Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday 3-19 to 3-21

MONDAY

Did You Know?

v  A short story is a short work of fiction. Fiction, as you know, is prose writing about imagined events and characters.

v  Prose writing differs from poetry in that it does not depend on verses, meters or rhymes for its organization and presentation.

v  Novels are another example of fictional prose and are much longer than short stories. Some short stories, however, can be quite long.

v  American literature contains some of the world's best examples of the short story. Readers around the world enjoy the finely crafted stories of American writers such as O. Henry, Stephen Crane, Jack London, Mark Twain and Edgar Allen Poe.

v  What makes these authors such remarkable short story writers? They are true masters at combining the five key elements that go into every great short story:

1.       Character

2.       Setting

3.       Conflict

4.       Plot

5.       Theme.

v  The ability to identify the elements of a story aids in comprehension, leads to a deeper understanding and appreciation of stories, and helps students learn to write stories of their own.

CHARACTERS

v  The characters are who the story is about. A character is a person, or sometimes even an animal, who takes part in the action of a short story or other literary work.

v  Characters can be real or make believe.  They can also be animals or things.

v  A good story includes:
*What the character looks like
*How the character acts
*How a character changes

Ways to Know a Character

•         Appearance

▫          how the character looks.

▫          how the character dresses.

•         Thoughts and conversation

▫          what the character says, thinks, or feels.

▫          what others in the story say or think about the character.

•         Actions

▫          what the character does.

▫          what the character chooses not to do.

▫          what others in the story do to the main character.

GOOD CHARACTERS ARE:

▫          believable

▫          consistent     

▫          multidimensional, that is, not stereotyped

▫          memorable

▫          grow or change over time

▫          Antagonist and Protagonist

Short stories use few characters.  One character is clearly central to the story with all major events having some importance to this character - he/she is the PROTAGONIST. 

                The ANTAGONIST is a character

    that works against the protagonist

     causing conflict.

PRACTICE

Pick the best character trait for the main character in the sentence.

1. Ethan and his friend Colton threw the little kitties into the pool.
                   A. brilliant
                   B. attentive
                   C. wicked
2. Julie was afraid to stand up to the bully who was picking on her friend.
                   A. modesty
                   B. cowardice
                   C. intelligent

TUESDAY

SETTING

q  The setting of a short story is the when and where. It is the time and place in which it happens. Authors often use descriptions of landscape, scenery, buildings, seasons or weather to provide a strong sense of setting.

q  Sometimes the author tells you the setting.
For example:
Once upon a time (that means long ago) in a beautiful meadow (place) there lived three Billy goats gruff.

q  Sometimes, the author gives you clues about the setting.

  "Simon, it is important that you tell no one about hiding the runaway slaves (Civil War) (In the South because that is where slavery was allowed.) in the barn!" (place)  whispered Pa.

The clues tell you that this story is

taking place on a farm in the South

during the Civil War.

•         There are several aspects of a story's setting to consider when examining how setting contributes to a story (some, or all, may be present in a story):
 

a)  place - geographical location. 

Where is the action of the story taking

 place?

b)  time - When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day, year, etc)

c)  weather conditions –

Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc?

d)  social conditions - What is the daily life of the characters like? Does the story contain local colours (writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular place)?

e)  mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story?  Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?

ACTIVITY 1

Read the paragraph and complete 1- 4.

Ben walked through the door and put his books in the book return. He walked around a corner and quietly walked into the children's section. Some children sat quietly at tables or looked at books with others. The sunlight came in through the windows and warmed the room. He asked the librarian to help him find a book by his favorite author. Ben sat down in the sun and began to read.

1. Write a description of the setting.
____________________

    ____________________

    ____________________

2. Describe when it takes place.

                ____________________

    ____________________

    ____________________

3. Think of a different setting for this paragraph. What is your new setting?
____________________

    ____________________

    ____________________

4. Rewrite this paragraph using your new setting:

 ______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

WEDNESDAY

•         PLOT

When you tell your friends about a great story you’ve read or an exciting movie you’ve seen, and they ask, “what happened next?” and “ then what happened?” your answers describe the events in the plot.

