Each week students will receive a dictation (a sentence or two) to complete. This will help them with their writing to use complete sentences regarding grammar, punctuation and spelling. There will be a focus lesson on the concepts being taught. Within the dictation there will also be some “tricky” words that they need to be able to spell (these words will not always be a base/root word (e.g., the tricky word may be climb but the student will be asked to spell climbed for the dictation).

​

The dictation will be marked the following way:

• Each dictation is marked out of 10

• For each mistake within the dictation, 1 mark will be deducted

 

Examples:

 

The cat climbed up the coniferous tree.  (PERFECT SENTENCE Mark = 10)

 

The Cat climbed up the coniferus tree    (3 mistakes Mark = 7)

 

Students can find the focus lesson and the "tricky" words below. THEY WILL NOT BE GIVEN THE SENTENCE AHEAD OF TIME, ONLY THE TRICKY WORDS. They do not need to know the definitions for the dictation, they are given simply to build vocabulary they will encounter in science.

 

5-1  & 5/6-1 will have dictations on Thursdays.

​

Students will be notified if there is a change in the time the dictation will be given due to scheduling conflicts such as holidays, assemblies, etc.

​

Week #1- Oct. 2-6

 

Capitalize proper nouns

Proper nouns are the names of a specific person, place, or thing.

 

biodiverse - a high variety of life (plants and animals) in a particular region

species - a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals

 

Week #2 - Oct. 9-13

 

Capitalize “I”

 

classified (classify) - arrange in categories according to shared qualities or characteristics

invertebrate - an animal lacking a backbone

 

Week #3 - Oct. 16-20

 

Question marks

 

monoculture - the cultivation of a single crop in a given area

pesticide - a substance used for destroying insects harmful to cultivated plants or to animals.

 

Week #4 - Oct. 23-27

 

Commas

Commas customarily indicate a brief pause; they're not as final as periods.

 

habitat - the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism

pollution - the presence of a substance or thing that has harmful or poisonous effects on the environment

 

Week #5 - Oct. 30- Nov. 3

 

there - in, at, or to that place or position

they’re - contraction for they are

their - belonging to or associated with the people or things previously mentioned

 

Week #6 - Nov. 6-10

 

a and an

Using an and a does not depend on the spelling of the word it comes before, it depends on the pronunciation of the word. In most cases though, an is used before words that begin with vowels (a, e, i, o u.)

 

impact - the effect or influence of one person, thing, or action, on another

society - a specific section of a community
 

Week #7 - Nov. 13-17

 

Commas in a list

Example: My estate goes to my husband, son, daughter-in-law and nephew.

 

ecosystem - a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment

organism - an individual animal, plant, or single-celled life form

 

Week #8 - Nov. 20-24

 

to - a place, direction, or position

too - also, very, extremely or additionally

two - the number 2

 

Week #9 - Nov. 27-Dec. 1

 

Quotation Marks

Punctuation marks used in pairs to mark a section of text as speech

Example: “I love cherry pie,” said Sally.

 

characteristic - a feature or quality belonging typically to a person, place, or thing and serving to identify it

investigate - carry out research so as to discover facts or information

 

Week #10 - Dec. 4-8

 

by - use this form when not using the other two homonyms

buy - to purchase

bye - short form of good-bye

 

Week #11 - Dec. 11-15

 

Colon to begin a list

Use a colon to introduce an item or a series of items.

Example: You may be required to bring many things: sleeping bags, pans, utensils and warm clothing.

 

flight - the action or process of flying through the air

electricity - the supply of electric current to a building for heating, lighting, or powering appliances

​

Week #12 - Dec. 18-22

​

where - related to a location or giving directions to a location

were - past tense of the verb are

wear - something being excessively used or exhausted OR clothing, accessories or equipment that you carry or have on your body

we’re - contraction meaning we are

​

Week #13 - Jan. 8-12

 

Contractions

A shortened version of the written and spoken forms of a word, syllable, or word group, created by omission of internal letters and sounds

 

producing (produce) - create or form (something) as part of a physical, biological, or chemical process

environment - the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives

 

Week #14 - Jan. 15-19

 

Brackets or Parenthesis

Sets off relevant information

Example: I visited Kathmandu (which was full of tourists) on my way to the Himalayas for a trekking expedition.

