Happy Break!

Well, we've just about made it! We are wrapping up a long week today!

Over break, students should read chapters 1-7 in Tuck Everlasting. The chapters are fairly short, and the book is difficult to STOP reading, so I don't see it being tedious work for students. I am also sending home a packet for them to work on as they read. If they do a page or so a day, it will not be difficult or stressful.

If your student missed school today (Friday) please send me an email, and I will email the packet to you. Please email rbarker@columbuspreparatory.org.

Enjoy your winter break, and thank you for all the sweet, generous gifts.

~Ms. Bex

ELA/Science Essay Notes and Formatting Instructions

Good afternoon. Today in class we talked about some major essay revisions needed, including transitions, following a logical outline, and formatting the paper. Here are some notes from the board and an example of how the paper should be formatted.


Board Notes:

Formatting:

Your Name

Ms. Bex

ELA/Science

December 19, 2018

Title

Start your essay here. 

Times New Roman, 12 point font, double spaced. No extra spacing between paragraphs. 

Extra Practice

Good morning! I have had some students ask me for more practice to use during break. StudyIsland has some great activities for reviewing roots and affixes.

We will be starting Tuck Everlasting this week, and students will do some reading and packet work over break.

Science/ELA Essay

Happy Friday!

5th grade students have been working on a project for science class that is now crossing over into ELA. They have been doing dioramas in science and will use the information they gathered to write an essay that will be an ELA grade.

The rough draft (2.5 pages typed) is due Monday for peer review and workshopping. Students have research packets filled out that they should use as an outline to put the paper together. We will work Monday on transitions, introductions, and conclusions.

If students do not have computer access at home, they may handwrite these first drafts, but keep in mind that handwritten pages are generally shorter than typed pages, so 2 1/2 handwritten pages may not be enough to fulfill the minimum.

Here is a rubric to help your student make sure they're achieving highly.

Name: ________________________         Title of Writing: ________________________       

Score	Checklist
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Total: ____	Introduction (Paragraph 1) Does your introductory paragraph include the main idea?  Do you introduce your topic with supporting details? Is your topic stated clearly? Do your supporting details completely relate to the topic? Is your introductory paragraph catchy and does it engage (hook) the reader?
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Total: ____	Body (Paragraphs 3-6, depending on length) Does each paragraph have a clear topic sentence?  Does your writing include facts in your own words (paraphrasing) to support your details and explain your thinking? Does your writing include evidence and specific examples? Do you include evidence-based terms to support your facts (because, according to the text, the author stated, etc.)?
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Total: ____	Conclusion (Last Paragraph) Do you restate (say again) your topic? Did you finish with an ending that leaves the reader satisfied and more knowledgable about your topic? Did you summarize your previous paragraphs?
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Total: ____	Conventions:  Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics  Do you have complete sentences? Is your punctuation and capitalization (beginning of sentences and proper nouns) correct? Is your spelling correct?  Did you indent your paragraphs? Do you have proper grammar?
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Total: ____	Sentence Variation, Organization, and Word Choice  Did you avoid using overused and repetitive language?  Do you include at least three transitional words or phrases (after all, with regard to, in conclusion, etc.)? Did you include domain specific vocabulary?
1 2 3 4 5 Total: ____	Bibliography  Are your resources that were used during the research process listed in alphabetical order by the author’s last name?
Total Score:   ___ /105	Comments from the teacher:

Scrimmage Redo Tomorrow!

The fifth grade ELA classes did not perform well on their last scrimmage. I have opted to have them retake it, and we will be doing that tomorrow. I am adding some more practice worksheets below, but students should definitely study using their interactive notebooks as well, as the worksheets below do not cover everything.

Commas with quotation marks:

Commas and Quotation Marks

DIRECTIONS: Read each sentence. Add commas where necessary.

1. “Wait” Janice said. “I think I have an idea.”
2. “Margaret” Jim said “I think we need to talk.”
3. When we were within earshot I called out “Kimberly! You forgot your backpack!” 4. “I love fall” Mrs. Winter proclaimed. “It is my favorite season.”
5. “Without any evidence” the detective added “there can be no conviction.”
6. “Excuse me” the man asked. “Is anyone sitting here?”
7. “Let me know when you are ready to order” said the boy behind the counter.
8. “If you like these bracelets” Carrie said “you should see my matching earrings.
9. “If Jill borrows your bike” Harry told me “then you can borrow mine.”
10. The policeman called out “Use the crosswalk!”
11. “Fortunately we weren’t late” my mother commented.

Commas and Quotation Marks Answer Key

DIRECTIONS: Read each sentence. Add commas where necessary.

