ENGLISH
Reading, writing, viewing, reflecting and repeat.
If English was so simple, we would not need to study it and practice it, yet, here we are. As learners of English as an Additional Language, some of the grammar rules that are quickly learned as a native speaker of English take longer for you to learn because you need to know WHY it is that way.
In English this year you will learn what a metaphor and hyperbole could possibly be. You will venture into the world of Fairy Tales and poetry. We will explore Shakespeare's comedy, Taming of the Shrew and Jack London's journey in Call of the Wild. You will learn to research, write essays, write letters and autobiographies. There will be skits, presentations and speeches.
It will be a year full of adventure and exploration and here you will find what you need to be successful. Your worksheets and assignments, your due dates and deadlines. Of course, you can always ask your teachers if you have any questions!
For students looking for the side by side comparison of Rapunzel, the website is http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm012a.html
In English this year you will learn what a metaphor and hyperbole could possibly be. You will venture into the world of Fairy Tales and poetry. We will explore Shakespeare's comedy, Taming of the Shrew and Jack London's journey in Call of the Wild. You will learn to research, write essays, write letters and autobiographies. There will be skits, presentations and speeches.
It will be a year full of adventure and exploration and here you will find what you need to be successful. Your worksheets and assignments, your due dates and deadlines. Of course, you can always ask your teachers if you have any questions!
For students looking for the side by side comparison of Rapunzel, the website is http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm012a.html
Autobiography
To start the year off, we would like to get to know you a little better! An autobiography is the story of, YOU! So, tell us all about yourself. When were you born? Were you born in Egypt? What are your hobbies? Who are your best friends? Do you have siblings? What languages do you speak?
You need to write 2 pages about yourself. Spelling and grammar will count. In class you will see samples of autobiographies and have a template to help you out. You need to create a title page for your autobiography that represents you in a picture. Do not just draw a picture of yourself...create a collage or add an assortment of pictures that represent who you are! Make sure it is colorful, because I know that you all have colorful personalities!
For example: Ms. Kim likes sports...so, Ms. Kim would draw pictures or her favorite sports and/or sports teams. She also has a family, so, she would draw pictures of her family. Cooking is a hobby so maybe, there just may be a picture of food. There would be a rainbow of color in Ms. Kim's title page because Ms. Kim is colorful!
You need to write 2 pages about yourself. Spelling and grammar will count. In class you will see samples of autobiographies and have a template to help you out. You need to create a title page for your autobiography that represents you in a picture. Do not just draw a picture of yourself...create a collage or add an assortment of pictures that represent who you are! Make sure it is colorful, because I know that you all have colorful personalities!
For example: Ms. Kim likes sports...so, Ms. Kim would draw pictures or her favorite sports and/or sports teams. She also has a family, so, she would draw pictures of her family. Cooking is a hobby so maybe, there just may be a picture of food. There would be a rainbow of color in Ms. Kim's title page because Ms. Kim is colorful!
Plot Profiles
During this unit you will begin to investigate the components of a good story in regards to rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. We will also explore characterization, theme, plot, and point of view by using various fairy tales. If you missed the Plot Profile Introduction, the PowerPoint can be found below.
plot_profile.pptx | |
File Size: | 246 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Point of View
This is the second part of the short stories unit. You will need to know the key components of 1st person, 2nd person and 3rd person narratives and be able to identify which perspective an author is writing from.
narrators.ppt | |
File Size: | 809 kb |
File Type: | ppt |
narrative_perspective.pptx | |
File Size: | 138 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
EID Holiday
Students are reminded that they are expected to read over the Eid Holiday. All students had the chance to pick out a book at the library. The book they read must have a minimum of 100 pages with no pictures. Students will need to find 12 new words that they do not know and complete the vocabulary assignment. The vocabulary and the reading log will be due the first day back from Eid. On November 29th, students will be required to submit a book report on this book they have chosen to read over the holiday. The book report must be a minimum of 2 pages, typed, double spaced and written in Calibri size 11.
Tuck Everlasting
For the next several weeks, the Grade 7' will be working through the novel, Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt. In this novel, a young girl learns of a family that is immortal. She must decide if she too wants to live forever.
The study guide that we will be using for this novel comes largely from Glencoe publishing company. The file can be found below. There will be supplemental readings and assignments issued throughout the course of this unit. Everything that the Grade 7's have studied in ELA up until this point (plot profiles, characterizations, sentence structure etc) will be incorporated into the study of this novel.
Students will have weekly vocabulary assignments, readings, comprehension questions and chapter summaries during this novel study. At the end of the novel, students will have a choice of final projects that will complete the study of Tuck Everlasting.
The study guide that we will be using for this novel comes largely from Glencoe publishing company. The file can be found below. There will be supplemental readings and assignments issued throughout the course of this unit. Everything that the Grade 7's have studied in ELA up until this point (plot profiles, characterizations, sentence structure etc) will be incorporated into the study of this novel.
