What can you infer about the narrator of the story?

We went over :

infer-- "figure it out based on clues"
narrator - the person telling the story

Students read chapter 3 of Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper.

Book Groups-

Discuss the focus question and provide evidence for your answer.

Chapter 3 can be found HERE

Close Reading- lesson 1

Reading Closely for Text Evidence    "Falling In Love With Close Reading"  Donalyn Miller
Beginning with the first lense.

 Read through lenses:

1. Choose specific details to gather as data:

• What characters/people: say/think/do
• Relationships
• Setting descriptions
• Time period

1) Play the song "Man in the Mirror"  by Michael Jackson

Ask:  Can you describe to someone sitting next to you what the ideas in this song are, or what messages the song is trying to convey?

2) Write down the ideas/messages

3)  Look at printed lyrics
Now read for details that you may have missed in order to develop new ideas.
Look for the narrators thoughts or actions

Songs like books, have messages to be shared with the world.   The more carefully we pay attention, the closer we read, the more that can be revealed.

Day 1 of Sixth Grade.... Getting to know you (other parent handouts)

Day 1-

Parent Questionnaire:  Click here  for link  


I got this idea  from Edutopia.  Click here for link

Have students record answers  then speak in pairs about each one.  Emphasize using evidence to support their idea.  

A.   It's mostly true for me

B.   It's partly true and not true

C.  It's mostly not true for me

1. I used to think school was pointless. But now I think school is important and I need to learn so I can succeed.

It's mostly true.                        It's partly true and not true.                           It's mostly NOT true for me.   

2. I used to be violent in some situations. But now I am more peaceful and would only use violence where there is a real danger.

It's mostly true.                        It's partly true and not true.                           It's mostly NOT true for me.   

3. I used to think that trying does not matter. But now I believe that the more I try, the more I can succeed.

It's mostly true.                        It's partly true and not true.                           It's mostly NOT true for me.   

4. I used to do what would make me popular with others in school. But now do what I want and what I think is the right thing to do.

It's mostly true.                        It's partly true and not true.                           It's mostly NOT true for me.   

5. I used to be someone who just came to class to pass the time. But now I am someone who wants to be involved in the school and learn.

It's mostly true.                        It's partly true and not true.                           It's mostly NOT true for me.   

After each statement (or others that you may wish to add), ask students in each area of the room to share why they believe as they do. There is great value in students hearing peers' views about why they have turned to a more positive mindset. And it's instructive to the teacher to get a sense of students' views. Note that students may move to an area that they "think" the teacher wants them to.

We started by exploring the history book and filling out map work.

On the map...
Place an X on Egypt
@ on Israel
Color Greece Green
USA Purple
Mediterranean Sea Blue
Label all of the oceans
Find and label the missing continent
Label India and China

Turn to page 380-381 in History book and find the Prime Meridian
Notice which continents and countries it intersects.  Draw the Prime Meridian
Discuss Eastern and Western Hemispheres