Skylark, by Patricia MacLachlan
Ms. Thompson, Mrs. Gee
Literary Development Center
During LDC, we will read and discuss the guiding questions. For at home practice write the answers independently. The writing is third grade rough draft. It is not perfect. Do pay attention to capital letters, periods, and book words. Write neat enough for you to read your writing. If you can’t do this come back and show Ms. Gee and your teacher you tried. We’ll talk more.
Guiding Questions to answer after every chapter--
1. How was this chapter connected to you, the attitudes, and/or the learner profile? (Knowledgeable, caring, cooperation, commitment)
2. How do you know?
3. What opinions do the characters have about other characters and/or about the events? (Use opinion words Like-dislike; wrong-right; agree-disagree; fair-not fair; good-bad, any of the PYP attitudes or learner profile words.
4. How do you know?
September 8 We will read and talk about Chapter 1. Home Practice: Reflect on Chapter 1 and what we talked about in class. Write the date and chapter # before you start. Don’t write your name. Write answers to numbers 1 and 2 ONLY. If you can’t think about what to write, stop. Write me a note about what’s hard for you. I’ll help you with what was hard for you.
September 9 We’ll talk about what was hard about answering questions 1 and 2. We will read and talk about Chapter 2.
Home Practice: Reflect on Chapter 2 and what we talked about in class. Write the date and chapter # before you start. Don’t write your name. Write answers to numbers 1 and 2 ONLY. If you can’t think about what to write, stop. Write me a note about what’s hard for you. I’ll help you with what was hard for you.
September 10 We’ll talk about what was still hard about answering questions 1 and 2. We will read Chapter 3 and talk about opinions. Home Practice: Reflect on Chapter 3 and what we talked about in class. Write the date and chapter # before you start. Don’t write your name. Write answers to numbers 3 and 4 ONLY. If you can’t think about what to write, stop. Write me a note about what’s hard for you. I’ll help you with what was hard for you.
September 11 We’ll talk about what was hard about answering questions 3 and 4. We will read Chapter 4 and talk about opinions. Home Practice: Reflect on Chapter 4 and what we talked about in class. Write the date and chapter # before you start. Don’t write your name. Write answers to numbers 3 and 4 ONLY. If you can’t think about what to write, stop. Write me a note about what’s hard for you. I’ll help you with what was hard for you.
September 12 We’ll talk about questions 3 and 4 and what’s still hard. We’ll read Chapter 5 and talk about all the questions. Home Practice Read Chapter 6 and answer all the questions.
September 15 Reflect on the practice. In class read Chapter 7 and answer questions 3and 4. Home practice Read Chapter 8. Answer questions 3 and 4.
September 16 In class read Chapter 9 and answer questions 3and 4. Home practice Read Chapter 10. Answer questions 1 and 2.
September 17 In class read Chapter 11 and answer questions 1 and 2. Home practice Read Chapter 12. Answer questions 3 and 4.
September 18 In class read Chapter 13 and answer either questions 1and 2. Home practice Read Chapter 14. Answer questions 3 and 4.
September 19 Chapter 15
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The Circuit, by Francisco Jimenez
Ms. Zamarippa-Hicks, Mrs. Gee
Literary Development Center
Concept Questions
1. Why did the author include the important event(s) in this chapter?*How do you know?*
2. What are your opinions about the characters or events? Use opinion words. How do you know?*
3. What are the characters’ opinions of the events or other characters? Use opinion words. How do you know?*
4. How is this chapter connected to the central idea; People migrate and assimilate to new situations?
*Opinion/Point of view vocabulary—
Like-dislike; wrong-right; agree-disagree; fair-not fair; good-bad, any of the PYP attitudes or profile words
Transdisciplinary Skills—Thinking: dialectical thinking (looking at 2 opinions of the same event)
September 8 Mrs. Gee will introduce the story and read Under the Wire. We will talk about Question 1. home practice: Write the responses to chapter 1.
