Welcome to Discovery Team's Teacherweb Site

-- Memorize this:  "A clause is a group of words that has a subject and a verb.  A phrase is a group of words missing a subject or verb, or both." 

The Johnny Tremain text is online here. 

Show your parents or folks your "Student Zone" on Quia.  Collectively, these are our English "online writing portfolios" since they keep our writings and many activities for the year, the latest up top.  Show your folks how to use the little icons on the left, especially the "clipboard" to see comments on your writing.  Point out that the percentages aren't relevant at all for writing assignments, while the points are. Let them know about the "homework points" part of the assignment score (often 8 points, for doing the assignment on time) and the additional points given after a closer reading and evaluation (often bringing the score to 25 or 30 points total).  Not every activity on Quia is part of our class grades, but the bulk of our written work is there -- so the "student zone" functions as an online writing portfolio for each Discovery student.
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Expectations for Revising Your Writings on Quia:  You are welcome to revise your writing on Quia.  More students are opting to revise their writing, which is a good thing because revision is an important way for students to improve both writing and grades.  I want to put forward a method I'll have us use. 
      Click on the clipboard icon and copy the version you are improving (the "old" version), along with my feedback and score, and open up a new document for the  assignment.  Paste your old version into it twice, so I can see the old version and the revised one together.  This way, I can give you credit for your efforts.  Label the older, original version "OLD:" and the newer, revised one "NEW:"  Later, let me know in class what you revised.

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The text of Animal Farm is online here.

Play "Welcome to Clarke" -- what the sixth graders played during their orientation.

Extra credit opportunity (6 points added to an assignment):  

Do an ARQ on chapter 1, 2, or 3 from Animal Farm here by Wed.

Audio reading of Mockingbird here on Youtube.

The text of Mockingbird is available as a pdf here.

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Class Agenda for Thursday, May 3:

-- Take the reading quiz on Chapters 1-3.
-- Review vocab words that are still tricky:
         taciturn -- habitually untalkative; silent (Mon 49% --> Wed 69% --> Thurs 73%)
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No homework Tues. night. Pack up!  

Show up at school no later than 3:50 AM.

Read Chapters 1 and 2 in Animal Farm by Tuesday, May 1.

Clause Retest on Friday, May 4.  If your test score was under 80%,

you need to practice for this (using the practice test and other activities

and take a test again. If you scored over 80%, it's optional and no risk.

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-- Review with Chapter 2 and 3.  

-- Get to know Slim (p. 33-4) and Carlson (p. 36). (just started w/Red, not done w/Yellow)

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Class Agenda for Thursday, March 29:

-- Review new vocab words for Mice and the word roots.

-- For the word "periscope," see the reference on page 7.

-- Discuss the snake as a symbol, and its ambivalence.

-- Get introduced to clause patterns: adjective, adverb, and noun clauses.

Class Agenda for Tuesday, March 27:

-- continue discussing "Taxi"

-- focus on p. 13 of Of Mice and Men.

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Class Agenda for Monday, March 26:
-- Get introduced to the term "Social Realism." 

-- Discuss "unequal relationships" in Of Mice and Men and in Harry Chapin's Taxi.  

-- Song lyrics interpretations here and here.  Wikipedia article here.

-- Return Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl.

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No Homework due Tuesday:

-- Get a good night's sleep, eat a balanced breakfast (protein and carbs), and 

-- bring a book to the MCAS session.

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Homework due Wednesday:
-- Finish Chapter 1 in Of Mice and Men.
-- Do the "A Place, An Argument, and Making Up" creative writing and submit it here.

Class Agenda for Friday, March 23:
-- Read Chapter 1 in Of Mice and Men.
-- Return Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl.

Class Agenda for Wednesday, March 21:

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Homework for Wednesday:

Do this MCAS prep activity on setting up distinct topics

Homework due Monday:

-- read in Anne Frank, pp. 250-265 (we will finish the book next week)

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Class Agenda for Thursday, March 15:
-- do the "generating distinct topics" activity on paper
   (work with one row -- not column -- at a time)

-- write an open response on either the Reagan speech or the Douglass excerpt
  (have your graphic organizer / topic generator on your desk)
-- the essay needs to be completed in class Friday
  (20 pts for the open response; 5 pts for the graphic organizer)

Homework due Friday:
-- review the vocabulary one more time on Quia (4 HW points for each)

Class Agenda for Wednesday, March 14:
-- review "rule of three," irony, and allusion in terms of the excerpt by Douglass
-- do the multiple choice questions and review them
-- organize your thoughts and impressions into three distinct topics
     for the Reagan speech and the Douglass excerpt (building clarity)

Homework due Thursday:
-- Read in Anne Frank, pp. 235-250

Class Agenda for Tuesday, March 13:
-- get these on paper: vocab and Frederick Douglass (put names on these)
-- review "MCAS Vocab 1 and 2" on school computers, both on
      Quia and Quizlet (use links from last night)
-- read the "Frederick Douglass Autobiography" MCAS text excerpt
-- do the multiple choice questions, if time is available

Homework due Wednesday:
-- Read in Anne Frank, pp. 220-235

Class Agenda for Monday, March 12: 
-- Go over the MCAS vocab to preview it.
-- Reread President Reagan's Challenger speech.
-- Do the multiple choice Qs on the Reagan speech;
-- Correct and discuss.  One main point is to:
   -- read the questions carefully, especially:
   -- words in bold, and identifiers such as "in paragraph 5"
       or "based on the introduction" or "in the speech"
-- Another main point: verify your answers in the text.
       (Underline and number where answers are in the text.)
       (An exception to this is when the questions asks for
       the "main reason" -- then it's looking for the main idea,
       which is probably not a specific example.) 

Homework for Tuesday:
-- MCAS Vocab quiz is planned for Friday.  8 homework
points for encountering these terms Monday night.
-- Go through the MCAS Vocab activities here: #1 and #2
-- These same two MCAS Vocab activities are also here: #1 and #2,
but for these you click after each question to get immediate feedback.
-- The words are also available for you on Quizlet here:  #1 and #2

Class Agenda for Friday, March 9: 
-- Review "Tears in Heaven"
-- Read President Reagan's Challenger speech.
-- Hear President Reagan deliver the Challenger speech here.
-- Highlight and identify three topics you could use in an open response:
"How (with what methods or techniques) does President Reagan honor these astronauts?"

Homework for Monday:
-- Read from pp. 190-220 (up to p. 225 in larger book)
in Anne Frank (about 15 pages per night).
-- Reading quiz early next week on this section.

Class Agenda for Thursday, March 8: 
-- Be part of a peer reading of our "Coal Mine" open responses.
-- Calibrate first: what's a four, a three, a two, a one.
-- Recall the "Homeroom Zombies" 1-4 scored examples.
-- For this, we are putting ourselves in the MCAS scorer's shoes.
   (Neat handwriting helps readers appreciate a writer's ideas.)

Homework for Monday:
-- Read from pp. 190-220 in Anne Frank (about 15 pages per night)

Class Agenda for Wednesday, March 7:  (there was a sub today)
-- Write your essay.  Proofread and turn in paperclipped with other materials underneath.
-- Read silently in Anne Frank if you have time.

Class Agenda for Monday, March. 6:
-- Learn the definition for survivor's guilt.
-- Read on p. 119 (or p. 125) in Anne Frank about her visions of and grieving thoughts for her childhood friend Lies (aka Hanneli).
-- Hear and discuss the lyrics to Eric Clapton's song "Tears in Heaven."
-- Write responses to the questions about the song and the book on paper. 
-- Turn this handout in by the end of class for points.

Homework due Wednesday:
-- Read carefully from pp. 160-190 (p. 198 in larger version) in Anne Frank.

In class Tuesday and Wednesday:
-- Open response essay (200 words) on "In the Depths of a Coal Mine."
-- (We will spend much of class Tuesday writing this open response and on Wednesday, we will type it up on the computers.  So the writing shouldn't be homework.)

Class Agenda for Friday, March. 2:
-- Quiz in class on Anne Frank, pp. 88-160.
-- Begin reading "In the Depths of a Coal Mine," an essay by Stephen Crane. 

Class Agenda for March. 1:
-- Sentence writing activity.
-- Discuss and read silently in Anne Frank. 
-- (Quiz tomorrow to p. 160 -- or p. 165 in larger version)

Homework due Friday:
-- Review from pp. 88-160 in Anne Frank

Class Agenda for Feb. 29:
-- 9:15 handprints applied.
-- Finish discussion of "Homeroom Zombies"
-- Questions on Anne Frank?

