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Fifth Grade Remote Learning Plan
Week 8 - May 11-14
The focus of the week! (Parent Information)
Monday May 11
Tuesday May 12
Wednesday May 13
Thursday May 14
Focus on Memoirs ***Please note that students can read all materials online if they have access, and avoid printing. As we continue to read and write in the genre of memoir, consider these quotes and tips about the writing process Real life writing: https://www.brainpop.com/english/writing/writingprocess/relatedreading/#tab=2 Quotes from famous authors: https://www.brainpop.com/english/writing/writingprocess/relatedreading/#tab=0
Reading Read the attached memoir “Free at Last: A Kurdish Family in America.” What time span does it focus on? What dialogue does the story contain? OR Read a book of your choice and stop and jot.
Reading Read the attached memoir “Diary of a Teenage Refugee.” What part of the beginning of the story (hook) “grabbed your attention”? Tell what is happening in the beginning , middle, and end. OR Read a book of your choice and stop and jot.
Reading Read the attached memoir “A Cobra in the Garden.” How would you describe the relationship between the cobra and the woman? The author discusses how the cobra is dangerous to humans. Do you think that the cobra is a bigger threat to humans, or that humans are a bigger threat to the cobra?
OR
Read a book of your choice and stop and jot.
Reading Read the attached memoir “Funeral.” How does the author's feelings change from the beginning to the end of this memoir? How does Ralph feel about his future?
OR Read a book of your choice and stop and jot.
In practice: https://www.brainpop.com/english/writing/writingprocess/relatedreading/#tab=3 BrainPop login User: Sycamore427
Writing Continue to work on your
memoir today by revising
your draft. Read through
your rough draft, and look for
places where you can add
Writing Continue to work on your
memoir today by editing your
draft. Read through your
draft, and check for proper
punctuation, capitalization,
Writing It is time to write or type the
final draft for your memoir. If
you are writing yours, it’s
time to write the final copy. If
yours was typed, read it over
Writing Today your job is to come up
with a title and draw or
create a cover for your
memoir. If it is helpful, use
the page titled Making My
Password: Spartans427 descriptive details. If it is
helpful, use the page titled
Ideas for Adding Details
below as a guide to include
details that may not already
be in your draft. After adding
descriptive details, look at the
conclusion of your memoir.
Did you include a reflective
ending? Use the page titled
Questions for Reflection
below to make sure that you
included one of the most
important parts of a memoir;
a reflective ending. If you find
something in your draft that
you want to take out or
replace with something else,
you can do that today too.
OR Begin or continue to work on the special project with the DeKalb County History Center to record your experiences during the shelter in place order. Please see the “Call to Record this Historic Time” handout for details. If you plan to submit your experiences, parent permission is needed.
paragraphing and spelling. If
it is helpful, use the page
titled Editing Checklist
below. If someone else in
your home is available to edit
your draft after you, that
would be great as well.
OR Begin or continue to work on the special project with the DeKalb County History Center to record your experiences during the shelter in place order. Please see the “Call to Record this Historic Time” handout for details. If you plan to submit your experiences, parent permission is needed.
to be sure it is exactly what
you want others to read. This
is also the time to change
your font or any other
formatting you’d like.
OR Begin or continue to work on the special project with the DeKalb County History Center to record your experiences during the shelter in place order. Please see the “Call to Record this Historic Time” handout for details. If you plan to submit your experiences, parent permission is needed.
Memoir Appealing below as
a guide. Then, share your
memoir with a friend or
family member (or both).
Your teacher would love to
see your work too! Celebrate
the writing work that you
have done.
OR Begin or continue to work on the special project with the DeKalb County History Center to record your experiences during the shelter in place order. Please see the “Call to Record this Historic Time” handout for details. If you plan to submit your experiences, parent permission is needed.
Math Focus this week: Finish your Geometry City
Project
Math Geometry City Week 3 This week you will be “building up” your city. You will be folding pyramids and prisms from the “nets” provided. Choose 1 section each day to add 3d objects. OR Find the area and perimeter of your bedroom. Use a ruler, tape measure, yard stick, or even estimate feet using your own foot. Challenge: Measure other rooms at home. Which is the greatest? Smallest? Reminder:
● Area= length x width ● Perimeter = Add up
the lengths and widths of each wall
Math Continue to “build up” your Geometry City. OR Fill up two different containers with water or sand or dirt. Determine which one has a larger volume and explain why. Find 2 containers in your house that have nearly identical volumes even though they are 2 different shapes. Example - A glass and a ziplock bag Reminder:
● Volume = length x width x height
Math Continue to “build up” your Geometry City. OR Keep track of the activities you do today. Record the start and end times of each activity you do today. Figure out the elapsed time for each activity (how many minutes/hours you spent doing it).
Math Finish your city. Add color, more shapes, labels. Add anything you would like to improve your city. Share photos of your finished product with your teacher! OR Check the temperature throughout the day (collect at least 5 different temperature readings) and create a bar graph . Write two things that you notice about the data you collected.
SOCIAL STUDIES: Our focus for the week includes the beginning of fighting during the Civil War.
Social Studies Today is not a SS day.
Social Studies Watch the video on the first battle of the Civil War, Fort Sumter (here).
OR
Social Studies Today is not a SS day.
Social Studies Study the map entitled “The Battle Begins!” (below) Look closely at how the United and Confederate states were broken up.
Read the article about Fort Sumter (below).
Then, if your last name begins with A-M write a letter home to your family from the Union perspective. You were just surprise-attacked! If your last name begins with N-Z write a letter from the perspective of a Confederate soldier who just attacked Fort Sumter. *Think like a young soldier. This was the first action of the Civil war.
Then, create a poster using items from home OR a Google Drawing. You need to get the attention of Northerners or Southerners to join the war effort (choose a side). Try to convince soldiers to join your army.
● What type of job/soldier is needed?
● What state are you in?
● Are there any physical requirements (health)?
● Why should they join your side?
● Add pictures, symbols, phrases, & creativity to this!
SCIENCE FOCUS: Phases of the moon
Science Complete Day 3 of your project. Today you will be finding out
which phase the Moon was in
on each of your 10 important
dates. You will need your
chart/paper from day 2 and
the poster from day 1 to
complete today’s portion of
the project.
OR
Science Today is not a science day. You can use this time to catch up if needed!
Science Complete Day 4 of your project. Today you will make a poster displaying the moon phases for each of your 10 events. You will need your chart/paper from days 2 and 3 to complete this portion of the project. **Your teacher would love to
see your final project!**
OR
Science Today is not a science day. You can use this time to catch up if needed!
