Mrs. Hislop's Last Day

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As you probably already know, I am going to have a baby very soon . . . October 29, if the baby decides to come on time! My maternity leave will start on Monday, October 17, when Kelsey Dickman, who has up until recently been teaching at Pleasant Valley High School, will take over as your child’s teacher for the rest of the year. Ms. Dickman comes very highly recommended by the teachers and administration at PV, and Mr. Caldera and I are confident that she is the best person to teach your children for the remainder of the school year in my absence. For online updates about what’s going on in English 8, please visit Ms. Dickman's blog at http://msdickman8thgradeenglish.blogspot.com/.

Ms. Dickman will also be continuing our Scholastic book orders this year. If you’re interested in online ordering rather than writing a check to Scholastic, please visit www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. Remember, our class code is HDW3F if you choose to order online.

Thank you again so much for the support you provide to the school and to us as teachers. I truly love my job because I love teaching your children. I will miss them when I’m gone, and look forward to returning next fall!

See you soon,

Mrs. H.

Hello! Please fill out your binder reminder or calendar for the week.

Have your final draft ready.

If you weren't here on Friday, please get your quickwrites from last week out.

Quickwrite 10/7

Quickwrite: Since we've been writing about Facebook, have your actions while Facebook changed at all? Why or why not? (1 paragraph).

PLEASE HAVE YOUR ROUGH DRAFTS OUT ON YOUR DESKS. THANKS.

10/10 to 10/14

Monday 10/10:
1. Binder Reminders/Calendars
2. Elements of Fiction Review/TONE
3. Share Final Drafts/FB Essays
HW: Study for TEST tomorrow

Tuesday 10/11:
1. Quickwrites
2. Grades/Parent Letters
3. Elements of Fiction Test #2
4. Pass Back Work/Binder Clean-out
HW: Parent Letters DUE FRIDAY

Wednesday 10/12:
1. Quickwrites
2. Review Elements of Fiction Test #2
3. Self-Evaluation/Missing Work Make-Ups
HW: Finish your self-evaluation

Thursday 10/13:
1. Quickwrites
2. Missing Work Make-Ups/Letters of Advice/Class Picture
HW: ALL Missing/Late work DUE TOMORROW!!!

Friday 10/14:
1. Quickwrites
2. Persuasive Essay--Pass Back
3. 2nd Quarter Bathroom Passes
4. Teacher Evaluations/Letters of Advice
HW: NO HW!

Sub Day 10/3

Write down on the piece of paper:
1. Your name (doesn't have to be MLA)
2. A paragraph describing how things went with the sub yesterday
3. What your citizenship points should be for tomorrow, on a scale of 1-10. 1 would be HORRIFICALLY AWFUL; 10 would be exactly PERFECT. Be honest. I already know who was off task, and if your self-rating doesn't match the sub's notes, we'll be having a discussion. :)

10/3 to 10/7

Monday 10/3:
1. Elements of Fiction Test
2. Finish Mood Worksheet/"Tell Tale Heart"
HW: NO HW!

Tuesday 10/4:
1. BR/Calendars
2. Review Test
3. Finish FB Essay Prewriting Packet
HW: FB Essay Prewriting Packet

Wednesday 10/5:
1. Quickwrites
2. FB Essay RD
HW: Finish RD

Thursday 10/6:
1. Quickwrites
2. FB Essay Peer Editing
HW: FB Essay Final Draft

Friday 10/7:
1. Quickwrites
2. FB Essay FD Due/Debates

Quickwrite 9/30

So far we have only looked at movie clips that feature scary or horrific moods. If you were going to create a movie preview with a cheerful or happy mood, what effects could you include?

POP QUIZ!

Set up a blank piece of paper in MLA format. Call it "Mood." Number it 1-2.

Watch the following clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2T5_0AGdFic

1. How would you describe the MOOD in the clip?

2. What did the filmmakers do to influence the MOOD?

YouTube MOOD Examples

The Lion King Mood:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbBNqNaZVc8&feature=related

Mary Poppins Mood:
http://www.youtube.com/user/moviemker#p/a/u/0/2T5_0AGdFic

Cinderella Mood:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT5LKxTAe10&NR=1

What sort of mood did all three previews create? How did the filmmakers create those moods?

Numero-Poomba-Snitch Rules

1. Blank piece; MLA format. Title: Numero-Poomba-Snitch
2. Mrs. H. will put you into groups (except for two people). As soon as you're in your group, make sure everyone has a piece of SCRATCH PAPER and their piece of paper set up in MLA.
3. The group's GRAND POOMBA is the only person who can TALK. The GRAND POOMBA is the SHORTEST member of the group.
4. The group SNITCH is the person in charge of keeping everyone SILENT. The SNITCH is the OLDEST member of the group.
5. Your group's FIRST TASK is to come up with a TEAM NAME. Remember, you can't talk . . . but you can pass notes.
6. To earn credit for this activity, you have to turn in your piece of paper with EVERY ANSWER WRITTEN DOWN CORRECTLY.
7. I will have three helpers: the NUMERO MASTER (in charge of keeping score), and the CLIPBOARD KID (in charge of writing down every correct answer in order for me to use as a key later). The NUMERO MASTER is able to DEDUCT POINTS from groups who are talking! :)

Correct Answer = 5 Points
Incorrect Answer = 0 Points
Talking or Whispering = -2 Points per Offense

If you get an answer wrong, you don't earn points, but you lose your turn. The play continues to the next team. If they answer incorrectly, they lose their turn, as well. If they answer correctly, they earn 5 points PLUS have a chance to answer their OWN question.

