Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Novel Study- The Cay

In addition to our explorers project, students have been engaged in a novel study using The Cay. This is a survival story about a young boy and old man in a struggle for survival after their ship is destroyed by a submarine. Both characters must work together and overcome their differences to survive on the small cay.

Full Novel Study Requirements

Learning Targets

Rubric

Students have been analyzing various aspects of the book including:


  • PREDICTIONS
Prediction Anchor Chart
  • GRAMMAR & CONVENTIONS
    • Progressive Verb Tenses

    Progressive Verb Anchor Chart
    •  Prepositions


    Prepositions Anchor Chart
    • Commas

Comma Anchor Chart

    • Quotation Marks-Quoting material from the text
Quotation Mark Anchor Chart

  • Plot Map
Plot Map Anchor Chart
  • Character Map
  • Vocabulary Word Maps
    • Students identify words that they either do not know or they think are interesting
      • For each work students find
        • The Definition
        • Part of Speech
        • Synonyms and Antonyms
        • Any other forms of the word
        • The sentence from the book
        • A sentence they make up using the word
        • A picture or sketch
  • THEME
  • Theme Examples
  • LITERARY CRITICISM
    • Explain the theme of the novel
    • Opinion of the author's purpose for writing the novel
    • Opinion of the novel itself

Students have been working hard and our final posters will be due on February 13th.



Explorer Project

Students were tasked with choosing an explorer that they wanted to learn about in depth. Students have been working for the past few weeks on researching their explorer.

Here are the guidelines for the project

Here are the learning targets and rubric for the project

Elements of the project include:


  • The research of a constellation and how the stars were used by explorers
Example of a constellation write up.

  • A map of the route the explorer took
  • Explorer Poems
  • Model of Explorer (done at home)
Example of a completed explorer model

Example of a completed explorer model
  • An artifact that the explorer would have taken on their exploration

I created an example model of my artifact.
Example description of my artifact.
  • The explorer's interactions with native people
Mr. Roshak's Example of a Venn Diagram comparing my explorer to the people they encountered.

  • Timeline of key events in the explorer's life
  • Drawing or model of the transportation the explorer used to travel

Students will be completing the project this week and next, it will be due on February 13th.