1. “Wait,” Janice said. “I think I have an idea.”
2. “Margaret,” Jim said, “I think we need to talk.”
3. When we were within earshot I called out, “Kimberly! You forgot your backpack!” 4. “I love fall,” Mrs. Winter proclaimed. “It is my favorite season.”
5. “Without any evidence” the detective added, “there can be no conviction.”
6. “Excuse me,” the man asked. “Is anyone sitting here?”
7. “Let me know when you are ready to order,” said the boy behind the counter.
8. “If you like these bracelets,” Carrie said, “you should see my matching earrings.
9. “If Jill borrows your bike,” Harry told me, “then you can borrow mine.”
10. The policeman called out, “Use the crosswalk!”
11. “Fortunately we weren’t late,” my mother commented.

Commas with Appositives/Extra Information
An appositive is a phrase that provides clarifying information about a noun. A pair of commas separate the appositive from the rest of the sentence. The appositive can be removed, and the sentence still makes sense.
DIRECTIONS: Add commas to set off the appositive in each sentence.
1. My dog the one that got killed on the highway is buried in my back yard.
2. My brother’s favorite cake coconut is on sale this week.
3. My computer the most important tool I own broke down yesterday.
4. That man whom I met last week was at the circus too.
5. The book that he was reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is very popular.
6. The crowd which at one point had gotten rowdy was starting to disperse. 
7. My daughter who has blond curly hair does not resemble me.
8. The mornings which are starting to get cool are my favorite time of day. 
9. At dinner time six ‘o’clock we all talk about our day.
10. The man the one who is staying with us misses his family terribly.

Commas with Appositives/Extra Information Answer Key
An appositive is a phrase that provides clarifying information about a noun. A pair of commas separate the appositive from the rest of the sentence. The appositive can be removed, and the sentence still makes sense.
DIRECTIONS: Add commas to set off the appositive in each sentence.
1. My dog, the one that got killed on the highway, is buried in my back yard.
2. My brother’s favorite cake, coconut, is on sale this week.
3. My computer, the most important tool I own, broke down yesterday.
4. That man, whom I met last week, was at the circus too.
5. The book that he was reading, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, is very popular.
6. The crowd, which at one point had gotten rowdy, was starting to disperse. 
7. My daughter, who has blond curly hair, does not resemble me.
8. The mornings, which are starting to get cool, are my favorite time of day. 
9. At dinner time, six ‘o’clock, we all talk about our day.
10. The man, the one who is staying with us, misses his family terribly.

Perfect Tense Practice
DIRECTIONS: Use the information provided to write a sentence in the past, present, or future perfect tense.
1. (he / live here for six years)
2. (John / run all night)
3. (you / talk a lot in class)
4. (we / eat roast beef every night for a week) 
5. (he / stays up late so he’s tired)
6. (they / watch television for hours every night)
7. (I / swimming so I’m really tired)
8. (she / clean the house every weekend for years) 
9. (it / snow, the cars are buried)
10. (you / sleep for three hours)

Perfect Tense Answer Key
DIRECTIONS: Use the information provided to write a sentence in the past, present, or future perfect tense.
1. (he / live here for six years) He had lived here for six years. (past perf)
2. (John / run all night) John has run all night. (present perfect)
3. (you / talk a lot in class) You will have talked a lot in class (fut. perf)
4. (we / eat roast beef every night for a week) We had eaten roast beef every night for a week. (past perfect)
5. (he / stays up late so he’s tired) He has stayed up late, so he's tired. (present perfect)
6. (they / watch television for hours every night) They shall have watched television for hours every night. (future perfect)
7. (I / swimming so I’m really tired) I will have been swimming, so I will be really tired. (future perfect)
8. (she / clean the house every weekend for years) She has cleaned the house every weekend for years. (present perfect)
9. (it / snow, the cars are buried) It had snowed, so the cars were buried. (past perfect)
10. (you / sleep for three hours) You will have slept for three hours. (future perfect)

Which One is Correct?