9/26 to 9/30 UPDATED

Monday 9/26:
1. BR/Calendars
2. Finish FB Article/Begin Prewriting
HW: Part 1 & 2 of Persuasive Essay Packet

Tuesday 9/27:
1. Quickwrites
2. Elements of Fiction Review GAME
HW: Study for Elements of Fiction Test

Wednesday 9/28:
1. Quickwrites
2. Mood "The Tell-Tale Heart" Play
HW: Study for Elements of Fiction Test

Thursday 9/29:
1. Quickwrites
2. Mood "The Tell-Tale Heart" Play
HW: Study for Elements of Fiction Test

Friday 9/30:
1. Collect Quickwrites
2. Elements of Fiction TEST
HW: NO HW!

FB Essay Resources

FB Article:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/magazines/scope/pdfs/SCOPE-090511-EssayKit.pdf

FB Lesson Plan:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/magazines/scope/pdfs/SCOPE-REPRO-090511-8.pdf

9/26 to 9/30

Monday 9/26:
1. BR/Calendars
2. Finish FB Article/Begin Rough Drafts/Thesis Statements
HW: Finish Rough Drafts

Tuesday 9/27:
1. Quickwrites
2. RD Peer Editing
HW: Final draft due Monday 10/3

Wednesday 9/28:
1. Quickwrites
2. Foreshadowing
HW: Final draft due Monday 10/3

Thursday 9/29:
1. Quickwrites
2. Mood ("Skellig")
HW: Study your Elements of Fiction Vocab sheet; TEST tomorrow.

Friday 9/30:
1. Collect Quickwrites
2. Elements of Fiction TEST
HW: Final draft due Monday 10/3

1. Get out your Words to Know/Story Pyramid worksheet. Make sure your name is on it.

2. Blank piece of paper. MLA. Title: VERBS QUIZ.

Instead of a quickwrite today, do this:

1. Get out your Words to Know worksheet from "Raymond's Run." With your partner, fill out the Rising Action and the Falling Action parts on the back.

2. Get out the stuff we started yesterday about Facebook.

"Raymond's Run" Theme?

THEME means the author's main point, message, or moral. What was the THEME of "Raymond's Run"? Write at least a paragraph.

9/19 to 9/23

Monday 9/19:
1. BR/Calendars
2. Pass Back Work
3. Finish "Raymond's Run"
4. RR Vocab/Story Pyramid
HW: Finish RR Vocab

Tuesday 9/20:
1. Quickwrites
2. Simple Predicates
3. RR Vocab/Story Pyramid
4. Start Scope/Facebook Article
HW: Finish Grammar/Simple Predicates

Wednesday 9/21:
1. Quickwrites
2. Simple Predicates
3. Continue Scope/Facebook Article
NO HW!

Thursday 9/22:
1. Quickwrites
2. Thesis Statements
3. Start Facebook Essay Outlining/Brainstorming
HW: Finish your outline

Friday 9/23:
1. Grammar Quiz: Complete Sentences, Subjects, Predicates
2. Facebook Essay Rough Drafts
HW: Finish your RD

1. Get your quickwrites from last week and this week ready for me to collect. They should all be on the same piece of paper.

2. Get your HW from last night out (Simple Subjects) so we can check it.

When we're done checking HW and collecting quickwrites, you will take your quiz.

Happy Friday!

Quickwrite 9/15

For today's quickwrite, tell about a time you had to take care of someone else. How did you feel? Do you enjoy caring for others, or do you view it as a chore?

Write a paragraph or two describing perfect behavior during a classroom discussion.

Please have your grammar HW ready for me to check.

9/12 to 9/16

Monday 9/12:
1. BR/Calendars
2. Complete Sentences
3. "Raymond's Run" Anticipation Guide
HW: Finish Grammar & AG

Tuesday 9/13:
1. Journals
2. AG Debate
3. "RR" Vocab
HW: RR Vocab

Wednesday 9/14:
1. Journals
2. Simple Subjects
3. Begin "Raymond's Run"
NO HW!

Thursday 9/15:
1. Journals
2. Simple Subjects
3. Finish "RR"
HW: Finish Grammar

Friday 9/16:
1. Journals
2. Sentences QUIZ
3. Begin Scope Facebook Article
NO HW!

Quickwrite 9/8

New board games come out all the time, but very few of them catch on. Describe a new board game that you think could be a big hit.

If you'd rather describe a new video game, go for it!

1. Get out your calendar/BR so I can give you extra credit if you have all of August filled out.

2. No quickwrite today . . . we are going to get down to work on our C. and H. project.

IF YOU WERE ABSENT LAST FRIDAY, YOU NEED TO GIVE LAST WEEK'S QUICKWRITES TO ME!
:)

9/6 to 9/9

Tuesday 9/6:
1. Binder Reminders/Calendars
2. Finish Story Pyramid
3. C. & H. Project
HW: C. & H. Project

Wednesday 9/7:
1. Quickwrite
2. C. & H. Project
HW: C. & H. Project

Thursday 9/8:
1. Quickwrite
2. Turn in C. & H.
3. Start Complete Sentences/Verbs
HW: NO HW!

Friday 9/9:
1. Quickwrite
2. Elements of Fiction Quiz
3. Continue Complete Sentences/Verbs
4. Anticipation Guide: "Raymond's Run"
HW: Finish A.G.

Quickwrite 9/2

For today's quickwrite, please write a paragraph describing what you plan to do this weekend. Remember, no school on Monday! Happy Labor Day!

Review yesterday's quickwrite about the five items you would take to an igloo if you were going to be banished for the rest of your life. Now, revise your list, including only items that:

1. You don't have to feed (no friends, family, or pets).
2. Require no electricity, generators, or batteries.

Quickwrite 8/31

If you knew you were going to be banished to an igloo for the rest of your life, what five items would you take along? (Assume you would get all the food, water, heaters, and warm clothes you needed.) Write a paragraph about what you'd take, and why.

8/30 Quickwrite

Before you start today's quickwrite, please set up a new piece of paper in MLA format. Title it "Quickwrites 8/30 to 9/2."

Thanks!

Similes and metaphors are two ways of making comparisons. Similes compare things using the words like or as (Angela is as sly as a fox). Metaphors do not use like or as; they imply that one thing "is" another (All the world's a stage). Write a paragraph that contains three similes and two metaphors.

