Visit your virtual Classroom for daily class agenda and homework. You can access all material in the ELA Google Classroom.
Friday, February 19, 2021
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Learning about Lois Lowry
Listen to Lois Lowry talk about her childhood, life and as writer and The Giver in these video interviews. Click here to go to Lois Lowry's web page and learn more about he and her writing.
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Grade 7: Introducing The Call of the Wild by Jack London
7th graders, you are about to travel to the Yukon and begin a great adventure
with Buck. Before we actually start reading Jack London's classic
novel, The Call of the Wild, we are going to learn a little bit about the Yukon, sled dogs and what it takes to make it rich during the 1800s.
Skookum Jim Mason, Dawson
Charlie and George Washington Carmack found gold in a tributary of the Klondike
River in Canada's Yukon Territory. Their discovery set off one of the greatest
gold rushes in history.
Click here to create an Haiku Deck account. Your Call of the Wild Presentation should be on one of the main topics of the story: Women of the Yukon, Dogsleds, Jack London, The Yukon. You should make at least four slides. Your audience is your classmates who will not have the depth of knowledge you have gained in your research.
To view examples of Haiku Decks: "Women of the Yukon," "Sled Dogs" and "Jack London"
The Call of the Wild: Background Information
All
kinds of men (and women too), sold or gave up everything they had, and tried to
strike it rich. A few actually did (mostly the early arrivals), some decided to
profit from the gold fever of others. Some had to move back to wherever they
came from, broke and broken, and many didn't make it at all. The Canadian
Mounties (their organization began during this tumultuous time) tried to keep
order, but there were scams and hoodlums and all kinds of unsavory characters.
You had to watch your back, as well as the weather.
Jack London wrote vividly about life during that time, and
the effects the harsh environment and circumstances had on the men and animals
who lived through it. Now it's your turn.
You may access a copy of the questions and a link to the webquest on Google Classroom
Click here to create an Haiku Deck account. Your Call of the Wild Presentation should be on one of the main topics of the story: Women of the Yukon, Dogsleds, Jack London, The Yukon. You should make at least four slides. Your audience is your classmates who will not have the depth of knowledge you have gained in your research.
To view examples of Haiku Decks: "Women of the Yukon," "Sled Dogs" and "Jack London"
Saturday, January 25, 2020
The Giver- Grade 8 Novel Study
Listen to The Giver read out loud--there are two versions:
Mr. Koch
Mrs. Reads
Click here for the online version of The Giver
**************************************************************
Introducing The Giver-understanding Utopias
Click here to watch the video
What is a Dystopia?
Click here to watch the video
A longer, more in depth explanation
Mr. Koch
Mrs. Reads
Click here for the online version of The Giver
**************************************************************
Introducing The Giver-understanding Utopias
Click here to watch the video
What is a Dystopia?
Click here to watch the video
A longer, more in depth explanation
Sunday, January 12, 2020
The Cay-Essential Background Knowledge
Click here to begin Web Quest on The Cay
If you have trouble with the link--here's the URL address:
You will be working in pairs. Each group will create slides on two topics from the web quest on our class Power Point on The Cay. Go to Google Classroom to access the class Power Point.
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
The Great Thanksgiving Listen- Creating Podcasts of a Family/Friend Story or Interview
Over Thanksgiving you participated in Storycorps "The Great Thanksgiving Listen"as you interviewed an older relative or friend. Today you are going to share the stories you heard and think about one story that interests you most to turn into a podcast.
Part I- The Debriefing
Discussion
1. Share with your group what it was like to do the interview. Who did you interview? Where? How long was the interview? Did you record it or take notes? How did it go?
2. Next, think about what you learned about the person from the interview. What surprised you? What had you already known? What story or stories did you find most interesting?
Planning
3. In your Writer's Notebook, write 2-3 stories or topics that you might want to share or turn into your podcast.
Part II- Deconstructing a Podcast
Defining Podcasts
In your groups, discuss the following questions. Be prepared to share your responses with the class.
In your groups, listen to a few podcasts to determine the elements and qualities of a podcast.
1. Kind World: So Chocolate Bar (7 mins, 23 sec.)
In this episode of Kind World, host Erika Lantz uses sounds and interviews with multiple people to tell a story about a friendship.
2. Hidden Brain: The Haunting Effects of Going Days Without Sleep (7 mins, 2 sec.)
Play this story twice. The first time,make a note of all the sounds they hear and people that speak on tape. Afterwards, compare notes with your group. Then, play the story through a second time — following along with the transcript to check your work.
3. How I Built This: Instagram: Kevin Systrom & Mike Krieger (33 mins, 32 sec.)
This is a long one, so perhaps just listen to a few minutes at the beginning. (A good place to start is about 30 seconds in.)
Still interested? Here are a few more:
Kind World: A Different Window (7 mins, 2 sec.)
Hidden Brain: How Labels Can Affect People's Personalities and Potential (6 mins, 35 sec.)
And some examples of Storycorp Interviews/Podcast-
Driving Lessons
Storycorps The Great Listen
Amnesty Days
Danny and Annie
Debrief
1. What types of sounds do podcasts include?
2. What are some ways that podcasts are structured?
3. What podcasts did you like best? Why?
Other Podcasts to explore-
Talking with Thunderbirds-This podcast will feature guests in the community of Tuba City that students deem to be heroes. They will interview these heroes about their job and how it led them to their current position.
Freakonomics- Discover the hidden side of everything with Stephen J. Dubner, co-author of the Freakonomics books. Each week, Freakonomics Radio tells you things you always thought you knew (but didn’t) and things you never thought you wanted to know (but do) — from the economics of sleep to how to become great at just about anything
adapted from NPR (https://www.npr.org/2018/11/15/662116901/teaching-podcasting-a-curriculum-guide-for-educators#overview)
Part I- The Debriefing
Discussion
1. Share with your group what it was like to do the interview. Who did you interview? Where? How long was the interview? Did you record it or take notes? How did it go?