Read the article below to learn about what Earth would be like if we didn’t have the Moon. Check for understanding by answering the following questions using complete sentences:
● Why is the moon important to life on Earth?
● What would Earth be like with no moon?
● Do all other planets have moons?
Read the article below to find out how much you would weigh on the Moon. Check for understanding by answering the following questions using complete sentences:
● How much do you weigh on the moon?
● What is gravity? ● How does the
gravitational pull of planets affect your weight?
Art Choose from the art activity
choices below. You can work
on as many of these projects
as you would like!
Your art teacher would love
you to share your creativity.
Use the email links below to
send a picture of your work.
Physical Education (Pick One ↓)
● Walk inside your home. How many walking speeds can you use?
● Make an obstacle course and challenge yourself to complete it as fast as you can. How can you change it to make a new challenge?
● Write clues and hide them for a fun treasure hunt. The final prize could be a coupon to do something nice for a
Music This week, we are going to finish up our jazz unit by learning about several famous jazz vocalists. After reading and listening to these famous jazz artists, add at least one slide to your slideshow using Google slides. If you do not have access to Google slides, you may add your facts to your jazz book.
On your slide(s), include the
following:
● A picture of either Ella
Physical Education (Do All ↓)
● 20 - Jumping Jacks or
Power Jacks
● 15 - Superman
Push-ups
● 30 sec - Plank
● 6 - Side Stretches; 3
per side
● 30 sec - Sit and Reach
- each leg
● 2 min - Invisible Jump
Rope
OR
● Mr. Lucca’s Video
https://drive.google.c
om/open?id=1HkYMl
family member. ● Turn on some music
and dance or sports moves to the songs
● Create an active game you can play. Could you teach the game to your friends?
OR ● Mr. Davis’s Video
https://drive.google.c
om/open?id=1k1yKm
yr-eXpFT95Xg_R77-y
1v7riv9TF
Fitzgerald, Joe Williams,
or Billie Holiday
● 4-5 facts about the jazz
artist
Have fun and feel free to
research new facts about
your jazz artist with
permission from your
parent/guardian. Share your
finished jazz slideshow with
your music teacher through
Google classroom or through
email at [email protected], [email protected], or
Ella Fitzgerald:
Ella Fitzgerald lived from
1917-1996. She had a difficult
childhood, but at age 17, she
performed at amateur night
at the Apollo Theater in
Harlem, New York. From
there, she was asked to join
Webb’s orchestra and her
career took off from there.
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JPO-EnH8I
She was the most popular
jazz singer in the United
States for more than fifty
years and was often referred
to as the First Lady of Song.
In her lifetime, she won 13
Grammy awards! She was
known for her “horn-like”
improvisation, particularly in
her scat singing. Scat singing
is vocal improvisation with
wordless, nonsense syllables.
The singer improvises
melodies and rhythms using
the voice as an instrument.
Fitzgerald appeared in
movies and as a guest on
popular television shows like
The Ed Sullivan Show. She
also collaborated with other
jazz greats such as Louis
Armstrong and Duke
Ellington.
Listen to Ella Fitzgerald and
Duke Ellington perform “It
Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t
Got That Swing). Listen to
her scat singing!
http://www.viewpure.com/q
UyLdaCftNQ?start=0&end=0
Joe Williams:
Joe Williams was born Joe
Goreed in 1918 in Georgia
and moved to Chicago at the
age of 3. In the 1930’s, he
was a member of a gospel
group and performed in
Chicago churches. He sang
with the Count Basie
Orchestra in 1954 until 1961.
In 1961, he began a
successful career as a solo
artist working with his own
combos. He died in 1999 at
the age of 80.
Listen to Joe Williams
perform with Count Basie
and his Orchestra “Alright,
Okay, You Win”.
http://www.viewpure.com/a
YVEdPy8gQY?start=0&end=0
Billie Holiday:
Billie Holiday was born
Eleanora Fagan in 1915 in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
She had a difficult childhood.
She was raised by a single
mother who was absent
much of the time due to her
work in transportation jobs.
While in her teens, she
moved to New York where
she would go to jazz clubs to
audition and sing. She did not
have any musical education
but was a masterful
improviser. She rose to fame
in the 1930’s. At age 18, she
made her first album and
quickly rose to stardom. She
took her professional
pseudonym from Billie Dove,
who was an actress she
admired. She was nicknamed
“Lady Day” by her friend and
music partner Lester Young.
In 1938, Artie Shaw invited
her to sing in his Orchestra,
making her the first black
woman to work with a white
band. She was known for
wearing white gardenias in
her hair. Billie died in 1959 at
age 44.
Listen to Billie Holiday
perform “Strange Fruit”.
Strange Fruit was first written
as a poem by Abel Meeropol
in 1937. Meeropol wrote the
music as well and Billie
Holiday first performed the
song in 1939. It protested the
lynching of black people in
Southern American in the
first half of the 20th century.
http://www.viewpure.com/Y
bcZstt8ACY?start=0&end=0
Social/ Emotional Learning Shoulder Roll Breathing -- Choose a comfortable sitting position. As you take a slow deep breath in through your nose, raise your shoulders up towards your ears. Breathe slowly out through your
Social/ Emotional Learning Why are manners important? How could you react when someone is being rude?
Social/ Emotional Learning Is managing your feelings and emotions the same thing as ignoring them? Why or why not? Discuss with someone else in your house.
Social/ Emotional Learning Call a friend or family member today and tell them you miss them. Ask them how they are doing.
mouth, lowering your shoulders as you exhale. Repeat slowly, rolling your shoulders up and down in time with your breath.
Ar� Choice� 4-5 Cartography Cartography is the science or practice of drawing maps. Some ideas:
● Create a map of somewhere you love to visit.
● Create a map of an imaginary land (many fantasy books begin with a map of the world found within the pages of the book).
● Draw a map of the interior of your house/ apartment.
● Create a map of an imaginary theme park, ski resort, mini-golf course, or treasure map
Soap Carving Try to carve your own sculpture out of a bar of soap. Check with your parents if you have soap that you can carve and what tools you have on hand to carve with. Experiment with different tools to find what works best for you. Do not use sharp tools without parent permission and supervision! You can carve the soap into a new form:
Or carve designs into its surface:
Draw 6 Fanarts There is a current trend among artists that involve the artist asking other people for 6 random characters (from cartoons, movies, comics, video games, etc.). It is then up to the artist to draw those 6 characters in their own style. Ask 6 different people to give you a character to draw and then recreate that character in your own way.
