"First Line Contest"

We're looking at great first lines this week; specifically those that were submitted for Scholastic Scope Magazine's "First Line Contest".
Here are some winners from previous years.
The story based on this year's winning first line is called "People Call me Crazy" and was written by Gary Paulsen. We'll read it in class this week.

Thematic Unit: Human Nature

We'll be ending April and beginning May by considering "human nature."
Among the works we'll study together are an adapted version of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stephenson.
We'll also read a personal essay in the author relates to the fictional Jekyll and Hyde, "Confessions of a Former Hazer" by Courtney Davidson.
Similar in theme, we'll read and discuss the short story "The Fan Club" by Rona Maynard.

Book Talks: Graphic Novels

Mrs. Kennedy joined us today to talk graphic novels.
I admit it; when I first started teaching I was a bit snobbish about graphic novels. I looked down on them and didn't appreciate their value in the classroom.
Since then, I've watched as year after year, reluctant readers beome inspired by and hooked on graphic novels.
Here's the list of titles that Mrs. Kennedy presented today:
Explorer: The Mystery Boxes
The Storm in the Barn
The Secret World of Arietty

WildAid: Shark Conservation

"Saving the Great White Monster," an article from our "animals" mini-unit about shark conservation, introduced us to the organization WildAid.
We watched several of WildAid's commercials from their campaign to end the overfishing of sharks (here, here and here).

A Bunch of Animals!

Any glimpse into the life of an animal quickens our own and makes it so much the larger and better in every way. — John Muir

We launched a thematic mini-unit on human/animal interaction by discussing the above quote.
Next, we read a short story by Eliot Schrefer called "Animal Distress Calls" about a teen's life changing encounter with a sick ostrich in a zoo.
It was then on to Gary Paulsen's "Caesar the Giant," in which the well known author tells of his experiences with an adopted Great Dane.
Also on tap is a non fiction article about Great White Sharks and the practice of hunting them for shark fin soup.

We've spent time writing personal narratives and students will be working to turn those into plays, as we participate in Pendragon Theatre's "Young Playwright's Festival."
To gear up for that, we're stretching our "creative muscles" by doing exercises in writing dialogue and creating characters.
Our language arts work continues this month, as we work on editing practice. The students have especially enjoyed the inspirational "editing music" that is played during these exercises...
Independent reading continues and Mrs. Kennedy is scheduled to visit later this month for another round of book talks. The topic this month is graphic novels, and ahead of her visit I've read Smile and Drama by Raina Telgemeir.

Happy New Year!

 

It's great to be back and we're jumping right in by writing "personal narratives" of an important event in our lives this week.
I'll be sharing this strategy (making a timeline) to help students plan their work.
Ultimately, we'll work on turning these narratives into plays for the Pendragon Theatre Young Playwrights Festival.