We will leave the realm of the early Middle Ages and travel to Middle Earth as we begin the fantasy novel, The Hobbit. During the study of this incredible story, you will be asked to do several project pieces that are my choice--and several that are yours. It will be a fun, exciting study--but you have to commit to getting the reading done. I will give you lots of class time, but you must take your book home and also read at night and on the weekends, or we will find ourselves still reading The Hobbit in March!
I must mention two changes in my expectations of you as we near the top of the hill that is your 4th grade year. After Christmas vacation is over, you will begin the downward slope that will lead you into 5th grade. It is time that I "turned up the heat" just a tad. Lately, I have been giving make-up spelling tests when you don't do too well on the first test. I will no longer do that. You must study your words so that you can make a 100 (ok, maybe a 90) on the first try. That means you have to learn the words, pronounce them aloud, write them, practice them every day. I think several of you are depending on those make-up tests to improve your grade and not "getting with it" as soon as the words are posted. I promised you a make-up test over last week's words this Monday, but that will be the last one!
The second thing I need to mention that will be a little tougher is your filling out and turning in your reading logs on time, with parent signatures. Beginning this Friday, if you don't turn them in on time, I will not accept them for that week. I know all of you are reading--so write down what you are reading, and how long--you can use your reading log as a bookmark, and do it before you close the book each night. Several of you are three weeks behind on turning those in! If I don't have them by this Friday, November 12, those three weeks, and this 4th week, will not be counted. You can still make an A in Literature if you never turn in your reading log--but you would have to make a 100 on EVERYTHING else. That might mean several of you are headed for B's. B's are not bad grades at all--but each of you is totally capable of making A's.
Below is the reading schedule for the NEXT TWO WEEKS, and the spelling list for Friday, November 19.
HOMEWORK for Tuesday, November 9-Friday, November 22
MONDAY, November 8: The last make-up spelling test over the words from St. Benedict
TUESDAY, November 9: You will receive your project packet and a copy of The Hobbit. If time permits, we will begin listening to Chapter 1 on CD.
WEDNESDAY, November 10: Listen to Chapter 1 in class. [Chapters 3 and 4 will need to be read by Monday.]
THURSDAY, November 11: Finish Chapter 1 in class.
FRIDAY, November 12: Listen to Chapter 2 in class.
FOR MONDAY, November 15: You will need to have read Chapters 3 and 4 for Monday's class. We will begin Chapter 5 on CD during class. Whatever doesn't get read in class must be done for homework. It is due tomorrow.
TUESDAY, November 16: Discuss Chapter 5; begin Chapter 6 on CD during class. Whatever doesn't get read in class must be done for homework. It is due tomorrow.
WEDNESDAY, November 17: Discuss Chapter 6. FOR MONDAY, November 22--Read Chapters 7 and 8. The rest of this week will be given to you for work on your project pieces.
THURSDAY, November 18: Work on Projects in class
FRIDAY, November 19: SPELLING TEST over the words below. No make-up test will be given:
1. Hobbit
2. JRR Tolkien
3. luxurious
4. remarkable
5. depredation--with definition: a plundering or laying waste to something
6. adventurous
7. immensely
8. flummoxed--with definition: confused or perplexed
9. audacious--with definition: daring; reckless; bold
10. sorcerous--with definition: having the nature of or practicing sorcery
