Dear Parents,
Blessed Trinity Academy students in grades 4 to 6 and 7 to 8 will participate in the 2018 Western Pennsylvania English Festival. Students will form teams under the guidance of their teachers. These teams will have a wonderful opportunity to participate in a variety of competitions based on reading selected novels. They will compete with other private and public-school teams. This note is to inform you of our commitment to participate in both the grades 4 to 6 English Festival held at Seton La Salle High School on Friday, May 11th and the Grades 7 to 12 English Festival held on Thursday, May 10th at Duquesne University. Both events are held during the school day. This note also gives information on the English Festival, and how to acquire the novels to read to prepare for this competition.
Students in grades 4 to 6 will listen to a talk by author, Sharon M. Draper (Out of My Mind), and they will have the opportunity to meet her. She will also sign autographs in her novel if students bring their own copy to the festival. Grades 4 to 6 will need to read four selected novels in order to participate in the festival during the school day on May 11th, 2018.
Students in Grades 7 and 8 will need to read six selected novels in order to participate in the English Festival held on May 10th at Duquesne University. Author Sharon M. Draper (Stella by Starlight) will also be the featured author speaking to students in grades 7 to 12 on May 10th 2018. They too will have the opportunity to meet the author and get her autograph in one of her novels if students bring their own copy.
What is the Western Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of English (WPCTE)?
It is a fifty-year-old affiliate of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). It is dedicated to the professional development of area English/Language Arts teachers, K – College. In the spring of each year, WPCTE sponsors an English Festival for area students, grades 4 - 12. Over 2000 students from over 70 area schools participate. WPCTE organized English Festivals for students, grades 4-12, in an effort to promote quality reading among students. The goal of the festival is to communicate to students the value of literature in the enrichment of their lives
What is involved on Festival Day?
Grades 4 to 6 English Festival Grades 7 and 8 English Festival
SETON- LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY
MAY 11th, 2018 8:30 to 2:00 P.M. MAY 10th, 2018 8:30 to 2:00 P.M.
All students attend a presentation by the featured author of one of the books that they have read. Teams of students will be assigned to specific classrooms for the day where they will participate in a variety of activities based on the assigned readings: Trivia, Insights, and Card Match for grades 4 to 6. Activities for grades 7 and 8 will be Trivia, Insights, Talk Show, and Super Trivia. Two other events for 7th and 8th graders with an earlier deadline (April 1st) are optional which are producing an art portfolio or video on one of the novels.
Each room on Festival Day will produce “winners,” or teams with the most points. Winning teams and their schools will be recognized at an assembly at the end of the day for grades 4 to 6. The winning team in each room will receive book prizes. Those teams with the highest scores of the day receive additional prizes.See the English Festival web site for prizes listed for grades 7,8.
For specific information on the English Festival visit the web site at http://wpcteng.wixsite.com/engfest. Parent volunteers will also be needed who have clearances on festival day.
Where can I get the novels to read for the Festival?
Novels can be bought on your own, borrowed from your local library, or bought through the Western Pa English Festival book order placed by Blessed Trinity Academy September 25th.
Use the attached order form if you wish to order the novels when the one-time school order is placed. The English Festival organizers offer the books for purchase, but require one check placed by the school for the book order placed through the English Festival.
If you are interested in ordering and buying the books, all four books can be bought for $30.00 a set for the four novels for grades 4 to 6 or $40.00 for the six novels for grades 7 and 8. Individual titles are $9.00. If you are interested, please send in your order to the classroom teacher or Mrs. Cross with a check made out to Blessed Trinity Academy or cash by September 25th.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Cross, Mrs Mitchell, Mr. Tinnemeyer, Mrs. Kirk
Western Pa English Festival 2018 Book Order
There will be a one-time school order placed September 25th through the Western PA English Festival. If you would like to order either individual titles or a complete set, please send your order in by September 25th. Please make checks out to Blessed Trinity Academy or send in cash.
Grades 4, 5, 6 Novels:
Out of My Mind
by Sharon M. Draper (featured author) ………….…………..$9.00 ______
Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff ………………………………$9.00 ______
From the Mixed- Up Files of Mrs. Basil
E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg…………………..…….....$9.00 ______
Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar………………………………….. $9.00 ______
Complete set of all four novels………………………………$30.00 ______
Grades 7, 8
Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper (featured author)… $9.00 ______
Chasing Secrets by Gennifer Choldenko………………………$9.00 ______
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer ………………....$9.00 ______
Soar by Joan Bauer………………….…………………………….$9.00 ______
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown…………………..$9.00 ______
Blood on the River: James Town 1607 by Elisa Carbone...... $9.00 ______
Complete set of all six novels…………………………………….$40.00 ______
TOTAL……………______
NAME ------
Western Pa English Festival 2018
Parent Volunteers Needed
There are a few ways parents can help to support our Blessed Trinity Academy student teams. Please consider signing up to help.
______Yes, I can help by reading one of the novels and writing practice trivia questions for each chapter of the novel. (Submit your factual questions by typing the question with the answers. Students will be able to practice Trivia with the questions to prepare for the Trivia Round of the English Festival. Questions are needed in March to begin practicing.)
______Yes, I have my clearances and will attend the English Festival as a volunteer.
______grade 4 to 6 Festival May 11, 2018
______grade 7,8 Festival May 10, 2018
______Yes, I have my clearances and will attend the English Festival as a moderator. (Moderators must have read the novels in order to run one of the activities on English Festival Day.)
Name______phone______
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