1. What obstacles do we face in our daily lives?
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What obstacles do we face in our daily lives?
Miscellaneous problems complicate David’s plans for the day. What miscellaneous problems have complicated your life recently?
How can speculating about future events help you avoid obstacles? If you speculate too much, how could that lead to challenges in your day?

2. Amazing Words Trivial – unimportant, minor
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Amazing Words
Trivial – unimportant, minor
We read that David thought it was a trivial problem that he couldn’t play chess. What was more important to David than playing chess well?
How can thinking about what David considers important versus what he considers trivial help you understand the meaning of trivial?
Was Gabe’s loss of the concert ticket a trivial problem?
Identify two antonyms for trivial.
Weather-beaten – worn or hardened by the wind, rain and other forces of weather
The weather-beaten barn has stood there since my grandfather was a boy.
How might weather-beaten be used to describe things or people?

3. Elements of a Personal Essay Examples
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Personal Essay
A brief discussion about a topic that is told from the first person point-of-view.
What is an example of a personal essay you have read or written?
Elements of a Personal Essay
Examples
First-person point of view
At my house, my family recycles cans, paper and plastic bottles
Expresses opinions or thoughts
Recycling is an effective way to protect the environment
Includes facts or describes experiences
I learned a lot on the tour of the recycling center

4. Read Chess – More Than a Game
Read and Comprehend
Turn to page
Read Chess – More Than a Game
What are some reasons the author gives to explain and support her opinion?
The topic sentence in the first paragraph tells us that the author’s favorite hobby is chess.
What reasons support this topic sentence?
Read the first sentence in paragraph 4 on page Which antonym helps you understand the meaning of the phrase rural areas?
At the end of paragraph 1 on page 477, the author states that chess can engage students “in ways that our other classroom subjects don’t”. What do you think she means by this?

5. Joanna was an expert at chess, not a novice like David.
Read and Comprehend
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Joanna was an expert at chess, not a novice like David.
David had planned a perfect day but had a disastrous one.
Instead of being patient, Flower Guy grew exasperated.
Words like not, but, instead indicate contrasts.
What context clues help you understand the meaning of the underlined words?

6. Use “a table” to determine if a word is a preposition: Under a table
Language Arts
Prepositions
Show a relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word in a sentence.
Prepositional Phrases begin with a preposition and end with a noun or pronoun.
Use “a table” to determine if a word is a preposition:
Under a table
Over a table
Through a table
Below a table
On a table
What are some other prepositions?

7. Spell your words out loud with your finger.
Language Arts
Spelling Practice
Spell your words out loud with your finger.
After you spell the word, use it in a sentence.

8. Revise and Edit your narrative.
Language Arts
Personal Narrative
Revise and Edit your narrative.
Make your writing more clear and more interesting.
What details or words could you add to make it more interesting to your reader?
What sensory details have you included?