What the 7th grade wants to know about sharks:

Why do big sharks eat little things?

How did they get the name “shark?”

How many years can a shark live?

What do great white sharks mostly eat?

If they sleep, where do they do it?

How does a shark die normally?

What kind of sport kills sharks?

Do sharks give birth to live baby sharks or eggs?

Do they swim in the New Jersey area?

How did they get the name “tiger shark” or “dwarf shark?”

Are there female sharks?

How many teeth do sharks have?

Do any animals that do NOT fear sharks?

Do sharks kill each other?

Do any animals feed on sharks?

How many sharks die a year?

Do sharks have a bigger brain than humans

What do sharks do most of the time?

 

What the 8th grade wants to learn about zoos:

 

Do animals get enough food?

If animals die where do they put the bodies?

Are the animals overcrowded?

What happens when animals get old?

Animals in winter?

How do they feed the dangerous animals?

What food do the animals eat?

What if an animal attacks somebody?

What if animals fight?

How secure are the animals from escaping?

How do you get a job at the zoo?

How much do zoo keepers get paid?

How do they get big animals in little cages?

Is it safe for the animals?

 

Shark Attack Debate Resources

Please find the resources for the Shark Attack Debate in the following links:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B3oyoi42xe10YjRkNDczNGEtMTMwYi00M2JlLTk3ZDItMzIwNTJlM2NmNjVm&hl=en&authkey=CPWb2UI

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bu914TQbnVam0n-n4n0-LVmDn4V7ADsV-10Jk3xyq30/edit?hl=en&authkey=CIb_06QG

Academic Vocabulary Review List

1.     Thesis- What the whole essay will be about

2.     Hook- An interesting beginning to get reader interested in the topic

3.     TS- Topic Summary: What the whole paragraph will be about (always colored BLUE)

4.     CD- Concrete Detail: A solid fact that gives as much description as possible (always colored RED)

5.     CM- Commentary: An opinion or comment (always colored GREEN)

6.     CS-Closing Summary: Explains what the whole paragraph was all about. (always colored BLUE)

7.     Fact: a statement that can be proven or tested.

8.     Opinion: a belief or judgment that cannot be proven or tested.

9.     Exposition: the first stage of a typical story plot. It introduces important characters, settings, and conflict or sets the stage for it.

10. Rising Action: introduces obstacles that make the character’s problems more complicated.

11. Climax: Is the turning point in the story and the moment of greatest suspense.

12. Falling Action: Reveals the outcome of the story’s climax; it eases out the plot.

13. Resolution: Reveals the story’s final outcome.  Sometimes plot twists happen at this point

14. Setting: Where and when a story takes place.

15. Characters: Objects, Animals, and Humans that make up the story and take part in it.

16. External Conflict involves a struggle between a character and an outside force, such as another character, a force of nature, or society.

17. Internal conflict: Is a struggle that takes place within a character’s mind, as he or she struggles with difficult thoughts, feelings, or choices.

18. Order of the Main Parts of a Story:

a.     Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, and Resolution.

19. Irony : when something happens that is the very different from what was expected.

20. Theme: is a message about life or human nature.

21. First-person point of view: The story teller is a character in the story.

22. Third-person point of view-limited- The story teller is outside the action, and knows only about one character.

23. Third person point of view-omniscient The story teller is outside the story and knows everything about every character

24. Character Traits- Tells about what the character looks like and/or about his or her personality.

25. Foreshadowing- Occurs when writer gives hints about what will happen later in the story.

26. Mood- the feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader.

27. Tone- The writer’s attitude toward his or her subject.

28. Simile : to compare two unlike things using the words ‘like’ or ‘as.’ (He is quick as a cheetah.)

29. Alliteration: is the repetition of consonants sounds at the beginning of words. (Betty bought bags of beetles. Bleh!)

30. Chronological order: events are explained or told in time order (first, second, finally)

31. Contrast (verb): the action of setting two or more things together to show the differences

32. Onomatopoeia: a word whose meaning is the sound it makes (e.g. BOOM! BANG! Zzzzz..)

33. Metaphor:  Comparing two unlike things WITHOUT ‘like’ or ‘as’ (She is a saint.)

34. Personification: when something nonhuman is given human abilities or qualities (The clouds raced across the sky.)

Unit 2 Literature Terms

1.Irony : when something happens that is the very different from what was expected.

