Summer School (4th/5th grade Middle School)

Welcome to your SUMMER SCHOOL!
MY BIG GIRL!!


This is your work it includes READING!! <yeah!>, a bit of writing, math and spelling. No more than an hour a day of independent work! Oh you know you can do this! 

Reading list: McGuffey Third Reader, McGuffey; Swiss Family Robinson, unabridged, Wyss; The Railway Children, Nesbit; The Peterkin Papers, Hale; A Little Princess, Burnett; The Storybook of Science, Fabre (nonfiction)

** look for bonus screen time! **
You also have a lot of options for ipad games too!

Day 1
Reading

1. Write quench (lesson 3), dismay (lesson 4) and retorted (lesson 5) in your reading notebook, each on its own line. Pay attention to those words while you read.
2. Read lessons 1-5 in the McGuffey Third Reader.  (Help with Roman numerals if you need it–scroll down.)
3. Write in your notebook what you think each of the three words mean.
4. Look up each word to see if you are right. Type define and then the word into the search engine. Write the correct definition of the words in your notebook.

Math

Spelling
warm up with phonograms on the ipad (change it to your user name!)

Day 2
Reading

1. Write toil and strife in your reading notebook where you left off yesterday. Pay attention to those words while you read.
2. Read the first paragraph of lesson 6 in the McGuffey Third Reader.
3. Write in your notebook what you think each of the two words mean.
4. Look up each word to see if you are right. Type define and then the word into the search engine. Write the correct definition of the words in your notebook.
5. Now rewrite the paragraph in your own words. What is it saying? Example: For the first line you could write, “Help each other.”

Math

Spelling

if you need a warm up - use the IPAD phonograms for a couple of levels
Day 3
Reading

1. Write malicious and adrift in your reading notebook where you left off yesterday. Pay attention to those words while you read.
2. Read the second paragraph in lesson 6 in the McGuffey Third Reader.
3. Write in your notebook what you think the two words mean.
4. Look up each word to see if you are right. Type define and then the word into the search engine. Write the correct definitions in your notebook.
5. Rewrite what the paragraph means in your own words.

Spelling
Add your words to a list in spelling city and play games with them


Day 4
Reading

1. Write envy in your reading notebook. The phrase “Honor’s crown” is in today’s reading. It means gaining some honor, getting recognition for something.
2. Read the third paragraph in lesson 6 in the McGuffey Third Reader.
3. Write in your notebook what you think envy means.
4. Look it up to see if you are right. Write the correct definition in your notebook.
5. Rewrite the paragraph in your own words.

Grammar

1. Watch syllable video.
2. Play syllable game.

Math
Spelling...Word Wizard list June #1 - write your words down on paper in your best handwriting 

Day 5
Reading

1. Write ignorant, haste (lesson 7) and inquire (lesson 10) in your reading notebook. Pay attention to these words as you read.
2. Read lessons 7 through 10 in the McGuffey Third Reader.
3. Write in your notebook what you think these three words mean.
4. Look up their definitions and see if you are correct. Write the correct definitions in your notebook.
5. In lesson 9 there is the word “inhuman.” When “in” is used in front of a word, it means not. So, inhuman means not human. Indescribable also has “in” for a prefix (the part added onto the front of a word). Can you think of another word with the prefix “in”? Write it in your notebook. Underline “in” and write the definition of the word you wrote. Not ____________

Writing

1. The poem you have been reading this week is in the form: ABAB. This means that the first line rhymes with the third line, the second line with the fourth line.
2. Also, each line has 7 or 8 syllables. Do you remember what syllables are from yesterday’s lesson?
3. You write a short poem in this form. You only have to write four lines unless you want to write more. The last word of the first line should rhyme with the last word in the third line. The last word in the second line should rhyme with the last word in the fourth line. Each line should be about the same length. Why don’t you think of some rhyming words to get started.

Day 6
Reading

1. Read lesson 11 in the McGuffey Third Reader.
2. Write forge in your notebook on a new page. Write the date in the top corner. In this context forge is a verb, an action, and means to form by heating and pounding into shape. This is how metal is molded into different shapes. Write this definition in your notebook.
3. This type of poem is called a limerick. It is in the form: AABBA. In this type of poem the B lines not only rhyme but they are shorter in length than the other lines.
4. Read some other limericks. By the way, limericks are often humorous.