Homework due Friday:
-- Bring your book to class every day.
-- Read from pp. 131-160
-- (Quiz on Friday from pp. 88-160)

Class Agenda Feb. 27 and 28:
-- Read "Homeroom Zombies" and student "ORs" (open responses)
from last year's 8th grade MCAS.  (This information was found here.)
-- Identify the topics that are explored (supported and discussed).
-- Decide which description matches which OR and assign scores 1-4.
-- Read silently in Anne Frank.

Homework due Wednesday:
-- Read in Anne Frank, pp. 110-135 (pp. 139 in larger version).

Friday, Feb. 17:
-- Finish the essay on "The Moustache"
-- You can download the template here and type in the boxes.
-- Computer use: A, G: English Dept. Laptops,   B 346.  F: Laptop Cart "A"
-- If you have finished your essay, read in Anne Frank.

Homework over vacation:
-- The plan was to have none, but..
-- please be ready to resume reading Anne Frank at p. 110 (p. 114 in the larger version) when we return.
-- and if you didn't finish the essay in class on the theme from "The Moustache," paste it here.

Thurs., Feb. 16:
-- Review the "Searching for the Theme in 'The Moustache'."
-- Write the essay on "The Moustache" on paper.

Homework for Friday:
-- Reread "The Moustache" to be familiar enough to locate support and write about the theme you have selected.  We are finishing this essay in class on Friday.  
-- Read pp. 96-110 in Anne Frank (up to p. 114 in the larger version).

Wed., Feb. 15:
-- Discuss and begin writing on "The Moustache" on paper.
-- Get a paper copy of the story for taking notes, underlining.  Keep this.
-- Get a rubric for the essay.  Keep this.
-- Get two sheets of paper for your essay writing.  Turn this in each day.

Homework for Thursday:
-- Review "The Moustache" to look for a theme.
-- (All writing to be done in class.)

Tues., Feb 14:
-- Test on Zoom Phrases, review your essays on Anne Frank.
-- read "The Moustache" for homework

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Class Agenda for Monday, Feb. 13:
-- Reading quiz today.   A and D: 370; C and G: laptops.
-- Continue writing on our theme essay on Anne Frank.

Homework for Tuesday, Feb 14:
-- Review for the Zoom Test on Tuesday.  The Pretest should be helpful!
-- Finish your essay (third paragraph).

Class Agenda for Friday, Feb. 10:
-- Vocab quiz today.
-- Continue writing on our theme essay on Anne Frank.
-- By the end of class, you should be done mapping out your essay (on paper) and done typing your first paragraph.  If not, consider that as part of your homework.

Homework:
-- by Monday, read in Anne Frank, pp. 66-95, (large version: 71-100)-- no ARQ for this section, though there will be a reading quiz on Monday before we resume writing on our essay on the theme.  -- Pace yourselves: by Thurs, pp. 80, by Fri., p. 90, by Mon., p. 95.  (A reading quiz will be happen on Monday.)

Class Agenda for Thurs. Feb. 9:
-- Continue gathering references to the annex-mates' emotions
involved in adjusting to their living conditions in the annex. 
-- Begin using the "Development of a Theme" Worksheets.

Homework:
-- do the Quia practice activity here until you ace it, so you are ready to take the vocab quiz on "The Moustache" words in class on Friday.
-- Pace yourselves: by Thurs, pp. 80, by Fri., p. 90, by Mon., p. 95.  (A reading quiz will be happen on Monday.)

Class Agenda for Wed. Feb 8:
-- Pass out answer key to the pretest and student sentences.
-- Discuss Anne's survivor guilt. 
-- Do group work on Anne's and the annex member's emotions.
-- Begin to plan on writing about a theme from Anne Frank, such as anxiety or coping with stress, or how they adjust to different living conditions. 

Class Agenda for Tues. Feb 7:
-- Pretest on Zoom Phrases.
-- Go over the answers. 
-- Review participles -- functioning as noun, verb, or adjective?
-- Share your own sentences, reading them aloud with volume and decibels in your delivery. 

Homework for Wednesday:
-- FYI: Pretest on Zoom Phrases on Tuesday.  We will grade it in class; it's just for you to get feedback.  The actual test will be later, perhaps early next week.
-- Read in Anne Frank, pp. 35-65 (large version, pp. 45-71)
-- Do ARQ #3 on pp. 35-65 (large version, pp. 45-71) here.

Class Agenda for Mon. Feb 6:
-- See the visual for the reading-writing-thinking connection here.
-- Get to know these words from "The Moustache," a story in our Red Literary Anthology on Quizlet here and on Quia here.  We'll be reading this story soon and our vocabulary quiz this Friday (Thursday for Red) will be on these words.
-- Print out your favorite piece of writing from the second quarter, to be put up on the back wall of the classroom.
-- Work on the reading and writing for Wednesday.

Computer time this week:
Fri: A: 370, B: 346, F: 370, G: Eng. cart

Class Agenda for Fri. Feb 3:
-- Review the team's zoom phrases. Underline the "zoom subjects" and the participles or descriptive adjectives following them.  Select and share your favorites.
-- In small groups, discuss and fill out the character sheet on Anne Frank characters.

Class Agenda for Thurs. Feb 2:
-- Write a sentence with a series of zoom phrases, sharing your best and compiling them together as a class.
-- See and discuss the map of Anne's secret annex.
-- Discuss other topics from Anne Frank, such as how humans get used to stressors like the Westmoreland clock and worries about their safety.


Class Agenda for Wed. Feb. 1:
-- Take the vocabulary quiz (32 words in or relating to Anne Frank's diary).
-- The most challenging words: <70%: piqued, superfluous, gaudy, <80%: to be partial, annex, incendiary.
-- Finish your "hasty departures" writing.  If you are done with that, you can read ahead or work on a journal entry.
-- Print out your favorite piece of writing from the second quarter.  Revise and proofread it one more time.

Class Agenda for Tuesday, Jan. 31:

-- Review the expectations for revisions on Quia.  See the note above.

-- Review the two writing options and student examples.

-- Use the computers to write your creative piece on "hasty departures."  We will have the computers today and tomorrow after the vocab quiz to finish this.  

-- Conference with me about your work or about revisions.

Class Agenda for Monday, Jan. 30:
-- Zoom phrases, Activity #5.  Write and then share your sentences involving a series of zoom phrases about a haunted house.
-- Discuss The Diary of Anne Frank.
-- Preview writing activity on "hasty departures" (related to Anne's family's departure for their hiding place) so you can "sleep on it" and think about how you will write your own hasty departure scene (starting on Tuesday).
-- Learn about a famous science example of "sleeping on it" -- Friedrich Kekulé's discovery of benzene (which has a ring structure, not a chain structure) in a dream in 1865. 
-- Paul Revere poem, choral reading, time permitting.

Homework due Tuesday, Jan. 31:
-- Begin reading The Diary of Anne Frank, pp. 1-15 (larger edition: pp. 9-25).
-- By Tuesday, do the ARQ on pp. 1-15 (larger edition: pp. 9-25) here.
-- Review for the vocabulary quiz on Wednesday.  Be sure to do it on Quia here at least once.

Class Agenda for Friday, Jan. 27:
-- Finish the movie.
-- Introduce The Diary of Anne Frank.
-- Paul Revere poem, choral reading.

Class Agenda for Wed and Thurs, Jan 25 and 26:
-- We've been watching the movie of Johnny Tremain, which has allowed me conference time with students around assignments and grades. 
-- Students have remarked that many characters and scenes are missing in the movie. The best way to understand Disney's intentions are this: Disney is a patriot and wants to get to the political and philosophical parts of the story fast.  Then visionary that he is, Disney wants to add scenes and songs of his own creation. 

Homework for Wed and Thurs night:
-- No homework Wed. night.
-- Thurs night: Review the Anne Frank vocab on Quizlet.  Link above.

Class Agenda for Tuesday, Jan. 23:
-- Panel Discussion with characters from Johnny Tremain.  20 minutes for each set.
-- Debriefing -- how did you get to know particular characters in a new way?
-- Zoom phrase activity #5 and #6, time permitting.

Homework for Wednesday:
-- Describe your sense of how you know two or three characters in a new way, or take issue with how they were presented.  150 words here.
-- Review the Anne Frank vocabulary; quiz Friday.  Link above.

Class Agenda for Monday, Jan. 22:
-- Get the handout for setting up the Panel Discussion for Tuesday.
-- Conclude the discussion of "Paul Revere's Ride."

