BACK IN CLASS!!
 Welcome Back, Everyone! 

I am so excited to begin the new school year with all of you! This Lessons Page is where you will find materials for what was taught in class that day or what can be used for practice right after! It is important to note that if you truly have to miss a day of school, this is the place to visit where you will find a general overview of what you missed and what you can then make up. 

This page will keep you on track with all your assignments, so please refer to it often!

You will be responsible for following directions and completing this work, which can then be sent to me on the Writing Page. Your work can also be written on paper, if you prefer, and later passed in to me when you return to school. 

Let's begin!

Part One:
Idiom(s) of the Day
An idiom is a type of figurative language, a twist in the literal meaning of words we may know, that has a very different meaning from a dictionary definition! Some people may refer to an idiom as a saying because this new meaning has become an expression that people now say.

For those of us who are native speakers of languages other than English, idioms can be a nuisance because they cannot be translated word for word! So...in this class, you will be provided with at least one idiom every day to help you understand these expressions when you come across them in the English language, whether that be in print (in books, magazines, etc.) or in oral communication with others.

Today, we will begin with three idioms. Each idiom will be indicated in bold print in the sentences below. We will discuss the meaning of each one, so please have your pens and pencils ready to go!

1. Ricky didn't know if he would mind the long commute to work, but he decided to let the chips fall where they may. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. It's raining cats and dogs outside right now! ________________________________________________________
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3. Everyone in this class has a goal, and because of this we are all in the same boat! ________________________
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Part Two:
Question and Answer Section (Inverted!)
This particular section has you thinking backwards:) Instead of my providing you with a question (and your  giving me the answer), I will give you the answer....and you will come up with a question. This means that there could be many questions that are acceptable--as long as the answer I have given you fits with your question!

Example:
My Answer: It will be great!
Your Possible Question: What do you think about this new school year at SCALE?

We can see how the question provided can be answered with "It will be great!"

Now let's look at a possible question that will NOT work.
Wrong Question: How are you?

We can see that the question does not match the answer provided!

Let's Try This One Together. Write down your question for this answer, and we will share them!
Answer: This is the best holiday!
Question: ________________________________________________________________________________________

We can see that there could be a few different questions provided because we all have our own preferences. We just need to be sure that we phrase the question in such a way that my answer will work!

Now Try This One Independently!
Answer: There are twelve of them.
Question: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Part Three:
Literary Terms
This is the section in which a new vocabulary word (that is primarily used to talk about reading and literature) is introduced or reviewed. These literary terms will also be referred to as literary devices. Since a device is a tool, the point of this section is to gather as many tools as possible to be able to discuss literature beyond basic comprehension!

Our first literary term:
Alliteration 
Before defining alliteration for you, I am going to provide a sentence that contains this literary device and ask you to think about the words I have selected here!

Red roses rarely rise near the rear garden rail.

You may say the words out loud to hear this device in action! What do you notice about several of the words used? ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Here is another one:
Tom took two trips to the tool shed.

Or:
Chris found Cam the kitten on the kitchen counter.
What is your definition of alliteration?
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Now create one of your own! _______________________________________________________________________

Part Four:
Grammar
I like to think of grammar as the mechanics of all good writing.

Of course, we need a great idea before beginning the writing process. Then, we need to understand sentence structure in order to place that great idea in good, sequential order. We also need to use concise vocabulary to put our great idea across most effectively.

But we also need to know how and when to use various forms of words, different types of punctuation, capital letters and more so that our idea is showcased in its best light! A knowledge of good grammar allows our writing to shine!

We will start today with the noun as the possible subject of a sentence!
(Note: I said possible because my other option would be a pronoun, which we will talk about another day!)

In short, a noun is a person, place, thing, or idea/feeling. We can look at the Blackboard Skills Page to see the many options for this important part of speech. Let's take a moment to do so right now, but I also encourage you to review this page later tonight or when you need to refresh your knowledge of nouns!

