ELA 9-04: November 2009

Follow this link to map your story. Be sure to complete all four maps BEFORE PRINTING.
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/storymap/index.html

Character Map
Conflict Map
Resolution Map
Setting Map

THEN:

Visit this link to order your events and build a plot diagram. Be sure to show evidence of careful planning and attention to detail.
http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/plot-diagram/

Carefully read and consider the following helpers:

Children's Book Review Guide

Plot Pitch Template

Brainstorming the Confict

Tips for Wrting a Children's Picture Storybook

Publishing Tips

Grading Rubric

Assignment constructed largely from: http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=1022

Thursday, November 19, 2009

TRICKS Poetry Analysis

Please choose one of the following three poems for your TRICKS analysis assignment. Each can be viewed online by clicking the appropriate link below.

The Last Saskatchewan Pirate
Shooting of Dan McGrew
The Highwayman

Editing Checklist (BEFORE YOU PRINT)

Indent Paragraph(s)
Complete Sentences (each has a subject and predicate)
Capitalization
• Do all sentences begin with a capital letter?
• Do all proper nouns begin with capital letters?
Punctuation
• Are periods and commas used correctly?
• Are quotations punctuated correctly?
Verb Usage
• Do all main verbs agree with the subject in person and number?
• Are any parts of verb phrases missing or incorrect? Are verb endings correct?
• Is the verb tense correct?
• Are helping verbs used when needed?
Noun Usage
• Do regular plurals end in “s”? Are irregular plurals correct?
• Are articles (“a,” “an,” and “the”) used correctly?
• Does every pronoun have a clear referent?
Correct Spelling (Be careful of words that sound the same but have different meanings.)
Descriptive Words
• Are words used that give a picture of what is taking place?
• Are transitional words used?
Word Variety
• Do sentences begin with different words?
• Did the writer use a variety of words in each sentence?

From: http://jc-schools.net/write/checklist.pdf

Transition Words

Transition words and phrases help establish clear connections between ideas and ensure that sentences and paragraphs flow together smoothly, making them easier to read. Use the following words and phrases in the following circumstances.

To indicate more information:
Besides
Furthermore
In addition
Indeed
In fact
Moreover
Second...Third..., etc.
To indicate an example:
For example
For instance
In particular
Particularly
Specifically
To demonstrate
To illustrate

To indicate a cause or reason:
As
Because
Because of
Due to
For
For the reason that
Since

To indicate a result or an effect:
Accordingly
Finally
Consequently
Hence
So
Therefore
Thus

To indicate a purpose or reason why:
For fear that
In the hope that
In order to
So
So that
With this in mind

To compare or contrast:
Although
However
In comparison
In contrast
Likewise
Nevertheless
On the other hand
Similarly
Whereas
Yet

To indicate a particular time frame or a shift from one time period to another:
After
Before
Currently
During
Eventually
Finally
First,...Second,..., etc.
Formerly
Immediately
Initially
Lastly
Later
Meanwhile
Next
Previously
Simultaneously
Soon
Subsequently

To summarize:
Briefly
In brief
Overall
Summing up
To put it briefly
To sum up
To summarize

To conclude:
Given these facts
Hence
In conclusion
So
Therefore
Thus
To conclude

Homework Help: Authoritative Online Resources

Aboriginal Canada Portal
http://www.aboriginalcanada.gc.ca/acp/site.nsf/en/index.html
Information about Canada’s aboriginal people, including research information, statistics, and maps.

Alberta Education- Previous Achievement Tests and Answer Keys/ Alberta Education- Previous Diploma Exams and Answer Keys
(http://education.alberta.ca/admin/testing/achievement/answerkeys.aspx) (http://education.alberta.ca/students/exams/answerkeys.aspx)
Copies of previous Government Achievement Tests and Diploma Exams (with answer keys), available for non-commercial use.

Chemtutor (http://www.chemtutor.com/)
General information to help chemistry students with definitions, basic chemical equations, and more.

Digital Library for Earth System Education (http://www.dlese.org/library/index.jsp)
Online resource promoting education about the Earth system, funded by the National Science Foundation.

Fear of Physics (http://www.fearofphysics.com/)
Contains a link to “visual physics”, a physics dictionary, a homework help section, and more.

Grammar Girl: Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing (http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/)
Tips and tricks to improve student writing, presented in both written or podcast format.

Intute: Helping you find the best resources for study and research (http://www.intute.ac.uk/)
Search engine points users to authoritative, hand-selected, information on the search topic.

Learnalberta.ca
http://www.learnalberta.ca/Home.aspx
Databases to support Alberta Education’s K-12 curriculum. Selecting the Online Reference Centre tab allows you to access credible information to support homework assignments, from home, anytime. Logon : LA60 Password: 5754

Library and Archives Canada: Learning Centre
(http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/education/008-2020-e.html#d)
Check out the “History” sub-category for resources relevant to the Social Studies Curriculum, including information about the World Wars, Confederation, and more.

Math Goodies (http://www.mathgoodies.com/students.html)
Worksheets, articles, games, tutorials, and puzzles on a variety of math-related topics.

National Science Digital Library (http://nsdl.org/)
Portal directs students to credible science and math resources and tools online. A “Highlights” article appearing on the website’s front page alerts students to science-related current events.

No Fear Shakespeare (http://nfs.sparknotes.com/)
Shakespeare’s plays side-by-side with modern English translations.

Political Ideologies- Canadian Encyclopedia (www.thecanadianencyclopedia. comindex.cfmPgNm=TCECategories&Params=A1SUB48CAT230) Brief articles outlining the basic tenants of numerous political ideologies.

Purdue Online Writing Lab – Grades 7-12 (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/677/01/)
Resources to help with the research process, tips about style and language, information about citation and plagiarism, and more.

Shmoop Literature Study Guides (http://www.shmoop.com/literature/study-guides/)
Authored by Ph.D. and Masters Students from top American universities, these literature study guides can be used to enhance student understanding of novels, plays, and poems.

Statistics Canada: Canada Yearbook Historical Collection
(http://www65.statcan.gc.ca/acyb_r000-eng.htm)
Statistics Canada data from 1867-1967, includes historical text, tables, charts and maps, and an especially helpful “Browse by Topic” function.

UNdata: A World of Information (http://data.un.org/)
All UN statistical databases under a single-user friendly search. Includes country profiles, 55 million data points, a glossary, a wiki, and a helpful “Monthly Bulletin” section.

University of Arizona: Biology Project (http://www.biology.arizona.edu/)
An interactive resource to help students master basic biology concepts- includes multiple choice quizzes on a variety of topics.

Wolfram MathWorld (http://mathworld.wolfram.com/)
Math encyclopedia containing information and interactive activities on a large variety of math-related topics.

ELA 9-04

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Sample of Grade 4 Reading Level

Monday, November 23, 2009

"Challenge" Children's Book

Thursday, November 19, 2009

TRICKS Poetry Analysis

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Transition Words

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Homework Help: Authoritative Online Resources