed one, 75 they missed two, and 63 they missed three... if this is the case for your student that means that those particular skills questions are what we will be continuing to work super hard on to improve on. In reading we spiral our skills all year adding new ones but continuously reviewing the previous ones as well so students will be retested on anything they struggle with in the next six weeks test. I will be constantly assessing them in class during guided reading groups and practice passages though watching for growth.
I hope that you are seeing the progress and enthusiasm for reading at home that I am seeing at school! It's an exciting year!
Remember we have a vocabulary quiz and an early release tomorrow!
Thanks for all you do!
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Monday, September 29, 2014
Week of Sept. 29- Oct. 4
Good morning!
Just a few things about this week...
All videos posted are review! We will be having our six weeks test on THURSDAY. It will cover plot, setting, theme, folktales, genre, dictionary skills, multiple meaning words, characters, and point of view: All the things we've covered so far!
It will consist of a reading passage that is a folktale and has STAAR based questions for students to answer. It will be short and sweet but without a lot of room for error.
Also this week in vocabulary we will be working on Homographs. Homework will come home tonight over them and is due Wednesday with a quiz on Friday.
Students will also have a reading passage Wednesday Night for homework that won't be due until Friday to keep up practice at home.
We will be reviewing in class this week for our test and getting ready to ace it so we can move into non-fiction which is a Huge part of the fourth grade curriculum.
If you did not get yellow folders signed and returned today please do so tomorrow.
Thanks for all you do! :)
Just a few things about this week...
All videos posted are review! We will be having our six weeks test on THURSDAY. It will cover plot, setting, theme, folktales, genre, dictionary skills, multiple meaning words, characters, and point of view: All the things we've covered so far!
It will consist of a reading passage that is a folktale and has STAAR based questions for students to answer. It will be short and sweet but without a lot of room for error.
Also this week in vocabulary we will be working on Homographs. Homework will come home tonight over them and is due Wednesday with a quiz on Friday.
Students will also have a reading passage Wednesday Night for homework that won't be due until Friday to keep up practice at home.
We will be reviewing in class this week for our test and getting ready to ace it so we can move into non-fiction which is a Huge part of the fourth grade curriculum.
If you did not get yellow folders signed and returned today please do so tomorrow.
Thanks for all you do! :)
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Week of September 22-26
Good morning!
Lot's of things to do this week!
We are wrapping up the fiction portion of our studies with the final TEKS covering Point of View. I have posted several new videos for students to enjoy!
We will be starting guided reading groups in class this week as we have finished our DRA testing and found everyone's independent "just right" reading levels.
In social studies this week I will be reviewing with students who were unsuccessful at our Texas Regions lesson last week and begin our lessons on Native Texans. I've posted some videos with important social studies information on them for you to share at home as well.
Last week... the grades over characters were slightly lower than our theme passages from the week before. We will be working to correct that this week!
Our vocabulary this week with focus on Homographs! Look for the words to come home with your child tomorrow. The back side of the word list will be homework that is due on Wednesday.
On Wednesday night I will be sending home a short passage for students to work on as homework to review all we have already learned including... characters, setting, and plot. This homework passage will not be due until Friday so students will have plenty of time to work on it with you.
The end of the six weeks is quickly approaching and so far we are off to a brilliant start! Thanks for your help and support at home and all the many many super parent things you do!
Lot's of things to do this week!
We are wrapping up the fiction portion of our studies with the final TEKS covering Point of View. I have posted several new videos for students to enjoy!
We will be starting guided reading groups in class this week as we have finished our DRA testing and found everyone's independent "just right" reading levels.
In social studies this week I will be reviewing with students who were unsuccessful at our Texas Regions lesson last week and begin our lessons on Native Texans. I've posted some videos with important social studies information on them for you to share at home as well.
Last week... the grades over characters were slightly lower than our theme passages from the week before. We will be working to correct that this week!
Our vocabulary this week with focus on Homographs! Look for the words to come home with your child tomorrow. The back side of the word list will be homework that is due on Wednesday.