Homework for Tuesday:
-- Type in your questions for our Panel Discussion here.

Class Agenda for Fri., Jan. 20:
-- Reading quiz on Chapter 12 and other chapters.
-- Continue reading "Paul Revere's Ride" in our anthology, pp. 543-546.
-- Discuss Revere's attitude and the imagery, such as the "spark" (done w/Y, R,G,B) and sensory details (done w/R,G,B) on p. 545-6.
-- Vocab: spar, muster, impetuous, sentinel, somber, belfry, steed, to skirt, spectral, aghast, defiance.
-- Blue: Discuss in JT the "scarlet dragon" as Percy's regiment leaves Boston in Chapter 11, the parallel structure, and how the troops are contrasted with the Minuteman and how they return.

Homework for Monday, Jan. 23:
-- Do one written response on the Revere poem study guide, question 8, 9 or 10.  (We'll do more in class early next week.)
-- If there is any work to make up or revise, do so and let me know what you've done.

Class Agenda for Thurs., Jan. 19:
-- Read "Paul Revere's Ride" in our anthology, pp. 543-546.
-- Discuss Revere's attitude and the imagery, especially the "spark" on p. 545.  (Did with Red, started with Green.)
-- Green, Yellow, Red: Discuss in JT the "scarlet dragon" as Percy's regiment leaves Boston in Chapter 11, the parallel structure, and how the troops are contrasted with the Minuteman and how they return.

Homework for Friday:
-- Reading quiz on Chapter 12.
-- Finish the ARQs for Chapter 12.

Class Agenda for Wed., Jan. 18:
-- Discuss the use of Quizlet as a place for students to gather data on their performance.  This is done by bringing the vocab set into your own account (Export, Reuse these Terms) and then using the Test feature.  

-- Review a student writing example on the battle at Lexington Green. 
-- In the computer lab, first click on the link to the Anne Frank vocabulary on Quizlet (link is above) and then bring these words into your own Quizlet account.  Using the flashcards first and then use the Test feature as a way to accumulate data on your performance. Try Matching and Multiple Choice first and later bring in Written question option.   After you try this, then finish up the "Light and Struggle" writing assignment if necessary, or work on the Chapter 12 ARQ.

Class Agenda for Tues., Jan. 17:
-- Zoom phrase activity.
-- Review student writing examples on Isannah's choice between Lavinia or Cilla.
-- Begin MLK speech. 

Class Agenda for Fri., Jan 13:
-- Brief reading quiz on Chapter 11
-- Write about the connections (imagery patterns) in these three texts:
      1.  James Otis's speech in Chapter 8,
      2.  the excerpt from the poem "Paul Revere's Ride," and
      3.  the lyrics to "Soon" by Yes.

Homework This Week:
-- Finish the "Light and Struggle" imagery writing by Wed.
-- Chapter 12: read by Thursday, and do ARQs by Friday.

Class Agenda for Wed., Jan 11:
-- All: Analyze the preamble for rhythm.  Rap it?
-- R, B: Read and discuss passages from Chapter 10 (bells, Billy Dawes)
-- R, Y (B still needs): See the Somerset ship in Christopher Bing's illustration.
-- G, R, B: See the map of Boston in Christopher Bing's illustration.
-- B, R: Read "The Midnight Ride of Billy Dawes" -- parody poem.

Homework for Friday, Jan. 13:
-- Read Chapter 11 by Thursday do the ARQs by Friday.
-- Some grammar homework to be assigned, so pace yourselves.

Class Agenda for Tues., Jan 10:
-- All: Begin "Zoom Phrases" (1&2) (aka Absolute Phrases) (Red did 3&4)
-- Y, G: Read and discuss passages from Chapter 10 (bells, Billy Dawes)
-- G: See the Somerset ship in Christopher Bing's illustration.
-- Y: See the map of Boston in Christopher Bing's illustration.
-- Y, G: Read "The Midnight Ride of Billy Dawes" -- parody poem.

Homework for Friday, Jan. 13:
-- Read Chapter 11 by Thursday do the ARQs by Friday.
-- Some grammar homework to be assigned, so pace yourselves.

Class Agenda for Mon., Jan 9:
-- Take our vocabulary quiz if you need to.
-- Do the writing activity based on a scene in Johnny Tremain.  If you present it as a screenplay, we can act out some of them. 

Class Agenda for Fri., Jan 6:
-- Choose your favorite sentences from our sentence combining activities yesterday.
-- Take our vocabulary quiz.
-- Do the writing activity afterward. 

Homework for Tuesday Jan 10:
Read Chapter 10 and do the ARQs by Tues. here.
 
Class Agenda for Thurs., Jan. 5:
-- Do the Sentence Combining activity on Paul Revere's Ride.
-- Read several students' ARQ paragraphs and discuss. 
-- Ask questions and offer feedback. Review the term "ambiguous."  
-- R,G,Y: Introduce the term "ambiguity" (adj: ambiguous) in literature and symbolism.

Homework for Friday, Jan 6 and Tuesday Jan 10:
Vocab quiz on Friday.
Read Chapter 10 and do the ARQs by Tues. here.

Class Agenda for Wed., Jan. 4:
-- Remind Green and Blue about making flashcards through Quizlet.
-- Green (started), others: Read aloud parts of Chap 8: the last attic meeting.
-- R,G,Y: Read aloud parts of Chapter 8: Cilla and Johnny talking.
-- R,G,Y: Introduce the term "ambiguity" (adj: ambiguous) in literature and symbolism.

Class Agenda for Tues., Jan. 3:
-- Poem (used on an MCAS) with multiple choice questions.
-- Discuss strategies for answering multiple choice questions.
-- Use a variety of brainframes as a "way in" to the poem. 
-- Green (started): Read aloud parts of Chapter 8: the last attic meeting.
-- Blue: Read aloud parts of Chapter 8: Cilla and Johnny talking.
-- Blue: Introduce the term "ambiguity" (adj: ambiguous) in literature and symbolism.

Homework due Wed., Thurs. and Fri.:
-- Read and do ARQs for Chapter 9 by Thurs, Jan 5 here.
-- Prepare for a vocabulary quiz on Friday.  Practice it here.
-- Vocab Set #3 on Quizlet (for Friday's quiz) is here, here, and here. 
    Encounter these once Tuesday night.

Class Agenda for Mon, Jan. 3:
-- Poem (used on an MCAS) with multiple choice questions.
-- Discuss strategies for answering multiple choice questions.
-- Use a variety of brainframes as a "way in" to the poem. 
-- Green (started): Read aloud parts of Chapter 8: the last attic meeting.
-- Blue: Read aloud parts of Chapter 8: Cilla and Johnny talking.

Class Agenda for Fri., Dec. 23:
-- Assessment on Appositive Phrases.  (no reading quiz)
-- Vocab quiz on JT words, Chapters 5-8.
-- Discuss and write about "Apollo 13" as a movie here (time permitting).
-- Write about Sam Adams and his propagandistic placard here (time permitting).

Class Agenda for Thurs., Dec. 22:
-- See Apollo 13.

Class Agenda for Wed., Dec. 21:
-- Discuss Chapter 7, "The Fiddler's Bill" (and aspects of Chapter 6)
-- Red: Plot Graph for Chapter 6.
-- Appositive phrase pretest given.  We'll grade it together.

Homework for Thurs. and Fri.:
-- By Friday, read Chapter 8, "A World to Come," and do the ARQS here.
-- Review Appositive phrases for an assessment on Friday.
-- Review the vocabulary for a quiz on Friday.

Class Agenda for Tues., Dec. 20:
-- Review challenging words based on the team's Quia data results.
-- Plot Graph for Chapter 6.
-- Appositive practice test, time permitting.
-- Some appositive phrase information on the web here and here.

Homework due Tues. and Wed:
-- By Wed. read Chapter 7 and do the ARQs here.
-- Review the second set of Johnny Tremain vocab by Wed here. (6 HW pts)
-- These words are on Quizlet here, here, and here.

Class Agenda for Mon., Dec. 19:
-- Review the vocabulary for this week.
-- Appositive phrase activity.
-- Finish writing on "Thank You, Ma'm."
-- Discuss Chapter 6, "Salt-Water Tea."

Class Agenda for Fri. Dec. 16:
-- Read "Thank You, Ma'm" and contrast, in a paragraph, Mr. Lyte, who accuses Johnny of stealing his belonging, with Mrs. Luella Washington, who accuses the boy of stealing her purse.


