Genesis: In reading workshop, students began reading our documentary novel, Nothing but the Truth, and we began our genre study of documents found in the text with “memoranda.”  Students are now well acquainted with the definitions of documentary novel and satire.  We began our four-line grammar analysis study with nouns.

Legacy/Explorers: In reading workshop, all students practiced their close reading skills on the opening passage of Cry, the Beloved Country and began their reading of the book.  We continued building context for the novel with our apartheid jigsaw activity, where students visually depicted a history of apartheid in South Africa.  This timeline is now posted in our classroom as a reference.  Students also continued developing their collaboration skills with attempting to render metaphor/analogies of significant lines in Cry, the Beloved Country. In writing, students on the Legacy team developed free verse poems, as the Explorers wrapped up their memoir final drafts.  Students will be freewriting over the weekend to keep creative works-in-progress in their writing folders as we begin the nonfiction unit.  We also continued vocabulary and grammar practice/daily poem readings.

Genesis Reading Blocks 2 and 4: You must read up to p. 103 of Nothing But the Truth by Monday, September 29.  You should also know the definitions of documentary novel/satire!

Legacy/Explorers Blocks 3 and 4 Reading: You must read up to p. 101 of Cry, the Beloved Country by Monday, September 29.  Keep working on those notecards.  Also note that the introduction/prologue can be read after you finish the entire novel.  Legacy Block 3: You should bring your Word within the Word vocabulary packets to class.  Legacy Block 4: You can retake vocabulary quizzes if you explain the method you used to relearn the material over the weekend.

Legacy/Explorers Blocks 3 and 4 Writing:  Spend 30 minutes this weekend working on free writing–any genre of choice!  Poetry, short story, flash fiction, screenplay, graphic novel… it’s up to you.  You will check these in with me on Monday and store them in your class writing folder.