Final Drafts, Revision Notes, Rubric, and Survey!

Final drafts for our Personal Narratives are due by the end of the day on Friday! All drafts should be created in GoogleDocs and shared with me. There are some experts in each class, so if you are stuck, seek them out. If you get stuck with the writing, I am including links to notes about Revising with Narrative Techniques and the Personal Narrative Rubric. Also, if you finish your draft, please take the survey below. It's all about the first quarter (so far) since it is zooming right by. Can't wait to get your feedback!

Revising with Narrative Techniques

Personal Narrative Rubric

End of Unit Survey

A Peek into the Classroom

Here are the students working on their Narrative Timelines as part of their pre-writing for their personal narratives. Looking forward to reading about all the lessons they have learned. Can't wait to see how they apply the author's craft techniques they've learned from Sandra Cisneros and Gary Soto!

Confused about Theme?

This week, we dove deep into Sandra Cisneros's "Eleven" and identified themes, provided evidence, and detailed explanations. But sometimes, you still need a refresher. Here are a few creations to help you remember what theme is, what's not, and how you can find it. Don't forget to give your classmates kudos - they had only 25 minutes to plan and practice! And tell them thanks, too :)

* Unfortunately, I couldn't post them all since they were too long to upload properly :( *

Friday 10/2

Task #1:

Create something to teach/help others understand theme. You can create anything using any materials you can find in the classroom or any technology tools available. You will have only one class period to complete this project, so work efficiently. Finished, polished products will be posted around the classroom and/or on my blog, so do your best work. Your audience is waiting!


Task #2:

Complete the "What is Learning?" worksheet. Your work might be featured in my novel for my grad class!


Task #3

A. So many of you groaned when we finished "Eleven" because you wanted a more uplifting ending. Or at least wanted Rachel to stick up for herself. Create a copy of this document and create your own ending. Happy writing!

B. Create a comic strip page to represent "Eleven." Here are some pages. Choose one to print and put your comic-making skills to the test.

Sandra Cisneros Bio

Here's Sandra Cisneros's biography: Read me! Read me!

First Weeks Update

Over these first weeks, the students have been busy exploring several different questions.

First, we began with Who are you as readers, writers, and learners? We did a variety of activities like our Stick Figure Me posters as well as our Brown Bag Bios. The presentations rocked, especially when students were able to share their expertise with their classmates!

This week we have been thinking about Where we you as readers, writers, and learners? They have been working on the Quarterly Literacy Assessment Benchmark to gauge where there strengths are and where they have room to grow.

Now, we will be thinking about What do other writers do? We will be examining a variety of elements of author's craft, specifically looking at how authors tell stories about growing up. We will think about what it means to "fit in." We'll start with Sandra Cisneros's short story "Eleven," then delve into Gary Soto's "Seventh Grade." The students will compare each author's craft, then choose an element to imitate in their own personal narrative about growing up and/or fitting in.

Welcome new 6th Graders!

I'm glad you found me! On the right are the links for the summer reading information. Check out some of my old posts for a sneak peek at what you might do in sixth grade Language Arts.

If you're stuck for a book, here are some helpful links.

• from the American Library Association
• from the Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominees

Or, if you want to catch up on some news, Newsela is great for some quick articles. Sign up for a free account for full access to all their articles!

Email me at richer.brittany@jamestownschools.org if you have any questions. Can't wait to meet you all!