Exercise I:
Please Identify all nouns in the sentences that follow. Underline or circle them on your corresponding sheets.
1. Sammi is a strong player on that baseball team.
2.Rachael found a pearl in an opened oyster by the sea.
3. Jerri loved every song he heard at the concert.
4. Do you understand the question?
5. Have you ever visited Camden, Maine?
6. Freedom is a right of all Americans.
7. Seamus was filled with happiness during the holidays.

Now that we have spent some time talking about nouns, we will switch for a moment to how a noun can be used. Since there are a few different ways, today we will look at the noun as the subject of a sentence. 

A subject of a sentence can best be described as the person, place, thing, or idea that is actually doing the main action! 

Example: Tom threw the football for a touchdown.
Note: There are three nouns in this sentence. Can you name them? ________________________________________
Of these three, which one is completing an action? 
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Example 2: Even though it was a very cold day, Judi wore only a light sweater to the game.
Note: There are four nouns in this sentence (along with lots of other words, clauses, and phrases that we will talk about in the days ahead!). Can you name them? _______________________________________________________
Which noun is the only one that is actually doing an action? _____________________________________________

Directions: In this exercise, which you can now try on your own, underline the nouns as you read each sentence...BUT select only the subject of each sentence, and write it on the line that follows.

Remember: Each subject in the sentences below will be the noun that is doing the main action each time!

1. Simone bought three tops at the Burlington Mall. ________________________________
2. Juan knew a lot about Geometry and did well on his test. _________________________
3. While driving to work one morning, Jeannette saw a puppy on the side of the road. _______________________
4. In September, our new class met for the first time! _________________________
5. After getting out of school for the day, Deshawn decided to have pizza with his friends.
6. Teri enjoyed a good cup of coffee in the morning._________________________
7. Dave and Neil played sports, for which they won several awards._______________________________
8. Is Nikki going to the movies this weekend? ________________________________
9. Will Phil pass all exams next week? ______________________________________
10. Kevin is a great hockey player! ____________________________

Part Five:
Greek and Latin Roots
Another way to increase our knowledge of vocabulary is to study Greek and Latin roots, which form the basis for many words in the English language. In this way, we may be able to decipher an unknown word based on part of a word that has a Greek or Latin origin.

Today's Example:

Root:  anti-                Origin: Greek             Meaning: against              Examples: antibacterial
                                                                                       opposite                               antisocial                                                                                                                     
Word Definitions:
antibacterial: preventing/stopping the spread of bacteria
antisocial: not wanting the company of others
                            
Sentence Example: Antibacterial dishwashing liquid may stop the spread of germs on your dishes.
Sentence Example: Some people appear to be antisocial, when in fact, they may actually be shy.

Try These Questions:

1. True      False                 If you don't want to get sick, using antibacterial soap may be a good idea.
2. True      False                 Tommy was antisocial; he loved to go to parties and have a great time.
3. True      False                 Someone who is anti-war is against violence.
4. True      False                 The anti-hero in a story is likely to have a lot of confidence.
5. True      False                 An antidote for a snake bite will hopefully stop an infection from spreading.

As we can see, understanding the meaning of just one root can help us identify the meaning of many other words!

Part Six:
Writing
We will be writing each and every day, sometimes in response to passages we read or new material we learn. Other times, we will write according to structured outlines for particular styles. The purpose of these styles could be to persuade (which every single type of writing does in one way or another!), to describe, to explain, to argue, or to express feeling/be creative. 

Today's piece of writing will be the latter (the last one!) of the styles mentioned above! I will provide an opening sentence to jumpstart a story you will write in teams! Each member of your team will work together in contributing sentences to create a unique story of any genre (type) you would like. It could be mysterious, suspenseful, funny, serious, or any combination that works for you! 

The only guidelines you need to follow will be:

• Maintain the same point of view throughout your story
• Use good sentence structure at all times
• Include effective verbs to move your story along
• Use proper punctuation and capital letters as necessary
• Have fun!!

Note: You may take turns writing a sentence of your own or select one member of your team to write down everyone's ideas on the form below. (Be sure to list all names on the bottom of this form.) This person (or someone else you choose!) will then be asked to read your story to the class. Keep writing until I ask you to stop (I will warn you when time is almost up!). I cannot wait to hear the different stories you create!

