Tuesday - April 23, 2013

10th Grade - AYP Testing.  No homework

8th Grade - AYP Testing.  No homework

7th Grade - Rough Draft Research paper check and mini conferences.  No homework

History - Phrenology discussion.  Homework:  Read chapter 10, section 4 in the textbook and answer questions 1, 2, and 3 at the end of the session.  Due Wednesday.

Monday - April 22, 2013

I was unexpectedly absent yesterday for a funeral.  My apologies.  I am just going to copy and paste my (very generic) lesson plans for simplicity.

1^st, 2^nd periods:  English 10.  Assign them the spelling words for week 13.  The list is on the desk.  Go over the pronounciation of the words with them and meanings as much as needed.  Assign them the prompt below for a journal entry.  They need to use 5 of thier spelling words in the journal.

The detective saw his opportunity. He grabbed the waitress’s arm and said…

Hand out the “Adverb clause” worksheet.  Students have the rest of the period to work on either vocabulary worksheets, the adverb homework (which will be due Wednesday) or the journal prompt (also due Wednesday.)  If they finish all that, they may quietly read, or do other work. 

3^rd period:  English 8.  Assign the spelling words for week 13 (7^th and 8^th grade list).  The list is on the desk.  Go over the pronunciation of the words with them and meanings as much as needed.  Prompt for this class:

He turned the key in the lock and opened the door. To his horror, he saw…

Again, they need to use 5 of this week’s spelling words on the prompt, which is due Wednesday.

Hand out the Adverb clause worksheet.  Also due Wednesday.  If they finish early, they may check answers with a friend, and then read or do other homework quietly.

4^th, 7^th Periods:  English 7.  Same as English 8 with the vocab and the adverb worksheet, etc.  Writing prompt (with 5 spelling words) is:

            There are three children sitting on a log near a stream. One of them has an idea. . . .

Announcement:  Since I am not here to check their rough drafts, the drafts will be due TUESDAY, and the final draft for thier research papers will be due this coming MONDAY – April 29, instead of Friday the 26.  My loss is their gain, I guess.  I’m sure they won’t complain too loudly. 

5^th Period is Prep.  You don’t have lunch duty or anything else today. 

6^th Period:  8^th Grade History.  Show the video “Lewis and Clark – Part II”  It is on the desk.   DVD player is under the television set.

Thursday - April 11, 2013

7th Grade:  Quiz week 11.  Then work on research papers.  Note Cards need to be finished tomorrow.  Rough Draft is due next Friday, and Final paper is due on the 25th.

8th Grade:  Quiz week 11.  Jim Crow laws and discussion of civil rights.

10th Grade:  Quiz week 11, then sonnets and Iambic pentameter rules.

History:  None today.  Play for the school kids. 

I will be gone for the next several days.  email if you have questions.  I'll try and post, but can't guarantee how successful I'll be.

Wednesday - April 10, 2013

7th Grade:  More examples and practice taking research from the articles, putting it into note card form, and then using the note cards to write a research paper.  Tomorrow, we will have a quiz on week 11, then you will have the rest of the period to work on papers.

8th Grade:  Jim Crow Laws discussion and examples.

10th Grade:  Examples of persuasive literary terms.  Tomorrow, we will review some poetry terms in preparation for the ACT.

History:  Video on Industrial Revolution, and a discussion of various inventions over the last 400 years. 

Tuesday - April 9, 2013

7th Grade:  Notecards are great for research papers.  But how do you take the information on your cards and insert it into a paper?  That was our discussion today.  I'll be doing lots more examples this week for students if they missed it today.  There are multiple options, and it's easier to show than to type up in a coherent manner.

8th Grade:  Dred Scott was a slave in the early 1800's.  His law suit for freedom after his master to him to a northern free state went all the way to the supreme court.  But it backfired on him, as the court ruled that people don't lose their property rights when they cross state lines.  This effectively legally enforced the idea of slaves as chattel, or property - NOT as humans.

10th Grade:  on page 1192 in the back of your literature text books, there is a lit terms handbook or glossary.  Students spent the period reviewing terms they are not familiar with in preparation for the ACT.

History:  Map activity.  How many miles is it from Birmingham, Alabama to Flint, Michigan as the Watsons might have driven it?  After the map activity, discussion about how various inventions have changed the world.  Video:  Shift happens.  The industrial revolution changed the world in ways we don't even think about anymore. 

Monday - April 8, 2013

7th & 8th Grade Spelling - No other lit terms or vocab words this week.  Just spelling 11.

Predicament – Problem

Apportion – Divide up, share

Audacious – Bold

Verbiage – Very wordy

Raucous – Rowdy, loud

Disingenuous – Insincere, dishonest

Insurrection – Rebellion

Nominative – Naming something

Anemic/Anaemic – Low blood count

Haughtiness – Arrogant, proud

7th Grade:  You should have your research articles read and ready to begin the note card process.  We will spend this week learning how to take information from the articles and put it into the notes.  Next week, we write the rough draft, and the final draft is due on April 25.

