"Who Are You?": A Portfolio Final Assignment

The assignment described below will take the place of a final exam in ELA 7 (all grade 7 students, regardless of ELA teacher, will complete this work in place of a test).

Who are You?

For your final project, you will create a portfolio that is all about YOU.  You will work on each part, one at a time, and hand in the entire project when you’re finished. There are planning pages you will complete before you begin to write certain pieces..   Be sure to complete every part of the project, as this is your ELA 7 final.  

“Who are you?” Portfolio

1). Title Page:  title of your project, your name, ELA 7 and the date

2). “My Inspiration”:  Research a person who is an inspiration to you.
Research person’s life and print at least one article
Write a short essay explaining why this person is an inspiration
Typed, 12 point Times New Roman font, double-spaced
2 pages
Introduction
Three Body Paragraphs
Introduce the person
First reason why he or she is an inspiration
Second reason why he or she is an inspiration
Conclusion
*NOTE: THE FOLLOWING LINKS MAY BE HELPFUL!*

Www.biographyonline.net/people/inspirational.html

inspiremykids.com

3). Works Cited Page

4). “Soundtrack of My Life”:  Choose a song that means a lot to you.  The lyrics must be appropriate.  
Print the lyrics and include them in your portfolio
Write a short essay explaining why this song means so much to you
What is the title of the song?
Who recorded the song?
Who wrote the lyrics?
In your own words, explain what the lyrics are about.
If you could choose another title for the song, what would it be? 
What is the musical genre of this song?
Typed, 12 point Times New Roman font, double-spaced
1-2 pages
*NOTE: THE FOLLOWING LINK MAY BE HELPFUL!*
http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2009/11/23/the-best-places-to-find-lyrics-on-the-web/
http://www.lyricsondemand.com/

5). “Collage of My Life”:  Create a collage of pictures that represent who you are.
This will be in color
You may use pictures from the computer, but you will need a Work Cited page if you do
Two journal entries explaining the process of choosing the pictures
Journal One:  When someone looks at my collage, the three things they learn about me is...
Journal Two:  Describe a connection between one or more of your pictures, and the song lyrics you chose.
Check out this link for help finding pictures to include in your collage: http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/10/11/the-best-online-sources-for-images/

NOTE: PLEASE SEE TEAM WHITEFACE HOMEWORK PAGE FOR DUE DATES

Poetry Reflections: 4/17 and 4/20

Poetry Reflections

Please compose a 300 word minimum journal on a Google Doc that discusses, analyzes and reflects upon one poem you have read and another of your choice. NOTE: You must write a reflection for each of the two poems you choose.

In addition to choosing one of the poems we read together in class, please choose a poem from the Poetry Out Loud website.

Please include the name of the poet and the title of the poem in your journal reflection. To help give you ideas about what to include in your reflections, please consider including your response to any of the following prompts:

• I think this poem means...

• When the author said, “....”, I think he/she was trying to...

• This poem makes me feel ..... because....

• I really like this poem because...

• I really dislike this poem because... (please do not say “because itʼs boring/ difficult/dumb, etc.)

• This poem reminds me of...

• One line of the poem that really stands out for me is “...” ......because....

• One thing I noticed about that poem is... 

April is Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month and we'll be marking the occasion in ELA 7.
First up this week, we'll look at "Introduction to Poetry" by Billy Collins. We'll spend the majority of our time this month reading, writing about, and writing poetry. Check this space often for updates about our poetic endeavours.

Pendragon Young Playwrights' Festival

Post winter vacation we are turning our attention to Pendragon Theatre's Young Playwright's Festival.
Earlier this school year, the students were treated to an assembly in which they viewed a performance of last year's winning play which was written by Saranac Lake High School student student, Witter Swanston.
The students will start this week by writing monologues based the theme "a very bad day."
An example of a student performing a monologue can be found here.

Mr. Carlisto: Award Winner

Breaking...
Mr. Carlisto has been named the winner of a prestigious award. See below for the exciting details.

