Would you like more help with your writing?

Would you like more help with your writing?

Camp Composition: Florida Writes!


This is a writing camp to help your student be a better writer!

A registration fee applies.

Limited scholarships are available for qualifying students.

Scholarships may be offered for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch and/or attend a Title 1 school.

For more information go to http://www.unf.edu/coehs/celt/Camp_Composition.aspx

This camp will be held at the University of North Florida on Saturdays, from 9am – noon in January – February 2013.


Week 1, January 19th:
Writing Prompts for FCAT and for Life

Week 2, January 26th:
Prewriting Strategies

Week 3, February 2nd:
Drafting Strategies

Week 4, February 9th:
Revising Strategies

Week 5, February 16th:
Editing Strategies

Week 6, February 23rd:
Writing Celebration!


Contact: Christine L. Weber, Ph.D., Director
904.620.1754
cweber@unf.edu

 

Week 3 in Review & Week 4 in Preview

 2nd Quarter

 

Week 3 in Review

Students completed Unit 2 and took their Unit 2 Post Test. Results will be uploaded in OnCourse.

 *Benchmark Skills tested

L.A.8.1.7.2 students will analyze author’s purpose and/perspective to understand text

L.A.8.1.7.7 students will compare and contrast elements in multiple texts

L.A.8.6.2.2 students will assess, organize, synthesize, and evaluate the validity and reliability of information in text.

 
Week 4 Preview (Monday and Tuesday only)

Unit 2 Post Test Review

Journal Entries

Ensure you are caught up
11/5 thru 11/8

11/13 thru 11/15


Thanksgiving Break HW Assignment

FCAT Explorer.com

Access the link on the right side

*Use your Password and ID – you logged it in your agenda
 
Complete the following stories:

 Volcano Falls: Tryouts, Why I Don’t Smoke, and Mystery of the Backyard Visitor

Creepy Creatures: Florida Explorer, The Class Assignment, and Sound Off
1. Remember, I will count your 1^st answer attempt even though the computer will give you several more tries to answer correctly. (Each story has its own total point value.)
2. Don’t forget to complete the FCAT Explorer worksheet guide to track your thinking.
(10 pts each)

Homework - Week of October 22

Begin Reading the 2 books required for quarter 2 - remember 850 or above lexile level is required.

 

Journal Entries will reflect

 

Nov 5 - 8
Nov. 12-15
Nov. 19-22

 

I will give you your NEW daily focus soon.

 

2 Books will be due December 21st. 

 

Preview: You will have to discuss clues to understand Theme (as you did for quarter 1 form) and discuss Author's Purpose/Perspective/Bias
--------------------------------------------------

 

Homework Assigned Week of October 22nd
NOTE: Remember, when you are answer in-margin questions, please incorporate the question in your answer and provide text-based support to include as evidence in your explanation.  Thanks

 

Assignment
Mon/Tues (October 22/23)

1. Textbook pages 942-947,  "Argument and Persuasion"
2. Read to understand
3. Read and summarize pg 942 (5-7 sentences)
4. Read pg 943 "Why Can't I live on Fries" - answer in-margin questions 1-4
5. Read pg. 944 and summarize in 5-7 sentences
6. Read pg 945 and answer in-margin questions 1& 2 and 1& 2 at the bottom.
7. Read pg 946 and answer in-margin questions

  Due

Wed/Thur (Oct. 24/25)

---------------------------------- AND

Assignment
Wednesday/Thurs (Oct. 24/25)

 

1. Textbook pages 966-967
2. Read "Position on Dodgeball"
3. Answer in-margin questions A-C
4. Also, explain why the author chose to use bullet points
5. Read and summarize pg 942 in 5-7 sentences

 

Due

Mon/Tues (29/30)

Week 8 in Review and Forecast of Week 9

Students,

*B-Day students completed Unit 1 Post-Test Review

*We began our 3-Day Writing Plan -   establishing FOCUS in the Introductory portion of an Essay.

*Reviewed sample effective Expository Introductions and analyzed each sentence for purpose and sentence relationship

* Learned effective engaging beginnings: Descriptive Language, Anecdote, Important Statement used to Segway ideas that contrast.

 Week 9 in Preview

Unit 2 Pre-Test

Upcoming Benchmarks:

1.      Identifying Author’s Purpose and/or Perspective and Bias

2.      Recognizing Text Structures

3.     Compare and Contrast Ideas and Text Structures Across Texts

Journal Entries & Books Read are DUE

Hi Students,

JOURNAL ENTRIES

Please work on your  Journal Entries, as they are due next week.  You should have 13 entries. Here are the weeks/dates reflecting your summaries and entries:

9/4-6      = 3 entries
9/10-13  = 4 entries
9/17-20  = 4 entries
9/24-25  = 2 entries

Each daily entry is worth 10 points.  A daily entry includes the summary and skill focus . Make sure you follow the requirements. 

