Who am I as a writer?

Who am I as a writer?

Think about who you are as a writer. Answer the following questions and explain your thinking.

1.  Where do I like to write? (favorite spot)

2.  What tools do I use to write with and capture my thinking? 

3.  What is my writing territory? (favorite things to write about)

4.  Do I like to write fiction or non fiction? 

5.  What is my favorite piece of writing?  (favorite book, article)

6.  What is my favorite piece of writing that I wrote?

7.  Who is a mentor to me in my writing? (favorite author)

8.  Who helps me with my writing?

9.  What books inspire me and give examples for good writing?

10.  What resources do I use while writing? (thesaurus, books, etc.)

11.  Do I write a lot about one topic or many different topics in my writer’s notebook? 

A Letter to MLK

 If Martin Luther King, Jr. was alive today and you could write him a letter, what would you say?

What questions would you ask him?
What would you tell him about your own life?
How would you thank him?

Who am I as a writer?

 Who am I as a writer?

Think about who you are as a writer. Answer the following questions and explain your thinking.

1.  Where do I like to write? (favorite spot)

2.  What tools do I use to write with and capture my thinking? 

3.  What is my writing territory? (favorite things to write about)

4.  Do I like to write fiction or non fiction? 

5.  What is my favorite piece of writing?  (favorite book, article)

6.  What is my favorite piece of writing that I wrote?

7.  Who is a mentor to me in my writing? (favorite author)

8.  Who helps me with my writing?

9.  What books inspire me and give examples for good writing?

10.  What resources do I use while writing? (thesaurus, books, etc.)

11.  Do I write a lot about one topic or many different topics in my writer’s notebook? 

Book Talk: Becoming Naomi Leon

Choose one book talk topic from the list below to discuss. Give at least two pieces of evidence from the book, Becoming Naomi Leon, to defend your thinking.

For example,
The reason why Gram is upset is because …
I also know this because …

Book Talk Topics (choose one)
-What motivates the characters?
-What are the feelings of the characters at this point in the story?
-Are there any symbols that have greater meaning?
-Why is Gram so upset?
- Why do you think Skyla came back after so many years?
-What were Gram and Skyla arguing about?

Native Americans in New York

 Today we immersed ourselves in books about the Native Americans in New York.

We wrote down 5 interesting facts from our research.

Share your five interesting facts.

Don’t number your facts. Write your response in a paragraph using complete sentences. Use the transitional phrases below to help you write your response.

Today I learned...

This was interesting because...

Another interesting fact I learned...

I didn't know that...

This made me think about...

My opinion about...

Who will you be for our Character Parade?

 Friday, October 29 is our annual character parade. We dress up as characters from our favorite books. You may dress up as someone or something from a fiction or nonfiction book. You don't need to buy a costume for the parade. Look at the things you already have at home or make something. Be creative. Answer the questions below to brainstorm ideas for your costume.

What is one of your favorite books?

List 3 interesting characters from the book.

If you could be one of those characters, which one would it be?

Why? Explain in detail

Describe how that character looks and acts.

Look through your clothes and the things you have at home.  Describe how you could create a costume of that character using things you already have. 

Rules by Cynthia Lord

 If you were making word cards for Jason, which words would you pick?

Explain why you chose those words. Use complete sentences.

Our Classroom Culture

 What do you think is important to include in the culture of our classroom?

We are a classroom that ________________ because...

Be sure to explain your thinking with details.

Here are a few example comments from our class discussion:

We are a classroom that respects each other's opinions because...

We are a classroom that adds on to each other's thinking because...

We are a classroom that is inclusive because...

Who am I as a writer?

Think about who you are as a writer. Answer the following questions and explain your thinking.

1.  Where do I like to write? (favorite spot)

2.  What tools do I use to write with and capture my thinking? 

3.  What is my writing territory? (favorite things to write about)

4.  Do I like to write fiction or non fiction? 

5.  What is my favorite piece of writing?  (favorite book, article)

6.  What is my favorite piece of writing that I wrote?

7.  Who is a mentor to me in my writing? (favorite author)

8.  Who helps me with my writing?

9.  What books inspire me and give examples for good writing?

10.  What resources do I use while writing? (thesaurus, books, etc.)

11.  Do I write a lot about one topic or many different topics in my writer’s notebook? 

Community Time

Hi Everyone! What are you doing for fun at home? Let's connect today in the blog!

Ms. S. 