Printmaking with Legos
Dip some of your lego pieces into a little bit of paint, and stamp them onto a piece of paper. What can you create? Then after it dries, you can color it in with crayons or markers. .
Please share your work with your art teacher: Mrs. Squires: [email protected] Mrs. Zientek: [email protected] Mr. Martin: [email protected]
Name: Class:
"Kurdish refugees’ tents in Turkey" by A. Pinar/Atlas; RickMoncauskas is used with permission.
Free at Last: A Kurdish Family in AmericaBy Karen O’Connor
2004
Karen O’Connor has written for Highlights. In this memoir, O’Connor describes meeting a Kurdish familywho was forced to leave their home in Kurdistan, a region in the Middle East that spans multiple countriesbut is not a country of its own, and come to America. As you read, take notes on the challenges the Ahmetfamily faced on their journey.
Amina Ahmet squatted on the floor of her kitchenin El Cajon, California, mixing flour and water andyeast1 into large balls. She pushed and pulled thebread dough, then flattened it into a pan forbaking. As soon as the loaves were fresh from theoven, she handed one to me, then another, andanother, until I had a stack from my waist to mynose.
“Enough! Enough!” I said, laughing. “This is morethan my husband and I can eat in a month.”
“No, no, no!” she scolded.2 “This bread — apresent for you.”
I gave in and tucked the warm golden pita loaves into a bag to take home that evening.
The memory of that day in 1994 is still clear in my mind. I can picture the Ahmet family gatheredtogether in the small living room of their apartment — Amina and her husband, Taha, along with theirfive children: Khamger (age 19), Ferhat (16), Warvin (9), Zendon (5), and baby Susan, who was born inthe United States.
I was a visitor, soon to be a friend. I had come to speak with the family about people who leave theirhomeland during a war and start over in a new country. These people are called refugees.
Taha and Amina had brought their children to America to get away from the bombs and the fighting intheir homeland of Kurdistan during a war with Iraq. Kurdistan, a mountainous region in the MiddleEast, extends over parts of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and the former Soviet Union. Because of theregion’s rich oil reserves,3 many countries have wanted to control it. Kurdistan’s people have fought formany centuries to make the region their own country but haven’t been able to do so.
The family had fled their small village of Binaviah in 1988. “We were eating breakfast one morning,”said Ferhat. “Then suddenly soldiers ran through the streets shouting and throwing gas bombs.”4
[1]
[5]
1. a kind of fungus that makes bread rise2. Scold (verb): to speak in a disapproving manner to someone3. a supply of something4. a bomb filled with harmful or poisonous gas
1
Copyright © Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. All rights reserved.
Taha gathered his family. They ran for safety with only the clothes they were wearing, a little food, acamera, a few blankets, and their horse. Their journey to freedom took them over mountains andalong rivers. At night they huddled under trees to keep warm. During the day, they walked with othervillagers. Finally, they came to a refugee camp in Turkey.
There they lived in a small tent for four years. Ferhat remembered freezing winters and hot summers.They sometimes had to wait in long lines for water — even during snowstorms.
“Life was hard,” said Taha. “We did not have enough food or medicine or warm clothes.”
“I missed my parents,” said Amina, with tears in her eyes.
Then in 1992 they received good news. Amina’s brother, who lived in San Diego, California, arrangedfor them to come to the United States. He promised to help them get settled. Today, Amina, Taha, andtheir children are thankful for a new place to call “home.”
Nine-year-old Warvin enjoyed telling me how happy he is. He said he liked seeing his mother smilingagain. And his father no longer woke up in the night afraid for his family. “My cousins taught me tospeak English,” he said proudly, “but I taught myself to ride a bike.”
Amina and Taha’s children learned American ways quickly. But Amina said she preferred to followmany of the customs5 of her homeland. For dinner during my visit, she set a plate of eprakh on the maton the living-room floor. There was not enough room at the kitchen table for all of us. The mixture ofrice, meat, and vegetables wrapped in grape leaves was delicious. Amina had picked the grape leavesherself. Next she served a salad of chopped tomatoes, onions, lettuce, cucumber, pickles, and salt. Andfinally, she carried in a platter of chicken, rice, and warm pita bread.
We gathered on the floor and shared the feast. After dinner, we talked more about life in Kurdistan asTaha pointed to photos of the country’s leaders displayed on the wall. One of the children put on avideo of a family wedding.
Our meal ended with traditional hot tea, sweetened with sugar, and served in small glasses. A cookiecalled kade, made with sugar and walnuts, was part of dessert.
Then it was time to say good-bye. I picked up my bag of home-made bread, hugged everyone, andkissed baby Susan on the cheek.
Before I left, Amina asked me to visit again. She whispered something to Ferhat. A smile lit up his face.“She said you are like our grandmother,” he told me. “She misses her mother very much. Maybe thechildren can call you their American grandmother.”
I liked that. I would come again and again for three more years until the family moved to Tennessee,where Taha had found a new job. No matter how far away they are, the Ahmet family will always havea place in my heart.
[10]
[15]
[20]
5. Custom (noun): behavior that is usual among the people of a certain group common for a group of people
2
Text-Dependent QuestionsDirections: For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences.
1. PART A: Which statement identifies the central idea of the text?A. Karen O’Connor didn’t understand what a refugee was before she learned about
the Ahmet family’s experiences.B. The Ahmet family was surprised by how difficult it was to relocate to America
and the less than friendly welcome they received when they arrived.C. Karen O’Connor developed a close friendship with the Ahmet family and learned
about their challenging experiences as refugees.D. While Karen O’Connor was hesitant to make friends with the Ahmet family,
sharing a meal brought them together.
2. PART B: Which passage from the text best supports the answer to Part A?A. “As soon as the loaves were fresh from the oven, she handed one to me, then
another, and another, until I had a stack from my waist to my nose.” (Paragraph1)
B. “Taha and Amina had brought their children to America to get away from thebombs and the fighting in their homeland of Kurdistan during a war with Iraq.”(Paragraph 7)
C. “Kurdistan’s people have fought for many centuries to make the region theirown country but haven’t been able to do so.” (Paragraph 7)
D. “‘My cousins taught me to speak English,’ he said proudly, ‘but I taught myself toride a bike.’” (Paragraph 14)
3. Which of the following describes the author’s purpose in the text?A. to share the Ahmet family’s experiences as refugeesB. to describe the traditional food the Ahmet family preparedC. to emphasize the poor conditions of refugee campsD. to describe her experiences acting as the family’s American grandmother
4. Which of the following describes how the information is organized in the text?A. The author describes her desire to help the Ahmet family and then how she was
able to help them stay in America.B. The author describes how the Ahmet family moved away and then details how
they came to America to begin with and the friendships they developed.C. The author compares the Ahmet family’s positive experiences coming to
America with their negative experiences.D. The author describes what she knew about refugees before meeting the Ahmet
family, and then what she learned from them.
