November 18, 2024 Skills

Hi, everyone! Here are tonight's skills, filled with both new items and a review of oldies! As always, enjoy the process!

Part One.
Idiom of the Day
Directions: The following sentence contains an idiom in italics. Let's read the sentence carefully to make an inference about its figurative meaning.

     When Paul did not get the promotion at work yet again, it was the last straw. He decided it was time to           look for a new job.

Note: Before deciphering this idiom's meaning, reread the first part of the sentence and form an inference about how Paul feels about his situation. Is this a positive or negative experience for him? Has this happened to him before? 

Write your own definition for this idiom here:

Has anything ever happened to you in which you could say "This is the last straw!" Take a few minutes to discuss this with another student sitting nearby; perhaps you will both have similar situations to talk about. If you have not had a problem such as Paul had, think about something that could cause someone else to feel this way. 

Write about what it means to feel as though something is "the last straw" in the space below. As always, use complete sentence structure!


Part Two.
Adage of the Day
Directions: In the past two weeks, we have discovered that adages are bits of wisdom or advice that are told to help us in our daily lives. They do not have the same type of figurative meaning as idioms do, but they are still often categorized with them.

Today's adage: The squeaky wheel gets the oil.

Questions to ask yourself: What is the literal meaning of the adage above? What would happen if your wheel (or tire) started to squeak or your engine started making a strange noise? What would your first reaction be  to something like this and why? How can we apply this adage to our own lives?

(Remember that something that is literal means exactly as the words state! Something that is figurative, such as an idiom, must be figured out! In an adage, we take the literal meaning and apply it to a situation we may be dealing with! We use the adage as a bit of advice on how to handle problems that may arise in life!)

Write the meaning of the above adage here, as well as any situations you can think of in which it may be beneficial for us to squeak:

Part Three
Literary Terms
Today's Literary Device: Exposition

Definition: The exposition of a story usually occurs in the first few paragraphs or pages of a novel. This is where the characters are introduced, the setting is described, and all the most important pieces of information are explained to us so that we can then read the story more effectively!

Your Question: After reading the definition above, what do you feel is the importance of exposition in a story? What would happen to us, as readers, if an author failed to provide enough exposition at the start of a novel? Write your answers here:

Bonus: How do you think exposition is shown in a movie?


Part Four
Grammar Challenge
Directions: Your challenge today is to show understanding of the direct and indirect objects we have spoken about in the last week or two. Please follow each set of directions in the exercises below.

Example: Name the direct object in the following sentence.
Tom, a neighbor of mine, bought presents for everyone on our block.

Always find the verb first, when trying to decide if the sentence contains a direct object. Then ask the questions what or whom in regard to this verb. In the sentence above, the verb is bought. You would ask: Tom bought what? Your answer, presents, is your direct object.

Your Turn:
Please find the direct object(s) in each of the sentences below.

1. The students at SCALE wrote wonderful argument essays in class yesterday.

2. All of the children at the Hancock School rode bikes to class in the spring.

3. Dave and Jayson passed the basketball and scored points during the game. (Note: There are two verbs and two direct objects in this sentence!)

4. The custodian washed all the floors in the building after the winter storm.

5. Tia and Sal ran a garage in which they fixed cars and pumped gas. (Note: There are three verbs and direct objects in this sentence!)

Directions #2: Please find the indirect objects in the sentences below. Remember that if a sentence contains an indirect object, it MUST contain a direct object as well because this is what the indirect object is receiving!!

Example: Give the notebook to Jorge.

Let's first find the verb, which is the word give. Next, let's see if there is a direct object. Ask yourself give what? The direct object would be notebook.

But we are not finished! The indirect object is the receiver of the direct object! This means that the notebook would be given to someone or something in the sentence above. Who is receiving the notebook? Jorge! Jorge is the indirect object!!

Your Turn:
Please find the indirect objects in the sentences below.

1. Pass the papers to Bill.

2. The children gave their teacher a birthday card. (Careful on this one!)

3. Send Brian the tickets for the concert.

4. Write a letter to Maya when you have time.

5. Tell Cyndi a story before she goes to sleep.

Your Turn Again:
In the space below, create two sentences that contain direct objects and two sentences that contain indirect objects. Be prepared to switch your papers with a classmate!

1.

2.

3.

4.

Part Five
Writing
Please finish the story that I have begun for you below. Remember to maintain verb tenses and point of view, and to sequence your story ideas carefully! You may decide to maintain the tone I have created or change it into something you prefer. The choice is yours! For today's story, you should continue the paragraph I have written and write a second paragraph of five more sentences after that!! Enjoy!! 

     Tamika always enjoyed the month of November. The days were a bit cooler, but it just made her house feel that much cozier--especially when she had logs in her fireplace and a cup of hot chocolate in her hand. On this particular day, however, ________________________________________________________________________

(Note: Please continue your story beyond the line above. It is only there to show you exactly where you should continue your story! Have fun!)