August 10-14ELA-Williams

Note: If the lesson is not completed on the date stated due to time limits, the instruction/lesson is continued the next day. For this reason, dates may be slightly off.

Monday, 8/10 / Tuesday, 8/11 / Wednesday, 8/12
Bell Work / Complete the problem and solution diamond. Write a problem you’ve had a how it was resolved. / Write for 5 minutes answering this question: What does it mean to be ordinary? / Journal Topic: Do our circumstances determine who we become? Explain. (½ page)
Classwork / Notes: Write down at least three reasons teams win more when having home court advantage than they do at an away game.
Watch Hugh Freeze’s pregame speech. (
Then, answer these two questions:
How does Hugh Freeze set his team apart?
How can we imitate this in the classroom?
Fold a piece of paper into four squares. Then, draw a diamond in the middle of the paper. In the first square, write your name. After watching the video, answer this question in the first square under your name: What have you learned about the conflict in Russia in the early 20th century and its impact on Jews?
Each group member discusses what he/she wrote. In each square, you will write the classmate’s name and what he/she said.
In the diamond, finish this statement: “Somebody wanted…but…so…” / Read the passage “Choose Kind”. While reading, be sure to annotate. In the left margin, mark thoughts, words, or behaviors that could potentially make Mr. Brown’s classroom a negative place. On the right side, TSW mark thoughts, words, or behaviors that could potentially make Mr. Brown’s classroom a safe, healthy place.
Create a list of things that are important to him/her in terms of creating a classroom community. Share the list with a partner. Partners will then work together to create some precepts for the class that honor kindness and classroom community.
Watch the video again about the Russian and Jewish conflict ( On the back of your paper from yesterday, do the same in each square, answering these questions:
  1. What insights did you gain from the different ways the information was presented?
  2. What was it about the techniques that made this possible?
  3. What are the advantages/disadvantages of this medium?
In the diamond, decide if the presentation of the video was effective or ineffective. Explain your answer. / Fold a piece a paper in half length-wise. Make a two-column list of how it sounds and how it looks to speak quietly.
Read the excerpt “A Tour of the Galaxy” (Attachment 2).
While reading, annotate (highlight, underline, circle, make margin notes) Via’s feelings toward her family members.
Discuss Via’s feelings with a partner, practicing using quiet voices. Answer these questions with your at the bottom of the excerpt:
  • How does this passage change your views on someone who lives with a person who has special needs?
  • Do you think Via is justified in her feelings toward August and her mom and dad? Be sure to point to evidence that supports your thinking.
Participate in written conversations (Attachment 3). Write a letter to your partner about the discussions of Via’s feelings. The letter should answer the following reflection questions:
  • What did we do well in our discussions today?
  • What might we need to do better next time?
Respond to your partner’s letter.
Thursday, 8/13 / Friday, 8/14
Bell Work / Make a list of at least 3 good memories and 3 bad memories / Create a 3-columned chart labeled August, Jack, and Via. While reading “Ordinary” in the packet labeled Attachment 4, pick out how August sees himself, how Jack sees him, and how Via sees him. Complete the chart using this information.
Classwork / Draw a map of a neighborhood or location with the most memories and label the items on the map.
Switch maps with a partner and think of 3 open-ended questions to ask him/her about their map.
Interview your partner.
“Letters from Rifka”
Complete the vocabulary sort chart by putting each of these words on a separate post it: distract, emerged, deserts, peasants, huddled, precaution.
Read p. 251 in the literature book about the author information and story background of “Letters from Rifka”. / Finish reading the rest of Attachment 4 while completing the chart. When done, compare your chart to your partner’s chart.
Lesson: Perceptions
On a clean piece of paper, draw a person. Label him August. Draw a vertical line in the middle of August. Label one half of August, “how August sees himself”. Label the other side, “how others see August”. Use the chart to complete the drawing of August. Write down the notes from your chart and from the reading on either side of August. This is a perception portrait of August.
On the back of the paper, draw a perception portrait of yourself. Choose what to compare on each side.
Examples: Side 1- how parents see me; Side 2-how I see myself
Side 1- how parents see me: Side 2-how friends see me
Turn in bell work for the week.
This Week’s Bell Work:
  1. Tues.-What does it mean to be ordinary?
  2. Thurs.- List of good and bad memories
  3. Fri.- Chart of August, Jack, Via
Note:Monday’s work was turned in Monday and is displayed on the classroom’s bulletin board. If it was not turned in, it needs to be included with the rest of the bell work.
Wednesday’s bell work was a journal topic that should have been written in your composition book. It will stay in the composition book. I will check journals on Monday, Aug. 17.