September’s Key Concepts

Writers ObserveDay DreamRecordCreate

Don't Build HALF a Bridge

Do ALL steps

Start by rereading and marking- up directions and rubrics.

Finish by REREADING directions and rubrics. Check off completed steps.

When analyzing literature, ALWAYS reread and focus on a few specific plot events and characters.

ZOOM in on the "TELLING DETAILS” that best SHOW the author’s main THEMES (truths about life).

When EDITING— Check capitalization of character names and titles.

Eliminate "stringy” sentences.

If a sentence runs more than 3 lines and has more than one "and" or "but" in it--see if you can simplify it into separate sentences.

ALLITERATION is the repetition of the first consonant SOUND(not JUST letter) in pair of words.

Never alliterate vowels Annie’s Alligators

Don’t confuse alliteration with rhyme. Alliterate at the START--Rhyme at the END.

Ex: Jumping Giraffes, Rich Writers, Dunkin’ Donuts

Title PunctuationLonger Works:novels, magazines, movies…• Underline (handwritten)

National Geographic OR• Italicize (typed)

Crash, The Mouse and the Motorcycle

NEVER DO BOTH!!

Shorter works: “”Poetry, songs, short stories…

Use Quotation Marks ex: “Let It Go”

“Humpty Dumpty” “The Time I Broke My

Arm”

Use Specific Evidence

Read closely and REREAD for evidence that will stand up in the “Court of Class”

SHOW what you KNOW!!!

Think Outside the Goldfish Bowl!

Don't be like a goldfish with a 30-second memory and limited horizons…

Focus and try NEW ways to connect to material so you are not constantly relearning the same material.

Learn for LIFE !

PARAPHRASE: • Put key ideas into

your own words

• TRANSLATE (using synonyms or short phrases) into other words to prove you understand

• Chunk big picture into PIECES of puzzle

PARAPHRASE: • Put key ideas into

your own words

• TRANSLATE (using synonyms or short phrases) into other words to prove you understand

• Chunk big picture into PIECES of puzzle

Paraphrasing Pointers

You need to capture • MAIN IDEAS: sum up the point of ALL the examples

and explanation in the section-• Give a “What” and “What about it” –• WHAT= Responsibility• WHAT ABOUT IT= MANY share responsibility

for kids’ education

• SUPPORT: ADD 1-2 examples (evidence/detail/explanation) that the writer used to support and explain the main idea.

• The example below explains WHO and HOW responsibility is shared for education.

• Teachers challenge• Government sets what to teach/funding• Parents keep kids focused/set limits

MORE Paraphrasing Pointers

DON’T USE COMPLETE SENTENCES!

• Bullet point: boil idea down to the MOST significant nouns and verbs• Put complex terms into your OWN

words and pictures• Don’t include EVERY

example/detail

EXAMPLE OF PARAPHRASE OF ONE SECTION OF SPEECH:

Bottom of page 4

REAL Kids overcame BIG obstacles

• Jazmin Perez-no English, town without college goals, BROWN DR!• Andoni Shulz—BRAIN cancer,

spent 100s hours on hw, college!• Shantell Steve, no parents, job at

health center in HS, helps kids stay out of gangs college• CA, TX, IL-can succeed from

anywhere

An acceptable shorter version paraphrase of the bottom half of pg. 4 of the speech:

KIDS BEAT BIG Problems

•girl-no English, now DR.!•boy—BRAIN cancer, now @college!•CA, TX, IL-no matter WHERE kid is from—boy or girl-work + good attitude=success

How often should I stop reading and paraphrase?

How often you stop to capture a shift to a new idea depends on the length of the piece: • 1 page—look for 2-3 main ideas • 7 pages—chunk each page into 1-3

main topics per page• 20 pages– look for shifts in main

ideas every 3-4 pages• Entire book—look for 1-2 main ideas

each CHAPTER or two

Summarizing

SIFTSLOTS of information to get to the main ideas--the big "takeaways.“

Summarize what you learn EACH CLASS

Chunk studying into DAILY doses

TELL your brain to RETAIN

Learning Styles Assessment Results

Review We all learn a little

differently

Connect to your preferred learning style to get new info to stick.

ALSO try NEW approaches to turn weakness to strengths!

Top 10 Ways to TRAIN YOUR BRAIN…..TO RETAINUse 2 DIFFERENT strategies every night (or even every OTHER night) for a week or two before a test and your scores and understanding SHOULD improve. 1. Make an EMOTIONAL PERSONAL CONNECTION 2. FOCUS - NO distractions

Pick a time, place, routine for setting up/packing up 3. REPEAT!! REPEAT!!

Use many ways over many days-- at least 8 times, in different order4. VISUALIZE

Pictures, Doodles, Color code, Imagine video in your head5. SOUND Music, Rhyme, Discussion, Alliteration 6. TAKE ACTION! EXPERIENCE It

Write it, Act it out, Draw it, Teach it, Discuss it, …)7. CHUNK IT!

(Short Sections/a Little Each Day/DIFFERENT sections each repetition) 8. FIND PATTERNS

Compare Similarities, Contrast Differences, Connect to past knowledge) 9. SUMMARIZE/PARAPHRASE

Put the Big Ideas into Your Own Words 10. SLEEP AND EAT right!

- Indicates strategies that are MOST effective if you do not have time to try out ALL strategies.

Work Hard/Dig DeepHave Fun/ Learn

MORE!!

ELA requires INFERRING from clues.

Think hard to understand WHY? HOW? and WHAT IF?

Don't stall at simple recall Build on basics --but go farther.