Vocabulary #16 (due/tested Monday, February 6th) - from Pablo Neruda poem, "Poesia"
Note: SWITCHED from what I posted last week; as discussed in class, THESE words will be tested on Monday, "roots and affixes" continued will be tested the following week.

This time, students will be required to know the spelling and meaning of the word in English, as usual, but, this time, they ALSO will need to know the word in Spanish, which can be found on the Spanish-English version of the poem handed out in class and found in a separate entry on this web site. (FYI, aside form the usual vocabulary acquisition, this ALSO is a lesson on Latin roots). Test will be worth 60 points.

summoned (llamaba)
abruptly (pronto)
deciphering (descifrando)
faint (vaga)
substance (cuerpo)
nonsense (tonteria)
wisdom (sabiduria)
unfastened (desgranado)
palpitating (palpitantes)
perforated (perforada)
riddled (acribillada)
infinitesimal (minimo)
void (vacio)
starry (constelado)
abyss (abismo)

Week 17 - PREVIEW
The following words will be tested on 2/13/2012 (these can be broken into roots and affixes)

transgress
subscription
omniscient
fiduciary
egomania
lucid
illuminate
pseudonym
oxymoron
achromatic
declarative
credulous
predominate
junction
navigate


Vocabulary #15 (tested on the Monday of last week of 1st semester) was as below:

accelerate
benefactor
cerebral
durable
excavate
fragment
geriatric
hydrate
infrastructure
juvenile
loquacious
mariner
notable
obscure
patriarch



Vocabulary #14 (words from next two reading assignments: "Annabel Lee" and "User Friendly"

* Note: the definitions for "eek" and ""squeal" are switched on the puzzle...be careful, these two words are similar

seraphs
coveted
sepulcher
kinsmen
eek
squeal
modem
frantic
fanfold
mainframe
console
prospect
Internal Revenue Service
insistent
byte

Vocabulary #13 - last vocabulary before break; no vocabulary study over break. These words all come from our current units: "the rest of" punctuation marks (Ch. 15 in Handbook) or "other words" in "The Highwayman" poem, to be read later this week.

proofread
underlining
italics
quotation marks
apostrophes
hypens
parentheses
rein
brackets
dashes
sniggering
drenched
torrent
gusty
clattered



VOCABULARY # 12 - Words from The Highwayman, in our Language arts textbook. When we finish reading "The Chrysanthemums" in class, we will begin reading our first POEM in class: "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes. Mst of these words are actually DEFINED in the poem, you can get most the definitions from the bottom of the pages.

galleon
claret
rapier
plaiting
wicket
ostler
harry
casement
priming
moor
breeches
stable
stirrups
musket
muzzle



VOCABULARY WORDS - sorry they were not put up Monday - I was out of the classroom all day, and, oddly, nobody reminded me in yesterday's classes! No excuses, but I am also getting used to working without my beloved student teacher this week :( Anyway, this week's theme is: DRAGON WORDS! (Excellent for use in your short stories, and - who knows - maybe I will give extra credit if I see some of these words used in your stories?)

ascend
descend
serpentine
pagan
enchanted
hydra
cryptic
primordial
squamous (cell)
scorched
benevolent
malevolent
harbinger
talons
ominous

VOCABULARY WORDS (more pre-teaching of words from The Crysanthemum by John Steinbeck)

battered
hesitantly
trenches
tamped
teamsters
pumice
irritation
hackles
caravan
patented
resistance
roamed
canteen
anemic
Spartan (capitalized!)

VOCABULARY WORDS (testing will be on Tuesday and Wednesday after the "break" of 11/11-11/14)

Note: Sorry about the puzzles last week! You saw that we did make them and upload them, with the best intentions, but for some reason (I think it is the different computer we used this time), they didn't upload properly. We'll try again this week. By the way, YOU can all make puzzles for practice yourself, using the "Puzzlemaker" web site! For now, thoguh, we'll continue to try to do it for you... :)

WEEK NINE WORDS (a pre-teach of words from our next "Famous Authors Series:" The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck)

corduroy
calloused
smudge
smugness
schooner
mongrel
skirling
quivering
daintily
brooding
asperity
whining
fugitive
exaggerated
rigidity



WEEK EIGHT WORDS (From The Smallest Dragonboy, in our Literature textbook - we will start reading it in class tomorrow)

perturbed
confrontation
mottled
pinions
contemptuous
taut
officiously
alleviate
incredulous
imminent
reprehensible
rigor
dissipate
unwieldy
ignominious

WEEK SEVEN WORDS (Red Ribbon Words)

addiction
substance
committment
prevention
abuse
dependence
rehabilitation
intoxication
inhibition
affect
campaign
intervention
effect
drug
detoxification



WEEK SIX WORDS - puzzles for this week attached below! (Sorry about last week, due to e-mail being down)

demolish
significant
amity
overwhelming
atlas
prerequisite
municipal
correspondence
ailing
distinguish
protest
interpret
tirade
archetype
preserve

