Monday, October 31, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 37

WARMUP: Complete pages 1 and 2 of “Three Little Pigs” handout (on center table) using their, there, they’re

No vocabulary test this week.

Reviewed the well-organized paragraph on the “Deep Sea” as an example of what to do for Wednesday's homework – What were the organizational “clues” that help us correctly assemble this paragraph from start to finish? Reviewed the key words and phrases that proved the method of arrangement used (that we wrote down on Friday…)

Unscrambled Jurassic Park paragraph

Discussed contractions and the purpose of apostrophes, the rules that govern them (and the exceptions) – practiced identification on overhead, “Apostrophes in Contractions” – it’s, who’s etc.

Chose one of the following “tell” statements to EXPAND AND ORGANIZE into a TYPED 7-sentence “show” paragraph for tonight’s homework:

1. It was a special pizza.

2. She looked old.

3. The quarterback had a great game.

4. I loved it.

5. I hated it.

6. The group sounded great.

7. We fastened our seat belts.

8. It was a beautiful sunset.

9. The fisherman did very well.

10. It used to be a mining town.

Homework:

Due Wednesday: Having chosen your poorly written “tell” statement (see above), TYPE 2 copies of a well-organized, tripled-spaced “SHOW” paragraph. Triple space your TYPED sentences, print 2 copies, and cut ONE of them apart into individual SENTENCES. Your other typed copy will serve as an answer key.

Friday, October 28, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 36

1. Take vocabulary test (Lesson 4: elude, fallow, blight…)
2. On page 6 of your Literary Terms packet, study the “Methods for arranging detail” section. (Chronological order, compare, contrast, spatial order, cause and effect, order of importance)
3. Look at the 4 paragraphs “Writing: Patterns of Organization” and determine which method of arrangement was used in each and list key words or phrases from each paragraph that justifies our answer
4. Number a paper 1 – 20 and complete the first 13 sentences on the board (there, their, they’re)
5. Find and hang your “Ibis” poster (if it is on the center table)
6. Practiced assembling a well-organized paragraph on the “Deep Sea” as an example of what to do tonight for homework

Homework:

None. Happy Halloween.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 35

WARMUP: Listed grammatical errors from a paragraph of Scarlet Ibis (paragraph D only) – errors total – reviewed in class

Introduction to pronouns and antecedents – practiced identifying both in 20 sentences on monitors

Wrote a sentence properly using “you and I” and another sentence properly using “you and me”

Learned “trick” to identify which pronoun to use in sentences using “I” and “me” – practiced identifying when to use “I” and “me” in 20 sentences

The “Jabberwocky” challenge: replace the underlined words with real words that function the same as the underlined nonsense words:

“Twas brillig, and the slithy toves                                                                      did gyre and gimble in the wabe;all mimsy were th borogoves,                                                       and the mome raths outgrabe.”

Homework:

Study for Friday’s vocabulary test (Lesson 4: elude, fallow, blight…) by completing the backside of this week’s vocabulary handout

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 34

1. Collect homework (just your paragraph, NOT your article)
2. Find your binder (on the center table)
3. Begin working on the backside of this week’s vocabulary handout

Handed back graded homework and placed tests into homework binders

TO BE COLLECTED (eventually):

Using your article (about someone making a good choice) as a starting point,

1. Underline the description of the “good choice” that was made.
2. On a separate paper, imagine what might have happened in the past in this person’s life that eventually drove him/her make this good choice.
1. This should be believable, but NOT ACTUAL.
3. What could happen in the future if more people make the same choice?
1. Again, believable, but NOT ACTUAL
4. In a paragraph, imagine someone with the same past making a bad choice.
1. Explain what they chose
2. Explain what will likely happen in the future because of this bad choice.

Read from Maniac Magee as an example of “showing” a messy room (just like your homework assignment)

Read from Alfred Kropp as an example of “showing” – listing TELL statements that could have been used instead in the story

EXIT SLIP:

Rewrite one of the “tell” sentences from “The Redwoods” by changing it into a show paragraph – COLLECTED FOR A GRADE, then viewed and shared on Elmo

Homework:

Complete backside of this week’s vocabulary word (Lesson 4) handout.

Study for Friday’s vocabulary test (Lesson 4: elude, fallow, blight…)

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 33

1. Pick up this week’s vocabulary words (Lesson 4: elude, fallow, blight…) – reviewed pronunciations
2. Collect homework: HOW TO poem
3. WARMUP: List the grammatical errors from a paragraph of Scarlet Ibis – 32 errors total

Pretend someone is unfamiliar with the concept of the “knot of cruelty” that we discussed in “The Scarlet Ibis.” Give them a taste of what it is and how it is present in one of the other short stories that we have read in this class (“The Cask of Amontillado,” “The Interlopers,” “The Most Dangerous Game”).

