Book Reports

      There were some extremely well-written book reports. One was on Bless Me, Ultima. The student made a brilliant analysis of the elements of a novel. Her insights into the characters were penetrating. Kudos to you, Kaitlynn O!

Narrative Essay

       Seventh grade writing students, congratulations. Your narrative essays revealed maturity of thought and effective use of techniques. I'm happy with many of your pieces. Numerous students got 3's and 4's!

Expository Essay

       This coming week we will be writing an expository essay, employing the various strategies we discussed in class. Notable among these strategies are funnel, quotation, turnaround, and controlling idea in the introduction (FunQuotTurnC).

        For the body paragraph, we have reason, explanation, caution,anecdote,fact,example,opinion (RECAFEO).

        The conclusion has reflection,insight,opinion (RIA)

Second Six Weeks Test

      We will have a full blown revising and editing test on the week of November 3-7. I know we will have a hundred percent passing this time!

October 15, 2014

Riddles

No. 1

                 A painter had to paint 100 houses, and he had to number them. He wondered how many sixes he was going to paint.

Note: Don't use paper or pencil. Your fingers are acceptable.

No. 2

                 A rich caravan owner willed 17 of his camels to his 3 sons. To the first son, he wanted to give 1/2; to the second, 1/3; to the third, 1/9. Find out how many each one will receive without cutting some camels.

                 A wise and clever camel owner had a brilliant solution which satisfied the old rich man as well as his sons.

October 13, 2014

 

Narrative Essay

      We studied the narrative essay last week. Many of you did wonderfully after the revising. There were jumps in scores from a 2 to a 4! As E.B. White wrote, " There is no great writing, only great rewriting."

       If you follow the basic rule of narrative writing, which is, "Show. Don't tell." , you will have an effective story. To be able to apply it, you need to have strategies of making your writing irresistible.

Some strategies are 1) the use of dialogue, 2) the employment of active verbs, 3) the application of precise words, 4) reactions (thoughts and feelings), 5) quote, 6) sensory images, and 7) describing a character.

      The conclusion can end with a lesson, insight, or change in your attitudes.

Grammar

       We covered many rules about sentences like the structures of simple, compound, and complex sentences.

        Coordinating conjunctions for, and , nor, but, or, yet, so (FANBOYS), are used in compound sentences.

        Subordinating conjunctions although, as, after, while, when, unless, until, before, because,if, since (AAAWWUUBBIS) are used for complex sentences plus the relative pronouns who, whose,whom, which, what as well as the pronoun/conjunction that.

         There were comma rules involved.