Book Talk: The Watsons Go to Birmingham

Choose one book talk topic from the list below to discuss. Give at least two pieces of evidence from The Watsons Go to Birmingham to defend your thinking.

For example...

The author's message is ___________.

I know this because in the text _____________.

Also, _________________________________.

Book Talk Topics

-Author's message

-Main problem in the story

-Character motivation

-Character belief system

-Themes

-Symbols

-Patterns

Book Talk: The Watsons Go to Birmingham

Choose one book talk topic from the list below to discuss. Give at least two pieces of evidence from The Watsons Go to Birmingham to defend your thinking.

For example...

The author's message is ___________.

I know this because in the text _____________.

Also, _________________________________.

Book Talk Topics

-Author's message

-Main problem in the story

-Character motivation

-Character belief system

-Themes

-Symbols

-Patterns

Reading, Writing and Math Goals

What are your goals for reading, writing and math?
What steps will you take to achieve your goals?

Think about the academic work we have completed this recording period. In math, we have been working on multiplication/division and fractions. In writing, we have been working on literary essays and feature articles. In reading we have been using strategies to increase our comprehension, share our thinking in book talk discussions and finding evidence to support our thinking.


Choose one goal to work on in each area. For example, in reading I will increase my stamina to read longer and use my reading journal to capture my thinking.

The Gold Cadillac by Mildred B. Taylor

Think about the author's message in The Gold Cadillac.

You can read the story again here:

https://www.kyrene.org/cms/lib/AZ01001083/Centricity/Domain/943/Gold%20Cadillac_text.pdf

How do the father's feelings about the gold Cadillac change from the beginning to the end of the story? Why do his feelings change?

Explain your thinking with details from the story.

Black Lives Matter Guiding Principles: Empathy

One of the Black Lives Matter Guiding Principles is Empathy

empathy [em-puh-thee] (noun) the understanding of or the ability to identify with another person's feelings or experiences

• What does it mean to put yourself in someone else’s shoes?

• What kinds of behaviors show that you understand someone’s feelings?

• How can you show empathy towards others?

• Why is empathy important? How can it change a community?

The Magic Drum

What did you learn from the performance?
What was your favorite part?
How was it similar to our puppetry workshop? How was it different?
Did the performance inspire you? Explain

Freedom Fighters

Who did you choose as your freedom fighter mentor and why?
How does their life inspire you?

A Letter to MLK

If Martin Luther King, Jr. was alive today and you could write him a letter, what would you say?

What questions would you ask him?

What would you tell him about your own life and the world today?


How would you thank him?

Martin Luther King Jr. by Gwendolyn Brooks

Martin Luther King Jr.

by Gwendolyn Brooks

   

A man went forth with gifts.

   

He was a prose poem.

He was a tragic grace.

He was a warm music.

   

He tried to heal the vivid volcanoes.

His ashes are

    reading the world.

His Dream still wishes to anoint

    the barricades of faith and of control.

   

His word still burns the center of the sun,

    above the thousands and the 

    hundred thousands.

The word was Justice. It was spoken.

   

So it shall be spoken.

So it shall be done.

  

Vocabulary Glossary

Prose – ordinary speech or writing

Tragic – extremely sad

Grace – spirit, blessing

Vivid – bright, sharp to the senses

Anoint – make pure or holy

Barricades – protective barriers

Justice – fairness for all people

317 Blog Questions:

What do you think is the author’s purpose for writing this poem?

How did the poem make you feel? Use the vocabulary glossary to help you.

What metaphor stood out to you and why?

MLK Poem

Read the above poem from Highlights magazine (click the picture to view it larger).

Think about what the poem means to you.

What message was the author trying to tell you in each of the four stanzas of the poem?

A stanza is a group of lines in a poem.

What does the author mean when she says “the sturdy grace of brotherhood”?

How do you know?

Activism

PS261 believes in activism: the belief in or practice of trying to make social changes through active involvement.

Think about the needs you see in your community (at school, in your neighborhood, in NYC, etc.) Choose one of those needs you see and describe it in detail.

How can you help change things for the better? What are some things kids can do to help their community?

My Hopes and Dreams for the New Year

What are your hopes and dreams for the New Year?

What goals do you want to work on?

What steps will you take to achieve your goals?

How can we help our community of learners in the classroom and in our school in the New Year?

Kindness

This holiday season, empower yourself to change the world one act of kindness at a time.
How do you define kindness?
How do you know when someone is being kind to you?
What are some kind things you can do for your classmates?
How does kindness impact your classroom community?