2.Theme: is a message about life or human nature.

3.First-person point of view: The story teller is a character in the story.

4a.Third-person point of view-limited- The story teller is outside the action, and knows only about one character.

4b. Third person point of view-omniscient The story teller is outside the story and knows everything about everybody

5.Character Traits- Tells about what the character looks like and/or about his or her personality.

6.Foreshadowing- Occurs when writer gives hints about what will happen later in the story.

7.Mood- the feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader.

8.Tone- The writer’s attitude toward his or her subject.

9.Simile : to compare two things using the words like or as that are not alike .

10.Alliteration:is the repetition of consonants sounds at the beginning of words.

 

4 Steps: Phase IV

With 4 Steps: Phase IV, two Concrete Details (CD’s) are added to each paragraph, so the stories you tell must have a beginning, a middle, and an end.

(note: for Phase IV the book you read must have a plot)

(indent—->)The most interesting/important thing that happened to me today, January 18, 2011, was ____________________________________________________________(basic description of activity), and it was __________________________________________________(adjective). It all started at/around __________________________ (time) at/in _________________________ (place) when _________________________ (characters) __________________________________________________________________________________ (detailed description of beginning activity).  Next, ______________________________________________________________________________ (detailed description of the middle of activity).  Finally, __________________________________________________ (detailed description of the end activity). This activity was ____________ (adjective) because ____________________________________________________________________________.

(indent—->)However, not only did I ____________________________ (activity) I also read ___________________________ (title of book), by ___________________________ (author’s name), pages __________________________________ (at least 10 pages) in which ______________________________________________ (basic description of what you read about). The part I read today started at/around _________________________ (time) at/in ___________________________ (place) when __________ (characters) __________________________________________________________________________________ (detailed description of beginning activity).  Next, ______________________________________________________________________________ (detailed description of the middle of activity).  Finally, _____________________________________________________________________ (detailed description of the end activity). This part was _______________________________(adjective) because ____________________________________________________________________________.

Explanatory Essay- Quotes: QU.I.E.T. Formula

On the NJASK 6th -8th graders may be given an Explanatory Essay about a quote.  You will have to read a famous quote or adage and explain what it means.  You will have 30 minutes.  Below is the QUIET formula which will help you organize your ideas and support your explanation.

 

If only the NJASK had funny quotes...

QU-1^st paragraph- Explain what the QUOTE means to you.  Introduce all the ideas of the essay.

I- 2^nd paragraph- Give an example about how the quote is true for you as an INDIVIDUAL.

E- 3^rd paragraph- Give an example about how the quote is true for EVERYONE.

T- 4^th paragraph- Retell what the whole essay was about.  Explain what can be TAUGHT from this quote.

QU Paragraph-

(indent—–>) This quote means _______________________________ (explain what you think this quote means to you).  Another way to say this quote is ________________________________________ (put the quote in your own words).  I will prove how this quote is true not only for myself but everyone.  Finally, I will conclude with what we can be taught by this quote.

I Paragraph-

(indent—–>)  An example that demonstrates this quote is true for me is _____________________________.  (Add  two or three Concrete Details (CD’s) that tell a story that happened in YOUR life, or make one up, that proves the quote is true).  This confirms that the quote is true because ________________________.

E Paragraph-

(indent—–>) Not only is this quote true for me, but it’s also true for everyone.   An example that establishes this quote is true for everyone is ____________________________________.(Add two or three Concrete Details (CD’s) that tell a famous story, or make one up, that proves the quote is true for EVERYONE).  This confirms that the quote is true because ________________________.

T Paragraph-

(indent—–>)  In conclusion, it’s obvious this quote is universal.  We have seen two examples that prove this quote is true.  A lesson we should all take away from it is ___________________________________________________.

Note: I did not make up the QUIET formula nor the terms used in the Jane Schaffer writing method, but have modified them to fit the needs of NJASK test takers.

Copyright © 2011 David Mach