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    Win a grammar game and you'll win a hand-picked Jolly Rancher and some delicious extra credit. (Disclaimer: Wrong answers might produce electric shock.)

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

You can send me email at rwright at RoomC6 dot com.

Click on the subscribe button to get on the daily email list.

Reading Log instructions

Reading Log template as a jpeg..

Reading Log as a pdf you can print out and use.

Bookmarker Sample and instructions.

(Index cards are kept by the TV.)

Proofreading Symbols

Goats For Peace

Four given; working on Number Five.

A news article about a Morrill teacher.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Today in class we spent more time on The Lady or the Tiger.

The weekend homework is to complete your reading log.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Tonight's homework is on Medusa and it's from the Green Literature book. "Green Lit. p. 42, #1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11"

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Tonight's homework is "Literature p. 276, #1-5; p. 277, #1-5" or "Interview" (with instructions on p. 276, minimum 200 words.)

Monday, March 19, 2012

Your homework for tonight is "Literature p. 256, #1-10"

Friday, March 16, 2012

Your homework for the weekend is to complete your reading log and to answer the Irish song questions.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Your only homework for tonight is to do the "When I Met Narcissus" assignment for which you have an extra day.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Reread the story of Echo and Narcissus on p. 205.

Do "Grammar p. 324, Ex.2"

Write a dialogue titled "When I Met Narcissus."

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Tonight's homework:  "Literature p. 235, 1-3 & 1-5."

Monday, March 12, 2012

Tonight's homework:   

Reread After Twenty Years by O. Henry, p. 255. 

Do "Literature p. 230, #1-10."

Friday, March 9, 2012

Weekend homework: In addition to completing the weekly reading log, it is "Literature p. 212, 213, 215, 216."

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Reread p. 197-202.

Tonight's homework: "Literature p. 201, #1-5 & 1-4"; p. 202."

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Today you had a substitute and you read "User Friendly."

Tonight's homework: "Literature p. 196, #1-8."

Remember not to turn in any homework until I return.

Some students are already taking the online quizzes and earning extra credit and winning Jolly Ranchers. Megan, Walton and Emily are among the winners.

The subject predicate quiz.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Today you had a substitute and you took a district test (I think). There's no new homework. Due tomorrow will be what was supposed to be due today.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Today you had a substitute.

Classwork: Ten Minute Writing on a half-sheet of paper. The topic was to write on one or more of the Edgar Allan Poe stories we read in class this year. (The Tell-Tale Heart and the Cask of Amontillado.) Turned in during class.

Read together and discuss p. 180-182, The Fall of the House of Poe. 

Homework: Do both sections of p. 183  and p. 184 on a paper titled "Literature p. 183 & 184."

Do not turn in any homework until I return.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Today you had a substitute.

Discussed in class, "How is The Highwayman like Romeo and Juliet and how is it different?" 

"Literature p. 145, #1-5 & #1-3."

Read together "The Tejano Soul of San Antonio," 

"Literature p. 148,  #1-4 & #1-5" 

For weekend homework, students are to complete the two assignments above plus a reading log. 

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Your homework for tonight is to write for 15-20 minutes on what exactly was Dr. Heideggar's experiment and what was learned by it?

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Your homework tonight is "Literature p. 168, #3-8."

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Your homework for tonight is to summarize The Highwayman.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Homework is "Literature p. 144, #1-11"

Friday, February 17, 2012

Your homework for the break is to complete one reading log.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Tonight's homework is a 20 minute writing on the topic, Did Friar Lawrence do the right thing? Why or why not?

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Your homework for tonight is to read your A.R. book for 20 minutes or more. Have it documented in your reading log and signed. Show me your reading log tomorrow.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Your homework for tonight is to read your A.R. book for 20 minutes or more. Have it documented in your reading log and signed. Show me your reading log tomorrow.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Tonight's homework is to summarize what you saw of Romeo and Juliet today. The summary needs to be on a half-sheet of paper.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Your weekend homework is to summarize what you saw of Romeo and Juliet today. The summary needs to be on a half-sheet of paper. Also, your completed reading log will be due on Monday.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Tonight's homework is to summarize what you saw of Romeo and Juliet today. The summary needs to be on a half-sheet of paper.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Tonight's homework is to summarize what you saw of Romeo and Juliet today. The summary needs to be on a half-sheet of paper.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Tonight's homework is to summarize what you saw of Romeo and Juliet today. The summary needs to be on a half-sheet of paper.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Your homework is to describe three characters from Romeo and Juliet. Do this on a half-sheet of paper.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Your homework is to complete your reading.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

You get an extra day on three of the assignments. Due tomorrow are these four assignments from the Red Level book:

"King Midas, p. 38, #1-12"

"Baucis and Philemon, p. 42, #1-10"

"Axe Porridge, p. 46, #1-7"

"The Two Brothers, p. 49, #1-8"

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

You will have an extra day to turn in your second draft.

