The Ant and the Grasshopper - Longwood Universityblogs.longwood.edu/englishportfolio/files/2015/12/Portfoli… · Web viewqualifications for this exciting opportunity. I am very

Elizabeth Smith 410 East Second Street Farmville, VA 23901(434) 607-2573

Dr. W.C. PeabodyDirector of Instruction in Fairfax County Schools8115 Gatehouse RoadFalls Church VA 22042

Dr. W.C. Peabody,

I have recently graduated from Longwood University with a degree in English with a concentration in Secondary Education. I am interested in this job as a high school English teacher in your school system not only for the hope that I can bring the skills that Longwood University taught me into your school system, but also to gain more experience as an educator. Longwood University provided me with opportunities that have given me vast experience in education. Through my placements, I was able develop my own teaching philosophy early, and I hope that I can bring this philosophy into your school.

I wholeheartedly believe that English is a content area that does well when students can actively engage with the text. When students are not only provided the opportunity to read diverse texts, but given the chance to do hands-on activities, annotate texts, asks questions, and work with their peers is when true learning unfolds. Students learn best when they are given the opportunity to work in groups and to learn from their peers; when they can walk through problems together and bounce ideas off of each other provides the chance for students to truly master concepts. Thus, I do support group work in the classroom, as well as arranging students in the classroom in a way that helps to facilitate group work.

Furthermore, English is a content area that can and should be integrating other disciplines. English can easily incorporate other content areas such as Science, History, or even vocational studies. As an educator, I support that the content areas are not solely their own content area that have no influence on other areas. English is a large part of not only the classroom, but real world skills as well. As an educator, I am going to show to my students how English can impact not only the classroom, but how one views the world around them also.

Moreover, I have a passion for both literature and the English content area. I hope to instill my own passion for this area within my students by showing them that English is not all about the “boring” books that you have to read and the “boring” grammar sections. English can help your analyzing skills, the way you look at new situations, as well as you can take the skills that you have learned and apply them in other content areas.

Attached to this cover letter you will find a resume and examples of my lesson planning. I am certain that the resume and the attached documents goes into further detail concerning my

qualifications for this exciting opportunity. I am very interested in meeting with you to review your needs for this position and the skills that I can bring to the table.

I would love the opportunity to work with this school system and to grow as an educator from the experience. I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Smith

Elizabeth Smith 410 East Second Street Farmville, VA

(434) 607-2573

Education:Longwood University

Major: English with a concentration in Secondary Education

Expected Graduation Date: December 2016

Experience:

75 hours Partnership: Cumberland Middle School, August- November 2015

- 75 hours spent in an 8th grade classroom- Whole unit taught, including a pre- and post-assessment- Observed as well as aided the Cooperating Teacher with classroom management and

teaching

3 weeks Practicum: King’s Fork High School, May 2014

- 3 weeks spent in a 9th grade classroom- Observed all blocks, and taught lessons throughout the 3 weeks- Aided the Cooperating Teacher in grading, lesson planning, teaching the class, and

classroom management

Leadership/ Volunteer Activities:

Kappa Delta Pi International Teaching Honors Society, November 2013- present

Sigma Sigma Sigma Alpha Chapter Sorority, October 2014- present

- Risk Management Co-chair: help provide safety for the organization through planning effectively for all events

- Foundations Co-Chair: provide volunteer opportunities for the chapter as well as facilitate events in raising money for the national philanthropy

Prince Edward Farmville Youth Association: 2015- present

- Soccer Coach for children ages 5 and below - Maintained positive relationships with parents to organize practices, games, etc.

Example Lesson Plans

These are both lesson plans that were implemented during the Unit that was taught in an 8th grade classroom for Partnership.

Day 2

Subject & Grade: 8th grade English

Essential Question (s):

1. In English, is there the possibility of having more than one answer to the question?

2. Is annotating any text you are reading helpful to better understanding? 3. How can using context clues to help define unknown words help with

understanding the text?

NCTE/IRA Standard(s):

1. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.

2. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).

SOL for Day 2:

8.5: The student will read and analyze a variety of fictional texts, narrative nonfiction, and poetry. B) Make inferences and draw conclusions based on explicit and implied information using evidence from text as support. H) Identify the main idea.

RTL

Served as the anticipatory set.

