Mrs. McCullough's Class

Dear Students,

3/23/2020

March 23, 2020
Dear Students,
If you missed my last post on Skyward, this is Mrs. McCullough writing to you. I am back from maternity leave. While I understand why we have closed schools for now, know that I was looking forward to meeting all of you. I have heard that Mrs. Weber did a great job in my absence working with you and that makes me happy. Here are some details to know: Our School District is providing meals Monday-Friday from 9am-noon. The closest school to get meals from is Briarwood Elementary. There are other locations as well. You can show up with a parent and they will hand you breakfast and lunch- no questions asked and nothing to sign. We would love to see more students grabbing meals! Please let me know if you need a laptop or internet access as the district is helping with that too! Every week I will be emailing you activities to complete from home. These are not graded and optional but can really help you keep your skills up and keep learning.
WEEK OF 3/23-3/27:
FIND THE ERRORS CONTEST: I wrote you a letter below introducing myself but my friends said that it is full of errors! Can you find any? Email me at mcculloughn@issaquah.wednet.edu with the number that you find. I don’t think there are any errors but help me out!
POETRY: I know Mrs. Weber was working on finishing poetry with you. I would love if you spend this week working on your packet and finishing the different types of poems you did not complete. There was writing space given in the packet to try to write the different types of poems or you can type them. If you are finished with the packet, try creating an anthology of your poems- an anthology is like a small book. There are directions on the last pages of the packet on how to create an anthology and I would love for you to send me your anthologies so I can read your poems too! If you are missing the packet, it is on my website and you can get a copy there!
READ! Make time to read, please! LIBRARIES: Unfortunately, all public libraries are closed; however, your school-provided KCLS online account may still be active to reserve and/or read e-books. https://kcls.org/ . Also, navigate Mr. Dahlin’s Maywood Library site for book recommendations (Resource Lists) and many other online resources https://connect.issaquah.wednet.edu/staff/maywood/mr_dahlins_site
WRITE! Make time to write. You can work on your poetry and even consider keeping a journal dated 3/23-4/26. Maybe illustrate your entries, too? If you have an Adobe Spark account, consider creating a video from your entries – a sort of documentary of the times.
OTHER DIGITAL RESOURCES: https://www.issaquah.wednet.edu/district/departments/Technology/students https://www.issaquah.wednet.edu/district/departments/Technology/secondary-digital-tools
MAYWOOD WEBSITE: https://issaquah.wednet.edu/maywoodms/

MY WEBSITE: mcculloughn.com I will send weekly updates. I have updated the website and have new pictures on the main page. In the meantime, please email me M-F, 7:30AM-3:00PM, with any questions or to just let me know how you are doing. Are you receiving my weekly updates via Skyward's Message Center? Are you doing some of the assignments I have given? What book are you reading? Can you share some poems with me? Did you read my letter and find any errors?
I hope you are staying safe and healthy. I hope to see you soon!
Take good care,
Mrs. McCullough ☺
mcculloughn@issaquah.wednet.edu
7th Grade Language Arts
Maywood Middle School

FIND THE ERRORS CONtEST!
Here is a letter from me (Mrs. McCullough). I wanted to introduce myself but I guess it’s been awhile since I have been teaching and writing since my friends said that I have a lot of errors! I don’t believe them! I used spell check on my computer. Obviously, my computer can catch all my mistakes! Can you find any of the errors my friends are talking about? Email me at mcculloughn@issaquah.wednet.edu with the number of errors that you find! Winners will be announced next week!
Dear Student’s,
I am back from maternity leave. I had a baby boy on September 3rd. His name is Derrick. I have too other boys two- there names are Michael and Bryan. They sure do keep me buzy! My husband, Chris, is in the military. He travel’s to a base to go to work and will retire in November.
Thank you for helping Mrs. Weber while she was a guest in are classroom. She had alot of fun and said that you were a grate group to teach. I rally hope that I got too meat all of you soon!
I have been teaching for a long time and I love it. I have taught in California, Washington, and Hawaii. Sum other things I love to do are: scuba dive, spend time outside on a sunny day, ride on rollercoasters, and sing in the car (my kids don’t really love that!).
I would love if you right me back and tell me something about you! It dosen’t have to be a long letter but hear are some ideas: What are your favorite things to do? What are your favorite subjects? What would you like to know about me? I will write back to anyone who sends me an email! My email is mcculloughn@issaquah.wednet.edu
Talk to you soon!
Mrs. McCullough

Friday, March 13 - An Update

3/13/2020

Happy Friday!