Also due tomorrow from the Red Level book:

"King Midas, p. 38, #1-12"

"Baucis and Philemon, p. 42, #1-10"

"Axe Porridge, p. 46, #1-7"

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Today we peer edited our first drafts.

Tonight's homework is to write a second draft. It needs to be typed or written in pen on onlined paper. You may also email me a copy.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Today in class we started the first draft of our next composition.

What Is Love? or What Is Friendship?

It is to be three paragraphs and it's to have byline.

Your homework is to complete your first draft.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Your weekend homework is to complete your reading log.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Tonight's homework is out of the Red Level literature book. "Demeter p. 26, Myth, Setting, Words from Myths"

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Tonight's homework is out of the Red Level literature book. "Demeter p. 26, #1-11"

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Tonight's homework is out of the Red Level literature book. "Arachne p. 19, #1-10"

Monday, January 23, 2012

Tonight's homework is out of the Red Level literature book. "Prometheus p. 9, #1-13"

Friday, January 20, 2012

Your homework is to complete your reading log.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Your homework is a proofreading half-sheet.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Today we worked on our Orange Grammar assignments.

Tonight's homework is the proof reading half-sheet I gave you.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Today we watched a video of Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream speech.

Homework is a twelve minute writing on a half-sheet on the topic of your choice.

Monday, January 16, 2012

No school. Martin Luther King's birthday.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Tonight's homework is to answer the questions on Subterranean Homesick Blues.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

I was out sick today and you had no new homework. In class, you worked on orange book grammar assignments.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Your homework for tonight is to write a paragraph about Charles Dickens. It needs to be at least 40 words in length.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Today in class we took a district test.

Tonight's homework is the vocabulary sheet (201) that I passed out.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Tonight's homework is the Review B worksheet on adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions and interjections.

Also, you are to complete the paper you titled "Point of View" in which you write your own examples of 1st person, 2nd person, 3rd person and 3rd person omniscient. 

Friday, January 6, 2012

Today in class we read the Linda Barry story called Bridge over Troubled Water.

The weekend homework is the reading log and the worksheet on the story.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Today in class we talked more about appositives and we talked about antecedents. Some students had time to work on assignments from the Orange Grammar book.

Your homework for tonight is the sheet of paper I handed out on appositives.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Today we started working on the 16 in-class Orange Grammar assignments. The first assignment was about appositives. 

Periods A and B took home Red Level literature books.

Tonight's homework is two grammar sheets

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Your homework for tonight is to read the news article, An Act of Kindness and to write about it. Explain what happened and what you feel about it.

Monday, January 2, 2012

No school.

Friday, December 16, 2011

Your homework is to read Floyd Dell's story about his 6th Christmas and to answer the questions.

Also, you are to complete one reading log.

My Sixth Christmas    By Floyd Dell   Questions

Answer each question with complete sentences.

1. What year did this story take place?

2. Why did the father read a lot?

3. Why did Floyd stop going to Sunday school?

4. After Floyd stopped going to Sunday school, how could he tell it was Sunday?

5. Why did the father seem delighted when they had potato soup for dinner?

6. Why didn't Floyd live with his brother?

7. Why was Floyd able to be around his father a lot?

8. Why didn't the mother want Floyd to write his name on the envelope?

9. How did Floyd find out what was in the envelope?

10. Why didn't Floyd return to school in the fall, according to his mother?

11. What is the real reason that Floyd didn't return to school?

12. How many children were in the family? One? Two? Three? Four or more?

13. What are two things the father joked about in this story?

14. What did Floyd's body know before his mind did?

15. How could his body know something before his mind did?

16. What did Floyd whisper in the dark? 

17. Why did he whisper it more than once?

18. Why was Floyd's emotion cold rather than hot?

19. What does Floyd compare to a tooth?

20. On what day of the week was December 23?

21. What did Floyd want for Christmas on December 23?

22. What did Floyd want for Christmas on December 25?

My Sixth Christmas

By Floyd Dell

That fall, before it was discovered that the soles of both my shoes were worn clear through, I still went to Sunday school. And one time the Sunday-school superintendent made a speech to all the classes. He said that these were hard times, and that many poor children weren't getting enough to eat. It was the first time that I had heard about it. He asked everybody to bring some food for the poor children next Sunday. I felt very sorry for the poor children.