There was an old man with a beard.

Who said, “It is just as I feared!”

Two owls and a wren

Four larks and a hen

Have all built their nests in my beard!

By Edward Lear

***

There was an Old Man of Nantucket
Who kept all his cash in a bucket.
His daughter, called Nan,
Ran away with a man,
And as for the bucket, Nantucket.
- Anonymous

Nantucket — get it?  Nan took it. She ran off with all the old man’s money.

Vocabulary

1. Do this vocabulary exercise with some of the words you wrote in your notebook last week.

Day 7
Reading

1. Write assure (lesson 12), earnest (lesson 13), grove (lesson 16)
2. Read lessons 12 through 16 in your reader.

Writing/Vocabulary

1. Write a limerick. Use at least one vocabulary word from last week.

Day 8
Reading

1. Read lesson 17.
2. What is the lesson of this poem? (Answer)
3. What form is this poem in? (For instance the limerick was in the form: AABBA)  (Answer)

Spelling

1. Play word builder.

Day 9
Reading

1. Write distress and hesitation in your notebook. After you read, look them up and write the definitions into your notebook.
2. Read lesson 18.
3. How much does the woman ask for? (Answer)
4. How much does the man give her at first? (Answer)
5. Why does the man give her $500? (Answer)
6. What is the moral of the story? (Answer)

Spelling

1. Try the spelling bee.

Grammar

1. Play at Grammaropolis.  Make sure you read about nouns in the characters section.
2. Write “Noun” at the top of a page in your English notebook. Also write today’s date in the top, right corner.
3. Remember, a noun is a person, place or thing.
4. Now on that page write 10 nouns. Include at least two people, two places and two things.

Day 10
Reading

1. Write adorn (lesson 21), dispute (lesson 23) in your reading notebook.
2. Read lessons 19 – 23.
3. Look at the word “downy” in paragraph 1 of lesson 20. What does downy mean? It tells us by partnering it with what word? Soft. Often, when we don’t know a word, if we read the whole sentence or the next sentence, it will explain it to us.
4. Write in your notebook what you think the two words mean.
5. Look them up and write the correct definition in your notebook.
6. What is the moral, or lesson, of the poem in lesson 20? (Answer)
7. What is the form of the poem in lesson 23?  (Answer)

Writing

1. Write a poem. Write it in the form of the poem in lesson 23. Pay attention to how long each line is. In that poem the first line has six syllables and the next has five. Write in your notebook or on the computer. Please remember to write your name and date at the top of your page.

Day 11
Reading

1. Write coarse (lesson 24), peevish (lesson 25), and perplexed (lesson 26) on a new page on your notebook. Write today’s date at the top. Pay attention to these words as you read.
2. Read lessons 24-27.
3. Write what you think each word means.
4. Look them up and write the correct definition in your notebook.

Vocabulary

1. Do this vocabulary exercise with some of last week’s words.

Day 12
Reading

1. Write  reproach (lesson 30), stroked (lesson 31)
2. Read lessons 28-31.
3. Write definitions of both words.

Writing

1. What is the form, the rhyme scheme, of the poem in lesson 29?  (Answer)
2. How many syllables are in each line? (Answer)
3. Write a poem in the same of this poem. Write two stanzas. Use at least one vocab word from last week in each stanza.

Day 13
Reading

1. Write clad, array (lesson 32), scarlet (lesson 34), revere (lesson 35), torment (lesson 36) in your notebook.
2. Read lessons 32 – 36.
3. deign means to stoop to a level lower than your station, hallow means to honor or respect greatly, transgressions are sins, revere is like hallow, plumage means feathers
4. Write definitions of the words you wrote in your notebook.

Vocabulary

1. Fill in the crossword puzzle with the bold words from days 1 -10.

Day 14
Reading

1. Write crevices, prowl (lesson 37) in your notebook.
2. chandelier, pendulum, lowing is the sound cows make, lance is the long spear thing a knight uses, sheaves are bundles of cut grain
3. Read lessons 37 – 40  (in Roman Numerals L means 50)
4. Write what you think each word means.
5. Look of the definitions and write the correct definitions in your notebook.