3
5. How does food contribute to the friendship between the narrator and the Ahmet family inthe text? What is the connection between food and friendship in the text?
4
Wonder of the Day #128
How Much Do You Weigh On the Moon?
Listen 28 Comments
Have You Ever Wondered...
How much do you weigh on the moon?
What is gravity?
How does the gravitational pull of planets affect your weight?
— SCIENCE Earth and Space
eople first walked on the on July 20, 1969. When Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrongstepped out onto the of the Moon that day, they not only made world history — theylost . How is this possible?
P Moon surface
weight
Before we can understand , we must first understand and . is a that objects to each other.
weight gravity mass Gravitynatural force attracts
On Earth, is the constant pulling us toward Earth and preventing us from flyingoff into space like a . When you step on a , it shows your as a number.This number is actually a of the Earth has on you.
gravity forceballoon scale weight
measurement gravitational pull
is how much “stuff" you are made of. Unlike , your is the same whether youare on Earth, on Mars, on the moon, sitting in your living room, swimming in the ocean, orfloating somewhere in outer space.
Mass weight mass
Someone who weighs 200 pounds has more than someone who weighs 100 pounds. Themore a person has, the greater the of on them. This is why a shows ahigher number for a larger person.
massmass pull gravity scale
Small bodies have weaker pulls than Earth. Larger planets, such asJupiter and Saturn, have stronger pulls, which means you'd weigh more if youvisited those planets.
celestial gravitationalgravitational
Since the is smaller than Earth, it has a weaker . In fact, the Moon onlyhas 1/6 the that Earth does. This means you weigh six times less on the thanyou do on Earth!
Moon gravitational pullgravity Moon
When the landed on the Moon in 1969, they wore space suits and carried heavypacks of . Since is much weaker on the Moon, everything weighed only 1/6of its Earth- , and the were able to move around the very easily.
astronautsequipment gravity
weight astronauts Moon
Wonder Words (18)
ASTRONAUTS, FRACTION, EQUIPMENT, GRAVITY, MASS, ATTRACTS, SCALE, CELESTIAL,ASTRONOMICAL, WEIGHT, FORCE, PLANET, PULL, SURFACE, NATURAL, BALLOON,MEASUREMENT, GRAVITATIONAL
Wonder What's Next?
A great new Wonder of the Day is in the cards tomorrow if you play your hand right!
Try It Out
Are you ready for a trip to the Moon? Be sure to explore the following activities with a friend or
family member:
Step on an to find yourweight on different planets and stars. You may be surprised to discover you're as light as afeather on some planets and heavier than a school bus on others!
astronomical scale (http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/weight/index.html)
Want to experiment with gravity? If you have a plastic cup and some water, you can try the
experiment at home. You'll also need a large bucket or an area of grass outside.Have fun learning more about gravity!
Gravity Water Drop (http://www.metrofamilymagazine.com/July-2014/Simple-Science-Experiments-Gravity-
Water-Drop/)
Calculate how much you would weigh on the Moon. Simply step on a scale to determine yourcurrent weight, and then divide that number by six. Now imagine what it would be like toweigh that amount on the Moon. What do you think it would be like to be so light? Write a
http://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-much-do-you-weigh-on-the-moon
© National Center for Families Learning (NCFL)
short story about what you would do on the Moon if you had the chance to go there in person.Share your story with a friend or family member.
Wonder Sources
http://www.pbs.org/teachers/mathline/concepts/space2/activity2.shtm
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen01/gen01564.htm
© 2009 National Geographic SocietyNATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, National Geographic Kids, Yellow Border and Kids Yellow Border Designs are trademarks of National Geographic Society. All rights reserved.Moon illustrations © 2005 Orpheus Books Ltd. Moon, Sun © Getty Images UK. With thanks to the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. Go to nmm.ac.uk to find out more.
CHANGING FACESThe Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite (a celestial body that orbits a planet). It takes the Moon 27.3 days to make a complete orbit around the Earth, but because the Earth is moving around the Sun at the same time, it takes the Moon 29.5 days to go through its eight different ‘phases’ – a lunar month.
When the Moon appears to be getting bigger, it’s ‘waxing’, and as it looks like it’s getting smaller, it’s ‘waning’. Once the face of the Moon is fully turned towards the Sun, it’s a Full Moon, and we see it all. But, as the Moon moves around the Earth, the face pointing towards us gradually becomes hidden from the Sun until we can hardly see it at all – this is a New Moon. Cosmic!
Have you ever noticed how the Moon appears to change shape each night? Well, as it doesn’t emit (give off) light itself, the ‘Moonlight’ we see is actually the Sun’s light reflected off the lunar surface. So, as the Moon orbits the Earth, the Sun lights up different parts of it, making it seem as if the Moon is changing shape. In actual fact, it’s just our view of it that’s altering…
1 New Moon
2 Wa
xing crescent Moon
3 First
quarter Moon
4 Waxi
ng gibbous Moon
5 Full Moon 6 Wani
ng gibbous Moon
7 Last
quarter Moon 8
Waning crescent Moon
1 New Moon
2 Waxing crescent Moon
3 First quarter Moon4 Waxing gibbous Moon
5 Full Moon
6 Waning gibbous Moon
7 Last quarter Moon
8 Waning crescent Moon
Top tip Keep an eye on the Moon this month and see if you can spot all eight phases.
EarthSun
Writing Fundamentals Memoir Grade 5 Revising I: It’s All in the Details Appendix: “Ideas for Adding Details”
© 2013 Schoolwide, Inc.