Fill out your binder reminder or calendar for this week. Remember, I'll be giving you extra credit NEXT WEEK if you have everything filled out for August (and the first two days of September).

When you're done with your calendar, check out the book order catalog. Please don't write on it.

8/29 to 9/2

Monday 8/29:
1. Binder Reminders/Calendars
2. Book Orders
3. Start Elements of Fiction
HW: Write a very short story about the funniest moment of your life. (1-2 paragraphs).

Tuesday 8/30:
1. Quickwrites/Grammar
2. Review DMH Letters
3. Create Writing Folders
4. Continue Elements of Fiction
HW: NO HW!

Wednesday 8/31:
1. Quickwrites/Grammar
2. Continue Elements of Fiction
HW: NO HW!

Thursday 9/1:
1. Quickwrites/Grammar
2. Start Calvin and Hobbes Project
HW: Calvin and Hobbes DUE Wednesday, 9/7

Friday 9/2:
1. Quickwrites/Grammar
2. Continue Calvin and Hobbes
HW: Calvin and Hobbes DUE Wednesday, 9/7

STAR Mirror Assessment Day 3

Hello! Please get out a pencil and put everything else away, unless you have your Dear Mrs. H. final draft to give me. If you still need to turn it in, please leave it on the corner of your desk.

If you are completely done with the test, I have a word game worksheet for you to work on. Once you're finished with the word game, you may either do SSR or HW.

Also, I have cancelled your quiz tomorrow! Hooray! NO HW TONIGHT!

STAR Mirror Assessment Day 2

Hello! Please get out a pencil and put everything else away, unless you have your Dear Mrs. H. final draft to give me. If you still need to turn it in, please leave it on the corner of your desk.

Thank you!

STAR Mirror Assessment

Hello! Please get out a pencil and put everything else away, unless you have your Dear Mrs. H. final draft to give me. If you still need to turn it in, please leave it on the corner of your desk.

Thank you!

Don't forget to tell your parents about Back to School Night tonight. I would love to meet them.

1. Please get out your Dear Mrs. Hislop rough draft, final draft, and rubric.

2. Put them in this order on the side of your desk: Rubric on top, rough draft in the middle, final draft on the bottom.

3. Write down your HW for this week in your binder reminder or calendar.

8/22 to 8/26

Monday 8/22:
1. Journals
2. Collect/Share DMH Final Drafts
3. Start Elements of Fiction: April in Paris
HW: STAR Mirror Test tomorrow. Get plenty of sleep, and eat a great breakfast.

Tuesday 8/23:
1. STAR Mirror Test
HW: Tell your parents to come to Back to School Night tonight at 6:30.

Wednesday 8/24:
1. Journals
2. Finish STAR Mirror
3. Elements of Fiction
NO HW!

Thursday 8/25:
1. Journals
2. Continue Elements of Fiction
HW: Study for your QUIZ tomorrow!

Friday 8/26:
1. Journals
2. Elements of Fiction QUIZ
3. Continue Elements of Fiction
HW: NO HW!

8/19 Quickwrite

Write two paragraphs contrasting your favorite band or musician with your least favorite band or musician. Remember, when you contrast two things, you point out differences between the two.

8/18 Quickwrite

When we're talking, we say suppose to, instead of the grammatically correct supposed to. But suppose to is a made-up phrase. To burn this rule into your brain, write 7 sentences that use supposed to.

Here are some topics for each sentence:
1. Justin Bieber
2. Bees
3. Hawaii
4. Halloween
5. Moustaches
6. Facebook
7. Walnuts

Quickwrite 8/17

Even the best writers rely on obvious words. Practice mental flexibility by writing a paragraph describing a typical August afternoon without using the words hot, humid, heat, or sun.

Set up a piece of paper in MLA format. Title it "Quickwrites 8/16-8/19."

Today's:
Most formal paragraphs consist of at least four or five good sentences. Usually, the first sentence of such a paragraph is the topic sentence, which contains the paragraph's main idea. The rest of the sentences in the paragraph support the main idea. Practice writing a solid formal paragraph with a topic sentence and several supporting sentences. Write your paragraph on the topic "My Most Embarrassing Moment Ever."

Fill out your Binder Reminder or calendar for this week with all your homework.

Get out any parent signature forms or computer use forms you have for me.

8/15 to 8/19

Monday 8/15:
1. Collect Forms
2. Reading Assessment
3. Personal Crests

Tuesday 8/16:
1. Finish Reading Assessment
2. Personal Crests
HW: Have your computer use form signed. Due tomorrow.

Wednesday 8/17:
1. Journals
2. Collect Forms
3. DMH Brainstorming and Rough Draft
4. Personal Crests
HW: Crests due tomorrow.

Thursday 8/18:
1. Journals
2. DMH Rough Drafts
3. Editing and Revising
4. Final Draft Requirements
HW: Final Draft Due TOMORROW.

Friday 8/19:
1. Journals
2. DMH Final Draft Read-Around
3. Start Elements of Fiction
HW: NO HW!

Please get out the two handouts I gave to you yesterday. Look them over with your partner. We are going to have a quiz on that information in just a few minutes. Happy Friday!

8/10 to 8/12

Wednesday 8/10:
1. Welcome to CJHS!
2. Meet Mrs. Hislop
3. Cougar Orientation: Getting Organized
HW: Bring an SSR book, pencils, and your binder tomorrow.

Thursday 8/11:
1. Partner Work
1. Roll and Website
2. Class Information, Rules, and Procedures
HW: Parent signature on all forms by MONDAY 8/15

Friday 8/12:
1. Procedures TEST
2. Getting to Know Mrs. H.
HW: All forms due MONDAY 8/15

Calendars and Binder Reminders

Please get out your binder reminder or calendar. If you need a calendar, I have one for you. Please use it to write down your homework for English for this week. Remember, homework is on the board to your right.

