Homework for the Week of April 19th

HOMEWORK DUE DATES

Autobiography:
Intro paragraph 4/19
1st body paragraph 4/20
2nd body paragraph 4/21
3rd body paragraph 4/22
Concluding paragraph 4/23

Westward Movement Acrostic poem 4/20

Prepare/Practice Biography Speech 4/21 +

Biography reports were due 4/2

The Outsiders essays were due 4/15

Lit Circles - Western Movement Theme

In conjunction with studying Westward Migration in our Social Studies class, we will be reading historical fiction novels of the same era, in our Language Arts class. "Lit circles" (reading groups) will be comprised of the following titles:

Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie, by Kristiana Gregory

The Ballad of Lucy Whipple by Karen Cushman

Jayhawaker by Katherine Peterson

Scrib by David Ives

Lyddie by Katherine Peterson

Shane by Jack Schafer

Runs with Horses by Brian Burks

Call of the Wild by Jack London

Westward Movement Unit

We are now studying Westward Migration and reading historical novels from that time period. On Tuesday, Ms. Barnes will share artifacts from a Westward Migration Trunk on loan from Lane ESD. The trunk contains items that would be included in a family's covered wagon over the Oregon Trail. While listening to the presentation and examining the artifacts, students will take notes on why the items were included and how they would be used in daily life on the trail or at trail's end.

In-Class Writing Assignment

In Language Arts class we are currently writing our autobiographies. These will be five paragraph essays. Paragraph one is the introductory paragraph that includes a grabber (question, anecdote, startling fact, or quotation) and a thesis statement that alerts the reader about the topic of the essay. Paragraph two tells about the student's past, including at least one story about his/her early life. Paragraph three is dedicated to the present, including at least one memory about middle school. Paragraph four explores future plans and goals. Paragraph five is the concluding paragraph that brings the essay to a close with a quotation or "words to live by." We are writing this in class, writing one paragraph a day. Students who do not finish the daily paragraph must complete it that evening for homework. Any student who shows up for class without the daily completed paragraph will join the "Literary Lunch Bunch" in my classroom. After eating lunch, those students report to my class for the rest of the period to work on their missing work.