New Vocabulary for January 30-February 3, 2012

Ject-Throw

Dejected (adj) to feel sad; to feel thrown down in spirit

Eject (v) to throw out

Injection (n) a shot; the "throwing" of medicine into the body by a needle

Interjection (n) a word thrown into a sentence or conversation

Jettison (v) to throw goods overboard to lighten the load on a boat or an airplane

Projectile (n) an object thrown into the air with great force

Projector (n) a machine that throws an image onto a wall

Reject (v) to throw something out because it is defective and cannot be used

Subject (v) to throw oneself under someone else's rule

Trajectory (n) the curved path of an object thrown into space

The Road Not Taken/The Hobbit

In Robert Frost's poem,"The Road Not Taken", the traveler comes to a fork in the road. He must make a decision about the path he must take. At the end of the poem, the traveler chooses the road less traveled and that has made all the difference.

In the play, "The Hobbit", Bilbo Baggins, Thorin and the dwarves are reminded repeatedly to stay on the path in Mirkwood Forest. Why would Gandalf warn Bilbo and the dwarves about remaining on the path?

While comparing and contrasting Frost's poem and The Hobbit, look for specific examples of what might happen when characters strayed from the path...

A) Sometimes words are symbols. The word 'path' is a symbol for something else. Describe the path each character chooses and why it defines who 'the traveler' and Bilbo Baggins are.
B) Think of a time when you were faced with a choice or decision to make in your life. Several people may have given you advice about the path you should take. How does the path/decision compare to"The Road Not Taken" and The Hobbit.

Test on Friday, January 13, 2012

The test will be over the words that include (ped) or ones that are foot related and man, man/ hand.....study hard! You can do it!

Word List: Man, Manu=Hand

1) emancipate (v) to set free; to lend a hand in freeing someone; to release from someone's hands
2) manacles (n) handcuffs
3) manager (n) a person who has the upper hand; a person who is in charge of someone or something
4) mandate (n) an order or command placed in one's hands
5) maneuver (v) to handily or skillfully go around something
6) manicure (n) a treatment for the hands and nails
7) manipulate (v) to skillfully operate by hand
8) manual (n) a handbook; a book of directions
9) manufacture (v) to make by hand or by machine; to change raw material into a new product
10) manuscript (n) a handwritten or typed piece of writing, such as a book

Test on January 13, 2012! You have been given advanced notice! Bazinga

Word List.....PED=FOOT

1) biped (n) a creature with two feet
2) centipede (n) a creature with 100 feet
3) impediment (n) something that stands in one's way; an obstacle
4) millipede (n) a creature with 1000 feet
5) pedal (n) a lever that is moved with one's feet
6) peddler (n) a person who goes from door to door on foot
7) pedestrian (n) a person who walks across the street on foot
8) pedicure (n) a foot treatment that could include soaking the feet and polishing the toenails
9) quadruped (n) a four-footed creature
10) tripod (n) a three-footed stand often used to balance a camera

Greek and Latin Root Words--Test Friday, December 16

Root-----Meaning-------Example
zo-------- animal--------- zoology, zoomorphism, zodiac
vor------- eat greedily---- voracious, carnivore
volvo----- turn about, roll--- voluminous, revolve
volcan---- fire------------- Vulcan, vulcanize, volcano
vol-------- will-------------- malevolent, benevolent
voc------- call-------------- provoke, evoke, revoke, advocate
viv, vita, vivi----- alive, life-------- revive, survive, vivid, vivacious
vid, vis----- see------------- video, provide, vista, revise
vict, vinc---- conquer------ victor, evict, convict
vic, vicis----- change, substitute------ vicarious, vicar, vicissitude
vert, vers---- turn-----------avert, divert, introvert
ver, veri----- true------------ very, verdict, verify
ven, vent---- come------------ convene, intervene
vale, vali, valu---- strength, worth---------- equivalent, valor, value
vac------------- empty------------- vacate, evacuate, vacuum
uni------------- one---------------- unify, unicorn, unanimous
umber, umbration------- shadow----------- umbra, penumbra, umbrage
ultima----------- last-------------- ultimate, ultimatum
typ---------- print------------------ prototype, typography, typify
turbo-------- disturb--------------- turbulent, turmoil, turbid

The Secret Garden

Mary experiences a rebirth/metamorphosis when she has to move from her native India to Uncle Archibald's manor in England. At first, she is a caterpillar ....sour, grumpy, hateful vixen!

Mary (protagonist) encounters Martha Sowerby who sees fit to speak to her freely ...encouraging her to dress herself and eat her breakfast! Mary used to strike her ayah when she lived in India...especially when she did not agree with her. However, she will not strike Martha nor will she cross Mrs. Medlock.

Mary, a new butterfly, reaches out tentatively to Mr. Ben Weatherstaff, the gardener. First, because he knows about soil, the robin and the secret garden.

Then she begins to explore the house which is said to have a hundred rooms...she hears a cry in corridor...she follows this sound until she comes face-to-face with her cousin, Master Colin Cravens.

Colin antagonizes Mary by proving to be stubborn as she is...they form an alliance. A secret alliance that leads to improved health for them both. Colin has been bedfast and unable to walk for quite some time. However, Mary changes his mindset by choosing to visit Dickon instead of Colin. He becomes enraged but it works to his advantage...Colin begins to think of others and not focus on himself.

I would like to compare Mary with current sixth grade class. Mary came from a foreign place...India. Our sixth graders came from all different parts of our county. Mary begins to thrive in her new surroundings...just as you are beginning to make progress here at HCMS. It is difficult for Mary to not be cantankerous because she has many expectations regarding her behavior... The current sixth grade also has high expectations concerning their academic performance ( doing quality work and completing it ON TIME)...It has not been easy for some of you to grow used to your new teachers/surroundings.

As Winston Churchill once said, "Never give up!" I would encourage you to do the same. Mary's goal was to become fitter and find the key unlocking the 'secret garden'. Your challenge is to decide that you will work HARD and improve your grammar,writing and overall reading comprehension. Just as Mary succeeded, so can you!