Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Book Trailer - Final Exam

Book Trailer

Assignment: Just like a movie trailer is designed to get the audience to watch an upcoming movie, a book trailer is designed to get the audience to read the book. You will create a book trailer that details the content of one of your recent semester choice books. The goal of the book trailer is to entice your audience to read the book, without giving away too much information and spoiling it.

Your grade will be based on the following:

Content: Text is appropriate and accurate and includes important information describing the setting and characters. The story is told well enough to inform the reader without significant confusion. The climax and ending are NOT provided.

Music: The music selection for the trailer is appropriate for the overall tone/mood of the story.

Images: Images are carefully and thoughtfully chosen to depict key scenes, characters, and events in the story.

Presentation: A platform/program is chosen that combines the text, music, and images in a creative and effective presentation to the audience.

Length: The book trailer should be two minutes in length (give or take 20 seconds)

Grammar/Spelling: The presentation should be grammatically correct unless intentionally altered for effect. Proper nouns should be capitalized and words should be spelled correctly.


Content:___/20
Music:___/5
Images:___/20
Presentation:___/30
Length:___/10
Conventions:___/5

Total:______/90

Steps for creating an effective book trailer:

  1. Your job is to convey the MAIN IDEA and MOOD of the book and make the audience want to read the book. In a series of images, enhanced by sound and/or narration, you must give the BASICS about the book.

The four most important elements to convey are:
  1. The main character
Who is the main character?_________________________________________
  1. The setting
Where does the story take place?_____________________________________
  1. The conflict
What is the problem?_______________________________________________
  1. The mood
How does the story make the reader feel?_______________________________

Lesser concepts you may want to include:
    1. The antagonist(s)
Who are they and what is their conflict with the main character? ______________ _________________________________________________________________
    1. The turning point, or climax (ONLY HINT AT THIS: DO NOT GIVE AWAY THE ENDING)
What is the most exciting part?_________________________________________

  1. Key points to remember:
    1. End with a “cliff-hanger” - make them WANT to know what happens to the main character
    2. Use foreshadowing, but…
    3. DO NOT GIVE AWAY THE ENDING!
    4. Use images and audio that are in keeping with the MOOD of the book
    5. Observe copyright law - give credit for any images used in the presentation
    6. Be SUBTLE - give hints that tantalize
    7. Be CONCISE - do NOT give plot summary

To log in to Animoto:

  1. Go to www.animoto.com and click “log in”

  1. Username: kvogel+2@nvps.net  password 2hour
  2.                  kvogel+3@nvps.net password 3hour
    kvogel+5@nvps.net password 5hour
                              kvogel+6@nvps.net password 6hour
                              kvogel+7@nvps.net password 7hour

  1. Click “Create” if first login, otherwise “My Videos” and find your video to continue editing
  2. BE SURE TO PUT YOUR NAME IN THE TITLE SO YOU CAN FIND YOUR PROJECT EACH DAY
  3. DO NOT HIT PUBLISH UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO PUBLISH.  Click SAVE at the end of each session.

Monday, May 25, 2015

7th Grade Poetry Presentation





To end our year together, we will celebrate by making poetry presentations.  All poetry presentations are due Tuesday, June 2.  Click on Link to see guidelines.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1-_9UXrtRd0QmoQ2ztO1Q3T_Y4K-0Hk9_jydoFDPbo-c/edit#slide=id.g31d6a8d8b_0_27


https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RqHlGM61-StsKE_23M-0DN6CE_lxi9Zfc6gM4cQaH3o/edit#slide=id.g33695122a_00

To make a shape or concrete poem, try using www.festisite.com/text-layout/


Reading Ladder: Stamina and Volume


For the Love of Books
Book Ladder - Building Stamina and Volume
Semester 2


To grow as a reader one must build both stamina and volume.  Use your  notebook to  help you create a “Reading Ladder” of the books you read this semester.  You may include books that you abandoned on the ladder.  Just as one climbs a ladder and with each rung one moves toward the top difficulty ensures.  


Make a reading ladder ranking books from easier (the bottom of the ladder) to the most challenging.  Be sure to include the author, the genre, and the number of pages for each title.  If you abandoned a book, simply mark A.  Once you have all of the books listed, total the number of pages read this semester.  


