Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Root Words
Many words are formed by adding a prefix and/or a suffix to a root word. For example, the word transportation is port plus the prefix trans- and the suffix -ation.
Add prefixes and/or suffixes to each of the root words below to form five words. Use a dictionary to check your spelling and add a definition for each one.
Add prefixes and/or suffixes to each of the root words below to form five words. Use a dictionary to check your spelling and add a definition for each one.
- oper (work)
- ped (foot)
- sect (cut)
- tele (far)
- therm (heat)
- vis, view, vid (see)
- vit, viv (life)
Dictionary Scavenger Hunt
1. Write the name of the dictionary. ___________________________________________________
2. In what year was the dictionary published? ___________________________________________________
3. What is the first word listed in the dictionary? ___________________________________________________
4. What is the last word listed in the dictionary? ___________________________________________________
5. How many pages does the dictionary have? ___________________________________________________
6. How many pages of words starting with x are in the dictionary? ___________________________________________________
7. Look up the word one. In addition to being a noun it is also an _______________________ and a_________________________
8. Look up the word narcissus. It is a type of ___________________________________________________
9. Look up the word fire. How many syllables does it have? ___________________________________________________
10. Find the first noun in your dictionary that has four syllables. ___________________________________________________
12. What is the last word in the u section of the dictionary? ___________________________________________________
13. How many pages of words starting with q are in the dictionary? ___________________________________________________
14. Look up the word azure. It is a shade of ___________________________________________________
15. Look up the word larynx. Where is the larynx located? ___________________________________________________
16. Find the first adjective in your dictionary starting with m. ___________________________________________________
17. Look up the word pocket. In addition to being a noun it is also an _______________________ and a_________________________
18. Look up the word burro. It is a small ___________________________________________________
19. Look up the word calico. How many syllables does it have? ___________________________________________________
20. Find the first verb in your dictionary starting with s that has three syllables. ___________________________________________________
22. What is the last word in the m section of the dictionary? ___________________________________________________
23. How many words start with gy in the dictionary? ___________________________________________________
24. Find the first noun in your dictionary starting with r that has four syllables. ___________________________________________________
25. Look up the word quahog. It is a type of ___________________________________________________
26. Find the first adjective in your dictionary starting with p. ___________________________________________________
27. Look up the word stock. In addition to being a noun it is also an _______________________ and a_________________________
28. Look up the word haddock. It is a type of ___________________________________________________
29. Look up the word radioactivity. How many syllables does it have? ___________________________________________________
31. Find the first adjective in your dictionary starting with d that has two syllables. ___________________________________________________
32. Find the first verb in your dictionary starting with c that has two syllables. ___________________________________________________
33. Look up the word fuselage. It is a part of an ___________________________________________________
2. In what year was the dictionary published? ___________________________________________________
3. What is the first word listed in the dictionary? ___________________________________________________
4. What is the last word listed in the dictionary? ___________________________________________________
5. How many pages does the dictionary have? ___________________________________________________
6. How many pages of words starting with x are in the dictionary? ___________________________________________________
7. Look up the word one. In addition to being a noun it is also an _______________________ and a_________________________
8. Look up the word narcissus. It is a type of ___________________________________________________
9. Look up the word fire. How many syllables does it have? ___________________________________________________
10. Find the first noun in your dictionary that has four syllables. ___________________________________________________
11. What is the first word in the r section of the dictionary? ___________________________________________________
12. What is the last word in the u section of the dictionary? ___________________________________________________
13. How many pages of words starting with q are in the dictionary? ___________________________________________________
14. Look up the word azure. It is a shade of ___________________________________________________
15. Look up the word larynx. Where is the larynx located? ___________________________________________________
16. Find the first adjective in your dictionary starting with m. ___________________________________________________
17. Look up the word pocket. In addition to being a noun it is also an _______________________ and a_________________________
18. Look up the word burro. It is a small ___________________________________________________
19. Look up the word calico. How many syllables does it have? ___________________________________________________
20. Find the first verb in your dictionary starting with s that has three syllables. ___________________________________________________
21. What is the first word starting with str in the dictionary? ___________________________________________________
22. What is the last word in the m section of the dictionary? ___________________________________________________
23. How many words start with gy in the dictionary? ___________________________________________________
24. Find the first noun in your dictionary starting with r that has four syllables. ___________________________________________________
25. Look up the word quahog. It is a type of ___________________________________________________
26. Find the first adjective in your dictionary starting with p. ___________________________________________________
27. Look up the word stock. In addition to being a noun it is also an _______________________ and a_________________________
28. Look up the word haddock. It is a type of ___________________________________________________
29. Look up the word radioactivity. How many syllables does it have? ___________________________________________________
30. Find the first adjective in your dictionary starting with g. ___________________________________________________
32. Find the first verb in your dictionary starting with c that has two syllables. ___________________________________________________
33. Look up the word fuselage. It is a part of an ___________________________________________________
Monday, February 20, 2012
Personal Narrative Essay - 7th Grade
Students are to write a personal narrative from the perspective of a Mythological character. They can either create a story, told from one of the twelve great Olympian’s point of view, or retell a story read in class, through the point-of-view of a character in the story. Students must include at least five facts from any of the Myths we have read. Students are expected to write well-organized narratives with descriptive language. They are also expected to keep all parts of the writing process, as well as this rubric for their final paper. The grading rubric is as follows:
Rubric
Accuracy of information 20
-Is the information that you used from the book, accurate in your story? How much information from the book did you use?