Ideas for Adding Details
1. What colors do you remember?
2. What sounds do you remember?
3. What smells do you remember?
4. What was the day like? Hot? Cold?Rainy? Stormy?
5. Who was there? (only if they areimportant to your story)
6. Where was this? Can you describethe setting?
7. What feelings or thoughts couldyou add to give your readersdeeper insight into your memoir?
8. Can you use a metaphor to bringa description to life?
Writing Fundamentals Memoir Grade 5 Revising II: Adding Reflection – From Memory to Memoir Appendix: “Questions for Reflection”
© 2013 Schoolwide, Inc.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
1. Where am I in the memory? Is this clear?
2. How have I changed because of this memory or sincethis memory?
3. What have I learned from the event or person?
4. What do I, as a reader, want people to know aboutmyself after reading my memoir?
5. How has this memory changed the way I see things?
6. How has this memory affected who I am?
7. How has this memory affected the way I see myselfin my family or in my world?
Call To Record This Historic Time “How will history books talk about this unique time we are all living through?” asked Michelle Donahoe, Executive Director from the DeKalb County History Center. “We have an opportunity and obligation to record our experiences to help future generations understand not only what was going on in the United States or Illinois, but right here in DeKalb County during this National Emergency.” The History Center in partnership with 20 plus history organizations are keepers of DeKalb County’s history. They are all committed to collecting and preserving archival materials, photos, artifacts, and books for future generations. These amazing groups have documented floods, tornados, shootings, and fires – all of which provide a context to our current situation with COVID-19, and more importantly that we will persevere. There is not a part of our daily life that has not changed in the last month and a half. The History Center needs your help. They need you to record meaningful, factual, and personal stories to document this time in our history. Your experiences whether through the eyes of a child, a high school senior, first responder, grocery store worker, or small business owner are all important. This is something everyone can contribute to – it is crowdsourcing, but with stories. The History Center has set up a special email address for people to submit their stories: [email protected]. Send any questions to [email protected]. For more information about the DeKalb County History Center and for a variety of on-line resources, visit dekalbcountyhistory.org. Consider the following questions while you write about your experience: What do I miss while we are in quarantine? What do I miss the least? Think about the changes you have experienced since we are "sheltering in place." Explain your answer by thinking about perspectives - as a person, as a student, as a family, as a friend, as part of our community. What are you doing to fill some of your extra free time? In the future, what will history books write about how school age children felt and what they did during the "shelter in place" period of time? This could include video, drawings, photos with captions or first-hand experiences. What creative way have you or your family found to learn or entertain yourself during this period of time?
Name: Class:
"Syrian refugee camp, Karkosik Erbil" by Mustafa Khayat islicensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.
Diary of a Teenage RefugeeBy Amira
2013
In the spring of 2011, protests erupted in the Middle Eastern country of Syria against President Bashar al-Assad’s government. The protests were met with violence. The conflict gradually led to rebellion. Now, Syriais experiencing a civil war that has already left over 400,000 people dead and created 4.8 million refugeeswho have left the country, as well as another 6.3 million who have had to flee their homes for elsewhere inSyria. Millions more have been left in poor living conditions with shortages of food and drinking water. Thefollowing account comes from a 16-year-old Syrian girl named Amira detailing the past three years of herlife in a refugee camp in the neighboring country of Lebanon. As you read, take notes on the different waysAmira’s life has changed since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war.
Amira is a pretty normal 16 year-old. She’s got theusual interests: pop music, boys and her mobilephone.
But, along with 30 million other children andyoung people around the world, she’s a refugee.Amira lives in a camp with her family after fleeingthe civil war in Syria. This is her story, in her ownwords.
Amira’s Story
One night the bombs were coming closer andcloser. We were all sitting together downstairs because we couldn’t sleep. As houses were beingdestroyed one by one in our village, neighbours were running from one house to the next. So someneighbours were gathered in our house too.
A rocket landed on the roof of our house, but no one was injured. We ran in fear to another house. Wewere so terrified we didn’t even think about taking anything with us. Soon after, our house was totallydestroyed. We left with no IDs, nothing.
Our dad took us out of the country through a smuggler. We escaped that night in a rented car.Whenever we passed a checkpoint, we hid under the seats of the car and the driver covered us up.
We crossed the border illegally, through the mountains. We got out near the border and had to walkabout 100 metres1 across the mountain. When we heard a plane, we started running. We were veryscared.
[1]
[5]
1. 100 meters is about 328 feet.
1
The Camp: Life on Hold
When we arrived at the refugee camp, there were already many tents. We bought some materials tomake a tent—some wood and plastic sheeting. The men built it. Our tent has two rooms and a kitchenarea. There are 13 of us living here.
The neighbours helped us by giving us things like bottled water, mattresses, blankets, cups and plates.We could pick up and leave at any time, as we don’t have anything of value here. My most treasuredthings are my necklaces. I wear them all at the same time, because they have many memories. Onewas given to me by a boyfriend, but I don’t want my mother to know about that!
We have so many needs that you can’t count them. At home things were cheap. Everything isexpensive here. We even have to pay for water. In winter there was snow halfway up the sides of ourtent and we couldn’t even see out of it. At home we had our own bedrooms, but here we all sleeptogether in the tent on the ground.
We can’t go to school here, and there are no jobs available because too many people are looking forwork. We don’t even have any books. So we just help out with cooking and cleaning, or watch TV allday. We are really bored.
To pass the time we do each other’s hair and draw pictures of each other, or listen to popular songs onthe TV. We also make our own clothes.
We are afraid because the government doesn’t know we are here. If they find out, we could be sentback to Syria. But the UN2 protects us.
Some of the people who are not registered go into the mountains and hide whenever the officialscome to count people in the camp. Then they come back to the camp afterwards.
Homesick
We hear from home mostly via WhatsApp3 and sometimes TV. Only a few old people are still living inour village. There are a few rooms still standing in the destroyed houses, and they live in those.
We have to pay for water to be brought in by truck, but it’s very dirty. But now we have a water filter inour tent. We now have a latrine4 that was installed by an NGO.5 We receive food distributions, so wehave enough food. We make large amounts of simple meals that we can share out easily for all thechildren, like rice, beans and peas. There are shops, hairdressers and tailors here.
It helps to know that we are not alone, as there are many others here in the same situation as us.
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2. UN stands for the United Nations, an organization of 193 countries formed after World War II to preventinternational conflict and promote world peace.
3. WhatsApp is a mobile messaging app that allows people to exchange messages without having to pay for a textmessaging plan.
4. A latrine is a toilet or outhouse, especially one used by large groups in a camp.5. NGO stands for “non-governmental organization,” which is any not-for-profit citizens' group that is organized on a
local, national, or international level.
2
“Diary of a Teenage Refugee” by Amira (2013). Reprinted with permission of Tearfund, all rights reserved.
We’ve been here for three years now. We miss everything about home. We would love to go back.
3
Text-Dependent QuestionsDirections: For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences.
1. Which of the following best describes the central idea of the text?A. Amira is a normal teenage girl living through extraordinary circumstances as a
refugee.B. Amira and others like her have built communities in refugee camps that
resemble home.C. The United Nations needs to better protect refugees, particularly those fleeing
Syria.D. More refugees should tell their tales in order to spread awareness about the
issues they face.