Homework due Mon., Dec. 19:
-- By Monday, read Chapter 6 (Salt-Water Tea) and do the ARQs here.  Note that 150 words, with a well-chosen quotation, are expected in your paragraph.  Please avoid starting sentences with phrases such as "I realized..." or "I think..." -- Show us your thoughts, rather than the process or narrative of your thinking.  I know that sounds picky, but it allows you more time and space to develop your analysis.  It's a style consideration.

Class Agenda for Thurs. Dec. 15:
-- Finish presenting skits. After each skit, offer constructive feedback and points about why it helped to see it as a skit. 
-- Discuss passages from Johnny Tremain, settings and characterization mainly.
-- Appositive phrase activity, time permitting.

Class Agenda for Wed. Dec. 14:
-- Reading quiz on Chapters 3, 4, 5 on Quia.
-- Vocabulary quiz on Johnny Tremain words on Quia.
-- Read Chapter 6 and do the ARQs if you have extra time.

Class Agenda for Tues. Dec. 13:
-- Appositive phrase worksheet #3: Red and Yellow: review sentence combinations on ELMO.  Green: share our student sentences.
-- Share some writing -- your ARQ paragraphs with quotations.
-- Practice skits further.

Homework for Wed and Thurs.:
-- Review for vocabulary quiz on Wed.
-- If you are current with the reading, you should do well on the reading quiz.  (If you have finished reading the novel, reviewing these chapters could be helpful.)
-- By Friday, read Chapter 6 (Salt-Water Tea) and do the ARQs here.  Note that 150 words, with a well-chosen quotation, are expected in your paragraph.

Class Agenda for Mon. Dec. 12:
-- Appositive phrase Activity #3.  Do the sentence combining and write and share your own sentence with an appositive or renaming phrase. (We'll have time to do one of these today.)  Remember that the core or anchor of the appositive phrase is a noun.
-- Begin practicing your skits in small groups. 

Homework due Tuesday:
-- Read and do ARQs for Chapter 5 by Tuesday, Dec. 13 here.
-- Review Johnny Tremain vocab sets: here (#1), here (#2), here (#3) and here (#4).
-- Vocabulary quiz on Wednesday on words from Chapters 1-5.  I've combined these into one practice quiz (fewer words) here.  Practice this twice by Wed. morning.
--  Reading quiz on Chapters 3,4, and 5 Wednesday, too.

Class Agenda for Fri. Dec. 9:
-- Do the Plot Mountain for Chapter 4 in Johnny Tremain.
-- Review the theme of "answering the call" Luke in Star Wars, the singer and Ponyboy.
-- Blue: Introduction to the Appositive Phrase.
-- G, B:  Read sections of Chapter 4, "The Rising Eye,"  in Johnny Tremain aloud, taking parts. 

Class Agenda for Thurs. Dec. 8:
-- Do the Plot Mountain for Chapter 3 in Johnny Tremain.
-- Green and Blue: Review "I Run for Life" to bring out the theme of "answering the call" and...
-- Connect the concept of "answering the call" with Luke in Star Wars, Part 4.
-- Blue: Introduction to the Appositive Phrase.
-- G, B:  Read sections of Chapter 3, "An Earth of Brass,"  in Johnny Tremain aloud, taking parts. 
-- Discuss imagery of the moon (Y √) at the end of the chapter, brass vs. silver, what the illustration suggests.

Homework to do Thurs and due Fri:
-- Read and do ARQs for Chapter 4 by Friday, Dec. 9 here.
-- Review Johnny Tremain vocab for the first three chapters: here and here and here.

Class Agenda for Wed. Dec. 7:
-- Point out the term: "stereotype vulnerability" in terms of The Outsiders.
-- Green √ and Blue √: Hear "I Run for Life" to bring out the theme of "answering the call" (end of The Outsiders).
-- Blue: Introduction to the Appositive Phrase.
-- R √: Read sections of Chapter 3, "An Earth of Brass,"  in Johnny Tremain aloud, taking parts. 
-- Discuss the low points for Johnny in Chapter 3, brass vs. silver as a metal, and what gives him hope.
-- Discuss imagery of the moon (Y √) at the end of the chapter.

Homework to do Thurs and due Fri:
-- Read and do ARQs for Chapter 4 by Friday, Dec. 9 here.
-- Encounter the Johnny Tremain vocabulary lists once here and here.

Class Agenda for Tues. Dec. 6:
-- Point out the term: "stereotype vulnerability" in terms of The Outsiders.
-- Green √: Hear "Behind Blue Eyes" and compare its theme to The Outsiders.
-- Yellow √ and Red √: Hear "I Run for Life" to bring out the theme of "answering the call"
-- Blue √ and Red: Take parts and read aloud from two scenes in Chapter 2 -- a.) breakfast soul-searching and b.) Johnny's talk with Cilla and Isannah on the dock.  (Blue stopped on p. 21 bottom.)
-- Blue:  Map out the "plot mountain" for The Outsiders.  Include 10 events.
-- Yellow √ and Blue √: Reading quiz on Chapters 1 and 2 of Johnny Tremain.

Homework for Tues and Wed:
-- ARQs for Chapter 3 by Wednesday, Dec. 7 here.

Class Agenda for Mon. Dec. 5:
-- Green and Yellow: Take parts and read aloud from two scenes in Chapter 2 -- a.) breakfast soul-searching and b.) Johnny's talk with Cilla and Isannah on the dock.
-- Blue: Hear "Behind Blue Eyes" and compare its theme to The Outsiders.
-- Red, Blue:  Map out the "plot mountain" for The Outsiders.  Include 10 events.
-- Yellow, Green:  Reading quiz on Chapters 1 and 2 of Johnny Tremain.

Homework for Tues and Wed:
-- ARQs for Chapter 3 by Wednesday, Dec. 7 here.

Class Agenda for Fri. Dec. 2:
-- Red, Yellow:  Hear "Behind Blue Eyes" and compare its theme to The Outsiders.
-- Yellow, Green: Map out the "plot mountain" for The Outsiders.  Include 10 events.

Homework due Monday:
-- Write about the resolution in The Outsiders (essay topic) by Monday here.  (More details about the assignment are here, too.)
-- Reading quiz Monday on Chapter 1 and 2 in Johnny Tremain.

Class Agenda for Thurs. Dec. 1:
-- See the movie of The Outsiders. 
-- Discuss the resolution -- and the theme of the value of having "emotional capacity."

Homework for Friday:
-- ARQs for Chapter 1 or 2 by Friday here.   

Class Agenda for Wed. Nov. 30:
-- See the movie of The Outsiders. 

Homework for Wednesday or later:
-- Finish taking notes / annotations in the margins by Wednesday.
-- Read Johnny Tremain, Chapter 1, by Wednesday.

Class Agenda for Tues. Nov. 29:
-- See the movie of The Outsiders.  (Green ended at 49 min.; Blue, 44 min.)
-- Consider the pace of the movie and how it creates an atmosphere/mood. 
-- Read the first four pages of Johnny Tremain. (red)
-- The first chapter mostly introduces the characters; action happens later on!

Class Agenda for Mon. Nov. 28:
-- Read the last few pages of The Outsiders (on paper).
-- Take notes / annotations in the margins.
-- Read the first four pages of Johnny Tremain. (not red)

Homework for Tuesday or later:
-- Have your parents / guardians sign the permission slip to see the movie of The Outsiders.
-- Finish taking notes / annotations in the margins by Wednesday.
-- Read Johnny Tremain, Chapter 1, by Wednesday.
-- ARQs for Chapter 1 or 2 by Friday here.   

Class Agenda for Wed., Nov. 23:
-- Make sure you return your copy of The Outsiders to me today.
-- Take the reading quiz on Chapters 9-12.
-- Red, Green: Finish our panel discussion.
-- Yellow: discuss how the panel discussion went.  Thoughts for improvement?
-- Yellow: "Behind Blue Eyes" and its thematic paralleling with The Outsiders.

No homework.  (We'll be starting to read Johnny Tremain when we return in December. If any parents or guardians want to get their son or daughter a copy of the book, it can help with taking notes and highlighting, which encourages close reading.  Otherwise, I'll be distributing copies on Monday, Nov. 28.)

Class Agenda for Tues., Nov. 22:
-- Blue: Take a reading quiz on Chapters 9-11. 
-- Get roles, write down questions and begin our Panel Discussion involving Outsiders characters.
-- Discuss our readings and student questions on The Outsiders. 

