2/14: Study over the essay by Rosa Parks and review the answers to the questions at the end of the selection. We will have a quiz on this now that we have seen the movie tie-in on Thursday 2/16.

2/10: Answer the questions at the end of from Rosa Parks - do both the questions under Analyzing Literature and Literary Elements. Due on Monday 2/13.

2/8: Read from Rosa Parks from where we stopped in class to the top of p. 94 for tomorrow.

2/6: Model UN tomorrow! Remember to bring your materials in your folder and to wear proper dress. i.e. western business attire: boys - shirts, ties, long pants, jackets optional if you would like; girls - skirt or dress of appropriate length and fit, shoulders covered (if in doubt, wear a sweater or jacket), dressy pants and a jacket are also an option, shoes must have a strap or back, no sandals, be sure to wear only as much heel as you can be comfortable going up and down stairs a lot!

2/1: Work on your Model UN position paragraphs.

1/31: Due the volleyball game today our test has been postponed until tomorrow - study your notes again! Also read over the Writing UN Resolutions hand-out.

1/27: Answer the questions at the end of "The Old Demon" if you have not already done so. Over the weekend, review "Antaeus" and "The Old Demon" by re-reading the stories and the notes you took in class today. We will have a test on these two stories on Tuesday.

1/20: 7-R: Answer the questions at the end of "Antaeus."

1/19: If you did not write a 3 - 5 sentence paragraph about what you would save in "the attic" from your childhood or heritage, please do so for tomorrow. 7-O: Answer the questions at the end of "Antaeus".

1/10: Using your textbook, old tests and notes in your daybook, try to fill in the spaces on the yellow study guide I gave you today or yesterday. We will continue reviewing tomorrow - exam is on Friday!

1/4: Read "Fish Cheeks" on p. 77 and answer the Analyzing Lit and Literary Elem questions that follow on p. 80

12/19: Work to complete study questions and study your answers. Test tomorrow on A Christmas Carol! Your folders are due on Wednesday.

12/15: Drawing of Third Spirit due tomorrow! We will begin correcting study questions to be used as a guide for test on Tuesday 12/20.

12/14: Drawing of Second Spirit due Thursday; Third Spirit on Friday. You should be working on the question sets I have given you which we will go over as soon as we finish watching the movie on Thursday and Friday. Review Monday; test Tuesday. Folders due on Wednesday before you leave for the Christmas break.

12/13: Drawing of First Spirit due tomorrow! Begin working on Discussion questions for Sections 1 & 2 of A Christmas Carol. Also read over the description of the Second Spirit and begin planning your drawing for it which will be due on Thursday December 15th.

12/12: Work on drawing the First Spirit - due Wednesday December 14th. You can also begin working on the last personal response anytime you like - remember this response as well as response #5 must be typed! Make sure to look over you log and clean it up. Your deeds should be clearly stated so I can know what you did to help others during the Advent season! Reminders: Final test on A Christmas Carol will be Tuesday Dec 20th; folders due Wednesday Dec 21st.

12/9: Study the 14 words on the vocabulary sheet - short quiz on Monday, matching and fill in the blank from a word bank; use Dickens description of Marley to make your first artistic representation of a ghost. Remember - draw or cut pieces of figures from a magazine to make a collage of the figure. Label your work. I will check to see that this is done on Monday. (You can begin working on your drawing of the First Spirit as well.) Finally, complete your last 3 deeds on the Bound by Love log by Monday.

12/7: Study the definitions of the vocabulary words we learned in conjunction with our study of A Christmas Carol - we will have a quiz on Monday! On Friday we will take notes on Jacob Marley and possibly the First Spirit so you can begin to make artistic representations of these characters in the novel.

12/5: Continue to define the rest of the vocabulary words; we will begin reviewing them tomorrow. If you owe me any work, you must bring it to me tomorrow.

12/2: 3 more good deeds are due on Monday - I will check your logs at the start of class. Also try to finish defining at least half of the vocabulary words I gave you on Thursday for Monday.

11/28: Study sheet on Dickens - quiz on this material on Wednesday.

11/27: Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow to continue our study of Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol!

11/21: Brainstorm ideas for charitable acts for your "Bound by Love" log. Finish reading and highlighting the information about Charles Dickens on your own if we did not finish reading it together in class. We will have a quiz on this biographical information about Dickens during the week we return from Thanksgiving.

11/17: Use your notes and the study sheet you were given on Wednesday to prepare for our test tomorrow; also brainstorm and plan your answers for the essay questions. You cannot bring a draft to class with you, but you can prewrite your answer at home so you will have a better command of what you are doing tomorrow.

