Monday - September 30, 2013

My apologies for getting this up so late today.  I was home with sick kids today, and now I'm just home sick.  I'll be gone again tomorrow (Tuesday) and will try and post earlier in the day for anyone looking for assignments.  Here are the day's plans for each period.

1^st, 2^nd Periods:  Remind students to study week 6 on their spelling lists this week.  There is a vocab/spelling worksheet the kids need to fill out each week. 

Have the students read to themselves the 4 short stories beginning on page 78 (including all the instructions before the stories begin, as that will help them know what to look for when reading, and will assist them in doing the homework) and answer ALL the questions through page 97.  It is one assignment, but have them label each section of questions separately.  Due tomorrow. 

3^rd Period:  Remind students to study week 6 spelling.  .   Tell students they are doing a timed 5 paragraph essay prompt today.  They will have 40 minutes total, and the essay will be due at the end of class.  We have been practicing these and they will be graded on how well they follow the five paragraph format, rather than on what they say, or which side they choose to argue. 

Prompt:  Should everyone be forced to stay in school until they are 18/graduated, or should kids be able to drop out at 16?

4^th Period:  Remind them to study week 6 spelling.  Continue reading as a class in the story “Song of the Trees” on page 50, letter I in the yellow literature book.  If you finish reading, have the students answer questions 1,2,3,5,6,8,10 for Wednesday.

5^th Period:  Prep

6^th Period – Same as 3^rd.

7^th Period – Learning Lab.  Students generally work quietly on various projects or homework. 

8^th period:  Go to the Library and check out the movie documentary about Pocahontas/Jamestown.   The librarians can help you if need be.  Have students take ½ page of notes to turn in at the end of class.  If students are absent, they may check out the video on their own time. 

Friday - September 27, 2013

7th Grade - No class.  B schedule

8th Grade:
Mad Libs instead of DOL today.
Notes, examples, and practice with misplaced and dangling modifiers.  A schedule students will get this lesson next Friday.

10th Grade:  No class.  B schedule

History:
We turned in all the assignments due today for English and History
Current Events discussions. 

Have a great weekend!  Good luck to all participating in the many various activities taking place this weekend!

Thursday - September 26, 2013

READING LOGS FOR SEPTEMBER ARE DUE ON FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

7th Grade: 
Spelling Test week 5.
Continue on with reading "Song of the Trees." 
No Homework

8th Grade: 
Spelling Test week 5
Work day to catch up on all that was assigned this week.


10th Grade:
Spelling Test week 5
Read Act II, Scene 1 in Julius Caesar for Monday.  Also, go online and read the more modern version so you understand what is happening in class when we begin covering it together on Monday.


History:
Read chapters 8 and 9 in My Brother Sam. 
Read pages 64-70 in history textbook. 
There will be a quiz on both of these readings on Monday.
Don't forget to prepare a current event for class tomorrow.  Sign up early to share yours with the class if possible.  You need to read two each quarter, and it is not always easy to get this done with everyone else sharing, and the classroom discussions we have about them.  Don't procrastinate!

Wednesday - September 25, 2013

7th Grade:
DOL
We began reading "Song of the Trees" today, with a focus on background knowledge.
Homework due tomorrow from page 30 questions 1,2,5
Don't Forget Reading Logs are due this week!


8th Grade:
DOL
Homework:  Algernon section 1 questions on page 72.  Answer questions 1,2,3,4,6,7,10 and 11.  Also, don't forget that the homework from page 406 "The Circuit" questions 8,9,10, 11 and 13 is due tomorrow. 
Reading Logs due Friday.
Spelling Test week 5 is tomorrow.
There is lot's to keep up with this week.  Don't get behind!


10th Grade:
Julius Caesar Act I test today.


History:
www.usdebtclock.org has a really informative series of charts and numbers listing all kinds of numbers about personal, family, state, and national debt. 
Homework:  Worksheet asking questions about these numbers.  See Mr. Hawley for extra copies.  Due Thursday.
Also due Thursday:  Page 60 in the Text book.  Answer questions 1-4, 5a,6a,7a,9b, 13-17.
Current Events are due again this Friday, and since it is a B schedule, I will give you the period to read them for the class. 