WEEK FIVE WORDS (all from "The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allen Poe)

sagacious
writhe
seclusion
sedate
impeded
prevade
casement
emphatic
emanate
decorum
profusion
blasphemous
countenance
grotesque
barbaric

WEEK FOUR WORDS (from "The Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury and some are a pre-teach of words from "The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allen Poe, to be read later)

THis week, we've posted 3 word games as practice for the words. These are NOT extra credit, but, designed to RAISE YOUR SCORES on the voab. tests themselves. We won't always be able post games like this, but we want you to see if or how doing this kind of work helps your understanding and memorization of the words. See attachments below.

phlegm
subliminal
annihilate
throttled
disproportionate
paradox
delirium
sheathed
stagnating
macabre
gothic
pestilence
eccentric
resilient
avatar

WEEK THREE WORDS

Studying doesn't just mean "look at" your notes; "to study" is a PHYSICAL verb. In this class, you are given 5 minutes before the test begins to "study" your words; that means WRITE Them 3 to 5 times over, to memorize what words are on the test and the spelling of them, at least. When you get the test paper, turn it over and jot down all of the words you remember immediately. THEN use the remainder of your time to fill them in the appropropriate blanks. You are given credit for every word that is spelled correctly - no matter where it is on the page! So, with that, here are the words for Week Three:

appallingly
merciless
simpered
chronological
sarcasm
propaganda
reverberated
traitor
sinister
catastrophe
inconsolable
scapegoat
incumbent
insolent
gesture

WEEK TWO WORDS

Before attempting this week's set of words, we would like to offer a few more suggestions for success on the vocabulary tests:

1. Making the Cornell Notes neat and complete enough, with multiple definitions, to ensure that you really understand what the word means.

2. Try to alphabetize the words at some point in your study; it helps you REMEMBER, for example, how many "a" words there are, or "D" words, etc..

3. FInd the word in a sentence and write it into your notes.

4. Draw a picture or a symbol of the word.

5. If you find words with similar meanings on the list, clarify the difference between them. For example, "amplify" and "commotion" both have to do with NOISE, but, what is the difference between the two words? "Sabotage" and "deface" both have to do with destroying something...etc.

Yesterday, we saw the following:
1. No Cornell Notes done at all
2. Partial Cornell Notes
3. Only one definition from one source - not enough to actually LEARN a word

Here are week two's words:

underrepresented
zenith
intelligentsia
rhetorical
pinnacle
failings - note similarity to flaws!
flaws - note similarity to failings!
tolerance
persecution
segregation
indifferent
anecdote
symmetry
narrative
omniscient



Below, you will find the weekly vocabulary words. Each week, a list of 15 words will be posted on this Web page, to be copied, defined, and studied throughout the week. Every Monday, there will be a test (worth 30 points) on these words in class.

Note: DO NOT think you will be successful at vocabulary study by JUST looking up words in a dictionary (online or paper)!

You actually need to find a few synonyms for a word, maybe draw yourself a picture of the concept or a reminder symbol, and try to find it's usage in a sentence. If you speak another language, finding out what the word means in that language may also be helpful. Knowing the part of speech (verb, noun, etc.), word origin (Latin, Greek, German), antonym (it's opposite), etc. are all INFORMATION about words that help you learn them and MEMORIZE them.

You will be instructed in class about how to make "Cornell Notes" for these words, which will be due on the day of the test (with extra credit if shown to me early). Some students, however, like to make "flash cards" and are encouraged to do so, if you prefer. If you DO make flash cards, however, please still make a page of Cornell Notes for me to input into Aeries (flashcards fall apart in our filing and get lost).

WEEK ONE

defacing
manga
infamous
schlep
equity
fumigating
sentinel
sabotage
huddled
foreshadowing
commotion
staid
amplified
elusive
eternity

5 FACTS ABOUT ALVIN AILEY, 5 FACTS ABOUT PABLO NERUDA, IN WRITING, as brought to and discussed in class on January 26 & 27.

ANNOTATED COPY OF "POESIA" BY PABLO NERUDA - annotations begun in class January 26&27, to be continued in class (and sometimes as homework).

NOTE: POEM IN ENGLISH & SPANISH, VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTED, DIVIDED INTO STANZAS FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE (EVENTUAL) PERFORMANCE IS ATTACHED BELOW.

NOTE: Be sure to scroll down to see ALL comments within each assignment, and press "next" to see ALL assignments.

COMMON VOCABULARY STUDY MISTAKES

...in other words, DO NOT do these things when you study your vocabulary...

1) Using only dictionary definitions
2) Using the word itself in the definition
3) Only making a list of words and definitions (not in "Cornell Notes" format, which means words on ONE HALF of page, definitions/synonyms, etc. on OTHER HALF)
4) Finding definitions that DO NOT fit the word as it was used in class or in the reading
5) Copying the spelling of the word incorrectly in the first place, making it so that you can't find the right definition

Note: students need to check the words as listed on this web site, and find at least three synonyms by using web sites such as dictionary.com, or just even Google!

