Wednesday, November 30, 2011

ENGLISH -
1^st trimester – Day 3

Worked on Capitalization – 16 sentences

Look at today’s capitalization sentences (p. 163)…pretend that you need to teach capitalization to a visitor from another country. Write down 3 capitalization rules for them that help them understand these 16 sentences.

Checked comma class work (p. 163) for accuracy - In order to learn by trial and error, not trial and success, hopefully everyone got at least one wrong so that they will have learned something today.

Review answers to yesterday’s capitalization; also complete 1-10 of next sentences

Read “The Cursed Prince” story and "Parable of the Pebble."

Shared good bystander shutdown phrases and techniques

Took notes on plotlines and the 7 kinds of conflict (get these from a classmate)

As a table, write up a believable example of each of the 7 types of conflict

Think of one of your favorite books or films. Next, number your paper 1 – 6. Then, using your plotline notes, write a short sentence for each of the 6 plotline points as they relate to your film. TO BE COLLECTED FOR HOMEWORK

For example:

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone:

1. exposition

2. conflict: “Harry attempts to stop Voldemort, who killed Harry’s parents, from stealing the Sorcerer’s Stone.”

3. rising action:

4. climax:  “Professor Snape’s apparent hex on Harry during the Quidditch game brings the simmering tension between good and evil out into the open, shifting Harry’s concern from winning the game to surviving.”

5. falling action:

6. resolution:

Homework:

Think of one of your favorite books or films. Next, number your paper 1 – 6. Then, using your plotline notes, write a short sentence for each of the 6 plotline points as they relate to your film.

Remind parents to send me a brief email from their preferred email address with student name in the Subject line (if they haven’t already done so).

Signed Contact Information Sheet due Friday.

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PLAYWRITING  – Day 3

Wrote a 10-line play about our mornings

Handed out 6 index cards to students creating 6 groups. Each group then performed a script.

Discussed trust again and its importance in both writing and performing.

Discussed drama and how it thrives only when characters are in crisis, in extremes, in trouble.

We must remember to keep all our writing content appropriate for school.

PLAYWRITING homework:

Using last night’s homework, write the story of this incident in “Once upon a time” fashion, like a fairy tale. Write it down in a few paragraphs.

Tuesday, November 29, 2010

ENGLISH - 2nd trimester – Day 2

WARMUP:

1. Pick up a copy of “Syllabus - English 9 – Trimester A” –
1. Read it over
2. 2 signatures for homework
2. Discussed pink sheets and homework binder and blog
3. Watched several Cyber bullying and Power of Bystanders videos –
1. discuss Silent Observer program at RFC
4. Video playback problems…
1. On your own, past and future
5. Bring books to MAIN office for scanning.

Listed 3 things that we would never buy no matter what - then exchanged papers and wrote a commercial that persuaded the person to buy the very thing he said he would never buy. (our first persuasive writing piece)

Discussed contractions (and a challenged to name a contraction whose apostrophe stood in for 3 letters)

Homework:

Challenge: name a contraction whose apostrophe stands in for 3 letters

Signed Contact Information Sheet due Friday.

Remind parents to send me a brief email from their preferred email address with student name in the Subject line (if they haven’t already done so).

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PLAYWRITING  – Day 2.

List the differences between:

1. writing for the page (novels)
2. writing for the big screen (film)
3. writing for the stage (plays) 
1. discuss

Checked homework: List of 10 dramatic actions, actions you’ve witnessed or experienced from real life - actions such as a fistfight, or a marriage proposal, or a business maneuver.

Choose 3 of your favorite dramatic actions from your homework and complete the following:

I.                   Develop your favorite 3 by answering the following questions about each:

1.      Who performed the actions?

2.      What did the actions tell you about the person who performed them?

3.      Were the actions part of a larger context, a larger situation?

a.       What did the actions tell you about that situation? About the world?

4.      What ideas about people, life, and the world strike you when you contemplate the meanings of these actions?

II.                Select one of the actions above. Write it down.

a.       What earlier action could have precipitated/caused this action?

b.      What reaction could follow it?

                                                              i.      You’re not writing a play here, but you are identifying actions that have the potential for dramatic action linkage.

PLAYWRITING homework:

Finish I. and II. from above.