Also, little envelopes were distributed to all the classes. Each little boy and girl was to bring money for the poor, next Sunday. The pretty Sunday-school teacher explained that we were to write our names, or have our parents write them, up in the left-hand corner of the little envelopes. ... I told my mother all about it when I came home. And my mother gave me, the next Sunday, a small bag of potatoes to carry to Sunday school. I supposed the poor children's mothers would make potato soup out of them. ... Potato soup was good. My father, who was quite a joker, would always say, as if he were surprised, "Ah! I see we have some nourishing potato soup today!" It was so good that we had it every day. My father was at home all day long and every day, now; and I liked that. I had my parents all to myself, too; the others were away. My oldest brother was in Quincy, and memory does not reveal where the others were: perhaps with relatives in the country.

Taking my small bag of potatoes to Sunday school, I looked around for the poor children; I was disappointed not to see them. I had heard about poor children in stories. But I was told just to put my contribution with the others on the big table in the side room.

I had brought with me the little yellow envelope, with some money in it for the poor children. My mother had put the money in it and sealed it up. She wouldn't tell me how much money she had put in it, but it felt like several dimes. Only she wouldn't let me write my name on the envelope. I had learned to write my name, and I was proud of being able to do it. But my mother said firmly, no, I must not write my name on the envelope; she didn't tell me why. On the way to Sunday school I had pressed the envelope against the coins until I could tell what they were; they weren't dimes but pennies.

When I handed in my envelope, my Sunday school teacher noticed that my name wasn't on it, and she gave me a pencil; I could write my own name, she said. So I did. But I was confused because my mother had said not to; and when I came home, I confessed what I had done. She looked distressed. "I told you not to!" she said. But she didn't explain why. ...

I didn't go back to school that fall. My mother said it was because I was sick. I did have a cold the week that school opened; I had been playing in the gutters and had got my feet wet, because there were holes in my shoes. My father cut insoles out of cardboard, and I wore those in my shoes. As long as I had to stay in the house anyway, they were all right.

I stayed cooped up in the house, without any companionship. We didn't take a Sunday paper any more, and though I did not read small print, I could see the Santa Clauses and holly wreaths in the advertisements.

There was a calendar in the kitchen. The red days were Sundays and holidays; and that red was Christmas. I knew just when Christmas was going to be.

But there was something queer! My father and mother didn't say a word about Christmas. And once when I spoke of it, there was a strange, embarrassed silence; so I didn't say anything more about it. But I wondered, and was troubled. Why didn't they say anything about it? Was what I had said I wanted too expensive?

I wasn't arrogant and talkative now. I was silent and frightened. What was the matter? Why didn't my father and mother say anything about Christmas? As the day approached, my chest grew tighter with anxiety.

Now it was the day before Christmas. I couldn't be mistaken. But not a word about it from my father and mother. I waited in painful bewilderment all day. I had supper with them, and was allowed to sit up for an hour. I was waiting for them to say something. "It's time for you to go to bed," my mother said gently. I had to say something.

"This is Christmas Eve, isn't it?" I asked, as if I didn't know.

My father and mother looked at one another. Then my mother looked away. Her face was pale and stony. My father cleared his throat, and his face took on a joking look. He pretended he hadn't known it was Christmas Eve, because he hadn't been reading the papers. He said he would go downtown and find out.

My mother got up and walked out of the room. I didn't want my father to have to keep on being funny about it, so I got up and went to bed. I went by myself without having a light. I undressed in the dark and crawled into bed.

I was numb. As if I had been hit by something. It was hard to breathe. I ached all through. I was stunned — with finding out the truth.

My body knew before my mind quite did. In a minute, when I could think, my mind would know. And as the pain in my body ebbed, the pain in my mind began. I knew. I couldn't put it into words yet. But I knew why I had taken only a little bag of potatoes to Sunday school that fall. I knew why there had been only pennies in my little yellow envelope. I knew why I hadn't gone to school that fall — why I hadn't any new shoes — why we had been living on potato soup all winter. All these things, and others, many others fitted themselves together in my mind, and meant something.

Then the words came into my mind and I whispered them into the darkness.

"We're poor!"

That was it. I was one of those poor children I had been sorry for, when I heard about them in Sunday school. My mother hadn't told me. My father was out of work, and we hadn't any money. That was why there wasn't going to be any Christmas at our house.

"We're poor." There in bed in the dark, I whispered it over and over to myself. I was making myself get used to it.

It wasn't so bad, now that I knew, I just hadn't known! I had thought all sorts of foolish things: that I was going to Ann Arbor — going to be a lawyer — going to make speeches in the Square, going to be President. Now I know better.