Homework due Wednesday:
-- Read Chapter 12 (13 pages) do the ARQs here (for Chapter 10/11 or 12).
-- FYI: Reading Quiz Wednesday on Chapters 9-12.
-- Bring in your Outsiders books for me to collect.  (Another team needs to use the books after Thanksgiving break.)  After break, we can still discuss the book -- we should have enough copies of older editions to share in the class.

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Homework due Tuesday:
-- Read Chapter 10 and 11 (16 pages) do the ARQs here (for Chapter 10/11 or 12).

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Homework due Monday:
-- Read Chapter 9 (18 pages) and do the ARQs here (for Chapter 8 or 9).

Class Agenda for Mon., Nov. 20:
-- Take a "Wall Walk" to read each other's favorite piece of writing.
-- Take a reading quiz in 346 on Chapters 5-8.
-- Begin preparing for our Panel Discussion involving The Outsiders characters.
-- Discuss our readings and student questions on The Outsiders. 
-- Did anyone see The Outsiders as a play this weekend at LCA?

Homework due Tuesday:
-- Read Chapter 10 and 11 (16 pages) do the ARQs here (for Chapter 10/11 or 12).

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Class Agenda for Thurs., Nov. 17:
-- Make sure I get a paper copy of your "Metacognitive Review."
-- Discuss the allusion or reference to "Eden."
-- Present "Nothing Gold Can Stay." 
-- Discuss Chapters 6 and 7 of The Outsiders.  Read or review Chapter 8.

Homework due Monday:
-- Read Chapter 9 (18 pages) and do the ARQs here (for Chapter 8 or 9).

Class Agenda for Wed., Nov. 16:
-- Continue preparing, proofreading and printing out your favorite piece of writing to put on our wall.
-- Make sure I get a paper copy of your "Metacognitive Review" of comments on your writing.
-- Work on "Nothing Gold Can Stay."  Discuss the allusion or reference to "Eden."
-- Discuss Chapters 6 and 7 of The Outsiders.  Read or review Chapter 8.

Homework due Thursday:
-- Memorize "Nothing Gold Can Stay."
-- Read Chapter 8 (11 pages) do the ARQs here (for Chapter 8 or 9).

Class Agenda for Tues, Nov. 15:
-- See how we are doing the comment review process ("Metacognitive review").
-- Select one piece of writing from Quia that you've written this fall, print it out, and prepare it to be put on our wall.
-- Finish our "Three Hows and Whens about a Who"
-- Discuss The Outsiders, Chapter 6 and read in Chapter 7.

Homework due Wednesday:
-- Read Chapter 7 and do the ARQs here.
-- Complete the "metacognitive" review of my comments to your writings.

Class Agenda for Mon. Nov. 14:  
-- Take the plant identification Quiz.  (It's at the bottom of our class page.)
-- Write a paragraph using the "Three Hows and Whens about a Who" model, applying it to characters from Chapter 6.  Submit it on Quia. (It's at the bottom of our class page.)
-- Read or work on your writing if you finish this early.

Homework due Tuesday:
-- Finish your final draft of your nature writing.  Submit it on Quia here.
-- Bring in your book order (if you want) by Thursday.
-- Consider seeing The Outsiders play at the Lexington Christian Academy Nov. 17-19. $5 for students, $10 adults. Reserve tickets at tickets@lca.edu

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Class Agenda for Thurs. Nov. 10:  
-- R: Peer readings of our nature writings. Ask if the pieces you are reading have sensory details, figurative language, and names of specific plants.
-- Discuss your responses to student questions on Chapter 5.
-- B, Y, G: Discuss "Nothing Gold Can Stay" and related topics in Chapter 5.  (Y: Continue discussion of poem.)
-- Y, B (started): Discuss "Scarecrow's Dream," relating it to Johnny and Ponyboy's feelings about being scared and stuck and hoping for something better out of life.

Homework due Monday:
-- Read Chapter 6 in The Outsiders and do the ARQs here.
-- Review the plant names again on Quia here.

Class Agenda for Wed. Nov. 9:  
-- G, B: Peer readings of our nature writings. Ask if the pieces you are reading have sensory details, figurative language, and names of specific plants.
-- Discuss your responses to student questions on Chapter 5.
-- R: Discuss "Nothing Gold Can Stay" and related topics in Chapter 5.
-- Discuss "Scarecrow's Dream," relating it to Johnny and Ponyboy's feelings about being scared and stuck and hoping for something better out of life. (With Green, we made the vertical chart, but stopped there.)

Homework due Thurs:
-- Review the plant names on Quia once+ tonight here.  Quiz Monday.

Class Agenda for Tues. Nov. 8:  
-- G: Book orders distributed.
-- Respond to the questions that students had on last night's reading of Chapter 5.
-- Write down a response to one question from each section in the blanks.
-- Go outside and do more nature writing.
Homework for Wed:
-- Arrange your nature notes into a rough draft of 150-200 words; save it on Word or Google Docs.
-- Use actual names of the plants; add sensory details and figurative language. 
-- You can take creative liberties and add to your notes, especially if you were not in class today.
-- Bring in a copy for a peer review on Wednesday. 


Class Agenda for Mon. Nov. 7: 
-- R, B:  Book orders distributed.
-- Start with a self-graded quiz (the grade is for your feedback) on the plant names.
-- Blue and Green: Read an example of nature writing by a student last year.  Notice the sensory details, figurative language, and theme. 

-- R: Discuss "Scarecrow's Dream," relating it to Johnny and Ponyboy's feelings about being scared and stuck and hoping for something better out of life.

Homework due Tuesday:

-- Finish reading Chapter 5

-- Do the ARQs on Chapter 5 here.

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Class Agenda for Fri. Nov. 4:  (Some of this will happen on Monday.)
-- Read/share some student writing based on recent ARQs, especially "On the other hand." (topic #12)

-- Reading Quiz on The Outsiders, Chapters 1-4.  (Two freebie points.)
-- Continue with our writing from last week's creative writing using the theme of survival.

Homework due Monday:
-- Review the trees and vines around Clarke flashcards and self-quiz.
-- Review the flowers and shrubs around Clark flashcards and self-quiz.
The idea is that nonfiction writing, such as nature writing, has terminology that makes writing more specific and vivid.  Being familiar with the names of common plants around town will help you write more knowledgeably and effectively. 

Class Agenda for Thurs. Nov. 3:
-- FYI: Reading Quiz on Chapters 1-4 on Friday; then we'll do more writing.
-- Discuss "Scarecrow's Dream," relating it to Johnny and Ponyboy's feelings about being scared and stuck and hoping for something better out of life.
-- Read the example of nature writing by a student last year.  Notice the sensory details and figurative language, the theme and the mood.
-- We're going outside for nature writing. Bring a sweatshirt, just in case, and for early morning classes.

Homework due Friday:
-- Finish reading Chapter 4 and do the ARQ it here.

Class Agenda for Wed. Nov. 2:
-- FYI: Reading Quiz on Chapters 1-4 on Friday; then we'll do more writing.
-- FYI: We'll go outside for nature writing tomorrow if it's warm. Bring a sweatshirt, just in case, and for early morning classes.
-- Discuss Pony and Johnny's feelings about being a greaser and dealing with the Socs.
-- Hear and discuss "Scarecrow's Dream," relating it to Johnny and Ponyboy's feelings about being scared and stuck and hoping for something better out of life.

Homework due Thursday:
-- Do the "Same Word, Different Part of Speech" activity here.
-- Finish the ARQ on Chapter 3 here if you haven't done it yet.

Class Agenda for Fri. Oct 28:
-- Did the homework (charting your data to help you make a studying plan) help?
-- Get informed about the creative writing assignment.
-- Take the common assessment #2, for a replacement grade (here) or extra credit (here).
-- When you are finished, write a creative paragraph here showing the theme
of survival, either through a fight or description.

Homework due Monday:
-- ARQs on Chapter 3 here. 

Class Agenda for Thurs. Oct 27:  (Outsider books must be brought to class daily!)
-- Review parts of speech issues.
-- According to our data as a team and grade, the most challenging parts of speech for students have been adverbs (especially the non-LY adverbs), helping verbs (they aren't adverbs!), abstract nouns (differentiating words like brave and bravery, acid and acidity), and prepositions. 

-- Review our Thinkmarks from Chapter 2.
-- Study guide on Chapter 2, focusing on the setting of the drive-in movie, character tensions, plot development.
-- Time permitting, read in Chapter 3 of The Outsiders until the end of class.

