| Objectives | Students will be able to: (1) differentiate between summarizing fiction and non-fiction; (2) use the Main Idea + Key Details strategy; (3) write an objective summary. |
|---|---|
| Materials | Highlighters, informational article (e.g., history of Jamaica). |
| Key vocabulary | summary, objective, main idea, key details, paraphrase |
| Engage (starter) | (10 min) "We used SWBST for stories. Does that work for a science textbook? No. We need a new strategy." |
| Develop (main) | (35 min) 1. Explain the strategy: Read the text, write the main idea of each paragraph in the margin, synthesize those notes into a paragraph. 2. Emphasize "objective" (no personal opinions). 3. Practice annotating the article together. 4. Students independently draft a 4-sentence summary of the article. |
| Plenary (close) | (10 min) Compare summaries. Discuss what information was left out and why. |
| Assessment | Summary is objective, covers the main text structure, and avoids minor details. |
| Teacher notes | Paraphrasing (putting it in their own words) is critical here to avoid plagiarism. |
| Objectives | Students will be able to: (1) use a colon to introduce a list; (2) use a semicolon to join two related independent clauses; (3) correctly punctuate sentences. |
|---|---|
| Materials | Punctuation rules chart, sentence strips. |
| Key vocabulary | colon, semicolon, list, independent clause, related |
| Engage (starter) | (10 min) Draw a colon and a semicolon. "These are the advanced tools of punctuation. Let's learn how to use them." |
| Develop (main) | (35 min) 1. Teach the colon rule: use after a complete sentence to introduce a list. (I need three things: apples, bread, and milk.) 2. Teach the semicolon rule: use instead of a conjunction to join two closely related independent clauses. (It was raining; we stayed inside.) 3. Worksheet practice: insert the correct punctuation into the sentences. |
| Plenary (close) | (10 min) Review the worksheet. Discuss why a comma splice is incorrect compared to a semicolon. |
| Assessment | Accurate placement of colons and semicolons in independent practice. |
| Teacher notes | Ensure they know a complete sentence must precede a colon. |
| Objectives | Students will be able to: (1) define idiom and proverb; (2) interpret the figurative meaning of common phrases; (3) understand Jamaican proverbs. |
|---|---|
| Materials | List of idioms and Jamaican proverbs. |
| Key vocabulary | idiom, proverb, figurative, literal, culture |
| Engage (starter) | (10 min) "If I say 'it's raining cats and dogs', should you look out for falling poodles? No, it's an idiom!" |
| Develop (main) | (35 min) 1. Define Idiom (phrase where words don't mean what they say) and Proverb (short saying with a moral lesson). 2. Group activity: match common English idioms to their literal meanings (e.g., "piece of cake" -> easy). 3. Discuss Jamaican proverbs (e.g., "One one cocoa full basket") and their meanings. 4. Students illustrate an idiom/proverb showing literal vs figurative meaning. |
| Plenary (close) | (10 min) Share illustrations and have the class guess the idiom/proverb. |
| Assessment | Correct interpretation of figurative language phrases. |
| Teacher notes | Connect proverbs to cultural heritage and storytelling. |
| Objectives | Students will be able to: (1) implement peer edits; (2) produce a final, polished persuasive essay; (3) present their argument. |
|---|---|
| Materials | Edited drafts from Day 15, publishing paper or computers. |
| Key vocabulary | publish, final copy, presentation, formatting |
| Engage (starter) | (10 min) "Today is the final step. We are turning our messy drafts into professional pieces of writing." |
| Develop (main) | (35 min) 1. Review common formatting rules (indenting paragraphs, title, neat handwriting or typing). 2. Students spend the block writing/typing their final copies, incorporating all edits regarding grammar, voice, and structure. 3. Early finishers practice reading their essay aloud for presentation. |
| Plenary (close) | (10 min) Collect final essays. Congratulate the class on completing a major writing project. |
| Assessment | Final essay demonstrates clear structure, strong arguments, and edited mechanics. |
| Teacher notes | Publishing should feel like a celebration of their hard work. |
| Objectives | Students will be able to: (1) demonstrate mastery of Term 1 grammar and comprehension; (2) reflect on their writing growth. |
|---|---|
| Materials | Term 1 assessment. |
| Key vocabulary | assessment, reflection |
| Engage (starter) | (10 min) Deep breath. "You have learned so much this term, from active voice to writing full essays. Let's show what you know." |
| Develop (main) | (35 min) 1. Administer the Term 1 Check-in covering informational summarizing, identifying colons/semicolons, evaluating evidence, and defining idioms. 2. The final question is a short reflection paragraph: "What is the most important writing skill you learned this term and why?" |
| Plenary (close) | (10 min) Hand in assessments. Clean out language arts folders in preparation for Term 2. |
| Assessment | Formal rubric data from the assessment. |
| Teacher notes | Use the reflection to gauge student confidence and guide Term 2 planning. |