Monday, November 28, 2011

ENGLISH – 1^st trimester – Day 1

Found our assigned seats and tables

While being introduced to teacher,  we listed 10 things we noticed in the room - CONTEST for one-of-a-kind observations

Watched first day of school videos

Watched Cyborg video

In our table groups, we listed 10 abilities for the cyborg. We chose our favorite ability of the 10 and then created both a back-story (past) and a future for the chosen ability. Some classes illustrated their ideas.

Read introductory letter Click here to read introduction letter from Mr. Van Bragt.

Tornado, Fire, and Code Red drills explained

Shared table work with the rest of the class by explaining the ability we chose as well as the past and future stories about that ability.

View Cyborg Bonus Footage below:

Click here for BONUS footage

Homework:

Parents send SIMPLE email with student name in subject line and parent name and relationship to student in body of email. Send to tvanbragt@rockfordschools.org

Go to classroom blog and watch bonus cyborg footage... http://mrvanbragtonline.blogspot.com/

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PLAYWRITING  – Day 1

Drew a blueprint of classroom – passed drawings around tables and added details.

Introduction to classroom and teacher...including rules and expectations

Discussed the correlation between our blueprints and playwriting.

Discussed trust and the collaborative process.

Read from The Art & Craft of Playwriting (by Jeffery Hatcher) pages 7 – 8.

PLAYWRITNG homework:

Make a list of 10 dramatic actions - actions you’ve witnessed or experienced from real life - actions such as a fistfight, or a marriage proposal, or a business maneuver.

Monday, November 21, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 51

EXAM DAY 1 of 2

WARMUP:

1. You must turn in BOTH English books (if you do not have English next trimester). Please go to your locker and get them.
2. Finish the Practice Exam (that you started on Friday)
1. We’ll review the answers this hour.
3. Review for your exams QUIETLY
4. Took exam.

Homework:

Study for your other exams.

Friday, November 18, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 50

1. Take vocabulary test: (Lesson 5: jaded, gist, advocate…).
2. After the test, please take an index card and write a note of thanks to a teacher, secretary, custodian, administrator, or cafeteria staff who has done something nice for you this year. I will put them in their mailboxes before we leave for Thanksgiving. You wouldn't believe how much this will mean to them!
3. Announced (and awarded) the winners from yesterday’s dangling modifier competition – see blog for details
4. Sign out folder?
5. Exam review
1. Re-examined various points of view by writing 5 sentences: 1. using 1^st person 2. Using 2^nd person; 3. Using 3^rd person limited; 4 using 3^rd person objective; 5. Using 3^rd person omniscient; reviewed answers.

·         Below is a statement in the first-person point of view:

·         We should do a better job during our student council meetings.

·         Below is the same statement in the third-person objective point of view.

·         Student leaders should do a better job during Kilo's student council meetings.

2. What rules govern when to underline or use “quotation marks” around titles?
3. Review definitions of antagonist vs. protagonist, main vs. minor character, round vs. flat character, dynamic vs. static character – then considered all the characters from each of the six short stories from this trimester and which categories each fit into

Knot of Cruelty: One girl’s response: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENZIaXjVAc4

Complete “Practice Exam” handout – then reviewed answers in class.

Continue to review for exam - Quiet study time

Homework:

Use study guide and today’s practice exam to review for final exam.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 49

WARMUP:

Create 6 fill-in-the-blank sentences using 6 (of the 10) vocabulary words from Lesson 5 – quizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz each other

Review answers to backside of vocabulary handout

Review fact and opinion

Returned graded Human Footprint papers and other graded homework.

Sign out folders (if interested)

WARMUP:

Making Inferences About Characters  Read each description and decide whether it best fits Madame Loisel, Monsieur Loisel, or Madame Forestier.       On the line, write the name of the character the description best fits.

1. A person used to being rich and comfortable with privilege is _________________
2. A considerate person willing to make sacrifices to please someone else  _____________________________
3. A vain person filled with envy for those who are better off ____________________
4. A person comfortable with his/her station in life_____________________________
5. A self-centered person who thinks little of anyone else’s happiness_____________
6.  A person who suggests lying as a way to buy time __________________________

Completed worksheet on MOOD and TONE – reviewed answers in class

By table, we drew a dangling/misplaced modifier poster J

See some of the finalists below:

The finalists

And the winners are...

Homework:

Study for Friday’s vocabulary test (Lesson 5: jaded, gist, advocate…).

