http://www.educationworld.com/At_Home/student/student006.shtml (Basics on the Parts of Speech)

http://www.funbrain.com/grammar/index.html   (Grammar games and more!)

 Grammar Gorillas (advanced)

            Power Proofreading

            Grammar and Mechanics

            English Zone  (Reading Zone Verb Zone  Basic Skills  Vocabulary Zone)

            Grammar Games

            Grammar Exercises  (try ---- Fragments   Commas   SV agreement)

            Spelling Exercises

            English Games

                 Vocabulary Fun:

            Word Wall Fun

 

  Literary sites: 

Mystery Page

Reading Suggestions Grade 7

Reading Suggestions Grade 8

            Middle school booklists:

          http://www.shenet.org/middle/Libraries/msread.asp

         Study Skills:         

            online Study Guide Tips

            English Practice:

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1. Pay attention Read as if what you are reading REALLY MATTERS.  You are intensely interested!

 Most people read in the same way that they watch television.  They read. in a passive way expecting the words to entertain them or to inform them-  like watching the news---just get to the point.  A little effort in reading goes a long way.

Reading takes effort, and you must make the effort.  It is an interactive activity.  (Like the Wii --not like a TV show)

2.  Familiarize yourself with the reading.  Look at the chapter titles and/or pictures, graphs, maps.

3.  Ask Questions:

What is the main idea?  Is this fiction or nonfiction? What type of writing is this?  What is the author's purpose?

If you are reading an essay based on a person or topic ask yourself a specific question about him or her or it.

example:  essay on Benjamin Franklin   

 a) What did he invent?   b)  How far did he go in school?  c) Was he like me in any way? 

d) What kind of family did he grow up in?     e) What difference did he make in the world?  f) Did he face any obstacles?

Look for the answers to your questions in that reading.

4. Read in word phrases, chunks of words give meaning, not just individual words

5. Don't keep re-reading the same phrases.

6. Speed up and slow down while you read.  Don't just go on and on and on at the same pace -zzzzzzzzzz

7.  When you are finished reading...

SUMMARIZE SPECIFIC KEY POINTS OR FACTS   

Ask yourself:  Why did the author write this?  What reason or meaning or message about life was in this reading?

 

If you are reading a question you must answer...read and read it again and again if needs be, and ask yourself: "What exactly do I have to do to successfully answer this question?"

 Underline or highlight parts of the question and then use those words in your answer.

Enjoy the activity of reading.   It's supposed to be enjoyable. 

Don't look at it like work, or it won't work for you.   

Final Review Tips  (June 2010):         This section will be updated for June 2011

                                           VOCABULARY

Prefixes&roots:

uni, mono, bi, tri, quad, quart, pent, oct, cent, dec, pre, re,

gen, scrip, ject,  spec, vis,vid, ped, pod, man(U), omni,

 

Vocabulary Terms:

gravely, capsize, patriarchal,  indigenous, grope, vigil, pilgrimage, pensive, decorum, quandary, minutiae, penchant, conundrum, grieve, deceive,  pallid, 

exuberant, gaunt, somber, grave, wince, transition, humble,  arrogant,  grope,  swagger,  confront,  genial,  indignation,   contempt,  prolific, swanky, facade,

brusque,  defiant, convulsions, alibi,  alias, interrogate, pseudonym,  imminent,  eminent,  elusive,  intuition,  irascible, symbiotic,   retribution,  tenacious, destitute,

 clench

pd9---enigma

words to come:

 aneurysm, symbiotic,  fate, cite, citation, eccentric,  red herring, prosperity, congenial, scapegoat, ironic

 

Remember to study the terms as they relate to each other---DO NOT just memorize the definitions

 

Comma rules--use a comma to separate items in a list  (nouns verbs or adjectives)

                    The boy is building, creating, and constructing a Lego airport.

use a comma in a compound sentence

                   Marcelino was hungry, so he went to the grocery store.

Use a comma to set off the name of the person you're speaking with

                   Jesse, carry that wood into the house.

Use a comma to set off an interrupting phrase

                   Baseball, of course, is Eric's favorite sport.

Use a comma in an appositive

                   Mr. Massari, the teacher in period three, will travel this summer.

Use a comma correcting in dialogue

                  Arjan shouted, "Why didn't I get bubble gum too?"

Use a comma to separate the names of cities, states, and countries

                 My niece is in Paris, France right now.

 

Study the review sheets which have been given to you!