I had wanted (something) for Christmas, I didn't want it, now. I didn't want anything.

I lay there in the dark, feeling the cold emotion of renunciation. (The tendrils of desire unfold their clasp on the outer world of objects, withdraw, shrivel up. Wishes shrivel up, turn black, die. It is like that.)

It hurt. But nothing would ever hurt again. I would never let myself want anything again.

I lay there stretched out straight and stiff in the dark, my fists clenched hard upon Nothing...

In the morning it had been like a nightmare that is not clearly remembered — that one wishes to forget. Though I hadn't hung up any stocking there was one hanging at the foot of my bed. A bag of popcorn, and a lead pencil, for me. They had done the best they could, now they realized that I knew about Christmas. But they needn't have thought they had to. I didn't want anything.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Your homework is to answer the Gift of The Magi questions and to complete the vocabulary sheet.

What was the relationship between Jim and Della? 

What color were Della's fingers?

What color was her hair?

What color was the carpet?

What color was the watch?

What color was the watch chain?

What color was Madame Sofronie?

What wet the carpet?

What was Della doing when she got the idea of selling her hair?

How long was Della's hair? 

Why was Della looking at a cat walking on a fence? 

When is there another reference to a cat?

What does the author tell us about the couch? The door bell? The rug?  Jim's overcoat? Jim's gloves? And why does he tell us these things?

Describe what a setter is like the moment it detects the scent of a quail.

Why are we asked to regard with discreet scrutiny some inconsequential object in the other direction?

Della will be able to use the combs  someday when her hair grows back, but will Jim ever be able to use his present? Give your opinion and explain it.

Were Jim and Della wise or dumb? Give your opinion and explain.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Tonight's homework is to summarize "Christmas Story" by John Henry Faulk. 

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Tonight's homework is the Dickens Cloze assignment, #1-30, and the Christmas Carol Questions, 13-23.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Today in class we finished reading Stave One of A Christmas Carol. Your homework for tonight is to answer questions 1-12.

1. Exactly how many years ago did Marley die?

2. How many people mourned Marley's death?

3. Why that number?

4. Why didn't children ask Scrooge what time it was?

5. What are two things that Scrooge believes is bad about Christmas?

6. Does Scrooge's clerk get any paid vacation time? If so, how much?

7. Why does Scrooge like darkness?

8. What made Scrooge want to look under his sofa?

9. Is Marley a happy ghost? Why?

10. What does Marley have to do now that he didn't do when he was alive?

11. What is Marley warning Scrooge about? 

12. According to Scrooge, why is it good that poor people starve to death?

Friday, December 9, 2011

Today we continued reading Dickens and we discussed the elements of his style.

Series

Repetition

Tangents (digressions)

External/Internal comparisons

Alliteration

Fat fetched metaphors/similes using personification

Your homework for the weekend is to complete your reading log.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Today we read more Dickens. Your homework is to summarize what we read.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Today in class we continued reading Dickens. We reviewed his elements of style and added alliteration to the list.

Tonight's homework is "Vocabulary 21-45."

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Today in class we read the first four paragraphs of Stave One in A Christmas Carol and we talked the style of Charles Dickens:

tangents, digressions

series, lists

repetition of words and ideas

indirect character descriptions

Homework for tonight is to write the definitions of the first 20 words form the list of 45 Christmas Carol words.

1. abundance

2. apparition

3. apprentice

4. avarice

5. benevolence

6. bleak

7. capacious

8. compound

9. comprehensive

10. covetous

11. defiance

12. desolation

13. dismal

14. endeavoring

15. executor

16. extinguished

17. facetious

18. fancy

19. flaunting

20. forbearance

21. homage

22. immortal

23. intimation

24. involuntarily

25. jovial

26. keenly

27. livid

28. multitude

29. obscure

30. ominous

31. opaque

32. penetrated

33. phenomenon

34. portly

35. procure

36. receded

37. recollection

38. remonstrated

39. resolute

40. shun

41. spectacles

42. succeeded

43. surplus

44. tacitly

45. transparent

Monday, December 5, 2011

Today we watched a little bit Spellbound and had our own spelling bee.

Tonight's homework is vocabulary sheet 61. 

Friday, December 2, 2011

Today we took a spelling test on the third column of words and then we watched some of the spelling bee documentary.

The homework for this weekend is to complete your reading log.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Today we took a spelling test. Tonight's homework is to study for our next spelling test which will be on words 55-81.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Today we had a spelling test and we peer evaluated our 2nd drafts.