At our desks, we graded two papers “The Redwoods” (gave it a letter grade and told why) and “Mouse Alert” – we answered the following 3 questions for the second paper:

1. What reactions do you have to the paper?

2. What letter grade to you give it? (explain why)

3. List 2 questions you would like to ask the writer.

Next, we graded each other’s journal from today using the same 3 questions as above

SHOW AND TELL: Discuss the difference between tell statements and show statements in writing – “It was a really exciting and fun day,” and “Homework is boring.”

• How do you show exciting? fun? boring?
• Modeled a show-me writing paragraph on the same topic

Homework:

1.      Change the “tell” statement “My room was a mess” into a “show” PARAGRAPH.

2.      Bring in a non-fiction article of someone making a good choice.

3.      Study for Friday’s vocabulary test (Lesson 4: elude, fallow, blight…)

Monday, October 24, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 32

Collect homework: book title poster stapled to list of characters and character details

WARMUP: List grammatical errors from a paragraph of Scarlet Ibis (paragraph A only) – 26 errors total

Grade “Scarlet Ibis” packets

Answer the 7 questions in order to generate 7 topics for tonight’s homework:

·         Write down the questions and your response to each of the following:

1.      What surprised me recently?        

2.      What’s bugging me?

3.      What is changing?

4.      What did I expect to happen that didn’t?

5.      Why did something make me so mad?

6.      What do I keep remembering?

7.      What have I learned?

How-To (poem)….

What surprised me lately? I was surprised how overgrown our bushes were in front of our house when I went to trim them yesterday.

Ex. How To Be the Bushes in the Van Bragt Yard

TRICK: “You should…” (VERB)

Grow long, tentacle-like branches,
Scratch little children who hide beneath you,
Threaten the postman every day with your sharp edges,
Attract bees to become even more threatening,
Live, no matter how old and crummy you’ve become.

Homework:

Create HOW TO poem using any one of your topics from today’s journal – must be 5 statements long minimum. Must begin each statement with a verb (not “be”)

Friday, October 21, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 31

Collected homework: “The Scarlet Ibis” take-home test packet

Took Latin/Greek Affix Unit 3 vocabulary test

AFTER turning in your test, write a paragraph about what you think makes some siblings treat each other cruelly; unkindly.

Discussed the following:

Your feelings sit in the backseat of your car. You are the driver of your car. Your feelings are backseat drivers always yelling out directions to you, telling you what to do and how to drive. You can listen to them, acknowledge them, but you don’t have to do what they say. You get to drive wherever and however you choose. You’re in the driver’s seat.

In “The Scarlet Ibis” James Hurst wrote, “There is within me (and it is with sadness I have watched it in others) a knot of cruelty borne by the stream of love, much as our blood sometimes bears the seed of our destruction, and at times I was mean to Doodle.” (pg. 336)

·         TO BE COLLECTED in 15 minutes, explain what you think is the author’s purpose of this “knot of cruelty” (pg. 336) or “childish spite” (pg. 343) or “streak of cruelty within me” (pg. 343)

o   Answer one (or all) of the following questions:

1.      What does the author hope you will do with this information?

2.      What could you do with your knot of cruelty? What could you do differently with your spite?

3.      What could you learn from this older brother’s tragedy?

For Monday, create 14 book titles and poster (of your 7 favorites) for the 7 characters of “The Scarlet Ibis.”

·         World's Thinnest books assignment:

o   1. List characters in "The Scarlet Ibis" - 7 total – (see the chart below)

o   2. List four or more facts and details about each using your book.

·         Pretend each has written a book.

o   3. Based on the facts, create 2 book titles written by each character that reflects something he is LEAST LIKELY to know anything about.

o   4. Choose your 7 favorite titles and draw a pile of books with the titles showing on a PINK poster for our classroom (include the author/character for each title)

1.      Mama 2.      Doodle’s brother 3.      Daddy

4.      Doodle 5.      Scarlet Ibis 6.      Swamp

7.      The weather

Homework:

Finish 1, 2, 3,4 above and staple to your poster of 7 book titles.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 30 - Parent teacher conferences (3:30 – 5:30 p.m.)

Collect homework: symbolism chart

WARMUP: Using your book, list all the events that happened in the last half-hour of Doodle’s life (beginning on page 342 “As soon as I had finished eating…” until the end of the story)

Discussed the ending of “The Scarlet Ibis” – what happened? Is it the narrator’s fault?

·         How specifically did Doodle die?

o   What do we know for sure?