Given the uncertainty of the next few weeks, I wanted to let you know that I will continue to accept late or missing work (via email) through the end of the trimester (March 20).

If there's something that you want (re)graded, please email me a link or a picture. I'll do my best to update things quickly. This includes any changes you want to make to your photo essay!

Additionally, if you've been absent and want to see work/rubrics that were passed back this week, I'll gladly send you a picture!

Stay healthy!

- Mrs. Weber

Thursday, March 12

3/12/2020

Get out your Poetry Packet! Open to the Visual Dictionary (page 4). Quiz your table group on the Poetry Terms!

Objectives: Today I will read & draft Just Because poems and Blackout poems.

Homework:

Finish drafting Just Because & Blackout poems if you do not finish in class
Last day to turn in late work is tomorrow
Poetry Term quiz on Monday

Agenda:

Just Because Poems (page 21)
- Just Because poems are powerful because they make a statement about how others perceive certain qualities, attributes, and values.
- They are a way to address and shatter stereotypes.
- Stereotype: an oversimplified & fixed view of a certain person, group, or quality (often negative)

Now You Try:
- Consider certain stereotypes or misconceptions that you have personally encountered in your life.
- Write them down (example: quiet = shy)
- Then, create a Just Because poem to shatter those stereotypes.
- Use at least two “Just because… Doesn’t mean” statements.
Blackout Poems (page 22-23)
- Blackout poems are created from already published works by choosing some words from the page to create a poem while covering/decorating over all others.
- Sometimes the way the poem is covered creates a visual that matches the theme of the poem.

Now You Try:
- Read over the scanned page (page 23) or choose a different published work to use.
- Lightly circle the words you want to use to create a poem. Start with the words that stand out to you.
- After you have decided on the poem itself, begin drafting an image or covering the words you will not be using with markers, colored pencils, etc.
Extra Work Time:
- Complete any unfinished poems from your packet.
- Choose/revise the 10 poems for your anthology.
- Draft a Dedication page (These poems are dedicated to _____ because…) or an About the Author page (list a few facts about yourself).

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Wednesday, March 11

3/11/2020

Get out your poetry packet & fill in your visual dictionary (page 4) for the terms personification, onomatopoeia, alliteration, & imagery

Imagery: Visually descriptive or figurative language

Objectives: Today I will read, discuss, and draft a free verse poem.

Homework:

Finish drafting free verse poem if you do not finish in class
Last day to turn in late work is Friday!
Poetry Term Quiz on Monday

Agenda:

Share Your Poems!
- Share your onomatopoeia poem and/or your personification poem with your table group members!
- Volunteers to share with the class?
Photo Essay Rubrics
- Today you’ll be getting your photo essay rubrics back.
- Keep them until you are positive the grade is entered correctly on Skyward!
- If you would like to re-submit your photo essay:
  - Make revisions!
  - Write down what you changed on the back of your rubric.
  - Turn your rubric back in by Monday
Free Verse Poems (pages 19-20)
- Free verse poems have no set rhythm or rhyme scheme that they must follow.
- There is no required structure.
- Free verse often sounds like natural speech, but with more imagery.
- Imagery: Visually descriptive or figurative language

Maya Angelou's "Caged Bird"
- Follow along in your packet (page 19) while we listen to this poem

Group Discussion
- Have a discussion with your table group about the poem “Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou
- Each group member chooses a different discussion role (facilitator, recorder, reporter, or timekeeper). All group members contribute ideas.
Group Discussion Norms
- Stay on topic
- Talk with your group
- Everybody responds to each question
- Encourage others to participate
- Disagree respectfully
- Listen while others are speaking
Now You Try! (page 20)
- Choose a focus for your poem (consider different themes you are interested in writing about).
- Write, write, write!
- Revise as needed after you finish your draft.
- Your poem should be at least 8 lines long, but try to write 10 or more for an extra challenge!