Mr. Carlisto

Saranac Lake Middle School

December, 2014

Dear Sir,

I am writing on behalf of the “Male English Teacher’s Vacation Fund”. We, my colleagues and I, have received word about your seventh grade English Language Arts teaching skills. As the president of this proud and highly successful association, I give you my congratulations. Since the sixteenth of December in the year 2014, our fund has brought joy and relief to many male english teachers. We have since been known as fine, generous, upstanding citizens in this proud and beautiful town of Saranac Lake, New York. We have never been selfish or overly proud people, but humble, generous, kind, forgiving, loving, and noble human beings. I am proud and excited to present to you, this fine Christmas gift that the fund has to offer you. I present to you now, the “Male English Teacher’s Vacation Fund Regular Christmas Gift”, a vacation! Enclosed is a one-way train ticket to Hawaii and a notice reminding of your hotel reservations. You requested a four-star hotel. Well, the fund is not wealthy enough to afford that, so instead we went with the slightly cheaper, less expensive option, four bedrooms in a one-star hotel. We are sorry for the inconvenience, but it is the best that we can do. Your train will leave on Monday, January 5, 2015 at 4:15 a.m. from Albany, New York. Your train will stop on the way in Cleveland, Detroit, Columbus, Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Topeka, Omaha, Boulder, Santa Fe, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Carson City, Portland, Sacramento, Oakland, and finally San Francisco, where you will depart the mainland of the United States of America to complete your journey in Hawaii. I would suggest bringing some warm clothing and a couple of pillows because, after the four one-star hotel rooms, we cannot afford a seat on the train. Instead, we have bribed the conductor to let you ride on top of the train like a hobo. We once again are sorry for the inconvenience, but once again, it is the best that we can do. In Hawaii, you will travel through several Hawaiian cities to get to the big apple of Hawaii, Honolulu. You will travel through Hilo, Waimea, Kihei, Wailuku, and Kapalua. You will hopefully arrive in Honolulu on Wednesday, March 4, 2015. Hopefully meaning that the train doesn’t drown. Who knows what will happen with no tracks on the Pacific Ocean. In Honolulu, you will be staying in the respectable “Little Joe’s Tavern, Bar and Rooms”. You will spend your relaxing vacation in Hawaii, and then, on Friday, March 6, 2015 at 4:15 a.m., if you are still alive, you will once again become the hobo that you were during the heavenly 58 days that it took to get there. The train line agreed that if you didn’t die, then they would give a complimentary ride. Then, if you survive the train-trackless Pacific Ocean once again, you will hopefully reach Albany, New York again on Sunday, May 3, 2015. Just think, about five months away from your horrible students for a beautiful, luxurious vacation. And even if you don’t enjoy it, you can write it up in your memoir and then make millions! It will all be worth it. I assure you. Please reply to this wonderful offer by Thursday, December 25, 2014. Also known as Christmas Day. The association offers you their complete support and admiration and would like for me to wish you a very Merry Christmas, and an extremely Happy New Year!

Best Wishes,

Alexandros Marcellus Trout, President of the “Male English Teacher’s Vacation Fund”

Mr. Carlisto thanks Rosemary Crowley, Sarah Samperi and Robyn Rutgers for nominating him to receive this honor.

Dear Mr. Scrooge...

Your task: Write a letter to Ebenezer Scrooge requesting that he support an organization which works on a cause that is important to you.
To begin, please see the sample that I wrote.
Your letter should:
1). display proper "business letter" format
2). give general background information about the organization you researched
3). explain why the cause is important
4.) tell about about ways to support the organization
5). provide contact information for the organization

Your letter must be shared with me via Google Doc by end of the day on Friday, December 19.

Research Your Cause And Related Orgs

I. Research

1. Review your list of 3-5 causes that you identified as being important to you.

2). Research organizations, charities, etc. that work on these causes. Use Google, Guidestar or Charity Navigator

3. Get information about the following  (record your info on loose leaf paper):

a) contact information (address, phone number, person to reach)

b) information about this organization (how does it help your cause, who works for them,

how long they have been assisting people, etc…)

c) how can people help this organization (do they ask for donations or time volunteering?