Adventures in Literature

Mrs. McIlhargey - amcilhargey@grovecitychristian.org

5th Grade

We learned and practiced a lot of different types of Figurative Language. We learned about similes, metaphors, onomatopoiea, alliteration, idioms, personification, and hyperbole. We focused on a couple each day then took a test over it on Friday.

Next week we will start activities for our new book, The Cay. Please read the short synopsis below so you are aware of what is coming up:

The Cay by Theodore Taylor is a 1969 survival novel about Phillip Enright, an 11-year-old white boy blinded and stranded on a Caribbean island with an old Black man, Timothy, after a 1942 submarine attack. Through survival, prejudice gives way to friendship before a fatal hurricane kills Timothy, leaving Phillip to survive alone and gain maturity.

Note: I would encourage you to have your student reading at least 10–20 minutes a night. Many studies have shown how much reading skills are improved by nightly reading. Also, please occasionally have them read out loud to you or to a family member or even a stuffed animal. When students get the opportunity to read out loud, it helps with fluency. Fluency is key in helping students with comprehension.

6th Grade

We learned and practiced a lot of different types of Figurative Language. We learned about similes, metaphors, onomatopoiea, alliteration, idioms, personification, and hyperbole. We focused on a couple each day then took a test over it on Friday.

Next week we will start activities for our new book, Where the Red Fern Grows. Please read the short synopsis below so you are aware of what is coming up:

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls is a coming-of-age story about Billy, a young boy in the Ozarks who works for two years to buy two redbone coonhound pups, Old Dan and Little Ann. They become a famous hunting team, but the story ends in tragedy when the dogs die, leaving a lasting, symbolic impact on Billy.

Note: I would encourage you to have your student reading at least 20–30 minutes a night. Many studies have shown how much reading skills are improved by nightly reading. Also, please occasionally have them read out loud to you or to a family member or even a stuffed animal. When students get the opportunity to read out loud, it helps with fluency. Fluency is key in helping students with comprehension.