DUE by 1/24, these are next week's words, AND a resource I found on the web regarding the 7th grade standard of "Greek & Latin Roots and Affixes," one of the standards to be tested on the upcomign benchmark (#2 for the year) test, and is highly likely to be tested on the CSTs in May.

See link below.

The following vocabulary words for next week (although I do not want to officially post them until we have taken next week's test) are taken from the resource linked below:

accelerate
benefactor
cerebral
durable
excavate
fragment
geriatric
hydrate
infrastructure
juvenile
loquacious
mariner
notable
obscure
patriarch

User Friendly Questions 1 - 9, page 196, are due Tue/Wed of next week.

EXTRA CREDIT FOR THE ARTS (MUSEUMS, FILMS, PERFORMANCES)

LA County Art Museum (LACMA)
Getty Center
Getty Villa
Skirball Center
Museum of Tolerance
Holocaust Museum (new near The Grove at Pan PAcific PArk)
Petersen Automotive Museum
Autry Museum of Western Heritage (at Griffith Park)
Latin American Museum (Long Beach)
African-American Museum (in Exposition Park)
Disney Concert Hall (for a performance)
Japanese-American Museum (on 1st Street downtown)
Public Library in Downtown L.A. (when/if they have an event)
Seeing a movie that is part of a "foreign film festival" in the Los Angeles area
Seeing any performance at the Music Center or Kirk Douglas Theatre
Performances at Royce Hall (at UCLA), The Ford Amphitheatre, The Hollywood Bowl, The Broad Theatre (Santa Monica)
There is a new museum at/near Olvera Street downtown that I've heard about; if you go, please bring info for 10 more extra credit points
Any of the above type place in another city, during your travels
*You may ask IN ADVANCE if you are not sure if your event/place/film would qualify

What you need to show us:

A brochure or flyer, if applicable (you may not be able to get one for a film)
A dated ticket or receipt
Three paragraphs about what you LEARNED there

Number of points: 50 extra credit points

Attendance at the Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration!

50 points for students who attend and see our own Malik give his speech! See below article from Culver City Patch!!

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

Culver City Students to Read ‘Dream’ Essays at King Day Celebration
Malik Johnson, Peri Reynaldo and Barbara Gambon’s entries were chosen from over 90 student essays. They’ll read their works at the city’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration on Sunday at the Senior Center.

By Kelly Hartog, Culver City Patch, January 11, 2012


This Sunday marks Culver City’s 7th annual Martin Luther King Day celebrations. The free, all-day event will take place at the Culver City Senior Center with panel discussions, exhibitions and music performances to honor the work and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

At 4:15 p.m., three Culver City students will read their essays entitled "Have We Reached the Dream?" Malik Johnson of Culver City Middle School, Peri Reynaldo of El Rincon Elementary School and Barbara Gamboa of Culver Park High School entered the competition along with over 90 other students from the Culver City Unified School District.

A committee of teachers then narrowed down the competition to 19 semi-finalists, who read their essays at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium. Based on clarity of the message, speaking voice and word enunciation, a jury rated Malik, Peri and Barbara as the three top essayists who will have the honor of re-reading their essays on Sunday.

Other highlights of the day will include a reading of the award-winning play The Dreamers, a panel discussion that will include Mayor Micheal O’Leary, an interactive poetry reading, musical performances and an art exhibit from the Mayme A. Clayton Library and Museum.

Click here for more details and the full schedule of events:

http://culvercity.patch.com/events/7th-annual-city-of-culver-city-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-celebration

Overview of everything due up to and before we come back from winter break on 1/9/2012:

1) Next book project due 1/9 - turn it in early for 10 extra credit points!
Note: from now on, book projects can only be BILINGUAL, I am not accepting any more TRI (or higher) LINGUAL ones, because I feel that the quality of the original English is being compromised by the effort at gargantuan extra credit. DO A BILINGUAL ONE, IF YOU SO CHOOSE, BUT DO IT WELL.

2) Cornell Notes, test, and any graphic organizers provided for Chapter 15 grammar book - Punctuation Part II. Will be assgned 12/13, due 12/15 in class, tested 12/20&21.

3) Pages 158 - 173 in the Literature Book, ALL readings, all questions answered in complete sentences; mutliple choice must have a REASON WHY you choose the particular answer. We will start reading the poem this week, and finish it and all related assignmentd the following week.

4) Bellwork as per Aeries, in case you miss class.

5) Dragon stories will be returned AFTER winter break, for one last (3rd and final) rewrite, before semester grades are due.

6) 2nd quarter preliminary portfolios, (roughly matching the "state of affairs" at time of progress report to be issued this week) will be put together in class on 12/12&13, sent home, and brought back on 12/14&15 for 50 points if signed, 40 if not, 25 if late.

Today's in class assignment was an extended "bellwork," which can be done from home and turned in for full (35 points) credit if you were absent.

Write a "usual length" (150 words, 3 paragraphs) bellwork in response to the question, "What did you do over winter break?"

You will earn 5 points for 150 or more words, and another 5 points for the three paragraphs.