Here is your opening sentence:

     The day Sarita found the ring had not started out the way she had planned. _____________________________
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Hi! 
The following instructions will give you an overview of some activities you can complete:

1) Please carefully read my message on the Summer page of this website! Use a notebook to brainstorm ideas about what I would like you to try!

​2) Next, go to the Writing page and enjoy a fun assignment listed there! Please remember to follow directions in submitting your work to me. Every once in a while, I will receive an assignment that does not have a student's name OR I will discover that a student forgot to press the Submit button (resulting in my never getting their work). 

3) Finally, read something you enjoy, and write your reaction to the story in a notebook. In this case, I am looking for exactly what you liked or did not like about the story, the characters, the setting, and more. Did you agree with what the characters did or how they handled the problem/conflict? What would you have done differently? Are you happy with how it ended? Have fun with this activity!! You can feel free to repeat this activity every time you read!

4) Continue to READ often. Find a book you enjoy, and try to establish a specific time to read every single day. This is one of the most important things you can do as an independent learner! And if you do not like the book you have chosen, simply find another one that you do!! There are too many wonderful books in the world; don't waste your time trying to read one that does not speak to you!!

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Directions: Today you will take each type of narration and maintain its components by continuing to write the story that has been introduced. To do so, we need to review what first, second, and third person point of view entail.

First Person Point of View: This type of narration is when YOU tell the story, similar to how you may write in a journal, and you use the following pronouns: I, me, my, mine, our, ours, us, we

Example #1: I was sitting on the beach one day when it all happened. My friend from high school, whom I had not seen in years, was suddenly approaching me from the sandy shore. My first thought was where had she been all this time?


Second Person Point of View: This type of narration uses the pronouns you, your, yours while describing a scene that does not include you as the writer.

Example #2: You walk into a dark alley, which you realize was not the best choice. You suddenly decide not to risk it, and you turn to head back to your car. But something stops you before you can move.


Third Person Omniscient Point of View: This type of narration is the most flexible, and it allows you to tell a story from the outside looking in. You, as the writer, are not in the story itself, but you can get into the minds of each character if you would like. (Note: The word omniscient is defined as knowing everything.)

Pronouns you could use would be: he, his, her, hers, his, their, theirs, it, its, himself, herself, itself, them, themselves

Example #3: The concert arena was filled with thousands of excited spectators. They had just been informed by the DJ that one lucky guest would win a backstage pass to meet the band, while another would win a bag of t-shirts, CDs, and other fan gear. Simone and her friends held onto their tickets tightly, each one waiting to see if her seat number would be selected as the winner tonight.


Important Note: Third Person Limited Point of View differs from the above omniscient point of view in that while you are still not in the story, you can only allow the reader to know the thoughts of one of the characters. (You are limited to selecting only one character whose thoughts and feelings you can reveal.) We will not be using this viewpoint in today's exercises, but we will in the future!


YOUR TURN:

Now...go back to Example #1, which is listed above, and use it as a story starter. Continue to write a story using the correct point of view shown in that example. Do this with Examples #2 and #3, as well. Each story should continue from the viewpoint used in the introductory sentences. This is the same type of activity that we have done all year with story starters and photo prompts--except this time, we are focusing on point of view in particular!

In the end, you will have three different pieces of writing that were completed in three different viewpoints. The stories can be as long or as short as you would like, but please remember to maintain the point of view that is consistent with that particular exercise!

As always, enjoy the process! I know you will do well with this activity, and I cannot wait to read the stories you will tell! 

Be sure to type each story into the box on our Writing Page, include your email address, and hit Submit when you have finished! You can submit one story at a time or all three of them at once! The box will extend as you type, so you do not have to worry that the length of your story is greater than what the box can hold!

Thank you so much for working so hard this summer! Have a great day!

