Week of January 4th
It is hard to believe that we are already in January. Thank you for all of your support and for your thoughtful Christmas gifts and wishes. I hope you were able to connect with family over the holiday; I really enjoyed seeing some of my family, but it was a much smaller gathering for sure! Please keep on top of the FCPS information regarding hybrid instruction; with COVID metrics changing, the county is making changes to the hybrid plans that were in line to start quarter 3.
Special Reminder: I have doctor's appointments on both Monday and Wednesday and have left Asynchronous plans for those days; scholars will need to check their planner in the Schoology English (6th grade) or Reading (5th grade) Course for assigned work. I will be available both afternoons for small group instruction and for individual student needs.
5th Grade Instruction
Focus Standards for the Week:
- Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
- Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.
- Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
This week we will continue with our novel, The Phantom Tollbooth. Scholars will work on understanding and interpreting idioms. They will also focus on the sensory details that the author uses to help engage the reader. To demonstrate their understanding of sensory details, the scholars will practice using sensory details in a personal narrative writing piece of our own. As we discuss the chapters this week, students need to continue to quote the text when explaining what is happening in the story or when sharing inferences or ideas they have developed about the story. Please encourage your scholar to reference their text when you have discussions at home about their reading. This is a fun read! If you would like to read along, there is a digital copy here: https://mrkingrocks.com/files/phantom.pdf
6th Grade Instruction
Focus Standards for the Week:
- Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
- Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone.
We are quickly making progress through Gillian Cross' adaptation of Homer's Odyssey. As we move through the story, we are examining the monomyth genre - the hero's journey. Scholars are reviewing the events in the story and comparing them to the typical story arch of the monomyth. This week we will look at the difference between hubris and humility and examine the difference between disappointment and failure as well as we look closely at the character of Odysseus and discuss possible themes of the myth. In addition, we will examine the roles of narration and dialogue to determine their importance in developing the narrative more fully. If you are interested in reading along, there is a digital copy available in the Schoology Course.
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