2. Which statement best describes how the refugee camp is first portrayed in the text?A. Life in the camp is safer and easier than life at home, where there is war.B. Life in the camp is engaging and fun because community members make it so.C. Life in the camp is difficult and dirty, and there is no sense of community
support.D. Life in the camp is uncertain and there is little to do, but the community is kind.
3. PART A: What does the term “smuggler” most closely mean as used in paragraph 5?A. one who books safe passage for legal immigrants through dangerous placesB. one who leaves a country to escape dangerC. one who secretly moves something or someone from one country to anotherD. someone who avoids paying taxes for goods they bring in or out of a country
4. PART B: Which of the following quotes best supports the answer to Part A?A. “Soon after, our house was totally destroyed.” (Paragraph 4)B. “Our dad took us out of the country” (Paragraph 5)C. “We escaped that night in a rented car.” (Paragraph 5)D. “We crossed the border illegally, through the mountains.” (Paragraph 6)
4
5. How does the following quote contribute to the reader’s understanding of Amira? “My mosttreasured things are my necklaces. I wear them all at the same time, because they havemany memories. One was given to me by a boyfriend, but I don’t want my mother to knowabout that!” (Paragraph 8)
5
Battle of Fort Sumter
The election of Abraham Lincoln in November of 1860 brought to a head the issue of slavery in the United States. In
direct response to Lincoln's election as president, seven southern states seceded from the Union rather than continue to
negotiate and compromise over the issue of slavery, which had been the norm for so many decades.
The first state to secede was South Carolina on December 20, 1860. By February 1861, six more states had joined the
new Confederate States of America. With their secession declarations came the demands that all United States property
be turned over to those states, including military property, and said installations abandoned by United States soldiers,
sailors, and marines. The new Lincoln administration sought not to provoke armed conflict but refused to surrender
Federal installations to the Confederates. Instead, Lincoln chose to resupply Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor and
other forts when required. No arms, munitions, or troops would be sent to the garrisons. Rather, supply ships with food,
fodder, and other necessities of life were sent south.
One attempt to resupply Sumter took place in January but the ship, the Star of the West, was turned away by Rebel
guns. Negotiations continued in Charleston between Confederate General Pierre G.T. Beauregard, in command of the
Confederate forces there and Maj. Robert Anderson, the Fort Sumter garrison commander. The talks failed to resolve
tensions. Early in the morning of April 12, 1861, Confederate guns around the harbor opened fire on Fort Sumter. At
2:30 pm on April 13th, Major Robert Anderson, garrison commander, surrendered the fort and it was evacuated the
next day.
With the firing on Fort Sumter, the American Civil War was officially upon both the North and the South. A war that
lasted four years and cost the lives of more than 620,000 Americans.
Copyright © 2011 Schoolwide, Inc.All rights reserved.
4–5 Multi-Genre: A Focus on Text Type and Purpose Editing: Using a Checklist Appendix 1: “Editing Checklist”
Editing Checklist
q Ending Punctuation: Check for correct use ofperiods, question marks, and exclamation points.
q Capitalization: Check for capitalization of propernouns, events, beginnings of sentences, and titles.
q Paragraphing: Do you have paragraph unity? (Doeseach paragraph talk about only one thing?) Start a new paragraph when you introduce a new idea, change speakers, or change time.
q Spelling: Read backwards to make sure that youhave spelled all your words correctly. If you are not sure, circle the word or words and ask a friend, look in the dictionary, or ask the teacher.
Adapted from How Writers Work by Ralph Fletcher
Name: Class:
"The cobra in the garden" by Dennis Bond is used with permission.
A Cobra in the GardenBy Mahani Zubaidy Gunnell
2015
Mahani Zubaidy Gunnell has written for Highlights. In this text, Gunnell discusses her time living in Borneo,a large island of the Southeast Asian country Indonesia, and the cobra that lived in her garden there. As youread, take notes on how Gunnell feels about the cobra in her garden.
From the sky, parts of Borneo look like the top ofa giant broccoli. Much of the island is tropical rainforest. It’s the world’s third largest island, and itlies in Southeast Asia, on the equator.
I lived on Borneo in a small town called Miri. Myhome was at the edge of a forest, and I wasfortunate1 to have many wild animals visit mybackyard.
I should say that it was I who was the visitor. Ilived on land that was once home to many kindsof wildlife. I was glad that some of the animalsstayed while others continued to pass by in theirsearch for food.
A troop of long-tailed macaques (muh-KAKS) visited most mornings and afternoons. I always wishedfor them to leave soon. Macaques are monkeys with shorter faces and smaller bodies than those ofAfrican baboons. They live in groups of about twenty animals led by a strong male. Long-tailedmacaques can be aggressive, so I made sure that our trash cans were securely covered and that nofood was displayed in the house.
In the yard, the monkeys were a joy to watch. They browsed on bamboo shoots and young leaves andate wild figs from a fig tree in the garden. Each time, the macaques stayed for about twenty minutes.
During the first week in our home, I found a clutch2 of leathery eggs crumpled and empty in a bed ofsoft dirt under the bamboo grove. I was told they were the eggs of a black spitting cobra. The snakewas common in the area. Poison from its bite can kill a person in one to six hours, and the snake cansquirt venom with accuracy for up to eight feet, aiming at the eyes.
However, a cobra makes its living by eating small animals such as rats and mice. It strikes at humansand other large animals only in self-defense. We could live with our cobra by being careful not tosurprise or scare it.
[1]
[5]
1. Fortunate (adjective): lucky2. a group of eggs
1
As a family, my husband and I and our three children thought of ways to be on the lookout, especiallywhen we stepped into the yard. We made up chants and rhymes that we recited aloud or in our heartsso that we were alert and aware whenever we set foot outdoors. One went:
Cobra, cobra, are you there?
Please don’t fall onto my hair.
One afternoon, the cobra surprised me. All six feet of it was stretched on the lawn. Its skin was jet-black. It glistened3 in the sun and was startling against the green grass.
I froze, scarcely daring to breathe. I was about to place one foot back carefully when the cobra beganto slither away from me. In its haste,4 the cobra bumped against a stone. It raised its head and for onemoment spread its infamous5 hood. As scared as I was, I could not help noticing how magnificent itlooked.
We saw her several more times in the garden. (Because of the eggs, we decided it was a female.) Thatpart of the yard became known as her sunning spot.