However, you must SKIP LINES (for 5 points), INDENT PARAGRAPHS (for 5 points), all sentences must be COMPOUND SENTENCES, joined together with a COMMA and the so-called "FANBOYS" (5 points), and the second paragraph must be a conversation all in dialogue format. (5 points) - total 35 points.

Questions 1-9 on page 168, for review in class Thu/Fri 12/22 & 12/23. (will be assigned on 12/20&21).

Cornell Notes and "The Highwayman" worksheet, passed out in class with annotations:

1) punctuation marks and explanations thereof
2) similes and metaphors marked per page 169

There will be a test on Punctuation in class Tue/Wed.

Two assignments due Thuursday/Friday are:

1) Portfolios (50/50 with signature, 40/50 without parent signature, 25/50 if late, when brought back)

2) Cornell Notes for Chapter 15 grammar (Punctuation)

Annotated copy of "The Chrysanthemums" by John Steinbeck

See copy below, an 8-page double-sided copy was given (and is being read now) in class.

When the story is finally sent home, it must be brought back annotated with the following:

1) Your thoughts about the perspective of the story - written as a sentence on the last page of your copy, as follows: "The story is written in _________ perspective because..."
2) All 30 vocabulary words highlighted
3) Other words you DO NOT KNOW defined in the margins
4) First 4 paragraphs with a box around them (drawing was done in class)
5) Narrator, Elisa, Henry and "the man on the wagon" PARTS noted in the left margin
6) Comments about VERNACULAR notated (how things really should be said/spelled)
7) Gender issues notated and questioned
8) Comments about overall, "universal" themes of the story (a.k.a. things you learned or noticed in this story that you've also seen in other stories)
9) Similes, metaphors, other literary devices found while reading
10) Comments about character traits (Elisa is..., "The man" is...)

See related links and attachments below

CABE 2012 STUDENT WRITING CONTEST - 100 points extra credit for my class

Theme: "Many cultures, many languages make our future"

Language: can be submitted in English OR another language

Requirements:

1) Must be double-spaced, typed, three pages maximum (500 words minimum)

2) Both English and other language version must be submitted

3) You MAY NOT use Google translator or any internet program, you must be blingual enough to do both languages yourself

4) The work submitted must be: a short essay, a poem, a narrative, a biography or song lyrics)

5) The work must be submitted to me DIGITALLY, meaning, via e-mail or this web site

SEE THE BELOW LINK FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONTEST

SHORT STORY (DRAGON) NARRATIVE - WRITING PROCESS UNDERWAY!

Today, students came in with their typed 1st drafts, and were given 50 points for having it and participating in a double peer edit workshop. The 25 points for the workshop to be entered into Aeries when/if students bring back both peer edit worksheets with their 2nd drafts.

Typed 2nd drafts, with any peer corrections made and special attention to punctuation, due Tue/Wed of next week: December 6th and 7th.

25 points for the "Pre-Write," done in class last Mon/Tue, were entered today if the student brought it back. Students who did not bring it back may redeem SOME of the points if the Pre-write is brought back in the packet that must be submitted with the 2nd draft. The "packet" needs to include:

1) Handwritten pre-write
2) Typed 1st draft
3) Two peer edit worksheets

Cornell Notes for Punctuation Chapter 14, with "yellow" classwork (shapes) paper. NOTE: PERIOD ONE - I collected your by accident; I will give it back to you before the test, although SOME of you took yours at the end of class.

Above items will be used for the OPEN NOTES 10 question, multiple choice, test that will be given in class tomorrow (and Wednesday).

A WORD ABOUT AUTHOR NAMES ON BOOK PROJECTS!!

I just painstakingly and painfully deducted 5 points from every book project that did not have an author's name on it. Consider me to have been lenient last time, but, the very MINIMUM a student has to have on a book project is: Book Title and Author Name.

So, in case you are in Periods 2/4/6 from yesterday, or turned in your book project early, and have already "counted your A+ chickens..." (from the IDIOM: "don't count your chickens before they are hatched"), 5 points HAS BEEN and will be (from period 3 & 5) deducted on book projects without author names.

If you would like to get the 5 points back, please research the author's name, and come after school to show me you've written it on the project. Otherwise, most students can live without the 5 points, but LEARN to be sure to include the author's name on the next project, which is coming up on....December 5th!

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

UPDATE FOR ASSIGNMENTS AND OTHER DUE DATES NEXT WEEK:

1) Vocabulary Test as usual on Monday 12/5
2) Book projects due on Monday 12/5
3) Second draft of Dragon stories due on Tuesday/Wednesday (12/6 & 7)
4) Cornell Notes and "yellow" graphic organizer for Ch. 14 (Punctuation Part I) due Tuesday/Wednesday (12/6 & 7) for use on TEST (open notes)

After the punctuation test, we will finish reading "The Chrysanthemums" by John Steinbeck in class. We will fully annotate and discuss the story by the end of the week. The stories will be taken home on Thu/Fri, and there will be a test on the story the following week (Tue/Wed: Dec 13&14).

