Lesson 1: Letter to Teacher
Lesson 1 Writing Task- Letter to Teacher
Directions: Write a letter to your teacher– an introduction, so to speak. Use paragraphs to separate your ideas.
- Tell me about your interests as a reader. What genre appeals to you? Why?
- What interests you about literature?
- What are your personal goals for this English 7 class?
- What are you expecting from Year 7? How will school change? How will you change?
- What else is important for me to know? Anything school appropriate goes!
Sentence Starters
Introducing yourself
- I would like to tell you a little about myself…
- One thing you should know about me is…
- If I had to describe myself, I would say…
My interests as a reader
- When it comes to reading, I enjoy…
- My favourite genre is… because…
- I am particularly interested in books that…
- A book or author I have enjoyed is…
- I find reading more enjoyable when…
My thoughts about literature
- What interests me most about literature is…
- I enjoy exploring…
- Literature can be interesting because…
- One aspect of English that I would like to learn more about is…
My goals for English
- One of my goals for English this year is…
- I would particularly like to improve my…
- I sometimes find _____ challenging, so I hope to…
- By the end of Year 7, I would like to be able to…
My expectations for Year 7
- This year, I expect…
- I think Year 7 will be different because…
- One change I am looking forward to is…
- This year, I hope to become more…
- I plan to take more responsibility for…
Anything else
- Something else that is important to know about me is…
- Outside of school, I enjoy…
- I work best when…
- Something that motivates me is…
- Finally, I would like you to know that…
Journey by Aaron Becker
Let’s discover the author together! Who would like to read?
Pre-reading Questions
Red Practice Book (Independent Writing)
- Look at the cover. What do you notice first? Why?
- Can a story be told successfully without any words? How?
- If you could draw a door that took you anywhere, where would it lead?
Aloud (Whole Group)
- Look at the cover. What do you notice first? Why?
- What do you think the title Journey could mean?
- Where do you think the character might be going?
- What details on the cover give you clues about the story?
- What mood do the colours create?
- What do you predict will happen in the story? What makes you think that?
- What kinds of problems might someone face on a journey?
- Why might someone choose to leave a familiar place?
- Can a story be told successfully without any words? How?
- If there are no words, what will you need to pay attention to as a reader?
- If you could draw a door that took you anywhere, where would it lead?
- What makes a journey an adventure?
Y7 challenge: Do you think a journey can change a person? Explain your prediction.
Spellings Week 1
Week 1
- accident
- circuit
- circumstance
- discipline
- decimal
- citizen
- recent
- decision
- cyclone
- cemetery
- incense
- mercy
- cyst
- bicycle
- ceiling
- decide
- civil
- city
- centigrade
- receive
In order to prepare for your spelling quizzes, please complete the following tasks:
- Write the part of speech for each term (noun, verb, adjective, adverb, etc.). This information can be found in any physical or Oxford English Dictionary online. You may also use Merriam Webster’s dictionary; however, you must be careful to use the British spelling of all terms.
- Write the definition.
- Use the word in an original sentence and underline/ highlight the word.
- Practice spelling each term x100000.
How you choose to study is up to you. Choose a path and stick to it. Here are some examples below:
- You may complete this task in a composition notebook that you keep for the year.
- You may create quizlet flashcards that you share as a class.
- You may create physical notecards that you use to quiz yourself on spelling.
Get creative and have fun. See my example below.
Week 1 Definitions and Example Sentences
Ms. Conti's Literature Lab 