On Wednesday night I will be sending home a short passage for students to work on as homework to review all we have already learned including... characters, setting, and plot. This homework passage will not be due until Friday so students will have plenty of time to work on it with you.
The end of the six weeks is quickly approaching and so far we are off to a brilliant start! Thanks for your help and support at home and all the many many super parent things you do!
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
About the TEKS
Good morning!
You will notice in the Reader's Notebook pictures that I am including charts with the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) curriculum on them.
These are the actual standards the state requires I teach your child in fourth grade reading. We have them for every grade and in every subject.
As part of a new initiative we are teaching students the exact wording of the TEKS so they know exactly what is expected of them to know by the end of fourth grade.
The charts we are learning include across the top the verb that the state wants the student's to be able to apply to each TEKS such as "Understand" or the biggest ones for reading "Analyze", "Infer", and "Conclude."
In teaching these higher level thinking verbs we hope to improve test scores and student understanding of what they are learning and why they are learning it. Each chart had something students should remember from our anchor lessons as well.
By providing this information I hope you feel more involved in what is going on in the classroom and are reassured we are learning the appropriate curriculum for fourth grade reading.
Thanks again for all that you do! :)
Monday, September 15, 2014
September 15-19
Good morning!
This week we are continuing to learn about the genres of fiction! Students should re-watch the genres of fiction video as a refresher tonight.
This week we will be working more in depth with Character Traits and Character Changes. We will also be comparing and contrasting the characters of traditional literature and their adventures.
We will also be working with multiple meaning words this week. Students have homework tonight, the back side of their vocabulary page 15-16 which is not due until Wednesday.
Today we have compared and contrasted fairy tales, fables, myths, legends, and tall tales.
We will continue to work with these genres, study plot and theme, and analyze characters throughout the week.
I will be posting some more videos and hopefully some vocabulary tonight. Until then please have students study their multiple meaning words and re-watch the videos already posted as review.
In social studies this week we will be learning about the 7 Regions of Texas. We will have a study guide sent home tonight and a quiz labeling the regions and their borders on Friday.
Thanks for all you do! :)
This week we are continuing to learn about the genres of fiction! Students should re-watch the genres of fiction video as a refresher tonight.
This week we will be working more in depth with Character Traits and Character Changes. We will also be comparing and contrasting the characters of traditional literature and their adventures.
We will also be working with multiple meaning words this week. Students have homework tonight, the back side of their vocabulary page 15-16 which is not due until Wednesday.
Today we have compared and contrasted fairy tales, fables, myths, legends, and tall tales.
We will continue to work with these genres, study plot and theme, and analyze characters throughout the week.
I will be posting some more videos and hopefully some vocabulary tonight. Until then please have students study their multiple meaning words and re-watch the videos already posted as review.
In social studies this week we will be learning about the 7 Regions of Texas. We will have a study guide sent home tonight and a quiz labeling the regions and their borders on Friday.
Thanks for all you do! :)
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Reading Passages and Vocabulary
Good evening!
I just finished grading papers from today and wanted to share a few things with you.
We completed a vocabulary assignment today in class that many of the students seemed to have misunderstood. The assignment used the words for the week in a question that they then needed to answer. For example: What did you eat at your most recent meal? The answer should have been whatever food the student had eaten last. Many of the students, instead of answering the questions listed the meanings of the words.
While it is wonderful and necessary for students to know the meanings of our words the most important thing they can learn this year is how to use the words in context. This means that students need to be able to apply the definitions by understanding them in a question as today's assignment required, or identifying their correct usage in a sentence as tomorrow's test is required. Practicing doing this by writing sentences or answering questions in casual conversation you ask them is the best way to practice this at home.
Due to this misunderstanding many students had very low grades on today's assignment which I did clearly explain but students seemed set to write those definitions! Because of this I am not recording this assignment in the grade book. It will be coming home with graded papers tomorrow in their Conduct Folders. Please review it and keep practicing using these words in context even after tomorrow's quiz. This will benefit students greatly.
