It has been quite a month, for sure. There have been lots of people out sick, including me, and lots of car emergencies (oh, wait--that's me, too!)! Okay, technically and grammatically, it should say "that's I," but since I feel as though I am speaking to you rather than writing to you, I am going to use words I would say in conversation:)

Here is Part One of today's skills! Enjoy!

Idiom of the Day
Idiom: When It Rains, It Pours
Please note: Yes, I picked this one due to my having two car emergencies in a row, and it seems to fit!

After having to bring my car to the mechanic twice in the same week, I couldn't help saying, "When it rains, it pours."

Questions to ask: Did I have a positive or a negative experience with my car this week? What does it mean when we say "It is pouring out"? Let's try to connect the two, and talk about why this idiom works in this particular situation!

Writing: Think about a time in your life when you could have used this idiom. Write about It in the space below. 



Second Idiom of the Day
Idiom: After every storm, there is a rainbow.

Even though Sara did not get either of the two jobs she wanted, she realized that after every storm, there is a rainbow.

Questions to ask: When we use the phrase "even though" at the beginning of a sentence, what do you think is going to happen in the second part of the sentence? Will there be a change? Is someone trying to do something despite an obstacle that's in the way? Let's talk about what this means!

Writing: Have you ever found the rainbow at the end of a storm? Write about this idiom even if you have never experienced it yourself. Tell about it in the space below. 



Greek and Latin Roots

Root: inter-
Origin: Latin
Meaning: between or among

Examples: intermittent (yes, your vocabulary word!), interactive, interview, internet, international, interjection (a new part of speech we will learn today!)

Sentence Example: The windshield wipers swept across the glass periodically. I did not need to have them on all the time because it was just a light rain! I was happy to have intermittent wipers that worked in this way.

Your Sentences: Create sentences using at least two of the examples of inter- words listed above OR any words of your choice that contain inter-! Write your sentences below!




Grammar Challenge
Today's Part of Speech: Interjection

Definition: An interjection is a word or phrase that is generally used to show an emotion!
Example: Wow!
Example #2: Ugh!

Note: An interjection is not actually part of a sentence! In fact, if we were to diagram a sentence that contained an interjection, the interjection would be on a line of its own above the actual diagram. I will demonstrate what I mean on the board!

Directions: Please find the interjection in each sentence below! 

1. Oh, no! What will we do now?
2. Did you see what is on the menu for tonight's supper? Ugh!
3. Shh! I can't hear what the teacher is saying!
4. Yay! This is the best class ever!
5. Who made this cake? Yummy!!
6. Hey! Don't I know you?
7. Oh! I thought you wanted me to wait for you!
8. Hmm, I am trying to think of a better way to write this essay!
9. Yes! I can't believe I am going to the Super Bowl!!
10. Did you really think I would forget your birthday? No way!!

Writing: Write three sentences in which each one contains an interjection (from the above sentences or one of your own). I know you can do it! Absolutely!!




Trouble-free Punctuation
Punctuation of the Day: Comma

There is no punctuation mark that is used more often (and sometimes, not often enough) as the comma. It is a mark that seems rather weak, since it does not end a sentence the way a period or a question mark does. It also does not show strong emotion in the way an exclamation point does! Because of this, many people feel they can use this poor punctuation mark the way they want, when they want, and how they want!

But, of course, that's not true!

Tonight, we will begin to tackle the most misunderstood and complex punctuation mark of all: the comma! 

Commas Part One
Commas used in a Series (or the Serial Comma)
Definition: A series is a succession of things, one after another, listed in a sentence. Sometimes the series contains items that are alike, and other times, the items in the series are unrelated. 

A comma is placed between these items so that we can clearly understand where the separation is among them!

Example: I went to the store and purchased chocolate, eggs, sugar, cookies, and coffee.

Note: Do you see that the commas separate each grocery item I bought at the store? What would happen if I did not separate them this way?

Example: I went to the store and purchased chocolate eggs sugar cookies and coffee.

Note: Without any commas, you may make an inference that I bought chocolate eggs, which are often sold during the Christian holiday of Easter! You may also infer that I bought sugar cookies, which are sold all year long (and often baked during various holiday seasons).

Having commas in the correct places within a series helps us know exactly what was bought at the store. We are able to read the sentence more effectively and understand it more easily!

Directions: In the following sentences, decide where a comma should be placed. We will discuss this as a class, but if you would like, you can insert the comma where you think it belongs.

1. Tomas and Azela went to the concert had supper afterward and stopped for ice cream on the way home.

2. I know that John Tom Steve Joshua James Daniel and Isaiah will be at the party on Saturday.

3. I decided to buy three books four pencils and two notebooks for class.

4. I went to Boston Chelsea Somerville Medford and Wakefield before I found the store I was looking for!

5. Don't worry about always getting 100 having the best answers in class or doing everything right all the time.

Note: In number five, you can see an example of parallel sentence structure in how the words "getting," "having," and "doing" are used!

Writing: Create three sentences of your own that include a series of items, but do NOT put the commas where they belong. You will switch papers with or read your sentences to a classmate, who will decide where the commas should go!

Hi, everyone!

In order to get ready for the new term of our school year, let's take a moment to review some of the lessons we have had. Simply follow the directions for each of the sections below that include grammar, punctuation, idioms, literary devices, and some writing. We will review vocabulary later in the week!

Part One.
Grammar Fun
Directions: Please select the correct choice in each of the miscellaneous sentences below. Enjoy!

