Sympathy Letters

Dear Parents,
   We have been learning how to write sympathy letters in class.  The students practiced writing made-up letters, and some of them were so fun, I just had to share.  Enjoy.  :)


Dear Bonnie,
   I am so sorry Dad stepped on you.  Dad has never stepped on me, but he did shove me onto the ground during football, so I feel your pain.  When you are ready to come back inside without running off, I will pet you.
   Yours truly,
 Katrina Fronk

Dear Blind Kid,
   I am so sorry Harry and Loyd (Dumb and Dumber) gave you a dead bird.  They are always playing tricks on me and I know you must be hurt.  When you're ready, we'll go bird hunting, cut off the head, and give it to them.
   So sorry,
Alex Hammond

Dear Daddy,
   I'm sorry Mommy loves the Karate Kid, and her heart flutters whenever she sees him.
  Love,
Autumn Wood

Dear Shirai,
   I'm sorry that your bear's head got ripped off at the Christmas party.  Maybe Santa will get you a new one.  When you want, maybe I can sew the head back on.
   Love,
Jasmin Barker

Dear Selena Gomez,
   I'm sorry you're stuck dating an idiot (Justing Beiber), and I am very deeply sorry that he has no mind.  On the bright side, he's always gone!
    Sincerely,
  Isaac Smith

Dear Santa,
   I'm sorry about your accident last week.  I hope you feel better soon.  If you need help delivering all the wonderful gifts to good boys and girls, I'll be there.
   Merry Christmas!  Love,
 one of the good little girls.
    P.S. Feel better soon!
Olivia Webb

January 3

How teens can make money
Make a duct tape wallet

Game

Everyone in the class sits in a circle as tight as they can, with one student in the center.  The student in the center is "it".  They have to say, "The wind blows everyone who _______ (has red hair, likes mushrooms, etc.)."  Everyone who fits that description has to get up and find a new seat.  The last person without a seat is "it".  

Rules:  PLAY SOFT.  If people start getting sat on, pushed, or hurt in any way, the game is over.  So keep it real guys, keep it real.

Sympathy Cards

Possible reasons to write a sympathy card/note:  death of a loved one, losing a competition, spilling lunch at school, having an embarrassing moment, having a hard day, etc.

DON'T say:

1. "I know how you feel." (No you don't.)

2.  "You should just move on."  (Don't give advice.  It's mean.)

3.  "This same thing happened to me a year ago!"  (That makes it all about you.)

4.  "Just be happy."  (Ummm... how??)

5.  "I'm sure everything will all work out."  (Not helpful.)


DO say:


1.  "I'm sorry you're hurting." (Shows empathy.)


2.  "I remember going to a play with you and your Grandma.  I will miss her too."  (Shows you really care.)


3.  "I have a fun movie and some chocolate waiting for you whenever you feel up to coming over."  (Shows you're not going to rush them into healing, and you're here for them whenever they need you.)

How to Write a Thank You Card

1.  Greet the Giver (by NAME).

2.  Express your gratitude (not gushing, but sincere).

3.  Discuss use (meaning, say something nice about the gift and how you will use it).  Ex:  "I have played with the Transformers action figure you gave me every day since Christmas!"  

4.  Say thanks again for your gift.

5.  Love, ________, or Sincerely, __________, or Happy Holidays, _________.

Complex Questions- Evaluative vs. Interpretive

What is the difference between an evaluative question and an interpretive question?

Evaluative:  You need to form a response based on experience rather than text.  You will use your values, experiences, opinion, judgment, and knowledge to respond.  Key question, "Do I agree with what the author is saying?"

Interpretive:  You will try to find an answer to a single, basic question about the meaning of a text.  You will need to use specific passages from the text to prove your point. Key question, "What is the author trying to say?"

Each style of question needs PROOF.  Evaluative requires PROOF from your experiences.  Interpretive requires PROOF from the text.

Let's talk about how to write a complex question.  How can you tell if you've written a complex question? Complex Questions

Myth Formula

• Explanation of the setting
• The problem
• The failure to solve the problem
• the hero comes along
• He/she has a plan
• The solution is found
• Conclusion (usually a "happy ending")

Topic Sentences: Defined

Thanks to our brilliant class, we now have a definition for topic sentences.  Topic sentences are:  a TOPIC + the F.A.T (Fact About the Topic).  