Find the eight parts of speech in the following sentence.

answer below(don't cheat)

(1)              (4)                (3)            (8)                      (6)          (7)                 (5)      (2)

Gee, I must have stubbed my big toe as I was running carelessly through those dark woods yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

interjection(1)    noun(2)    pronoun(3)   verb(4)    adjective(5)    adverb(6)    preposition(7)   conjunction(8)

 

Action verbs sometimes have a   Direct Object:   Jimmy will buy a dozen roses for me today!   (roses)

                   sometimes they don't---  She walked (into the woods)  (with a handful of popcorn bags )

Linking verbs sometimes have a Predicate Adjective   Kateri seems annoyed with me.  (annoyed)

                  sometimes have a Predicate Noun     Elizabeth will become a teacher at age twenty-two.(teacher)

              

  *****************Studystudystudystudystudystudystudystudystudystudystudy!********************

                                  .

Read below for more definitions of literary terms....

 

 

                                               Read Below  **Touching Spirit Bear Packet** Read Below

Touching Spirit Bear

By Ben Mikaelsen

 

Journal entry questions:  6,7,8,9

6. Edwin and Garvey seem to be "bossing" Cole around now. Do you feel that they are being unfair to him? Symbolism is used in this section. What does the water symbolize or represent?…the rock?….the stick?

7.Cole has to become "invisible". How? Explain how he does this.

8.Describe Cole’s Dance of Anger. What does he learn through the dance?

Pp 184-206, 214

9."In nature there are no rewards or punishments…only consequences."

Explain this quote. Give an example in nature and in Cole’s life.

 

 

Plot Outline

As you read the novel, Touching Spirit Bear complete the plot outline sections below:

1) Setting/ Mood:

Time-

Place-

Mood-

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

2) Characters:

Characters Characterizations

---

Main Characters Looks Acts Speaks Feels Mirror Image

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Other Characters:

 

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Conflicts in Literature

Throughout the plot of a book the main characters face some or all of the conflicts in literature we learned about (see your journal notes). Describe a reading from the book that demonstrates each of the conflicts listed below:

Man Vs. Self -

Man Vs. Man -

Man vs. Nature -

Man Vs. Society -

 

What do you feel is the main or central conflict of Touching Spirit Bear?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Complete an attribute web for Cole as introduced at the beginning of the book :

 

Looks (physical)

Speech ((verbal)

Acts (behavioral) Feels (emotional)

Mirror Image

- how others see you

- their perception of the character

 

Complete an attribute web for Cole as characterized at the end of the book:

Looks (physical)

Speech ((verbal)

Acts (behavioral)

Feels (emotional)

Mirror Image

- how others see character

- their perception of you

 

 

Contrast in Character

Write about a situation from the book in which a character shows strength, courage, or confidence on the outside. But, he or she may actually feel anxiety(nervousness) or fear on the inside.

+ Strength

Confidence

 

---

Nervous

Unsure

________________________________________________________________________________________

Literary Techniques

Metaphor

A metaphor is literary technique in which two unlike items are compared. The two items or nouns are talked about as though they are equal. This is a direct connection.

Eg. The bare treetops were golden broom bristles sweeping the clouds from the sky.

Find and explain the extended metaphor contained within chapter 14 of

Touching Spirit Bear.

 

 

Identify the three metaphors comparing ‘life’ to three different items…

(Hint: two of the situations involve Garvey and one involves Edwin.)

1)

2)

3)

Simile

A simile is literary technique in which two unlike items are compared using "like" or "as." The two items are talked about as if they are only similar, not equal. This is less direct of a comparison.

Eg.. "Tonight, raw feelings have been exposed like plowed up ground," she said.

Raw feelings are like plowed up ground

 

Find eight more similes in this book and identify the two items being compared.

Pp 3, 9,17,24,42, and 71 will help.

 

Symbolism

Symbolism is literary technique in which an author uses a concrete object to represent an abstract concept or noun. This technique helps the author to send the meaning, the message, or the theme of the novel to the reader.

Eg. the at.óow (the blanket Garvey gave Cole)

The concrete object at.óow represents the abstract concept trust.

 

List three more symbols from the book and explain their meanings. Make sure you CLEARLY identify the concrete noun and the abstract idea it represents.

 

 

Personification

Personification is a literary technique in which an animal or a non living(inanimate) object is given human characteristics.

The author may use all, several, or only one of the following word strategies to create personification.

*human verbs - dancing, skipping, preaching

*human emotions- joy, anger

*gender (he or she)

*dialogue (the object or animal speaks

Eg. The willow tree gently opened her arms over the meadow and whispered, "Spring is here."