In each set of sentences below, only one uses commas correctly. Find the correct sentence and write its letter on the line.
1. A. I like chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. 
    B. I like chocolate, vanilla and, strawberry. 
    C. I like chocolate, vanilla, and, strawberry.
2. A. We passed, a store, a church, and a house. 
    B. We passed a store, a church, and, a house.
    C. We passed a store, a church, and a house.
3. A. Jim, Joan, Pete and Kay were there. 
    B. Jim, Joan, Pete, and Kay were there. 
    C. Jim, Joan, Pete, and, Kay were there.
4. A. Put the table, the lamp, the chair, and the box, over there. 
    B. Put the table, the lamp, the chair, and, the box over there. 
    C. Put the table, the lamp, the chair, and the box over there.
5. A. Neither Henry, George, Chip, nor Daryl was disappointed. 
    B. Neither Henry, George, Chip, nor Daryl, was disappointed. 
    C. Neither Henry, George, Chip, nor, Daryl was disappointed.
6. A. Kim ate popcorn, Gummy Bears, Skittles and, chocolate. 
    B. Kim ate popcorn, Gummy Bears, Skittles, and, chocolate. 
    C. Kim ate popcorn, Gummy Bears, Skittles, and chocolate.
7. A. They cheered clapped and screamed at the touchdown. 
    B. They cheered, clapped, and, screamed at the touchdown. 
    C. They cheered, clapped, and screamed at the touchdown.
8. A. Lucy, Mark, and Beth left together. 
    B. Lucy, Mark and, Beth left together. 
    C. Lucy Mark and Beth left together.

Which One is Correct? Answer Key

In each set of sentences below, only one uses commas correctly. Find the correct sentence and write its letter on the line.
1. A. I like chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. 
    B. I like chocolate, vanilla and, strawberry. 
    C. I like chocolate, vanilla, and, strawberry.
2. A. We passed, a store, a church, and a house. 
    B. We passed a store, a church, and, a house.
    C. We passed a store, a church, and a house.
3. A. Jim, Joan, Pete and Kay were there. 
    B. Jim, Joan, Pete, and Kay were there. 
    C. Jim, Joan, Pete, and, Kay were there.
4. A. Put the table, the lamp, the chair, and the box, over there. 
    B. Put the table, the lamp, the chair, and, the box over there. 
    C. Put the table, the lamp, the chair, and the box over there.
5. A. Neither Henry, George, Chip, nor Daryl was disappointed. 
    B. Neither Henry, George, Chip, nor Daryl, was disappointed. 
    C. Neither Henry, George, Chip, nor, Daryl was disappointed.
6. A. Kim ate popcorn, Gummy Bears, Skittles and, chocolate. 
    B. Kim ate popcorn, Gummy Bears, Skittles, and, chocolate. 
    C. Kim ate popcorn, Gummy Bears, Skittles, and chocolate.
7. A. They cheered clapped and screamed at the touchdown. 
    B. They cheered, clapped, and, screamed at the touchdown. 
    C. They cheered, clapped, and screamed at the touchdown.
8. A. Lucy, Mark, and Beth left together. 
    B. Lucy, Mark and, Beth left together. 
    C. Lucy Mark and Beth left together.

Using Commas with Introductory Phrases

If the introductory phrase at the beginning of a sentence cannot act as a full sentence, it must be followed by a comma. If the introductory phrase can act as a full sentence, it must be followed with a semicolon, a period, or a comma used with a conjunction (and, but, for, so, or, etc.). Read each sentence below. If it is punctuated correctly, put a check mark on the line. If it is not punctuated correctly, put an X on the line.

1. After getting stung by a wasp, Derek ran into the house calling for his mother. ____________
2. Having won the contest; Ann let out a whoop and jumped up and down. ____________
3. On his bedroom door Mark has a sign that says, “Keep out”. ______________
4. In fact, dogs have been human companions for tens of thousands of years. _____________

5. On her birthday Agnes got a shiny new red bicycle from her parents. ____________
6. While eating an apple, Jerry told his story. _____________
7. If he wants to buy himself a computer Jim will need an after‐school job. _________
8. Preparing to enter the classroom the new teacher took a deep breath for courage. _________

Using Commas with Introductory Phrases Answer Key

If the introductory phrase at the beginning of a sentence cannot act as a full sentence, it must be followed by a comma. If the introductory phrase can act as a full sentence, it must be followed with a semicolon, a period, or a comma used with a conjunction (and, but, for, so, or, etc.). Read each sentence below. If it is punctuated correctly, put a check mark on the line. If it is not punctuated correctly, put an X on the line.

1. After getting stung by a wasp, Derek ran into the house calling for his mother. ______check______
2. Having won the contest; Ann let out a whoop and jumped up and down. ___x____________
3. On his bedroom door Mark has a sign that says, “Keep out”. _______x_______
4. In fact, dogs have been human companions for tens of thousands of years. _____check________

5. On her birthday Agnes got a shiny new red bicycle from her parents. ____x________
6. While eating an apple, Jerry told his story. _____check________
7. If he wants to buy himself a computer Jim will need an after‐school job. _____x______
8. Preparing to enter the classroom the new teacher took a deep breath for courage. ____x______