Digital Story Project

There will be three grades for the digital story project.

Prewriting - needs to include theme (2 to 3 sentences summarizing the story), characterization (an explanation of how the main character(s)' personality contributes to the plot of the story), plot (an explanation of the main events in the story), conflict (an explanation of the main conflict in the story).

Storyboard - an outline of the pictures and text that will be used in the digital story. I will give the students a large white sheet of construction paper for this activity. They will need to have an idea of the pictures to download for the project.

Moviemaker - Students will be graded on how well they told the story, the timing of the slides, and the music used.

Mystery Clues

Clues

Mr. Roylott - has a reputation for violence, has exotic pets (leopard, baboon), a doctor in India, married into money, keeps $ as long as Helen and/or Julia live with him, doesn't allow visitors to his home, leaves with gypies for days, came out of his own bedroom when Julia died, one marriage would have bankrupted him.

Helen - getting married in 2 weeks, afraid of Julia's room, hears a whistle while in Julia's room (Holmes asked if it was metallic, she said she thought so), locked windows/doors every night because of the animals, bailed Roylott out when he attacked the blacksmith.

Julia - died at 30 just 2 weeks before her marriage, complained of whistling waking her up at 3 am before she died, her last words were, "It was a speckled band." Coroner did not find marks of violence or poison, new rope with no bell, vent went another room, leopard pawprint outside of bedroom.

Gypsies - known for stealing, band of gypsies wore "speckled" handkerchief around their necks.

More clues from Roylott's bedroom - saucer of milk but no cat, leash but no dog (leash had noose tied on one end), Julia's bed bolted to the floor.

Task: using the clues above, predict who or what committed the crime.  Refer to the clues when stating your conclusion. This is informal. I just need one paragraph - 5 lines or so.

CRCT Countdown

Yahomework One day per week we will go over a practice test for the CRCT. I'll have the students take the test (or part of the test) then we'll go over the answers in class. I want the students to take notes on test taking skills as we discuss them in class. Below are the practice tests we've gone over so far. The answer key is included at the end of the document. As the CRCT nears, you might want to go over these questions with your child.

CRCT Cheat Sheet: Download crct_cheat_sheet.doc

The first Language Arts practice test Download test1.doc

The Reading practice test Download test5.doc

Language Arts second practice test Download test2.doc

Language Arts third practice test Download test3.doc

Language Arts fourth practice test Download test4.doc

Subordinating Conjunction Song

Handout Links

Think-Tac-Toe Activities: Download think_tac_toe_chart.doc

Business Letter Scenarios: Download business_letter_scenarios.doc

Business Letter Format: Download business_format.doc

TO KEEP IN YOUR BINDER ALL YEAR Backpack

Pen 2Rules for Writing: Download rules_for_writing.doc 

      Rationcination: Download RATIOCINATION2.doc Pen 2

Preposition Box:Ponder
Instructions on how to make the box and the list of 52 prepositions to put on the box:  Download BoxInstructions.doc
Template for the box: Download BoxTemplate.doc

Studying Proofreading Marks: Download ProofreadingMarks1.jpe