Tonight's homework is to study for tomorrow's spelling test and to complete a third draft of the composition on unlined paper. You may also email it to me. The spelling words will be from #28 to #54 on your list.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Today we peer edited our first drafts. Tonight's homework is to write a second draft and to study for tomorrow's spelling test which will be on the first 50 words from the spelling list.

1. brochure

2. punctual

3. condiment

4. hostile

5. fascinating

6. impel

7. serenade

8. hydrogen

9. ecstatic

10. leisure

11. municipal

12. nocturnal

13. schooner

14. elegant

15. stratosphere

16. telepathic

17. calzone

18. jubilant

19. syllable

20. fajitas

21. allergenic

22. barracks

23. technician

24. remorseful

25. emphasize

26. conjure

27. animation

28. frivolous

29. intercept

30. disappoint

31. pursuit

32. lullaby

33. livelihood

34. embryo

35. juvenile

36. accrued

37. duress

38. matrimony

39. parasite

40. desperately

41. chickabiddy

42. onslaught

43. puree

44. competently

45. allocation

46. pristine

47. gourmet

48. adequate

49. potassium

50. ulterior

51. harmonious

52. compromise

53. insulation

54. inflammable

55. chromosome

56. gloaming

57. controversy

58. intrigue

59. malevolent

60. correspondence

61. disappearance

62. loathe

63. reimbursable

64. manifestation

65. dilemma

66. hospice

67. thoroughbred

68. syringe

69. residue

70. siege

71. fedora

72. irritability

73. carnage

74. leniency

75. impenetrable

76. fluoride

77. adolescence

78. epilepsy

79. Camelot

80. incidental

81. parody

82. whimsical

83. genesis

84. amphibian

85. ecosystem

86. militant

87. auditorium

88. surrealist

89. panickiness

90. feign

91. philosophize

92. romaine

93. exaggerate

94. choreographer

95. tentativeness

96. gouge

97. referendum

98. phylum

99. luxurious

100. systematic

Monday, November 28, 2011

Today in class we started a writing assignment which will be posted later in the hall.

The eight titles to choose from:

Christmas

Hanukkah

Kawanza

Winter Solstice

Rudolph--The Real Story

Frosty--The Real Story

Winter

The Real Santa

Your homework is to complete your first draft.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Today in class we performed "Head of Gobbler" which was the story of the first Thanksgiving.

Homework for next week will be the reading log (just one) and the two vocabulary sheets (p. 130 and p. 177.)

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Today we took a test on The Red Girl, p. 150-151.

Homework is a vocabulary sheet (169).

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Today we continued working on the speeches and our Peer Evaluation Sheets. Tonight's homework is a proofreading half-sheet and a vocabulary crossword puzzle sheet.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Today we continued working on the speeches and our Peer Evaluation Sheets on which we write a compliment, a suggestion, and a numeric grade. Tonight's homework is a proofreading half-sheet, either 31A or 31B.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Today in class we continued with our speeches. The homework was proofreading half-sheet 15B.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

I was absent and Mr. Pascual was your sub.

On Monday we will resume the speeches and your reading log will be due.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Tonight's homework is to continue to practice your speech. If you've already given your speech, read your A.R. book.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Tonight's homework is prepare and practice your speech.

You speech is to be about you composition or an A. R. book you've read this year. It is to be between 30-90 seconds in length.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Your homework for tonight is to write a third draft of your composition. It must be in the correct, requested form.

1. It must be typed or handwritten on unlined paper. 

2. If handwritten, it must be in ink.

3. Capitalize only the first letters of the words in the title.

4. The by-line must have three and only three capitals.

5. The by-line must not have a colon or any other punctuation.

6. Do not indent paragraphs.

7. Skip a line between paragraphs.

8. Pictures are encouraged. Don't submit originals because they won't be returned.

9. Do not put your name, date and period in the upper right-hand corner.

10. Compostions may be emailed to me. If emailed, it's better if you copy and paste the text into the body of the email instead of attaching it as a file. Please put your first and last name in the subject line of the email.

Tomorrow, you must bring your first and second drafts to school as well as your third draft.

Keep in mind that your third draft might be posted in the office.

Friday, November 4, 2011

I was absent and had a sub.

During class you were supposed to do some work from the Scope Magazine with the fire on the cover. (Sept. 19)

Also, you peer edited the compositions.

The weekend homework is to write a second draft of  your composition and to complete your reading log.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

We started off the period with a little silent sustained reading. Some students still are not doing their bookmarks correctly. You need a proper bookmark to get A.R. book credit.

