6TH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS SEEDFOLKS - The Nettelhorst School

SEPTEMBER

6 T H G R A D E L A N G U A G E A R T S

OCTOBER

SEEDFOLKS

PAUL FLEISCHMAN’S “SEEDFOLKS”
IS AN AWARD-WINNING BOOK.

Study Guide for 6th Grade Students

This packet contains all of the work vocabulary) as well as assignments in the garden. This assignment will be
you are expected to complete during this unit. collected upon completion of the
our Seedfolks unit. Be sure to read the novel. It will be graded on
Directions for your character
directions for each step completely and chart: As you read Seedfolks, completeness and is worth 20 points.
to keep up with your work. Budget complete the chart on the following
your time carefully, as you must keep up page to track each character’s distinct
with other class assignments (such as background and purpose for coming to

SAM SAE YOUNG AMIR

Daily Journal Assignments

As an ongoing assignment, respond in #2 (Kim) #6 (Sae Young)
your journal to the prompts provided What words come to mind when Good things that happen in one
here. You need to address each question you hear the word community? part of the world seldom affect
in your response, but you are certainly Create a word web for the word things that are going on
encouraged to journal about other community. in another part of the world.
thoughts you have as you read each • Does what happens in your
chapter. Ideas for journaling include NORA
discussing characters and events in the #3 (Ana) neighborhood affect what
novel. Be certain you include at least People in a neighborhood always happens in your school?
one quote or example from the chapter get along. • Does what you eat for lunch
to support your thinking. Your response • What keeps neighbors from affect how you feel for the rest
should be a minimum of 5 sentences. of the day?
Each entry must be labeled by number getting along? • Does the news from around the
and name with the date you wrote it. • Do you know all of your world affect what happens in
Expect occasional journal check-ins your community?
worth 5 points each. neighbors? Which ones do you #7 (Maricela & Amir)
get along with best? People who do good deeds always
"FILL YOUR PAPER WITH THE #4 (Wendell & Gonzalo) know whom they affect.
BREATHINGS OF YOUR OWN Making a difference in your • What are some good things that
HEART." — WILLIAM community or neighborhood is you do that other people might
WORDSWORTH always easy. not notice?
• Is it always easy to make a • Name the most recent nice
DA I LY P ROMP TS difference in your community? things that someone did for you.
• What are some obstacles to • Have you been affected by
#1 making a difference? someone who didn’t know that
Spend time writing in your journal • What would it take to make a he or she was affecting you?
about the meaning of this difference in your community? #8 (Florence)
statement. Be prepared to share #5 (Sae Young) Difference can be good.
your writing with the class. Nature is a way for people to be • Do you have friends who are
drawn together. completely different than you?
“We have a notion in our • How does nature draw people • What can you learn from people
community that unless you know together? How can nature pull who are different than you?
where you come from and where people apart?
you are going, you’ll never get • Do you like to be in nature? FLORENCE
anywhere. That’s an old adage, but • Is nature peaceful?
you need to know where you come "WRITING, TO ME, IS
from. You need that bridge to cross SIMPLY THINKING THROUGH
over. If you don’t know where it is, MY FINGERS." -- ISAAC
you’re going to be in trouble.” ASIMOV















— Pastor Frances A. Davis

Daily Study Guide Questions

You will answer the following Internet. These entries are graded "SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE
questions, using complete sentences, on homework assignment worth 5 STUDIED TO GAIN
Edmodo to participate in an online points each. KNOWLEDGE NOT TO GAIN
GRADES.”
discussion of the chapter with your
classmates. You may answer on this — UDAYVEER SINGH
sheet if you do not have access to the

Day 2
Chapter 1: Kim
Kim starts the garden without even realizing it. How does she do this?

Day 3
Chapter 2: Ana
What does Anna assume about Kim when she sees her burying the seeds? How does she feel when she realizes her
error?

Day 4
Chapter 3: Wendell
Discuss Wendell’s comment “better to put my time into that then moaning about the other all day.” What does he mean
by this?

Chapter 4: Gonzalo
Discuss Gonzalo’s comment “the older you are, the younger you get when you move to the United States” (page 13).
What do you think he means by this?

Daily Study Guide Questions

Day 6
Chapter 7: Virgil
What are your thoughts on Virgil’s involvement in the garden?
Day 7
Chapter 8: Sae Young
Describe Sae Young’s traumatic experiences in America. How does the garden help her overcome them?

Day 9
Chapter 11: Maricela
Why does Penny think working in the garden will be good for Maricela and the other girls? How does it get Maricela to
think differently?
Chapter 12: Amir
What transformation has come over him since we were introduced to him by Curtis? Why has this happened?
Day 10
Chapter 13: Florence
What does Florence mean by the word “Seedfolks”?

Dialectial Journal Rubric

Dialectical Journal Rubric

Category 4 3 2 1
There are no quotes
Selection of Quotes are detailed Quotes are Quotes include little and no page numbers.
Quotes and meaningful; reflect meaningful; reflect a meaning; no page Comments involve
a variety of selections; variety of selections; number. summarizing the text,
(score x 2) include page number. include page number. not responding to it.

Responses: Responses include in- Responses include Responses include Journal is sloppy and
• Analysis depth discussion of discussion of ideas limited discussion of disorganized. Entries
• Connections ideas; thoughtful related to quote; ideas; limited are difficult to read.
• Predictions connections, offers appropriate connections and Journal is not well-
• Questions questions, and connections, questions questions. cared for.
• Inferences responses. and responses.