Spelling

1. Try the spelling bee.

Grammar

1. Play at Grammaropolis.  Make sure you read about action verbs in the character section.
2. Write “Action Verbs” at the top of a new page in your English notebook. Also write the date.
3. Remember, an action verb tells us what something is doing.
4. Now on that page write 10 verbs that are happening in your house right now. (Hint: thinking is probably one of them)

Day 15
Reading

1. Read lessons 41 – 45

Write

1. What form, or rhyme scheme, is lesson 43′s poem in?  (Answer)
2. How many syllables are in each line?  (Answer)
3. Write a poem with two stanzas following the same format.

Day 16
Reading

1. Read lessons 46 – 50
2. Choose three words you don’t know from the definition boxes in your reading and copy them and their definitions into your notebook.

Vocabulary

1. Do this game with some of your words from last week.

Day 17
Reading

1. Read lessons 51 – 56
2. Choose three words you don’t know from the definition boxes in your reading and copy them and their definitions into your notebook.

Writing

1. Write a poem in any form you like. (Doesn’t even have to rhyme if you don’t want.) Use at least one word from your vocabulary in your notebook.

Day 18
Reading

1. Read lessons 57 – 60
2. Choose two vocabulary words from the boxes and write them and their definitions in your notebook.
3. Write in your notebook the moral, or lesson, from each of your readings today. Label each one with the lesson number.

Spelling

1. Try and unscramble the words.

Vocabulary

1. Play this game again with last week’s words.

Day 19
Reading

1. Read lessons 61 – 64.
2. Choose two vocabulary words from the boxes and write them and their definitions in your notebook. (or you can draw a picture of what it is)

Grammar

1. Write linking verbs at the top of a page in your notebook. You can write in there “am, is, are, was, were, will, be, has been, had been, have been, become, became.” You can memorize this list by singing it to any tune. Try “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” if you can’t think of your own tune.
2. Here’s a little online verb quiz.

Day 20

Reading

1. Read lessons 65 – 69.

Writing

1. Go back to lesson 61 and write down the rhyme scheme of the poem, Little Gustava.  (Answer)
2. About how many syllables are in each line?
3. How does each stanza end?
4. Write your own poem in this form with at least three stanzas. You’ll have to first come up with a closing phrase to end each stanza with. If you need inspiration for your starting point, then take a look at your spelling list and use one of those words.

Day 21
Reading

1. Read this summary of Swiss Family Robinson.
2. The Swiss Family Robinson follows a close family who has found themselves stranded on an island after a shipwreck. The story is told from the point of view of the father. The religious family is made up of their intelligent and resourceful father, a kind and caring mother, and their four sons named Fritz, Ernest, Jack, and Franz. Fritz is the eldest son, 15-years-old when the family lands on the island, and he is often tough on his brothers despite his good intentions. Ernest is the second oldest, and he is intelligent and well-formed though indolent. Jack is the third oldest son. He is bold, but often thoughtless. Last is Franz, the youngest son, nearly 8-years-old when the family first is stranded. The story begins with the family’s good fortune when they survive a shipwreck in a terrible storm. They find themselves stuck on a ship, after being abandoned by their shipmates, but not too far from shore. Luckily, the family discovers many supplies on the ship including clothing, tools, fish hooks, guns and gun powder, and various useful animals. They find even more treasures on the endlessly fruitful island and continue to prosper and make new and exciting discoveries for years. The boys eventually grow into men and embark on adventures and learn from each other and the land, when one day the family finds a mysterious message tied to an albatrosse’s leg. The message gives them a way back to civilization from friendly strangers, and finally leads the family members to make the hardest decisions of their lives. Who will stay on the island they have made their home, and which of them will make the difficult decision to leave the island and their family forever? (from http://www.childrensnursery.org.uk/swiss-family-robinson/swiss-family-robinson.html)
3. Look at this picture of the book. What do you think is happening? Write it in your reading notebook. Put at the top of the page the title of the book, the author and today’s date.

English

1. Make a list of ten of your vocabulary words in alphabetical order. Use two words each that start with a, r, d, p and c. Remember that if the first letters are the same, then compare the second letter in each word and so on.