Tuesday - September 24, 2013

7th Grade: 
DOL focusing on Passive and Active voice.  passive voice uses extra helping verbs and shifts the focus of a sentence to the object.  The knives were sharpened by the cook. (passive) vs. The cook sharpened the knives (active)  We took a few notes on the two types of writing.  See Mr. Hawley for copies. 

Homework:  Finish reading the story on page 30 (An unforgettable Journey).  At the end of the story, answer questions 1,2, and 5 in complete sentences.  Then write a 1/2 page journal entry on a time you felt weird, out of place, or strange.  Due Thursday


8th Grade:
DOL focusing on Active vs passive voice, and transitive verbs, or sentences that have  a direct object, vs sentences that don't. 

Homework:  Read the story "The Circuit" on page 406 and answer questions 8-12 at the end of the story.  Please use short essay answers for these questions.  One sentence answers will not suffice.


10th Grade:
DOL
Julius Caesar test has been postponed till Wednesday.  You are welcome!
Homework:  Read the story "By the Waters of Babylon" on page 61.  Write a 1 page response to the prompt:  In what ways do people still allow superstition/mythology to influence or guide their lives.  Due Wednesday.

Don't forget to do your character plot map for Act I of Julius Caesar.


History: 
Almost all the students were gone today for games, so please answer questions 1,2,3,4, 5a, 6a, 7a, 9b, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 from the chapter review (chapter 2 in the history textbook) on page 60.  Due Thursday.    Those 5 who stayed in class got to look at political cartoons and have a good discussion with each other.  Good luck teams!

Monday - September 23, 2013

7th Grade:
DOL - Focus on participles today.  A participle is a verb that ends with ED or ING and has a helping verb with it.  I am walking is a present participle vs. I walk is present tense.  Don't worry.  We will get lots of practice with these verbs.

Begin reading the story "An Unforgettable Journey" in class.  No homework tonight.


8th Grade:
DOL - Focus on Infinitives (Verbs that still have the "To" in front of them.  To eat, to walk, to run, etc.
Continue reading Algernon. 


10th Grade:
DOL - Fix the sentence today. 
We finished reading Act I in Julius Caesar.  There will be a test on this act tomorrow in class.


History: 
We finally finished our discussion on Globalization.  We took notes on the Spanish Hierarchy in the New world, and who got which kind of jobs, based on parentage, race, and gender.  See Mr. Hawley or a classmate for notes.  Then we turned our attention to the looming fight in congress over the debt ceiling.  The debt clock is up on my screen saver.  We will do an activity tomorrow with these numbers.  Scary stuff!

Thursday - September 19, 2013

7th Grade: 
Writing Prompt today instead of DOL
1/2 page (or more) about the following: 

• On this day in 1830, the first locomotive, the Tom Thumb, lost a nine-mile race with a horse - between Riley's Tavern just outside Baltimore, Maryland, and a spot inside the city.  In fact, a boiler leak kept the train from ever finishing the race.  So the "Iron Horse" (and early nickname for trains) was outpaced by a horse!
• Prompt:  Think for a moment about life in America in the 1700's.  Now think about life today.  How many different kinds of things do we use that weren't available to our ancestors?  How have these devices changed your life?  Write about a few that have had the biggest impact on your life. 

We went on to discuss the dreaded RUN ON sentence, and his evil sidekick, Comma Splice!  No homework - Yet.  More on this to come tomorrow.

8th Grade:
Writing prompt today instead of DOL
Write 1/2 page (or more) about the following prompt:

• On this day in 1783, the Montgolfier brothers sent up the first air balloon with live creatures on board:  a sheep, a rooster, and a duck
• Prompt:  Why do you think the Montgolfier brothers sent up animals before they tried to go up in the balloon themselves?  Do you think this was fair?  How does this tie in with our reading "Algernon" in the textbook right now?  Due Friday.

We read through page 62 in Flowers for Algernon in class today.  No additional homework.


10th Grade:
Writing prompt today instead of DOL
Write 1 full page about the following prompt:

• Mickey Mouse was introduced for the first time on this day in a 1928 cartoon called "Steamboat Willie" at the Colony Theater in New York.
• Prompt:  What is it about Mickey Mouse that has kept him popular all these years?  Discuss his qualities and attributes as you see them. 