The teacher will. . . Students will be able to. . .

Anticipatory Set

In their groups that they are already in, each group will receive a white board and a dry erase marker. The students will then as a group determine the definition of theme and

write it on the whiteboard. They should recall information from last class about theme. To garner their attention, the format of these definitions will be in “tweet” form and will be shared with the class.

The teacher will. . .

Facilitate the activity and make sure that all groups are staying on task.

Make sure that students are all on the same page about what the definition of theme is (what the author is trying to convey to the reader) by going through the groups and asking them to share what they defined theme as.

Students will be able to. . .

Recall information that was previously taught about theme and apply it to this activity.

Share with the class what they defined theme as.

Main Lesson Activities

Before launching into the activity, there will be a prezi that recaps information that was taught last class on theme, as a refresher.

Within their groups the students will be self-assigning themselves a role. These roles will respectively be The Reporter, The Recorder, The Enforcer, The Time Keeper.

Reporter: responsible for sharing their answers with the entire class; Recorder: responsible for making sure their answers are written down; The Enforcer: making sure that everyone in the group stays on task; The Time Keeper: only member allowed to have their phone to make sure they stay within their 10 minute time constraint.

Once the roles are assigned students will go over a previous worksheet that they completed involving theme and context clues in two fables [Worksheet is included after lesson plan].

The Ant and the Grasshopper will be number one and The North Wind and The Sun will be number two. There are 8 groups, so four groups will have number one and four will have number two. With the texts, make sure that all questions are attached to it.


Go over information that was covered last class on the theme to make sure that students receive a refresher on the material.

Facilitate the group activity and answer any questions that the students have. Before the group activity, introduce the roles that the students will be responsible for and the responsibilities it entails.


Apply the knowledge from last class as well as the refresher taught after the anticipatory set to the main lesson activity.

Work effectively as a group to accomplish the activity as well as complete the individual roles.

Read the fable and the answer the questions following the text with your peers.

Then let students within their groups choose their role.

Give students 10 minutes to read the fable. Give an additional 10 minutes for students to complete the questions associated with the fable. As a whole group, there will be 10 minutes left of instruction to go over the answers.

ClosureThumbs up or thumbs down if students are beginning to feel more confident about the work.The teacher will. . .

Formatively assess students’ knowledge on theme content through the activity.


Relay to the teacher their confidence concerning the concept

Assignments:

N/A

Assessments:

Formative Assessment- The Closure Activity will be a quick formative assessment. The activity done in class will also be a formative assessment to see where students are in comprehending theme.

Extenders/Back-up Activities:

Provide other fables for the students in their groups to go over with their assigned roles to provide further practice on the concept of theme.

Materials:

Prezi: https://prezi.com/kmlcledzvmxl/review/8 dry erase boards and markers

Sources Used:

The Ant and the Grasshopper: The Aesop for Children. Library of Congress. Web. 19 Nov. 2015. <http://www.read.gov/aesop/052.html>.

The North Wind and the Sun: The Aesop for Children. Library of Congress. Web. 19 Nov. 2015. <http://www.read.gov/aesop/143.html>

Website with other fables to use: The Aesop for Children. Library of Congress. Web. 19 Nov. 2015. <http://www.read.gov/aesop/001.html>

https://prezi.com/kmlcledzvmxl/review/

TEACHER NOTES

Instructional Notes/Questions: During the introduction activity, make sure you go over again what the definition of theme is (what the author is trying to convey to the reader). When the students are answering the questions to the whole group, record them on the board. This way students can visually see how different groups may have gotten different answers from the text. Make sure to emphasize to students that they pull from the texts supporting evidence for the answer they chose. Also, make sure to point out how different groups arrived at different answers to the theme of the fables, but all can be correct. This will help support two of the essential questions of the unit.

Instructional Materials:

*Worksheet that they will be going over*

EXPLORING THEME

Directions: Read the following fables and answer the corresponding questions.

The Ant and the GrasshopperIn a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.

"Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?"

"I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same."

"Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; we have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.

1. In your own words, define the literary term theme. 2. In one sentence, describe the theme of this fable.3. Using context clues, define the word moiling.