Vocabulary

1. Play this vocabulary game.

Day 22
Reading

1. Read Swiss Family Robinson chapter 1.  (If you have trouble opening that online book, here’s another version.) Here is the audio of chapter 1 if you want to listen while you read along. (The story starts with them on a boat in the middle of a big storm. The word he uses for storm is “tempest.” That’s a really bad storm.)
2. As you read, write down any words you don’t understand or want to know what it is.
3. Copy a sentence that describes a thing. Write it in your reading notebook.
4. What is “she” referring to in this sentence?  “As all hope from this direction was over, I examined the ship to see if she would hold together for a little while, and was reassured.”
5. Who is narrating this story? (Who is I?)

Writing

1. At the beginning of Chapter 1, as the storm threatened the ship, the sailors “uttered frantic cries to God for mercy, mingled with strange and often ludicrous vows, to be performed should deliverance be granted.” Why do people try to bargain with God? Can God be bargained with? Read these verses about making vows. (a vow is a strong promise) Deuteronomy 23:21–23, Judges 11:30–40, and Ecclesiastes 5:4–7 What are the dangers in making vows?  Read Matthew 5:33–37. What does Jesus teach in these verses about making vows? Write the answers in your Bible notebook.

Day 23
Reading

1. Read Swiss Family Robinson chapter 2 (page 19 in the navigation).  Audio for chapter 2   Another version
2. List the four boys and write a word to describe each one.
3. What’s the first thing they do when they get on the beach? (Answer)

Vocabulary

1. As you read, if there are any words you don’t understand, write them in your notebook.
2. Look up the words you want to know and write their definitions in your notebook.

Day 24
Reading

1. Read Swiss Family Robinson chapter 3 (page 31).  Audio for chapter 3    Another version
2. Copy a sentence in your notebook that contains a word you don’t know. What do you think it means from the context?
3. Look up the meaning of the word. Were you right? Write the word and definition in your notebook.
4. What are some of the foods they find?

Grammar

1. Write in your notebook 10 nouns from your reading. Make sure you list people, places and things. Also, write 5 action verbs and 5 linking verbs from your reading.

Day 25
Reading

1. Read chapter 4 of The Swiss Family Robinson (page 43)  Audio of chapter 4    Another version
2. “If the Lord will, He can save us even from this fearful peril; if not, let us calmly yield our lives into His hand, and think of the
   joy and blessedness of finding ourselves forever and ever united in that happy home above.” What does this quote by Father tell us about what their family believes?

Writing

1. Write a how-to survival guide. Pick one survival skill–building a shelter, cooking dandelions, making a fire, anything you can think of that might be helpful. Write a how-to. Write an introduction sentence telling us what you are going to teach us. Then write in numbered steps what you need to do. Write every little step. (example: 1. Look for dandelions that are already flowering.) Write as many steps as you can.

Day 26
Reading

1. Read chapter 5  Swiss Family Robinson (page 50).  Audio of chapter 5    Another version
2. Read chapter 6 as well. Audio of chapter 6
3. Look at the second page of this pdf. It is about reading strategies. If you are stuck, stop, go back to where you understood. Try again. Make a mental picture of what’s happening. Sound out unfamiliar words…Use these suggestions to make sure you are following the book.

English

1. Read this page about the different sentence types.
2. Copy from your book an imperative sentence.

Day 27
Reading

1. Read chapter 7 Swiss Family Robinson  (page 58)  Audio of chapter 7    Another version
2. Read chapter 8. Audio of chapter 8
3. Find a word you don’t know in your reading. Look it up. Use it in one of your writing sentences (below).

Writing

1. Write two declarative sentences, two interrogatory sentences, two exclamatory sentences and two imperative sentences.

Day 28
Reading

1. Read chapter 9 Swiss Family Robinson (page 70)  Audio of chapter 9    Another version
2. Read chapter 10. Audio of chapter 10

Vocabulary

1. Copy the first sentence of the fourth paragraph on page 60 (page 70 in the navigation box). The sentences starts with “Finally.” What does “convey” mean in this sentence? Look up the word and write two definitions for this word in your notebook.

Day 29*
Reading

1. Read chapters 11 and 12 of Swiss Family Robinson (page 80)  Audio of chapters 11 and 12    Another version

Grammar

1. *Print out this worksheet on common and proper nouns and read and follow the directions. Check over your work by making sure none of the common nouns have a capital letter and all of the proper nouns do.
2. Click here. (Remember not to click on anything else.)

