Today we launched our Grade 6 Literature Circles. Last week students ranked their top 5 books.  We will be reading the following novels:

• The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
• Word Nerd by Susin Nielsen
• And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
• The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
• The Sky is Falling by Kit Pearson

Students can find their groups by accessing this document: Grade 6 Book Club

Some students are at home this week and do not have their books with them. You are still expected to read (to ensure you don’t fall behind). You can Google a PDF version of your novel to utilize while at home. Additionally, you can use this website: https://archive.org/details/inlibrary to access a digital copy of the book. You will have to make a free account but you can do so using your OJCS email. Please let me know if you have any problems. 

Reading Strategies

1. Visualizing
2. Creating connections
3. Summarizing

Your book needs to be finished no later than Friday, June 17th. However, as you read you can begin creating your One-Pager Final Project. Each week we will focus on a particular skill. Groups will work on an activity together towards the end of the week (see the schedule above). However, each student will be responsible for individually creating their own One-Pager Final Project. 

Click here to access the One-Pager Final Project. 

Today we will continue to review and practice how to properly format an MLA works cited page. As we have previously discussed, source citations and works cited pages are essential in order to avoid plagiarism.

Students will review the notes in the Google Doc below to ensure that their bibliography contains all of the necessary information:

Works Cited Notes

Works Cited/In-Text Citation Practice Writing Assignment

Please pay close attention to the required format for the works cited page!

Format:

• • Choose MLA 8
  • The works cited page is always found at the end of the paper
  • Should start on a separate page
  • Sources must be listed in alphabetical order
  • Must use hanging indentation style
    • • • Format → Align & Indent → Indentation options → Hanging

We will continue to review and practice how to properly format MLA in-text citations.

MLA In-Text Citation Notes/Practice Doc

Brigitte’s In-Text Citation/Works Cited Page Nearpod

Students will have the opportunity to get their creative writing juices flowing. We will spend a few periods working on a creative writing activity. For the next few periods, we will not be worrying about a minimum number of words/paragraphs. Simply sit back, relax, and have some fun while writing. This activity will lead us into our next unit which will focus on refining our paragraph writing skills.

Requirements:

• Should be at least three paragraphs long
  • Use the P.E.E. Method
    • Each paragraph needs a topic sentence (point)
    • Supporting details/evidence
    • Explanation of that evidence
• Edit your response (ensuring that proper nouns are capitalized)
  • Read your response aloud and listen for errors/confusing sentences
  • Utilize COPS Editing Checklist

Choose one of the following creative writing prompts to respond to:

Our next unit revolves around enhancing presentation skills and incorporating persuasive techniques. Our classes have focused on analyzing the essential components for a successful presentation.

How should I prepare for a presentation?

• • • Organize your presentation logically
    • Practice every day the week before (if possible)
      • Don’t procrastinate
    • Know your audience
      • Adjust your presentation to meet the needs of your audience
    • Be positive 
    • Record yourself while you are practicing
      • Re-watch the presentation
      • Focus on your eye contact, tone, pace, gestures
    • Ask for peer/parental feedback

90-Second Book Pitch

Task:  Choose your favourite book and persuade others to purchase your book by creating a 90-second sales pitch. You must incorporate at least three persuasive techniques. 

• You CAN also create a visual aid to accompany your pitch (optional)

Time: Please note you will only have 90 seconds to speak. Keep that in mind when you’re planning your book pitch!

Due Dates Planner: 

Tuesday 3/8 –Brainstorm ideas

Friday 3/11-Rough draft of the pitch

Tuesday 3/15-Presentations begin

Click the links below to access the assignment instructions, rubrics, and notes:

90-Second Book Pitch Assignment Instructions

Book Pitch Outline

Presentation Skills/Persuasive Techniques Google Slideshow

Persuasive Technique Cheat Sheet

Book Pitch Student Example

Today the Grade 6 students were able to play the games that they created for their Exhilarating Reading Adventure Project. Students had a great time explaining their games and going head to head against their peers. If you want to learn more about their projects, check out their individual posts on their blogfolios.

***Red, white and pink shirts are all acceptable!

As we continue to prepare for our Elements of a Novel Quiz, students can reference this post in order to review various concepts and activities.  Last week we learned about various literary devices. Students are encouraged to make flashcards and review these concepts every night this week. The notes slideshow below contains all of the relevant content that will be assessed on the quiz.

Grade 6 Exhilarating Reading Adventure Project Notes

Elements of a Novel Review Sheet

Practice activities: 

Simile and Metaphor Practice

Personification Practice

Figurative Language Kahoot

Elements of a Short Story Kahoot

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As we continue to work on our Exhilarating Reading Adventure Project, our class is focusing on diving deeper into various literary elements that appear in novels. Last week we discussed characterization (direct & indirect), mood, and theme.

Today we are going to continue to explore theme identification. We will complete the first example together as a class. Then students will have time to complete the last two examples independently.

Click here to access the assignment: Identifying the Theme Practice

When trying to identify the theme of a story or novel, think about the following:

• What life lesson/idea is the author trying to teach the reader?
• How can this lesson/idea from the “small world of the story” be applied to the “real world”?
  • • • • Think about the big picture
• The theme is not going to be stated directly
  • • • • You will need to make an inference (read between the lines)

Objective: Learning from a distance is great, but reading is exhilarating! The goal of this project is to foster and nurture a passion for reading. You will read a book you’ve never read before, and then create an artifact that connects to that book to show what you’ve learned and understood from the book you read.

Students will be required to spend at least 30 minutes a day reading. 

Important Dates:

As you read your book, you will:

• Create personal and real-world connections
• Analyze the following literary components:
  • Theme
  • Plot development
  • Conflict
  • Literary devices
    • Simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole

Click here to access all of the important information: 

Exhilarating Reading Adventure Project Google Slideshow

Exhilarating Reading Adventure Project Instructions and Rubric

Exhilarating Reading Adventure Planner

Blog Post Requirements

Student Blog Post Example