·         How do we know he didn’t die by lightning? A fallen tree?

·         Is his death the narrator’s fault?

1. In groups, we listed 20 events total that happened in the story that would help convict both Doodle’s brother and his parents of a guilty of murder verdict (10 each)




2. After reviewing our “guilty verdict” points and in our same groups, we listed 20 events that happened in the story that would help convict both Doodle’s brother and his parents of a NOT GUILTY of murder verdict (10 events for each)

(Was it easier to prove them guilty or not guilty?)

Homework:

“The Scarlet Ibis” take-home, open book test packet due Friday

Study for Friday’s vocabulary test - affixes - Unit 3 – ben, bene; bi-, bin-, bis-; etc.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 29

Parent teacher conferences (6:00 – 8:00 p.m.)

MEAP TESTING TODAY 2011 – 50-minute classes (90 minute 3^rd hour)

WARMUP: Letter a paper B – D and then again A – E. Then without writing on the handout (on the center table), put all your answers to the handout on this paper. Return the UNMARKED handout to the center table when you are finished.

Listened to “The Scarlet Ibis” pgs. 333 – end – adding to our list of possible symbols – totaling 20 (things we think may prove to be symbolic - a continuation of yesterday’s list)

Finish symbolism chart (see directions below):

Create a chart of your 20 possible symbols that looks similar to the following. Identify each entry as a symbol (yes or no), and if yes, what is its meaning:

For example (your chart should be set up like this):

WORD                                   SYMBOL?                             (if yes…) MEANING

1. Peacock                               yes                                           love, protection, kinder world

2.

3.

4.

Etc

Begin working on “The Scarlet Ibis” packet (due Friday)

Homework:

Finish symbolism chart (see directions above).

Study for Friday’s vocabulary test - affixes - Unit 3 – ben, bene; bi-, bin-, bis-; etc.

“The Scarlet Ibis” packet due Friday

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 28

WARMUP: Complete 4 symbolism scenarios

Review definitions of symbols and inferences (see Literary Terms handout)

Filled in this week’s Affix word parts’ meanings (Latin/Greek/Affixes – Unit 3)

Graded “Cask of Amontillado” packets

Reviewed “The Scarlet Ibis” pgs. 333 – 338 – by creating a dry-erase poster depicting the events covered so far

 

Homework:

Study for Friday’s vocabulary test - affixes - Unit 3 – ben, bene; bi-, bin-, bis-; etc.

Bring Literature book.

Monday, October 17, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 27

Collect homework: “The Cask of Amontillado” packet with an open book (21 questions)

WARMUP:

1. Like on Friday, write up a new 3 or 4 word “core” sentence that fits the structure “Doer, Doing, Done to” – then expand it to 15 words (and then 35 words.)
2. Using arrows, show what part of your core sentence each new chunk of words relates to

PICKUP: New affix/vocabulary words (on center table)

Makeup vocabulary tests from Friday?

Completed work on symbols: drawing 4 symbols as pictures and making a shield that symbolized 4 different aspects of each of us - discussed – are our drawings symbolic or literal?

Noted symbols for “The Cask of Amontillado”

Began work on “Symbolism” – reviewed answers to page 1

Began reading the first half of “The Scarlet Ibis” pgs. 333 – 338 – paying special attention to the symbols - list 10 things that MIGHT BE SYMBOLS

Homework:

Finish reading first half of “The Scarlet Ibis” pgs. 333 – 338 – list 10 things that MIGHT BE SYMBOLS

Study for Friday’s vocabulary test - affixes - Unit 3 – ben, bene; bi-, bin-, bis-; etc.

Friday, October 14, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 26 (shortened schedule – hour long classes – Pep Assembly – Homecoming weekend)

Collect homework: World’s Thinnest Book assignment – 10 titles

Took vocabulary test (Lesson 3 – edifice, ambidextrous, etc.)

Write up a new 3 or 4 word sentence that fits the structure “Doer, Doing, Done to” – then expand it to 15 words and then 35 words.

Created a test folder: Grab a manila folder and replace the name on it with your first and last name (and your class hour.

Returned all graded homework and tests and added them to our classroom folders

Homework:

Finish “The Cask of Amonillado” open-book, take-home test (21 question packet) – DUE MONDAY

Thursday, October 13, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 25

WARMUP: On a paper, create 7 fill-in-blank sentences using 7 different vocabulary words from this week’s list (as preparation for tomorrow’s test)

PICKUP: Please pick up any graded assignments this hour on the side counter.

From memory, try to define all 3 types of irony underneath your 7 fill-in-blank sentences.

