Grammar Unit Test Procedures

As we come close to the end of English Unit 1, I want to take a moment to explain what students can expect for their first grammar test of the year. I allow students to use one notecard filled with their own handwritten notes to use on grammar tests. Students who choose to take this opportunity will turn the notecard in with their test.

The following lessons will be assessed on the Unit 1 test:

Kinds of Sentences

Complete Subjects and Predicates

Simple Subjects and Predicates

Imperatives and Interrogatives

Compound Subjects

Compound Predicates

Compound Sentences

Conjunctions

Complex Sentences

Fragments and Run-Ons

Taking Sides - General Reading Class

My general reading classes begin their first novel study this week. The selection is Taking Sides by Gary Soto. This is a great story about a boy who struggles to fit in at his new school while maintaining his old friendships. Your student can anticipate discussions about the many themes including friendship, responsibility, rivalry, and racism. This novel study will take the general reading class well into October.

Extended Reading Response

Students were introduced to writing an extended reading response (ERR) today. It is imperative that students master this writing skill as they will be required to write ERRs throughout the school year and on the ISAT. The format Lakeview uses can be completed in 4 easy steps! The following is an overview of the components of the ERR:

1. State the MAIN IDEA of your answer (be sure to restate the question)

2. Provide EVIDENCE from the text to support your answer. Then give your INTERPRETATION of the evidence (ie. what does the action show the reader?)

3. Provide a second piece of EVIDENCE from the text to support your answer. Then give your INTERPRETATION.

4. Provide an EXTENSION...what is the lesson/moral learned from the story?

Narrative Writing

This week we began the narrative writing process. Students have been diligently drafting their personal narrative stories in class. If I haven't already, I intend to conference with each student individually regarding their working draft. I am pleased with the work that I have seen and look forward to seeing more great things from my students.

Our main focus was organizing a personal narrative. You may have seen several orange “Plotting a Personal Narrative” worksheets in your child's binder as evidence to our focus on writing skill development.

I asked each student to think while they write. A personal narrative should be fun as it is a personal story. As you read you child's work, ask them if they have “Shown, not told” the story. I want all of my students to show their narratives through elaboration and details...not by simply tell by stating the facts.

Example from class:

TELL - I was mad (don't write like this)

SHOW – I could feel the anger boiling from deep inside my soul and rise up from within me. (this is much more interesting to read)