Native Americans

Did you know the word "Tennessee" comes from a Cherokee Indian name? It comes from Tanasi, which was the name of a major Cherokee town in southeastern Tennessee.

This week the students will begin their discovery of the Native American tribes of Tennessee. They will also receive their first project of the year. Visit the Native American Project tab at the top of the page for more information. In addition to beginning social studies, students will continue working on opinion writing in class. Author's purpose will be the comprehension focus this week.

Native Americans

Did you know the word "Tennessee" comes from a Cherokee Indian name? It comes from Tanasi, which was the name of a major Cherokee town in southeastern Tennessee.

This week the students will begin their discovery of the Native American tribes of Tennessee. They will also receive their first project of the year. Visit the Native American Project tab at the top of the page for more information. In addition to beginning social studies, students will continue working on opinion writing in class. Author's purpose will be the comprehension focus this week.

Point of View

First-person Point of View

 A character in the story is 

 the narrator.  This 

 character is telling the 

 story.  The narrator uses 

 the pronouns I, me and we.

 In first-person point of 

 view, readers learn about 

 events as the narrator 

 learns about them.

Third-person Point of View

 The story is being told by 

 an outside observer 

 (someone who is not in 

 the story).  The author uses 

 the pronouns he, she, and they.

 In third-person point of 

 view, the author can tell 

 about the thoughts, 

 actions, and feelings of 

 the other characters.  

Trek Across Tennessee

The students will continue Tennessee geography by becoming travel agents this week. They will research, take notes, and create a Tennessee brochure inviting their audience to visit the three grand divisions of Tennessee. They will include landforms, climate, natural resources, and attractions from each division in their brochure. I am excited to see what the end products will look like!

This week we will begin our first novel study, Because of Win-Dixie. See a brief synopsis below. Story Structure will be our first comprehension skill discussed. It will include understanding character, plot, and setting. 

 

From Publishers Weekly
DiCamillo's debut novel, a 2001 Newbery Honor Book, percolates with heartfelt emotion and eccentric Southern color as superbly performed by Tony Award-winning actress Jones. Ten-year-old Opal, lonely in the Florida town where she has just moved with her preacher father, instantly takes a shine to a scraggly stray dog she encounters in the local Winn-Dixie supermarket. The pooch, named for their meeting place, becomes a trusted companion with whom Opal can share her thoughts and fears, and her hurt, confused feelings about the mother who left the family when Opal was three. Winn-Dixie is soon helping Opal in other ways, too. The dog's "smile" and sweet temperament act as ice breakers that allow Opal to meet a whole new group of friends who grow to be an unusual extended family. Jones imbues her depiction of Opal with a tone of youthful, hopeful wonder and skillfully transforms her voice to distinguish the other older, life-weathered characters. A Tennessee native, she never sounds hokey as she adopts a Southern accent, and she effortlessly slips into a compelling storytelling rhythm. This is a top-notch treatment of an award-winning tale. Ages 8-up.

This week we will begin our first novel study, Because of Win-Dixie. See a brief synopsis below. Story Structure will be our first comprehension skill discussed. It will include understanding character, plot, and setting. 

 

From Publishers Weekly
DiCamillo's debut novel, a 2001 Newbery Honor Book, percolates with heartfelt emotion and eccentric Southern color as superbly performed by Tony Award-winning actress Jones. Ten-year-old Opal, lonely in the Florida town where she has just moved with her preacher father, instantly takes a shine to a scraggly stray dog she encounters in the local Winn-Dixie supermarket. The pooch, named for their meeting place, becomes a trusted companion with whom Opal can share her thoughts and fears, and her hurt, confused feelings about the mother who left the family when Opal was three. Winn-Dixie is soon helping Opal in other ways, too. The dog's "smile" and sweet temperament act as ice breakers that allow Opal to meet a whole new group of friends who grow to be an unusual extended family. Jones imbues her depiction of Opal with a tone of youthful, hopeful wonder and skillfully transforms her voice to distinguish the other older, life-weathered characters. A Tennessee native, she never sounds hokey as she adopts a Southern accent, and she effortlessly slips into a compelling storytelling rhythm. This is a top-notch treatment of an award-winning tale. Ages 8-up.