Mrs. Varga's Blog

Spring Break is over and we are well into the fourth (and final!) marking period.

634 - we are just about finished reading Woodsong and will begin The Crossing by the end of this week. Start thinking about how the setting affects Gary Paulsen's characters and plots. 734 - We are reading more of Virginia Hamilton's stories and are noticing recurring patterns and lessons ('learnings') for the reader. Begin to look for a pattern that is common in your Virginia Hamilton book as well as two of the Hamilton pieces we read in class. 834 - It's time to apply the "journey cycle" to your historical fiction stories. You need to plot out your character's journey to America from his/her country of origin.

Homework is as follows:

4/28/06
634: Find a snapshot, thoughtshot, and dialogue for your Paulsen character.
734: Write a pargraph for your 3rd Virginia Hamilton piece.
834: Continue writing your historical fiction story in your Writer's Sourcebook.
4/27/06
634:Find a 'snapshot', 'thoughtshot', and dialogue for your Paulsen character,
and copy into your Reader's Notebook in the Gary Paulsen Table of Contents.
Make a character trait chart like the one we did in class for that character.
734: Write a paragraph for your second Hamilton piece.
834: Continue writing your HS story.
4/26/06
634: Make an entry for Woodsong in your Annotated Bibliography
734: Retake VH test; write questions you need answered for
your book on post-its.
834: Continue writing your first draft of your HF story. (From "known" through "challenges."
4/25/06
634: Make a text-to-text connection with your Paulsen book and Woodsong.
734: Complete the theme/pattern/learning chart for your VH book. Write a summary
of the VH book you read. Include a pattern you noticed as well as a quote to
support your pattern.
834: Continue to draft your historical fiction story.

4/24/06
634: Be a seer for Woodsong. What do you think will happen next?
734: What was VH's purpose in writing the book you finished? What do you think
she wants the reader to learn?
834: Complete your 'Journey Cycle' outline for your character in your Writer's
Sourcebook.

Posted by Mrs. Varga at 7:11 PM