Day 30
Reading

1. Read chapters 13 and 14 of Swiss Family Robinson (page 90)  Audio of chapters 13 and 14    Another version

Writing

1. Write a short story about being alone (on an island, in the woods, wherever) but use at least one of each type of sentence (day 26 if you need a reminder).

Day 31
Reading

1. Read chapters 15 and 16 Swiss Family Robinson (page 99)  Audio of chapters 15 and 16    Another version
2. Write a one sentence summary of these chapters. In one sentence tell what happened in each chapter, the main idea/event of the chapter.
3. Copy a sentence from your reading today.

Day 32
Reading

1. Read chapters 17 and 18 Swiss Family Robinson (page 105)  Audio of chapter 17 and 18    Another version

Writing

1. Write about your first day stranded on an island.

Day 33
Reading

1. Read chapter 19 Swiss Family Robinson (page 110)  Audio of chapter 19    Another version
2. Write a one sentence summary of the chapter.

English

1. What’s the main idea of these paragraphs?

Day 34
Reading

1. Read chapters 20 and 21 Swiss Family Robinson (page 118)  Audio of chapter 20  Audio of chapter 21    Another version
2. Write a one sentence summary of the chapter.

English

1. Find the main idea of each paragraph.

Day 35
Reading

1. Read chapters 22 and 23 Swiss Family Robinson (page 132)   Audio of chapter 22  Audio of chapter 23    Another version

Writing

1. Franz sees something floating toward the island. It can be ANYTHING. Start with Franz seeing it. What is it and how does it change life on the island forever?

Day 36
Reading

1. Read chapter 24  Swiss Family Robinson (page 142)   Audio of chapter 24    Another version
2. Copy a great sentence from the book–something exciting, interesting, descriptive, funny…

Vocabulary

1. Read the vocabulary words and do the online exercise (scroll down and click on start).

Day 37
Reading

1. Read chapter 25 Swiss Family Robinson (page 152)   Audio of chapter 25    Another version

Writing

1. Write a short story. You are on the shore (decide if you are on a desert island or not) and a bottle washes up with a message inside. What does the message say?

Day 38
Reading

1. Read chapters 26 and 27 Swiss Family Robinson (page 161)   Audio of chapter 26   Audio of chapter 27    Another version
2. Tell someone about what is happening in the book.
3. What do you think is going to happen next? in the end of the book?

Spelling

1. Do the word search.

Day 39*
Reading

1. Read chapters 28 and 29  Swiss Family Robinson (page 173)   Audio of chapter 28  Audio of chapter 29    Another version

English*

1. *Read the story and answer the questions. Print out page 2. You can read the story online or print it out. You can check your answers by clicking the link after you are done.

Day 40
Reading

1. Read chapters 30 and 31 Swiss Family Robinson (page 189)   Audio of chapters 30 and 31    Another version
2. Copy the best sentence from your reading today–the most interesting, the funniest, the most descriptive, the most exciting.

Writing

1. Pretend you are on the Island with the Robinson family. Write a dialog between you and someone on the island. Just write dialog, you talking back and forth with any character from the book. Put quotation marks around anything that is being said. “I’m talking to you,” I said.

Day 41
Reading

1. Read chapters 32 and the postscript by the editor  Swiss Family Robinson (page 197)   Audio of chapter 32    Another version
2. What happens in the postscript? Did it really happen? Do you think they will leave or stay?

Vocabulary

1. Read the vocab list and complete the exercise (scroll down and click on start.)

Day 42
Reading

1. Read chapter 33 of Swiss Family Robinson (211)   Audio of chapter 33    Another version
2. Copy the best sentence.

Writing

1. Pretend you are on a stranded island and someone has found you (like in the book). Write a dialog between you and the person. Would you consider staying? What would you ask about? for?

Day 43
Reading

1. Read chapter 34 of Swiss Family Robinson (219)  Audio of chapter 34    Another version
2. Copy a sentence with a word you don’t know in it. Underline the word.
3. Look up the definition and write it under the sentence.

