Tuesday, November 25, 2014

 

ENGLISH – 1^st and 3rd hours – Day 1

·         Took attendance and explained layout of room and expectations

o   Go to classroom blog

o   http://mrvanbragtonline.blogspot.com/

·         Read introductory letter to parents – asked questions about new teacher

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

·         Move tables into test taking formation.

·         My Expectations—Your Expectations

o   Give students a letter explaining your rules and expectations and then ask them to write Mr. Van Bragt a letter about your expectations of him.

·         “This sentence is false.”

o   Explain whether this sentence is true.

·         Explain TAP IN, TAP OUT…

·         PARAGRAPH: What did you want to be when you were little?

ENGLISH homework 1st and 3rd hours:

DUE TUESDAY…

Return signed contact sheet.

1.      Parents send SIMPLE email with student name in subject line and parent name and relationship to student in body of email.

1. My email address: tvanbragt@rockfordschools.org

2.      Write down the definitions to the 4 bolded words from the parent letter that you brought home

********************************************************************

ENGLISH – 4th and 5th hours – Day 1 Read the Holstee manifesto: “This is your life…” To see a copy of the manifesto, click here: http://shop.holstee.com/pages/manifesto

1. Without looking, write down what you remember from it.
   1. Every day will start with information on the monitors. Read it.
2. Completed the 20-question NO-COUNT pre-test for Trimester B.
3. After turning in your test, write a paragraph (5 sentences minimum) about a single line of the manifesto that relates directly to your own life.
4. Be contrary.
   1. List 5 reasons some people would disagree with your chosen statement.

ENGLISH homework: DUE TUESDAY… Return signed contact sheet. Parents send SIMPLE email with student name in subject line and parent name and relationship to student in body of email.

1. My email address: tvanbragt@rockfordschools.org

Friday, November 21, 2014

ENGLISH - 1^st trimester – Day 55

EXAM DAY 1 of 2

Take Practice Exam – review 2014.

Review answers.

Take exam.

ENGLISH homework:

none

Thursday, November 20, 2014

ENGLISH - 1^st trimester – Day 53

WARMUP: Use your phones (or somebody’s phone) to answer the following:

· 1. Define each of the following: marauders, reconciliation, absconded, omniscient, quarry, sensory details

· 2. Tell which story each of the vocabulary words above came from?

Check Exam Review guide answers

Practice identifying plurals and possessives.

Put the 5 steps on the writing process in order…then write down the difference between revising and editing.

• Drafting
• Editing
• Revising
• Prewriting
• Publishing

· Return Human Footprint papers

· Assemble “The Deep Sea” paragraph

· Complete MOOD/TONE handout –

• informal (OMG: “I think…” or “If you ask me…”
  vs. formal
• tone = the author’s tone = his tone of voice = Sarcastic, humorous, bitter, critical mockery, serious, ironic, sympathetic, angry

· Complete THERE/THEIR/THEY’RE 1 - 5

REMEMBER: To show joint possession, use ‘s with the last noun only; if two people SHARE the same thing, they also SHARE an APOSTROPHE;

· Have you seen Joyce and Greg’s new camper?

· Hernando’s and Maria’s expectations were quite different.

ENGLISH homework:

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

Monday, November 17, 2014

 

ENGLISH - 1^st trimester – Day 54

·         WARMUP: 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”

Making Inferences About Characters  Read each description and decide whether it best fits Madame Loisel, Monsieur Loisel, or Madame Forestier. 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 __________________________

·         Complete “Practice in Possessives”

·         Why don’t writers always write chronologically? For each of the 5 organizational methods listed below, tell when you think a writer would choose it when writing an essay? In other words, what might the writer be writing about?

1.      Chronological order

2.      Spatial order (“space”)

3.      Cause and effect

4.      Comparison/Contrast

5.      Order of importance

ENGLISH homework:

Use study guide to review for exam.

For online practice, try these links:

·         Apostrophe practice: http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/39.html

·         Plural practice: http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/288.html

o   And http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/391.html

·         Author’s Purpose: http://www.thatquiz.org/tq/practicetest?TUAG7034

·         Fact or Opinion: http://cuip.uchicago.edu/www4teach/97/jlyman/default/quiz/factopquiz.html

·         www.my.hrw.com

o   Username – rfc2018

o   Password – onlinebook

Friday, November 14, 2014

 

ENGLISH - 1^st trimester – Day 52

·         Check class/homework from yesterday (40 direct/indirect from “Thank You, M’am”)

·         Rewrite the following 6 sentences so that the meaning is clear:

1.      He saw the deer using his binoculars.

2.      Walking along the beach, a rock scraped my foot.

3.      Juana only has algebra three days this week.

4.      In a tiny cage at the dog pound, we felt very sorry for the little bulldog.

5.      I saw her make a thrilling slalom run on my cousin’s television set.

6.      The governor agreed to punish every driver who endangers the lives of others without delay.

·         Open book to page 348 and read “The Necklace” from Literature book (pages 348 – 358)

·         Make a chart of 4 columns:

a.       Label them, left to right, at the top: SINGULAR, SINGULAR POSSESSIVE, PLURAL, PLURAL POSSESSIVE

b.      Add the following 18 words to your first column (labeled: singular):

                                                  i.      Friend, month, dollar, enemy, sheep, ox, teacher, bunny, notary public, attorney general, sister-in-law, wolf, Chris, Curtis, man, city, monkey, alto

c.       Fill in the other 3 columns…

ENGLISH homework:

Use study guide to review for exam.