We will work on Punctuation Part II (Chapter 15) and read literature from the Language Arts textbook, discussing, mainly, THEME and LITERARY DEVICES, before we start winter break. The only assignment over winter break, which CAN be turned in early, will be ... THE NEXT BOOK PROJECT - note; these are ongoing throughout the year and should not be a surprise any more. The original book project sheet is attached here AGAIN, for your reference.

SUPER-DUPER EXTREMELY DIFFICULT 100 POINT EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY.

NOTE: READ NO FURTHER IF YOU DO NOT ALREADY HAVE AN A- (90%) OR ABOVE IN THIS CLASS AT THE TIME OF THE FALL REPORT CARD!

After we have read the John Steinbeck short story, "The Pastures of Heaven" in November, read the attached Edgar Allen Poe story, "The Fall of the House of Usher," and do a five-paragraph, 700 word "literary criticism" essay that compares the two stories.

This is, perhaps, a college-level assignment, and thus, it must be hand-written (in your own writing, as judged by handwriting samples in class). It must be double-spaced (skip lines), in blue or black pen, and include examples and references from BOTH stories.

CORNELL NOTES FOR GRAMMAR (HAND)BOOK CHAPTER 14.

This chapter is the ever-important "Punctuation Part I" Chapter, reviewing the standards:

End Marks (periods, question marks, exclamation points)

and delving deeper into the standards:

Commas, Colons and Semicolons

There will be an open-notes test on this chapter next week, and we will then forge on to Chapter 15 (other forms of punctuation in English).

Note use of: "ever-important" and "open-notes" ... like Steinbeck!

1st Draft of Dragon (short story) Narrative (due 11/29 or 30th, depending on class day)
WORTH 50 points

1st Draft Rubric:

1) Bring back handwritten pre-write done in class 11/21,22 (worth 25 points when submitted)

2) Actual 1st draft must be: TYPED, 12-pitch, Times New Roman or Arial Font

3) MINIMUM 500 words - should be closer to 800-1000 words to be a well-developed short story!!

4) Double-spaced

5) Reference pages 536-557 in the Language Arts textbook on "How to Write a Short Story Narrative" if you are confused when you're at home.

"Make a Dragon"

Officially assigned as homework today, although mentioned previously.

Students, fro 50 points, are to make a 2-D or 3-D dragon, using a creative/artistic techniques of their choice.

This dragon will eventually become the PROTAGONIST or ANTAGONIST of the short story/fictional narrative that they will begin to write in December, and complete (3rd draft) after break in January. The students will determine the PERSPECTIVE of the story (1st person, 3rd person omniscient or limited).

DRAGON EXTRA CREDIT

Yesterday in class, it was mentioned that we hadn't learned anything yet about American or African dragons...RESEARCH QUESTION:

Find out about African and/or American dragons in literature, and be preapred to make an oral presentation about them on Monday or Tuesday, November 21 and 22.

EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY: Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay and Speech Contest

Flyers were passed out in homeroom classes, but, if you participate in this contest, you get 50 extra credit points for the essay in my class, and if you get chosen to enter the speech contest portion of this, you will earn 100 extra credit points (on top of the 50 already earned).

Basically, here are the specs:

Essay of EXACTLY 500 words (no more, no less), typed, 12-font, Times New Roman, Double-Spaced.

Theme: "Have We Achieved Dr. King's Dream?"

Prompt:
What was Dr. King's dream? Do you beleive that, as a society, we have achieved his dream? Whether your answer to this question is "yes," or "no," what evidence do you see nationally that supports your conclusion? In addition, what are some examples from your own life that illustrate this conclusion?

Due: NO LATER THAN November 17th, 2011 (no late work accepted)

Rice Sandwich, by Sandra Cisneros

Read the story (from the textbook) in class today. Questions 1 -11, p. 144, due Thu/Fri as homework; each question mus tbe answered completely.

Film Viewing: The Boy in Striped Pajamas

A student could have submitted this assignment for extra credit, but now that it is the end of first quarter, I am closing out the assignment as part of the first quarter grade.

This film was shown in class on Thursday, September 29th and Friday, September 30th. Students will take notes on the film utilizing the attached 'Film Viewing Guide." Student who are absent on either day (whether to observe the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashana - New Year - or not) are welcome to rent the movie at home (Netflix, etc.) and make up this assignment, if they choose to do so, by January 20th, 2012 (prior to the end of the semester). The assignment will be entered into the Aeries system on January 20th, as an extra credit assignment worth 50 points.

Pern Dictionary - see other entry on next page - is due tomorrow, for those absent, please see what we've been doing below.

The Smallest Dragonboy, pages 118-132, WAS read in class, while listening to the accompanying CD, after the test on parts of speech. (11/1 and Wed 11/2).

Questions 1-12 on page 134, were due and have been reviewed in class Mon/Tue of this week. The Per Dictionary assignmnet on P. 134 is due tomorrow, Wed & Thu of this week. Homework will not be assigned over the "break" for this unit (although portfolios WILL be sent home for signature, but we willr esume with more "Dragon" activities next week.

