Today in class, we explored our English Grade 7 Syllabus (click here for an electronic version). We read aloud in pairs, practicing trading off paragraphs back and forth. You each did a great job reading aloud, and I loved hearing your voices as I sauntered around the room...
Also, we shared our five most powerful lines from The Outsiders and talked about why we accentuated those lines, and what their power is for us.
Our word of the day today is ACCENTUATE, which means to emphasize. And example of the word in a line is: My son, Tyler, began to accentuate his words differently when we lived in England for three years.
Our quote of the day is from Nobel-prize winning author Ernest Hemingway: "All you need to write is one true sentence."
Our homework for tonight is to sign the last page of the syllabus and bring it back in.
That's all!
Peace,
Mr. R
Showing posts with label The Outsiders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Outsiders. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Eluding School? No Way!
Thanks for a wonderful Day # 2 today!
We had the chance to practice eye contact and speaking with confidence today, we you all paired up and tried to hold eye contact while having a conversation. We talked about how eye contact and presence lead to confidence as speakers, and you all did a GREAT job with a tough (and awkward) activity. Thank you!
We also explored our class blog a little bit, to get to know it and see what is here.
Our word of the day today is ELUDE, a verb which means to avoid or escape.
An example of our word in a sentence is: When I was in the 7th grade, rather than talk to my crush, I always tried to elude her in the hallways!
Our quotes of the day is from poet Theodore Roethke: "I learn by going where I have to go."
Our homework for tomorrow is to bring in all of your art and lines associated with our summer reading, The Outsiders.
Peace,
Mr. R
We had the chance to practice eye contact and speaking with confidence today, we you all paired up and tried to hold eye contact while having a conversation. We talked about how eye contact and presence lead to confidence as speakers, and you all did a GREAT job with a tough (and awkward) activity. Thank you!
We also explored our class blog a little bit, to get to know it and see what is here.
Our word of the day today is ELUDE, a verb which means to avoid or escape.
An example of our word in a sentence is: When I was in the 7th grade, rather than talk to my crush, I always tried to elude her in the hallways!
Our quotes of the day is from poet Theodore Roethke: "I learn by going where I have to go."
Our homework for tomorrow is to bring in all of your art and lines associated with our summer reading, The Outsiders.
Peace,
Mr. R
Monday, September 8, 2014
Why Does an Author Write a Novel?
Today, we explored ideas around the essential question, Why does an author write a novel? We read a great interview with S.E. Hinton, in which she says that the success of The Outsiders, "inspired me so greatly that I was unable to write for four years...I love to write, but for four years, I could not" (32). This blows our minds as readers! Success and fame and money, as we discussed, are not internal reasons that propel authors to create novels, and sometimes the reception of those things can actually hinder the creative process.
As you each shared your own creative ideas for novels, we also explored other reasons for why authors write: to share a message, to process emotion, to look at something from another point of view, because it brings joy, to inspire, to entertain readers, and to face challenges.
Our word of the day was alliteration, which is the repetition of similar sounds in words close together.
Our quote for the day was, "Who knows? Maybe the root is the flower in that other world," from poet Mary Oliver.
The homework for tonight is to finish reading the interview with S.E. Hinton and annotate it as you read!
As you each shared your own creative ideas for novels, we also explored other reasons for why authors write: to share a message, to process emotion, to look at something from another point of view, because it brings joy, to inspire, to entertain readers, and to face challenges.
Our word of the day was alliteration, which is the repetition of similar sounds in words close together.
Our quote for the day was, "Who knows? Maybe the root is the flower in that other world," from poet Mary Oliver.
The homework for tonight is to finish reading the interview with S.E. Hinton and annotate it as you read!
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Bringing Literature to Life!
What an awesome day! I really loved watching you bring a couple of scenes from The Outsiders to life. Many of you played the parts of Ponyboy, Johnny, Cherry, Sodapop and other characters from the book, and did a great job using bold voices and actions to portray the scenes.
You also read a short non-fiction piece about Ralph Macchio's role in the film, and how a group of high schoolers from Fresno, California actually petitioned director Francis Ford Coppola to make the movie--and he did!
Our word of the day was vacillate, which means to hesitate between two choices.
Our quote of the day was, "I learn by going where I have to go," from poet Theodore Roethke.
Tomorrow, we have a vocabulary quiz on our first five words. See the other blog posts to refresh your memory, and use your Vocab sections in your binders. It will be a creative quiz, so come ready to think creatively!