Discussed “irony” while looking at PowerPoint of cartoon examples of irony for inspiration

Added verbal irony to an excerpt of “The Cask of Amontillado”

Current class grades on all screens

Reviewed yesterday’s POV paper pdf’s on Elmo, discuss

World’s Thinnest Book assignment:

            What’s the name of a book that the following characters have no authority to write:

1.      Montresor ex. The American Girl’s Guide to Lasting Friendships

2.      Fortunato

3.      Luchesi

4.      Edgar Allan Poe

5.      John Allan

6.      Montresor’s servants

7.      The trowel

8.      The catacomb

9.      Fortunato’s jingling bells

10.  The bricks or mortar

Homework:

World’s Thinnest Book assignment (10 titles; 1 for each character listed above) – TO BE COLLECTED Friday (not today)

Study for Friday’s vocabulary test (Lesson 3 – edifice, ambidextrous, etc.)

Complete “The Cask of Amontillado” packet with an open book (21 questions) – due Monday

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 24

Collect homework: 15-word, 35-word, and 100-word expansions

WARMUP: Completed 2 “Foreshadowing” handouts - not collected

Grade open-notes Poe Introduction quizzes

Watch Steve Jobs commencement video – note the theme of his speech is similar to the theme of this class (educational pebbles may turn into gold…) re: http://youtu.be/UF8uR6Z6KLc

With a partner, rewrite a portion of “The Cask of Amontillado” from Fortunado’s POV – beginning on pg. 290 and ending at “…the clamorer grew still.” (pg. 292) – COLLECTED FOR A GRADE

Homework:

Study for Friday’s vocabulary test (Lesson 3 – edifice, ambidextrous, etc.)

Bring Literature book.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 23

Collect homework: 8 examples (2 of each) of mood, irony, foreshadowing, imagery from “Cask of Amontillado”

Number a paper 1 – 10…to take open-notes quiz (10 questions) on Edgar Allan Poe (pgs. 276 – 285) – including “Letter to John Allan” and “Alone”

After turning in your test, begin completing the exercises on the back of this week’s vocabulary words handout (Lesson 3 – edifice, ambidextrous, etc.) - reviewed words, definitions, pronunciations

Read student work: yesterday’s POE-LIKE introductions

Watched short video of “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe and discussed the differences between the film adaptation and the written story

Begin homework: DIRECTIONS: Write a 3-word sentence (doer-doing-done to) like “Bayle collects shells” or “Jon hit the ball.” Next, expand it into a sentence of 15 words without losing the doer-doing-done to structure; Then again into a sentence of 35 words without losing the doer-doing-done to structure. And finally into a 100-word expansion…

As an example, here is a 15-word expansion for “Jon hit the ball.”

            In the middle of the sixth inning, Jon, the league leader, hit the curve ball.

Here’s a 35-word expansion example:

            In the middle of the sixth inning of a crucial game in last year’s pennant race, Jon, the league leader batting third, weakly but precisely hit on the nose the ball pitched with great velocity.

Here’s a 100-word expansion:

 In the middle of the sixth inning of a crucial game in last year’s pennant race, Jon, the league leader batting third, weakly but precisely hit on the nose the ball pitched with great velocity by the sure-to-be Hall of Fame hurler who had won his last five starts in an overwhelming fashion while going the whole nine innings and who therefore presented an intimidating image to anyone facing him, especially as the shadows lengthened over the mound, obscuring the mechanics of his delivery and rendering it difficult even to see the spheroid as it curved its sinuous way toward the plate.

Homework:

Finish writing your simple sentence (3 or 4 words) into 15-word, 35-word, and 100-word expansions (see above for details)

Study for Friday’s vocabulary test (Lesson 3 – edifice, ambidextrous, etc.)

Monday, October 10, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 22

WARMUP:

1.      Pick up this week’s vocabulary words (Lesson 3 – edifice, ambidextrous, etc.)

2.      Using a dry-erase board and the story “The Cask of Amontillado” (p. 286), create a DETAILED plotline (including exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution)

Reviewed “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe - Why did Montressor repeated offer to let Fortunato leave the catacomb? What did Montressor “dislike” about Fortunado? Etc.

COLLECTED: Follow up on “eye” – Write the opening paragraph of a POE-LIKE story that introduces the disagreeable characteristic that you have tracked/counted these past few days…

Reviewed definitions of: mood, irony, foreshadowing, imagery

More sentence structure unit – DWL: Lesson 5, 6

REMINDER: tomorrow: Open-notes quiz (10 questions) on Edgar Allan Poe (pgs. 276 – 285) – including “Letter to John Allan” and “Alone”

Homework:

Found and wrote out 8 examples (2 of each) of mood, irony, foreshadowing, imagery from “Cask of Amontillado” (pgs. 286 – 292 in textbook or The Cask of Amontillado) – DIRECTLY QUOTING THE TEXT for each example – TO BE COLLECTED

Open-notes quiz (10 questions) tomorrow on Edgar Allan Poe (pgs. 276 – 285) – including “Letter to John Allan” and “Alone”

Study for Friday’s vocabulary test (Lesson 3 – edifice, ambidextrous, etc.)