Then we started our writing assignment with these six choices for titles:

"What I'm Thankful For" -- Write about what you value most in your life. Video games? Your parents?

"Thanksgiving" -- This can be a story or an opinion piece or a personal refection.

"The First Thanksgiving" -- This can be fiction, nonfiction, or research, or a combination.

"Never Fall In Love With a Turkey" -- This would be fiction (I hope.)

"Autumn" -- This can be fiction, a descriptive essay, a personal reflection, or a poem. If it's a poem, it should be at least 75 words.

"Toby Turkey's Last Laugh"  -- This would be fiction.

I would like your compositions to be three paragraphs. Please separate paragraphs with a blank line.

Please keep in mind that your compositions might be posted in a public place.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

I'm back.

Your homework for tonight is to write a paper titled, "The Hitchhiker."

Tell how the play is different from the video adaptation. Also, summarize the story and explain who the hitchhiker was and how the main character felt at the end of the story and why.

Tuesday, 11.1.11

I was still out sick and your sub was Mr. Pascual.

You worked out of the Green Level book answering questions on page 484-486. 

The only homework was to proofread your composition, "An Evening in October."

Monday, October 31, 2011

I was out sick and you had a sub, Mr. Ausman.

You read the play, "The Hitchhiker."

Homework was to write a paper called, "An Evening in October" which could be fiction, nonfiction, or a combination of both.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Today in class we heard the buried alive story, Helga, from Prairie Home Companion.

The homework for the weekend is the reading log.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

For homework, students are to summarize either "Whisper from the Grave" or the play, "Worked to the Bone" from the Scope Magazine read in class. Mr. Wright was absent. Mr. Pascual was the sub.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Today in class we listened to three stories, The Box, Descent, and Clinkity-Clink.

You have choices for tonight's homework.

You may complete the story of The Box or summarize any one of the three stories.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Today in class we read The Tell-Tale Heart.

Your homework for tonight is to retell the story in your own words. It can be in first person or third person and you may change it around if you like.

Your paper is to be title "The Tell-Tale Heart" and it's to be three paragraphs showing a clear beginning middle and end. You must skip a line between paragraphs.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Today we finished reading The Cask of Amontillado.

Your homework for tonight is to retell the story in your own words. It can be in first person or third person and you may change it around if you like.

Your paper is to be title "The Cask of Amontillado" and it's to be three paragraphs showing a clear beginning middle and end. You must skip a line between paragraphs.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Today in class we started The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe.

We talked about alliteration in "white web-work."

We talked about the two requirements of revenge according to Montressor.

We talked about Montressor's use of reverse psychology in speaking to Fortunato and the servants.

Some words we reviewed were:

Amontillado, pipe, cask, engagement, vault, motley, conical, Medoc, and impunity.

We will continue with the story on Monday.

The weekend homework is to complete your reading log.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Tonight's homework is "Vocabulary."

Write the definitions of the following words and use each in an original sentence.

1. brink

2. fate

3. feverish

4. gritty

5. jostle

6. profound

7 rehabilitate

8. writing

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

If you are in A period, your homework was "Accept/Except" from page 2-3 of the Scope Magazine. Answers were to be written on a half sheet of paper.

If you are in period B, C or E, you had four choices for homework:

1. Summarize what you've read in your A.R. book in the last two weeks.

2. Retell a story your heard in class today.

3. Write a story that has a Doberman.

4. Find an urban legend at Snopes.com and write it in your own words.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

You had a substitute.

The homework was:

"Literature p. 135, #1-6; p. 139, #1-5"

and 

"Underdog Wins"

Monday, October 17, 2011

Your homework for tonight is "Literature p. 134, #7-12."

Friday, October 14, 2011

Homework for the weekend:

1. Write a one page retelling of the story, The Woodcutter. Write three paragraphs that show a clear beginning, middle and end. Please separate paragraphs with a blank line.

2. Reading log.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Today we broke up into small groups to tell individual stories. Then we returned to the whole glass circle to share a few. Your homework for tonight is to summarize the stories you heard today or to write a new story.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Today we heard the story about Stacy. Your homework for tonight is to summarize the story or to write a one page story of your own. It can be original or a story you've heard or read.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Today we finished the story The Smallest Dragonboy.

Your homework for tonight is "Literature p. 134, #1-6."

Monday, October 10, 2011

Tonight's homework is to read p. 118-129 and to complete "Character Inferences" through to number 5.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Homework for the weekend:

1. Reading Log

2. "Page 116, Evaluation and Writing"

For extra credit:  "Etymology, p. 117."

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Today in class we watched a video of the story The Pool Party by Gary Soto, the author who wrote Mother and Daughter.