For online practice, try these links:

·         Our Literature book can be found, online at

o   http://my.hrw.com/

o   Username – rfc2018    Password – onlinebook

·         Apostrophe practice: http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/39.html

·         Plural practice: http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/288.html

o   And http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/391.html

·         Author’s Purpose: http://www.thatquiz.org/tq/practicetest?TUAG7034

·         Fact or Opinion: http://cuip.uchicago.edu/www4teach/97/jlyman/default/quiz/factopquiz.html

Thursday, November 13, 2014

 

ENGLISH - 1^st trimester – Day 51

·         Practice next set of plural and possessive worksheets

·         Take notes on modifiers…

a.       Took notes on Dangling and Misplaced Modifiers (in Writer’s Choice book pgs. 670-671)

b.       Practiced fixing sentences with misplaced and dangling modifiers

·         When asked to write something that Roger would have said to Mrs. Jones, you wrote, I’m sorry, I’m grateful, why did you help me, the meal was good, I’ll never forget you, is there anything I could do to make this up to you…

a.       But no one said, because of what you did for me, I’m going to pass along that forgiveness to someone else. I want someone else to feel how you made me feel. what you helped me to feel.

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

·         Using your book, look through “Thank You, M’am” (Literature book pgs. 134 – 140) and  make a chart for the 2 characters that lists 10 direct and 10 indirect characterizations for each. 40 ITEMS TOTAL – to be collected

·         REVIEW (see page 4 of Exam Review Guide)

                           i.      What is a word that proves something is written in

·         1^st person

·         2^nd person

·         3^rd person

                          ii.      Name 4 school subjects that get capitalized?

                        iii.      Rewrite, then properly punctuate this sentence:

·         his girlfriend said you’re in big trouble

                        iv.      How would you properly write out these book titles:

·         the blue moon

·         nutty zombie of terror

                          v.      Write a sentence that needs a direction (north, south, east, west) to be capitalized and another sentence that doesn’t need to be capitalized.

                        vi.      We make words plural by adding –s or –ies to words.

·         List 4 exceptions?

·         How do we make these two words plural?            

a.        “brother-in-law” and “attorney-at-law”

                       vii.      We add apostrophes to words to show possession.

·         What if a car belongs to both Carol and Sue?

a.        Carol and Sue car got a flat tire.

ENGLISH homework:

Finish 1 – 40 (see above)

Use study guide to review for exam.

For online practice, try these links:

·         Apostrophe practice: http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/39.html

·         Plural practice: http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/288.html

o    And http://www.usingenglish.com/quizzes/391.html

·         Author’s Purpose: http://www.thatquiz.org/tq/practicetest?TUAG7034

·         Fact or Opinion: http://cuip.uchicago.edu/www4teach/97/jlyman/default/quiz/factopquiz.html

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

 

ENGLISH - 1^st trimester – Day 50

 

Collect homework: 17 questions on “Thank You, Ma’am”

 

Pick up “Exam Review Guide” (on center table) - discuss

 

WARMUP: (The last one started on this warm-up is a rotten egg):

a.       While I take attendance, write out how the story “Thank You, Ma’m” would have been different if one of your friends from school played the role of Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones?

·         DISCUSS

a.       Why would your friend respond differently?

                                                  i.      Is it age? Experience? Empathy? Wisdom?

b.      Is this a teenage copout?

c.       Have you ever done anything wrong?

                                                  i.      Have you ever wished someone would forgive you?

                                                ii.      Have you ever asked for a second chance?

d.      Have you ever been forgiven?

                                                  i.      What was that like?

e.       If not now, as a teenager, WHEN do you think you will be more like Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones?

                                                  i.      Next year? In college? When you’re 30? Never?

 

Reviewed short story “Thank You, M’am” in Literature book pgs. 134 – 140

 

20 plurals - 20 possessives – note any exceptions to the obvious

 

Watched 2 short videos of “Thank You, M’am”

a.       Discuss 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.”

 

Exit slip: In 3 sentences minimum, besides “thank you” what does Roger wish he would have said to Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones?

 

ENGLISH homework:

 

Use study guide to review for exam.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

 

ENGLISH - 1^st trimester – Day 49

 

·         Finish typing paper using the check list 1 -12.

