This week in class the students will be comparing and contrasting two versions of the play “Romeo & Juliet.” Also, they will be reviewing characteristics of Oral Tradition stories as we watch Disney’s version of “Tall Tales” and/or movie clips.

Students have worked hard during testing the past two days and will continue to test the rest of the week. Our class will not meet every day this week due to the testing schedule. When we do have class, the students will be reading & discussing articles in the Action magazine. Please get plenty of rest and eat a good breakfast every day this week!!!

It is hard to believe that this is the last week before testing. The students will continue to work hard as they finish reading a modified version of the play “Romeo & Juliet.” We our reviewing the plotline, character traits, and literary elements in conjunction with reading the play. Also, the students are comparing the text of the modified version to a copy of Shakespeare’s version.

It is hard to believe there are only 3 weeks left before testing. We have one more unit of study (Drama) and test review to complete in the next three weeks. This week we will begin studying the characteristics of drama and explaining how dialogue helps to reveal character traits. Our class will read a short version of the play ” Titanic.’ Also, we will take one day to review the background of William Shakespeare. Then we will begin reading a modified version of the play “Romeo & Juliet’ in which we will review theme, conflict,and Literary elements.

The students will go to the library today and take a test over a reading counts book and check out a new book. Tomorrow the students will review the evidence with a partner and write their final report for “The Lunchroom Murder” picture. The focus the rest of the week will be on informative/explanatory writing. The students will read and discuss articles in Action Magazine.

We will begin the week with reviewing and analyzing the last Discovery Education Reading Assessment that the students took last week. Then we will continue argumentative writing as students work with a partner to view another murder scene, make a claim, gather evidence, and write a report.

Our focus this week will be on reviewing and analyzing the third nine weeks reading and writing assessments that the students have completed. We will go over the reading multiple choice and open response questions and the on demand prompts. Also, the students have completed the last Discovery Education Assessment (Think Link) Reading test. We will also read and analyze the questions from this test.

The students will go to the library on Monday, take a Reading Counts Test, and check out a book. This week, the students will also finish completing an on-demand writing prompt for the third nine weeks. Then they will read and discuss non-fiction articles in the Action Magazine. Also, they will discuss the debate issue given to them in the magazine.

On Monday, the students will complete a writing activity in which they will write a report that sums up the evidence and warrants that they have collected in trying to solve a murder mystery. The focus for the rest of the week will be completing the 3rd nine weeks Reading Assessment and two constructed responses. Also, the students will write an on-demand writing piece by choosing between two writing prompts.

The focus of our class for the remainder of this nine weeks is on-demand writing. We will begin this week with a review of topic sentences with supporting details. Then we will complete activities in which students will choose their audience and purpose for writing.