8E/7P Language Arts – Tuesday Lesson 11/02

                Copy and Complete the following quick writing prompt: Make a list of five jobs you could see yourself doing for a living in the future, when you are an adult. Choose one of these professions to write about in greater detail. (10 minutes of quiet writing time – feel free to share this piece with someone at home when you are finished).

Read for 20 minutes. Your first option should be your library book; if you do not have this at home, simply find something else to read. Some other reading options: a magazine, a newspaper, an article from the internet. So long as you are reading something for the allotted time, you are checking this box.

When you have finished reading, complete a reading log. Remember: a reading log is a response to what you have read. It should include, but need not be limited to, the following: a brief summary of what you have read (highlighting the key points of interest), and your thoughts and feelings about this topic.

An example of a reading log:

                Let’s say you have just finished reading chapter 4 of your book. In this chapter, the main character, Jimmy, leaves his sweater at the rink after hockey practice. His parents are upset over this, as they had spent a lot of money on this particular hoody (which Jimmy had begged them to buy during “back-to-school” shopping). His parents ended up driving Jimmy back to the rink to find his sweater, only to learn that it was gone. His parents gave him a huge lecture about responsibility and taking care of his things.

                The above would be a brief summary, and the following is a sample response (your own thoughts and feelings):

                Maybe you made a connection to Jimmy and what he went through, because you too once lost something caused your family to give you a lesson on responsibility. You could discuss your personal situation, and how you can relate to Jimmy and how he was feeling.

The expectation is for reading logs to be at least one large paragraph (5 to 7 sentences). You can most certainly make it longer; that is simply the minimum. Your own personal response should be your focus; it is more important than the summary.

The final portion of our lesson will be a read aloud from our class novel:  The City of Ember. Today we will be listening to Chapter 2.

Prior to listening, you should review the key points from the Introduction and Chapter 1 listed below:

-          A “secret box” was passed down from Mayor to Mayor; it was to be kept secret and was set to open at a specified time in the future – it was on a “timed lock” mechanism.

-          We learn that the lights in the city might eventually go out (blackout), and it is hinted that there are some type of instructions contained in the box.

-          Everything went smoothly, until the seventh mayor became sick, took the box home and attempted to open it. He was unsuccessful, and ended up putting the box in the back of his closet (where it was forgotten about after the mayor died).

-          The box “quietly clicked open” at the end of the introduction.

-          Chapter one begins on “Assignment Day”. We learn that children in Ember graduate from school at age 12, and join Ember’s workforce. They do this by picking a job from a bag provided by the mayor.

-          We are introduced to several key characters, most notably Lina and Doon.

-          We learn that Lina really wants to be a Messenger – someone who carries news/mail from one point to another in the city. We learn that the one job she does not want is “Pipeworks Labourer” – someone who works to repair the pipers below the city.

-          Lina ends up having bad luck, as she pulls “Pipeworks Labourer” from the bag.

-          Doon chooses “Messenger,” which causes him to become upset and have an outburst in front of the mayor.

-          At the end of the chapter, Doon approaches Lina and asks her if she will trade jobs; she accepts. He claims to have ideas about the “generator” which is apparently located in the pipeworks.

Please click on the link below to listen to chapter 2. Given the length of this chapter (28 minutes), you should only listen to the first half today (stop around the 14 minute mark); for those of you in 7P, you should be listening to the second half today.

Chapter 2: Listen aloud