5PA Update
4PA Update
This week we will continue to read The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Students have been very diligent in completing learning tasks and homework assignments. It has been wonderful to observe how engaged students are when reading the text. Their audible gasps and looks of shock when they learn something new about a character or a twist occurs that was unexpected is such a joy to see. All students are deeply invested in this story and they have been truly captivated by the events that have taken place thus far. I expect that we will be completing this text by the end of the week. Students will continue to have homework and the brief task of writing down 2-3 important events from the assigned chapter. I would like to wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year!
3PA Update
This week students will be wrapping up their annotations for The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen. For this piece, we delved deeper into the annotation process. Students focused on the generalizations of change, internal and external change, character traits and symbolism. I have been very impressed with their level of thinking. For the remainder of the week, students will be participating in discussions about the text through a routine known as "Chat Stations." They will be provided with time to consider the questions being posed and then share their perspectives with their peers. Students will also be writing diamante' poems that express the internal and external change of the main character. I would like to wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year!
5PA Update
This week, students will continue working on their literary essays. Students have learned how to write a strong thesis statement and cite evidence from the text. During the upcoming week, learners will review how to explain their evidence and will be encouraged to include elaborative details. Again, I will model the process for students so that they are confident about their abilities when required to work independently. The essays should be completed by Wednesday. If students are unable to complete it in class, they will be assigned homework. Towards the end of the week, students will be introduced to a new literary piece entitled "The Great Blackberry Pick".
4PA Update
During the upcoming week, students will continue reading The Secret Garden. We have been having some wonderful conversations about the text. Students are beginning to understand the symbolism and are using inferential thinking to gain clear understandings. We have also been discussing important events and adding these events to our plot development chart. In addition, learners have been encouraged to consider the Depth and Complexity framework and note related ideas on sticky notes. The goal for the upcoming week is for ALL students to think logically and reasonably. Students will also be encouraged to support their thinking with appropriate evidence from the text. Again, I will inform you through Seesaw regarding potential homework assignments.
3PA Update
This week, students will complete their reading of "The Ugly Duckling" by Hans Christian Andersen. They will be guided through the annotation process and will focus on internal and external change, theme, and symbolism. We will work on annotating the text Monday-Wednesday. Then, students will participate in an activity referred to as "Chat Stations". Students will be provided with higher-level questions and will use text evidence to support their responses. This will be a wonderful way to foster discussion about the text and will encourage students to use critical thinking skills. Also, students will practice appropriate speaking and listening skills. I look forward to observing these conversations and hearing their thoughts and opinions about the text.
5PA Update
During the upcoming week, students will be viewing the video of the story "All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury. We will compare and contrast the events in the story with those that occur in the video. Students will then return to a story entitled The Raft by Jim LaMarche. We began this story a few weeks ago and were unable to finish it as a result of other curricular expectations. There will be a new purpose for this text. We will use it to complete a literary essay that will focus on the change that the main character undergoes throughout the story. Learners will be exposed to the following terms: literary essay, thesis statement, claim and supporting evidence. Throughout the week, students will be observers as I model the process of writing a literary essay. Then, each learner will be expected to become an active participant by completing their own essay for the story "All Summer in a Day." This process will, most likely, take 2 weeks to complete.
3PA Update
This week, students will be learning about internal and external traits. Students will be encouraged to use the thoughts, words, and actions of a character in order to identify internal traits. We will be applying their new knowledge by reading a book entitled The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig. Students will participate in character analysis and will use inferential thinking to determine the character's traits. Learners will also be prompted to use evidence from the text to support their thinking. Each individual will make a personal connection by exploring their own internal and external traits. Finally, students will be reading "The Ugly Duckling" by Hans Christian Andersen and completing a literature web that will call for students to identify key words, big ideas, feelings, and symbols/images.