Students will have weekly vocabulary assignments, readings, comprehension questions and chapter summaries during this novel study. At the end of the novel, students will have a choice of final projects that will complete the study of Tuck Everlasting.
tuck_everlasting_glencoe.pdf | |
File Size: | 112 kb |
File Type: |
Genres
In the weeks leading up to the Winter Holiday, the Grade 7 class will be doing a study about the different types of writing genres. Both fiction and non-fiction genres will be studied in class. The major assignment associated with this short unit is a poster that advertises a specific genre. Students will be placed in groups of 2 and will be assigned a genre to work with. The poster is due on December 13th, 2012.
genre.pptx | |
File Size: | 91 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Formal Writing
Using an Idea Diagram, students will be creating a 5 Point Essay. A 5 Point Essay is a formal piece of writing that focuses on structure of sentences, paragraphs and an overall essay. There are 5 paragraphs in a 5 Point Essay (Introduction, 3 Body Paragraphs and a Conclusion). Students will be taught how to identify a topic, isolate ideas into subtopics and create the conclusion and introduction at the end. The PowerPoint below is a description of how to effectively work with the Idea Diagram and formulate ideas in a concise manner.
formal_writing_with_the_idea_diagram_2.pptx | |
File Size: | 368 kb |
File Type: | pptx |
Poetry
In February, students will be looking at different literary devices and how to construct various types of poems. We will be using various poems to study and determine what the writer is trying to purvey. Students will also be composing original poetry during this unit.
Students will be exposed to several literary devices including personification, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, alliteration, rhyming scheme, repetition and onomatopoeia. While students are investigating these literary devices, they will also learn how to write them, and, how to determine the deeper meaning of the literary device. For example: She has a heart of stone is a metaphor and the deeper meaning is that the person has a cold and hard heart. This deeper meaning would also indicate that the person is not very loving or understanding. WOW! All that from one metaphor. In Grade 7 it is not enough to be able to identify the literary device, you do need to determine what it means.
Practice with some of these literary devices:
a) It's as hot as an oven in here!
b) She is as sharp as a tack.
c) That car is a boat!
d) I have a million questions!
e) That car ride took forever!
f) He is as tall as a giraffe.
The Final Project for the poetry unit will be a thematic song lyric anthology. Students will pick a theme and 4 songs that have lyrics to match the theme. Student will then search the song lyrics for the various literary devices covered in class. Students will be given a lot of time in class to complete this assignment.
Students will be exposed to several literary devices including personification, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, alliteration, rhyming scheme, repetition and onomatopoeia. While students are investigating these literary devices, they will also learn how to write them, and, how to determine the deeper meaning of the literary device. For example: She has a heart of stone is a metaphor and the deeper meaning is that the person has a cold and hard heart. This deeper meaning would also indicate that the person is not very loving or understanding. WOW! All that from one metaphor. In Grade 7 it is not enough to be able to identify the literary device, you do need to determine what it means.
Practice with some of these literary devices:
a) It's as hot as an oven in here!
b) She is as sharp as a tack.
c) That car is a boat!
d) I have a million questions!
e) That car ride took forever!
f) He is as tall as a giraffe.
The Final Project for the poetry unit will be a thematic song lyric anthology. Students will pick a theme and 4 songs that have lyrics to match the theme. Student will then search the song lyrics for the various literary devices covered in class. Students will be given a lot of time in class to complete this assignment.
Call of the Wild Novel Study
Students have started a novel study of Call of the Wild. This novel is a historical fiction classic and is frequently studied by students in schools around the world.
The novel is set in the Yukon Territory in Canada in the late 1800's. In 1896, the Klondike Gold Rush began and people from around the United States and Canada fled to the Klondike to find their riches and pan for gold. The reality is that many men faced treacherous conditions and found very little wealth in the Yukon and many men died from extreme climate and geographic conditions.
The novel follows a dog named Buck throughout the story. Students will track Buck's journey throughout the novel. In addition to following the journey of Buck, students will also investigate the theme of relationships with others and with nature.
The novel is set in the Yukon Territory in Canada in the late 1800's. In 1896, the Klondike Gold Rush began and people from around the United States and Canada fled to the Klondike to find their riches and pan for gold. The reality is that many men faced treacherous conditions and found very little wealth in the Yukon and many men died from extreme climate and geographic conditions.
The novel follows a dog named Buck throughout the story. Students will track Buck's journey throughout the novel. In addition to following the journey of Buck, students will also investigate the theme of relationships with others and with nature.
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Taming of the Shrew
Recently in class, students began reading the No Fear Shakespeare version of Taming of the Shrew. This has given students the chance to read roles from a script and practice their oral reading. The play is very funny and many students are enjoying the play very much.
The major assignment that will be a part of this study will be introduced in the second week of May.
The major assignment that will be a part of this study will be introduced in the second week of May.