Recapping Spare Change

Today we reviewed the notes we took yesterday on the Spare Change presentation. We then summarized the notes and wrote a correct works cited entry for the presentation.

Spare Change

Special guests Spare Change presented on topics related to the novel Speak today. Students took notes on the presentation. This is the first part of the research for the formal papers we will be working on for the next two weeks.

Meet the FANBOYS...

Today we reviewed the coordinating conjunctions (fanboys) and used them in a little sentence combining activity. We then continued to refine our research questions, first in groups and then as a whole class.

The Research Paper Begins

We began the day by adding the terms simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex sentence to our grammar notes. After a sentence identification warm-up, we moved on to some general discussion of plagiarism and the research paper. We brainstormed possible topics from the book Speak, and students chose one they might like to write about.

HW Respond to the following regarding the topic you have chosen:

1. Why does this topic interest you?
2. Come up with three to five questions about the topic that you could answer in a research paper.

Welcome to the New Semester

We began the day with new seats, then discussed the clean slate aspect of the new semester, and wrapped up the day with a reflection/revision activity on the essay from the final exam.

HW Finish the revised essay paragraph that we we started in class.

Revision Time

Today, after a short phrase/clause warm-up, we revisited the poetry unit final exam and, using our CAHSEE essay norming work as a guide, revised the essay portion. MOst students finished these rewrites in class, but some took them home for HW.

HW Finish Speak w/ notes

Norming Fun

Today we completed the Exit Exam essay norming activity, discussing the scores on the sample essays that we read last Friday. We apply this knowledge to revision of the poetry final essays tomorrow.

We also discussed and turned in the theme and symbol work from yesterday.

HW: Reading #8 with notes.

Symbol Time

Today, after our grammar warm up and quiz, we spent the rest of the period working on a short theme and symbol analysis (below). This will be collected tomorrow.

1. Choose one quotation from your notes. Explain how it demonstrates or illuminates one of the themes of the book so far.
2. Choose one of these motifs (repeated symbols): seeds [66-7, 125-6, 133]; mirrors [17, 40, 50, 82, 123-24]; tree [12, 54, 66, 78]; other. Explain the importance of this symbol. What does it have to do with Anderson’s story and themes? Include one strong quotation in your response.

HW Summarize the third marking period in notes & complete reading 7 w/ notes.

Catching Our Breath

We began the day by reviewing dependent and independent clauses and spent the rest of the period catching up on reading, notes, and other miscellaneous work for this class.

HW Reading 6 with notes

The 2nd Marking Period

Today we began by reviewing the basic definitions of phrases and clauses. We then had a quiz on reading 4 of Speak and spent the rest of the period discussing the 2nd marking period.

HW Reading #5 with notes

Essay Norming

Today we spend the day examining a CAHSEE literary essay prompt and then scored some sample essays using the CAHSEE rubric. We will continue this activity on Monday.

HW Speak reading #4 with notes.

Marking Period #1

Today I checked reading two notes during the warm-up. I collected coats of arms and then we added the POV, setting, major characters, central conflict, and some themes of Speak to the notes. We also summarized "The First Marking Period" in the notes.

HW Reading #3 with notes.

Speak Quiz #1

Today after our warm-up, we had our first Speak reading quiz. After speaking briefly about the night's reading, we divided the rest of the period between the coat-of-arms assignment and reading #2.

HW: Reading #2 with notes and finish coat of arms (if necessary)

Cliques & Clans Continued

After reviewing subjects and predicates again, we continued with the clan discussion, got Speak and discussed the reading/notes assignment, and then worked on the shield assignment.

While students were working on the shield assignment, those students needing to revise the grammar on the Of Mice and Men essays were given a revision assignment. The web page for that assignment is: http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/bedhandbook7enew/ Due with paper revisions by 1/16.

HW: Speak reading #1 with notes.

Welcome Back

We began the day with a review of grammatical subjects and predicates, watching a short video and taking notes on the terms: subject, predicate, simple subject, and simple predicate. We spent the rest of the period on some introductory activities for the novel Speak.