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Tuesday, March 10

3/10/2020

Get out your Poetry Packet.

Objectives: Today I will read and draft onomatopoeia poems & personification poems.

Homework:

Finish drafting onomatopoeia and personification poems if you do not finish in class
Last day to turn in late work is Friday!

Agenda:

Share Your Poems!
- Choose at least two new poems to share with your table group
- Then, discuss: What has been your favorite type of poem to write? To read? Why?
- Any volunteers to share favorite lines/poems with the class?
Onomatopoeia Poems (page 17)
- Onomatopoeia: A type of word that sounds like what it describes
  Ex. Pop, boom, plop

Onomatopoeia Poems (page 17)
- Example: "Running Water"
  water plops into pond
  splish-splash downhill
  warbling magpies in tree
  trilling, melodic thrill
  whoosh, passing breeze
  flags flutter and flap
  frog croaks, bird whistles
  babbling bubbles from tap
- Which words in this poem sound like what they describe? Circle/underline them!
- Example: "The Rusty Spigot" by Eve Merriam

Alliteration: using the same sound at the beginning of words
Ex. the sweet sparrow sang a song
- Alliteration is not necessary for onomatopoeia poems, but it adds to the sound experience!
Now You Try!
- Choose a setting/topic.
- Close your eyes. What sounds do you hear? What do you see in your mind?
- Write down all sounds & sights.
- Then, draft a poem using at least two examples of onomatopoeia
- Your poem should be at least 5 lines long
Personification Poems (page 18)
- Personification: to give human qualities to something not human

Now You Try!
- Choose a non-human object/topic
- Brainstorm qualities using sensory language. What does it do? How does it move/not move?
- Compare those qualities to human traits (consider movement, actions, feelings)
- Use personification at least once in your poem draft.
- Your poem should be at least 8 lines
Extra Time?
- Continue drafting your onomatopoeia or personification poems.
- Finish incomplete poems from earlier in the unit.
- Work on missing work for this class.
- Read a book.

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Monday, March 9

3/9/2020

Get out your poetry packet & fill in the visual dictionary (page 4) for simile, metaphor, and anthology

Objectives: Today I will read, discuss, and draft haiku poems.

Homework:

Finish drafting haiku poems if you do not finish in class
Last day to turn in late work is Friday

Agenda:

Haiku (page 16)
- Roughly translates to "light verse" in Japanese.
- Haiku are traditionally about nature.
- 3 lines; each line contains a set number of syllables.
  - Syllable: a form of pronunciation that has one vowel sound
    1 Syllable: All
    2 Syllable: Wa-ter
    3 Syllable: Po-e-try

The haiku that we'll be discussing today have been translated from Japanese.
- Because of this, these poems do not fit the 5 syllable / 7 syllable / 5 syllable format in English
Haiku by Violet Kazue de Cristoforo
- Take 5 minutes to read & annotate the reading about Violet de Cristoforo and her haiku.
- We will use this to prepare for a discussion.
  - Δ Change in thinking
  - + Agree
  - - Disagree
  - O Important words
  - ☆ Interesting Information
  - ? Question/confusion
  - ! Important
  - ∞ Connection
Think: Take 1 minute without talking to think about group discussions.
- Brainstorm 3 qualities of a successful and positive group discussion. What should one look and sound like?
Let’s practice those qualities for a successful & positive group discussion!
- With your table groups you will:
  - Use discussion questions to analyze the haiku you read by Violet De Cristoford.
  - Practice using the discussion qualities we brainstormed as a class.
  - Reflect on how well you and your group participated in the discussion.
- Choose 3 discussion questions to answer for each haiku. Then, use the discussion and response sentence starters to consider each question.
Post Discussion
- What was easy about having a group discussion?
- What was difficult?
- What was a new or interesting idea that was discussed in your group?
Reflection
- Answer the reflection questions about your group discussion.
- This will be your exit ticket.
- When you finish, start drafting two haiku. These are homework if you do not finish them in class.

