Metaphor

Metaphor is when you use two nouns and compare or contrast them to one another. Unlike simile, you don't use "like" or "as".
More examples include:  "The assignment was a breeze." "Her voice was music to his ears."
"Her eyes were glistening jewels."

Your homework assignment tonight is to write about the meaning of a metaphor. What does the metaphor "Life is like a rollercoaster" mean to you?

Alliteration

Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables.

For example: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. The first letter, p, is a consonant. It is repeated many times. (If you use a syllable rather than a consonant, it is assonance.)

For homework tonight, create an alliteration sentence using the first letter of your first name and another sentence using the first letter of your last name. The sentence should have at least 5 words that start with the same letter.

For example, mine would look like this:

(My first name is Amy)

Any ape can ask animals about adding apples.

(Last name Bowers)

Bob bought basketballs by the boatload for Brad.

Have fun writing!

Hyperbole

Hyperbole is a figure of speech that uses an exaggerated or extravagant statement to create a strong emotional response.

Hyperbole is exaggeration. It puts a picture into the "reader" mind. Hyperbole is frequently used in humorous writing.


Example: You could have knocked me over with a feather.

Hyperbole is common in tall tales.  Here is an example:
At three weeks, Paul Bunyan got his family into a bit of trouble kicking around his little tootsies and knocking down something like four miles of standing timber.

This poem uses hyperbole in a description of a young boy.
Why does a boy who’s fast as a jet
Take all day—and sometimes two—
To get to school?
—John Ciardi, "Speed Adjustments"

Journal Writing Topics for August

Just a reminder, every Friday I will collect your journal entries. I'm posting the writing topics for August on the blog so that everyone has access to them at home in case you don't finish them in class.

 Just as I have told you before, you may choose which topic from the list you want to write about, but you must choose a different topic each day. I have included more topics than you will need for the month; therefore, you will not use all of the topics.

Have fun writing! Remember, your grade is based on details, details, details!

 

Simile

A simile is when you compare two nouns (persons, places or things) that are unlike, with "like" or "as."

Like all figures of speech, similes can be found in stories, songs, poems, and everyday speech. Below is an example of similes in poetry. Your homework tonight is write a poem or a friendly letter to someone using at least three examples of similes that are not listed on this blog nor one we mentioned in class.
See you in class!
                             Flint

An emerald is as green as grass,A ruby red as blood;
A sapphire shines as blue as heaven;
A flint lies in the mud.

A diamond is a brilliant stone,
To catch the world's desire;
An opal holds a fiery spark;
But a flint holds a fire.

Christina Rossetti
1830-1894





Idioms



Today we talked about idioms. An idiom is a combination of words that has a meaning that is different from the meanings of the individual words themselves. It can have a literal meaning in one situation and a different idiomatic meaning in another situation. It is a phrase which does not always follow the normal rules of meaning and grammar.
For homework tonight, fill out the Etch-A-Sketch graphic organizer below using the four idioms I also have listed below. In the "Sketch" column, draw a picture of the idiom's literal meaning. In the "Big Ideas and Details" column, write the idiom's figurative meaning.

For example, for the idiom "it's raining cats and dogs", I would draw a picture similar to the one above in the "Sketch" column. In the "Big Ideas and Details" column, I would write "It's raining very hard."


1. The straw that broke the camel's back.
2. She was taken to the cleaners.
3. Toe the line.
4. Hold your horses.

Personification

Personification is a figure of speech in which an inanimate object or abstraction is given human qualities or abilities. Your homework assignment for tonight is to answer the 3-2-1 organizer below. Post your answers as a comment to this blog.

Name 3 examples of songs that have personification in the lyrics and give the personified lyrics.
Name 2 titles of songs that have personification in the lyrics and give the personified lyrics.
Give 1 example of personification that we did not mention in class today and is not one of your song examples.

Figurative Language

As promised, I have posted the videos we watched in class today on figurative language. As we start studying this unit, start noticing all the figurative language you hear each day. You'll hear it from your friends, parents, television, songs, and many other places. Most likely, you'll even notice yourself using figurative language, too!
We briefly reviewed the different types of figurative language today. Next, we will study each type in depth. You'll see more to come on those on the blog!
See you in class!

http://www.schooltube.com/video/9e8b2acfc34e0ce465a3/figurative-language

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QbV81Ilq0I

Course Syllabus

I have attached a copy of the course syllabus. It's there in case you lose the copy you receive in class, or your parents want to review it.
See you in class!

Welcome

     Welcome to 7th grade English class. I look forward to meeting all of you and your

parents. This course is course designed to academically enrich 7th graders in grammar,

writing, and reading.

      Grammar is explored throughout the school year focusing on parts of speech, the

tenses, and proper sentence structure. The writing process will be involved throughout

all writing assignments, such as narratives, academic and persuasive essays, business

letter writing, and the research paper writing, and include reinforcement of editing

techniques.

     Reading will consist of comprehending, interpreting, analyzing, evaluating, and

appreciating literary and expository texts by using a variety of strategies, through

individual and group activities, quarterly book projects, writing activities, and

reenactments.