THIS WEEK OVERVIEW:

Portfolios sent home Wed/Thu in anticipation of 1st quarter report cards (finalized on the 15th, although grades will be transferred from Aeries on Tue/Wed of next week). Back on the 15th with signature: 50/50, without signature 40/50, not back, 0 until brought back, when/if brought back, 25 points.

Mon/Tue: Block days
Book projects collected on Mon & Tue
Vocabulary test - as usual
Homework (p. 134) review in class
New homework assigned: Pern Dictionary on p. 134 in Cornell Notes form, due Wed/Thu

Wed/Thu: Block days
Portfolio "Make & Take"
Review Pern Dictionary homework in class and turn in
"Here Be Dragons" in class, complete selection questions 1-5 as homework, turn in on Tue/Wed next week WITH explanations for choices

Homework (later, after break, in conjunction with our next writing assignment, which is a short story/narrative): Create an original art project of any medium (drawing, mosaic, sculpture, painting, Legos, charcoal drawing, collage, etc.) of a "Western" or "Eastern" dragon.

PERN DICTIONARY

Although mentioned in the "Smallest Dragonboy" overall unit below, please be reminded that your PERN DICTIONARY is due in class tomorrow/Thursday (11/9&10).

Please note the following:

1) The paper should be in 'Cornell Notes" format, with the word (and pronunciation, as it states on page 134), what the meaning is in regular English (which you will be able to figure out from the CONTEXT of the sentences (of course, made up words cannot be looked up in a dictionary!), and a little sketch of what the word means.

2) You should be able to find AT LEAST 10 Pern words

3) This author has actually written many stories about "life on Pern," and there is a Web site you can refer to for this assignment:

http://pern.srellim.org/

4) Note: this is a fantasy story, a lot like Star Wars, Stare Trek, Harry Potter and other series that have a whole LANGUAGE made up to make the story more interesting and fantasy-like.

Next book project, due per yellow handout is be due on 11/7/2011. You may turn it in any time between now and then for 10 points extra credit (extra credit awarded IF project is complete). See attached "Book Project Rubric" for details.

COMMENTS ON GRADING AND REQUIREMENTS FOR THE THIRD DRAFT:

3rd draft WITH corrections from 2nd draft packet: 50 points
2nd draft brought back WITHOUT corrections made: (grade currently posted in Aeries for 2nd draft)
2nd draft NOT brought back: 10 points off current grade posted (but not activated) in Aeries for 2nd draft

CORNELL NOTES FOR GRAMMAR CHAPTERS 2 & 3 (PARTS OF SPEECH)

Cornell Note taking of Chapters 2 & 3 of the Holt Handbook will begin today in class and be assigned today and tomorrow as homework. By Thursday/Friday of this week, the students are to have taken notes of the chapter, having the word, for example, "Noun" on the left-hand side of the paper, and the meaning of the part of speech, for example, "person, place, thing or idea" and an example (mother, Culver City, car, love) on the right-hand side of the paper. (a.k.a. "Cornell Notes)

We will review/teach the chapters in class on Thursday and Friday, so the students must have their notes in class, but they need not be turned in then.

The test, given Tuesday/Wednesday of the following week (Nov 1&2) will be an OPEN NOTES multiple-choice test.

Upcoming Grammar Chapters:

1st quarter: Chapters 2 & 3 in the so-called "Handbook" - parts of speech
2nd quarter: Handbook Chapters 14 & 15 - punctuation
3rd quarter: Handbook Chapters 13 & 16 - use of capital letters and spelling rules
4th quarter: Handbook Chapters 1, 7 and 18 - sentences

Our process for grammar chapters is as follows:

1) Students take complete Cornell Notes of the entire chapter (rules, definitions and examples, only, NO "exercises")
2) Students bring the notes to class for "teaching:" including but not limited to: oral quiz "games," worksheets, etc.
3) Students are tested on the chapter, OPEN NOTES
4) The entire process usually takes one week, from a Tuesday-Tuesday or Friday-Friday, and so on).

Students are welcome to self-study and work ahead. Students may arrange in advance with me to take the test early - I just need a day or two to make copies of the test. Early (independent) test takers will receive extra credit (20 points) if they pass the test with 80% or above, but they may not re-take the test if lower than 80%.

DUE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, NO LATE WORK ACCEPTED

SECOND DRAFT OF ESSAY (TYPED, WITH CORRECTIONS MADE) - 50 points

FIRST DRAFT OF ESSAY (WITH PEER EDITS ATTACHED) - 25 points

NOTE:

I WILL BE EDITING AND RETURNING 2ND DRAFTS ON TUE/WED (NOV1&2) FOR FINAL DRAFT SUBMISSION THU/FRI (NOV 3&4) OF NEXT WEEK. STUDENTS WITHOUT A SECOND DRAFT WILL RECEIVE A ZERO ON THE FINAL DRAFT AS WELL. MEANING, FINAL DRAFTS MUST HAVE GONE THROUGH MY 2ND DRAFT EDIT.