It turned out that it was not her only favorite place. One Sunday afternoon we had friends over forlunch. We had just finished eating, and a few of us were sitting on the veranda6 when one of the guestssaw the cobra.
The snake was on a branch of a frangipani tree, less than ten feet from where we were sipping tea. Thetree was in full bloom, covered in pink blossoms whose honey-sweet perfume filled our home.
Everyone came out to see the cobra, and chairs were arranged as if for a concert. The cobra lay still.Only through a pair of binoculars could we see her breathing. She seemed to enjoy all the attention.
She remained still as we ate ice cream, took turns with the binoculars, and read out loud from bookson poisonous snakes of Asia. As soon as it seemed we were losing interest, she slinked majestically7
along the branches toward an oil-palm tree, whose fronds extended close-by.
We were awed8 by her beauty. As we stared openmouthed at her grace, she missed a branch and fellsplat! to the ground. We burst out laughing as the cobra recovered and wriggled up the palm tree.
I joked with my friends that it was funny the way the cobra was showing off so much that it got a littletoo sure of itself and fell. My friend replied that snakes probably do not think like humans.
By then, we had known the cobra for more than a year. Sometimes it felt as if there was not a momentI did not think of the cobra.
[10]
[15]
3. Glisten (verb): to shine or glitter4. Haste (noun): speed or hurry, often made with urgency5. Infamous (adjective): well known for some bad quality6. a roofed porch7. Majestic (adjective): having or showing impressive beauty or dignity8. Awe (noun): a feeling of respect and wonder
2
Copyright © Highlights for Children, Inc., Columbus, Ohio. All rights reserved.
In fact, I developed the habit of imagining the snake’s thoughts. Then I realized that a snake wouldnaturally stay near the oil-palm tree. Its nutty palm kernels9 are a rich source of food for mice andsquirrels, and therefore the tree was a great place for a cobra: small mammals are the cobra’s favoritemeal. I had often raked under the frangipani tree, which stood next to the oil palm, and I had not oncerealized that the cobra might have been over my head on its branches!
We shared the garden with the black spitting cobra for the rest of our stay and were sad indeed whenwe had to move and leave the island of Borneo.
[20]
9. the edible seeds from the fruit produced by the oil-palm tree
3
Event:
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Date: _____________________________________
Moon Drawing:
Moon Phase:____________________________
Event:
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Date: _____________________________________
Moon Drawing:
Moon Phase:____________________________
Event:
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Date: _____________________________________
Moon Drawing:
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Name _______________________________ Class _______ Date _______________ Phases of Life Project Cards
Event:
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Date: _____________________________________
Moon Drawing:
Moon Phase:____________________________
Event:
________________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Moon Drawing:
Moon Phase:____________________________
Event:
________________________________________
Date: _____________________________________
Moon Drawing:
Moon Phase:____________________________
Use the website https://stardate.org/nightsky/moon to look up the moon phases on your important dates.
© Sunrise Science
Wonder of the Day #2577
What Would Earth Be Like With No Moon?
Listen 28 Comments
Have You Ever Wondered...
Why is the moon important to life on Earth?
What would Earth be like with no moon?
Do all other planets have moons?
— SCIENCE Earth and Space
t controls the . It provides light for . It’s not made of , but it doessometimes appear to have a face. What on Earth are we talking about? Actually, you won’tfind the topic of today’s Wonder of the day on Earth—it’s the moon!
I tides nighttime hikes cheese
Anyone who’s spent much time at all on this third rock from the sun knows that the moon isa pretty big deal. Sure, most planets in our solar system have at least one moon—and some,like Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, have more. But don’t let that fool you—Earth’s moon is special.It’s the largest moon by to the size of its planet in the whole ! What wouldEarth be like with no moon?
ratio solar system
Without the moon, life on Earth would be much different. For example, the planet’s tideswould be much weaker. They would still rise and fall because of the pull of thesun, but would have only about 40 percent of the strength of today’s tide.
gravitational
If you’ve ever been to the beach, or if you live near an ocean, you know how the tide affectsdaily life. However, tides also play a very important role for life on Earth. The flow of the tidescarries heat from Earth’s equator to the poles. Without the moon, Earth might have a verydifferent climate than it does today. This would have likely limited the movement of around the world. Some plants and animals alive today might not even exist!
species
If the moon were to disappear tonight, many more stars would be visible from Earth. Peoplemight identify and name new . Other planets and even other might beeasier to see. But the night would be much darker. This would affect people as they movearound after dark, but it would have a much heavier impact on nocturnal animals. Those thathunt at night, like owls and bats, would have a much harder time finding their food.
constellations galaxies
An obvious difference is that, without the moon, there would be no more eclipses. There wouldalso be no more , of course, and possibly no space travel at all. Many expertssee the moon as astronauts’ “stepping stone” to other places in the solar system. Without it,humans may not have developed the ability to travel beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
trips to the moon
Do you know how many hours there are in a day? Of course, there are 24! But without themoon, days on Earth would be much shorter. Billions of years ago, an Earth day was onlyabout 12 hours long. The pull of the moon slowed the Earth’s —without it, days wouldhave far fewer than 24 hours.
rotation
Many people don’t realize that the moon affects the tilt of the Earth’s axis. Most of the time,our planet’s tilt is 23.4°. However, that angle . Sometimes, it’s as little as 22.1°. Othertimes, it’s as much as 24.5°. Without the moon to help stabilize the planet, the fluctuationcould be much larger.
fluctuates
Without the moon, experts estimate the Earth’s tilt could increase as high as 45°. That meansthe planet would be spinning on its side, like Uranus does. This would have significantimpacts on life on Earth. It would cause major changes in the climate. It would also meanthat each half of the planet would experience six months of daylight followed by six monthsof darkness. This would wreak on , as well as other aspects of life. havoc agriculture
All things considered, we’d say Earth is pretty lucky to have its moon. What do you think?Would you like to live in a world with no and lower tides? How about having a shorterday and being able to see more stars at night? Perhaps it would be like living on Mercury orVenus, neither of which have moons. The world certainly would be different!
eclipses
NGSS.ESS1.A, NGSS.ESS1.B, CCRA.R.1, CCRA.R.2, CCRA.R.4, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.W.2,CCRA.W.4, CCRA.W.9, CCRA.SL.1, CCRA.SL.2,CCRA.L.1, CCRA.L.2, CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6
:STANDARDS
Wonder Words (9)
http://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/What-Would-Earth-Be-Like-With-No-Moon
© National Center for Families Learning (NCFL)
RATIO, HAVOC, SPECIES, GRAVITATIONAL, GALAXIES, ROTATION, FLUCTUATES, AGRICULTURE,CONSTELLATIONS
Wonder What's Next?