Organization 25
-Does your narrative have a beginning, middle, and end? Does it move along nicely or is it hard to follow?
Content 25
-Does your narrative contain similes, metaphors, and other forms of descriptive language or is it bland?
Grammar 10
-Is your narrative relatively free of grammatical errors?
Rough drafts 10
-Have you included all your rough drafts, with corrections on them?
Outline 5
-Have you included a detailed and organized outline?
Brainstorm 5
-Have you included a fully developed brainstorm?
Rubric +5
-Five extra credit points for including the rubric.
Total 100
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Idioms from the Heart
Have you ever wondered why we often write and talk about the human heart as if it were an emotional being with a distinct personality? We boast that we know the words of a song by heart, suggesting that it has mental abilities. We find it in our heart to help someone in need, indicating that it has the capacity to care about another. And, alas, a snub from one’s sweetheart can break one’s heart. It’s like we completely forget that the major function of this hard-working organ is to pump blood.
Understanding our off-track thinking requires that we go back in time—way back!
The heart, it seems, has enjoyed a place of prominence throughout recorded history. Four thousand years or so ago ancient Egyptians thought part of the soul lived in it. When preparing a mummy, they carefully preserved the heart and put it back in the body or stored it in jars along with other organs. They didn’t think much of the brain, however, so they pulled it out through the nostrils and threw it away.
Fast forward a couple thousand years to ancient Greece, where early physicians and philosophers argued about which organ produced human thought and emotion. Many were certain it was the heart. As for the brain, some Greek thinkers characterized it as no more than a cooling system for the blood or as a delicate, airy "spirit" that kept the all-important heart working properly. Some contended that the brain might be just as crucial, but most Greek doctors continued to insist that the heart was responsible for human emotions and personality traits.
Thus, the debate rolled along for centuries before people finally understood the specific connections and functions of both organs.
Still, even with modern technology and thousands of years of learning at our disposal, many antiquated ideas about the heart are still hanging around. They show up constantly in our language as idioms—those versatile words and phrases that allow us to say one thing and mean another. To declare, for example, that Mr. Anderson is a strict teacher, but he has a heart of gold, doesn’t mean that his heart is constructed of precious metal. Rather, the statement refers to his kind and generous nature, and it attributes its origin to his heart. And so, without thinking about it, we perpetuate ancient misconceptions about the heart. Fortunately, it’s one of the idiosyncrasies that make our language intriguing and fun to use.
Understanding our off-track thinking requires that we go back in time—way back!
The heart, it seems, has enjoyed a place of prominence throughout recorded history. Four thousand years or so ago ancient Egyptians thought part of the soul lived in it. When preparing a mummy, they carefully preserved the heart and put it back in the body or stored it in jars along with other organs. They didn’t think much of the brain, however, so they pulled it out through the nostrils and threw it away.
Fast forward a couple thousand years to ancient Greece, where early physicians and philosophers argued about which organ produced human thought and emotion. Many were certain it was the heart. As for the brain, some Greek thinkers characterized it as no more than a cooling system for the blood or as a delicate, airy "spirit" that kept the all-important heart working properly. Some contended that the brain might be just as crucial, but most Greek doctors continued to insist that the heart was responsible for human emotions and personality traits.
Thus, the debate rolled along for centuries before people finally understood the specific connections and functions of both organs.
Still, even with modern technology and thousands of years of learning at our disposal, many antiquated ideas about the heart are still hanging around. They show up constantly in our language as idioms—those versatile words and phrases that allow us to say one thing and mean another. To declare, for example, that Mr. Anderson is a strict teacher, but he has a heart of gold, doesn’t mean that his heart is constructed of precious metal. Rather, the statement refers to his kind and generous nature, and it attributes its origin to his heart. And so, without thinking about it, we perpetuate ancient misconceptions about the heart. Fortunately, it’s one of the idiosyncrasies that make our language intriguing and fun to use.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
IDIOMS - 8th Grade
An idiom is a phrase that is made up of words which can't be understood by literal, or ordinary, meaning. For example, the idiom, or expression, "hit the road", has nothing to do with going out your door and smacking your street. It really means "go away".
Below is a list of some common idioms and their actual meanings.
| Idiom | Actual Meaning |
| Cross that bridge when you come to it. | Don't worry about problems until they actually happen. |
| hit the hay | go to bed |
| raining cats and dogs | raining hard |
| on cloud nine | very happy; joyous |
| once in a blue moon | almost never; not very often |
One a separate sheet of paper, write the idiom found in each sentence and next to it, the actual meaning. You will need to use context clues to figure out the real meanings if you have never heard of the idiom before.
1. If you don't hand in your report, you will miss the boat for an "A".
2. Tomorrow is Jack's surprise party, so don't let the cat out of
the bag when you see him.3. When Erin didn't do her homework and failed the quiz, her mom
hit the roof.4. Joe is down in the dumps since his friend moved away.
5. Mary wasn't paying attention and seemed out in left field when
the teacher called on her.6. George said I would lose, but since I didn't, he will have to eat his
words.7. You shouldn't spend an arm and a leg on a foolish video game!
8. He went out on a limb and asked the principal if he could miss
class to go to the party.9. All I said was I didn't feel like doing my work and the teacher
jumped down my throat.10. When Sara didn't turn in her project, her "A" went down the
drain.
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