On another note I was incredibly excited to give and grade our first reading passages of the year over plot and theme today! The grades were fantastic! I was incredibly excited and happy about them!
Thanks once again for ALL that you do! :)
I just finished grading papers from today and wanted to share a few things with you.
We completed a vocabulary assignment today in class that many of the students seemed to have misunderstood. The assignment used the words for the week in a question that they then needed to answer. For example: What did you eat at your most recent meal? The answer should have been whatever food the student had eaten last. Many of the students, instead of answering the questions listed the meanings of the words.
While it is wonderful and necessary for students to know the meanings of our words the most important thing they can learn this year is how to use the words in context. This means that students need to be able to apply the definitions by understanding them in a question as today's assignment required, or identifying their correct usage in a sentence as tomorrow's test is required. Practicing doing this by writing sentences or answering questions in casual conversation you ask them is the best way to practice this at home.
Due to this misunderstanding many students had very low grades on today's assignment which I did clearly explain but students seemed set to write those definitions! Because of this I am not recording this assignment in the grade book. It will be coming home with graded papers tomorrow in their Conduct Folders. Please review it and keep practicing using these words in context even after tomorrow's quiz. This will benefit students greatly.
On another note I was incredibly excited to give and grade our first reading passages of the year over plot and theme today! The grades were fantastic! I was incredibly excited and happy about them!
Thanks once again for ALL that you do! :)
Monday, September 8, 2014
Science
Working on the Scientific Method this week in Science! I posted a video with a song students may listen to to help them remember the steps! (It's not as fun as some of the videos I have found I do admit.)
We will have a quiz over the scientific method Thursday so make sure they study! Science journals will come home Wednesday night so they will have their notes to study from as well.
Side-note parents... I truly appreciate all the help you provide at home! :) Thanks for all you do!
We will have a quiz over the scientific method Thursday so make sure they study! Science journals will come home Wednesday night so they will have their notes to study from as well.
Side-note parents... I truly appreciate all the help you provide at home! :) Thanks for all you do!
P.S.
I forgot (since it was the weekend) we are beginning vocabulary practice and homework this week.
This week we will be focusing on dictionary skills.
Tonight the students will bring home their vocabulary list with their homework on the back side of it. This homework will be due Wednesday. We will go over it in class and if they attempted to do it... 100! :)
They need to study their words each night and will have a quiz Friday.
The quiz will use the words in context not simply ask for definitions so practice using the words in sentences in the correct context as often as you can! Our goal for vocabulary is to not just memorize words and definitions but to be able to figure out unknown words through context and to be able to apply different vocabulary skills. This way we are teaching students a life-long skill and not relying on memorization. :)
This week we will be focusing on dictionary skills.
Tonight the students will bring home their vocabulary list with their homework on the back side of it. This homework will be due Wednesday. We will go over it in class and if they attempted to do it... 100! :)
They need to study their words each night and will have a quiz Friday.
The quiz will use the words in context not simply ask for definitions so practice using the words in sentences in the correct context as often as you can! Our goal for vocabulary is to not just memorize words and definitions but to be able to figure out unknown words through context and to be able to apply different vocabulary skills. This way we are teaching students a life-long skill and not relying on memorization. :)
Sunday, September 7, 2014
September 8-12
Good morning!
This week we will continue our work with theme, plot, characters, and setting! We will be focusing mostly on plot and theme.
I have posted the video homework for this week for reading.
Also this week is Spirit Week, tomorrow is Wear Animal Print day just so everyone knows. Participation is voluntary.
Thanks for all you do!
This week we will continue our work with theme, plot, characters, and setting! We will be focusing mostly on plot and theme.
I have posted the video homework for this week for reading.
Also this week is Spirit Week, tomorrow is Wear Animal Print day just so everyone knows. Participation is voluntary.
Thanks for all you do!
Friday, September 5, 2014
Happy Friday!