The Wind and the Sun

THE WIND and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger. Suddenly they saw a traveller coming down the road, and the Sun said: “I see a way to decide our dispute. Whichever of us can cause that traveller to take off his cloak shall be regarded as the stronger You begin.” So the Sun retired behind a cloud, and the Wind began to blow as hard as it could upon the traveller. But the harder he blew the more closely did the traveller wrap his cloak round him, till at last the Wind had to give up in despair. Then the Sun came out and shone in all his glory upon the traveller, who soon found it too hot to walk with his cloak on.

1. In one sentence, describe the theme of this fable.2. List a supporting detail from the fable that you used to find the theme.3. Using context clues, define the words retired and despair.

Prezi link is included in the lesson plan.

Assessments: There will be a formative assessment at the end of the lesson since the time for this lesson available was only 30 minutes due to class scheduling. The formative assessment will be a simple thumbs up and thumbs down activity where the teacher asks students if they are feeling more comfortable with the concept.

Day 3

Subject & Grade: English, 8th

Essential Question (s):

4. In English, is there the possibility of having more than one answer to the question?

5. Is annotating any text you are reading helpful to better understanding? 6. How can using context clues to help define unknown words help with

understanding the text?

NCTE/IRA Standard(s):

3. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.

4. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).

SOL for Day 3:

8.5: The student will read and analyze a variety of fictional texts, narrative nonfiction, and poetry. B) Make inferences and draw conclusions based on explicit and implied information using evidence from text as support. H) Identify the main idea.

RTL

Served as the anticipatory set

The teacher will. . . Students will be able to. . .

Anticipatory Set

Students will be given intriguing facts about Poe (about his life) to prepare them for the text they will read. Students will hypothesize how they think that his life may influence the theme in the work.


Present the facts of Poe to the students and relate it to how his life may influence the text and show in the text.


Think about how Poe’s life may influence the piece and the theme of the text.

Main Lesson Activities

In their groups, the students will chorally read The Tell-Tale Heart in a “creepy” voice for the spirit of Halloween. The students as they are reading will underline any words that are unfamiliar and write any questions or comments about the text. Once the first reading together is done, students as a group will discuss the text with these questions in mind.What are the words that are unfamiliar, and what do we believe they mean?What could the theme to this text be? Once the groups discuss this we will join back together and discuss the possible answers to the questions. On the board there will be a t-chart saying “Unfamiliar Words” and “Possible Themes”.


Facilitate the group work and make sure that all students are on task.

Create the t-chart on the board. Facilitate the group discussion on

unfamiliar words and possible themes in the text.

Emphasis the skills of using context clues to define words as well as emphasize how each group can come up with different possible themes; to show that every reader may have a different idea.


Work effectively as a group to answer the questions concerning the text

Annotate the text and actively read the text. Make notes while reading concerning any questions, predictions of what the theme could be, etc.

Choral read the text to peers by paragraphs.

Contribute to whole group discussion, and writing on the board, concerning the questions that they will keep in mind.

Record answers that the group came up with on the back of the text, so they can compare and contrast with their whole group peers’ answers.

Closure

Students will complete an exit slip concerning what they learned that day or any questions that they have concerning theme.


give instructions on what the students need to do for their exit slip.


reflect on the lesson and record anything that they learned as well as any questions that they may have.

Assignments:

N/A

Assessments:

Formative assessment on what they learned that day concerning theme.

Extenders/Back-up Activities:

Provide another Poe piece for students to read. For instance, “Annabel Lee” and have students do the same activity as previously

Materials:

All students need to have a copy of the text(s) so they can annotate.

Sources Used:

Poe’s Piece: Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Tell-Tale Heart." Web. 20 Nov. 2015. <http://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/the_tell-tale_heart_0.pdf>.

Annabel Lee: "Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe." Poetry Foundation. Web. 20 Nov. 2015. <http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/174151>.

Facts about Poe: Semtner, Christopher. "13 Haunting Facts About Edgar Allan Poe’s Death." Bio. 16 Oct. 2014. Web. 20 Nov. 2015. <http://www.biography.com/news/edgar-allan-poe-death-facts>.

TEACHER NOTES

Instructional Notes/Questions:

Notes to share with students about Poe: “His early years were plagued by the death of his mother when he was two, his first love when he was 15, and his foster mother when he was 20.”, “death of his wife from tuberculosis at the age of 24” Was thought to be a heavy drunk. Repeatedly fired, etc.

