“To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful.” ― Edward R. Murrow

Dear families--

Students have a hard time relating to anything that doesn’t apply to their lives.  They interpret, analyze, and form opinions about their world from the moment they’re born. 

As I review the Common Core standards, it occurs to me how integral persuasion is to everything—every problem, every undertaking, and every subject in school.  Life is persuasive, and in order for our students to be effective communicators, which is at the heart of the Common Core, we must provide them with opportunities to practice expressing themselves through both their writing and their interactions with others. 

It is our job, yours and mine, to equip our students with the skills and strategies necessary to maneuver their world successfully, for most certainly they’ll need to be able to discuss, convince, convey, cajole, pitch, sway, urge, compete, sell, recommend, reason, argue, debate, justify, influence, and state clearly and compellingly in their lifetimes. 

Grade 5’s next focus will be on writing persuasively while grade 6 will ratchet it up a notch by writing an argumentative essay.  The difference is subtle but significant – 

• Persuasion is more emotive; its purpose is to get the reader to agree with the writer’s point of view.   
• Argumentation is evidence-based and presents multiple perspectives, although one is clearly the focus.  It offers the reader credible facts, relevant reasons, and sufficient evidence to demonstrate the validity of the writer’s perspective while acknowledging the counterclaims. CCSS highlights argumentation across the curriculum starting in grade 6.  

NEED SOME HELP?  

CHECK OUT THIS INTERACTIVE PERSUASION MAP! 

SIXTH GRADERS, CHECK OUT THIS WEBSITE FOR IDEAS:

 

 ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF

JANUARY 27-31

READING:  

BOOK PROJECTS AND STORY MAP DUE ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 31ST--PROJECTS WILL BE PRESENTED IN CLASS

SPELLING/WORD STUDY, GRADE 5

Monday: Pages 87-88

Tuesday: Pages 89-90 (assessment)

Wednesday: Guidance

Thursday: Black History Month informational writing

Friday: Work time

LANGUAGE ARTS, GRADES 5 & 6

Monday: Complete Part 3 of "Show Don't Tell" -- poem 

Tuesday:  Introduction: what is persuasion? How does it differ from Argumentation? Brainstorm list of real-world topics for writing. (Briefly discuss  Propaganda in Advertising.) 

Wednesday: Complete planning worksheet/Persuasion Map 

Thursday: Begin gathering evidence for persuasive/argumentative piece

Friday: View Civil Rights Movement presentation 

SOCIAL STUDIES, GRADES 5 & 6

Monday, Grade 5 and Tuesday, Grade 6: Prince Henry the Navigator activity (Marco Polo activity is due--are you done?)

Wednesday, Grade 5 and Thursday, Grade 6:  Columbus Discovers the New World activity.

Friday: Homeroom 

 

Writer image:   http://writepass.com/journal/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/persuasive-essay.jpg  

Two writers image:  http://www.davis.k12.ut.us/cms/lib07/UT01001306/Centricity/Domain/2893/Pictures/Clip%20Art/la_creativewriting.gif

“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way." ~M.L.K.

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.  

MARTIN'S BIG WORDS:  
The Life of Dr. Martrin Luther King Jr.
~ a powerful story told in the form of a children's picture book ~
written by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Bryan Collier, 
and narrated by Michael Clarke Duncan

~

Blustery frigid weather has arrived on the heels of a welcome January thaw cancelling school for Wednesday, January 22nd, and extending a four-day weekend to a five-day one.  Sweet! Bundle up coming back tomorrow, though; the cold continues throughout the week!

ASSIGNMENTS FOR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, JANUARY 23RD AND 24TH

Spelling/Word Study, Grade 5

We'll use these two days to finish up "old business" from last week (runes, Viking ships, "Show, Don't Tell" activity etc.)

Language Arts

Thursday:  We begin our "How to Write an Argumentative (6th) / Opinion (5th) Essay" with a poem that demonstrates the power of active verbs in writing.  It also shows kids how to focus tightly on a subject, how to get to the heart of an idea, and how to add craft to their writing.  "Poem Activity #1" is due tomorrow.

Friday:  Complete "Poem Activity #2" and begin working on "Poem Activity #3"--writing a poem based on the style and theme of the model poem.

Social Studies

Thursday, Grade 6 & Friday, Grade 5:   
Complete activity 6 about Marco Polo. This interactive map showing Marco Polo's journey will help you to complete your map activity. You can also look at this map and decide if it is more helpful to you. Color his journey TO China in one color, and his journey HOME in another color.

I encourage you to visit this National Geographic site and join "explorers" as they recreate Marco Polo's exploration -- tracing his route from Venice to Iraq, Afghanistan, and China. It's a multimedia presentation with video, audio, and photographs that introduce you to the lands and people he encountered. Wicked cool!

IMPORTANT NOTICE!

In honor of Black History Month, Time for Kids has a number of articles, videos, songs, and interviews really worth looking at.  Black Americans have contributed to the greatness of our country in so many ways.  Their "culture, talent, and expression have played an enormous role in shaping America's past and present." (TFK Staff, Then and Now)  Find out how! You'll discover many "unsung heroes" as you read.  Click here to peruse the many sites (and sites within sites), and find someone or something that inspires you in some way.  Write a paragraph (8-10 sentences) about the contributions of that person or the impact of that event.  Be ready to share!  Due date:  Friday, January 31.

Image of M.L.K.:  http://media.10 news.com/photo/2012/08/15/IMAGE-Martin-Luther-King-Jr.-15-2010-22246152_19732_ver1.0_320_240.jpg

Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdlCWrsAbIo 

“I determined never to stop until I had come to the end and achieved my purpose.” ~ David Livingstone

Hello families--

We conclude our study of Vikings this week with a completion of a "Runes" activity, a look into Viking Longships and Longboats, a model of a Viking Longship, and a video.  The Viking Webquest is due tomorrow for grade 6 and Wednesday for grade 5. Please be sure it's completed on time since our schedule this week is pretty full!

ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 
JANUARY 13-17

• Word Study/Spelling, Grade 5:

• Monday--Page 81
• Tuesday--No assignment (Spelling Assessment instead)
• Wednesday--Pages 83-84
• Thursday--Pages 85-86
• Friday--Pages 87-88

• Language Arts, Grades 5 & 6:

• Monday--Both classes: Creating an effective hook mini-lesson / Complete the LCEAF Paragraph Template and highlight the evidence that supports your point of view from the reading.
• Tuesday--Grade 6 will type paragraphs based on their templates and turn both in for assessment. Grade 5 will be at the Flynn.
• Wednesday-- Grade 6 will work on their (short) Viking Longship and Longboats Webquest (look here for information) and complete their "Write Your Name in Runes" activity so that Grade 5 will have a chance to type paragraphs based on their templates and turn both in for assessment.
• Thursday--"Show, Don't Tell" activity, both classes.
• Friday--Finish up "Show, Don't Tell" activities, both classes.

• Social Studies, Grades 5 & 6:

• Monday--Grade 5: finish up Viking Webquests and begin working on Longship models.

• Tuesday--no classes.  We're off to the Flynn

• Wednesday--Grade 5: Viking Longships and Longboats (short) Webquest (look here for information), and continued work on Longship models.

• Thursday--Grade 6: Correct Viking Webquests and begin working on Longship models.

• Friday--no class (homeroom time)

 JUST FOR FUN:

Want to create your very own proverb?  Check out this link:

Gorm's Olde Proverb Assembly Line

 Viking ship #1 image:  http://airgroup2000.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12122/11~15.jpg

Viking ship #2 image:  http://www.legendtheatre.com/shows.html

“I am prepared to go anywhere, provided it be forward.” ~ David Livingstone

REMEMBER OUR TRIP TO THE FLYNN IS TOMORROW, JANUARY 8TH.  

WE WILL DEPART AT 8:10 AM

NO LUNCH IS NECESSARY AS WE WILL BE RETURNING BY NOON.  

Dear families--

There is much to share about the unit we're studying in Social Studies and I hope you take the time to view some of the exceptional videos and websites I will be including throughout the year. We begin with the much-feared Vikings.  Best known for their raiding and plundering, their historical significance and their influence on other cultures is actually quite profound.  they were "farmers and fishermen, extraordinary sailors and shipbuilders, highly skilled and inspired artists and craftsmen, long-distance traders, planners, and builders of towns, renowned poets and tellers of heroic tales.. . . " (Natural Museum of Natural History's Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga) It's important to provide a less stereotypical view of this rich and diverse culture and to acknowledge its place in history--since the Vikings were, in fact, the first to establish a European settlement on the North American continent -- some 500 years before Columbus!

SOCIAL STUDIES -- 

THURSDAY (GRADE 6) & FRIDAY (GRADE 5)

HERE COME THE VIKINGS! WEBQUEST
Sail across the web using information from the following sites to fill in the blanks  of the worksheet provided to you. 
#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9

LANGUAGE ARTS --

WRITING A CATALOG ENTRY (Grades 5 & 6) 

For Thursday:  

Make all editing corrections.  Complete illustration to go with your entry.

For Friday: 

• Turn in all completed catalog entries/illustrations. 
• Write Your Name in Runes activity 

NOTICE!

ON YOUR OWN:  Due Tuesday, January 14th (Grade 6) 

and Wednesday, January 15th (Grade 5)

So much to explore; so little time!  Look here for a ton of awesome Viking sites to explore.  Your job is to check them out and come up with at least 10 very cool facts to type up and present to the class.  (Try to find some that no one else has.  Dig DEEP!)   

LOST WORLDS - THE VIKINGS

LEARN ABOUT:

Explore a Viking Village

The Viking Diaspora

PLAY:
Viking Quest
Thorkel and the Trading Voyage

SECRETS OF THE VIKING SWORD

"And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been. . ." ~ Rainer Maria Rilke

Neil Gaiman says it best of all! 

“I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. 

You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something. 

So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.”



 Hello, families-
This is a short, blustery cold week, and so our work will reflect that.  There is no Word Study (Spelling) this week, fifth graders.  We continue daily work in Typing Pal, however; improving our speed and accuracy is essential as we move into the more complex world of Upper Elementary/Middle School.

Language Arts for 5th & 6th grade:

Thursday--
Introduce "Inventing Stories for Your Favorite Clothes." This is a fun assignment focusing on Voice and Word Choice.  Your job is to sell an item in an exclusive catalog by sharing wonderful stories that might inspire buyers to purchase.  BE DESCRIPTIVE!

There is a graphic organizer that should be filled out for tomorrow--a "rough, rough draft" to work from.  For inspiration, go to J. Peterman's Catalogue. Lots of good reading there, and something from which to model your own writing.

Friday--
We'll look at models of fifth grade writers, sixth grade writers, and seventh grade writers and determine what it is that makes their writing sound like it actually came from the J. Peterman catalogue. Then we'll write an amazing catalogue-worthy draft!

Social Studies (6th grade on Thursday and 5th grade on Friday):

ACTIVITY 4: Personal Characteristics of an Explorer

• As a class, we will explore what causes someone to leave the familiar spaces of home in order to face the unknown.

• Ultimately, we'll generate a class list of those special qualities that a leader must possess in order to guarantee a successful voyage.

• Then, we'll highlight those qualities that we feel are most important. 

• Finally, we'll create a Wordle using our words.  To emphasize the qualities we deem most important, we'll type them more than one time. (Each time you type the same word, you enlarge it.)