Interesting Questions

6th Period had some interesting questions for me today.

1. How much money do you make? Let's just say it's nowhere close to six digits.

2. Will we change seats any time in the year? Yes. The more you ask me about it, the less often it will happen.

3. Do you give out a lot of homework? Expect homework 3-4 times a week.

4. How long have you been teaching? I have been teaching for eight years.

5. Are we going to have homework every day? No.

6. Do you teach 7th grade as well? This is the first year I haven't had seventh graders!

7. Why do you teach English? I love reading, writing, talking . . .

8. If I need extra help, how can I get it? Ask me for it!

9. What did you do this summer? How was your summer? I did all my favorite things: traveled, read, took naps, played with Lily, stayed up late, and cooked great food. I also went camping with my friends, and I kayaked on Lake Tahoe!

10. Do you like The Beatles? No, I do not like them. I love them.

11. Are you really happy that you are going to have a baby? Yes!

12. What are the medals above your desk for? They are the special medals they give you to wear at your college graduation to show that you worked hard. One is for graduating summa cum laude (which means I was at the top of my class). One is for an honor society called Phi Kappa Phi, and the other is for another honor society, called Golden Key.

13. What will your baby's name be if it's a boy? Probably Michael.

Big Bad Eighth Grader

Here is a short list of some things that happened when I was a big, bad eighth grader:

1. My best friend from sixth and seventh grade, Amy H., suddenly didn't want to be friends anymore, so I had to find a new best friend! Don't worry, it all worked out in the end, but it was DRAMA at the time!

2. I started dating my first boyfriend. (Then we broke up. Then we started going back out again when we were sophomores. Then we broke up. Then we started going back out when we were in college. Then we broke up. Then I met my husband and married him instead. So watch out . . . you could end up dating that eighth grade boyfriend or girlfriend for longer than you'll imagine.)

3. I became friends with some people I still talk to today, like my buddies Tyler, Jessie, and Amy B.! Jessie was a student teacher here at CJHS. Amy B. has a little daughter now, too, so our daughters are now friends!

4. I was a teacher's aide for my favorite history teacher, Mrs. Bishop. That's where I learned how to grade papers and help students.

SIT IN THE FIRST FOUR ROWS OF THE MIDDLE SECTION SO THAT I CAN TAKE A CLASS PICTURE.

WHEN I AM DONE, YOU MAY SIT WITH YOUR FRIENDS IN A SEAT IN THE FIRST THREE ROWS.

Get out:
1. "DEAD POETS SOCIETY" paper from yesterday.

2. Parent surveys.

Unfortunately, we will have to skip a few sections of the movie so that you can see the end. :(

First three rows.

YEARBOOKS PUT AWAY UNLESS YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE IT UNTIL THURSDAY.

Parent surveys OUT!

Blank piece, MLA, pen or pencil.

GO!

Computer Lab 5/18/11

1. Complete the following survey:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/27XS5QM

2. Find someone else who's done with the survey, and practice your vocabulary words.

3. When the entire class is finished, we're going back to the classroom to work on Anne Frank.

5/16 to 5/20

Monday 5/16
1. BR/Calendars
2. Journals
3. Anne Frank
HW: Make sure your AF vocab pictures are completed.

Tuesday 5/17
1. Journals
2. Anne Frank
3. Vocab Check
NO HW!

Wednesday 5/18
COMPUTER LAB
1. Online Survey

Thursday 5/19
1. Journals
2. Anne Frank
3. Review Vocab

Friday 5/20
1. Journals
2. Anne Frank

BLANK PIECE OF PAPER
MLA FORMAT

Please write me a paragraph explaining how to behave when we have a special guest speaker. :)

Guest Speaker Jim Jessee

Map of Poland

Częstochowa-Radomsko Area Research Group

Częstochowa-Radomsko Town Histories

A Few Towns in the Czestochowa-Radomsko Area

http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Czestochowa/Czestochowa.html

Holocaust Research Project

Jessee Genealogy Service

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=DESC&db=jimjessee&id=I151

Computer Lab 5/10/11

Please answer the following questions using the blog comment below.

1. Why does Anne wake up screaming? How does Anne behave when her mother tries to comfort her?

2. What event occurs as they are all celebrating Hanukkah?

3. How does Anne's behavior in Scene 4 relate to the conflict between Anne and her mother that was shown earlier in the play? Do you think Anne was trying to hurt her mother? Explain your answer.

4. What role does faith play in helping Anne, her family, and their friends overcome their fear? Think about the Hanukkah candle that remains lit, Mrs. Frank's prayer, and the party's singing of the Hanukkah song after they realize they are safe.

5. Imagine that Mr. Frank had encountered the thief when he went to investigate the noise. Discuss what might have happened and how the other characters might have responded.

6. In Scene 4, Anne says that she is trying to change her bad qualities and behavior. Do you think it is possible to change in this way? Explain your opinion.

7. No one prepares any Hanukkah gifts for Anne. What would be a good gift for her, and why?

Please complete this journal on a separate piece of paper set up in MLA format.

Mr. Frank tells Anne, "There are no walls, there are no bolts, no locks that anyone can put on your mind."

What does he mean?

Please write 1-2 paragraphs explaining what he means, and how his message might apply to your own life.

Internet Movie Database

If you'd like more information about your WWII/Holocaust movie options, this is a reliable website:

The Internet Movie Database
http://www.imdb.com/

5/9 to 5/13

Monday 5/9:
1. BR/Calendars
2. Journals
3. Anne Frank
4. "No Walls"
NO HW! Come to 8th Grade Awards Night!

Tuesday 5/10:
1. Journals
2. Anne Frank
3. Vocab Check
4. Character Journal #2
HW: Finish your character journal

Wednesday 5/11:
1. Journals
2. Blog Comment/Computer Lab
3. Anne Frank Online Worksheet
NO HW!