Discussion Questions: How do you think that Poe’s troubled life may have had an influence on his work? , What do you think Poe was trying to say about the human mind and fear? How does his show in his theme of the work? What do you think the theme of “The Tell-Tale Heart” may be? Could there be multiple answers to this?

Instructional Materials: “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “Annabel Lee” text for students.

Assessments: Formative Assessment for both the main lesson and the closure activity. The extension could be made into a summative assessment or a formative assessment depending on the teacher’s decision. For this purpose, I would keep it formative.

Unit Results for Partnership

Student 2

Student 15

Student 21

Student 24

Student 11

Student 17

Student 18

Student 20

Student 23

Student 3

Student 5

Student 6

Student 7

Student 8

Student 9

Student 10

Student 19

Student 25

Student 1

Student 12

Student 13

Student 14

Student 16

Student 22

Student 40

20

40

60

80

100

120

Pre- vs Post-Assessment Results

Pre-Assessment Post-Assessment

Perc

enta

ge o

f Suc

cess

Whole Group Assessment

For the majority of students, they did significantly better on their post-assessment than the pre-assessment. There were some instances where students remained constant, or even dropped in their scores. Factors such as the students’ ability to focus on the test, and even their willingness to read both of the texts since they were longer may have affected scores as well. Overall, this data displayed to me that more time may be needed on this topic since some scores were still lower than what I would have liked to see. However, it is obvious that most students were grasping the content extremely better after instruction than they were before instruction. However, it was apparent that students needed more guidance with utilizing context clues to define unknown words in a text.

Reading Strategies to Use in the Class

For the course of a semester, I completed different reading strategies that I thought I would like to incorporate in my classroom. For each strategy, I listed what text was read, my rating of the strategy, if I liked it, if I will use it, and any additional comments I had on the strategy.

Learning Strategy Rating (1-10) Like (Yes/No) Will Use (Yes/No) CommentsREAP A Christmas Carolby Charles Dickens

7 Yes Yes I do like the concept of this learning strategy, but I believe that it would be useful for smaller sections of literature. Since what I read for class was more or less the entire book, it made completing this strategy tedious. I enjoy the annotating part of the process, but not so much the encoding because I found that difficult to do. Overall, I liked this strategy if it were to be used with just paragraphs, articles, or especially poetry.

Semantic Web

Sonnet 2by Shakespeare

10 Yes Yes I used this to draw out and demonstrate the usage of imagery in a sonnet that I was reading. So, I believed one of the core themes in the sonnet was the usage of nature imagery. So, in the middle I would

have nature imagery, and in my web I would have the examples in which supported the nature aspect. I took this a step further by describing what this states about the poem and what kind of feeling each allusion to imagery created within the reader. I liked this a lot, because it helped me to expand my understanding of the poem. I also believe that this activity would be a great start to the writing process (brainstorm) as well to help get a student's thoughts together. From this brainstorming type of process, I was able to effectively gather my thoughts in a more organized manner, which was very effective. This activity is so great because you can expand it OR minimize it based on the needs of your students. I feel like this would work great in a textbook as well to help organize the

information as well as to find connections between multiple texts.

SMART“The White Man's Burden” Rudyard Kipling

6 Yes Yes This strategy I liked, but it was one that I found tedious to complete, so as a student I feel that I would not complete this strategy as it should be done. I found myself being lazy and trying to go around what I needed to be doing, and I feel like that can impact students in the classroom. This strategy is intended to see what students are not understanding, and if they don't complete it like they should then that could cause issues. Also, when it states to “check” the things that I did understand, I found that confusing. I read a poem, so did I need to check the stanza if I understood it, or every line? This clarity could probably be given by the teacher and however they wanted to done,

but for me completing this I found it confusing. However, I did like the concepts that this provided me. I liked how it forced me to sit and slowly go through the poem, and truly attempt to understand it before I got frustrated and completely gave up. The paraphrasing portion really helped me to take a step back and think about what I was reading. Ultimately, I would use this in the classroom.