Happy Friday! Students checked out books from my classroom library
today so they have plenty to read this weekend when they get the chance!
DRA testing will continue next week to find students "just right" reading levels.
Yellow conduct folders were sent home today with students' conduct marks listed for the week... please check their backpacks and sign that you have seen them!
DRA testing will continue next week to find students "just right" reading levels.
Yellow conduct folders were sent home today with students' conduct marks listed for the week... please check their backpacks and sign that you have seen them!
I'm really
enjoying teaching your children this year! We are having a blast
learning about reading and science! The science tools quiz results for
my homeroom were awesome! Thanks so much for helping your kids study! Expect graded papers home with their conduct folders next Friday!
Have a Wonderful, Blessed weekend! Go Cats!
Have a Wonderful, Blessed weekend! Go Cats!
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Science
Science quiz tomorrow over science tools in all three homerooms!
There is a link on the class Facebook page (Smith Classroom) that you can use to review tonight if they didn't bring home their study sheet.
Thanks for all you do!
There is a link on the class Facebook page (Smith Classroom) that you can use to review tonight if they didn't bring home their study sheet.
Thanks for all you do!
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Week of September 1-6
Good morning! I hope everyone had an awesome three day weekend! :)
This week I will be individually testing students to find their "just right" reading levels.
Before each class I will introduce one of the skills featured in the videos I have posted to this blog. Students will then work on group activities using those skills while I call them up to my reading table one at a time for DRA testing.
For homework this week students should watch the videos I have posted as review. They should also read to themselves for 20 minutes each night and please remind them to practice "Building Stamina" which is a skill we began practicing last week in class.
In Science this week we will learn about science lab tools, and introduce the scientific method.
I'm looking forward to a great week!
Thanks for all you do!
~Mrs. Smith
This week I will be individually testing students to find their "just right" reading levels.
Before each class I will introduce one of the skills featured in the videos I have posted to this blog. Students will then work on group activities using those skills while I call them up to my reading table one at a time for DRA testing.
For homework this week students should watch the videos I have posted as review. They should also read to themselves for 20 minutes each night and please remind them to practice "Building Stamina" which is a skill we began practicing last week in class.
In Science this week we will learn about science lab tools, and introduce the scientific method.
I'm looking forward to a great week!
Thanks for all you do!
~Mrs. Smith
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Just to make my classroom accessible I have started a class Facebook page which provides links to this blog! Smith Classroom is our Facebook name, please friend and follow for more access to our reading class for this year!
~Thanks for all you do!
~Thanks for all you do!
Friday, August 29, 2014
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Lab Safety Contract for Science
Good evening! This is a late post tonight, but I wanted to let everyone know that signed science lab safety contracts are due tomorrow! This is not for a grade, just to make sure you all know that the students have been informed of the safety rules in a lab and that they have agreed to follow them. Thanks for all you do! :)
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Fourth Grade Welcome
Hello and welcome to Mrs. Smith's Fourth Grade Reading Class!
This is the place to come for information on what's going on in our classroom!
The first week of school we will develop procedures and strategies for the classroom. We will develop our classroom rules together, discuss the proper voice levels for activities, define workspace expectations, and being developing reading stamina through processes called the Daily Five.
We will also discuss how to choose appropriate books to read to make sure that we are able to grow stronger as readers. Towards the end of the week once we have developed a pattern for practicing our processes we will begin to discuss theme and different genres of fiction.
Fiction consists of stories that are not true. They did not happen and in some cases could not happen in real life.
For genre students need to know about: Folktales including: Fairy Tales, Myths, Legends, and Fables, Realistic fiction, Historical fiction, Fantasy, Science fiction, and Mystery.
Folktales: tales that have been passed on by word or mouth from generation to generation usually through families
Fairy Tales: a tale with magical beings and events; usually begins with "Once upon a time..." and concludes with "happily ever after."