Use study guide to review for exam.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 48

WARMUP:

1. Finished the backside of this week’s vocabulary handout
2. Reviewed misplaced and dangling modifiers - completed “Dangling Modifier” work and compared to “Misplaced Modifier” work.
3. Took notes and discussed the five steps of the writing process – used 5 WHO AM I riddles
4. Author’s purpose – see PowerPoint – identified purpose of sample paragraphs
5. Discussed the final exam using the up Exam Review Guide - 102 multiple choice questions worth 10% of final grade – show math

• .9  x   ______tri % so far______ = A
• .1  x  ______% on exam______  = B
• A + B = final grade for trimester

                                                              i.      EXAMPLE

·         .9 x 82 = 73.8

·         .1 x 93 = 9.3

·         73.8 + 9.3 = 83.1

Listened to a reading of “The Necklace” from Literature book pages 348 – 358 (20 minutes)

Homework:

Study for Friday’s vocabulary test (Lesson 5: jaded, gist, advocate…).

Use study guide to review for exam.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 47

1. Checked homework: a chart for the 2 characters in “Thank You, Ma’am” that lists 10 direct and 10 indirect characterizations for each - 40 ITEMS TOTAL
2. Write what you think Roger (from “Thank You, M’am”) wanted to say (but didn’t) at the end of the story besides, “Thank you, M’am.”
3. Review this week’s vocabulary handout (pronunciations, etc.)
4. Picked up Exam Review Guide
5. Reviewed short story “Thank You, M’am” in Literature book pgs. 134 – 140
6. Watched 2 short videos of “Thank You, M’am”

CLASSWORK – COLLECTED FOR A GRADE: Discuss the quote, “There is within me (and it is with sadness I have watched it in others) a knot of cruelty” and how it relates to this story: With partner: PARAGRAPH and DRAWING FORM:

• What might have happened to Roger that created his knot? (in his past)
• What did he do with his knot?
• What was the outcome of this?
• PICTURE AND PARAGRAPH: What’s another choice he could have made given the same past/background, same situation, but a different choice?
• What might the outcome of that have been?

Answer questions:

1. From what point-of-view is this story told?
2. What was Mrs. Jones’s motive in leaving the door open when she dragged Roger to her room?
3. Why does Mrs. Jones not watch Roger or watch her purse?
4. Roger decides something in the story that marks the story’s turning point.  What did he do?
5. How does the setting of Mrs. Jones’s home contribute to your sense of who she is (her character)?
6. From what Roger tells Mrs. Jones, what can you infer about his home life?
7. What does Mrs. Jones say that surprises Roger?
8. What characters don’t say can be as important as what they do say.  Find two points in the story when Mrs. Jones and Roger are silent, and explain why you think each character chose not to speak.
9. Give a specific example of an action done by Mrs. Jones that reveals one of her character traits. (2 points)
10. What do you think Roger learned from the way Mrs. Jones treated him?
11. What overall impression do you have of Roger by the end of the story?
12. What is the theme of this story?
1. List three important events or details that suggest the story’s theme.

Homework:

Study for Friday’s vocabulary test (Lesson 5: jaded, gist, advocate…)

Use study guide to review for exam.

Monday, November 14, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 46

WARMUP:

1. Staple paper, outline, and rubric (Human Footprint papers)
1. To be collected
2. Pick up and review this week’s vocabulary words (Lesson 5: jaded, gist, advocate…)
3. Rewrite the following sentences so that the meaning is clear:
1. He saw the deer using his binoculars.
2. Juana only has algebra three days this week.
3. Walking along the beach, a rock scraped my foot.
4. Take notes on modifers…Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers (in Writer’s Choice book pgs. 670-671)

Practiced fixing sentences with misplaced and dangling modifiers

The World at Seven Billion is an interactive resource from the BBC that you can use to determine approximately when you were born relative to the other seven billion people on Earth. To find out what your number is, just enter your birthday and press "go." Your number is determined using the UN Population Fund's data. Enter your birthday here

The World at Seven Billion can also be used to see how quickly your country is growing or shrinking by the hour, day, and year. The World at Seven Billion also provides life expectancy data based on your home country.

Reviewed notes from our Literary Terms packet (Direct and Indirect Characterization)

Brief overview of the five boroughs of New York - also looked specifically at the borough of Manhattan and Harlem’s whereabouts (in preparation for short story “Thank You, M’am” which takes place in Harlem)

Read “Thank You, M’am” which takes place in the Harlem section of the borough of Manhattan (Literature book pgs. 134 – 140)

As you read, be aware of the direct and indirect characterization in reference to the characters in the story – make a chart for the 2 characters in “Thank You, Ma’am” that lists 10 direct and 10 indirect characterizations for each. 40 ITEMS TOTAL – due Tuesday

Homework:

Finish chart for the 2 characters in “Thank You, Ma’am” that lists 10 direct and 10 indirect characterizations for each. 40 ITEMS TOTAL – due Tuesday

Thursday, November 10, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 45

Grade your paper (or better yet, have someone else grade it), then make any changes and staple the used rubric to your typed paper along with your handwritten outline.