 

device - a thing made or adapted for a particular purpose, especially a piece of mechanical or electronic equipment

energy - power derived from physical or chemical resources, especially to provide light and heat or to work machines

 

Week #15 - Jan. 22-26

 

ate - past tense of eat

eight - the number eight

​

Week #16 - Jan. 29 - Feb. 2

 

Possessive Nouns

It shows a relationship of belonging between one thing and another.

To form the possessive, add apostrophe + s to the noun. If the noun is plural, or already ends in s, just add an apostrophe after the s.

 

circuit - a complete and closed path around which an electric current can flow

current - a flow of electricity which results from the movement of electrically charged particles
 

Week #17 - Feb. 5-9

 

Plural-adding “ies” to words that end in “y”

Example: city becomes cities

 

inquiry - an act of asking for information

battery - a container in which chemical energy is converted into electricity

 

Week #18 - Feb. 12-16

 

here -  in, at, or to this place or position

hear -  perceive with the ear the sound made by someone or something

 

Week #19 - Feb. 19-23

 

no - not any

know - be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information

 

Week #20 - Feb. 26- Mar. 1

 

Hyphen

Join words that are read together

 

Example: part-time

 

hydroelectric - relating to the generation of electricity using flowing water

long-term - occurring over or relating to a long period of time

 

Week #21 - Mar. 4-8

 

Colon to express time

Example: 3:30 pm

 

consume - use up

renewable - not depleted when used

​

Week #22 - Mar. 18-22

​

it's - shortened form of it is.

its - possessive form of the pronoun it

​

Week #23 - Mar. 25-29

 

Quotation Marks on name titles

Example: My favorite song is “Free to Be You and Me.”

 

conductor - a material or device that conducts or transmits heat, electricity, or sound

project - an enterprise that is carefully planned and designed to achieve a particular goal
 

Week #24 - Apr. 1-5

 

your - belonging to or associated with any person in general

you’re - contraction for you are

 

Week #25 - Apr. 8-12

 

Hyphen

Spell out numbers.

Example: fifty-five

 

volt - the unit of electromotive force

transform - make a thorough or dramatic change in the form

 

Week #26 - Apr. 15-19

 

Commas after an introductory word

Example: Meanwhile, the cat stretched luxuriously in the sunshine.

 

Planet - a body moving in an elliptical orbit around a star in outer space

Rotation - the action of rotating around an axis or center

Astronomer - an expert about celestial objects and outer space
 

Week #27 - Apr. 22-26

 

Using a comma to separate two sentences with a conjunction

Example: My child refuses to go to bed early, and I'm afraid she's going to be cranky.

 

celestial - positioned in or relating to the sky, or outer space

asteroid - a small rocky body orbiting the sun

 

Week #28 - Apr. 29 - May 3 

 

Adding es to words that end in ch, z, s, x and sh

Example: speech becomes speeches, catch becomes catches

 

comet - a celestial object consisting of of ice and dust

atmosphere - the envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another plane

​

Week #29 - May 6-10

 

Connect two independent clauses with a semicolon

When joining two independent clauses without the use of a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, or so), use a semicolon

Example: I have a big test tomorrow; I can't go out tonight.

 

compress - flatten by pressure; squeeze; press

lift - move upward; be raised

 

Week #30 - May 13-17

 

do - to perform an action

dew - tiny drops of water that form on cool surfaces at night

due - expected at or planned for at a certain time

 

Week #31 - May 20-24

 

Exceptional plural words such as words that end in f or fe

Example: wolf changes to wolves, chef changes to chefs

 

thrust - the propelling force of a jet or rocket engine

glide - move with a smooth continuous motion, typically with little noise

​

Week #32 May 27-31

 

Pear - a yellowish- or brownish-green edible fruit

Pair - a set of two things used together or regarded as a unit

​

EQAO

​

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

​