We finished reading Act I Scene 2 in Julius Caesar.  We will read Act 1 Scene 3 tomorrow and have a test on Act I on Monday. 

History: 
Discussion of 2 articles from the internet
1.  Can the State of New Jersey force a lower court judge to give up his part time job as a comedian?
2.  Can the ACLU sue to force a school in California to allow a transgender (born a boy) student to use the girl's bathroom?  He is claiming his/her? rights have been violated.

Continue power point on Spanish Colonization and Conquest of the New World.  Look up 5 countries in the Caribbean, Central, or South America on the CIA World Fact Book website.  https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/  Find the demographics section (listed under "people and society") on these countries and report back on the percentage of residents of African vs European or Indian blood. 

Homework:  Read pages 49-58 in the history textbook on European colonization in the Americas.  Read My Brother Sam chapters 6 & 7 for class on Monday.  Be prepared for a quiz over both readings on Monday when class starts. 

Wednesday - September 18, 2013

7th Grade: 
-DOL
-We discussed the Plot, Conflicts, and made a Venn Diagram for the story "Amigo Brothers." 
-Homework (Due Friday):  Write a 1 page journal entry describing a time you had to overcome conflict in your life.  Include things like when, where, why, how it happened, and then DISCUSS how you OVERCAME the conflict.

8th Grade:
DOL
FINALLY, we are getting into our story "Flowers for Algernon".  Lots of good discussion today.  If you could be the smartest person in the world, how would that change your life?
No Homework

10th Grade:
DOL
Back into Julius Caesar today.  We will finish Act I, Scene II by tomorrow.  Plan on having a test on Act I on Friday.
No Homework.

History:
What is globalization?  How is the planet interconnected today in ways it has never been before?  How did the Spaniards (and other colonizing European countries) change the world as we know it today?  Tomorrow, we will discuss Bonaire, an island where I lived many years ago, and the heritage that is still there from colonial times.

Tuesday - September 17, 2013

7th Grade: 
Mad Libs today instead of DOL
Continue reading Amigo Brothers from the text.  Finish reading the story tonight for homework.  come to class tomorrow ready to write about the story.

8th Grade:  Maps testing.  Last day!!!

10th Grade:  No DOL because of Maps testing
Homework:  Read the story "The Trip" on pages 46-56.  At the end of the story, answer questions 5, 8, 9.  Give 4 examples for number 5, and answer 8 and 9 in short essay (4-6 sentences) format.  Due Wednesday. 

TURN IN FLASHBACK ESSAYS TODAY!!!!!!

History:  Define Globalization.  Powerpoint and class discussion on what it means.  No notes.  We also began talking about Mexico's colonization of the New World.  No homework tonight.

Monday - Sep 16, 2013

7th Grade: 
DOL - Fix the sentence today. 
Review of Pronoun worksheet homework.

8th Grade:
DOL - Fix the sentence
Students took a few notes on Alliteration.  See Mr. Hawley for copies.
Moostache story - Great example of alliteration.
No homework

10th Grade:
DOL - Fix the sentence
Continuing discussion of Julius Caesar Act I, Scene 2.  We are going slowly through this act because of the Maps testing, and other scheduled interruptions, but also because it is critical to understanding the rest of the play.
No Homework today.

History:
Final Map test - Identify all 50 states and their capital cities.
Homework:  Read pages 44-48 in the history textbook.  Come to class tomorrow prepared to answer a question to get in the door, and have a question to ask your classmates.  Also read chapter 6 in My Brother Sam for tomorrow. 

We have finished our unit on politics.  We will be shifting into European exploration and conquest of the Americas next, with a strong focus on Jamestown and Plymouth Rock.

Thursday - September 12, 2013

7th, 8th, 10th grades all maps testing today.  No homework.  The spelling tests will be given on Monday when we return to school.

History - current events.  We had some good discussions today.  Lots of good participation.  See you all Monday.

Wednesday - September 11, 2013

7th Grade:
DOL - Still working on Pronouns. 
Homework:  Pronoun Worksheet - Due tomorrow.  See Mr. Hawley for extra copies.  This one focuses on Indefinite and Relative pronouns. 
We also started the introduction to our next story "Amigo Brothers"  We will be focusing on compare and contrast with this story, as well as the elements of a short story like Plot, setting, Rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement (the "And they lived happily ever after moment in the story.)