The plot is what happens in the story.  The plot usually revolves around a problem or conflict that is presented at the beginning of the story and resolved at the end. The plot is the events that help the character solve the or deal with a  problem.

To identify the plot:

1. Find the problem in the story.
2. Sequence the events that lead to the character  solving their problem.

There are five essential parts of plot:

1)  Introduction/Exposition- The beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is revealed.

2)  Rising Action - This is where the events in the story become complicated and the conflict in the story is revealed (events between the introduction and climax).

3)  Climax - This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story.  The reader wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not?

•         It is helpful to consider climax as a three-fold phenomenon: 

                                a)  the main character receives new  information. 

                                b)  accepts this information (realizes it but does not necessarily agree with it).

                                c)  acts on this information (makes a choice that will determine whether or not he/she gains his objective).

4) Falling action - The events and complications begin to resolve themselves.  The reader knows what has happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not (events between climax and resolution).

5) Resolution- This is the final outcome or untangling of events in the story.

Quiz on quadrilaterals

http://marcodiez.polldaddy.com/s/new-quiz

Monday and Tuesday 03-05-12 and 03-06-12

Week 23

(03-05 to 03-09-12)

PATTERNS OF ORGANIZATION

MONDAY

ü The best ways to improve your reading ability is to learn to read paragraphs effectively.

ü Many experts believe the paragraph, not the sentence, is the basic unit of thought of a selection. It is important to identify with the author's perspective by discovering the way the message is being sent.

ü Every writer has a purpose for writing and some plan of action for getting a message across. This plan of action is the order in which the material will be presented in the text. This order, often called a pattern of organization, should be present in acceptable writing from the smallest to the largest unit of writing: the paragraph, groups of paragraphs, sub-chapters, chapters, groups of chapters, whole books, and even series of books. Each of these, then, contains a certain pattern of organization.

ü The importance of these patterns is that they signal how the facts will be presented. They are blueprints for you to use.

ü Although key signal words help in identifying the particular type of pattern, a single paragraph can be a mixture of different patterns.

ü The following examples are the patterns of organization that are most frequently found in textbooks:

1. Simple Listing

2. Definition/Example

3. Chronological (Time) Order or Sequence

4. Comparison - Contrast

5. Cause and Effect

SIMPLE LISTING

·         Items are randomly listed in a series of supporting facts or details. These supporting elements are of equal value, and the order in which they are presented is of no importance. Changing the order of the items does not change the meaning of the paragraph. ·         Signal words often used for simple listing are:       in addition         another       for example       also       several       a number of EXAMPLE: This paragraph lists ways to cope with nervousness during a speech:  Although few circumstances make us as nervous as speaking in public does, there are some simple ways to cope. For example, use visual aids or handouts, if possible, to take the focus off you. Also, have a glass of water handy. This serves two purposes: It’s a prop, and it helps keep the mouth moist for easy speaking. In addition, stand behind a desk or podium or sit at a table. You’ll feel and look more relaxed than if you were “free-standing.” Last and perhaps most important, be yourself. Adopting a more formal style will make you, and your audience, less comfortable.

TUESDAY

DEFINITION/EXAMPLE

·         Frequently in textbook reading an entire paragraph is devoted to defining a complex term or idea. The concept is initially defined and then further expanded with examples and restatements. ·         Signal words often used for definition are:       is defined as       means       is called       refers to       term or concept       is described as

CHRONOLOGICAL (TIME) ORDER OR SEQUENCE

·         Items are listed in the order in which they occurred or in a specifically planned order in which they must develop. In this case, the order is important and changing it would change the meaning. ·         Signal words often used for chronological order or sequence are:       First, second, third       Before, after       When       Later       Until       At last       next

PRACTICE # 1

Read the following statements.  Choose the patterns of organization.

STATEMENT	CHRONOLOGICAL (TIME) ORDER OR SEQUENCE	DEFINITION/ EXAMPLE
1.   Acrophobia is an intense, unreasonable fear of high places; for example my sister is unable to go above the third floor of any building without feeling enormous anxiety.
2.   During the election the candidate will make a number of campaign stops throughout the United States.
3.   Artificial intelligence (AI) is a term that describes computer programs that solve problems by “thinking” the way people do.
4.   Usury is the practice of lending money and charging too much for interest

Tuesday and Wednesday 2-21-12 and 2-22-12

TUESDAY

What is Figurative Language?