Thursday 5/12:
1. Journals
2. Jim Jessee, Guest Speaker
3. Anne Frank
HW: Write up your notes from Mr. Jessee's presentation today. Due tomorrow.

Friday 5/12:
1. Thank You Notes for Mr. Jessee
2. Anne Frank
HW: Character Journal #3

Please get out your homework from last night, your calendar, your vocab, your glossary, your large green book, and a pencil. Find Anne Frank in both the large book.

Get out your vocabulary from yesterday. Make sure your pictures are finished. Quiz your partner for FIVE MINUTES only. I am going to come around and stamp your vocabulary if you are done with it.

MUCHAS GRACIAS, MIS ESTUDIANTES FABULOSOS!

For today's journal, please write about the high points and low points of your weekend. Please write at least a paragraph, and include lots of details.

THANK YOU!

PS Have your HOMEWORK OUT ON YOUR DESK for me to collect.

For today's journal, please write a paragraph about what you have learned about Anne Frank and her family over the past few days in the computer lab. Please complete this assignment on a separate sheet of paper set up in MLA format.

Anne Frank and her Family

 

Anne Frank Website

Computer Lab DAY ONE:

Today you will be using THIS WEBSITE to explore what life was like inside the Secret Annex. Be sure to take the entire tour of the Secret Annex today in order to answer the questions on your worksheet.

When you are on the website, scroll down a little. I want you to read and respond to the following four sections of the website:

Anne Frank's History

Anne Frank's Timeline

For this part, just watch the video called "Why go into hiding?"
The Secret Annex Online

Who is Who?

Computer Lab DAY TWO:

Today you will be exploring the Secret Annex using the 3D section of the website.

The Secret Annex 3D

4/26 to 4/29

Tuesday 4/26:
1. Journal Responses to Preview Anne Frank
2. How big was the Secret Annex?
3. Website Preview
4. Giver Essays Due
HW: Finish your writing about the Secret Annex.

Wednesday 4/27:
COMPUTER LAB
1. Blog Comment
2. Research Anne Frank

Thursday 4/28:
COMPUTER LAB
1. Blog Comment
2. Research Anne Frank

Friday 4/29:
1. Research write-ups
2. Anne Frank Vocabulary
HW: Getting Packed Assignment (DUE MONDAY)!!!

The Giver Essay Pointers

Summary:
You just tell what happened. More like an elementary book-report type of thing.

Essay:
You prove, through your own original ideas, a THESIS statement, using examples from the text.

Right now your THESIS (the main idea of your essay) needs to be telling me WHAT YOU THINK THE THEME IS.

Theme:
The author’s main idea, message, or the “moral of the story.”

The theme IS NOT . . .
A summary of what happened. We already know WHAT HAPPENED. We all read the book together in class. I have taught it fourteen thousand times. If you give me four pages of WHAT HAPPENED, I will pull my hair out.

Possible themes for THE GIVER:
•Family and human relationships are important.
•One person can make a difference.
•Unless we know our past, we cannot plan our future.
•True wisdom comes from experiencing both emotional and physical pain.
•Without the hard times, we won’t appreciate the good times.
•Diversity is important. If everyone and everything was the same, life would be boring and meaningless.
•Giving people choices is important. Without choices, we become like robots.
•You should have a say in how you live your life.
•You don’t truly live until you give of yourself.
•We can learn so much from our elders.
•Giving love to others is more important than anything else.
•Although life is messy, we learn from our mistakes and should be allowed to make them from time to time.

By the way, you SHOULD feel frustrated and slightly pushed beyond your boundaries right now. That’s what we call LEARNING.

General Essay Reminders:
•First of all, this is worth 50 points. Make it good.
•Avoid writing “I believe that . . .” or “I think that . . .” I know that your essay is full of your beliefs and thoughts. Duh! It has your name on it. Whose thoughts and beliefs WOULD they be? Unless, of course, you’re plagiarizing, which none of you are doing right now, because you have no Internet access or student examples at the moment.
•Your textual evidence needs to SUPPORT YOUR THESIS.
•Place all textual evidence that you copy directly from the text in QUOTATION MARKS like this:
“He knew that in the danger of his escape he must be absolutely silent; but with his heart and mind, he called back and hoped that with his capacity for hearing-beyond, The Giver would know that Jonas had said goodbye” (153).
•Did you see how I made the page number bold? You DO NOT have to BOLD page numbers in your essay. You DO have to INCLUDE the page numbers for your textual evidence. Put the page number in PARENTHESES AFTER the quotation marks, but before the final punctuation.
•Please do not start your essay like this: “Hi! My name is Joe, and I’m here to tell you all about The Giver!”
•Please do not end your essay like this: “Well, that’s what I thought about the book. I hope you liked my essay. The end.”
•Again, SUMMARY does not equal RESPONSE TO LITERATURE. When you summarize you just tell what happened (like an elementary school book report). When you write a response to literature, you are writing about a specific feature of the text, such as the theme, and proving what your ideas are about it.

Now fly, fly, fly away, little birdies . . . write, write, write.

For your journal today, write to me about what the high points and the low points of your weekend were.

4/18 to 4/21

Monday 4/18:
1. Journals
2. Finish Poetry Presentations
3. Finish "Word Play"

Tuesday 4/19:
STAR Schedule . . . no English!

Wednesday 4/20:
1. Journals
2. Intros and Thesis Statements
3. The Giver Essays

Thursday 4/21:
1. Journals
2. Intros and Thesis Statements
3. The Giver Essays

Friday 4/22:
NO SCHOOL! Have a great four-day weekend and a fabulous Easter! See you TUESDAY, APRIL 26!!!

4/11 to 4/15

All this week:
STAR Testing
Finish Poetry

NO HW!

Get out the lyrics or poem you brought. Share it with your partner, and explain why you chose what you chose.

4/4 to 4/8

Monday 4/4:
1. Journals
2. The Giver Essays
3. Poetry
HW: If you HAVEN'T ALREADY, bring in a copy of your favorite poem or song lyrics.