8th Grade: 
DOL - Nice short one today.
Discussion of Maps testing and reasons why you should try to do your best.
New story we will begin reading in the textbook - "Flowers for Algernon".  This story will focus on parallel episodes and subplots within a story.  Be warned, it is a sad tale.  No homework.

10th Grade: 
DOL - Still working on those pronouns.
We finished reading the story "The Leap"
Essay:  Flashback.  Instructions below.    This will be due next Tuesday, Sep 17.

 GUIDELINES FOR FLASHBACK FLASH-FORWARD STORY

DUE DATE:

LENGTH: 1½ - 3 pages typed (double spaced)

ALL PAPERS MUST HAVE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

Title of the story

Your name

 

Did you notice that The Sandlot was told as a flashback story? Smalls was walking into the baseball stadium to begin his job as an announcer at the beginning of the story, and at the end of the story he is announcing the game. What happens in between those two scenes is a flashback about the greatest summer of his life.

Start your story in the present day--only your present day is 10 years from now.

 

FIRST PARAGRAPH

This paragraph should include the following information in narrative form (Not just a list of information, but actually told in the way a story would sound.) 

Your age

Your occupation

Single or married?

Any kids?

House you live in

Car you drive

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

Explain what happens on your job to make you think of the past. Your last sentence in your first paragraph should read, “I remember when…”

 

BODY

Tell me about a TRUE incident that happened to you that you will never forget. The more details, the better the story. Explain and describe EVERYTHING.

 

LAST PARAGRAPH

Come back to reality and end your paper in the present (which is really your pretend future) by tying the story together for the reader.

Tuesday - September 10, 2013

7th Grade -
DOL - Very complex sentence today.  Good work, guys.
Review 5 paragraph essay and turn in for grade.

8th Grade -
Same as 7th grade today.  Remember your pronoun types.
Personal
Possessive
Reflexive
Intensive
Interrogative
Relative
Indefinite

Finish writing 5 paragraph essays on Govt vs. Flower shop.

10th Grade
DOL - tough one today!
Finish speeches.  Lots to think about for the next one coming up and how to improve.
Homework:  REad the story "The Leap" on page 36.  Come to class tomorrow ready to discuss and do a writing assignment on this. 

History.
Most kids were testing this period, and most of the girls were gone, so today was just silent reading. 
Homework:  Read pages 36-43 in the history text.  Also, read My Brother Sam chapters 4 & 5 (46-76) for tomorrow.

Monday - September 9, 2013

English 7 -
DOL - Fix the sentence
Students need to write a 5 paragraph essay: 
Thesis:  Mr. Hawley is a grammar Nazi!
A.  English teacher
B.  Social media editor
C.  Environment of those he is around

We'll see how well you did tomorrow.


English 8: 
DOL
Timed writing prompt - Can the Govt tell you who you can and can't sell things to?  Can they force you to sell something to someone that is against your religious beliefs?  For example, can they force a Christian bakery produce a cake for a gay wedding?  Argue one side or the other. 


English 10:
DOL
Hopes and Dreams speech.  I was pleased with the efforts from 2nd Period for the most part.  1st period needs to work on some presentation skills. 


History:
50 States Test
Quiz on My Brother Sam - Ch 3
Quiz on Textbook sections 1.4 and 2.1

Begin discussion of Political platforms and the planks that make up a platform. 

September 5, 2013
OK, we're back for another school year! 

English 7 - Grammar, grammar, grammar!!!  Parts of speech, and punctuation/spelling will be a huge focus for us this semester.  Spelling Test tomorrow.  Study!

English 8 - Read the stories you finished reading for "Inn of Lost Time."  Stories due today.   Finish reading the story to discover the other plot twist!

English 10 - Read through J.C. Act 1 Scene 2 for class tomorrow.

History - Notes on why we should all obey the laws, at home, school, and in society at large. 
Response to Cartoon #1.  Forms are available in class.  Map test for all 50 states has been moved to Monday.  Homework - Read chapter 3 in My Brother Sam, and read the sections in your textbook starting on pages 22 and 32 for Monday.  There will be some sort of quiz over this reading. 

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.

