I Give It Two Thumbs Up

Everyone is good about giving their opinions and that is what a book review is all about.  Read the book review of the popular children's book Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls:

Grade 5 Reviews   Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

Review by: Della J. Massachusetts, Grade 5 The author originally wrote this book on scraps of old paper. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls is one of the best books I’ve ever read. I was fascinated from the very beginning to the very end. Billy, a young boy in the Ozarks, saves up his money for two years, just to buy a pair of good hunting hounds. After training them, he realizes he got more than he could ever dream of. In fact, his pups were the best hunting dogs in the area. Billy proves that by winning a shiny gold cup at a ‘coon hunting contest. His dogs cared for each other, and did amazing things that no other hounds would ever do, and Billy rewarded them by going hunting every night, except when the weather was bad. One night, while Billy was out hunting, his dogs chased a mountain lion up a tree which ended being fatal to one of the dogs. Old Dan nearly died until he got home, where he did die. Little Ann, the other dog, got so upset about that that she starved herself and then died. I loved this book because I had never really known about people who lived in the mountains. I was intrigued by the dogs behavior, and Billy’s decisions as he faced obstacles that not many other ‘coon hunters did. This was truly a classic book.

Answer the following questions:  Does this make you want to read the book and why?  If not explain what could the reviewer done to make the book more interesting?  If so what made the book seem like it would be enjoyable?  Write your own book review of The Whipping Boy.  Include these three things if you would recommend it, your favorite part of the story, and your least favorite part.

source: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/swyar/browseEntry.asp?id=63496&grade=5&booktitle=Where+the+Red+Fern+Grows

Is that a Metaphor or a Simile?

April is National Poetry Month.  Read one of the Shel Silverstein poems about Hippos.
Which of the poems do you like better?  Explain.  Identify three examples of figurative language.  What are they and why do you think the author uses them. 

                                             Recipe for a Hippopotamus Sandwich

A hippo sandwich is easy to make. All you do is simply take One slice of bread, One slice of cake, Some mayonnaise, One onion ring, One hippopotamus, One piece of string, A dash of pepper-- That ought to do it. And now comes the problem... Biting into it!

Hippo's Hope

There once was a hippo who wanted to fly --
Fly-hi-dee, try-hi-dee, my-hi-dee-ho.
So he sewed him some wings that could flap through the sky --
Sky-hi-dee, fly-hi-dee, why-hi-dee-go. He climbed to the top of a mountain of snow --
Snow-hi-dee, slow-hi-dee, oh-hi-dee-hoo.
With the clouds high above and the sea down below --
Where-hi-dee, there-hi-dee, scare-hi-dee-boo. (Happy ending)
And he flipped and he flapped and he bellowed so loud --
Now-hi-dee, loud-hi-dee, proud-hi-dee-poop.
And he sailed like an eagle, off into the clouds --
High-hi-dee, fly-hi-dee, bye-hi-dee-boop. (Unhappy ending)
And he leaped like a frog and he fell like a stone --
Stone-hi-dee, lone-hi-dee, own-hi-dee-flop.
And he crashed and he drowned and broke all his bones --
Bones-hi-dee, moans-hi-dee, groans-hi-dee-glop. (Chicken ending)
He looked up at the sky and looked down at the sea --
Sea-hi-dee, free-hi-dee, whee-hi-dee-way.
And he turned and went home and had cookies and tea --
That's hi-dee, all hi-dee, I have to say.

******************ExtraCredit***********************

Write your own hippo poem including three examples of figurative language
source: http://faculty.weber.edu/chansen/humanweb/projects/MeghanUng/hippopoems.htm

HERstory

This month is Woman's History month.  Many people call history her-story to recognize the accomplishments of women.Visit the link (Woman's HERstory Month click here) and select one of the herstorical events that you think was the most important.  In your write in three to four sentences why the event was important, one way history would be different without the event, and a woman who you think is making herstory today.

source: http://www.timeforkids.com/news/womens-history-milestones/9731

Fall Back...Spring Forwar

Daylight Saving Time

 sun dial used to determine sun time

Standard time is determined by checking clocks against a sundial. When the Sun is directly overhead and shadows are at their shortest, it is said to be noon. Many areas do not observe true Sun time due to political and social borders.

During the First World War, Germany instituted a daylight saving program to save power. They ordered everyone to set their clocks ahead by one hour, or one hour ahead of standard Sun time. Doing this made it so that it was light longer into the evening, saving their country energy in the form of electricity.

In 1918 the United States began a similar policy. Today, most countries around the world observe Daylight Saving Time. Daylight Saving Time usually begins in April and ends in October in the Northern Hemisphere, after which clocks are set back to standard Sun time.

Imagine you are a world government.  If you could control time how would you change it and why?  Write three to four sentences to explain your response. How does the caption help you understand the image?  Make sure you answer all three questions in your response.

 

**********************************Extra Credit***********************************

Research and find one of the regions of the world that does not observe day light savings time.  Where is it and why don't they practice the time change.

source: http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/0024-daylight-savings-time.php

Dear Mr. President,

  Have you ever wanted to share your advice with the president? Here is your chance. The Washington Post and Handwriting Without Tears teamed up to allow kids to give a piece of advice to newly re-inaugurated president Barak Obama. Read the three pieces of advice offered by kids below.  Select one and tell if this is good or bad advice and explain why.  Then in three to four sentences leave your own advice for the president.  Make sure it is clearly stated and explain what exactly you want the president to think, say, or do.

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Dear Mr. President,

You should try to help the schools earn more money. Also help the homeless people and you should help lost animals. If we do that, we will make the world a better place. Do you know that I am recycling bottles and paper? I pick up all of the trash in my yard and help lost animals find its owner. If you have time, can you write back?

Sincerely,

Stephanie Carpenter, fourth grade, Lynchburg

Dear President Obama,

I have some advice for you. Let’s start off with better school lunches. I eat three times a day and I don’t look forward to lunch, so I bring lunch. We should at least get real food! They should be healthier and something more than a microwaved box with food. You should also make longer school recesses so there is less childhood obesity. There are just two of my many ideas. I’ll keep sending so watch out for . . .

Your citizen,

Andrew Misura, 10, Potomac

Dear Mr. President,

My hopes and dreams for the next four years are for there to be an All Ice Cream Day where you only eat ice cream for the day. Because I really like ice cream, and a lot of other people like it a lot.

Sincerely, Alec Butler, fourth grade, Vienn

To find out more about this project visit: http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/dear-mr-president-washington-area-kids-write-letters-and-offer-advice-to-barack-obama/2013/01/16/014edc4e-599d-11e2-88d0-c4cf65c3ad15_story.html

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I Swear...

The new President is inaugurated on January 20. A President who is re-elected must be sworn in again. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court reads the Oath of Office outside the Capitol Building. The President and Vice President swear to do their jobs to the best of their abilities and to be faithful to the Constitution. There is a huge parade up Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House after the official ceremony. The new President rides in a limousine or walks along the parade route, smiling and waving to the crowd. Many fancy inaugural balls are held all over the city of Washington at night to celebrate the President’s election.

source: http://www.congressforkids.net/Elections_inauguration.htm

After reading the brief information above in three to four sentences explain why is it important to have an inauguration? 

A Unique Point of View

M.C.Escher is an artist known for his black and white sketches that use geometric figures and  mind boggling  concepts in his works.  Use one of the images below to write a poem.  Your poem should include either personification, alliteration, or hyperbole/ exaggeration and be clearly connected to the work you select and be between five to ten lines long.  Make sure you tell what image you are using for your poem. 

    
                        image 1                                                         image 2



                      image 3