Example:  My cat is very playful.
                     TOPIC    +    F.A.T.


Thank goodness for that FAT, or we wouldn't know anything about our topic!  :) Great idea, guys.

Comparing/contrasting styles of folklore

As we read various styles of folklore together, be comparing/contrasting the different types in your mind.  Example:  urban legends vs. regular legends.  What do they have in common?  How are they different from each other?  It will be helpful to check back in your notes and remember the unique characteristics each style of folklore has (fairytales: entertaining stories mostly for kids, fables: teach a lesson, etc).

What is folklore?

Folklore, myth, fable, etc. definitions

Reading vs. Listening Essay

Assignment:  write an essay that compares and contrasts reading a story vs. listening to it on audiotape.  How were the experiences similar?  How were the two different?  What parts of reading did you like better, and which parts of listening did you prefer? 

History of Halloween

Mystery Stories Rubric

Here is what you will be graded on for your stories:


Mechanics- grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc.
Plot- must have a clear and complete plot graph on the last page.
Length- 2-3 pages, double-spaced, normal font.
Vocab- must include all of this unit's vocab words.

Transitions Practice

Mrs. Devitry's blog

More on Topic Sentences

Topic sentence practice

• Starting topic: Football
• Limited topic: The role that football has played in my education
• Topic sentence: If it hadn't been for football, I might never have taken school seriously.

Note: A topic sentence is always a complete sentence expressing an idea about the limited topic. It is not a title (What football means to me), or an explanation of the writer's plan (I am going to tell you about the role football played in my education.) The more clearly it focuses the reader's attention on the points covered by the paragraph that the writer wants to make, the better.

Now let's talk about how to FIND a topic sentence in a paragraph.  


Topic sentences express the main idea of a paragraph. They are usually stated in the first sentence (Pattern A) or last sentence (Pattern B) of the paragraph.  A topic sentence rarely ever appears in the middle of a paragraph (Pattern C); it is possible to do if there is a good reason for it, but it usually isn’t an effective place for it.


PRACTICE  

Topic Sentences

Creating a Topic Sentence

What is your favorite TV show?  Once you’ve decided what it is, I want you to list 3 reasons why it’s special to you. 

Ex.:  My favorite show is Spongebob Squarepants because…

1. Spongebob is always getting into trouble.

2. Squidward hates everybody.

3. Bikini bottom is an exciting place to live.

Once you’ve come up with your ideas, you need to turn them into topic sentences.  That means that:

1. Topic Sentence #1 goes in Body Paragraph One. Everything written in Body Paragraph One has to be about “Spongebob is always getting into trouble.”

2. Topic Sentence #2 goes in Body Paragraph Two. Everything written in Body Paragraph Two has to be about “Squidward hates everybody.”

3. Topic Sentence #3 goes in Body paragraph Three. Everything written in Body Paragraph Three has to be about “Bikini Bottom is an exciting place to live.”

WRITING YOUR TOPIC SENTENCE #1

At the beginning of your sentence, use the transitional words or phrases: First of all, First, or In the first place…

When writing your topic sentence for Body Paragraph One, look at the first reason you wrote in your thesis statement.

1. Spongebob is always getting into trouble.

Use key words from the prompt or thesis statement to write the first part of your topic sentence.

WRITING YOUR TOPIC SENTENCE #2

At the beginning of your sentence, use the transitional words or phrases: Secondly, Next, or Equally important…

2. Squidward hates everybody.

Use key words from the prompt or thesis statement to write the first part of your topic sentence.

WRITING YOUR TOPIC SENTENCE #3

At the beginning of your sentence, use the transitional words or phrases: Lastly or Finally…

Spooky Classical Poetry

Here is a site that will take you to some spooky classical poetry.  You can choose from any of the poems on the left-hand side.  You will need to be able to recite the poem without hardly looking at your cheat-sheet.  You will only be given about 5 minutes to present, so you may not be able to recite the whole thing, but be able to tell us how it ends!

Spooky Classical Poetry

This site will take you to the Utips test.

Utips