Title: Using Sensory Details to Enhance Your Writing and 6th

Grade:

5th

Project Summary: You have been studying sensory details and have read various excerpts from books that have highlighted the importance of using sensory details to enhance your writing (make it richer). You are going to imagine that one of the pictures from The Mysteries of Harris Burdick book is from an actual story. There is some mystery hidden inside of it and you need to figure it out! Using sensory details, you are going to draw in the reader by making him or her think that they are inside of the story. You will select a picture from the collection of The Mysteries of Harris Burdick and begin to write your interpretation of the mystery. You will make your reader feel as though he/she can see, touch, taste, hear, and smell all of the possibilities that your story has to offer. Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to.. Writers Role: You are telling this story as the narrator. You will describe what is happening in your mystery using sensory details. Audience: You are writing a mystery that will be published in a classroom collection called, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. The classroom book will be posted on our website. Form: You will be writing a story that will correspond with the picture that you have chosen. FCAs: 1. You will use at least 10 sensory details in the story (underline them). 50 points 2. Your mystery will have a beginning, middle, and end. 30 points 3. Your mystery will have a problem and solution. 20 points Procedures: o Type One Writing: Make a list of at least 10 sensory details that can be used to describe the picture youve chosen. o You will share your list with a student who has chosen the same picture and complete a below the line. o Complete a story map to plan for your problem and solution. o Type Three Writing: Write a first draft of your mystery. o Read your mystery out loud using your editing phone and make any changes you feel will improve it. o Work with a partner to get feedback on your mystery and double check for your FCAs to make sure you have done a good job with those areas. o Type Four Writing: Write a second draft with all of your improvements.

o Turn into your teacher for any additional comments for your final revision. o Due date: ___________________________ Created by: Emily Greaves Title: Creature Feature and 6th Grade: 5th

Project Summary: Imagine that an unknown creature suddenly crawls out from the darkness and frightens you. You become very curious about what you see. Have you seen this creature before? Can you figure out where its from? What does it do? Do you know what it eats? Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to write a report on this mysterious creatures characteristics. Writers Role: You are writing this report as a scientist who has just discovered the creature in the wild. Audience: You are going to give this report to Mrs. Rapoza in an effort to convince her that the mysterious creature actually exists. Form: You will write a descriptive report that is at least 3 paragraphs long. FCAs: 1. You will use 3 characteristics describing where it lives and what it eats. 30 points 2. You will explain the inferences that you made to determine the habitat and diet (one paragraph per characteristic). 50 points 3. You will identify an interesting role for this creature in its community. 20 points Procedures: o Type One Writing: Brainstorm at least 10-15 characteristics about this creature from looking at its picture. o We will make a class list of the various attributes and you will complete a below the line. o Type Three Writing: Write 3 paragraphs about this creature (first draft). o Read your report out loud using your editing phone and make any changes you feel will improve it. o Work with a partner; get feedback on your descriptive report, and double check for your FCAs to make sure you have done a good job with those areas. o Type Four Writing: Write a second draft with all of your improvements. o Due date: _________________________

Created by: Emily Greaves

Title: A Closer Look at Stanleys Character

Grade: 5th and 6th

Project Summary: In literature, it is common for the characters traits, thoughts, and actions to change over time. In the story Holes, we can see that Stanleys character changes, and yet remains the same. You will analyze the changes in Stanleys character and will take on the perspective of Stanley. How do you think he feels his character has changed over his stay at Camp Green Lake? You will be writing a letter to Stanleys parents describing some of the transformations that have happened to him and will describe how his character has remained unaffected in other ways. Purpose: Your purpose is to describe the changes that occurred in Stanleys character between the beginning of the story and the end of the story. Writers Role: You are writing this letter from Stanleys perspective. Stanley will be writing a letter to his parents about how the experience at Camp Green Lake has changed him. Audience: Your audience is your teacher and classmates who are all familiar with the story. Form: Your comparison of Stanleys character from the beginning and end of the book will be written as a friendly letter. FCAs: 1. You will identify 3 similarities in Stanleys character and 3 differences using details from the book. 70 points 2. At least one paragraph for the similarities and at least one paragraph for the differences. 20 points 3. Proper format for a friendly letter. 10 points Procedures: o Type One Writing: Use a t-chart to brainstorm Stanleys behaviors and characteristics at the beginning of the book and at the end of the book. o We will make a cumulative list on the white board. You may record any other ideas below the line. o Type Three Writing: Write a first draft of your letter. o Read your letter out loud using your editing phone and make any changes you feel will improve it. o Work with a partner; get feedback on your letter, double check for your FCAs

to make sure you have done a good job with those areas. o Type Four Writing: Write a second draft of your letter with all of your improvements. o Due date: ________________________

Created by: Emily Greaves

Title: Daily Living in Ancient Mesopotamia

Grade: 5th and 6th

Project Summary: We can learn about history through a variety of resources (textbooks, videos, journals, pictures, etc.). One way we can learn about people living during earlier times is through their journals. In this project, you are going to write diary entries as a child who lived during the time of Ancient Mesopotamia. You are going to write in a journal as a young child living in the days of Ancient Mesopotamia. You will write in a daily journal (3 entries) that will demonstrate your understanding of the daily life of a child living near a ziggurat in Ancient Sumer. Purpose: The purpose of this writing assignment is to be informative about what youve learned in the Ancient Mesopotamia unit. Writers Role: You are telling this story as a child living in Ancient Sumer. Audience: The audience will be students in the upcoming years who will be learning about Mesopotamia. Form: You will be writing three journal entries. FCAs: 1. Each letter will include at least 5 accurate details about a specific topic related to daily life in Ancient Sumer (transportation, trading, religion, government, womens roles, etc.). 60 points 2. VOICE/TONE 3. No Excuse Chart. 20 points

Procedures: o Type One Writing: Choose three topics from the daily life in Ancient Sumer. Write five details about each topic. o You will share your list with a group of students and will complete a below the line. o Type Three Writing: Write a first draft of your three journal entries. o Read your journal entries out loud using your editing phone and make any

changes you feel will improve it. o Work with a partner; get feedback on your entries, double check for your FCAs to make sure you have done a good job with those areas. o Type Four Writing: Write a second draft with all of your improvements. o Due date: ________________________

Created by: Emily Greaves