8th Grade:  Civil Rights unit is here!  Discussion of life for slaves, and pictures of Bon Aire, the little island nation I used to live in, and its history of slavery in the salt plantations.  Pretty interesting stuff!


History:  Test on the Legislative and Judicial branches today.  Good luck!


10th Grade spelling list - Week 11

Furlough – On leave

Beleaguered – Overwhelmed

Maelstrom – Sucks you in (Whirlpool or turbulent)

Apartheid – Govt. enforced racism in S. Africa

Daffodil – Yellow flower

Nestle – To snuggle in

Slaughter – Butcher

Threshold – Limits

Behoove – Advisable

Bookkeeping – Office work

10th Grade:  ACT writing prompt 30 minute timed exercise. 
Prompt:  Should a town council remove all objectionable material from the local town library because minors have access to it, or do you leave it for adults?  Explain your reasoning with sound arguments and explanations. 

Thursday - April 4, 2013

7th Grade - Quiz 10 and then to the library for research.

8th Grade - Finish up debates.

10th Grade - Close reading - "All that glitters is not gold!"

History - Read pages 290 - 302 in history textbook.

Wednesday - March 3, 2013 - READING LOGS DUE FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!

7th Grade - 2 of  3 days in the library for research.  Tomorrow is the last day to find the articles you need.  After you have found and read the articles, you need to begin putting the thoughts into note cards that can then be organized into an outline.  Current Events are due this Friday, as is the reading log.

8th Grade - Debates.  I believe everyone will have gone by Thursday.  I am pleased at the increasing vigilance and thought process from students.  It seems like you are really beginning to understand what this is all about.

10th Grade - Read Act I scenes II and III for tomorrow. 

History:  Constitution test will be on Monday.  I should have a review sheet for you by Thursday.  For Thursday, read pages 280-287 in the History text book.

Tuesday - April 2013

7th & 8th Grade Vocab - Week 10

1.  quantative – countable

2.  fantastically – unbelievably

3.  recyclable – reusable

4.  disparage – insult, put down

5.  unforeseeable – not predictable

6.  infallibility – can’t be wrong

7.  untenable – flawed, problematic, unsustainable

8.  archaic – ancient

9.  taciturn – introverted, quiet, reserved

10.  beguile – lure, entice

 

 Taut – Adjective (Taught)

·         Having no give or slack

·         Tightly drawn

·         Not loose or flabby

Vehemently – Adverb (Veé-uh-ment-ly)

·         Bitterly antagonistic

·         Forcibly argumentative

·         With anger or deep passion

Writhe – verb (Wry-thuh)

·         to twist and turn

·         To try and escape

·         Movement when in agony or pain

Indelible – Adjective (In-DEHL-uh-ble)

·         Cannot be washed away, removed or erased

·         Powerful memories, unforgettable

Idiom – Noun (IH-dee-um)

·         Phrase or speech peculiar to a certain part of the world/language

·         Coded language only insiders can understand, very colloquial.

o    She quit smoking cold turkey!       

o    He is the apple of my eye.       

o    He was all thumbs. 

 

 

7th Grade:  Vocab and then we went to the library to continue researching articles for the science papers.

8th Grade:  Vocab and then class debates.  We will most likely finish these tomorrow.


10th Grade Vocab - Week 10

Vocab week 10 – 10^th Grade

Spelling words

1.  dilemma – quandary

2.  dilapidated – run down

3.  discrepancy – mismatch

4.  dissatisfied – not happy

5.  dyeing – coloring

6.  effervescent – bubbly

7.  embarrass – shame

8.  eminent – high and holy, distinguished

9.  etiquette – proper manners

10.  foliage – leaves and plants

 

Lit terms

·         Novella – A work longer than the standard short story, but shorter than a full novel. 

o    Spanish TV is mostly game shows, news, and “telenovelas”

§  Short 6-12 week shows with LOTS of Melodrama.

·         Oxymoron – a combination of contradictory terms

o    Jumbo shrimp, tough love, awfully good, pretty ugly, same difference, Microsoft works

·         Paradox – A statement that seems contradictory to common sense, yet may in fact, be true.

o    The coach considered this a good loss.

o    Controlled forest burns

·         Parody – a form of literature that intentionally uses comic effect to mock a literary work or style.

o    Galaxy quest, Vampires suck, etc.

·         Pathetic fallacy – a form of personification giving human traits to nature

o    Cruel sea, howling wind, dancing raindrops, singing trees, et

Grammar link

·         Transitive verbs – A verb that communicates action – something has to follow.

o    The city council passed the new ordinance

o    John blew his nose on his mom’s nice new towel

o    The boy kicked his skateboard after wrecking for the 15^th time.

·         Intransitive verbs – a verb that is complete on its own.  Doesn’t need anything else to help out with meaning.

o    The boy  flew on his skateboard

o    He jumped and flipped and twisted.

 

 

10th Grade:  Finish up the Character Summaries so you have them to reference.  Read Act I, Scene I in Merchant of Venice for Wednesday.