HW from Thursday, 4/6/17

Due on (and before!) Tuesday, 4/11/17

1) Correct any mistakes on the poems I gave back to you in class yesterday (one gerund poem and three cinquains). Retype them and print beautiful copies (two separate documents) for your writing folder. Staple the old, graded copy behind the beautiful one. Please also email the two documents to me at my regular email address so that I can copy and paste the poems onto the blog.

2) Read over the handouts I gave you yesterday in class about "Theme." (These are compiled from a website, not composed by me. They are mostly talking about how to figure out the theme in a piece of literature you're reading, but it will help you get a good idea of what a "theme" is and how it differs from just a subject.)

3) You will be working a theme into your final story of the year, which we will begin next week. After looking over the list of theme ideas in the handouts, decide what theme you would like to illustrate in your final story. Send this information to me in a text or email before class next Tuesday, 4/11. (Don't send it to Markup.)

4) Continue to look over the next poem you've chosen to memorize for recitation. Read it a few times and make sure you really do like it enough to want to commit it to memory. Take a few initial stabs at starting to memorize it. You have until next Tuesday to make a final decision and turn in your printed copy of the poem. (I gave extra credit to those of you who had your printed poems yesterday in class.) If you decide to change your mind at this point, that's fine. Tuesday you will turn it in and the decision will be final. See the last blog post for guidelines about choosing your poem. (Do not forget to include the title and author in the copy you print to turn in!)

5) Be giving some thought to your final story. What setting will you use? Who will some of your characters be? What plot will you use to illustrate the theme you've chosen? We will begin working on this story on Tuesday, and you will be well served if you have given some thought to these things beforehand. Use your weekend downtime to "scheme and dream" about your story! 😊

6) If you have not already done so, finish reading The Extraordinary Ordinary Life of Mark Rodriguez. (This was to be completed by the end of Spring Break, but I have extended a "grace deadline" to those of you who have taken longer to read it. You must finish it before class next Tuesday, 4/11.) Send me an email at my regular email address to let me know as soon as you have finished it.

7) You should be ready to recite any of the three verses you've memorized at any time. 

Also, daily:

+ Read your (approved) reading log book for pleasure, aiming for at least 30 minutes daily. Mark the number of minutes on your Reading Log calendar (in multiples of five, rounded down) as you go along.

+ Write in your gratitude journal daily, aiming for three things but listing at least one thing you are thankful for each day. When you have done so, place a small check mark in the top corner of your Reading Log calendar for that day.

+ Review one of your Scripture memory verses each day, such that you keep all of them fresh in your memory at all times and each verse gets reviewed at least once per week. You should be ready to recite any of the three verses you've memorized at any time.

NOTE: The April Reading Log will be due, signed by a parent, on Thursday, 4/27/17.