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Friday, March 6

3/6/2020

Get out your poetry packet. Fill in the visual dictionary (page 4) for Rhyme Scheme, Synonym, and Antonym (opposite)

Objectives: Today I will read and draft simile and metaphor poems.

Homework:

Finish drafting simile & metaphor poems
Last day to turn in late work is March 13th (one week from today)

Agenda:

Introduce Poetry Anthology Project (page 26)
- Of the 14 types of poems you write in this unit, you will choose 10 poems to include in an anthology or collection.
- You can type or handwrite these poems, then bind them in a book or put them on a poster.
- Alongside each poem you choose, you’ll include a picture that represents the main idea.
- You will also write a reflective response to 3 poems explaining each one.
- As a class, read through the example format for the poem, reflection, and picture.
- With your table groups, read through the checklist and the rubric.
- What are the main differences between earning a B and a C? Between earning an A and a B?
Simile Poems (pages 12-13)
- Simile: A comparison between two or more things using the words "like" or "as"
- Today you'll practice writing a poem using one or more simile
"A Dream Deferred" (page 12)
- A very famous poem written by African American poet Langston Hughes

Discuss with your table group:
- What do you think the word “deferred” means? How do you know?
- What comparisons are being made? Why?
Metaphor Poems (pages 14-15)
- Metaphor: When something represents or symbolizes something else without literally being the same
"The Rose That Grew from Concrete" (page 14)
- Written by the rapper 2pac, and released after his death
- Start at (0:53) for the poem

Discuss with your table group:
- What do you think the rose growing from concrete might represent?

Writing Simile & Metaphor Poems (pages 12-15)

Choose an object to study or a topic to write about.
Brainstorm words, thoughts, or phrases that come to mind. List as many as you can. What can you compare your topic to?
Circle the words or phrases that best describe your topic.
Use those words to create a first draft of your poem.
Include at least 1 simile or metaphor, or make your whole poem a simile or metaphor.
After drafting, revise! Make your poems at least 10 lines

Work Time

Draft your simile & metaphor poems.
Edit/Revise any of the poems you’ve already written.
Work on missing work for this class.
Read a book!

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Thursday, March 5

3/5/2020

Get out your Poetry Packet & open it to the Visual Dictionary (page 4). Fill out your visual dictionary using pictures, definitions, or examples for the following words: line, stanza, verse, repetition

Objectives: Today I will read and draft synonym poems and diamante poems.

Homework:

Finish drafting today's poems if you do not finish in class
Last day to turn in late work is March 13th

Agenda:

Share your poems!
- Share your limericks & cinquains with your table group.
- Which type of poem have you enjoyed the most so far? Why?
- Volunteers to share their poems with the class?
Synonyms: words or phrases that mean the same thing
Synonym Poems (page 10)
- Poems that focus on the synonyms and descriptive phrases for a chosen word

Steps for writing a Synonym Poem:

Choose a word that is not a proper noun (name of a specific person/place, like Taylor Swift or Maywood Middle School).
Write the word in all capital letters for line 1. Ex. LOVE
Find 3-5 synonyms in a thesaurus.
Write the synonyms on line 2. Ex. Attachment, adoration, warmth, adore.
On line 3, write a descriptive phrase about the word. Ex. Love is so pure right down to the core.
Lines 2 and 3 should rhyme. Ex. Adore & Core

