Drafts and Second Thoughts
October 14
I am writing this down right now because if I do not put my hands on this notebook, I am going to pick up my phone and send a message that will probably torch my entire social life before first period tomorrow.
Here is what happened. Mr. Henderson assigned our seventh-grade life science ecosystem projects three weeks ago. My partner is Marcus. We decided to build a three-dimensional model of an estuary marsh, complete with salt pans, brackish water zones, and native cordgrass. We drew up a plan, divided the work down the middle, and agreed on our responsibilities. I was supposed to write the research summary explaining tidal shifts and construct the topography using layered foam board. Marcus volunteered to handle the organisms: sculpting five native fish species from modeling clay, painting the migratory birds, and mounting them on thin wire so they looked like they were hovering or diving.
The project is due this Friday. Today is Tuesday.
- estuary:
- A coastal body of water where freshwater from rivers mixes with saltwater from the ocean.
- brackish:
- Slightly salty water, typically resulting from the mixture of river water and seawater.
- topography:
- The physical arrangement and surface shapes of an area of land.
- sediment:
- Solid matter such as sand, silt, or gravel that settles to the bottom of a liquid.
- biotic:
- Relating to or resulting from living things within an ecosystem.
- rubrics:
- Scoring guides or sets of criteria used to evaluate student work or performance.
- polymer:
- A synthetic material made of large molecules, often used in craft clays that harden when baked.
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Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Context Clues
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Summarize
Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Point of View
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Purpose
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Structure
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Language & Tone
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1What specific components was Marcus responsible for creating in the estuary marsh model?
- 2Why was the narrator so upset by Marcus's suggestion to tell Mr. Henderson they ran out of time?
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About this diary entry passage for 7th Grade
“Drafts and Second Thoughts” is a diary entry reading passage about peer conflict and communication, written for 7th Grade. It takes about 6 minutes to read (921 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.