11/10: We will finish reading "The Teacher Who Changed My Life" p. 367 on Monday; questions at end of selection should be answered by Tuesday 11/15. Test on Memorable Teachers will be on Friday 11/18.

11/3: Finish reading from Barrio Boy p. 67 if we did not finish it in class. 7R answer the Anal. Lit and Lit Elem. questions at the end of the story; 7O answer any questions you did not finish in class in your day book - I think there are 4 you did not cover.

10/26: Review your notes on and the stories themselves - "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street" and "All Summer in a Day" - in the text for an assessment tomorrow.

10/24: Since we went to the library today, you have another chance to complete "All Summer in a Day," the worksheet I gave you Friday and the questions that follow the story on p. 466.

10/21: Complete worksheet I passed out in class and begin/finish reading "All Summer in a Day" p. 461.

10/20: Answer the 10 questions under "Analyzing Literature" at the end of "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" - due 10/21.

10/17: Answer the four questions about the three stories that you were given today in complete sentences. This worksheet will be due at the beginning of class tomorrow before we take the test. Review study guides as final test preparation.

10/14: Continue studying for the lit test we will have on Tuesday 10/18 on the 3 stories listed below on the entry for 10/11. Use the sheet on definition of the literary terms I gave you. I will also give you a list of characters to define.

10/11: Answer the questions under Analyzing Literature #1-10 p. 802 about "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi." Due Wednesday 10/12. We will have a test on "We Are All One", "Uncle Tony's Goat" and "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" on Monday or Tuesday next week. 10/17 or 10/18.

10/5: Remember to bring a rosary to school tomorrow for the living rosary at 9 am. Your parents are invited to join us if they wish! Standardized testing continues so be sure to get a good night's rest and enjoy your break from homework!

9/30: Write a conclusion or ending for "Br'er Rabbit and Br'er Lion" - you can explain the fates of the two characters, i.e. what happens to them after Br'er Rabbit is strutting around the tree where he tied up Br'er Lion. You should write about a page in your day book to conclude the story. Due on Tuesday 10/4 in class. We will not have a test on literature until after the standardized testing is complete, so probably around Thursday 10/13 or Friday 10/14.

9/29: Again, you all did a great job on your skits on Wednesday - well done! For homework, read pp 751-754 "The Bunyuns." We will discuss in class tomorrow. We may have a short assessment Tuesday on some of the folklore we have been reading - "We Are All One", "Aunty Misery", "Strawberries", Aesop's fables, and "The Bunyuns".

9/22: Read over fable, prepare script and remember to bring props to class on Monday 9/26 - we will begin performing skits on Wednesday 9/28.

9/15: Read the rest of "We Are All One" and answer the questions that follow the selection p. 778 #1-10 and Literary Elements same page #1 & 2. You can answer the questions in your Day Book; due Monday 9/19.

9/13: Brief review of The Ghost . . . tomorrow; quiz on it and Alcatraz Thursday 9/15; bring your lit text to class tomorrow - Wednesday and Thursday.

9/12: Since we went to the library today, we will review The Ghost and Alcatraz tomorrow and Wednesday if needed. Brief quiz on these two books on Thursday 9/15.

9/1: Study notes and story for test on "Racing the Great Bear" - short test tomorrow, Friday 9/2. Over the long weekend review The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn and Alcatraz and the Evil Librarians so we can finish discussing these books and have a quiz when you get back from the mountain trip.

8/30: Study the notes we created in class today about "Racing the Great Bear". We will have a test on this story on Friday, 9/2. (If you have not yet turned in a book talk form for one of the summer reads, you must do so.)

8/26: Review The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn and complete the Book Talk form I gave to you in class. Due on Monday.

8/25: Please read over the class expectations sheet (your parents would have received this in the folder they received at Orientation on Thursday night) with your parent(s) and sign the last page. Detach this page and return it to me by Wednesday August 31st. You should also cover your text book by the 31st. These two requirements will be your first homework assignment/grade.

Summer Reading 2011

Required:

1. The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler

2. Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson

3. Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare (required for science)

Recommended:

A Single Shard by Linda Sue Parks

Happy Summer!

I hope you are having a fun and restful summer. I am looking forward to sharing an exciting year of great literature with you. Remember that you are responsible for reading the required books listed above. If you would also like to read A Single Shard, you may do so as well. (You may even have an opportunity to earn some extra credit if you read the recommended book!) Sometime during the first week of school, we will briefly discuss the first two books in lit class and have a brief test and/or writing assignment about them, so . . . read on and try to remember major characters and plot events! I know we will have a great year together, and I can't wait to hear your ideas about what you have read and like to read. See you at the end of August!