GISTThe House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

10 Yes Yes I actually really liked this strategy because of its simplicity. It offered a lot of leeway concerning what was covered. Through the W questions I was able to pinpoint what exactly happened in what I read and was able to also effectively see how much I actually comprehended while reading. The activity was simple enough that I did not feel

overwhelmed while reading as well as it gave me a purpose while I was reading. The Gist statement at the end really helped me to overall state what I had learned thus far about the work. I feel that this is an acitvity that would be awesome for chapter books or Shakespeare since with both of these we tend to just read and get lost in what we are reading. This activity helps bring it all together.

Double Entry Diary Journal

“The Stolen Child”William Yeats

10 Yes Yes I really enjoyed this learning strategy. I used this on a poem and it helped me to pick apart what I was reading excellently. The activity provides a sense of agency while reading. So instead of reading and having to answer specific questions I was able to comment on whatever I felt was interesting of intriguing. It gave me more freedom to interpret it how I wanted to. Also, by completing the

journal it made me slow down and really comprehend what I was reading. I tend to just blaze through poems, but this time I actually slowed down to comprehend what was going on.

Marking the PagesThe Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath

10 Yes Yes I really liked this particular learning strategy, because it didn't take too much from my reading itself to do. A lot of these learning strategies make me stop reading and then I get off track, but then one fit nicely into what I was reading. All I had to do was make a simple note and be done with it. It also really helped me to engage with the text. Most of the time, I mindlessly just start reading novels like this and next thing you know I'm 30 pages in without noting anything of importance to the character or the plot. This strategy really helped me hone in on what I believed what important.

Marginalia 10 Yes Yes I really like the

SulaToni Morrison

concept of this strategy because it is quite simply annotating. This gives the students the liberty to underline or question or commentate or anything and everything that they want to. Also, throughout my education I was always told to never write in my books. Doing this activity gave me a sense of “oooo I shouldn't be doing this”, but it actively engaged me into what I was reading, which I loved. Furthermore, by making it a requirement to annotate, this is ensuring that students will definitely read closely, since they need to comment on stuff that has been provided in the work.

Exit Slip

Waiting for GodotSamuel Beckett

10 Yes Yes I really liked the concept of the Exit slip when applied to literature because this is a perfect way as a teacher to see how much students have grasped the

content they have read or even as a reader to see how much you can actually commentate, remember, and fully understand what you read.

Co-Teaching Lesson Plan

For this lesson plan, I co-planned and co-taught with another student teacher. This gave me practice with learning how to plan with other teachers and how to co-teach a lesson as well.

Content Area: English Unit: Characterization

Standard(s) Addressed: 9.4The student will read, comprehend, and analyze a variety of literary texts including narratives, narrative nonfiction, poetry, anddrama.

Objectives:k) Analyze how an author’s specific word choices and syntax achieve special effects and support the author’s purpose.l) Make predictions, inferences, draw conclusions, and connect prior knowledge to support reading comprehension.

Resources and Materials Needed: Each group will have a sheet of paper with a quote from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, a total of 7 quotes will be provided.

Before Reading (Preparing for Understanding):Go over the terms (direct and indirect) characterization, diction, and infer so they have a foundation to understand how these play out in understanding of the characters.

During Reading (Engaging Students in the Content): The students will mark the text or highlight phrases or words that support their descriptions of the character. The purpose of this exercise is not for the students to highlight what the text says about the characters directly, but rather what they are indirectly being told. Students will underline things that are direct characterization and circle indirect characterization.

After Reading (Reflecting/ Extending on Content and Processes): Each group will be asked to give an example of what they highlighted or noted in their group to provide for the rest of the class. Ask students what each passage says about Harry, good source of indirect characterization.

Writing in Response to Reading:Exit Slip:What is the difference between inferring something about a character and information that is directly stated by the author?

Assessment: formative: are they interacting with the activity, asking questions, etc

summative: exit slip

Differentiation: Have different reading passages that are on different reading levels for the students who need them.

Passages that were utilized:Rubeus Hagrid

“Well, I’ve bin doin’ some readin’,” said Hagrid, pulling a large book from under his pillow. “Got this outta the library – Dragon Breeding for Pleasure and Profit – it’s a bit outta date, o’ course, but it’s all in here. Keep the egg in the fire, ‘cause their mothers breathe on ‘em, see, an’ when it hatches, feed it on a bucket o’ brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. An’ see here – how ter recognize diff’rent eggs – what I got there’s a Norwegian Ridgeback. They’re rare, them.”