You also read a short non-fiction piece about Ralph Macchio's role in the film, and how a group of high schoolers from Fresno, California actually petitioned director Francis Ford Coppola to make the movie--and he did!
Our word of the day was vacillate, which means to hesitate between two choices.
Our quote of the day was, "I learn by going where I have to go," from poet Theodore Roethke.
Tomorrow, we have a vocabulary quiz on our first five words. See the other blog posts to refresh your memory, and use your Vocab sections in your binders. It will be a creative quiz, so come ready to think creatively!
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Can Anything Gold Stay?
We dove into The Outsiders today, which you all read over the summer. You each shared the artwork that you created to describe one of the character's emotions during the novel. I saw such powerful drawings, paintings, collages, sculptures, photographs, and other forms of art to explore characters like Johnnycake, Ponyboy, Darrel, Dallas, Cherry, and Sodapop.
You also discerned, from your five key lines about the novel, the one line you felt best described the theme of the book. You were able to share your lines, as well as agree and disagree with the lines of others, using evidence from the novel.
Our word for the day was voracious, which means having a huge appetite or being very eager.
Our quote of the day was, "Stay gold," which Johnny says to Ponboy in The Outsiders.
Your homework for tonight is to dive into the three questions about Robert Frost's poem, "Nothing Gold Can Stay." Here is a link to the assignment in case you need another copy: Poem Homework (Frost).
Think about the big questions of how we can hold onto hope. Is it possible to remain "gold" as Johnny advises? Even amidst pain, heartache, and tragedy, can love survive?
Thanks for a great day today.
You also discerned, from your five key lines about the novel, the one line you felt best described the theme of the book. You were able to share your lines, as well as agree and disagree with the lines of others, using evidence from the novel.
Our word for the day was voracious, which means having a huge appetite or being very eager.
Our quote of the day was, "Stay gold," which Johnny says to Ponboy in The Outsiders.
Your homework for tonight is to dive into the three questions about Robert Frost's poem, "Nothing Gold Can Stay." Here is a link to the assignment in case you need another copy: Poem Homework (Frost).
Think about the big questions of how we can hold onto hope. Is it possible to remain "gold" as Johnny advises? Even amidst pain, heartache, and tragedy, can love survive?
Thanks for a great day today.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Finding Evidence...
I had a blast with you all today. We talked about how important it is to say what you think in a clear way and to back it up with evidence and support. You each worked with a partner and read every other paragraph of our syllabus aloud. Then, you explored the syllabus to find what you thought was the most important part. Together, you located three lines--three pieces of evidence--that supported why you thought that was the most important part.
You each shared your decision and one piece of evidence with the class. Many groups chose very different parts of the syllabus. However, each group found great evidence to support why their area was the most important. This is a key component of English class. As we read a variety of awesome novels, poems, and short stories this year, I want you to be able to clearly state what you think is going on, and to support your ideas with evidence.
Then you each had a chance to pretend to be S.E. Hinton and respond to a question from your partner about her powerful novel The Outsiders. I heard great questions like, "Why did you choose to not show what happened to Johnny's parents after he died? Did they have a funeral for him? Did they ever change?" and also, "How much of the novel was based on your own life experiences." And I heard fabulous responses.
Our word of the day was accentuate, which means to emphasize.
Our quote of the day was, "I saw the angel in the marble and carved him out until I set him free," from the artist Michelangelo.
Here is a link to our syllabus in case you need to print out another copy, or want an electronic version: English 7 Syllabus (Bromfield).
You each shared your decision and one piece of evidence with the class. Many groups chose very different parts of the syllabus. However, each group found great evidence to support why their area was the most important. This is a key component of English class. As we read a variety of awesome novels, poems, and short stories this year, I want you to be able to clearly state what you think is going on, and to support your ideas with evidence.
Then you each had a chance to pretend to be S.E. Hinton and respond to a question from your partner about her powerful novel The Outsiders. I heard great questions like, "Why did you choose to not show what happened to Johnny's parents after he died? Did they have a funeral for him? Did they ever change?" and also, "How much of the novel was based on your own life experiences." And I heard fabulous responses.
Our word of the day was accentuate, which means to emphasize.
Our quote of the day was, "I saw the angel in the marble and carved him out until I set him free," from the artist Michelangelo.
Here is a link to our syllabus in case you need to print out another copy, or want an electronic version: English 7 Syllabus (Bromfield).
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