Monday - March 25, 2013

7th & 8th Grade vocab week 9:

Spelling Week 9 – 7^th & 8^th Grade

Flirtatious – Playful

Commodity – Valuable goods

Demonstrable – Can be shown, proven

Sentient – Self Aware

Efficient – Organized

Intuitive – Perceptive

Indelible – Permanent

Relentlessly – Persistently

Accomplishment – Achievement

Empirical – Observable, provable

 

Raucous – Adjective (Rah-Kus)

·         Disagreeably harsh or strident.

·         Boisterously disorderly

·         Wild and loud

 

Regression – noun (Re-Gress-shun)

·         A shift toward a less perfect state

·         Gradual loss of memories or skills

·         Reversion to an earlier mental or behavioral level

 

Rueful – Adjective (Ru-full)

·         exciting or causing pity or sympathy - Pitiable

·         Mournful

·         Regretful

 

Stoically – Adjective (Stoe-ihk-ly)

·         Free from passion

·         Unmoved by joy or grief

·         Showing no feelings

 

Iambic Pentameter – Noun (Eye-Am-Bic)

·         Used in poetry

·         five pairs of syllables with the accent on the second syllable in each pair.

 

 

We had a lengthy discussion about Iambic Pentameter with the 7th graders.  The 8th graders learned this last year.  Iambic Pentamenter is a very set way to write poetry.  It includes:

 

a.  10 syllables in a line, divided into sets of two.

b.  An unstressed syllable, followed by a stressed syllable all across the line. 

c.  Usually found in a sonnet, which has a very specific structure.

 

Here is an example of a line from one of Shakespeare's sonnets in Iambic Pentameter:  10 syllables, with the stresses syllable in bold type. 

 

Thou | art | more | lov | ely | than | a | sum | mers | day

 

Don't worry.  I won't actually have you WRITING sonnets till you are sophomores!  :-)

 

Journal – Week 9

·         Try and prove your point.  Write a persuasive essay about something you believe strongly in.  Use your best logic and arguments to support your decisions.

10th Grade: 

vocab Week 9 – 10^th Grade

Spelling words:

Contemptible – Disgust/disgrace/despicable

Coolly – Without panic or haste

Corroborate – to agree on the facts

Counterfeit – fake

Curriculum -  school lessons

Debtor – Owes you money

Deferred – Put off till later

Deficit – shortfall/insufficient

Desirous – hoping for

Deteriorate – Break down

 

Lit Terms:  These have nothing to do with each other, so put them on separate lines.

1.  Hubris – Excessive pride.  In Greek literature (usually a tragedy, or sad play) hubris is often viewed as the flaw that leads to the downfall of the tragic hero. 

·         Example:  Achilles Heel.  Achilles was impossible to wound in battle, having been dipped in the river Styx as a baby.  But his heel was vulnerable because that’s where they held him when he was dipped in the river.   Because of this vulnerability, he (and his armies) eventually were defeated.

 

2.  Impressionism – The recording of events or situations as they have been impressed upon the mind. 

·         Example:  Sharing your childhood memories of winter.  The  soft snow, the biting wind, the frosty air, etc. 

o    “Where the Red Fern Grows” is another very good example of this.  You feel the boy’s aches, pains, joys, and triumphs right along with him as he works to buy and then hunts with his dogs.

 

3.  Local Color – the use of language and details that are common to a certain region of the country.  We’ve already learned a strong synonym for this word.  Can you remember it?

 

4.  Malapropism – A type of pun or play on words where two words become jumbled in the speaker’s mind. 

Example:  “Go take a shower” becomes “Go shake a tower.”  This is the kind of thing that happens in poor Mr. Hawley’s head all the time when he tries to speak too fast, and is the reason I often have to sart a stentecne over, I mean start a sentence over.

5.  Melodrama – Extreme  or exaggerated form of acting.  Think soap operas.  “JOHN!  Your baby is my Uncle’s cousin’s nephew’s dog’s best friend, and I WON’T stand for it anymore!!!” 

·         Playmill Theater in West Yellowstone puts on Melodramas (exaggerated plays) every summer that are extremely hilarious.  I strongly encourage you all to go to one some summer with your family!!!!!

 

Journal – Write an impressionistic piece about memories of your mother from when you were five.