Homework due Friday:
-- The 2nd common assessment on Parts of Speech is Friday.  Everyone will take it.  It's a no-lose situation. (Either it's for extra credit or a better score.)
-- Fill out the "Reviewing for a Test Strategically" handout.  To do this, you will review your scores and feedback for your "Parts of Speech Reviews" 4-6 and the first Common Assessment on Quia, chart the errors, and strategically plan your study session. 

• -- Retake at least one Review activity and, depending on your needs, use these links to quizlet sets or grammar websites:  
•  If nouns are your nemesis, click: nouns or  collective nouns   abstract nouns
•  If pronouns or prepositions are problematic, click: pronouns   prepositions 
•  If adjectives...   
•  If verbs give you vertigo, click: verbs  or helping verbs.  
•  If adverbs make you perturbed, click here.   
•  If conjunctions give you conjunctivitis, click:  conjunctions and interjections  
  

Class Agenda for Wed. Oct 26:
-- Review in groups the characters introduced in Chapter 1.
-- Discuss student-generated questions from Chapter 1.
-- Thinkmarks on two items from Chapter 2.
-- Read in Chapter 2 of The Outsiders until the end of class.

Homework due Thursday:
-- Review the flashcards here of the plants around Clarke.
-- Finish Chapter 2 in The Outsiders.  (No ARQs tonight.)

Class Agenda, Tues Oct 25: 
-- Good job finishing the "research / grammar sentences" project.  I'll be looking over these soon.  Be alert to suggestions / expectations for revisions.

-- In class today: grammar review activity.
-- Read in "The Outsiders" in class. 
-- Character sheet on main characters we get to know in Chapter 1.

Homework due Wednesday:
-- Respond to an ARQ on Chapter 1 of The Outsiders here.

Class Agenda, Fri and Mon, Oct 21 and 24: 
-- Pick an animal, living or extinct, wild or domesticated, local or distant, to do research on using the computers.
-- Research your animal on three different websites.  One can be Wikipedia. 
-- Research areas might be its physical characteristics, behaviors and social interactions, and habitat.
-- Save your information / research on a Google Doc, so you can have access to it from home.
-- Begin putting your sentences into the grammar test-anticipation activity.

Homework due Tuesday:
-- Do the research --> grammar activity here.  (The goal is to have you engage in (short term) research about an animal of interest and create a series of sentences that help you anticipate the parts of speech common assessment.)

Class Agenda, Thursday, Oct 20: 
-- Do the adverb activity involving "too what degree" adverbs. 
-- Discuss results from our Grammar Review #6 (based on our first nature walk).  (Do with Yellow.)
       We ran around during practice.  or  During practice, we ran around.
       We ran around the field.  (Which one is the preposition?)
       Prepositions need objects; if they are solo, they are adverbs.
-- Discuss "Battle by the Breadfruit Tree."
-- Read the description of the sunrise on p. 484 and find examples of figurative language (done with Red and Yellow).

Homework for Friday, Oct. 21:
-- A descriptive paragraph about a baby or an animal.  140+ words.  Go to the activity here on Quia for details and ideally submit it there (or bring it in on paper).

Class Agenda,Wednesday, Oct 19:   (I won't be in school on Wednesday.)
-- See parts of Schoolhouse Rock on our DVD.
-- Read "Battle by the Breadfruit Tree" in our Red Anthology, pages 483-489.

Homework for Thursday, Oct. 20:
-- Do an ARQ for "Battle by the Breadfruit Tree" here. 

Class Agenda,Tuesday, Oct 18:
-- Do the grammar start-up activity.
    Linking verbs: be, is, am, are, was, were, will be, seems, appears, remains, became, sounds, feels.
    She is the coach.  She will be our coach.  She seems ready.  She appears strict.   She sounds  confident.  She feels uncertain.  She became strong.   She remains positive.  She is cool.
Below, one verb is action; the other, linking.  Which is the linking verb?  
   The turkey tasted the corn.  The turkey tasted good. 
-- Nature writing introduction and brief walk outside, taking notes.  Here's is a Quizlet set of plants we will see today or soon.

Homework due Wednesday:
-- Parts of Speech Review #6 here.

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Class Agenda, Monday, Oct 17:
-- Five minutes: Review the Soup Nazi skit here and here since it is one of the writing options.
-- Take the vocabulary quiz here on grammar terms and the animal stories.
-- Do the "Writing that Provides Evidence" assignment here.

Homework due Tuesday:
-- Finish the "Writing that Provides Evidence" assignment.

Class Agenda, Friday, Oct 14:
-- Discuss Dr. Nick Trout's talk and nonfiction veterinary stories he told. 
-- Write several sentences that contrast (differences) and compare (similarities) James Herriot's stories of the bull and parakeet.  (Not the buffalo!)  How are his experiences with the bull and parakeet different?  Is the theme or mood or life lesson different or similar? 
-- Preposition song, time permitting.
-- Conjunction activity, time permitting.

Homework for Mon, Oct 17:
-- Review the week's vocabulary here.  Quiz Monday.  

-- Catch up on any work needing to be made up and let me know on Monday what you did.

-- FYI: After the quiz, we'll be writing on Herriot's story or the article about the scientists doubting the farmer's story.

Class Agenda, Thursday, Oct 13:
-- See the book that Dr. Nick Trout wrote.
-- During the first part of B block (9:00 - 9:25), Discovery students get pictures taken.
-- See/hear the Seinfeld skit referred to in the Grammar Review (5 minutes).
-- Read and discuss the news story about the coyote allegedly killing a buffalo at a farm in Haverhill.
-- Discuss "All Things Bright and Beautiful."

Homework for Fri, Oct 14:
-- Attend the reading by Dr. Trout at Cary Library (in the reading room) at 7:00.  Extra credit, optional, get there early to get a seat. 

Class Agenda Wednesday, Oct 12:
-- Go over student examples of writings on "The Apprentice."
-- Do the adverb activity: you come up with examples.
-- Discuss how Peg has internalized her parent's concern about responsibility.

Homework for Thurs, Oct. 13:
-- Do the Parts of Speech Review activity #5 here until you ace it.
-- Review the week's vocabulary here by Thursday.  Quiz Monday.
(Quizlet vocab set for James Herriot's stories is here; the set for "The Apprentice" is here.)
-- Picture Day is Thursday, Oct. 13 -- show your folks the envelope and bring it back if you want extra photos.

Class Agenda Tuesday, Oct 11:
-- The second common assessment the Parts of Speech will be next week, not this week. 
-- We will review further and offer two versions then, a similar test and an extended test for extra credit.
-- Do the Adverb activity.
-- Begin reading "All Things Bright and Beautiful."

Homework for Wed, Oct 12:
-- Finish reading "All Things Bright and Beautiful" by James Herriot, pp. 84-87
-- Do an "Active Reading Question" response here (three Qs, two vocab, one topic).
(Please review the feedback and scores from your ARQs on "The Apprentice.")


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Class Agenda Thursday, Oct. 6:
-- Any more helping verbs to be recited?
-- In groups, go through the questions you had while reading "The Apprentice."
-- Review the vocab for The Apprentice here.

No homework over the long weekend, though keep in mind that we'll have another opportunity to take the Parts of Speech assessment on Thursday, Oct 13.

Class Agenda Wednesday, Oct. 5:
-- Present your helping verbs.
-- Memorize this soon:  "A clause is a group of words that has a subject and a verb.  A phrase is a group of words missing a subject or verb, or both."  As the year goes on, we will learn about a variety of phrase and clause patterns, and this is a starting point for understanding.
-- Parts of Speech 8th grade common assessment.
-- Read "The Apprentice" in our Red anthology, pp. 65-73.

Homework due Thursday:
-- Finish reading "The Apprentice"
-- Respond on Quia to the Active Reading Questions or ARQs based on "The Apprentice" here.  You will ask three questions, explore two vocabulary words, and respond in a paragraph of 100+ words to any one of the options.

Class Agenda Tuesday, Oct. 4:
-- Do the activity where we come up with our own sentences for different parts of speech on a theme.
-- See the book cover of Dr. Nick Trout's book "Ever By My Side"  (mentioned already to Blue and Green). 
-- Dr. Trout will be reading from his book at in the Reading Room at Cary Library at 7:00 Thursday October 13.  Over the next two weeks, we will read nonfiction pieces and stories, mostly from our anthology, centering around the human-animal connection.
-- Verb and verb phrase activities (to be finished on Tuesday)  (Blue and Green did the intro; Red did the verb phrases).