Spelling

1. Be in the spelling bee. If the spelling bee is too hard, try the challenge and choose easy.

Day 44
Reading

1. Read chapters 35 and 36 of Swiss Family Robinson (227)  Audio of chapter 35   Audio of chapter 36    Another version
2. Copy the best sentence–funniest, most interesting, most descriptive, move exciting…

Grammar

1. Here’s where you put your punctuation when you write a dialog. The quotation marks go around what is being said. “I’m telling you to come here.” NOTICE! The quotation marks go around the period, comma, exclamation point or question mark. That other punctuation mark goes inside the quotation because it’s part of how the person is saying it.
2. Here’s the tricky part. “Come here,” I said. Even though “come here” is a sentence. I didn’t put a period there. I used a comma. If you were to tell someone about this, you would say, “She said come here.” You would say it all as one sentence right? The “I said” part is part of the sentence, it tells us about what’s being said.
3. Review examples:

• “Let’s have dinner this weekend.“   (End punctuation inside quotation marks)
• “Let’s have dinner this weekend,” he said to her.   (Comma instead of period and inside quotation marks, lowercase “he”)
• He said, “Let’s have dinner.“   (Comma after said — not inside quotation marks, uppercase “Let’s”)

1. You can do it! Put the dialog punctuation in its place. Look at the lesson and click on “Exercise.”

Day 45
Reading

1. Read chapter 37 of Swiss Family Robinson (237)  Audio of chapter 37    Another version
2. Tell someone about what is happening in the book.

Writing

1. Write a comic strip.

Day 46
Reading

1. Read chapter 38 of Swiss Family Robinson (244)  Audio of chapter 38    Another version
2. Copy a sentence with a word you don’t know. Underline the word.
3. Look up the definition and write it under the sentence.

Writing

1. Choose someone you are learning about in history to write a biography about. Write down ten facts about that person.

Day 47
Reading

1. Read chapter 39 of Swiss Family Robinson (252)  Audio of chapter 39    Another version
2. Copy the best descriptive sentence. Label it in your notebook with the book title and page number.

Writing

1. Write a comedy dialog between two people stranded on an island. It should have at least three lines for each person.

Day 48*
Reading

1. Read chapter 40 of Swiss Family Robinson (260)  Audio of chapter 40    Another version
2. Tell someone about what happened in this chapter.

Writing*

1. Organize your facts for your biography into these categories: who, what, where, when, why/how. Here’s how to do it.
2. Print out three hamburgers. At the top on the name blank write “who/what” on one page, “where/when” on one page, and why/how on the third page. Number the pages 1, 2, 3.
3. Next to each fact write 1, 2, or 3 depending on what page the fact belongs on. Is it a when fact? Then write a 2 next to it, etc.

Day 49
Reading

1. Read chapter 41 of Swiss Family Robinson (269)  Audio of chapter 41    Another version

Grammar

1. Play this dialog punctuation game. Click on really hard.
2. Look over the dialog you wrote the other day and your punctuation rules from last week. Do you need to make any corrections?

Day 50
Reading

1. Read chapter 42 of Swiss Family Robinson (275)  Audio of chapter 42    Another version
2. Tell someone about what happened in this chapter.

Writing

1. Write a story/dialog online.

Day 51
Reading

1. Read chapter 43 of Swiss Family Robinson. (283)  Audio for chapter 43    Another version
2. Tell someone what happened in this chapter.

Writing

1. Fill in your “who/what” hamburger. Your hamburger is your paragraph. All of your details or facts will tell about your main idea. Your closing sentence should answer the question, “so what?” Why did you just tell them all those facts? Here’s an example.
2. main idea: George Washington was a leader in many ways.
3. detail #1:  He was general of the troops in America during the American Revolution.
4. detail #2:  He led congress’ delegates in forming the Constitution.
5. detail #3:  He became the first president to serve America under the Constitution.
6. closing sentence:  He was successful no matter what hat he was wearing.

Day 52
Reading

1. Read chapter 44 of Swiss Family Robinson  (293)  Audio for chapter 44    Another version
2. You might want to use the audio this time if you don’t normally because there are two pages missing from the book.
3. Copy a sentence with a word you don’t know in it.
4. Look up the definition and write it underneath the sentence.

Writing

1. Write for fifteen minutes. Here are some questions to get you started thinking about what to write.

Day 53
Reading

1. Read chapters 45 and 46 of Swiss Family Robinson  (307)  Audio for chapters 45 and 46    Another version
2. Tell someone what happens in the chapter.

