Honors Summer Assignment:

How does where you live affect how you live?

Due Date: September 4, 2013

Dear Incoming Seventh Grade Honors Students,

Greetings from 7th Grade Honors! We would like to take a minute to introduce ourselves. Our names are Michelle Byrne and Kelly Hathaway, and we are delighted to be your new English and History teachers for the 2013-2014 school year. Although we have the entire school year to get to know each other, this project will enable us to speed up the process. This information will also help you get thinking about your own assignment.

First of all, we took a common path to get us where we are today. You may think we are kidding, but we actually have some very odd similarities in our pasts. For example, we both attended Columbia RiverHigh School, then continued on to graduate together from the education department at WashingtonStateUniversity (Go Cougs!). After attending WSU, we both came to Thomas Jefferson, where we began our teaching careers the same year our school opened. We started as 6th grade teachers, and then moved to our “home” in 7th grade. Because we enjoyed growing up in this area, we wanted to stay within this incredible community.

Our similarities include many activities, interests, and hobbies. We both love to read in our spare time, and enjoy speaking with our students about their own reading pursuits. Because of the beauty of our environment, outdoor activities are also a favorite pastime, including camping, hiking, fishing, boating, and snowshoeing. We both have a history of playing and coaching team sports as well, our favorite being volleyball. We have both taken trips to various places around Washington; some of our favorites include the San Juan Islands, Mt.St. Helens, Seattle, Mt.Rainier, and Leavenworth.

Although we have many commonalities, we also have several differences that make us unique. For example, Mrs. Hathaway is married with two kids; Cole (her son) is starting first grade this year and Logan (her daughter) is almost four. Mrs. Hathaway and her family live in the mountains near Woodland, where they have a dog and two goats (yes, goats!). In her spare time, Mrs. Hathaway likes to run in races in the Portland/Vancouver area, and enjoys all types of outdoor activities. Mrs. Byrneis married to a P.E./Health teacher. They live in Vancouver, and are expecting their first child in October. They do have three nieces and four nephews that they love to spoil. In her spare time, Mrs. Byrne loves to paddleboard in the Puget Sound and travel around the world to places including: Italy, Spain, Costa Rica, Croatia and France.

We look forward to learning about each of you and how where you live affects your interests, favorite places, and hobbies. It’s going to be a great year!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Byrne and Mrs. Hathaway

Your Target:

I can:

  • Write a multiple-paragraph expository essay
  • Check for convention errors
  • Access prior knowledge of Washington state features and geography

Your Task:Write a multiple-paragraph essay (including pre-write) explaining how your surroundings (Washington State) influence your hobbies, unique qualities, and favorite places.

Where have you been in Washington?

Provide us with some background information regarding your prior knowledge and experiences within our state. Please show where you have been and what you’ve done within our state by labeling and/or drawing meaningful picture icons on the map. This activity may just help you brainstorm ideas for your essay!

Here’s an example:

I love to go hiking

around Mt. St. Helens!