Discussed final revision including:

·         Add a title to your paper (centered) - Human Footprint

·         Must include the title of the documentary in paper:

o   Human Footprint (2008)

·         Do NOT underline restated thesis in paragraph V.

FCAs – Focus Correction Areas

1. Typed paper avoids 1^st and 2^nd person and is NEAT and THOUGHTFULLY constructed
1. Times New Roman – 12 pt. font; whole paper is double spaced (Do NOT triple space between paragraphs); Name, date, hour (in header); pages numbered in footer (bottom, right-hand side)
2. 7 DIFFFERNT transitions used (You must circle each one with pen or pencil or no credit will be earned) – see Transition handout
3. 1 direct quotation from film – properly cited (You must BOLD IT ON COMPUTER)
4. Your thesis statement and all 3 topic sentences must be underlined (or no credit will be earned)  
1. Do NOT underline restated thesis in paragraph V.
5. Full title of film/documentary is underlined.
6. No use of there is, there are, there was, there were
7. No contractions or informal tone (OMG!, okay, well, etc) (ex. use “do not” instead of “don’t”; use “is not” for “isn’t” etc.)

Continued work in computer lab on our outlines and papers for Human Footprint unit

Homework:

Typed paper stapled to handwritten outline and the rubric from the packet due Monday, November 14

Check out Where do you fit into 7 billion?

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 44

WARMUP:

1.      Take out your handwritten outline from yesterday and locate where your 3 concluding sentences will go.

2.      Next, read your topic sentence for paragraph 2 and have your doubting bully tell you he does not understand what your topic sentence means.

a.       Reword it for him. This will be your concluding sentence for paragraph 2.

3.      Use the same procedure for paragraphs 3 and 4.

Using this website, add 7 different transitions to your typed essay (circle all 7 of them with a pen):

Find your 7 transitions here

Worked in computer lab the rest of the hour writing a rough draft

Homework:

Typed paper and handwritten outline due Monday, November 14.

No vocabulary test this week.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 43

WARMUP:

1. Take out your handwritten outline from yesterday
2. Number a paper 1 – 3
1. Practiced writing topic sentences
2. Wrote topic sentence for paragraph 2 of our essays

Worked in computer lab the rest of the hour writing a rough draft.

Check your facts. If you would like to double-check your statistics from the film, click here:
Human Footprint Fact Checker

Homework:

No vocabulary test this week.

Continue to work on your essay and its outline (due Thursday after class or Monday, November 14)

Monday, November 7, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 42

DAY 3: Human Footprint unit

WARMUP: Write down the answers to the following:

o   1. What main “problem” did the film Human Footprint describe?

o   2. How does this problem affect you?

o   3. What is a possible solution to this problem?

Combine 1 and 3 into a single statement. This will become your thesis statement. Now add your “imagine” paragraph from Friday and presto, an opening paragraph.

Watched 2 short news clips:

Visualizing How A Population Grows To 7 Billion

http://www.npr.org/2011/10/31/141816460/visualizing-how-a-population-grows-to-7-billion

Find Your Spot Among World's 7 Billion And Meet The 'Most Typical Person'

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/10/28/141792664/find-your-spot-among-worlds-7-billion-and-meet-the-most-typical-person?ps=rs

Wrote most of the handwritten outline of our paper (skipping topic sentences and concluding sentences) and began writing the longhand version of each paragraph.