·         STAPLE a copy of this rubric to PRINTED, final draft (to be turned in Wednesday).

 

ENGLISH homework:

o   Read the following story and begin answering the following questions…(see below)…

o   No vocabulary test this week.

READ “Thank You, M’am” (Literature book pgs. 134 – 140)

 

ANSWER QUESTIONS ON A SEPARATE PAPER:

 

1. Explain how the following quote relates to “Thank You, M’am”:
1. “There is within me (and it is with sadness I have watched it in others) a knot of cruelty”
2. 2 PICTURES AND 2 PARAGRAPHS:
1. Draw and explain: What might have happened to Roger that created his knot? (in his past)

                                                               i.      What did he do with his knot?

                                                              ii.      What was the outcome of this?

2. Draw and explain: What’s another choice Roger could have made given the same past/background, same situation, but a different choice?

                                                               i.      What might the outcome of that have been?

3. From what point-of-view is this story told? (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rdomniscient, 3^rd limited, 3^rd objective)
4. What was Mrs. Jones’s motive in leaving the door open when she dragged Roger to her room?
5. Why does Mrs. Jones not watch Roger or watch her purse?
6. Roger decides something in the story that marks the story’s turning point.  What did he decide to do?
7. Using the text, list the details that are mentioned about the setting of Mrs. Jones’s home.
8. What does the setting of Mrs. Jones’s home tell us about the kind of person she probably is?
9. Using the text, list the details that are mentioned about Roger’s home life?
10. From what Roger tells Mrs. Jones, what can you infer about his home life?
11. Using the text, directly quote Mrs. Jones when she says something that surprises Roger.
12. What characters don’t say can be as important as what they do say.  List two points in the story when Mrs. Jones and Roger are silent
13. Using the information in question #12, explain why you think each character chose not to speak.
14. Give a specific example of an action done by Mrs. Jones that reveals one of her character traits.
15. What do you think Roger learned from the way Mrs. Jones treated him?
16. What overall impression do you have of Roger by the end of the story?
17. What is the theme of this story?
1. List three important events or details that suggest the story’s theme.

 

Monday, November 10, 2014

 

ENGLISH - 1^st trimester – Day 48

 

·         TAKE NOTES before going to LAB 100 to type Human Footprint response

 

ENGLISH homework:

 

None.

 

Friday, November 7, 2014

 

ENGLISH - 1^st trimester – Day 47

 

·         Collect 1 – 4 from yesterday.

·         Take prefix test #4

·         When finished, using the following template, write down a short summary of The Human Footprint that begins with:

1.      MANY PEOPLE ASSUME THAT____________, BUT____________

·         Write a rough draft of a response to The Human Footprint using the DIRECTIONS below:

 

IDEA #1: (summary of the main idea) – begin your paper with one of the following phrases:

            It has become common today to_____________ , but _______________

            Many people assume that _____________________, but _______________

            Americans today tend to believe that ________________, but ____________

 

IDEA #2: (add a direct quotation from the article that 1. is so powerful that to change it would diminish its impact; 2. supports the main idea)

According to (fill in article author’s FULL name), “_______________________.”

 

IDEA # 3: (explain the above quotation in your own words)

 

Basically, (the author’s LAST name only) is saying………

 

IDEA #4: Explain a connection between the film and a bigger issue or event in society. Link the main idea to a group of people other than you, like parents or teachers or Europeans or runners or Goths or ) –

This reminds me of…

This is like…

Remember when…

 

IDEA #5 (explain what may happen if other people recognize the link you made in IDEA #4):

In the future,

 

NOW, to expand on each of your IDEAS, use the “DOUBTING BULLY” on IDEAS 1, 3, 4, and 5 -  building each of these IDEAS into full paragraphs. Voila, a rough draft.

 

ENGLISH homework:

 

NONE

Thursday, November 6, 2014

 

ENGLISH - 1^st trimester – Day 46

 

·        Without using your notes, write down 4 things you remember specifically from the film?

·        Number your paper 1 – 11…make 3 columns…without looking at your prefix sheet, fill in the 3 columns from memory.

1.      When done, check your sheet for answers.

·        Finish watching The Human Footprint - http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/human_footprint

·        Next:

1.      Write down what you think are the 3 biggest things you PERSONALLY do that IMPACT the earth.

2.      You can’t stop eating or buying things, but write down what you could do differently to have LESS of an impact?

3.      Write down an argument (in more than just 1 sentence) that explains what some people (other than you) would say that would INTELLIGENTLY and BELIEVEABLY disagree with #2.  

4.      MAKING A CONNECTION: Make a list of 5 things that this film and the Freshman Center have in common.

 

ENGLISH homework:

 

·        Finish 1 – 4 above.

 

·        Study for Friday’s Prefix test (11 prefixes from “30-15-10” list) = dict …therm