Homework due Wednesday:
-- Review for common assessment on Wednesday.
-- Memorize the helping verbs.
-- Do the grammar vocabulary on Quia.

Class Agenda Monday, Oct. 3:
-- Get your book lists back. 
-- See the results of the homework you did over the weekend.
-- Share the preposition song in pairs.  (10 points for presenting)
-- Come up with short sentences using prepositions from the song.

Homework due Tuesday:
-- Do the fourth Parts of Speech review here.   (6 HW points available)
-- If needed, keep practicing the Preposition Song.
-- Work on getting to know the Helping Verb list.  Your choice of which one.  (up to 10 points)
-- This week's vocab list is here on Quizlet and here on Quia.   (6 HW points for encountering the terms on Quia by Wednesday.)

For Monday:
-- Memorize the preposition song to the tune of "Yankee Doodle Dandy"!   I'll have you each recite it for the class.
-- Do this third Parts of Speech review here.  (6 HW pts) Review the feedback afterwards!
-- Next week's vocab list is here on Quizlet and here on Quia.   (6 HW points for encountering the terms on Quia by Wednesday.)

Class Agenda Friday, Sept. 30:
-- Get your book lists back. 
-- FYI: All of the first summaries put on Quia have been scored and commented on.
-- Take the vocabulary quiz here.   Review the grammar flashcards with each other.
-- Verb and verb phrase activities (to be finished on Monday)  (Blue and Green did the intro; Red did the verb phrases).
-- Read two more student summaries, time permitting.

For Friday:  (no school Thursday)
-- Review for the vocab quiz on Friday.  If you are observing Rosh Hashanah, try to find time to review as suggested.

Class Agenda Wednesday, Sept. 29:
-- See examples of summaries of this set of sports articles.  Write a concluding sentence for one of them.  Effective concluding sentences tie your topics together "with a bow," take a step back from the trees (details) and look at the whole forest (overall situation).
-- Get connected with verbs (blue hasn't done this).  
-- Red needs to finish the front of the Intro to Adverbs sheet (and do the back).
-- See how we did on last night's self-quiz at home.  As a group, we still need to work on:

•  subordinating conjunctions (such as after, as in "AFTER the squirrel recruited its rodent buddies,...") or because (as in BECAUSE the afternoon weather was fine, they wandered deeper into the woods.")  Common subordinating conjunctions are: if, when, before, after, as, until, unless, because.  Examples:  I will go IF you go, too. 
  
• We ran BECAUSE we wanted to catch up. 
  
• Don't go UNLESS you bring money.  
  
• We stayed UNTIL the sun was setting. 
  
• AS we ran, we chatted. 
  
• WHEN you go, bring a sweater. 
  
• AFTER you arrive, call home. 
  
•  adverbs (such as "Miles knew BETTER, so he brought Rocket HOME.")
  
•  helping verbs (as in "The was no way a squirrel WOULD flaunt its superiority...") They are part of verb phrases, which can have a maximum of four words.  Verb phrases include the main verb and any helping verbs.  Helping verbs always come before the main verb as in:
•  WILL run, WOULD run,      (and WILL HAVE run, WOULD HAVE run,
  
•  WILL HAVE BEEN running, WOULD HAVE BEEN running, etc.)
  
• CAN run, COULD run, 
• SHALL run, SHOULD run,
  
• MAY run, MIGHT run, MUST run,
  
• HAVE run, HAS run, HAD run.
  
• DO run, DID run.
•  linking verbs (as in "Because the afternoon weather WAS fine...")  (common linking verbs: am, are, was, were, seem, look, appear) 
  
• They ARE ready.  We WERE sleepy.   You APPEAR happy.   I AM thirsty. 
  
• The cat LOOKS hungry.  The parrot SEEMS nervous.   My fingers ARE numb.
  

Class Agenda Tuesday, Sept. 27:
-- See examples of summaries of this set of sports articles.
-- Get reconnected with and discuss prepositions (red) and adverbs (yellow, green, and blue).  

Homework for Wed:
-- Take this 2nd review quiz on parts of speech on Quia here.
-- Keep in mind the vocab quiz on Friday, so make sure you review the words twice more this week before then, either on paper (I have copies in class if you want) or on Quia or Quizlet by Friday morning.  Make sure one of those reviews is on Quia. 

Class Agenda Monday, Sept. 26:
-- Get reconnected with and discuss adverbs (red) and prepositions (yellow, green, and blue).  
-- See another a great play and write about it descriptively.  An example of vigorous writing might revise a sentence such as, "The catcher quickly threw the ball to second base to put out the stealing baserunner." --> "During a wild pitch, which the catcher caught by lunging to his right, the runner took off to second.  The catcher took a step forward and hurled the ball smartly to the second baseman, who snagged it at shoulder level and swept his glove down in time to tag the baserunner sliding in."  Add complexity, detail, and context when possible. 

Homework due Tuesday:
-- Take this review quiz on parts of speech on Quia here.  (6 HW points)
-- Go through the vocabulary words on Quia here.  (6 HW points)
-- Begin reviewing the Quizlet part of speech flashcards above.  The assessment on parts of speech is Tuesday, October 4th.

Class Agenda Friday, Sept. 23:
-- Turn in any remaining book lists or printouts of spellings lists.
-- Vocab rules: F -> V (mischief --> mischievous; elf -> elves, dwarf -> dwarves, wolf -> wolves, knife -> knives, life -> lives, leaf -> leaves, shelf -> shelves, wife -> wives, relief -> relieves, belief -> believes, grief -> grieves, etc.)
     "I before E except after C, receive, deceive, etc.
     other exceptions: in sounds like way, as in neighbor or weigh)
-- Take the vocab quiz on the words from the first two baseball articles. 
    If we do it on Quia, it will be here.
-- See clips of baseball moments (here) and describe them in your writing.  Share.

Homework due Monday:
-- Write a summary of one of the two articles here. 
-- Vocabulary terms for these two articles are on Quizlet here.

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Your first spelling list is here.  This is on Quizlet.  Sign into your account, and click on "Export" and "Reuse these terms."  Put your name on the list, as in "Sarah's SP List, Blue Eng."  Quiz yourself using "Speller" in the blue Study area.  The program will say the word and you type it in, hopefully correctly!  If you don't, it will show you the correct spelling, and have you type it in again.  The program will expect you to spell each word correctly twice.  Encounter the words over several days to improve your long-term learning -- that method is called "spaced repetition" (the opposite of cramming).


Class Agenda Thursday, Sept. 22:
-- Collect printouts of Quizlet spelling scores and book lists.  Put name and class color on each.
-- Take the spelling quiz. 
-- Hear/read some examples of article summaries written by students.
-- See clips of baseball moments (a double play, for example) and describe them in your writing.  Share.
-- Receive two new articles for next summary.  Begin reading them.

Homework due Friday:
-- Review the vocabulary once more Quia here.  6 homework points.
-- Read the articles for the first time.

Class Agenda Wednesday, Sept. 21:
-- Hear/read some examples of article summaries written by students.
-- Review the important concept of "topic control" and the value of using brief quotations for vivid support.
-- Continue with our Book Lists.  See MCBA book list for your 6th grade year (2009-2010).
-- Review the homework.  Get introduced to Adjectives, back side.
-- Explore the two photographs of raising the American flag.  Explore contrasts and comparisons and how they make for strong artwork. 

Homework due Thursday:
-- Finish your book list by describing your 3 favorite books in a few sentences each.
-- Do your spelling list again and print out your results.  I'll collect these.

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Class Agenda Tuesday, Sept. 20:
-- Hear/read some examples of article summaries written by students. 
-- Continue with our Book Lists.
-- Get introduced to Adjectives.

Homework due Wed:
-- Practice your spelling words.  Do the vocab if you haven't already done so.
-- Do the grammar activity on paper, both sides (adjectives and action verbs).

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Class Agenda Monday, Sept. 19:
-- Show students how to find your submitted work and my comments on Quia.  (It's in the Student Zone, and the icons are on the left.)
-- Review homework scoring on Quia.  If you have the weekend's HW on paper only, show it to me for your HW points.
-- Review "loss of class points" policy. 
-- Review outlining and turning the title into a question to build your main points.  Apply that process to the articles we read.  Discuss what were worthwhile main points for your summary.  .  .   .   .   .
-- Have some time at the end of class to begin our Book List. (books you have already read)
-- Time permitting, explore the two photographs of raising the American flag.  Explore contrasts and comparisons and how they make for strong artwork.