Friday, October 7, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 21

Took Latin/Greek affix test #2

Finish (and turn in) “Cloze” reading of first page of “The Cask of Amontillado” from yesterday - COLLECTED

Read “The Cask of Amontillado” (annotated version) by Edgar Allan Poe (pgs. 286 – 292) -  finish for homework

Homework:

Keep track (on half an index card) of how many times you see your characteristic in others between now and Monday.

Finish reading “The Cask of Amontillado” (annotated version) by Edgar Allan Poe (pgs. 286 – 292) - finish for homework

Finish reading the opening introductory pages on Edgar Allan Poe (pgs. 276 – 285) – including “Letter to John Allan” and “Alone” and TAKING NOTES ON THESE PAGES for an open-notes quiz on Tuesday.

Bring Literature book.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 20

Take plural/possessive test

When you finish your test, take out your Latin/Greek prefixes and write 5 sentences total using one vocabulary word from each of the 5 affixes from the packet

Show format of tomorrow’s prefix test (same as last prefix test)

Write down 5 characteristics that you like and 5 that you dislike in other people – how about yourself?

Follow up on Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” – discuss “eyes” in “The Most Dangerous Game”, “The Interlopers”

Read page 286-287 (“…wringing his hand.”) and discussed our understanding

Completed “cloze” reading (handout) of annotated version of first page of “The Cask of Amontillado” - see handout and pg. 286 in Literature book

Homework:

Affix/vocabulary test on Friday - Study the 5 entries in Latin/Greek vocabulary packet. Know the prefixes’ definitions and an example of how each is used to form a new word.

Finish reading the opening introductory pages on Edgar Allan Poe (pgs. 276 – 285) – including “Letter to John Allan” and “Alone” and TAKING NOTES ON THESE PAGES for an open-notes quiz on Monday.

Keep track of how often you see your characteristic in others between now and Monday.

Bring Literature book.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 19

Practiced plural and possessives as a review for tomorrow’s test.

Reviewed tomorrow’s test FORMAT

Reviewed Edgar Allan Poe’s life from our reading of “Lov’d Alone – The Tragic Story of Edgar Allan Poe” by Catherine Gourley

Watch an Encore introduction to Poe and “The Tell-Tale Heart” animation

Reviewed this week’s new affixes (part 2 in original packet) for Friday’s test – also filled in the entire document with definitions

Read opening introductory pages on Edgar Allan Poe (pgs. 276 – 285) – including “Letter to John Allan” and “Alone” and TOOK NOTES ON THESE PAGES for an open-notes test in the near future

Homework:

Study for Plural and Possessive test TOMORROW.

Affix/vocabulary test on Friday - Study the 5 entries in Latin/Greek vocabulary packet. Know the prefixes’ definitions and an example of how each is used to form a new word.

Finish reading the opening introductory pages on Edgar Allan Poe (pgs. 276 – 285) – including “Letter to John Allan” and “Alone” and TAKING NOTES ON THESE PAGES for an open-notes test in the near future

Bring Literature book to class

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 18 - reduced schedule today for 1^st and 2^nd hour classes due to assembly

We will finish our group reading performance of “Lov’d Alone – The Tragic Story of Edgar Allan Poe” by Catherine Gourley.

Announced test - Study for Plural and Possessive test on Thursday

Completed 30 practice test questions on plurals and possessives

Hours 4 and 5: graded “The Interlopers” packet (questions 1 – 29)

Homework:

Study for Plural and Possessive test on Thursday, October 6

Affix/vocabulary test on Friday, October 7 - Study the 5 entries in Latin/Greek vocabulary packet. Know the prefixes’ definitions and an example of how each is used to form a new word.

Monday, October 3, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 17

Pick up this week’s prefix/suffix list of vocabulary words

TOOK NOTES on plural and possessive forms and reviewed a few possessive problems

Began Reader’s Theatre (group reading performance) of “Lov’d Alone – The Tragic Story of Edgar Allan Poe” by Catherine Gourley

Homework:

Affix/vocabulary test on Friday - Study the 5 entries in Latin/Greek vocabulary packet. Know the prefixes’ definitions and an example of how each is used to form a new word.

Bring Literature book.