Hey folks! Be sure to enjoy tomorrow's all-new musical Wonder of the Day!
Try It Out
Find an adult who can help you keep learning with one or more of the activities below:
Imagine you just woke up to the Earth-shaking news: the moon has disappeared! Whatshould people expect? Write an article for a news website that explains what could happennext. Include at least one image and three facts you learned from today’s Wonder.
Did you know the moon hasn’t always looked the same? Just like Earth, it’s changed over thebillions of years since its formation. To see how, watch this
. Then, talk to a friend or family member about howthe moon has evolved.
video from NASA(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIKmSQqp8wY)
Learn more about the . What did you learn? What other planets have moons? Which planet has the most
moons? Summarize what you learned for a friend or family member.
other moons in our solar system (https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/how-many-
moons/en/)
Wonder Sources
(accessed 27 Mar. 2020)https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/moon-life-tides/
(accessed 27 Mar. 2020)https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2017/03/02/7-ways-earth-would-change-if-our-moon-were-destroyed/#404d32f33852
(accessed 27Mar. 2020)https://www.popsci.com/what-would-happen-if-moon-suddenly-disappeared/
(accessed 27 Mar. 2020)https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/how-many-moons/en/
Name: Class:
"P1060167" by Jon Seidman is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
FuneralBy Ralph Fletcher
2005
Ralph Fletcher is an American writer known for his children’s picture books, adult fiction, and poetry. In thisexcerpt from his memoir, the author describes taking a trip into the forest with his friends. As you read, takenotes on how Ralph’s friends feel about him.
On our last morning in Marshfield the doorbellrang at nine o’clock. When I opened it I saw Andy,Steve, and Larry standing together. I wassurprised to see them.
“C’mon, we’re taking you to the woods,” Larrysaid.
Dad came downstairs carrying two suitcases.
“Can I go into the woods?” I asked Dad. He shookhis head.
“We’re leaving in less than an hour.”
“Please, Dad,” I pleaded.
“Just one last time?”
“All right, but we’re leaving at 10 o’clock sharp,” he said. “When you hear me beep the horn, you comeright away, okay?”
“Okay,” I promised, and followed my friends outside. They were walking in a funny way, the way you dowhen you’re hiding a secret.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“We’re having a funeral,” Andy replied with a solemn1 face.
“For who?”
“You,” Steve explained.
“A funeral!” I laughed. “Hey, I’m moving. I’m not dead!”
“You’ll be dead to us,” Larry pointed out.
[1]
[5]
[10]
[15]
1. Solemn (adjective): serious; not cheerful
1
We entered Ale’s Woods on a path I’d run down thousands of times. I knew every rock and mushroomand pine tree by heart. In the middle of the woods my friends stopped.
“There!” Steve said, pointing to a small indentation in the forest floor. “Lie down, dead man!”
I lay down. The ground was thick with pine needles, and soft. My friends picked up big clumps of pineneedles and started sprinkling them over my body.
“Hey!” I protested.
“Be quiet,” Larry ordered. “You’re dead, remember? Keep your eyes closed.”
“Just don’t get it on my face,” I muttered. They kept sprinkling the pine needles on me until my limbsand body were covered, and I could feel them, like a lightweight blanket.
“Should auld acquaintance be forgot — ,” Steve sang.
“You don’t sing that at a funeral,” Larry interrupted. “You sing that on New Year’s Eve!”
Andy loudly cleared his throat. “Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye,” he announced. “We have gathered here tolay to rest the soul of our departed friend, Ralph Fletcher. Would anyone like to speak?”
“I would,” Steve said. “Ralph Fletcher was a good friend. Last year I had to do summer school. He cameby every day to walk me home.”
“He was a good friend,” Larry agreed. “About a month ago, John Berkowitz tried to beat me up, andRalph told John, ‘You’ll have to beat me up first.’ So, John Berkowitz punched him instead. He was abrave friend. Stupid, but brave!”
Everyone laughed, including me.
“He was a good friend,” Andy began, then stopped. I lay on the pine needles, eyes shut, smelling themix of the piney smell and the good, rotting earth underneath. I waited for Andy to continue, but hedidn’t say anything. Then he whispered:
“He was the brother I never had.”
“He was a member of the Four Stooges,”2 Larry said in a husky whisper.
Then they all said together: “We’ll never forget him.”
My eyes started to water. I tilted my head so they wouldn’t notice, and stayed quiet. Nobody spoke. Ithought of all the things I’d done with these guys. Staying up late listening to the radio while the DJcounted down the top ten. Blowing off M-80s3 in Mr. Oxner’s cornfield. Eating raw sweet corn. Going tothe Marshfield Fair every summer. Arguing about which girl in our class was cuter— Lisa Kennedy, PamCoyne, or Beth Byers. Fishing for crappies4 and sunfish. Trading baseball cards, card tricks, dirty jokes,scars, stories, snacks, swears.
[20]
[25]
[30]
2. a reference to “The Three Stooges,” an American comedy team known for their short films
2
From MARSHFIELD DREAMS: WHEN I WAS A KID © 2005 by Ralph Fletcher. Reprinted by permission of Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, animprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC. All rights reserved.
For a long moment, it stayed quiet. Finally, I opened my eyes. They were gone. Usually I hated it whenmy friends ditched me, but this time it felt different. In a strange way I was glad they were gone. For awhile I just laid there, looking up at the trees. I heard a car horn beeping.
“Ralph!” It was Jimmy, calling. “C’mon, we gotta go!”
“Coming!” I yelled back. I sat up and brushed off the pine needles. Bits of light danced in the deepforest shadows around me. I knew I’d never forget that place. Then I stood up and stepped into mynew life, whatever that might be.
[35]
3. a type of powerful firecracker4. a North American freshwater fish
3
The battle begins!
Union president Abraham Lincoln Confederate president Jefferson Davis
Name: Date:
Writing Fundamentals Memoir Grade 5 Publishing: Cover and Title Appendix 1: “Making My Memoir Appealing”
© 2013 Schoolwide, Inc.
Making My Memoir Appealing
The Title
r Does my title capture the experience or feelingof my memoir?
r Does it catch readers’ attention?
r Does it make readers curious so they will wantto know more?
The Cover
r Does my cover look inviting?
r If I saw this cover, would I want to pick up this book and read it?
r Is my cover illustration related to my memoir?
r Does my cover show an important image from my story?