Now you try!
- Use a thesaurus (or your brain) to determine synonyms (words that mean the same thing) for your word of choice.
- Then, choose a descriptive phrase that relates to your word.
- Remember to rhyme lines 2 & 3!
Parts of Speech Review: (page 11)
- Noun: A person, place, or thing
  - Child, school, book
- Verb: An action word
  - Study, run, fly, yawn
- Adjective: A word describing a noun
  - wild, boring, orange
- Adverb: A word describing a verb, adjective, or other adverb
  - Usually ends in -ly
  - Explains how something is done
  - Quickly, carefully, very
Diamante Poems: (page 11)
- Poems shaped like diamonds that begin describing one noun and gradually describe something opposite to where you began

Now you try!
- Use the template in your packet to guide you
- Choose a noun to begin your diamante (think about things you can describe using sensory language)
- Then, determine a noun that means the opposite

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Wednesday, March 4

3/4/2020

Get out your poetry packet & open to your “Where I’m From” poem!
If you have not yet added a visual to your poem, draw one after your poem!

Objectives: Today I will read and draft limericks and cinquains.

Homework:

Finish drafting limericks and cinquains if you do not finish in class
Last day to turn in late work is Friday, March 13th

Agenda:

"Where I'm From" Poems
- Share your “Where I’m From” poem with your table group.
- What was challenging about this poem? What were your successes in writing this poem?
- Volunteers to share your favorite line(s) with the class?
Mrs. Weber's Example (Stanza 1):
- I am from gel pens,
  From Neosporin and IKEA bookshelves.
  I am from my mom’s “little broken house.”
  (ivy-covered, fire-warmed,
  learning to walk on slanted kitchen floors.)
  I am from untamed corn stalks and pea plants,
  overgrown in the garden we rarely tended.
Key Elements of a Poem

Limerick
- use rhyme scheme in a 5-line format
- A 5-line poem with rhymes in lines 1, 2, and 5, and then another rhyme in lines 3 and 4
- Example:
  What is a limerick, Mother?
  It's a form of verse, said Brother
  In which lines one and two
  Rhyme with five when it's through
  And three and four rhyme with each other.
- Now you try! Write a limerick with 5 lines and an AABBA rhyme scheme
Cinquain
- Another 5-line poem that describes a single topic
- Remember, an adjective describes a noun (person, place, or thing). Synonyms are words with the same or similar meaning.
- Examples:

A Cinquain follows this format:
- Line 1: Noun
- Line 2: Adjective, Adjective
- Line 3: -ING word, -ING word, -ING word
- Line 4: Short (~4 word) phrase describing the topic
- Line 5: Synonym

Daily Agenda Slideshow

Tuesday, March 3

3/3/2020

Objectives: Today I will...

answer the question "What is poetry?"
and write my own "Where I'm From" poem

Homework:

Finish drafting "Where I'm From" poem if you do not finish in class
Have missing work? Last day to turn in late work, retakes, make-ups, or re-dos is Friday, March 13th

Agenda:

Poetry Packet
- Read through the first page as a class.
- What important dates do you notice on the calendar?
What is Poetry?
- Volunteers to read "Carrots" and "The Valley of Unrest"?
- What is similar about these poems? What is different about these poems?
- How would YOU define poetry?
- Dictionary Definition: literary work in which special intensity is given to the expression of feelings and ideas by the use of distinctive style and rhythm
Why are we studying poetry?
- Read through the page "Why Study Poetry" with your table group.
- What other reasons for studying poetry can you come up with?
Preview Visual Dictionary
- Are there words that you already know?
- Draw a picture to represent figurative language and sensory language
  - Figurative language: when you use a word or phrase that does not have its normal everyday, literal meaning (some types of figurative language are metaphors and similes!)
  - Sensory language: language that connects to the five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch)
"Where I'm From" by George Ella Lyon
- Follow along in your packet as we listen to this poem

Now you try!
- Fill in the blanks to create your own "Where I'm From" poem
- Be thoughtful! What things and people have shaped you into the person you are now?
- Try using figurative language and sensory details.

Daily Agenda Slideshow

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