Tuesday 4/5:
1. Poetry
2. STAR Test Practice
HW: Study your poetry vocab.

Wednesday 4/6:
1. Poetry
2. STAR Test Practice
HW: Study your poetry vocab.

Thursday 4/7:
1. Poetry
2. STAR Test Practice
HW: Study your poetry vocab.

Friday 4/8:
1. Poetry TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST
2. STAR Test Practice

Please get out your finished essays. Yes, they are due today. Don't argue.

OK. Just kidding. April Fools! Ha ha ha.

Your real assignment:

Please get out your copy of "Jabberwocky" and start writing down in your journals all the words that RHYME, using the following format:

WABE/OUTGRABE

For today's journal, write a few sentences explaining what you think the theme of The Giver could be.

Please write a paragraph for me predicting what you think will happen in Chapter 23. Remember that there are two characters involved in this chapter: Gabe and Jonas.

3/28 to 4/1

Monday 3/28:
1. BR/Calendars
2. Chapters 19-22 Reading QUIZ
3. Start Chapter 23
HW: Study your poetry vocabulary

Tuesday 3/29:
1. Journals
2. Read Chapter 23
3. Review The Giver
HW: Poetry vocabulary

Wednesday 3/30:
1. Poetry Vocabulary
2. The Giver Final Essay
HW: Essay due TOMORROW

Thursday 3/31:
1. Finish Poetry Vocabulary
2. Continue Poetry
HW: Bring any poem or song lyrics that you like to class with you tomorrow.

Friday 4/1:
1. Continue Poetry
HW: Bring any poem or song lyrics that you like to class with you on Monday.

On a blank sheet of paper set up in MLA format, please answer the following questions:

1. What is something new you learned yesterday in the library?
2. What was your favorite poetry station, and why?
3. What was your least favorite poetry station, and why?
4. When we go to the library again tomorrow, what are some ways to show our librarian and her classroom respect?

Thank you! :)

3/21 to 3/25

Monday 3/21:
1. BR/Calendars
2. The Giver Quiz: Chapters 13-18
3. Begin Figurative Language
4. Figurative Language Review
HW: Study your Word Parts #7

Tuesday 3/22:
1. Journals
2. Word Parts #7 Quiz
3. Word Parts #8
4. Continue Figurative Language Vocab
HW: Study your Figurative Language Vocab

Wednesday 3/23:
Library Poetry Stations!
HW: Read Chapters 19-20

Thursday 3/24:
1. Journals
2. Continue Figurative Language Vocab
3. Review The Giver Chapters 19-20
3. Start The Giver Chapter 21
HW: Finish Chapter 21

Friday 3/25:
Library Poetry Stations!
HW: Read Chapter 22

3/7 to 3/11

Monday 3/7:
1. BR/Calendars
2. Word Parts Quiz #6
3. Word Parts #7
4. Reading Quiz: The Giver Chapters 6/7/8
HW: Reading Chapter 9

Tuesday 3/8:
1. Journals
2. Review Chapter 9
3. Begin Reading Chapter 10
HW: Finish reading Chapter 10. Write a 2-3 paragraph prediction of what you think will happen next.

Wednesday 3/9:
1. Journals
2. Review Activity: Chapters 9/10
HW: Read Chapter 11

Thursday 3/10:
1. Journals
2. Quiz: Chapters 9, 10, 11
3. Start Chapter 12
HW: Finish Chapter 12

Friday 3/11:
1. Journals
2. Start Chapters 13-18
HW: Reading Chapters 13-18 DURING SPRING BREAK. Be ready for an EXTENSIVE reading quiz on Monday, March 21.

HAVE A GREAT SPRING BREAK!

I need passer-outers.

The Giver Chapter 5 Questions

1. Why doesn't Jonas have a strong reaction of any sort while he is helping
in the House of the Old?

2. Would you like to share a dream like Jonas had with your parents at breakfast
in the morning? Why or why not?

3. What are Stirrings?

4. If the Stirrings are suppressed, how is the population increased?

2/28 to 3/4

Monday 2/28:
1. BR and Calendars
2. Word Parts Quiz #5
3. Word Parts #6
4. Finish reading Chapter 2; Begin Chapter 3.
HW: Finish reading chapters 2/3. Write a 1-2 paragraph prediction about what will happen next. Be ready for a reading quiz tomorrow.

Tuesday 3/1:
1. The Giver Reading Quiz Ch. 2/3
2. Review Chapters 2/3
3. Begin Chapter 4
HW: Finish Chapter 4.

Wednesday 3/2:
1. Journals
2. Chapter 5
HW: Finish Chapter 5; Complete Chapter 5 questions.

Thursday 3/3:
1. Journals
2. Review Chapter 5
3. Begin Chapter 6
HW: Finish Chapter 6.

Friday 3/4:
1. Journals
2. Chapter 6 Reading Quiz
3. Begin Chapter 7
HW: Finish Chapter 7; Read Chapter 8. Be ready for your Word Parts #6 Quiz on Monday.

Grab a book. Get out your homework from last night.

2/22 to 2/25

Monday 2/21:
No School! Happy Presidents' Day! Thanks, George Washington!

Tuesday 2/22:
1. BR and Calendars
2. Turn in F4A Essay Tests
3. Roots #4 Quiz
4. Correct Quiz
5. Roots #5
6. The Giver AG
HW: Finish your Giver AG

Wednesday 2/23:
1. Debate Giver AG
2. "A Perfect World"
HW: Based on our classroom discussion, write 2-3 paragraphs describing your "perfect world." Due tomorrow.

Thursday 2/24:
1. Journals
2. Share "A Perfect World"
3. Start The Giver Chapter 1
HW: Finish reading Chapter 1.

Friday 2/25:
1. The Giver Chapter 1 QUIZ
2. Start reading Chapter 2
HW: Finish reading Chapter 2; read Chapter 3. Be ready for a reading quiz on Monday as well as your quiz on Roots #5.