1. Your summary should have 5-7 sentences.
2. Entry Focus should have at least 3 sentences.
3. Be sure to write the Focus skill next to the entry.

BOOKS READ

Please work on completing your 2 books for this nine weeks. Next week, you will receive a form that you MUST complete and turn in by the  October 15/16 to gain credit (points) for reading the required 2 books for this quarter.

Here is a glimpse of the questions you will have to complete on the form:

Identify the author's essential message: Theme

Choose two of the following clues  to discuss how the title, character contrast, setting, important statements,  plot development, and/or symbolism/figurative language gave insight into the theme.

Week 7 in Review and Forecast of Week 8

Students,

Here is a brief recap of our learning and activities completed during the seventh week of school and a preview of what’s to come next week.

 Week 7 in Review

Students applied all clues to determine Theme in a poem and short fiction. The clues: Recognizing and analyzing the use of titles, character development and contrast, important statements, symbols and figurative language, and setting.

Students wrapped up their collaborative project: Understanding Theme

Students took Unit 1 LSA Post Assessment

*Strategies practiced: Ways to recognize figurative language and symbolism and interpret its symbolic meaning in poetry and in short fiction; use of author’s word choice to support tone and details relevant to main idea; distinguishing the difference between the main idea and theme and identifying them in each piece;

Benchmarks taught, practiced and assessed:

           

*RL.8.1 cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text;

*LA.8.1.7.3 determine main idea or essential message in grade-level or higher texts through inferring, paraphrasing, summarizing, and identifying relevant details

*LA.8.2.1.2 locate and analyze elements of characterization, setting, and plot, including rising action, conflict, resolution, theme and other literary elements as appropriate in a variety of fiction.

*RL.8.2 determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text;

Texts:

 Referenced: All previous readings in Unit 1

Week 8 Preview

  

Students will review Unit 1 Post Assessment results; identify learning growth, comparing Unit pre - to its post-test; review Deconstructive notes used on test; recognize “aligned thinking and misconceptions; engage in peer/self-reflection.

Students will present Collaborative project on theme and jury Journal Entries

*

Reading Comprehension

*RL.8.1 cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text

*LA.8.2.1.2 locate and analyze elements of characterization, setting, and plot, including rising action, conflict, resolution, theme and other literary elements as appropriate in a variety of fiction.

*RL.8.2 determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text;

*LA.8.2.1.4 identify and analyze universal themes and symbols across genres and historical periods, and explain their significance

Texts: Unit 1 Post Assessment

Note:

·         Essay Writing Focus begins in week 9

Week 6 in Review and Forecast of Week 7

Students,

Here is a brief recap of our learning and activities completed during the sixth week of school and a preview of what’s to come next week.

 Week 6 in Review

Lesson on Symbolism was extended. Students learned the universal symbolic meanings in ‘colors’ and ‘nature’.

Students then, applied that understanding as a strategy to use an author’s symbolic reference as insight into a text’s overall essential message.

*Strategies practiced: Ways to recognize symbolism and interpret its symbolic meaning in poetry and in short fiction.

Benchmarks taught, practiced and assessed:

           

*RL.8.1 cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text;

*LA.8.1.7.3 determine main idea or essential message in grade-level or higher texts through inferring, paraphrasing, summarizing, and identifying relevant details

Texts:

 Referenced “Pandora’s Box, “"The Contender,” and “Parting at the Whine-Shop at Nan-King”

Week 7 Preview

  

Students are now ready to apply all clues to determine Theme in a poem and short fiction. The clues: Recognizing and analyzing the use of titles, character development and contrast, important statements, symbols and figurative language, and setting.

 

Culminating Project:

Student groups are to ready create an illustrative project demonstrating how to determine theme.  They will use previous readings as text reference in their project.

Benchmarks to practice and master:

  

*

Reading Comprehension

*RL.8.1 cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text

*LA.8.2.1.2 locate and analyze elements of characterization, setting, and plot, including rising action, conflict, resolution, theme and other literary elements as appropriate in a variety of fiction.

*RL.8.2 determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text;

*LA.8.2.1.4 identify and analyze universal themes and symbols across genres and historical periods, and explain their significance

Texts: Pg 444 in Literature Textbook, review of all previous readings."

Note:

*Unit 1 post-assessment will be administered in week 7
*Students will bring Journal Entries for teacher review