Happy 451st Birthday, William Shakespeare!

According to historians, the Bard of Avon, the mastermind behind Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet, was born 451 years ago today. In honor of Mr. Shakespeare’s birth, I’ve shared Sonnet 18, undoubtedly among the most famous of his 154 sonnets, Best of all, Mr. Rombach and I worked together to pen our own Shakespearean sonnet. On Friday, after you finish the first of three standardized tests (ugh), I invite you to investigate the man who, according to The European Graduate School, “altered the course of European and World literature.” 

Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare 

Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed,
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature’s changing course untrimmed:

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st,
Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st,

So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Sonnet 155 by Mr. and Mrs. Rombach (with a little help from the Bard)

Shall I compare thee to a schoolhouse day?
Thou art more lively and more literate:
Loud bells chime to get classes underway,
Mere weeks remain ’til bathing suits must fit:

Sometimes too heavy the sharp pencil weighs,
Multiple choice brings on multiple pains,
The tests they stretch on for too many days
Our brains and our hands, every part complains;

But thy elusive summer shall not fade
Sandy beaches beckon, calling our name
Bags bulge at the zippers, travel plans made,
Come June 16th, our freedom we shall claim

So long, Eagle Ridge, our work here is done
Fare thee well, sixth grade, we’re off to have fun.

 

Eager to try your hand at creating a Shakespearean sonnet? Click here for step-by-step instructions.

My apologies to Shakespeare enthusiasts. My dear husband informed me that my original source for Shakespeare’s birth was dead wrong. In 2015, the Bard would be 451 (not 399 as previously posted). 

Quote by William Shakespeare

 

 

 

Making Connections – Around the Globe

Hello sixth graders!

As I mentioned to my last block of students, our California blogging friends in Mr. Jewell’s sixth grade class are going through a difficult time. As you’ve heard on the national news, wild fires are raging out west, and our friends in Mr. J’s class are out of school (and some are out of their homes) because the fires aren’t yet under control. We’ve all faced scary situations, so I’m sure you can relate to how your peers across the country must be feeling.

While you’re home this weekend, I encourage you to visit the Mr. J and his students and tell them we’re thinking about them. Comment on their blogs. Ask them how they’re feeling. Most importantly, connect with some other awesome sixth graders. It’s these connections that make the world a little smaller and a whole lot friendlier. 

 Mr. Jewell’s Class Blog

Here is the letter that’s posted on the home page of Mr. J’s class blog:

Dear Students,

I’m know all of you have friends and family who have been affected by the fires that have blown up around us these past few days, and I hope that you, your friends and families are safe.

I’ve used the down time during these unexpected days off to catch up on grading–yes, I’ve finally given you feedback on your Createologies–and do a bit of blogging.  Earlier this week, a 6th grade teacher in Australia mentioned us on her class blog (http://stlukesstudentblogs.global2.vic.edu.au/2014/05/12/our-blogging-friends/ and invited her students to check out your blogs.  Today, I commented on her blog and shared a little bit about the fires that have flared up in the north county this week.

Given that the fires burning in our area are national news, I’m sure that our blogging friends in Mrs. Rombach’s class in Virginia have heard about them, and it may even be the case that they’ve made the news in Australia.  I thought this might be a great opportunity for you to give the reporting on the fires a more personal touch.  Do you know people who have been evacuated, or people who are on the front lines, fighting to stop the fires’ advance and protect people’s homes?  How have the fires affected you, your friends, your family?  Rather than write our “headlines” in our writer’s notebooks on Monday, we’ll post our thoughts on our blogs.

 I look forward to seeing reading (and watching) your new posts, and be sure to check out some of the student blogs listed on Mrs. Rombach’s and Mrs. Coffa’s class blogs!

Remember to check the Weekly Blogging Assignments link to find out the details on next week’s writing assignment. Congratulations to Block 1/5 who finished their Reading SOLs today. Blocks 3/6 and 4/8, eat a hearty breakfast for Monday’s SOL. Remember, leave everything except a book to read in your locker.

Cheers,

Mrs. Rombach

Ready, Set, Speedy SOL Review!

Because inquiring minds want to know…our SOL testing dates and locations are as follow:

Friday, May 16 — Block 1/5 — Library at 8:45am
Monday, May 19 — Block 3/6 — Computer Lab 3 at 8:45am
Monday, May 19 — Block 4/8 — Computer Lab 2 at 8:45am

 

This is homework for Wednesday, May 14, 2014.

show what you know art

 

Later this week, all of my soon-to-be seventh graders will sit for the Sixth Grade Reading Comprehension SOL. As a quick review, I’ve assembled a brief quiz so you can show what you know (and jiggle your memory bank). For homework tonight, snatch a blank piece of paper and follow the directions for questions 1-15. Put your name in the top left corner of the paper–and write your favorite recording artist in the top right.

Let’s start with four types of figurative language.

You’ll recall that both a simile and metaphor are comparisons. By using comparisons, an author creates an instant image in the reader’s mind.

A simile uses the words “like” or “as” to make the comparison.

For example: He is like a rocket on his bike.

In contrast, a metaphor makes a direct comparison without a qualifier such as “like” or “as”. One thing becomes the other.

For example: Fruit is fuel for a healthy body. Fruit = fuel.

Remember that personification is giving human characteristics/actions to an object.

For example: The lantern greeted the arriving party guests with a luminous welcome.

Lastly, it’s time for hyperbole, which is using extreme (usually unbelievable ) exaggeration for emphasis.

For example: Her legs were as long as the Mississippi River.