2. Next, think about what you learned about the person from the interview. What surprised you? What had you already known? What story or stories did you find most interesting?
Planning
3. In your Writer's Notebook, write 2-3 stories or topics that you might want to share or turn into your podcast.
Part II- Deconstructing a Podcast
Defining Podcasts
In your groups, discuss the following questions. Be prepared to share your responses with the class.
- What's a podcast
- What are podcasts about?
- Where can you hear podcasts?
- Why would YOU listen to a podcast?
- What makes a podcaster different from a YouTuber?
In your groups, listen to a few podcasts to determine the elements and qualities of a podcast.
1. Kind World: So Chocolate Bar (7 mins, 23 sec.)
In this episode of Kind World, host Erika Lantz uses sounds and interviews with multiple people to tell a story about a friendship.
2. Hidden Brain: The Haunting Effects of Going Days Without Sleep (7 mins, 2 sec.)
Play this story twice. The first time,make a note of all the sounds they hear and people that speak on tape. Afterwards, compare notes with your group. Then, play the story through a second time — following along with the transcript to check your work.
3. How I Built This: Instagram: Kevin Systrom & Mike Krieger (33 mins, 32 sec.)
This is a long one, so perhaps just listen to a few minutes at the beginning. (A good place to start is about 30 seconds in.)
Still interested? Here are a few more:
Kind World: A Different Window (7 mins, 2 sec.)
Hidden Brain: How Labels Can Affect People's Personalities and Potential (6 mins, 35 sec.)
And some examples of Storycorp Interviews/Podcast-
Driving Lessons
Storycorps The Great Listen
Amnesty Days
Danny and Annie
Debrief
1. What types of sounds do podcasts include?
2. What are some ways that podcasts are structured?
3. What podcasts did you like best? Why?
Other Podcasts to explore-
Pickle
Is it ever okay to tell a lie? What makes a real friend? And here’s a question: How much is a person’s life worth? Yikes, that’s a tough one! Join the cast of Pickle as we explore life’s stickiest wickets, with the help of curious kids --and the occasional elephant. It’s philosophy, made fun.
Story Pirates
The Story Pirates aren’t your typical swashbuckling sailors. We don’t steal gold, pillage villages, or claim land; We’re searching for a different kind of treasure: kids’ wildest, most imaginative stories.
NPS Peas In A Podcast
NPS Peas in a Podcast features our 5th and 6th grade classroom at Newington Public School. It's the definition of a student-led podcast as the writers, directors, hosts, voices, and editors are all age 12 and younger. Tune in to see what our amazing class is up to.
The Memory Place- The Memory Palace is a storytelling podcast and occasional radio segment created and produced Nate DiMeo in 2008.Talking with Thunderbirds-This podcast will feature guests in the community of Tuba City that students deem to be heroes. They will interview these heroes about their job and how it led them to their current position.
Freakonomics- Discover the hidden side of everything with Stephen J. Dubner, co-author of the Freakonomics books. Each week, Freakonomics Radio tells you things you always thought you knew (but didn’t) and things you never thought you wanted to know (but do) — from the economics of sleep to how to become great at just about anything
adapted from NPR (https://www.npr.org/2018/11/15/662116901/teaching-podcasting-a-curriculum-guide-for-educators#overview)
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Charles Dickens and "A Christmas Carol"
"A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens
Next week you will be going to the play "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. Before you attend the play, you are going to learn a little about Charles Dickens and his writing and read the play.Click here to watch this Brain Pop video introducing the famous playwright.
Username:barnard1
password:brainpop
Thursday, November 14, 2019
A Christmas Carol and Charles Dickens
A Christmas Carol and Charles Dickens
“No space of regret can make amends for one life's opportunity misused"
“Bah," said Scrooge, "Humbug.”
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Monday, November 4, 2019
Exploring Classic Short Stories
So... after watching the brief explanation of FATE verses FREE WILL and reading "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs what do you think? Was the family in “The Monkey’s Paw” destined to suffer the way they did or was their suffering the result of choices they freely made? Use the ideas in the video and the details in the story to answer. Click here to read the short story.
Even The Simpson's get into the act. Watch their version of this story:
Even The Simpson's get into the act. Watch their version of this story:
Monday, June 3, 2019
Reading an Epic--Beowulf
We studied the epic story of Perseus and discovered what makes an epic and an epic hero. We are going to begin reading Beowulf. This story comes from an Anglo-Saxon poem, which was probably written sometime between the years 700 and 800 A.D The Anglo-Saxon people began to settle in Britain around 450 A.D.
They came from Europe, mainly from the countries we now call Germany
and Denmark. Beowulf is written in an Anglo-Saxon Language (sometimes called Old
English), but the the story does not take place in England at all. It is
about some of the ancestors of the Anglo-Saxons, tribes who lived in
countries that are now called Denmark and Sweden.
Listen to Beowulf in Old English--can you understand any words?
Do you want to know more about the famous epic? Click here to go to an interactive site to read more about Beowulf.
Click here to watch a video why you SHOULD read Beowulf!
Click here for a Glossary of Beowulf
Click here to learn more about topics and different sections of the story.
The Family Tree
Listen to Beowulf in Old English--can you understand any words?
Do you want to know more about the famous epic? Click here to go to an interactive site to read more about Beowulf.
Click here to watch a video why you SHOULD read Beowulf!
Click here for a Glossary of Beowulf
Click here to learn more about topics and different sections of the story.
Index of Link Material
Click here to view some of the things you can find out about in Beowulf for Beginners. This list will help you know where to look.The Family Tree
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