A Big Hello to Everyone! I hope you're having a great week. It's nice to finally see some sun, and I truly hope this continues for a bit! The following exercises are more review work to keep your grammar skills sharp! Please continue to feel free to send me your answers and essays (on the writing form), and I will send you any corrections and edits. I have received some nice essays so far, and I am happy to see so many of you working hard beyond regular school hours! Keep up the great work!

Part One:
Subject Work
Directions: Please select the subject(s) in each sentence below. Remember that there may be more than one per sentence, so check to be sure the main verb works best with the subject you choose.
Example:
Matt and Issa played basketball all day.
Matt and Issa (without the word "and") make up the compound subject in this sentence. The main verb or predicate is played, which works with both Matt and Issa. 

Your Turn:
1. Sheralyn, a crossing guard for the children, worked Monday through Friday every morning of the school year.  Subject: __________________________________
2. Kenika and Jill selected some nice back-to-school clothes from Macy's yesterday.
Subject: _____________________________________________
3. There were two boys waiting for ice cream at the new store.
Subject: (Hint: The subject is NOT there, which is an adverb! Ask yourself which noun or pronoun in the sentence is doing the action!) ___________________________________
4. Dave and Domenic, two young men from Somerville, were picked to play in the NFL!
Subject: ______________________________________________
5. The quick and compassionate firefighters were able to guide an entire family out of a burning building. Subject: ______________________________________
6. There are four puppies waiting for adoption at the MSPCA. 
Subject: ______________________________________________
7. Where is your new house located? Subject: ________________________________
(Hint: Flip the question into a statement to make it easier to find both the subject and the verb!)
8. My summer dress was a lovely shade of purple! Subject: ________________________
9. Did you find your lost keys? Subject: ______________________________________
10. The pancakes, French Toast, eggs, and bacon were cooked to perfection!
Subject: _________________________________________________________________

Part Two:
​Find the Appositives Above!
Directions: In the ten sentences above (in Part One), you will find two appositives. Write them in the spaces provided below.

Remember: An appositive is a word or group of words that renames a noun in a sentence. 
Example: Massachusetts, our home state, has been very rainy this summer.

Our home state is the appositive because it is renaming Massachusetts. It is another way to refer to Massachusetts! You could use it in place of Massachusetts, and the sentence would still make sense, as in the following:

Our home state has been very rainy this summer.

You could also remove the appositive, and the rest of the sentence would make sense, as well.

Massachusetts has been very rainy this summer.

Now find the two appositives in Part One, and list them on these lines:
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Part Three:
Phrase Work
Directions: Please find the prepositional phrases in the sentences below. Write them on the line that follows.

Example: The people at the concert were clapping wildly!
At the concert is a prepositional phrase that shows position. It begins with the preposition at, and it tells where the people were. This means it is an adverb phrase of place, as well. 

Your Turn:
1. It was difficult to resist the delicious ice cream at the carnival. 
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2. Where in the front yard did you find your keys?
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3. I love to spend a day at the beach!
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4. Do you prefer to be in the sand or by the shore? (Hint: There are two in this one!)
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5. I bought so many books from Barnes and Noble!
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Part Four: 
Clause Work
Directions: Please find the clauses in the sentences below! Remember that a clause differs from a phrase in that it contains a verb and usually begins with a conjunction!

Example: The house that Taylor almost bought last year was for sale once again.
The clause in bold print provides extra information about the house, but it does not rename it. It also includes the word bought, which is a verb; this tells me it cannot be a phrase! Also, that is used as a conjunction!

Try these:
1. Sally and Rowena went down to the Cape, but they could not find a place to stay!
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2. Our neighbor's grass never seems to grow, yet she mows it every single week.
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3. If I call this number, will I get a person or a machine on my phone?
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4. Do not leave your house until you hear from me!
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5. My sister took a nice vacation, and she relaxed and had a great time!
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BONUS: Which of the above clauses are independent clauses (meaning they can stand alone) and which ones are dependent (meaning they must rely on the rest of the sentence to make sense)?
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I hope you had fun with these exercises, and I look forward to receiving your work! Have a wonderful evening!
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