September 9 Reflect on Question 1. Read Soledad and Inside Out. Respond to question 1. home practice: Complete the response.
September 15 Reflect on #2. Read Miracle in Tent City and discuss opinions and How do you know. home practice: Complete the responses to questions 1 and 2 (#1 to be assessed).
September 15 Mrs. Gee/Mrs. Hicks will asses #1 and we will reflect on #1. Read El Angel de Oro . Respond to questions 1 (graded, work in class only). home practice: Respond to question 2 (assessed).
September 16 Mrs. Gee/Mrs. Hicks will asses # 2. Review opinions for question #3. Discuss question 4. Read Christmas Gift, Death Forgiven, Cotton Sack.
home practice: Complete the reading and respond to questions 1-4.
September 17 Reflect on the story. Discuss and Read The Circuit. home practice: Complete the reading if necessary . Respond to any two questions.
September16 Learning the Game Respond to the two questions not answered on September 18. home practice: Complete the reading and responses.
September 19 To Have and to Hold Respond to questions 1 and 4.
September __ Moving Still Respond to any two questions.
September __
Concept Questions—
1. Why did the author write this book?
2. How have Francisco’s opinions change? (At the beginning….By the end….)
3. How is this book connected to the central idea; People migrate and assimilate to new situations?
4. What responsibility do you have about what you learned in this book?
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Writers’ Craft
(Top Secret…Shhh)
Mrs. Zirczy, Ms. Rawson, Mrs. Gee
Literary Development Center
MAKE ME SEE WHAT YOU SEE, FEEL WHAT YOU FEEL, THINK WHAT YOU THINK.
September 8 Empty Buckets. Let's fill them up! Is, are, was, were…make empty bucket sentences. Good Writers fill these buckets by adding more details after the bucket is given. The more sentences the more your reader knows how you know. It is the proof. The evidence proves the main idea--the potato. "Thomas is smart. He can do his division facts faster than the teacher!" The potato is that Thomas is smart. Write a paragraph where bucket is “He ate like a pig.” Fill the bucket with proof that so that your reader knows the potato of your paragraph is that he ate like a pig.
September 9 The Good Writer's Secret Weapon (Lies) Good writers LIE (shh, it's a secret). What storytellers don’t know, they make up. Some of the best stories are only partly true or not true at all. When you don’t know how a character should act or what s/he should think…authors make it up, they LIE. Write 3 paragraphs. One should be something you did that is true. The other 2 paragraphs should be 2 separate lies. One truth, and two lies. Try to fool me. Use freeze frame, slow motion, inside story.
September 10 Freeze Frame Good writers don't tell what they see; good writers show what they see. When a writer needs to show what an important NOUN is like s/he uses sentences and specifics to "make me see what s/he sees, feel what s/he feels, and think what s/he thinks." Picture in your mind the messiest room you can imagine. Stand in the door. Look all around. Step into it. Now show me “The Messy Room". Write a paragraph describing the messy room. Do NOT use the words messy or room anywhere on your paper.
September 11 Slow Motion Writing. Good Writers don't tell they show. When a writer needs to show an action happening, (a VERB), s/he slows down the action so that the reader can follow the action. It's like when the soccer or basketball game on TV shows an instant replay; it's in slow motion. You can follow each motion of the player's hands, feet, arms, even the facial expression. Picture your favorite food. It is on the table in front of you. Write a paragraph showing you eating the food. Show all the motions that you take to eat it. Use freeze frame writing as well to show what you see. Do NOT use the food's name (pizza, ice cream…). Be sure your potato is eating.
September 12 The Inside Story What people can see on the TV or movie screen is what anyone can see. What a good writer knows can't be seen. That's why people "like the book better than the movie". In a good book the author makes the reader think like s/he thinks and feels what s/he feel. S/he cleverly writes in his/her opinions by showing us what the character thinks and by what details s/he writes about or leaves out of his/her writing. Write about Prince Charming in Cinderella. What would he be thinking/feeling as he is trying the glass slipper on the ugly stepsister? Begin writing the story from where he knocks on the stepsisters' door and stop with when Cinderella comes into the room.