2/14 to 2/18

Monday 2/14:
Happy Valentine's Day! Candy and parties all day! Just kidding. Welcome to junior high. :)
1. BR
2. Roots Quiz #3
3. Correct Roots Quiz
4. Roots #4
5. "Flowers for Algernon"
HW: Study your vocab.

Tuesday 2/15:
1. Journals
2. Roots #4
3. "Flowers for Algernon" Review
HW: Study your vocab.

Wednesday 2/16:
COMPUTER LAB
1. "Flowers for Algernon" Take-Home Essay Test

Thursday 2/17:
1. Journals
2. Roots #4
3. The Giver AG
HW: Finish your AG.

Friday 2/18:
1. Journals
2. Roots #4
3. Review "Flowers for Algernon" Take-Home Essay Test
4. Discuss/Debate The Giver AG
HW: Study for Roots #4 QUIZ TUESDAY the 22nd. Happy 3 Day Weekend! Thanks, George Washington!

Flowers for Algernon Review 2

May 18: Entire Progress Report (236).

May 20: "New dishwasher" (236) to "he obviously did not understand" (237).

May 20: "I felt sick inside" (237) to "I was just like him" (237).

May 20: "Only a short time ago" (237) to "Even a feeble-minded man wants to be like other men" (237).

May 20: "This day was good for me" (238) to "I am impatient to begin" (238).

May 31: Entire Progress Report (238).

June 4: Entire Progress Report (239).

Flowers for Algernon Review

Mrs. H. will give you and your group an excerpt from "Flowers for Algernon." With your group, read the excerpt, then be ready to EXPLAIN TO THE CLASS the following information:

1. Why is this information significant?
2. What does this information reveal about Charlie's changing intellect?
3. How does this information advance the plot?

It might be a good idea to assign a SCRIBE and a SPEAKER for your group.

You will have ten minutes, and ten minutes ONLY, to prepare your presentations to the class.

HAVE FUN!

Please do today's journal on a separate piece of paper that you can turn in. Answer the following questions using complete sentences:

1. What have you learned about reading functional documents like warranties, instructions, and advertisements?

2. How can you use this information in your own life?

3. Did it help you to work on the test yesterday with a partner? Why or why not?

For today's journal, please use a separate piece of paper, because I am going to collect it:

1. For those of you who went to the Shakespeare field trip:
What did you think of the field trip? What did you learn? What was the actors' main point?

2. For those of you who didn't go to the Shakespeare field trip:
What are your plans this weekend? Give me some good details. Please do not write that you plan to add to or subtract from the population.

2/7 to 2/10

Monday 2/7:
1. BR and Calendars
2. Word Parts Quiz #2
3. Correct Quiz
4. New Word Parts Unit
5. Finish Functional Docs
HW: Functional Docs TEST TUES!

Tuesday 2/8:
1. Journals
2. Practice Word Parts
3. Functional Docs TEST!

Wednesday 2/9:
1. Journals
2. Practice Word Parts
3. Review Functional Docs TEST
4. "Flowers for Algernon"
HW: Study your word parts

Thursday 2/10:
1. Journals
2. Practice Word Parts
3. "Flowers for Algernon"
NO HW!

For today's journal, write a paragraph explaining the difference between nonfiction and fiction. Then, tell me what "Functional Documents" are and why they're important.

1/31 to 2/4

Monday 1/31:
1. Binder Reminders
2. Word Parts Quiz
3. Review Flowers for Algernon Quizzes
4. New Word Parts
HW: Study your vocab

Tuesday 2/1:
1. Journals
2. Word Parts
3. Flowers for Algernon
HW: Study your vocab

Wednesday 2/2:
1. Journals
2. Word Parts
3. Functional Documents
HW: Bring an example of a "Functional Document" from home.

Thursday 2/3:
1. Journals
2. Word Parts
3. Funtional Documents
HW: Study for your QUIZ Monday; Functional Documents TEST tomorrow.

Friday 2/4:
1. Functional Documents Test
2. Flowers for Algernon

For today's journal, please write a paragraph describing the best and worst parts of your weekend. Thank you!

Remember to do this AFTER your calendar! :)

1/24 to 1/28

Monday 1/24:
1. BR/Calendars
2. Vocabulary/word parts
3. Flowers for Algernon
HW: Study your vocab/word parts!

Tuesday 1/25:
1. Journals
2. Study word parts
3. Flowers for Algernon
HW: Study your vocab/word parts!

Wednesday 1/26:
1. Journals
2. Flowers for Algernon
HW: Study your vocab/word parts! Quiz MONDAY, JANUARY 31.

Thursday 1/27:
1. Journals
2. Flowers for Algernon
HW: Study your vocab/word parts! Quiz MONDAY, JANUARY 31.

Friday 1/28:
LIBRARY! BANNED AND CHALLENGED!

1/18 to 1/21

NO SCHOOL MONDAY! THANK YOU, DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.!

Tuesday 1/18:
1. BR/Journals
2. Pronouns
3. Continue "Flowers for Algernon"
HW: Study your grammar/vocab

Wednesday 1/19:
1. Journals
2. Pronouns
3. Continue "Flowers for Algernon"
HW: Grammar/vocab

Thursday 1/20:
1. Journals
2. Adjectives/Adverbs
3. Continue "Flowers for Algernon"
4. Adjective/Adverb Hunt
HW: Adjective/Adverb Hunt

Friday 1/21:
1. Journals
2. Grammar QUIZ
3. Continue "Flowers for Algernon"
HW: NO HW!

Computer Lab 1/12/11

1. Take the yearbook online survey. It's under "Favorites." The code is 2011abc.

2. Leave a comment below answering the following questions:

How does the WRITING in "Flowers for Algernon" show that Charlie Gordon has a low IQ? What writing traits does the writer manipulate to SHOW, rather than TELL us this?

Is it okay for doctors to operate on your brain if they think you're not very smart?