AS FOR THE GRADING OF THE THIRD DRAFT, SEE MY COMMENTS ON THE ASSIGNMENT IN AERIES.

TUE/WED (10/25-26) FIRST DRAFT OF "RESPONSE TO LITERATURE" ESSAY IS DUE.

Here are some ideas we used today to advise students on HOW TO START THE ESSAY:

1) Think about what you liked or disliked about The Masque of the Red Death.
2) Add two more things that you liked or disliked about the story.
3) This will eventually be your thesis statement.
4) Write three body paragraphs, using the "evidence" handout from class to guide you.
5) Add an exciting sentence to start the first paragraph, three more sentences in between the first sentence and the "thesis sentence."
6) Wrap it up with a concluding paragraph that says pretty much the same thing as the introduction paragraph, but using different words and phrases.

YOUR DRAFT MUST INCLUDE:

1) TYPED, 12 PITCH, TIMES NEW ROMAN FONT

2) DOUBLE-SPACING (A.K.A. SKIP LINES, SO EDITING CAN BE DONE IN MARGINS!)

3) YOUR ESSAY MUST BE A MINIMUM OF 500, MAXIMUM 700 WORDS

4) THE ESSAY MUST BE A MINIMUM 5 PARAGRAPHS, AS FOLLOWS:

5) STRUCTURE AS FOLLOWS:

a. Introductory paragraph with a "grab" or "hook" sentence as the first sentence and a thesis statement as the last sentence.

b. ~ d. THREE BODY PARAGRAPHS, BASED ON THE "EVIDENCE" HANDOUT FROM CLASS - see attachment on the "Masque of the Red Death" page on this web page

e. CONCLUSION RESTATING THE THESIS AND MAJOR POINTS IN DIFFERENT WORDS

• EACH ESSAY REWRITE WILL BE WORTH 50 POINTS.
• EACH PEER EDIT WORKSHEET WILL BE WORTH 25 POINTS.
• STUDENTS WITHOUT A DRAFT WILL LOSE 75 POINTS AND BE PUT ON THE ZAP LIST FOR THE WEEK.

THU/FRI (10/27-28) THE ESSAYS WILL BE REWRITTEN, WITH CORRECTIONS MADE, AND BROUGHT BACK (WITH FIRST DRAFT INCLUDED).

MS. MORRIS AND MS. BURGETT WILL THEN DO A "TEACHER LEVEL" EDIT AND HAND THE ESSAYS BACK TO YOU ON THE FOLLOWING TUE/WED (11/1-2).

A THIRD AND FINAL DRAFT REWRITE, WHICH WILL BE DUE THU/FRI (11/3-4).

ALSO DUE 11/3-4: THE ENTIRE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH PORTFOLIO WITH ALL CONTENTS INTACT – SEE TABLE OF CONTENTS HERE AND USE AS A CHECKLIST (50 pts)

1. Bellwork, “If you were a king or queen…”
2. Original version of “Masque”
3. Adapted version of “Masque”
4. Setting worksheet, unless posted on window
5. Powerpoint notes
6. TB fact sheet
7. Symbolism sheet
8. Characterization
9. Critical literacy worksheet
10. Essay packet, including:
a. Evidence worksheet
b. 1st, 2nd and 3rd drafts
c. 2 peer edit worksheets
d. Essay rubric

Read the article on page 181 of the Literature Textbook. Answer ALL questions on pahe 183, including ALL four "Reading Check" questions, in full sentences, and ALL four "Test Practice" questions, with not only the letter answer, but an explanation of WHY you chose that answer.

The Masque of the Red Death Packet (Checklist)

Adapted version (worth 25) - read in class, use as guide for original, due 10/18&19
Power point notes (worth 25) - as seen in class, follow up on this web site to complete, turn in 10/18&19
Original version with annotations (worth 50) - in class and at home, due 10/18&19
TB worksheet (worth 50) - as homework, handed out in class, due 10/13&14
Setting activity (worth 25) - classwork, collected 10/13&14
Character activity (worth 25) - classwork next week
Color symbolism activity (worth 25) - classwork next week
Critical literacy activity (worth 25) - classwork next week
COMING ATTRACTIONS:
Critical Analysis Essay (Shafer Method, including Evidence Paragraph worksheet), worth 100 points, due date TBA, likely week of 10/23

Read "Mother and Daughter" by Gary Soto in class on Thu/Fri of this week. Questions after story on page 116 will be due for review in class on Tue/Wed of next week (10/11+12).

10/10 being a furlough day, vocabulary tests will be given on 10/11 and 10/12 in class. Cornell Notes for the vocabulary will also be due on this day.

INTRODUCTION TO "THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH" BY EDGAR ALLAN POE

Day 1
1) Power Point with accompanying notes
2) Non-fiction related article handout
3) Theme/Setting/Genre/Plot matching game
4) Adapted version read aloud to class

GOING FORWARD:

Day 2
1) Unabridged version to be read out loud by the students, with annotations.
2) Setting activity- drawing the castle
3) Introduction to symbolism (possible short PowerPoint)
4) Symbolism activity- color symbolism discussed in groups and shared with the class, notes will be taken on the drawings of the castle.