Homework:

None

Friday, November 4, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 41

DAY 2: Human Footprint unit

• WARMUP: With words, “show” one of the most interesting images/moments from the video (approx. 5 sentences)
• Then we revised these paragraphs by eliminating the words “you, your, you’re” and writing it in 3^rd  person and adding the word “imagine” to the beginning of the paragraph.
• Handed out “Human Footprint” Task Sheet with rubric
• Watched second half of documentary film Human Footprint – approx. 45 - 55 minutes - you can watch the entire film here: Human Footprint - online video

Homework: none

Thursday, November 3, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 40

·         Collected homework: 5-sentence paragraph responding to your “doubting bully” – Pinky is ________ (choose from your “good” list)

·         WARMUP: Number a paper 1 – 9 and answer the following fill-in-blank (make your best guesses):

o   The average home has at least ____1_______ TV sets and the average American watches ____2_____ hours of TV every day which is over _____3_______ over the course of one’s lifetime sitting in front of the tube.

o   It takes ______4________ cows to feed humans in the United States (annually). Each human (in the U.S.) consumes ___5____ pints of milk a week or ____6_____ pints a month or ____7_____ pints a year. We will each consume ___8___ pints of milk per person per lifetime.

o   But milk is only a tiny part of our diet. As a nation, we eat a total of ___9___ pounds of food every day.

§  Reviewed the answers

Consumption trivia… http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/human-footprint/consumption-interactive.html

Began Human Footprint unit DAY1

Watched half of documentary film today Human Footprint – approx. 45 - 55 minutes - you can watch the entire film here: Human Footprint - online video

As you watch the film:

1. Write down 4 direct quotations from the film (that you will later use in your paper)
2. Write down 4 examples from the film that show how every human being impacts the earth.

After watching the video:

1. Think of 2 specific examples from your own life (that were not mentioned in the video) that illustrate your personal understanding of impact. 
2. Consider possible solutions.  What can be done?  Who should do what?  Why?

Homework:

No vocabulary test this week or next.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 39

WARMUP:

1. After I check your puzzle and answer key, exchange them at your tables and try to solve them without the answer key.
2. Discussed the “clues” in each other’s puzzles that helped us assemble them in the proper “well-organized” order

Completed ex. 7 from Writer’s Choice book page 638 (include SURE or UNSURE)

Next, we discussed and took notes on the trick for deciding when to use “who vs. whom”

We returned to ex. 7 and checked our answers using the who, whom trick

Did the same for Whoever, Whomever…took additional notes on the trick to determine proper use of “whomever vs. whoever” – practiced identification with overhead “Exercise 8: Whoever and Whomever”

Watched short clip from “The Office”

Doubting Bully intro:

1. (2 minutes) List 10 characteristics that you dislike in another person – things that would convince you that they will NEVER be your friend or things that would make them horrible to work with.
2. (2 minutes) List 10 characteristics that you like in another person
3. Introduce “Doubting Bully” concept for writing where we will PROVE our assertions on a fictional person named Pinky
1. Pinky is…_____a liar_______. (Choose from list of the horrible characteristics)
2. Imagine someone right there arguing, “No, Pinky is NOT a liar.”
3. With words, prove to this bully that Pinky is a liar by telling the story about something you saw Pinky do one time that proves that Pinky is a liar.
1. Your goal is to silence him with words. (share with class)
4. Begin homework.

Homework:

5-sentence paragraph responding to your “doubting bully” – Pinky is __(choose from your “good” list)_____.

No vocabulary test this week or next.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

1^st trimester – Day 38

WARMUP:

1. Write up a WELL-ORGANIZED, 5-sentence SHOW paragraph. (HINT: Write a bad TELL statement first, then “fix” it.)
2. When finished, have someone at your table underline the subtle hints you included to show the order of the sentences.

Pronoun/Antecedent Agreement

• Take notes
• Practice the first 10 (of 20) on overhead “#25 Agreement”

o   Review answers

Complete A, B, C, D, and E below (skip “F” for now): You will be writing across four time zones – past perfect, past, present, and future. These will be structured into an account of related actions.

1. Start with any simple proposition –a kernel/core sentence like, “We ate the pizza.”
2. Imagine a prior event, like “After we had finished the job,” (past perfect)
3. Then, imagine an event in the present, like “and now we’re getting ready to go home”
4. Finally, move into the future, like “where we will finish the day eating ice cream.”
5. Arrange them as one sentence across the 4 time zones (start with past-perfect).

Need more information on “past perfect”? http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verb-tenses_past-perfect.htm

COLLECTED: On a separate paper, unscramble (and write out) each word-puzzle into a complete sentence (10 total) – “…the boy’s father sat…”

Homework:

Due Wednesday: Having chosen your poorly written “tell” statement (see choices from Monday). Then TYPE 2 copies of a well-organized, tripled-spaced “SHOW” paragraph and cut ONE of them apart into individual SENTENCES. Your other typed copy will serve as an answer key. Only typed copies will be accepted.

No vocabulary test this week or next.