Book Talk: Becoming Naomi Leon

Choose one book talk topic from the list below to discuss. Give at least two pieces of evidence from the book, Becoming Naomi Leon, to defend your thinking.

For example,

A character trait I would use to describe Gram is ___________ because …

I also know this because …

Book Talk Topics (choose one)

-What motivates the characters?

-What are the feelings of the characters at this point in the story?

-Are there any symbols that have greater meaning?

-What kind of person is Naomi? What character traits describe her and why?

-What kind of person is Skyla? What character traits describe her and why?

-What kind of person is Owen? What character traits describe him and why?

-What kind of person is Gram? What character traits describe her and why?

Choose one book talk topic from the list below to discuss. Give at least two pieces of evidence from the book, Becoming Naomi Leon, to defend your thinking.

For example,
A character trait I would use to describe Gram is ___________
because …I also know this because …

Book Talk Topics (choose one)
-What motivates the characters?
-What are the feelings of the characters at this point in the story?
-Are there any symbols that have greater meaning?
-What kind of person is Naomi? What character traits describe her and why?
-What kind of person is Skyla? What character traits describe her and why?
-What kind of person is Owen? What character traits describe him and why?
-What kind of person is Gram? What character traits describe her and why?

Book Talk: Becoming Naomi Leon

Choose one book talk topic from the list below to discuss. Give at least two pieces of evidence from the book, Becoming Naomi Leon, to defend your thinking.

For example,
The reason why Gram is upset is because …
I also know this because …

Book Talk Topics (choose one)
-What motivates the characters?
-What are the feelings of the characters at this point in the story?
-Are there any symbols that have greater meaning?
-Why is Gram so upset?
- Why do you think Skyla came back after so many years?
-What were Gram and Skyla arguing about?

Book Talk: Rules

Choose one book talk topic from the list below to discuss. Give at least two pieces of evidence from the book, Rules, to defend your thinking.

For example,
The author's message in Rules is _______________________.
I know this because in the text _________________________.
Also, ____________________________________________.

Book Talk Topics (choose one)
-Author's message
-Belief system
-Agree/Disagree
-Feelings
-Symbols
-Problem changing
-Character changing
-Motivation of character
-Patterns
-Helpers/Non-helpers
-Did a character surprise you?

Rules: Book Talk

Choose one book talk topic from the list below to discuss. Give at least two pieces of evidence from the book, Rules, to defend your thinking.

For example,
The author's message in Rules is _______________________.
I know this because in the text _________________________.
Also, ____________________________________________.

Book Talk Topics (choose one)
-Author's message
-Belief system
-Agree/Disagree
-Feelings
-Symbols
-Problem changing
-Character changing
-Motivation of character
-Patterns
-Helpers/Non-helpers
-Did a character surprise you?

Native Americans in New York

Today we immersed ourselves in books about the Native Americans in New York.

We wrote down 5 interesting facts from our research.

Share your five interesting facts.

Don’t number your facts. Write your response in a paragraph using complete sentences.

Rules by Cynthia Lord

If you were making word cards for Jason, which words would you pick?

Explain why you chose those words.

Our Classroom Culture

What do you think is important to include in the culture of our classroom?

We are a classroom that ________________ because...

Be sure to explain your thinking with details.

Here are a few example comments from our class discussion:

We are a classroom that respects each other's opinions because...

We are a classroom that adds on to each other's thinking because...

We are a classroom that is inclusive because...

Who am I as a reader?

Answer the following questions.

Explain your answers with specific details.

Where do you like to read?

What genres do you like to read?

What other types of things do you like to read besides books?

Who are your favorite authors?

Do you have a favorite series of books? Why?

How does reading make you feel?

What do you like most about reading?

What is the most challenging thing about reading?

Name one of your favorite books and explain why it’s your favorite.
Do you ever read books you have already read before?

Choose one character in a book you have read that inspires you. Why does that character inspire you?

You should write your blog response on paper if you have technical difficulties or don’t have access to the internet. You may also email your response to me.

Who am I as a writer?

Answer the question: Who am I as a writer? Use what you wrote in your Writer’s Notebook to help you and include specific details in your answer.

Here are some helpful suggestions:

- Tools you use and why

- Graphic organizers that help you

- Pictures / artwork that inspire you

- Writer's Notebook seed ideas

- Books / mentor texts that inspire you

- Places you like to write in

- Authors / genres that inspire you and why

The American Revolution

Why is it important to learn about the American Revolution today?

