Writing Skills
May-June
We’ve begun the states unit! This exciting unit will challenge you to study two states and sell a vacation package to your classmates through a written and visual sales pitch.
The due dates are as follows:
First draft of research write up – Farnsworth: 5/11, Younge: 5/14
Final draft of research – Farnsworth: 5/18, Younge: 5/20
Art work – Farnsworth: 5/25, Younge: 5/27
Here is a useful link to the fourth grade resources webpage on the library website to help you research (scroll all the way down):
http://blogs.dalton.org/mslibrary/4th-grade-resources/
http://blogs.dalton.org/associates/geography
Here is a link to the assignment description: states assignment
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Get ready for this! Next week we will be holding our Pilgrim/Shine Debates!
The question to consider is:
Which Voyage, the pilgrims or the people of Shine, was more successful?
Your job is to write up notes to help you argue your team’s points. A good argument uses sources to back up claims, so pull quotes from the Green Book and reference any primary or secondary sources from the pilgrims you can think of.
Good luck!
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Darling students! This week, I’d like you to write me a very detailed paragraph about something that happened over break. Please avoid simply making a list of events. Instead, I’d like you to focus on one or two things and get very creative with descriptions, emotions, adjectives, adverbs, and anything else to make your writing beautiful. Surprise me!
Farnsworth: due Friday 4/3
Younge: due Monday 4/6
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February 23-27
Spelling and Writing Skills combine in order to give you ample time to finish your Creative Homophone Project! (click the link for the assignment sheet)
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February 16-20
My apologies for the slight delay, I wasn’t here last week…
Now back to our regularly scheduled program! This week Spelling and Writing Skills are merging to take on Homophones! For next week, you’ll finish the packet you will have started in class. Have fun with it!
Younge: due 2/25
Farnsworth: see Ms. Kirsch’s blog, please
[you can see the homophone dictionary here]
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February 2-6
Another exciting week, another exciting assignment!
Farnsworth:
This week you will be working some more on proper dialogue. Your assignment is to create an interesting dialogue between any two characters. If you have started planning or writing your Cinderella story, it might be easier to use two of your own characters!
Your dialogue should be at least 5 lines for each character, ten total. Good luck and have fun!
Younge:
You will be working on your quotation packet, which is due Monday 2/9
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January 26-30
Hello my brilliant Writing Skills students!
This week, your homework is to understand the ins and outs of writing dialogue. Your quotation packet will be due:
Farnsworth: Friday 1/30
Younge: Monday 2/9
(Link to packet: quotation)
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January 19-23
This week, your assignment is more of a reflective piece than what we’ve done previously. I’d like you to reflect on the inauguration as not only a new chapter in America’s government, but a new chapter in history. Think about all the parts we saw in the library from the procession of the former presidents to the oath itself. What part struck you? What held the most significance for you? Was it his speech? Elizabeth Alexander’s poem? Write about what the inauguration and the part with the most significance means to you.
I’d also like you to write a second paragraph detailing for me what you would like to see change with the changing of presidents. What would you like to see Obama do for you, your country, and/or your world. The floor is yours, let your ideas and wishes flow! (Perhaps we’ll even send them to the White House!)
Below is Obama’s full speech, Rev. Warren’s invocation, Rev. Lowery’s benediction, and Elizabeth Alexander’s poem for your review.
