Welcome! Introduction to ELA Ramp Up 7 & The Twits

Welcome, Class of 2021!

ELA 7: Ramp Up is additional instruction supplementing your academic classes, primarily through helping you improve your reading, writing, and literacy (vocabulary/grammar, etc.) skills.

Each day you will be expected to read texts as a whole class, independently, or in small reading groups (book groups). Additionally we will engage in a plethora of literacy techniques that will improve your academic skills.

Let's start by reviewing the expectations of the class. Then we'll shift to reading our first book together as a class. Please follow instructions as necessary.

The opening pages of The Twits. Please read along by scanning the page as you listen to the reading.

HOMEWORK: At the bottom of each post, I will indicate what HOMEWORK you have. In general, the more we do in class, the less homework we will have. So, technically, you determine how much homework you and your classmates get.

Our first homework assignment is to complete the book The Twits by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake. Information about the book can be found here and at the links.

Please complete reading the book for next class. Next class we will analyze and study the book a bit more carefully and a lot of the following information will be used.

Who is Roald Dahl?
Resources for the book: The Twits
The Twits: Lexile: 750
The Twits: Publishing date: 1980

Some Grammar Help

Grammar Help

Chasing Vermeer: Group & Silent Reading

We are moving into reading the text out loud to each other, helping each other comprehend the text, and then practicing silent reading this week.

Our goal: we want to complete the book within 2 weeks!

In order to do this, we will be reading at home as well as in class. As we work through the various strategies of reading, take notes and summarize each chapter. 

Picasso & Quiz on Characterization

Characters in Chasing Vermeer

Character comparison: Petra & Calder

Key vocabulary:
Character: can be either minor or major characters in a story. The people that participate in the story.
Protagonist: the main character in a story.
Characterization: characterization is determined by what a character: does (actions), says (dialogue), thinks (thoughts), and by description (details).

Using Visual Details

Using the description of the characters on the these pages, select one of the characters introduced in chapter two of Chasing Vermeer:

Petra

Ms. Hussie

Take 10 minutes to sketch one of the characters using the description in the book. Then, write the words from the passage/text that helped inspire your original sketch.

Let's continue listening and reading the story.

Book One: Chasing Vermeer

Our first class novel will be the mystery Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett. Lexile: 770.

Vermeer was a famous painter. Some of his work is posted here.
The Girl With a Pearl Earring, The Milk Maid, and The Art of Painting:

As we listen to the book read aloud, please complete the work required of you.