Writing

1. Fill in the where/when hamburger.
2. Remember that all of your details (facts) need to be about your main idea. Your closing statement should answer the question, “so what?”
3. Example with the main idea and closing statement in bold: Whenever and wherever his country ask him to be, that’s where Washington could be found. He was born in Mount Vernon, Virginia. He returned there to live after serving as general during the Revolution from 1775 until 1781. He wanted to retire then and there, but he moved to Philadelphia to live when he was unanimously voted president of the United States. He was a true example of what a politician is meant to be, a servant of the people.

Day 54*
Reading

1. Read chapter 47 of Swiss Family Robinson  (317) Audio for chapter 47    Another version
2. Copy a sentence that transitions. (Finally…The next day…)

Grammar*

1. Print out PAGE 8 ONLY.  Cut into pieces. (M is going to use this too.)
2. Arrange into different dialogs.
3. Go to day 44 to review the rules of dialog punctuation and capitalization.

Day 55
Reading

1. Read chapter 48 of Swiss Family Robinson  (325) Audio for chapter 48    Another version
2. Copy a sentence that transitions. (Next…The following morning…)

Writing

1. Fill in the why/how hamburger.
2. Remember that all of your details (facts) need to be about your main idea. Your closing statement should answer the question, “so what?”
3. Example with the main idea and closing statement in bold: Washington was a natural leader because he was a man people respected and trusted. There is a famous story about Washington cutting down his father’s cherry tree. When questioned, Washington confesses saying, “I cannot tell a lie.” While this story may be make believe, it shows what people believed about Washington. People, including his troops and members of congress, found him completely trustworthy, making it easy to respect him. This ability to win people’s trust and respect made him a great leader. 

Day 56
Reading

1. Read chapter 49 of Swiss Family Robinson  (330) Audio for chapter 49    Another version
2. Copy a sentence that transitions. (Next…The following morning…)

Writing

1. Read about writing an opening sentence.
2. You are going to write an introduction about your biography. This paragraph can be shorter than the other you have written. It needs to be at least three sentences long.
3. This time instead of the first sentence being your main idea, the last sentence is going to be your main idea. It will tell the main idea of your biography. It should be as specific as is possible.
4. Your first sentence should be interesting. It should make people want to read your biography. An easy way to get people interested is by asking them a question.
5. Here’s an example.
6. opening sentence: Ever wonder what makes someone great?
7. middle (no details yet):  History has many greats. One man in particular was a great leader at an important time in America’s history.
8. main idea of the whole biography (called the thesis): George Washington was a great leader when America needed one.

Day 57
Reading

1. Read chapter 50 of Swiss Family Robinson  (336) Audio for chapter 50    Another version
2. Copy a sentence that transitions.

Writing

1. Write an account of your day yesterday. Include a sound word in every sentence.  creak, crash, burp, slurp, tweet, trickle, bump, shuffle, buzz…

Day 58
Reading

1. Read chapter 51 of Swiss Family Robinson  (346) Audio for chapter 51    Another version
2. Copy a sentence that transitions (most likely the first sentence in a paragraph).

Writing

1. Write a conclusion paragraph for your biography.
2. This time the first sentence should tell your main idea again.
3. Like your introduction, there should be at least three sentences.
4. The last sentence should include the word “I.” Tell what you think or feel about the person. Answer the “so what” question. Tell why you wrote the essay.
5. Here is my example.
6. main idea (in different words, not the same exact sentence): George Washington was a great leader when America was struggling to be independent and to stand on its own.
7. middle (no new details): He united his troops as general and the country as president by commanding their respect.
8. closing sentence: I think God put George Washington in the right place at the right time, just who America needed in order to become the United States of America.

Day 59
Reading

1. Read chapter 52 of Swiss Family Robinson  (352) Audio for chapter 52    Another version
2. Copy a sentence that transitions.

Grammar

1. Play this noun game.
2. Play this verb game.
3. Play this idioms game.

Day 60
Reading

1. Read chapter 53 of Swiss Family Robinson  (370) Audio for chapter 53    Another version
2. Copy a sentence that transitions.
3. Tell someone what happened in the chapter today.

Writing

1. Write a letter to your mother, but write as someone from the time period you are studying. If you have to write your letter in hieroglyphics, so be it.