Your homework for tonight is to summarize and comment on it.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Today we corrected the proofreading half-sheet and we reviewed how to make inferences.

Then we read Gary Soto's story Mother and Daughter.

Tonight's homework is "Literature p. 116, #1-6"

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

We have three items for homework.

1. "Character Traits" 1/2 sheet with "Vocabulary" on the back.

You are to write 5 character traits you like and 5 that you don't like.

For "Vocabulary, you are to write each vocabulary word in you own sentences. The 5 vocabulary words can be found on page 108.

2. "Character Traits" full sheet. You are to pick four characters from fiction or nonfiction and write 3-10 of their character traits.

3. Proofreading 1/2 sheet 17A. Here are the clues:

line

number       corrections

1                    1

2                    3

3                    0

4                    4

5                    2

6                    1

7                    2

8                  10

9                    2

                  -------

total:            25

Capitalization         15

Apostrophe              1

Comma                    5

Period                      2

Word                        2

                            -----

Total:                     25

Monday, October 3, 2011

Today I read to the class Super Dooper Jezebel by Tony Ross and we looked at pages 106 and 107 in the literature book. (In some classes I also told the story of Jack and the Beanstalk.)

For homework tonight, you are to pick any three characters from these stories:

Super Dooper Jezebel

Cinderella

Little Red Riding Hood

Jack and The Beanstalk

On a paper titled "Characterization," describe the five ways we come to know each character. Use the five categories on p. 106-107.

Friday, September 30, 2011

Today in class we compared news articles and checked to be sure they all had headlines, bylines and datelines.

We got two new proofreading half-sheets, 15B which was review, and 17A which was new.

Here are clues for 17A

Line number followed by number of corrections:

1     2

2     2

3     2

4     5

5     3

6     1

7     2

8     1

    _____

      18

Type of corrections:

Caps                       4

Close up space        1

Word                       3

Apostrophe             1

Comma                   4

Period                     1

Question mark        2

take-out                 2

                            -----

                              18

The homework for the weekend is to complete the reading log and the two proofreading half-sheets.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Tonight's homework is to write a newspaper article about Beatrice Bira. (See goatsforpeace.com)

The news article needs to have a headline, byline and dateline. See page 62 and 63 of the literature book for definitions and an example. The body of the article should be between 50 and 100 words.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Today we had another vocabulary test on the same latin words.

Tonight's homework:

1. Get your progress report signed by a parent.

2. "Literature p. 93, 97, 99, 100"

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Today we compared homework.

Then we studied for and had a test on these latin words from page 41:

1. prehendere

2. ligare

3. specere

4. adaptare

5. terra

6. ambulare

7. terrere

8. pedis

9. dicere

10. mater

11. jus

12. ignire

13. ducere

Tonight's homework is "Literature p. 47" on a 1/2 sheet and to study for tomorrow's vocabulary test which will be on the same words.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Today we read, "Look Mom, No Cavities" and we discussed finding the main idea of informational texts.

Tonight's homework:

"Literature p. 40"

and the proofreading half-sheet which is a review assignment.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Today we spent a lot of time writing and rewriting the assignment that were due today and then we did silent sustained reading.

We talked about p. 37, figuring out meaning of words by looking at contrast.

The weekend homework is "Writing p. 36; Practice p. 37" and completing the reading log.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

I was absent today.

You have three new items for homework:

"Reading Check, p. 36"

"Interpretations, p. 36

"Writing, p. 66"

For the Reading Check, students are to answer the questions 1-5 with complete sentences and to complete the chart in #6.

For Interpretations, students are to answer the questions with complete sentences. Some questions will require more detailed answers.

For Writing, students are to write at least a couple of paragraphs.

The homework that was due today, the "Rikki-Tikki Plot Retelling" paper with all five plot retellings (p. 23, 25, 26, 29, 30), will also be due tomorrow.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Today in class we continued to read Rikii-Tikki-Tavi and we saw a couple of short videos related to the story.

Your homework for tonight is to finish your "Rikki-Tikki Plot Retelling" paper with all five plot retellings (p. 23, 25, 26, 29, 30).

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Today in class we watched a short video on snakes to get background on the story we're reading in class.

We did the Quickwrite, page 20, on bullying.

We read Rikki-Tikki-Tavi up to page 25.

Tonight's homework is to do the #2 Plot Box on page 25. Add this to your paper titled, "Rikki-Tikki Plot Retelling."

Monday, September 19, 2011

English:

Today in class we started out with SSR then we read the first couple pages of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi. Everyone titled a paper "Rikki-Tikki Plot Retelling" and responded to question number one.

