Persuasive Writing

Grade 6 has been busy with debating and researching the advantages and disadvantages of the port expansion here in Grand Cayman. This week, they will be finishing up their persuasive writing pieces. We watched this video in class, but please have a look at it with your child and review persuasive writing.

Literacy Objectives – January 20-24, 2020

GRAMMAR

– Unit 3 – Verbs Review and Assessment

– Remember to review our YouTube videos, textbook, composition book, and summary index cards for revision assistance

WRITING

Grade 6 has continued their focus on narrative stories. This week, they will brainstorm ideas for their final narratives of the 2nd Quarter. Next week, their published stories will be due (November 30th). This assessment will be completed in class.

SPELLING

Study for spelling test on Friday. Spelling words can be found on the homework post.

Narrative Writing – A Christmas Star

To add some Christmas fun to our writing, Grade 6 has been analyzing the animated short film – A Christmas Star. With the help of this video, we have been dissecting what goes in to making a great narrative story. Although this film is short, it is complex, as the students see the main character as greedy and selfish with few redeeming qualities. Keep checking in with your child this week, as he/she continues to build their own story based off of this short film.

Give it a watch and discuss all of the key details and events with your child, reminding them that the more details added to a narrative, the more entertaining and interesting it will be for the reader.

Literacy Objectives – November 4-8, 2019

GRAMMAR:

This week will be filled with Units 1 and 2 reviews and our final assessments for the First Quarter.

– Monday – Tuesday: Review

– Wednesday: Unit 2 Assessment

– Thursday: Units 1-2 Cumulative Assessment

READING:

Our final reading assessment for First Quarter will be a Character One Pager. See instructins below. This will be done primarily in class, however, students are free to bring in any supplies and notes that they’d like to use in their project. The Character One Pager is due on Friday.

Character One Pager

A typical one pager gives you a chance to show what you know about what you have read. This time, I want to know about one of the characters from the story. You will need to pay close attention to direct and indirect characterization so that you can collect different types of information about your character. Their appearance, their personality, their likes and dislikes, their fears, hopes, and dreams all of these should be covered in your one pager. A one pager also gives you a chance to express this information in a manner that is unique to you. Each student reads differently, and a one pager gives you the opportunity to express your understanding in a creative way.

The Must Dos: (each of these must be done)

• All work must be on only one side of the paper. You may only use unlined copy paper.
• Your first and last name must be clearly displayed (but not so large that it takes away from the actual work).
• Create a border that is relevant to your character (this can include, words, symbols, pictures, or even quotes).
• Make sure you put the title of the work, the author, and the name of your character somewhere on the page where it will be noticed.
• Include your analysis of at least FOUR quotes from the text, two direct characterizations and two indirect characterizations (said by them or said about them). Your quotes must be cited with act, scene, and line numbers, and you should explain the relevance of each quote.
• Ask a thoughtful question that you would like to ask the character, something that wasn’t answered for you in the reading, and then answer in the manner the character would.

Things to do: (You may choose to do any or all of these to fill the page. It’s up to you! But
remember, the page MUST BE FILLED!)• Use visual images, either drawn, cut from magazines, or printed from the internet, to create a visual focus. These images are what you had in mind while you were reading.
• Create an acrostic that explains your character.
• Use 4 8 adjectives to describe the character.
• Comment on how the character handled conflict.
• Use the character to add to your visual draw their picture, analyze the meaning of their name in the context of the story, comment on their personality, etc.
• Make a comparison between the character and someone else you have read about or know (could come from any outside reading or a life experience). This connection should have depth to it, in other words, it should not be obvious.
• Use color and pattern, perhaps even texture, to illustrate your thoughts and ideas clearly and creatively.

What NOT to do:
• Do not merely summarize, ANALYZE.
• Do not think that a half page will do, FILL UP THE PAPER

Grading:
• Be colorful and neat. Your entire page should be filled with the above elements. If you have more room, choose another element to add. No space should be left blank, and nothing should be left in pencil.
• Full credit depends on completeness, and imagination counts too!

WRITING:

Again, as this is the final week of the First Quarter, we will be focusing on our final assessments. Students will be  busy finalizing their drafts and publishing their writing on Monday and Tuesday.

On Wednesday – Friday, they will be completing their final Expository Writing piece for this quarter and put into practice what they’ve learned so far.

All assessments will be sent home for review and signing once completed and graded.