Day 61
Reading

1. Read chapter 54 of Swiss Family Robinson  (383) Audio for chapter 54    Another version
2. Who is story teller now? Who is “I?”

Writing

1. Take your five paragraphs and put them together. This is called a five-paragraph essay.
2. Read this page about paragraphs in non-fiction writing. (Remember that non-fiction is about real things as opposed to fiction which is made up stories.)
3. Make sure all of your paragraphs flow together into one essay. Try and make connections. Look at the list of connecting words and use some of them to help connect the paragraphs to each other. You can also say things like, “While he was a great leader during times of war, he was also a great leader in times of peace.”

Day 62
Reading

1. Read chapter 55 of Swiss Family Robinson  (393) Audio for chapter 55    Another version

Writing

1. Read your biography out loud. Make a note of spots you stumble over or that sound weird. Go back and change those spots.
2. Read your biography out loud again. Did it sound smoother? Fix any more spots that just don’t sound right.

Vocabulary

1. Play this vocabulary review game.

Day 63
Reading

1. Read chapter 56 of Swiss Family Robinson  (407) Audio for chapter 56    Another version

Writing

1. Check your biography to make sure that there are long sentences and short sentences. There should be sentences with “and” or “but,” sentences with “because.” Try and include a sentence with an exclamation point and a question as well.
2. The more varied (or different kinds) of sentences you include, the more interesting your biography will be.

Day 64
Reading

1. Read chapter 57 of Swiss Family Robinson  (415) Audio for chapter 57    Another version

Vocabulary

1. Play this vocabulary review game.

Writing

1. Check for capital letters, commas, and any other problems. Choose one verb and look it up in the thesaurus and choose a different word instead. Put a title on your biography. Print it out!

Day 65  (Materials for English, optional: shoe box, newspaper, flour, paint, twigs, rocks, dirt/sand)

Reading

1. Read the conclusion of Swiss Family Robinson  (431) Audio for the conclusion    Another version
2. What is his invitation at the end? Based on the final song in the book, what is his conclusion about life on the Isle?
3. Build a diorama of a scene from the island. Use paper mache in your shoe box to build the land. Build the land today and then let it dry. You’ll use the other things next week. OR
4. Design an invention you could have made on the island (with what was available to them)–a tool or a game or something else. Draw a picture of it.

Day 66

1. Finish your diorama or design.
2. Write a descriptive paragraph of the scene or of the invention and how it would be used. Include: at least one sentence each with a period, a question mark, an exclamation point and a comma.

Day 67

1. Read your description paragraph out loud. Fix any problems you hear.
2. Write an opening sentence that makes the reader be interested in reading about the description. (eg. Have you ever been to a deserted island?)
3. Write a concluding sentence that contains a thought or feeling. (eg. I think there would be no more beautiful place on earth than an island never touched by people.)

Day 68

1. Read your descriptive paragraph our loud. Fix any problems you see or hear.
2. Print it out. Cut it out and affix to your diorama or staple it to your design drawing.
3. Write a summary of the book. In one paragraph tell the main characters, where, they were and what they did. You have to do this in three to five sentences.

Day 69

1. Write a paragraph telling about the best thing about the book. Describe the best thing and then tell why you think it is the best thing. Write three to five sentences.
2. Write a paragraph telling about the worst thing about the book. Describe the worst thing and then tell why you think it is the worst thing. Write three to five sentences.

Day 70

1. You just wrote the three middle paragraphs of a book report essay. Today write the introduction and conclusion.
2. In your introduction write the author’s name, the title of the book (underline it or type it in italics), and describe it. How long is it? What words would you use to describe it? (fun, adventurous, family, sad, exciting) Write three to five sentences.
3. In your conclusion, tell what you think of the book. Would you recommend others read it? Would you read other books like it? Your last sentence should be a thought or feeling, “I think…”. Write three to five sentences.

Day 71
Writing

1. Read your book report essay out loud. Mark any problems.
2. Fix any problems you see or hear.
3. Rewrite your first sentence, or add a new sentence. Make it interesting. Make people want to read your book report. Maybe you want to use a question. (Example: Have you ever thought about what it would be like to be stranded on an island?)
4. Rewrite the first sentence of each middle paragraph and use connecting words. Don’t just jump around.