Additionally, write a paragraph explaining which book made the greatest impact on you.  Be sure to thoroughly explain your reasoning.  

Make a second list of books you plan to read over the summer.  Total the number of pages you expect to read.  

_____ 15 pts. Made a comprehensive list of books read with author and
genre.

_____  10 pts.      Included page number of each title.

_____ 15 pts.       Totaled the number of pages read over the semester
_____  25 pts.       Number of pages read  indicates both stamina and volume

_____  25 pts.     Included a well-written paragraph with clear explanation of            
                               a book or author that has made an impact on you.

_____ 15 pts. Created a Summer Reads List

_____ 50 pts.     Included a letter to future 9th Grade Teacher *this applies ONLY to 8th graders


Dear Mr. Schroder or Mrs. Alt,

The purpose of this letter is to give your future insight as to who you are as a learner, reader, and writer.  

    

Friday, May 15, 2015

After You Read “A Retrieved Reformation” by O. Henry – ANSWERS Answer the following questions. Remember if you have difficulty answering the questions, you should reread the story.

1. Why is Jimmy in prison?

2. How does Jimmy respond to the warden when he tells him to “live straight”?


3. What does the clerk hand Jimmy as he leaves prison?


4. What is in the suit-case that Jimmy removed from behind the wall panel in his room?


5. What habits and trademarks of Jimmy, lead Ben Price to believe that Jimmy is cracking safes again?

6. What happens to Jimmy in front of the Elmore Bank?


7. What reason did Jimmy give the clerk at the Planters’ Hotel for coming to Elmore?


8. What name does Jimmy register under at the Planters’ Hotel?


9. Why does Jimmy decide to open the safe at the Elmore Bank?


10. How does Ben Price react to Jimmy at the end of the story?

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Friday, April 24, 2015

How to Write a Dedication Page in a Book


How to Write a Dedication Page in a Book

When writing a dedication page, think about the people who were the most influential when the book was being written.  Dedicating a book to a very special person is certainly a way that you can show your appreciation, and feelings for them.
  • A dedication page in a book precedes the main body of the book.
  •  On the dedication page, the author names the person for whom the book was written.
  • Dedications can be just two words, such as For Mom or several paragraphs.  It can be as short as ""Dedicated to..."" or can be a page long. It depends on what you would like to say.


  • It is a permanent gesture, and will be a keepsake that a person can hold for life.
  • Your own heart felt words, written by you for an individual or a group if you like, will always be appreciated and cherished.
  • If possible, you may want to add a short story that tells why you would like to dedicate a book to that person, and how they inspired you."


Steps:
1.    Make a list of who helped you or inspired you in writing the book. Include close family and friends, editors and fellow writers. Also include historical figures, if applicable. Jot down a few notes about the role each person played.
2.  Decide how many people you want to thank.
3.  Determine the style of dedication you want to write. A dedication can be a short chapter explaining how the idea for the book came about and how various people helped along the way, or it can be as short and simple as "To my ma."
4.  Read some dedications by your favorite authors. Take notes on how they begin their works.
5.  Write a short dedication and a long one. Decide which expresses your feelings better.
6.  Consider adding a quote. A statement that summarizes what you are trying to do with your book can add power to your dedication.

http://www.ehow.com/video_4872305_write-dedication-book.html

Monday, April 13, 2015

M-Step Testing


What's M-Step?

Students have been assessed using the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) for decades.   These assessments were taken using paper and  pencil and provided limited feedback to students.  The Michigan Department of Education now has a new assessment.  M-Step is an online test which provides faster results.  

The format of the test includes multiple choice, short answer, a class activity to support a performance task.  

Both eighth graders as well as seventh graders will be assessed in English Language Arts and Math.

See schedule below:  

8th grade -          April 15th Computer Adaptive
                           April 21st Classroom Activity
                           April 22nd Performance Task
                           April 23rd Performance Task


7th grade -         May 4th  Computer Adaptive
                          May 5th Classroom Activity
                          May 6th Performance Task
                          May 7th Performance Task