 

On a piece of notebook or computer paper, copy each sentence below. Beside each, write Simile, Metaphor, Personification, or Hyperbole.

1. _______________ The rainbow stretched from one side of the universe to the other.

2. _______________ The children gathered like ducklings behind their mother.
3. _______________ The clock is the keeper of time.
4. _______________ When stuffed with his homework and books, the backpack weighed a ton.
5. _______________ The rusty hinges protested when the door creaked open.
6. _______________ The wind was like a piercing arrow.
7. _______________ Her eyes are stars sparkling in the night sky,
Does anyone remember our human plot line? See if you can fill in the blanks for the five elements of narrative structure!:
8. This is the start of any story, where the characters and setting are introduced.
E _ P _ S _ T  I _ N
9. During this time, action is on the rise. The plot begins to thicken. You start to see the conflict.
R _ S _ N _       A _ T _ O _
10. This is the point during which the exciting/most important action takes place. It’s sometimes referred to as the “turning point” because it’s here that the character typically has a change of heart or begins transformation.
C _ I _ A _
11. Everything is winding down at this stage in the story. Loose ends are being wrapped up, and the conflict is resolved.
F _ L L _ _ G       A _ T _ _ N
12. Here, the story comes to a reasonable ending.
R _ S _ L _ T _ O _.
13. Read the following passage. (Remember – slash the trash!)
The African Grey Parrot, nicknamed the “Einstein” of the parrot world, has the intelligence of a five-year-old child and can learn hundreds of words and sounds.
Which question does this passage answer?
A. Who was Albert Einstein?
B. What kind of bird has the intelligence equivalent to a five-year-old child?
C. Where do African Grey Parrots live?
D. What words can an African Grey Parrot learn?
14. Read the following passage. (Look for context clues!)
Despite the teacher’s attempts to explain the math concept, I was still befuddled and unsure exactly how to complete my homework.
In this context, what does befuddled mean?
A. determined
B. comprehend
C. confused
D. confident
15. Read the following passage. (Watch for signal words!)
Langston couldn’t rehearse as planned because he left his trombone in the band room. As result, he was not well prepared for the chair test the following day. Therefore, he lost the challenge to his best friend, Xander. Consequently, at the concert on Friday night, Langston will take second chair behind Xander, who earned first chair honors.
Which text structure describes the author’s organizational pattern?
A. problem and solution
B. chronological
C. cause and effect
D. compare and contrast
How do you think you fared?
Bring your completed homework in tomorrow and earn MORE tickets for our upcoming end-of-year auction! Don’t leave it in your locker or on your kitchen counter. Stuff it in your backpack the minute you finish it and remember to bring it with you to class.
On a final note, I’ve posted the year’s last blog writing assignments under Weekly Blogging Assignments (see link at top of page). There’s just one more optional blogging assignment remaining (for a total of two). Remember, in order to replace a grade, your posts must be up-to-date. That is, summative posts #5-10 must ALL be completed and visible on your blog. I won’t hound you to turn these in any more than I already have. So…be the responsible, awesome rising 7th grader I know you are, and take charge of getting your work done well–and on time. 🙂
Here is our SOL schedule:
Friday, May 16 @ 8:45am – Block 1/5
Monday, May 19 @ 8:45am – Block 3/6 and 4/8
Eat a healthy breakfast so your tummy isn’t distracting you with its ferocious growling. 🙂
See you tomorrow — with much improved eyes!
Mrs. Rombach 🙂

What’s the Word on Context Clues?

Context Clues clipart

 

Tuesday, March 18, 2014 (homework is due Wednesday, March 19)

Tonight for homework, read this entire blog post. Don’t skip a word (I don’t skip a word when I’m grading your work.). Once you’ve read over the explanations (excerpted from Flocabulary.com), take the Context Clues Quiz. I’ve also posted a link to the Flocabulary.com Context Clues rap. After you watch the rap, take the challenge questions to see how you fare. If you ace the quiz and challenge questions, you’re ready to rock the Context Clues Test on Thursday. If you don’t, practice and review several Wednesday night, too! 

Context clues are hints in a sentence or passage that can help you define a word you don’t know. The clue may appear in the same sentence as the word you don’t know or in a nearby sentence. This is a useful strategy because it helps you understand what you are reading, and it allows you to easily learn new vocabulary. 

Sometimes you may need to look up the word in a dictionary. But other times, context clues will help you figure out the word on your own! Sometimes a challenging word or phrase is explained in simpler language. Look for a synonym: a word or phrase that has the same meaning as the unknown word.

Example: My pet peeve is people chewing with their mouth open—it’s so annoying!

A “peeve” is something that annoys or bothers someone.

Often, we can figure out the meaning of a word by looking for a word with the opposite meaning nearby. Look for an antonym: a word or phrase that has the opposite meaning as the unknown word.

Example: Though some students are insubordinate, others obey their teachers and follow all the rules.

Now you know that “insubordinate” describes someone who disobeys or doesn’t follow rules.

In some passages, the meaning of a word or phrase is explained immediately following its use. Look for an explanation for the unknown word in the sentence or in sentences nearby.

Example: My friend was so forlorn when her dog died that she cried for a week.

We can assume that “forlorn” means very sad.

Oftentimes, specific examples in the sentence help define the term.

Example: Whales and sharks are my favorite aquatic animals. 

So “aquatic” means “in water,” since both whales and sharks live in the sea.

 

Click on the links below to take the quiz and watch the video.

 

Context Clues Quiz

 

Flocabulary Context Clues Video