Language Arts Grade 7

As we move forward, I will begin updating classroom activities by subjects.  Language Arts will include all areas of Literacy.

Report Card for Ms MacInnes

I am looking for your feedback.  Use the template provided below to fill in.  Then, please email it back to me.  I can use this information to help me improve for next year!  I really appreciate your feedback.

Core Competency - Personal and Social Awareness
Due: Friday, June 19th 2020
Students who are in classes with us on Monday and Tuesday will complete this assignment with me.  Below are two templates that will help you to complete your personal and social awareness core competency assignment.

Mind Web
Follow the questions to help guide your mind web.  Once you have completed your web, choose two colours.  One will represent the areas that you already feel accomplished in.  The other will represent areas where you feel you need some growth.  Use those colours to underline or circle the ideas in your mind web.

Paragraph

Now, consider your completed mind web.  Write a paragraph describing how your personal and social interactions impact the people in your world (in other words, your community: family, peers, school community, larger community, participation in community sports or other organizations).  Also include one successful time this term in which you gave back to your family or community.  Finally, describe your experience with distance learning.  What were its plusses and minuses?  How will you cope if distance learning is the new way forward?  How could it be better?

Don't forger to email me this when you have it completed.😀

Novel Study:
If you are reading a novel, perhaps you would like to spend some time working on either a Character Sketch or a Story Plot Diagram.  I will put the criteria of both below and if you'd like to spend your time completing one of these projects, I'd love to see the finished product or offer advice along the way.  The novel is your choice!

Character Sketch:




Story Plot Diagram:


Creative Writing:

Creative writing.  The theme this week is ENDINGS and BEGINNINGS   You will take this time to create a piece of writing that reflects the theme.  You can write some poetry (remember the forms of poetry we were using before the break: haiku, limerick, acrostic, ballad, ode) using poetic devices (metaphor, simile, alliteration, personification, onomatopoeia, hyperbole, euphemism, rhyme scheme, oxymoron).  If poetry isn’t your jam, you can start a short story.  Or, if you’d prefer to keep a journal that records your thoughts during this strange time, feel free to do that.  You could also create a comic strip (with some labels and speech bubbles).   Remember though, you MUST make sure that your writing has the clear theme of ENDINGS and BEGINNINGS.  

Take some time, by Thursday and Friday of each week, to review and edit your work.  Choose your favourite piece of writing and re-read it.  Decide how you might make it even better.  Are there any words that you could change to make your vocabulary sound more refined?  Perhaps instead of saying "the wind was cold", you could change it to "the biting wind whipped through the swaying trees".  Add some poetic devices to your writing, even if you are not writing a poem.  

If you feel ready, send me an email with some of your writing in it.  I'd love to read what you've created so far!  Even if it is short or a small sample for a larger body of work.  I dare you!

WEEK ONE THEME: HOPE
WEEK TWO THEME: BELONGING
WEEK THREE THEME: ISOLATION
WEEK FOUR THEME: THE OCEAN
WEEK FIVE THEME: NATURE
WEEK SIX: COMMUNITY
WEEK SEVEN: TECHNOLOGY
WEEK EIGHT: ANXIETY
WEEK NINE: EVOLUTION
WEEK TEN: DIVERSITY
WEEK ELEVEN: HUMAN RIGHTS
WEEK TWELVE: ENDINGS AND BEGINNINGS

Reading:

You have been asked to read every day for at least 30 minutes.  After you have read, please choose 1 of the following questions to answer.  Your response should be about 4-10 sentences.

1.    Why did the author want me to read this chapter?

2.    What does the author want me to think about?

3.    How am I different because I read this chapter?

4.    What thought is still lingering after I have finished this chapter?

5.    What one word would I choose to describe this chapter?  Why?

6.    What imprint did this chapter leave on my thinking?  Why?

Poetry:
Writing poetry can be a fun way to spend a morning or afternoon, especially while sitting outside for inspiration. Below are the poetic devices and forms of poetry that you may wish to employ.  Have fun and really try to connect your words to your experience outdoors!

An acrostic poem:

·      chooses a word

·      uses all the letter from that word as the beginning letter for the subsequent lines

·      describes the chosen word

·      uses poetic devices

A haiku poem: 

·      has three lines (1^st line = 5 syllables, 2^nd line = 7 syllables, 3^rd line = 5 syllables)

·      is about nature

·      uses poetic devices

A limerick is meant to be a funny poem that follows strict rhythmic criteria and rhyme scheme.

 There was an old man from Peru (A)

Who dreamed he was eating his shoe (A)

He awoke in the night (B)

With a terrible fright (B)

And found out that it was quite true. (A)

An ode poem:

·      addresses a particular thing

·      expresses personal and emotional feeling

·      originated in Ancient Greece

·      uses similes, metaphors, and hyperbole (and other poetic devices)

A ballad is an old poem or song that was chanted or sung in order to pass a story on before everyone was able to read or write.  This is considered folk culture.  They use many poetic devices to paint a picture with words.

Poetic Device	Definition
Alliteration	The repetition of similar initial letter sounds
Assonance	The repetition of similar stressed vowel sounds
Metaphor	A comparison between two essentially unlike elements
Hyperbole	A deliberate exaggeration
Onomatopoeia	Using words that sound like what they are trying to represent
Oxymoron	A combination of two contradictory or conflicting words
Personification	When human characteristics are attributed to animals, inanimate objects or ideas
Rhyme Scheme	The assignment of letters to lines of poetry that share the same sound in the final syllable
Simile	A direct comparison using the words “like” or “as”

Grammar Practice:

Try this interactive grammar site called "Grammar Bytes"

https://www.chompchomp.com/menu.htm