1. Early this morning, I went (to, two, too) the bank to make a deposit.
2. (Their, They're, There) is my friend Janna, who is standing by the fence.
3. I don't know (who, whom) you are talking about!
4. Please bring two papers for Brian and (I, me).
5. Reynoldo could not believe his brother was able to throw the football farther than (he, him).
6. (Who, Whom) posted this page on the website?
7. Do you know when (their, they're, there) coming to visit?
8. Did you (buy, by) all the groceries you needed?
9. Annie's daughter is (for, fore, four) years old now.
10. (By, Buy) the way, when do you plan on being back in class?
11. (Their, They're, There) house has just been painted a beautiful shade of blue.
12. His GPS instructed him to go much (farther, further) than he should have. 
13. My friends and (I, me) will be joining you at the supper tonight.
14. Have you ever taken a cruise (to, two, too) Hawaii?
15. Do you need to (so, sew) that rip in your sweater?
16. How long will it (be, bee) before you are able to go on vacation again?
17. It's sometimes better to say "maybe" before you say "yes" or ("know," "no").
18. Did you (know, no) the answer to that last question?
19. We will be staying in a wonderful little (in, inn) that has a beautiful view of the city.
20. I hope you did this last question correctly, (to, two, too).

Part Two.
Parts of Speech
Directions: Please select the correct part of speech that answers the question most accurately.

Example: Tom and I will be heading to the concert tonight. 
Question: Is "Tom" a noun, pronoun, or verb? _____Answer: noun________________________________

1. I will be walking to school tomorrow.
Question: Is "to" a noun, pronoun, or preposition? _____________________________________________

2. John and Cyndi will bring food to the party.
Question: Is "food" used as a verb, direct object, or preposition? __________________________________

3. This test is easy!
Question: Is "is" a noun, verb, or adjective? ___________________________________________________

4. The sky is beautiful!
Question: Is "beautiful" a noun, verb or adjective? _____________________________________________

5. Joan, my sister, will be having another party in February.
​Question: Are the words "my sister" a preposition, direct object, or appositive?

Part Three
Punctuation
Directions: Please answer Yes or No to indicate whether the punctuation marks are used correctly in the following sentences.

1. Grammar is very interesting,                Yes     No
2. This book is great!                                 Yes     No
3. Where did you go last night.                Yes    No
4. Is this your younger sister?                   Yes    No    
5. I am working on my paper now.           Yes    No
6. I was born in Boston, MA.                     Yes    No             Note: For this sentence, we are looking at the comma.

Part Four
Literary Devices
Directions: Please answer True or False to show your understanding of whether the literary terms are used correctly in the following sentences.

1. "I have looked everywhere for my keys" is an example of hyperbole.                              True     False
2. "The hot tea seemed to hiss angrily at me" is an example of personification.                 True     False
3. "Sandy sold silver sparkly stones at the seashore stand" is an example of
alliteration.                                                                                                                               True     False
4. If I am afraid of the water, yet I become a lifeguard, this is an example of
irony.                                                                                                                                         True     False
5. If a basketball goes "swish" through the hoop, I have just used
onomatopoeia.                                                                                                                          True     False   

Part Five
More Literary Devices
Directions: Please fill in the blanks below using one of the literary terms from the Word Bank.     

first person          persuasive          metaphor         simile         third person      rhetorical question     protagonist
antagonist           conflict                climax              anecdote     biography        autobiography             dialogue

1. "Crissy is as sweet as sugar" is an example of ___________________________________________.

2. When I write a story using the pronouns I, me, my, or our, for instance, I am using ______________________
_________________________________________ point of view.

3. Every type of writing has to be ________________________________ in some form because the object is for us to agree with a particular point of view.       

4. The problem every fictional story has to have is also called the ________________________________.

5. When we read the words that a character speaks in a story, which are often shown within quotation marks, the words we read are an example of ______________________________________.

6. The ___________________________________ of a story is the person or force that goes against the main character and tries to stop them from getting what they want.               

7. The ____________________________________ is another name for the main character in a story.

8. "Ted is a fish when he jumps in the pool" is an example of a __________________________, which is a direct comparison between two things that would otherwise not be alike at all!       

9. When I tell you a story about what happened during a morning traffic jam, I am telling what is known as an ______________________. 

10.  The point of view in a story in which the narrator is not part of the story and talks about events as though he is watching them from the outside is called ________________________  __________________________ point of view.

11. When your friend says, "Can you believe how long I've had to wait," this is an example of a __________________
________________________________________ because your friend is not really looking for a response; he is only trying to express an emotion!

12. The highest point of action in a story is the _____________________________; it is that moment when we cannot wait to see what will happen next, and it is thought of as the most exciting part of a story.   

13. When I write the story of my life, I am writing an ______________________________________.

14. But if you write one about me, your book will be called a _______________________________.

Part Six
Writing
Directions: Please continue the story I have started below. Be sure to maintain the verb tenses, point of view, and parallel sentence structure. To expand the story, please write at least two more paragraphs! For us, this means we are going to write ten more sentences in all. Be sure to separate your paragraphs according to the main idea; if you find yourself writing about one thing for a bit and then you start to go in a different direction, this is when you need to separate into a new paragraph! Good luck!

     Danny and Jay had worked hard on a construction project and were ready to take a break. They decided to sit at a nearby park to cool off and enjoy some foods from a hot dog stand. But before they could even take a bite from their lunches, Jay noticed someone he had not seen in years walking towards him. It was his old friend Mike, and he did not look happy to see him at all!







Part Seven
Writing II
Argument Writing

Directions: Please continue this argument essay, defending your point of view with at least three reasons (your evidence) that support your claim. We will continue this when I return to school!

     Everyone has a voice that should be heard.