September 15 Story in a Story—This is sometimes known as a “flashback”. This writing trick helps the reader understand a character’s personality more. Mrs. Gee handled the discipline at her school. She loved this part of her job. She knew what it was like to be in trouble. When she was in elementary school she was in trouble all the time. She talked too much, disturbing the class. She understood how it felt to have made the wrong choice and that punishment by itself would not make any one change. What would influence change was showing that she cared for the person even though she was not happy with the action.
Write a paragraph that helps the reader understand what made Goldilocks go in the Bears’ house without permission.
September 16 Entertaining Beginnings— Begin your story as close to the main event as possible. If you’re going to be stranded on a desert island then begin on the island or close to getting there, not two weeks before brushing your teeth. Also, since it’s difficult to weave many characters throughout a story, have your character start off alone.
Writers’
Top Secret Waysto Begin –- An Action—Put your character in your setting doing something interesting and important to the story. (Think: Where is it? What would I do?)
- Dialogue—Have your main character say something.
(Think: What would I say?)
- A Thought or Question—Show the main character’s thoughts or have him/her raise a question. (Think: What would I be feeling, thinking and/or wondering)
- A Sound—Use a sound to get the reader’s attention.
(Think: What might I hear?)
September 17 Extended Endings When an author decides to write an event; (whether it’s true or not, it’s important. A problem was solved; there was something unusual or special that happened. So endings need to be thought about. How is the main character different? What did he learn? Use inside story to end your story. Choose-
A Memory- What did theyou remember most? A feeling-How did you feel about what happened? A decision—What did you decide to do based on what happened? A wish or hope—After what happened what do you hope or wish for? A defining action—What did you do that demonstrated how you felt or what you hoped for?
September 18 The Big Test—Make me see what you see, think what you think, feel what you feel. Four figures walked on to the field. They carried a large wooden box. They placed in the glare of the spotlight. The crowd cheered. Add words, phrases, sentences to the four sentences above. Use your freeze frame, slow motion, inside story, story in a story, entertaining beginnings…writing tools. Fill those buckets!
Home practice--Revision/ Editing (Mom/Dad, don't help)
September 19 Share
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In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lord
Literary Development Center
Ms. Hernandez, Mrs. Gee
Concept Questions:
1. Why did the author include this chapter? (some event) made me wonder (a question). How do you know?
2. What are the characters’ opinions of the events or other characters? Use opinion words How do you know?
3. What are your opinions about the characters or events? Use opinion words
4. How is this chapter connected to the central idea: People migrate and assimilate to new situations? How do you know?
*Opinion/Point of view vocabulary—
Like-dislike; wrong-right; agree-disagree; fair-not fair; good-bad, any of the PYP attitudes or profile words
September 8 Mrs. Gee will read Chapter 1and discuss the concept question.
Home-practice: Respond to the concept questions. See the rubric.
September 9 Share the responses. We will read as much of Chapter 2 as possible. Home-practice: Finish reading any of Chapter 2 and respond.
Camp--September 10-12
September 15 Share. Share the responses and begin reading Chapter 3.
Home-practice: Complete Chapter 3 and respond.
September 16 Share and we will read Chapter 4
Home-practice: Read Chapter 5 respond.
September 17 Share and we will read Chapter 6.
Home-practice: Read Chapter 7 and respond.
September 18 Share and we will read Chapter 8.
Home-practice: Chapter 9 and respond.
September 19 Read Chapter 10.
September ___ Chapter 11
September ___ Chapter 12
Rubric
1 assignment not complete; only plot; or story parts.
CUPS performance hindered the reading of the writing.
2 Plot is evident; concept questions answered with little or no explanation (How do you know?). Less than ¼ the lines had CUPS errors
3 Plot is evident; respect and opinions were discussed; Less than 1/10 of the lines had CUPS errors.
4 UNIQUE discussion of the concept questions and plot; Zero-1 CUPS errors.