(score x 3)

Appearance and Journal is organized Journal is organized. Journal is somewhat
Presentation and in order. Entries Entries are neat and organized. Entries are
are neatly written or easy to read. Journal readable but may not
(score x 1) typed. Journal is well- appears well-cared for. be neat.
cared for.

A = 24 - 22 B = 21-19 C = 18 - 17 D = 16 - 14 F = 13 -
This assignment is worth 50 points and will be adjusted for percentage in the grade book.

Final Project Choice 1

For your final project for this unit, you Character Poster Rubric
have two choices: 1) to create a
character poster or 2) to write a Category 4 3 2 1
poem. Read the two options carefully
and choose one.Your project is due on Use of Class Used time Used time Used some Did not use
Tuesday, October 6th.You must ready Time well during well during of the time class time
to share your project with others at each class each class well during to focus on
the beginning of class. period. period. each class the project
Focused on Usually period. OR often
"AN ESSENTIAL ASPECT OF getting the focused on There was distracted
CREATIVITY IS NOT BEING project getting the some focus others.
AFRAID TO FAIL.” done. Never project done on getting
— — DESIGN POSTER distracted and never the project
others. distracted done but
Character Poster—Sometimes others. occasionally
people use visual representations to distracted
share their feelings or ideas. During others.
this activity you will visually
represent one character through a Required The poster All required All but 1 of Several
portrait or drawing of the character. Elements includes all elements the required required
Directions required are included elements are elements
1. Draw a full-body portrait of one elements as on the included on were missing.
well as poster. the poster.
of the characters from Seedfolks. additional
The following body parts need to information.
be represented.
Attractiveness The poster is The poster is The poster is The poster is
• Head exceptionally attractive acceptably distractingly
• Mouth attractive in terms of attractive messy or
• Body in terms of design, though it may very poorly
• Heart design, layout and be a bit designed. It
• Hands layout, and neatness. messy. is not
• Feet neatness. attractive.
2. Include the following in each part:
Head: Thoughts and ideas your Focus on The entire Most of the Some of the No attempt


character has Character poster is poster is poster is has been
Mouth: Important things the related to the related to the related to the made to


character says A = 16 - 14 character. character. character, but relate the
Body: Physical descriptions of The The poster’s the majority poster to the


your character character focus on the of the poster character.
Heart: Things that the character presented in character is is general or


loves the poster too general. on another F=8-
Hands: What the character stands out. topic.


contributes to the garden B = 13 - 12
Feet: Where the character is from C = 11 - 10 D=9

or would like to go
3. Around the character: Things that

others say about your character
4. Due on Tuesday, Oct. 6th.

Final Project Choice 2

A Found Poem is the literary Character Found Poem Rubric
equivalent of a collage. The poet
takes existing pieces of text and Category 4 3 2 1
rearranges them to form a poem.
The reorganization is not random. Focus on The entire Most of the Some of the No attempt
While the order of words/passages Character poem is poem is poem is has been
may be changed from the order in related to the related to the related to the made to
which they appear in the actual text, character. character. character, but relate the
the words and passages themselves The The poem the majority poem to the
remain intact. character wanders off of the poem character.
Directions presented in topic at one is general or
1. Choose a character and reread the poem point or its on another
stands out. focus on the topic.
that chapter. Highlight words and character is
phrases that have an emotional too general.
impact on you, or that create vivid
images in your mind, or that you Use of The poem The poem The poem The poem
admire because of the author’s Details uses effective uses effective uses obvious does not use
style. details from details from or details from
2. Carefully re-read the words and the original the original predictable the original
phrases you have highlighted and prose prose details from prose
select the ones you want in your passage that passage. the original passage.
poem. go beyond prose
3. Organize the words and phrases the obvious passage.
in such a way that a new meaning or
is revealed. predictable.
4. Punctuate lines as you would like.
You may change the tenses, Logical The poem is The poem is The poem is The poem is
possessives, plurals. Progression presented in presented in presented in presented
5. Cut everything that is dull or that or Sequence a logical a logical a logical out of
does not help express your sequence. sequence, but sequence, but sequence or
overall meaning. includes 1–2 includes 3–4 with an
6. Pay attention to line breaks and items out of items out of unclear
layout, as this is a way to order. order. order.
emphasize significant words and
ideas, and also to add a rhythm if Clear, The poem The poem The poem The poem
you want your poem to have one. Consistent maintains a maintains a maintains a does not
7. Play with font style and size, make Tone consistent consistent consistent maintain a
words bold or italics.You may add tone that tone that tone but consistent or
a picture or alter the paper A = 16 - 14 clearly and usually does not clear tone.
accordingly. Be able to explain why effectively expresses the effectively
you did what you did. expresses the writer’s express the F=8-
8. Poems are to be a minimum of 10 writer’s attitude writer’s
lines and 50 words long and must attitude toward the attitude
be type written. toward the subject. toward the
9. Due on Tuesday, Oct. 6th. subject. subject.
B = 13 - 12
C = 11 - 10 D=9

"A FOUND POEM IS A COLLAGE — ARTISTS TAKE SCRAPS OF NEWSPAPER, CLOTH, FEATHERS,
BOTTLE CAPS TO CREATE MAGIC. YOU CAN DO THE SAME WITH LANGUAGE AND POEMS.”
— — VICTOR WILLIAM