Eg. Curtains of the northern lights over the bay danced wildly under the Big Dipper.

Sometimes abstract nouns are personified too.

How would you personify one of Cole’s dreams?

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Sensory details

Use of sensory details is a literary technique in which the author uses the five senses to show the reader the scene or setting. Words that create an image, a sound, a sense of feeling, a taste, and a smell are used to "put the reader there" in the plot with the characters.

Ex. Vapor from the Spirit Bear’s breath puffed in tiny clouds from its wet, black nose.

 

List four more sentences from the book which would be GREAT examles of sensory details. Underline the sensory words with in the sentences.

 

 

After reading the section of the book in which Cole is facing death after being mauled by the Spirit Bear in chapter 8 on pages 71 to 73 complete the sensory detail chart below:

Five senses

Sight *Smell Taste Feel Sounds

---

Exact/Specific Nouns

 

Use of exact nouns is literary technique in which specific nouns are used to add detail to the image the writer is trying to convey.

 

List some exact nouns taken from chapters 9, 10, 11

Graphic Verbs

Use of graphic verbs is literary technique in which strong verbs are used to help the reader "see" or "hear" plot actions more clearly.

List some graphic verbs taken from chapters 9, 10, 11

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Grammar & Mechanics Practice

1) Identify the two parts of a complete sentence. What type of sentence is this?

a. declarative c. interrogative

b. exclamatory d. imperative

 

2) What is the simple subject in sentence #1?

3) What is the simple predicate in sentence #1 ?

4) What is the prepositional phrase in sentence #1?

5) What is the direct object in sentence #1?

6) Rewrite the following dialogue passages with correct punctuation.

a)Cole must go to jail and get anger counseling somebody said he’s proved he can’t be trusted

 

2. Indians don’t own the trees Edwin chuckled or the right to carve

 

c) Cole asked could you teach me how to carve like that

______________________________________________________________________________________

Journal entries:

Reflection Question # 1 Cole learns a great deal from nature and animals in this book.

Discuss at least four animals and two nature situations that help

him learn how to live and appreciate his life. Explain clearly

what lessons he learns.

Think of your life and nature or animals. Discuss a time when

Nature or an animal helped you learn a lesson about life.

 

 

Reflection Question #2 Cole works hard toward the end of the book to become

"invisible." How does he try and how does he achieve this?

What is the lesson about life he learns?

 

 

Reflection Question # 3 Explain the meaning of the verb to "forgive."

Identify three characters in the plot who forgive, and explain SPECIFICALLY who they forgive and why.

How does this theme of forgiveness connect to the original purpose of the Circle Justice program?

Name someone in your life who you forgave or plan to forgive. Explain the situation clearly and tell why.

 

 

Reflection Question #4 How is the circle the two boys carve into the totem pole a symbol?

 

Reflection Question #5 The word ‘crisis’ in the Chinese language means danger and opportunity. How could you explain that meaning and apply it to Cole’s life in Touching Spirit Bear?

"Editing Practice"  4/26

 

The Student's at George Washington Middle school entered the 5K run yesterday for

the disabled children in their district.  There were over one-hundred and fifty kids

and thirty adults.  The day is beautiful and sunny.  The kids dressed in their running

gear and stretched for about twenty minutes, the race started at 2:00pm. 

Molly Doolittle the organizer of the event dashed across the finish line first, her

little sister was second.  Granola bars and poland spring water was given to all

race finishers and they received ribbons as well and speeches were made. 

Overall the day was a great success.  Mollys' mother was quoted after the race.

She said "this should be an annual event, the kids really love it and we raised over

five-hundred dollars"!

corrections shown below....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CORRECTIONS MADE

The students at George Washington Middle School entered the 5K run yesterday for

the disabled children in their district.  There were over one-hundred and fifty kids

and thirty adults.  The day was beautiful and sunny.  The kids dressed in their running

gear and stretched for about twenty minutes.   The race started at 2:00pm. 

Molly Doolittle, the organizer of the event, dashed across the finish line first.  Her

little sister was second.  Granola bars and Poland Spring water was given to all

race finishers.   They received ribbons as well, and speeches were made. 

Overall the day was a great success.  Molly's mother was quoted after the race.

She said, "This should be an annual event.    The kids really love it, and we raised over

five-hundred dollars!"

 

 

 

vocab...