Day 3
1) Finish reading (and annotating) unabridged version out loud in class (students read)
2) Character activity- draw characters "Prince Prospero" and "Red Death" and write character traits and descriptions with evidence from the text. Share ideas with the class.
3) Discuss themes and supporting evidence- students take notes
4) Critical Literacy activity- finish coordinating worksheet using other notes
5) Evidence Paragraph activity- go over example paragraph, students complete the worksheet using other notes.


**NOTE** The abridged/ adapted version is only to help students understand the full, original version. When completing assignments, student should use evidence and quotes ONLY from the full, original version- NOT the adapted version. Also, the adapted version is ONLY available for/in class, it will not be posted here. The full-length version IS posted here (below).

**UPDATE**
Some people were having trouble opening the PowerPoint presentation. We have also uploaded the same presentation as a WORD document (called "Masque of the Red Death Powerpoint- word version.doc"). The WORD version also includes lecture notes to help you understand more and to help you finish the PowerPoint Notes worksheet.

THE SOUND OF THUNDER

Note: the "due date" was originally set for tomorrow, but we kept the classwork part of the assignment with us to complete tomorrow and Wednesday. Tomorrow, homework will be assigned, and due NEXT Tuesday/Wednesday.

A Sound of Thunder, by Ray Bradbury

Standards:

1) Foreshadowing
2) Descriptive Language
3) Establishment of characters’ personalities through dialogue

Reader’s Theatre technique for reading aloudin class.

Students will annotate (after or during the reading):

1) highlight and create a word list (unknown words)
2) underline examples of foreshadowing
3) circle examples of similes, metaphors, other literary devices
4) mark the climax/turning point of the story

Students read “Sample Student Essay” and mark it up for:

1) Thesis statement
2) Topic sentence in each body paragraph
3) Three topics reviewed in conclusion

Homework:

“Study Guide” questions, to be reviewed in class after due date (9/27-28)

Related bellwork(s):
“What is your favorite time period?”
“How would your life be different if one thing was altered (changed) in your past.”

If you would like to watch (or re-watch) the dramatic film we presented in class, please see the "link" below for Part 1, and find Parts 2 and 3 yourself on YouTube.

Bellwork: What do you think you need to make your classes easier for you to understand?

In class Tue/Wed: finish viewing of "The Boy in Striped Pajamas." Film Viewing guide due at end of class for 25 points; guide must be COMPLETELY filled with answers to questions, comments, notes, etc.. (Annotation of the film on paper I passed out in class). Students who were absent on Thursday can watch the end and turn in what they saw/thought on that day. They may make up the entire movie before January, as written in the other entry on my web page.

We will also make and take home student portfolios of work. The portfolios must be brought back, signed and dated by a parent, on Thu/Fri. These portfolios will correspond with work entered into Aeries to this time. Progress reports will be issued on or before Tuesday, October 11th.

YETI-LIKE MONSTER GIVES STAID TOWN IN ILLINOIS A FRIGHT

Note: For Period 5 only, this assignment is homework that is due next Tuesday, October 4th. In this class, there is an accompanying workbook we have in the classroom. You may use the workbook to help you complete the homework assignment; tomorrow (Tue 9/27) in class there will be time allocated for this.

FOR ALL OTHER PERIODS (1, 2, 3, 4, 6): this assignment has already been collected, graded, and entered into Aeries, please disregard this notice.

This week in class, we will read the "Informational Materials" selection on pages 15-18 in the Literature Book. Due to assembly and early release (Thu) scheduling, some classes will complete this assignment in class, and some will do it as homework. The assignment is as follows:

Class discussion of fiction versus non-fiction, featuring the analysis of a news story (pages 16&17), with emphasis on: chronological order, structure and (author's) purpose. Students will answer questions 1-6 on page 18 in full sentences, as well as mutliple choice questions 1-4 on the same page. For the multiple choice questions, students will provide a REASON for why they chose the letter answer, and THEN write the letter of the answer they chose.

On Thursday/Friday in class, the assignment will be collected, graded and entered into Aeries.

DUFFY'S JACKET
This assignment is not "homework" per se, it is classwork. However, I am posting it here in case any students were absent over the two days: September 13th and 14th, where we read the short story "Duffy's Jacket" (pages 7-12 in the Literature textbook). We did/are doing the accompanying questions (1-5) together in class on September 15 & 16 as a preview to HOW homework assignments are to be completed from now on.

Completed questions (ample time gvien in class) are worth 25/25 points. 13/25 means "incomplete." Unlike other assignments, that are all collected when due, with no late work accepted, the last day we will accept this FIRST assignment for full credit will be Monday, September 19th.

Syllabus parent signature sheet is due back Thursday (for periods 1, 3, 5) and Friday (for periods 2, 4, 6).

On time submission: 50 points
Submitted Monday, September 12th: 40 points
Submitted later: 25 points

Also due today: Videotape permission sheet (for my student teacher, Ms. Natascha Burgett of USC Rossier School of Education)