He looked very pleased with himself, but Hermione didn’t.

“Hagrid, you like in a wooden house,” she said.

But Hagrid wasn’t listening. He was humming merrily as he stoked the fire.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, pg. 233

Ron Weasley

Harry stepped aside, but with Ron in front of the mirror, he couldn’t see his family anymore, just Ron in his paisley pajamas.

Ron, though, was staring transfixed at his image.

“Look at me!” he said.

“Can you see all your family standing around you?”

“No – I’m alone – but I’m different – I look older – and I’m head boy!”

“What?”

“I am – I’m wearing the badge like Bill used to – and I’m holding the house cup and the Quidditch cup – I’m Quidditch captain, too!”

Ron tore his eyes away from this splendid sight to look excitedly at Harry.

“Do you think this mirror shows the future?”

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, pgs. 210-211

Fred and George Weasley

Before he could say or think anything else, the dormitory door was flung open and Fred and

George Weasley bounded in. Harry stuffed the cloak quickly out of sight. He didn’t feel like sharing it

with anyone else yet.

“Merry Christmas!”

“Hey, look – Harry’s got a Weasley sweater, too!”

Fred and George were wearing blue sweaters, one with a large yellow F on it, the other a G.

“Harry’s is better than ours, though,” said Fred, holding up Harry’s sweater. “She obviously

makes more of an effort if you’re not family.”

“Why aren’t you wearing yours, Ron?” George demanded. “Come on, get it on, they’re lovely

and warm.”

“I hate maroon,” Ron moaned halfheartedly as he pulled it over his head.

“You haven’t got a letter on yours,” George observed. “I supposed she thinks you don’t forget

your name. But we’re not stupid – we know we’re called Gred and Forge.”

“What’s all this noise?”

Percy Weasley stuck his head through the door, looking disapproving. He had clearly gotten

halfway through unwrapping his presents as he, too, carried a lumpy sweater over his arm, which Fred

seized.

“P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we’re all wearing ours, even Harry got one.”

“I – don’t – want – ” said Percy thickly, as the twins forced the sweater over his head, knocking

his glasses askew.

“And you’re not sitting with the prefects today, either,” said George. “Christmas is a time for

family."


Hermione Granger

They had almost reached the portrait hole when a voice spoke from the chair nearest them, “I can’t believe you’re going to do this, Harry.”

A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink bathrobe and a frown .

“You!” said Ron furiously. “Go back to bed!”

“I almost told your brother,” Hermione snapped, “Percy – he’s a prefect, he’d put a stop to this.”

Harry couldn’t believe anyone could be so interfering.

“Come on,” he said to Ron. He pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed through the hole.

Hermione wasn’t going to give up that easily. She followed Ron through the portrait hole, hissing at them like an angry goose.

“Don’t you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves, I don’t want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you’ll lose all the point I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells.”

“Go away.”


Neville Longbottom

“Well, my gran brought me up and she’s a witch,” said Neville, “but the family thought I was all-Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me – he pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned – but nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let go. But I bounced – all the way down the garden and into the road. They were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you should have seen their faces when I got in here – they thought I might not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased he bought me my toad.”


Draco Malfoy

He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale boy, they looked like bodyguards.

“Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle,” said the pale boy carelessly, noticing where Harry was looking. “And my name’s Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.”

Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco Malfoy looked at him.

“Think my name’s funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford.”

He turned back to Harry. “You’ll soon find out some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don’t want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there.”

He held out his hand to shake Harry’s, but Harry didn’t take it.

“I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks,” he said coolly.

Draco Malfoy didn’t go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale cheeks.

“I’d be careful if I were you, Potter,” he said slowly. “Unless you’re a bit politer you’ll go the same way as your parents. They didn’t know what was good for them, either. You hang around with riffraff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it’ll rub off on you.”


Dudley Dursley

The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley’s birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike. Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise – unless of course it involved punching somebody. Dudley’s favorite punching bag was Harry, but he couldn’t often catch him. Harry didn’t look it, but he was very fast.


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The Ant and the Grasshopper - Longwood Universityblogs.longwood.edu/englishportfolio/files/2015/12/Portfoli… · Web viewqualifications for this exciting opportunity. I am very