Don't forget to SIGN your blog comment with your FIRST name and your ID number. Remember, you will earn full credit for writing in complete sentences and using capitalization and punctuation. The writing traits you're practicing today are IDEAS and CONVENTIONS.

3. Finish your Subject Pronouns worksheet COMPLETELY. DUE TOMORROW.

4. When you've finished #1 and #2 above, work in Plato at your own pace.

Get out your pronouns worksheet from yesterday (Subject Pronouns).

Flowers for Algernon Links

Google Books:
http://books.google.com/books?id=NRWlitmahXkC&lpg=PP1&ots=jfNulBRBC4&dq=flowers%20for%20algernon&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false

Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowers_for_Algernon

SparksNotes:
http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/algernon/

Flowers for Algernon Prewriting

Everybody is different in some way. Some people speak with a noticeable accent. Others wear unusual clothes. Sometimes people make fun of those who are different. How would you respond to the following statements?

"Your hair looks weird that way."
"We can tell you're new around here."
"What are you; some kind of dummy?"
"Where are you from, anyway?"

Have you ever been in a situation when you felt OUTSIDE of the group, or different in some way? OR . . . have you ever been in a situation when you were an INSIDER, and you were all ganging up on an OUTSIDER?

1/7/11 Journal

Get out your journals. Write down the titles of ten books, movies, or tv shows you know.

1/10 to 1/14

Monday 1/10:
1. Journals
2. Grammar: Pronouns
3. Start Flowers for Algernon
HW: Be ready to dance tomorrow. No joke.

Tuesday 1/11:
1. Journals
2. Grammar: Pronouns
3. Review Dance
4. Continue Flowers for Algernon
HW: Finish Pronouns Worksheet

Wednesday 1/12:
COMPUTER LAB!
1. Blog Comment/Journal
2. Survey
3. Flowers for Algernon Response to Literature Writing
HW: Finish your R to L if you haven't already!

Thursday 1/13:
1. Journals
2. Grammar: Pronouns
3. Response to Lit Writing
4. Flowers for Algernon
HW: Study for your PRONOUNS quiz tomorrow!

Friday 1/14:
1. Journals
2. Grammar QUIZ
3. Correct Quiz
4. Flowers for Algernon
HW: NO HW!

Hello all you Elmo fans.

For today's journal, I'd like you to write a short story beginning with this line:

"The first thing I noticed when I walked into my room was the smell of peanut butter . . . "

Computer Lab

Today in the computer lab:
1. Complete THIS SURVEY about our January learning targets.
2. Leave a comment below answering the following question: Do you like learning using the Internet, blogs, webpages, and web surveys? Please write in complete sentences.
3. Finish your NYR FD using the directions you will find here. DUE TOMORROW. IF YOU DO NOT FINISH IT THIS CLASS PERIOD, FINISH IT TONIGHT FOR HW.
4. Work in Plato at your own pace.
5. When Mrs. H. asks you to, complete the poll about The Outsiders.

Anti-Pronouns Play

CHARACTERS:
Orange Flower named HAYES
Pink Furry Bug named CHASE

HAYES: Oh! Hayes smells so sweet! How nice my life is, being Hayes and being a beautiful orange flower! Hayes shall sit here, growing up toward the sun, hoping no bugs shall eat Hayes!

CHASE: Mwa ha ha! CHASE the pink, furry bug is here, and CHASE THE PINK, FURRY BUG STRIKES! CHASE THE PINK, FURRY BUG SHALL EAT YOU!

HAYES: Oh, terror! Please, please, please, please, please do not eat poor Hayes the Orange Flower! Please, Hayes will spit on you! Hayes will wrap Chase up in Hayes's long green stem and Hayes will strangle Chase!

CHASE: Chase the Pink Furry Bug would like to see Hayes the Orange flower try!

HAYES: Oh, snap! Here Hayes comes!

CHASE: Chase will fly away! Chase notices that Hayes has no wings with which to pursue!

HAYES: Dang.

Pronouns Journals

In English, we've come up with these lovely little words called PRONOUNS. Pronouns are NOT nouns, they REPLACE nouns. We use them when we want to shorten a sentence and to avoid sounding repetitive.

A Paragraph WITHOUT Pronouns:
Mrs. Hislop went for a walk yesterday. Mrs. Hislop saw some nice houses. Mrs. Hislop liked the nice houses. Mrs. Hislop wondered about the people who lived in the nice houses. Where did the people work? What were the people's names? Would Mrs. Hislop ever meet the people? Mrs. Hislop is sounding like Dr. Seuss right now.

A Paragraph WITH Pronouns:
Mrs. Hislop went for a walk yesterday. She saw some nice houses. She liked them. She wondered about the people who lived there. Where did they work? What were their names? Would she ever meet them? She is NO LONGER SOUNDING LIKE him.

New Year's Resolutions

Day One: Prewriting

Day Two: Rough Draft
--Read back over the prewriting you completed last night.
--Using your prewriting as a guide, make a list of 3-5 resolutions you would like to work on in the new year. Remember, make your resolutions achievable.
--When you are done with your resolutions, make sure Mrs. Hislop checks them for spelling/grammar errors.

Day Three: Final Draft (Computer Lab or HW)
--MLA Format
--Typed or handwritten in blue or black ink
--You can use a CUTE FONT if you want to and make it larger than 12 point
--Include a picture of yourself for a few points EXTRA CREDIT
--Due THURSDAY at the beginning of the period

Examples: (We will read these in class and decide which are good, better, best.)

--In 2011, I will never bother my brother, not ever, ever, ever.

--Not play video games for ten hours a night.

--In 2011, I resolve to turn in as many assignments as I can, and to ask my teachers when I need help.

--In 2011, I resolve to treat my brother a little better.

--In 2011, I resolve to treat my brother a little better by sharing my video games, helping him pick up his toys, and kicking him a little more gently.

--In 2011, I will have fun and stuff.

--I will go out with ten girls in 2011.