I can determine and author's point of view or reason for a text.

Today we reviewed and took the close reading test. Review the PowerPoint below and then take the test.

Download the test and the text to complete.

I can identify various types of internal text structures.

Today we took some notes on internal text features to get ready for the Close Reading "Test."

Review the Prezi and fill in the notes below so that you will be ready for the test.
For the back side of the notes go to the Scholastic website and read any article from the website.

We free read for the rest of the day, and I got new books!

I can compare different mediums of nonfiction texts.

Today we took the Pop Culture Friday test. Below you will find the test.

Part A on the test requires you to listen to an audio version of FDR's 1941 State of the Union Address. Go to this link: http://millercenter.org/president/speeches/detail/3320 to listen. You will see the audio player on the right hand side of the web page. Skip ahead in the speech until there is only 7:32 left. Then listen through until the end.

I can compare a nonfiction text in different mediums.

John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States. When he became president he gave a speech that became famous. We compared the written speech to the video of him giving the speech today. Please click on this link to learn about what was going on in the world when Kennedy gave his speech. Then watch the video and read the speech. While you do this, fill out the practice test. This will ensure that you are ready to take the test tomorrow.

Watch 1:00-4:05 and 7:45-15:20)

Tomorrow's test does not look exactly like this page, but it is very close. At the bottom of tomorrow's test there will be extra credit. The extra credit is to write a rap that has the same main idea as the text we read/watch. For more information about how to write a rap, click here. (Focus on steps 1-4.)

After you have done this worksheet, practice annotating using the worksheet below.

I can identify and create a compound sentence.
I can determine an author's bias.

Today came in two parts. (As you can see above) I was out sick, so most of class time was spent learning and practicing out of the book. Sad.

If you were absent, you need to do the worksheet we did, but I will link to some other sources for the teaching part.

Here is the worksheet.

The second period was spent looking at author's bias. When you get back to school you can read the article out of the book and answer the questions.

I can annotate an article in various ways.

We started class by watching this Jim Gaffigan video.

Just like Jim misunderstood David's email because he couldn't see who was writing it or hear what David sounded like, it can be easy for us to misunderstand a text. On thing that can help us understand a text better is by annotating it, or making connections and writing ideas down. Below is a Prezi we watched. (Just view the slides about annotation and "Monster" by Imagine Dragons.) Below that is a copy of the lyrics to Imagine Dragons' song "Monster" on a worksheet and instructions for how to annotate the lyrics. For this worksheet you will need:

• The worksheet
• 5 different colors of crayons (or pencils)
• To read the lyrics at least 5 times