We then got an early start on tonight's homework:

"Literature p. 88, #6-11; p. 90, #1-5"

Friday, September 16, 2011

English:

Today in class we saw the video of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.

We talked about Joe McCarthy, McCathyism, black listing, the red scare and communism. 

Homework for the weekend is:

1. The Reading Log.

2. "Literature p. 88, #1-4"

Thursday, Septemeber 15, 2011

English:

Today in class we reviewed the terms "complications,"  "inferences" and "scapegoating."

We finished the teleplay "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street."

We talked about who are the real monsters in the story.

Tonight's homework is "Literature p. 79, #1-5."

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

English:

Today in class we reviewed the terms "complications,"  "inferences" and "scapegoating."

An inference may or may not turn out to be true if you get more information.

After the review, we broke up into small groups to read Act One "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street"

Homework for tonight is "Literature p. 78, #1-9"

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

English:

Today we read about subject/verb agreement on page 66 and about complications and inferences in plot on page 67. I told a brief story about a cat with parakeet feathers in its mouth.

We did the Quickwrite on page 67 about jumping to conclusions.

Then we continued reading The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.

Your homework tonight is to write a second draft of your Quickwrite.

Monday, September 12, 2011

English:

Today we corrected the half-sheets, collected the reading logs, had silent sustained reading, and started The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street.

Homework is to write the vocabulary words on page 68 in your own sentences.

Friday, September 9, 2011

English:

Today we took a 40 item English test.

After that, we got the proofreading half-sheet 15A.

Clues:

line    number of corrections

1        0

2        4

3        3

4        6 

5        2

6        4

7        1

8        3

9        2

        ____

         25

types of corrections

cap                14

period              3

word                3

comma            4

take-out          1

                 __________

                     25

Your homework for the weekend is your reading log and the proofreading half-sheet.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

English:

Today we had Part One of our test. Tomorrow we will have a test similar to Part One and we will have Part Two which will be on the vocabulary from pages 6, 15, 20, 48, 62.

Tonight's homework is to study for the tests.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

English:

Today in class we corrected some of the subject/predicate 1/2 sheets.

Students read p. 62-64 of the literature book.

We talked about the importance of including helping verbs when identifying the simple predicate. We noted that forms of "to be" are often helping verbs.

Tonight's homework:

1. "Literature p. 61 & 65"

2. Study for tomorrow's test on the forms of "to be" and the vocabulary from these pages:  6, 15, 20, 48, 62.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

English:

Today in class we corrected the first 10 sentences from the blue sheet called Thirty Sentences. The task was to underline the simple subject once and the simple predicate twice.

We talked about infinitives and the "to be" family member:

is

am

are

was

were

be

being

been

And we talked about regular and irregular verbs.

You have two items for homework tonight:

1. "Literature p. 60, #7-10"

2. "Subjects and Predicates"

For "Subjects and Predicates," make a copy of your "Five Perfect Sentences" and underline the simple subject once and the simple predicate twice.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Labor Day. No School.

Friday, September 2, 2011

English:

Today we started out with SSR (Silent Sustained Reading) of our A. R. books.

Then we continued recruiting members of the GREEN A CLUB for the Five Perfect Sentences.

After that, we talked about subjects, predicates and objects. Mr. Stick was kind enough to participate in a demonstration.

We talked about the difference between subject pronouns and object pronouns.

I passed out a blue sheet of paper which we titled "Thirty Sentences." Part of your homework for the weekend is to complete the activity for this paper which is to underline the simple subject once and the simple predicate twice.

The shortest sentence that students came up with, a sentence with the required subject and predicate, was "I do."

Thursday, September 1, 2011

English:

I checked your vocabulary homework but asked you to keep it in your binder for further study.

Today we continued to read Three Skeleton Key. Your homework for tonight is "Literature p. 60, #1-6." Please answer the questions with complete sentences.

History:

Today we read together page 80-87 from the little blue book on Ancient Rome and then we worked on the maps. Students did such a good job working on the maps that I decided to delay the due to Tuesday. Your only homework tonight is to work on the map but it will be due on Tuesday.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

English:

Today in class we worked more on Five Perfect Sentences in order to expand the Green A Club and hear the Bell of Success ring.

Then we read our A. R. books.

After that, we started Three Skeleton Key on page 50 and talked about point of view.

Tonight's homework is titled "Vocabulary." You are to write the definitions of the vocabulary words on page 20 and page 48 in your own words.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

English:

Today in class we corrected PRHS 31B, we read the story, A Funny Thing Happened on the First Day of School, and we worked on "Five Perfect Sentences."