PEG Reading Writing Workshop

PEG Reading Writing Workshop Mrs. Suzie F. Mandell AMS Room 307 For questions: G&T Office 732-596-4206 (T-F) IMS 732-602-8450 (M) Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.woodbridge.k12.nj.us/Domain/2052 Blog:pegponderings4.blogspot.com Peg 4 A note about Writer’s Notebooks: I grade Writer’s Notebooks once at the end of the marking period. It is your responsibility to make sure that you have every entry completed. You are responsible to complete 3 sides of paper in order to get an A. This notebook is worth two test grades. Do not worry about this writing being completed ideas or essays; your thoughts should be pouring out of your heads and onto the paper. These are not completed pieces. Most of all have fun with it! Try to keep your hand moving for the entire 15 minutes… Friday, April 29, 2016 MP4 #7 Write for 15 minutes about the following topic or whatever you would like in your writer’s notebook. English, perhaps more than any other language, is full of description, evocative words. For example, we don’t just walk, we amble, sashay, skip, lumber, tip-toe, stride, saunter, move, step, ramble or stroll. Some words (luscious,dillydallying) are fun to pronounce; others (plop, slither) sound like their meaning. What is your favorite word? What is your lest favorite word? Explain your choices. Exercise One Read chapters 1-5 of Listening for Lions Exercise Two Inference Exercise Three Free choice of Literature Circle Role Exercise Four Answer questions utilizing RACE! 1. On page 1 Rachel personifies influenza by using the word “crept.” What effect does this have on the reader? How does this personification make influenza seem more of a threat? 2. “The Masai would not be trained and seldom came to our church(Whelan,7).” Based on what you learn about the Masai throughout the book, why does their culture and beliefs not allow them to work in the hospital or attend church? 3. “Kanora always said just what he thought”(10). Why is this a relief to Rachel? Is it a part of the Kikuya culture to be outspoken? What other Kikuya tribe members exhibit this trait? 4. On page 21, Rachel’s mother tells her “not to worry.” What does Rachel do to try to obey her mother? Why is it impossible for Rachel to quit worrying? 5. How is Rachel able to “turn herself to stone”(25) for the task of burying her mother and later her father? What sustains her through her grief? 6. Why does Rachel’s father say “It would be almost better if you were to join your mother and me”(32). Does he really believe that Rachel would be better off dead? Does Rachel agree with her father? Why or why not? Monday, May 2, 2016 MP4#8 Write for 15 minutes about the following topic or whatever you would like in your writer’s notebook. “If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little ever printed.” –Benjamin Franklin What do you think about censorship? Citizens of the United States are guaranteed the right to free speech, but many Americans feel that this right sometimes comes under attack. Have you seen evidence of this around you, even in your school? If not, have you read about anything that could be construed as censorship occurring in the United States? Exercise One Finish Friday’s work!

Tuesday, May 3, 2016 MP4#9 Write for 15 minutes about the following topic or whatever you would like in your writer’s notebook. Are you a nature fan, or would you sooner eat cockroaches than voluntary go on a hike? Write about your best or worst nature experience. Poetry Fun Activity One Write a poem about something-a feeling, event, or place-that you once tried to explain to someone and couldn’t. You can either write about the thing itself or about why you had trouble explaining it. Activity Two Respond to your Blog posting! Activity Three Read a Newsela article and write down a ½ page summary on the topic in your reader response journal. Activity Four Complete the Edmodo which I sent to you! Grammatical Guessing Please fix the following sentences. Don’t worry about rewriting them, try to fix the few words that need correcting. 1. It’s not bad having a chef for a mom, except when she tried out recipes like the one for: fudge-dipped mustard cookies or tangy vinegar milk shakes. 2. To punish his younger brother for telling on him and getting him in trouble on the Bus, Edward smeared Chunky Peanut Butter under his pillow dropped Happy fish Tuna Surprise on the sheets and let in the Cat. PEG LANGUAGE ARTS Mrs. Suzie. F. Mandell AMS Room 307 For questions: G&T Office 732-596-4206 (W-F) IMS 732-602-8450 (M-Tues.) Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.woodbridge.k12.nj.us/Domain/2052 Blog: pegponderings5.blogspot.com

PEG 5 A note about Writer’s Notebooks: I grade Writer’s Notebooks once at the end of the marking period. It is your responsibility to make sure that you have every entry completed. You are responsible to complete 4 sides of paper in order to get an A. This notebook is worth two test grades. Do not worry about this writing being completed ideas or essays; your thoughts should be pouring out of your heads and onto the paper. These are not completed pieces. Most of all have fun with it!

Friday, April 29, 2016 MP4 #10 Write for 15 minutes about the following topic or whatever you would like in your writer’s notebook. You answer a knock at the door and find a delivery guy holding a package for you. You open it up and find…what? Describe the best package you can imagine receiving. Activity One Read Chapters 1- 5 of Gathering Blue Activity Two Inference Activity Three Free Choice for Literature Circle Role Activity Four RACE Pick 10! Chapters 1-3 1. If you had to select one word to describe Kira, what would it be and why? 2. What do you think of this society so far and why? 3. Describe Kira, Matt, and Vandara 4. Describe the setting of this story. Does it take place in the future or the past and why do you believe this? 5. Do these people seem more or less religious than people today and why? 6. How are men and women treated differently in this society? Chapters 4-5 1. Discuss Kira’s strengths so far in the novel. 2. What do you think Kira’s newly found weaving ability represents in the novel? 3. Why did Kira refuse to eat all of the scrumptious meal? 4. What is the horrible rumor about Vandara and do you feel that there is any evidence that it is true? 5. What do you think the cloth was trying to tell Kira? Do you think this is a coincidence that the cloth seems to be vibrating in Kira’s hands and creating weavings itself? 6. What is the scrap in her pocket doing? 7. Discuss Kira’s new role in this society. 8. What happened to Camilla? What do you think of this society’s way of dealing with imperfection?

Monday, May 2, 2016 MP4 #11 Write for 15 minutes about the following topic or whatever you would like in your writer’s notebook. Growing up with brothers and sisters can be difficult. If you have siblings, discuss the benefits and shortcoming of your situation. If you’re an only child, do the same. Would you rather have more siblings, or fewer? Do you think you’ll feel the same when you’re middle-aged? Activity One Finish Friday’s work! Tuesday, May 3, 2016 MP4 #12 Write for 15 minutes about the following topic or whatever you would like in your writer’s notebook. Superheroes have it pretty good. Sure, a lot of them are lonely and misunderstood, but, as compensation, they can create massive storms at will, or fly, or shoot swords out of their fingers. If you could have any power, what would you choose, and why? What would you do with your new power? Activity One: Finish Monday’s work! Activity Two: Complete your BLOG posting! Activity Three: Read a Newsela article and write down a ½ page summary on the topic. Activity Four: Complete your Edmodo snapshot! Writing Fun Write a dialogue between a teenager and his or her strange relative. Set the dialogue at a family reunion on the fourth of July. Bit by bit, reveal the troubled history that these two characters share. Grammatical Guessing 1. It’s not bad having a chef for a mom, except when she tried out recipes like the one for: fudge-dipped mustard cookies or tangy vinegar milk shakes. 2. To punish his younger brother for telling on him and getting him in trouble on the Bus, Edward smeared Chunky Peanut Butter under his pillow dropped Happy fish Tuna Surprise on the sheets and let in the Cat.