Posterous theme by Cory Watilo
Lynn

Our Reading Class

This is my 12th year teaching in Minneapolis. I have taught Language Arts, Reading and Theatre Arts. I am happy to be here at Northeast for a third year. This year, I am teaching reading and language arts to 6th graders and I also work as the reading coach in our building. In the coaching part of my job, I work with teachers and their students so sometimes you may see me in your other classes!
When I was in middle school, I didn't like reading at all. I wasn't good at it and never imagined myself ever getting very good at it. When I got to high school, I had some teachers who helped me find things that I found interesting. I especially liked mysteries and plays. Slowly, I got to be a better reader. Eventually, I studied English and Theatre in college and by then I was reading a lot and finding lots of great stuff to read.
I hope you will find things that are interesting and challenging to read this year too!
I look forward to our year together.
Have a great day.
Ms. Lurvey

Poetry Experiments

Try some of the links below and see what you learn about poetry and how it is crafted.

In your journal, try to record some of the poems you create as you work.  Be ready to share with a partner.

Record at least 2 poems from your work today.  Be creative and try to bring a positive attitude to the process!!

Persuasive Writing: Country of your Choice

Students will create a powerpoint about a country of their choice that convinces people to come visit that country.  Here is an example for the North American country of Haiti.  The rubric for the project is also here.  We will take time in class next week to complete this work!
Ms. Lurvey

Click here to download:
Book Project Rubric.docx (93 KB)
(download)

Click here to download:
Haiti- Persuasive Powerpoint.pptx (311 KB)
(download)

Writing Final: Do your best work!

Images-4

Today, you will use what you have learned about sentence variety and vibrant vocabulary to answer these questions.  Each question should be at least one full paragraph.  You should pay attention to punctuation, style and content.
You may type your answers on a word document or use paper and pencil.  If you are anywhere but on your word document, your computer will be taken and you will write with paper and pencil.
This is your final for this course.  Do your best work!

1.  Who do you believe is more troubled by their life experiences, Crab or Jimmy?  Use details from the text to support your thinking.  Your answer should have at least three reasons to support your thinking.  

2.  What do you believe caused the problems in this story?  Use details from the text to support your thinking.  Use as many details as you can.

3.  Write a paragraph or a poem about a time when you experienced a change in your life.  (a move to a new school or state, a family member moving in with you, a new baby in the house, a divorce or death in the family, etc.).  Express your experience and your feelings clearly.

Friday - Reading and Writing Goals

Take some very simple sentences and show how you can improve them through the use of new and interesting vocabulary and sentence variety.

Example:  She smiled as she walked into the mall.

1.  Smiling, she walked quickly into the crowded mall.

2.  Walking into the mall, she found herself smiling and thinking about the shoes she was hoping to buy.

3.  Glad to be out of the rain, Margaret smiled, found her best friend and ran into the mall; this was going to be a fun afternoon.

4.  After the movie, Margaret and her friends laughed and talked to each other as they wandered into the shopping mall to find something to eat.

Your choice.  
Use the ten (10) sentences Ms. Lurvey has on the board or create your own ten (10 sentences).
Each sentence should have four varieties.  The example about has four varieties.

Notice, the sentences do not all start with "She".  There is a lot of variety.

Reading, Reading, Writing!

Good Morning Students.

Find out more about the author of our book Somewhere in the Darkness.

Catch up on the news of the day.

Grades are updated, check yours and make a plan to complete your homework if it is missing.

WRITE:  In your journal, record interesting information about Walter Dean Myers.

Also, write about one fun or interesting news article for the day!

:) I hope you have a nice, safe weekend.
Ms. Lurvey

BOOK CLUB ONLINE @ NORTHEAST

bookclubne@posterous.com

Use the link above to submit a book review of something you believe other middle school students will enjoy reading.

Be sure to attach a photo.
Steps to attach a photo.  Go to Google Images.  Search for the title.  Drag it to your desktop.  Attach it to your email. See, it is way easy!  

Done?  Submit two!  

Have a great weekend.
Thanks to everyone who really did their best work on the reading test this week! 
I am proud of your commitment to reading in class everyday!!

Ms. Lurvey

Monday and Tuesday Priorities

We have great work to do today.  

Priority One:  Complete your comic that retells one of the Native American Children's stories that you read.

You can draw it on paper or use the link below to create your comic.

Priority Two:  Write Similes and Metaphors that express what you have learned about Native American Culture.

Scroll Down on this page to see the rubric for this assignment.  Most of you started a google document on this - so please go to your google documents and make sure yours is finished!!

Priority Three:  Read the news for the day including the Grammy Awards on our tween news site.  Write about two articles that you find interesting in today's entries in your journal.

http://www.tweentribune.com/

Stay focused on our three priorities!  Use your time wisely!!
Have a Great MONDAY!!

 

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