Whenever you describe something by comparing it with something else, you are using figurative language. Figurative Language is the use of words that go beyond their ordinary meaning.  It requires you to use your imagination to figure out the author's meaning.  For example, if someone tells you that it is raining cats and dogs, you know that there are not actually cats and dogs falling from the sky.  You know it really means that it is raining very hard.

There are many different ways to use figurative language. These ways are called “figures of speech”. Here are a few of the most common ones:

•         Hyperbole

•         Simile

•         Metaphor

•         Personification

•         Idioms

•         Symbolism

Hyperbole

An exaggeration that is so dramatic that no one would believe the statement is true. Tall tales are hyperboles.

Example:

He was so hungry, he ate that whole cornfield for lunch, stalks and all.

A hyperbole is usually meant to be humorous or funny.  The sentence, "I can eat a million ice cream cones", is an exaggeration of the true fact that the speaker likes ice cream cones. Writers and poets use hyperbole to get a point across or to be funny. Read the two stanzas below from the poem, "No Difference", by Shel Silverstein and see if you could identify the hyperboles.

                     

                                      Small as a peanut,

                                      Big as a giant,

                                      We're all the same size

                                      When we turn out the light.

                                      Rich as a sultan,

                                      Poor as a mite,

                                      We're all worth the same

                                      When we turn out the light.

Silverstein is using hyperbole to exaggerate people's size and wealth to be humorous and to make a point.

“Small as a peanut, Big as a giant” – “Rich as a sultan, Poor as a mite”

PRACTICE #1                                        (ANSWER KEY ON PAGE 13)

Circle the hyperbole used in each sentence.

1.     When I grow up, I’m going to make tons of money.

2.     I ran like the wind when they chased me home!

3.     I will be 100 years old before I know how to work this thing.

4.     Carly was sweating bullets waiting to see her grade on the test.

5.     My sister Carla is as light as a feather.

WEDNESDAY

Simile

A simile is a comparison of two unlike things using the words like or as.  For example, in the sentence, "The lion purred like a kitten," the lion's purring is compared to that of a kitten's.  Similes give the reader a new way to see or understand something and can create a strong mental picture.

    Read the poem below and notice the similes in italics.

                                        "Simile: Willow and Ginkgo" by Eve Merrriam

                      The willow is like an etching,

                       Fine-lined against the sky.

                      The ginkgo is like a crude sketch,

                       Hardly worthy to be signed.

                      The willow's music is like a soprano

                       Delicate and thin.

                      The ginkgo's tune is like a chorus

                      With everyone joining in. 

Metaphor

A metaphor is a comparison of two different things to show a likeness between them.  Metaphors do not use the words like or as when making comparisons, as do similes.  Sometimes, they say that one thing is another, such as "her teeth are pearls".  Metaphors also suggest a comparison.  For example, in the line, "The fog comes in on little cat feet", from "The Fog" by Carl Sandburg, the fog is being described as if it were a cat.

PRACTICE # 2                                      

A.  On a separate sheet of paper, complete each SIMILE below with an appropriate ending.  You must complete all of the similes to that they make sense.

1.  Pearls as big as

2.  The kids are as busy as a/an

3.  The light is as bright as

4.  Skin as smooth as

5.  Rocks sharp as

6.  The class was wild like

7.  He was big like

8.  The fish was small as

9.  I am hungry like a

10. Her face was round as

B.  Read the descriptive paragraph below and, on a separate sheet of paper, write all the metaphors you find and describe the comparison.    

Autumn is a season of dust.  Into the dust crumble memories of powerful ocean tides hitting a sea of sand, early morning walks on a white crescent of beach, and sun scorched hills where the beauty of the summer slowly unfolds.  But autumn, too, will bring her own memories.  The foliage is a painting come to life and the music of the falling leaves will serenade us into winter.