Homework due Tuesday:
-- Start your Book List on paper.  (Finish by Thursday.)   Start making a list of books you read in 7th grade, then 6th grade, etc.  You needn't include picture books!
-- Begin reviewing the vocab words on Quizlet here and on Quia here.  6 homework points given tonight for encountering the words on Quia, or printing out results from Quizlet self-test, so I can see "the evidence."  (If you already did this over the weekend on Quia, you've had your first encounter.)
-- Do the summary of the sports articles if you haven't done so already.  (Max of 5/10 HW points, though, unless excused.)
-- Bring in your spelling list into your Quizlet account and practice them.  This will be due Thursday.

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Class Agenda Friday, Sept. 16:
-- Go over the Pronoun and Adjective homework.
-- Take the vocabulary quiz (matching) on the Tightrope article words and the poetry terms.
-- Respond to the paired photographs of the American flags being raised on Iwo Jima and Ground Zero.
-- Read and explore e.e.cummings' poem "maggie and milly and mollie and may"

Homework due Monday:
-- Read two sports articles:  "A Real Diamond Sparkler" and "A Chance to Catch Lavarnway's Act" and summarize one of the articles in a paragraph here (print it out on paper, too, and bring it in) 
-- This presentation could help you understand the Lavarnway article.  The original articles are here and here.
-- The vocabulary for these two articles are on Quizlet here and on Quia here.

-- Bring in the spelling list into Quizlet over the weekend.  (See details above.)

Class Agenda Thurs, Sept 15:
-- See how the "Speller" program works on Quizlet.
-- Go over the Noun activities;
-- Get introduced to pronouns (and adjectives) and find pronouns on the Proper and Common Nouns side.

Homework due Friday:
-- Do the pronoun activities, both sides. 
-- Review the vocabulary here on Quia for the quiz on Friday.

Class Agenda Wed, Sept 14:
-- Study the sensory details, personification, and symbolism in "Summer Breeze."  Listen to the song, too.
-- Read and explore e.e.cummings' poem "maggie and milly and mollie and may"
-- Yellow: finish the compound noun game.

Homework due Thurs:
-- Do the noun activities, both sides. 

Tuesday, Sept. 13:
-- If you did homework on Quizlet (in the test area), show me a printout.  Otherwise, I'll see your work on Quia.
-- Review what you already know about Nouns,
-- Different categories (proper, common, concrete, abstract, collective, compound) and examples.
-- Do an activity on Nouns and a game on Compound Nouns.
-- See a 2-minute Monty Python skit called "The Bridge of Death" as a way to make the point that "splitting hairs" about noun categories is not the goal.  The main goal is be cognizant of the various categories of nouns; no one will be cast into the abyss.  

Homework due Wed:
-- Reread the last paragraph especially in the Tightrope article.  For examples of tightrope walks, consider Nixon's situation, the suicide bombers, and regular people moving through life.
-- Respond to the question about the metaphor in the tightrope walking editorial on the back of the article or on Quia here.  (Please aim for 100 words -- so if you write on the lines on the back of the article, write small!  We will be soon be shifting over to the expectation of submitting your writing online, so give that try.)

Monday, Sept. 12:
-- Blue:  Examine the tightrope walking editorial.  Respond to the question on the metaphor.
-- Discuss responses to your interview in groups and as a class.
-- Check out Quizlet and a set of words for the Tightrope article and poetry terms here.
-- These same words are configured into a self-testing arrangement on Quizlet here.
-- Do more peer readings of our poems (Yellow and Red).

Homework due Tuesday:
-- Quiz yourself on the vocabulary words here on Quia tonight.
-- Set up a Quizlet account by going to Quizlet.com  It's free.  Please include your first name in your username and, ideally, the first letter of your English class, as in Y for yellow, etc.  Later, I'll put your into groups.
-- Practice on Quizlet our set of words for the Tightrope article and poetry terms here.

Homework due Friday:
-- Quiz yourself two more times on the vocabulary words here on Quia by Friday.  I'll check to see you have done this on Thursday night and award up to ten homework points for doing this then.

Friday, Sept. 9:
-- Peer readings of our summer poems. 
-- See the scoring guide and read another summer poem example.
-- Begin reading "A Tightrope Walk Between Whimsy and Rage"
-- Yellow: review "The Dinner Party." (p. 509)

Homework for Monday:
-- Interview a parent or an adult about their experience of 9/11.  Don't let this take more than 25 minutes.  Pick a time that is appropriate for this -- for example, dinnertime might not be the best moment.  Use a piece of paper (or the handout distributed in class, which is also here) to take notes (phrases work well at this point) on answers to these questions: 

• 1.  "Where we you or what were you doing when you heard the news?" (Explain.  Usually, we remember major, world-shaking events like this vividly.)
• 2.  "What were you worried about or concerned about?"
• 3.  "How do you look back on that time?"  Or  "Do you think we are safer now?"
• 4.  "Please describe, in your own words, how the Twin Towers came down?"  (the process) 
  

Thursday, Sept. 8:
-- Green, Red, Blue: read "One Morning in Maine" here. Find examples of similes, personification, brief dialogue, and a reflective closing.
-- Discuss "Martha's Vineyard" (find sensory details, a metaphor, and similes)
-- Red and Yellow: type poems onto a Google Document, save and "share" it with me so I can edit it online.

Homework for Friday:
-- Write (type up) a rough draft of your poem.  See expectations above *.
-- Save it and bring in a printed copy so we can do a peer reading of it.
-- Bring in your Emergency Contact form and your permission letter.  Both need signatures!


Wednesday, Sept. 7:
-- Plan to interview your folks or an adult about their experience of 9/11 soon.
-- Yellow: Go through the "Start of School" presentation here.
-- Blue: get your red literature anthology.  Read "The Dinner Party."
-- Others: review "The Dinner Party." (p. 509)  Discuss how you can make predictions based on bold claims or assertions early on in a piece of writing. 
-- Go over the homework from last night.

Tuesday, Sept. 6:
-- Go through the "Start of School" presentation here.  (Green, Blue, Red have done this.)
-- Green, Yellow: do the journaling activity here.
-- Blue, Red: do the poem brainstorming activity on paper.
-- Get your literature anthology (I often call it your "red lit. book") -- take this home and leave it there.  We'll be reading stories and pieces from it this year.   Make sure your name is in it!  (Red, Green, and Yellow have it so far.  Red and Yellow read "The Dinner Party" on p. 509.)

Homework for Wed:
-- Read the poems "Summer Memories" and "Mother, Summer, I" several times. 
-- Respond to the questions next to the poems.  (Work on this for 25 minutes, max.)
-- We are comparing these two poems.  "Summer Memories" is pretty light and tries to cover many, many aspects of summer.  "Mother, Summer, I" is deeper and stays more focused on his mother's and his attitudes about summer.  Consider the acronym "SMAL" which means "Say More About Less."  In your summer poem, I encourage you to explore details and add specifics, rather than trying to "cover the waterfront." 

The first piece of writing we will be doing is a summer poem.  In class, we'll be reading examples written by students from previous years.  * In our poems, I'll be looking for these elements:

• sensory details (sights, sounds, smells, touch/sensations)
• figurative language (such as similes, metaphors, personifications, hyperbole. You can focus on similes and personification.)
• "sound effects" such as alliteration is optional; rhyming is not expected
  
• some brief dialogue for freshness and immediacy (not essential but helpful)
  
• a sense of journey with a clear beginning, middle, or ending
  
• a reflective, thoughtful or philosophical closing

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Thursday, Sept. 1:
-- Get started with the poetry brainstorming sheet.  (Green, Red, Yellow)  Blue will get this on Tuesday.  Save this for next week. 
-- Get assigned a specific computer with a number.  (Blue, Red, Yellow)
-- Get connected with your Quia account.  Write down your password and keep it safe.
-- Do the journaling activity here.  (Green needs to do this; Yellow only had a few minutes.)

No homework over the long weekend.

Everyone will need a Google Account!   We'll be using Google Presentations (it's like Powerpoint but more flexible) a lot this year.  Get permission from your folks to set up a Google account up if you don't already have one.  This is a link to set up a new account.  You don't need to use Gmail; your account can be linked to a different and already existing email address.  -- Mr. Chamberlain

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-- Begin group projects on the Holocaust.  Topics:  Treaty of Versailles, the Rise of the Nazi Party, "Krystallnacht," Ghettos and Concentration Camps, Resistance and the Aftermath.  These are to be done on Google Presentations (similar to Powerpoint). 

Before studying:
-- Political background, 


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