How does what we learned through our research about the Revolutionary War affect our lives today?

Are we still fighting for democracy today? Does everyone have equal rights?

A Letter to Incoming Fourth Graders

What advice would you give new fourth graders next year?

Write a letter to explain your advice in detail.

If you have technical difficulties, write your letter on paper.

Book Talk: Wonder

Choose one book talk topic from the list below to discuss. Give at least two pieces of evidence from the book to defend your thinking.

For example... The author's message in Wonder is ___________________.

I know this because in the text ___________________________.

Also, ___________________________________________________.

Book Talk Topics

-Author's message

-Main problem

-Character motivation

-Themes           

-Big idea

-Symbols           

-Patterns

-Character belief system

Wonder: Character Study

Wonder is a story told from different points of view. Choose one character from the book, Wonder, by RJ Palacio. How does the character behave? What motivates their behavior? (Why do they act that way?) Why do you think the author included that character in the book? How does the character show the author's message? Explain your thinking with details from the story.

American Revolution Continued

We are continuing our study of the American Revolution.

Share at least three more new facts you have learned and explain why they are important to the American Revolution.

Field Trip to The Old Stone House

What did you learn today from our field trip to the Old Stone House?
Explain in detail at least 3 things you learned.

American Revolution

Think about what you have learned about the American Revolution in your research so far.

Share at least three facts you have learned and explain why they are important to the American Revolution.

Myself in Metaphors

Read the poem, "Myself in Metaphors" by Joseph O. Legaspi.
Click the pic below to read the poem again.

The author uses lots of metaphors to describe himself in this poem. A metaphor is a figure of speech in which two unlike things are compared.

1. After reading this poem, do you think the speaker likes the way he looks? What clues does he give you about his feelings?  

2. What do you think the speaker means in the last line when he says, "I am my world, and of the world?"
 
3. Write your own metaphor to describe yourself.

Ode Poems

Today we read and discussed, “Ode to the Lizard” by Pablo Neruda and worked on writing our own ode poems. For your blog homework tonight you will write another ode poem.

Remember, an ode is a poem meant to praise and describe something in detail.

Choose an ordinary object to write an ode about (such as a pencil, trash can, fire hydrant, apple, etc.) Be sure to use figurative language in your ode. Remember figurative language includes simile, metaphor, vivid imagery, etc.

Arts Week: The Scream by Edvard Munch

Look closely at the painting, “The Scream” by Edvard Munch. 

What details do you notice in this painting?

Why do you think the screamer is screaming?

How does this artwork make you feel?

What choices does the artist make to cause you feel that way?

Who am I as an independent writer?

Answer the following questions about your independent writing:

Who am I as an independent writer? 
What is my writing territory? Is my writing territory changing?

How do I write independently? What is my writing process? How do I use my Writer’s Notebook for independent writing?

How do I manage my time to finish independent writing? Do I use a calendar?
What evidence do I have that I have grown as a writer?

Book Talk: The Watsons Go to Birmingham

Choose one book talk topic from the list below to discuss. Give at least two pieces of evidence from The Watsons Go to Birmingham to defend your thinking.

For example...

The author's message is ___________.

I know this because in the text _____________.

Also, _________________________________.

Book Talk Topics

-Author's message

-Main problem in the story

-Character motivation

-Character belief system

-Themes

-Symbols

-Patterns

Book Talk: The Watsons Go to Birmingham

Choose one book talk topic from the list below to discuss. Give at least two pieces of evidence from The Watsons Go to Birmingham to defend your thinking.

For example...

The author's message is ___________.

I know this because in the text _____________.

Also, _________________________________.

Book Talk Topics

-Author's message

-Main problem in the story

-Character motivation

-Character belief system

-Themes

-Symbols

-Patterns

100 Ways to Show Kindness

Happy Valentine’s Day!

How can you show kindness to the people around you?

We want to come up with a list of 100 ways with no repeats!

We have 25 students in our class, so everyone should come up with at least 4 ways.

Look on the blog before you post to see which ways to show kindness were already written by your classmates so you can post some different and unique ways.

Empathy

empathy [em-puh-thee] (noun) the understanding of or the ability to identify with another person's feelings or experiences

• What does it mean to put yourself in someone else’s shoes?

• What kinds of behaviors show that you understand someone’s feelings?

• How can you show empathy towards others?

• Why is empathy important? How can it change a community?