A.  She presented her story to the principal, but with his fogged thinking because of his heavy cold,

her story was difficult to understand. (1     2        3)

 

fogged-  1 .  verb- to cover with frost or dew making it hard to see     2.  adj-  describing windows covered with mist from steam or condensation    3.   adj   unclear, blurred, or confused

 

B. The car branched off suddenly to the right and took the exit for Poughkeepsie, Exit 18.   (  1      2      3)

branch-  1. noun- a limb of a tree    2.  noun- a section or part of government    3.  verb-  to veer or move off to one side or the other

 

C. I will be patient and take my time, but I have to key in about three hundred numbers on this computer by 3:00pm.   (1    2     3)

key-  1.  verb- to scrape deeply with a key    2.  verb- to enter onto a keyboard    3.  noun-  a metal grooved instrument used to open locks

 

 

D. The senile old woman was not making sense when she came into the drug store, walked up to the man behind the counter, and asked him where the banking section was.

She thought the cashier was a bank teller, and he joked later that she seemed touched in the head.    ( 1     2      3)

touched-  1. verb- to feel using the senses     2. adjective-  to be unstable or insane        3.  adjective-  a warm feeling of love

 

 

 

 

 

answers---- A.3   B.  3   C.  1    D. 2

 4/15/10

Durring a cool day this Spring, I called Doris my best friend and asked her

if she wanted to ride bike's in the Park.  She agreed, we met at the end of the street

and headed off, the sky was cloudless that day and I was feeling great.  I ride

my bike ahead of her sense I pedal pretty fast.  I guess I whent a little too fast because

when I got to the park she was nowhere to be seen.  It was then that I started to panic.

Neither of us were carrying are cell phones so we couldn't call each other, we couldn't

call home for help either.  I biked all the way back to her house and then I started back

to the park again, I was getting tried.  As I rounded Miller avenue I heard Dorises high-pitched

voice, the sounds are coming from a small section of forest on the side of the road.

I screamed Doris are you their?  

"Oh yeah.  I'm over here. Get over here she yelled back."

The sweat was pouring down my back at this point with the heat and my anxiety, I could of

killed her but I was glad I had find her.  When I got to where she sat nestled under an old

pine tree I saw she was with the neighbors german Shephard Rufus and it was then that I saw

and heard four little yelping puppys.  "Rufus is a Mommy"!  I shrieked with delight.

Doris and I spent the rest of the afternoon cuddling petting giggling and spending time

with the puppys, we named them too.  I saved screaming at Doris for scarring me out of my wits

for later that night.

 

 

 

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still extra practice...if you want it...  :)

Rachel my neighbor and I were sledding down the steep Wintry snow-covered hill in my backyard and I shouted We should put water on the snow to make us go faster

Monday morning as I ran for the busI heard my mom yell you forgot your lunch."

Every summer we go to Bethany Beach Delaware, my cousin Justin always says this place is amazing

The one day in october you see everyone out at night is halloween and kids are walking from door to door saying trick or treat as they get candy like snickers hershey kisses and Kit Kats.

On Tuesday my dad brought me to see the Unborn at crossgates mall and we get popcorn candy and two cokes.

Lenna my german neighbor has a furry smelly cute opossum that pounce on my new snuggly black uggs.

John forgot his Spanish English and math homework outside when his science teacher Ms. Backus took his class outside to look for bugs which was of course very hard.

When Hector came home I asked How was spain, and he said The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plains

Brandon Jacobs my favorite football player plays for the new York giants and they lost their game against the Philadelphia eagles on sunday.

When I got home from track I started to eat dress and take a shower, then I went to the adirondack mountains to fish.

 

 

 

 

Essay Practice...

A) Literature reflects real life, and as is so often the case, our experiences change and shape us. In a well-developed, organized essay, consider one of the following common themes and discuss how two protagonists or main characters changed in some way during the unraveling of their stories. Make sure you offer clear text details regarding the events which contributed to their change. The characters you write about must be from two different books.

Common themes in literature:

Truth courage maturity loyalty perseverance

 

 

B) Using the book Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen, write a well-developed essay clearly explaining the presence of the three text connections in literature. (this one is given as an example on your vocabulary cloze sheet from week of 11/16).

 

C) Use the books The Cay by Theodore Taylor(or another book of your choosing)and Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen and the film "Castaway" to write a well-developed essay discussing the theme of survival in literature. Use specific examples to show how each of the main characters exhibits two of the following three qualities in their survival stories.

determination                 patience                       courage

d) write a compare contrast comparing and contrasting any one of the following topics:     Digger from Red Kayak and Cole from Touching Spirit Bear

                             Katie from "The Birthday Box" and Brady from Red Kayak

                             a bagel and a doughnut

 

 

For thought...