Job

Your Job: Before 10:10 you must have the following on your blog.

 

Post 1: Introduce your Protagonist and Antagonist: Readers CAN NOT come to the hall to

read the picture so you must introduce them so that readers know who these characters are.

 

Post 2: The Message: What is the essential point of the story, what do you want readers to

take away. DO NOT JUST WRITE “my message is…”. Explain what a message is, why you

chose this one, why you feel it is important, what you are going to do to get the message

across (examples of how the message will be shown)

 

Post 3: Setting: Describe it. Explain why you chose it. Explain why it is a good setting for a fantasy to take place.

 

Post 4: What are your Problem and Solution: What is the main thing the character overcomes

and how do they do that.

 

 

 

Cody Howitt

5Th Grade Teacher

Singapore American School

Rm: i313  Phone: 6363-3406 Ext: 6236

http://codyhowitt.wordpress.com

 

Ghaa, A Dragon

Our students have been working very hard to develop the basics for their own fantasy story.

Now much like an evil ruler I have forced through coercion and magic the pace at which we attempt to write this story. As young authors their first impulse is to simply start writing. This can be exampled by a conversation I had with one student:

ME: …So what happens next in your story?

STUDENT: I don’t know, I haven’t written it yet.

As authors they of all the people in the world should know what happens next. They are the ones creating it. It shouldn’t be a surprise to them. So, we have been really planning all the little bits of our story out. We have looked at who are our:

Protagonist: The Hero

Antagonist: The Villan

The Message: What is the essential point of the story

Setting: Where does this story take place. Is it consistent?

Problem: What is the problem in the story.

Solution: How is that problem solved.

Story Boarding: Having a clearly outlined beginning, middle and end.

 

Once the students have a clear concept of this, then they can begin the process of actually writing it. Today they are going to introduce their story to the world. Please take a look at their blogs to see what they will be writing about.

 

 

Just a little science

We have begun mixtures and solutions in class and are working with separating solutions. In this particular video, students had to create a procedure that would allow them to successfully separate: gravel, salt and powder from a mixed cup.

Most students we successful and able to get all their materials back, although the powder is unusable and the salt is now crystalized.

 

 

SLAM poetry

SLAM poetry is all about in voicing problems and offering hope. Whatever you write about, you should feel passionate about. The three main elements of a good SLAM poem are:

1. Rhythm—Even though SLAM poetry is written in free verse (no rules), it has a definite driving rhythm, but not a regular rhythm like in limericks. The rhythm is more closely related to the free verse rhythm that keeps the poem moving from one line to the next.

2. Repetition—SLAM poetry uses repetition like a wheel uses a hub and all the spokes link in the hub. SLAM poets return the same word or phrase multiple times with in the poem to keep the reader returning time and again to the central focus.

3. Rhyme—While there is not a specific rhyme scheme, like in limerick, the rhyme in SLAM poetry is used to direct the readers ear toward a particular idea or theme. The entire poem is never rhyming. Rhyme is used in delicate balance with rhythm and repetition as a tool for the poet.

How to Write a SLAM poem…

• First, start with a cause! What are you angry about? What needs change in your world? Start with those issues that you want to address.
• Next, make a word bank of important words that you want to include in your poem. Listen to how the words and phrases sound. Are there any that you could hinge your poem around?
• Finally, start writing! Say your words aloud to hear them. After all, it is going to be read aloud!

How are your goals going?

Please use this to update your goals progress. Then load to google docs and share with me.

Goals Progress

Looking at Onomatophoea.

I was looking for some examples of  onomatophoea and this is what i found. A website that has some great examples (http://www.mywordwizard.com/onomatopoeia-poems.html).

Mom & Dad Are Home

Slam! Slam!
Go the car doors.
Jangle! Jangle!
Go the house keys.
Jiggle! Jiggle!
Go the keys in the door.
Squeak!
Goes the front door!
Thump! Thump!
That is me running down the stairs.
Guess what?
Mom and Dad are home!!

The Game

Clap! Clap!
Stomp! Stomp!
Swish! Swish!
This is the way we get through
Our games.
The crowd shouts,
”Yahoo!”
The ball soars through the air.
Then, bounce, bounce, bounce.
The audience holds its breath.
SWISH!
The ball goes in;
We win!

Camping

Crack! Crack!
The fire crackles under the stars.
Sizzle! Sizzle!
The water sizzles above the fire.
Crunch! Crunch!
The campers crunching on potato chips.
Click! Clack! Click! Clack!
The tent poles clicking and clacking together.
Rustle! Rustle! As we prepare our sleeping bags to go to sleep.
Chirp! Chirp!
The crickets say, “good-night”.

To Grandma’s We Go

Rumble! Rumble!
The thunder roars.
Drip! Drip!
The rain comes down.
Boom! Boom!
The thunder shakes the window panes.
Run to the car! Run to the car!
Splash! Splash!
To Grandma’s we go
For hot cocoa.
Zoom! Zoom!

 

What do you notice about these poems?

Imagery in Poems

We all love to read poetry that evokes strong mental pictures.  The Imagery Poems Collection from the writers at My Word Wizard does just that. This wonderful assemblage of verse appeals to the senses as it uses language to paint pictures with words.

Imagery intensifies our experience with a poet’s writing as he or she illustrates for us with their words rather than just telling us what they are feeling.

Fall

The chilly weather settles into your bones.
Those once green leaves turn
Red, yellow, orange, and brown.
CRRNCH! go the leaves,,
Beneath  your feet.
The birds fly in a victory “V” formation,
To where the sun rules the skies.
The days of winter are lurking around
Waiting to be free falling.

Spring

The newborn flowers blossom
in all sizes and vivid colors.
When you walk by, their sweet
and luscious aromas ensnare you..
The beautiful butterflies titter
Around the light grassy areas.
The trees are full of lush, dark green leaves.
Spring is when you can really savor
the intense scent of nature.

My Summer Day

Blue green like a crayon is the glistening, warm water.
The brownish sand is warm between my welcoming toes.
The excited shouts of the little kids
As they send loud bursts of water at each other.
Assortment of tan bodies stretch along their beach,
A chain of diversity thriving in the sun..
The red, yellow, and blue kites
Gracefully dot the sky.
This is the life on the beach!

Poetry by Natasha Niemi