Myths: an ancient tale of gods, supernatural beings, and heroes that may explain something in nature (like Hercules)
Legends: a story passed down through time that may be partly based on something that actually happened or someone who actually lived
Fables: a tale that has animal characters that act like humans and contains a moral or lesson
Students will also need to be aware of a type of character in folktales called the trickster character. The trickster, of course, plays tricks on others. Tricksters are very clever, cunning, selfish, and full of mischief. Tricksters can be magical creatures, play tricks to survive, can play tricks to help humans, make us laugh, teach very important lessons, and usually are found in stories from long ago.
Realistic Fiction: a story that could happen in real life, but did not happen in real life.
Historical Fiction: a fictional story with real and invented characters that takes place during a historical time.
Fantasy: a story that takes place in the imagination, can have magic and talking animals.
Science Fiction: a story that blends futuristic technology with scientific fact and fiction.
Mystery: a suspenseful story about a puzzling event that is not solved until the end of the story.
Theme: the theme of the story is its meaning or lesson. The author wants to teach us something about life. It's an important idea that the author wants you to remember. Sample themes would be: kindness, courage, or honesty.
This is an overview of what we will be working on the first week of school. The second week of school we will be DRA testing to find students current independent and instructional reading levels. The rest of the six weeks we will cover: characters, character traits and changes and relationships, summarizing, sequencing and summarizing the plot's main events and predicting how they will effect the future, and point of view of the narrator. I will be making further posts to overview these concepts. If you can print the posts and review them with your children. The more they are exposed to this information the better! :) I hope that by providing this information online I will be able to better help serve you and your children this school year.
This is the place to come for information on what's going on in our classroom!
The first week of school we will develop procedures and strategies for the classroom. We will develop our classroom rules together, discuss the proper voice levels for activities, define workspace expectations, and being developing reading stamina through processes called the Daily Five.
We will also discuss how to choose appropriate books to read to make sure that we are able to grow stronger as readers. Towards the end of the week once we have developed a pattern for practicing our processes we will begin to discuss theme and different genres of fiction.
Fiction consists of stories that are not true. They did not happen and in some cases could not happen in real life.
For genre students need to know about: Folktales including: Fairy Tales, Myths, Legends, and Fables, Realistic fiction, Historical fiction, Fantasy, Science fiction, and Mystery.
Folktales: tales that have been passed on by word or mouth from generation to generation usually through families
Fairy Tales: a tale with magical beings and events; usually begins with "Once upon a time..." and concludes with "happily ever after."
Myths: an ancient tale of gods, supernatural beings, and heroes that may explain something in nature (like Hercules)
Legends: a story passed down through time that may be partly based on something that actually happened or someone who actually lived
Fables: a tale that has animal characters that act like humans and contains a moral or lesson
Students will also need to be aware of a type of character in folktales called the trickster character. The trickster, of course, plays tricks on others. Tricksters are very clever, cunning, selfish, and full of mischief. Tricksters can be magical creatures, play tricks to survive, can play tricks to help humans, make us laugh, teach very important lessons, and usually are found in stories from long ago.
Realistic Fiction: a story that could happen in real life, but did not happen in real life.
Historical Fiction: a fictional story with real and invented characters that takes place during a historical time.
Fantasy: a story that takes place in the imagination, can have magic and talking animals.
Science Fiction: a story that blends futuristic technology with scientific fact and fiction.
Mystery: a suspenseful story about a puzzling event that is not solved until the end of the story.
Theme: the theme of the story is its meaning or lesson. The author wants to teach us something about life. It's an important idea that the author wants you to remember. Sample themes would be: kindness, courage, or honesty.
This is an overview of what we will be working on the first week of school. The second week of school we will be DRA testing to find students current independent and instructional reading levels. The rest of the six weeks we will cover: characters, character traits and changes and relationships, summarizing, sequencing and summarizing the plot's main events and predicting how they will effect the future, and point of view of the narrator. I will be making further posts to overview these concepts. If you can print the posts and review them with your children. The more they are exposed to this information the better! :) I hope that by providing this information online I will be able to better help serve you and your children this school year.
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