Category Archives: Good Reads

Last Weekend of Winter

Here are my totals for the weekend, beloveds. March 15- 35 minutes, March 16 – 41 minutes

Bring your copy of Holes to class on Monday, March 17.  We will be reading in class, and I don’t want you to miss out on a single thing.  Also, wear green to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.  If you like Sonic Drive-In, give the cook in your family a break and head there on Monday.  The cheeseburgers are half-price all day long.  Enjoy!

I am about one-third of the way through House of Hades by Rick Riordan.  Hopefully, I can finish before tomorrow morning. If you see me before my coffee, don’t make eye contact because I’ve been up all night reading, most likely.

The Fabulous Mrs. Johnson <><

P. S. Remember the first day of spring is Thursday, March 20.

Book Fair Visit

We went to the Scholastic Book Fair today during our class and then began working on our Embedded Assessment: Creating a TV Newscast.  Students were placed into collaborative groups and will be working on the project on Thursday and Friday of this week.  We will have a vocabulary quiz over Unit VI words on Friday, February 14.  If your student missed out on buying a new read, then he or she can come before or after school on Thursday and Friday.  Mrs. Taber gave an exciting talk about several interesting titles including The Raft  and Out Law.

Mrs. Johnson <><

Isaac Singer Short Stories

Students were asked to read Isaac Singer’s “Utzel and His Daughter Poverty” and “The Parakeet Named Dreidel” in our Authors in Depth readers during class today.  I have placed the short story’s text below in the event that your student didn’t finish the assignment.  All work is due Monday, February 3, 2014.

We won’t need Louis Sachar’s Holes until February 18, 2014.  My apologies for asking a bit too soon.  Have a great weekend. God bless.

Mrs. Johnson <><

Utzel and His Daughter Poverty

The Parakeet Named Dreidel

Langston Hughes

Check the class calendar to get links to the biography video and audio connected with our lesson using Langston Hughes’ short story “Thank You, Ma’am.”

Here is the text of the poem “A Dream Deferred” by Langston Hughes.  You heard it read during the biography video.

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore–
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over–
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Mrs. Johnson <><

“Arachne”

Here is the text of the story we read in class today.  Students will be taking a short assessment using their notes and text in class on Thursday, November 21, 2013.  Please encourage your student to continue reading his or her SSB (sustained silent reading) book in preparation for their fiction book report.  The book needs to be completed by Wednesday, December 4, 2013.  Thank you.

Mrs. Johnson <><

Arachne by Olivia Coolidge

The Real Little Mermaid

In class today, we discussed expository writing based on the fairy tale “The Little Mermaid” and the Disney movie of the same name.  Here is the original version of “The Little Mermaid” by Hans Christian Andersen.  I warned the students that the original version doesn’t end well for the main character.  Read it for yourself to find the true context of the story.

Little Mermaid

Mrs. Johnson <><

Lewis Carroll’s Words of Art

Check the class calendar to find out today’s special holiday and thought for the day if you missed out hearing one in class today.  As promised, here are the excerpts from Lewis Carroll.  You must use the text to answer questions from the reading.

From Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Humpty Dumpty From Through the Looking Glass

Be good, and I’ll see you in class on Monday!

Mrs. Johnson <><

P. S.  I cannot post a copy of “Alberic the Wise” online, so if you need to finish up, please come in to tutorials on Monday morning at 7:55 A.M.  I will be there.

Class Notes – November 5, 2013

We went to the library today and practiced our researching skills to find a new book that we would enjoy reading.  Mrs. Taber mentioned a wonderful site that can help find a book similar to something they’ve already read.  It’s not just for kids, so parents and grandparents feel free to try it out, too.

www.yournextread.com

Mrs. Johnson <><