"The Raven"

Today we focused on Poe's poem "The Raven," starting with a quick warm up about the art on page 141, then reading the poem, and finally doing questions 2, 5 and 7 on page 147. We finished the day with a reading of "The Raven" from The Simpsons.

Quarter 1 Benchmark Assessment

Today we spent the whole period on the first quarter benchmark assessment test.

Personal Narrative Wrap Up

Today we review direct and indirect objects in the grammar book (page 43) and then spent the rest of the period on the personal narrative revision assignment. I collected the assignment (to grade) and the narratives (for student portfolios) at the end of the day.

First Quarter Ends Friday!

Today we worked through page 37 in the grammar book for a warm up. We talked about a couple more of the Amontillado" questions and started a short revision project on the personal narratives which were returned today. We will continue both of these assignments tomorrow.

Friday & Monday

Friday students began with page 32 in their Grammar for Writing book. Students then used the story they read yesterday to complete the mood and paraphrase worksheet. This worksheet and the vocabulary worksheet from yesterday are due Monday.

Monday we went over and collected the vocabulary worksheet and spent the rest of the day writing about and discussing the story questions on page 353.

The Substitute: Day 1

Today students began by working through and discussing page 31 in the Grammar for writing book. They then finished the Poe short story we began yesterday and discussed it a bit. Finally, students began a vocabulary handout to reinforce the words we looked at earlier this week. This should be completed for homework and will be collected Monday.

A Bit of Poe

We began the day with a bit of grammar (pages 26 A and 27 A & B) and the got started on "The Cask of Amontillado," which students will finish tomorrow.

Monday & Tuesday

Monday students worked through the unit three workshop (pages 302 to 307) in class, taking Cornell notes and answering the close reading questions. Students who did not finish should have finished for HW.

Tuesday we started with a grammar warm-up focused on subjects and predicates and spent much of the rest of the day reviewing the work from yesterday.

Thursday and Friday

On Thursday, we began the day with a final look at conjunctions (page 23B & 24A), but only in 1st period. We then spent what remaining time we had on the discussion questions on page 247 which were to be finished for homework.

On Friday, we discussed the homework (which was collected) and then we had a short assessment on the story. Absent students will need to come in and make this up.

Free Bird!

We began the day with a look at conjunctions in the grammar book (page 22 and page 23A), added some examples to the adult perspective/child perspective chart we made in class for "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," and wrapped up the day with a short discussion of the poem "Caged Bird" on page 246.

Short Periods and the Agency Fair

We began with a look at prepositions (in the grammar book, page 19, A & B, and page 20, B) and we finished reading "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."

Singing Like Birds in a Cage

Today we began with a short warm-up about mentors, what makes a good one and who our mentors might be. We then got started on "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," reading through page 243 in the textbook.

Is there a parade today or something?

Today we worked through page 17 in the grammar book and I collected final draft personal narratives.

Adverbs and POV

We began the day with a look at adverbs on page 16 of the grammar book. Then we discussed the questions from page 191 and I collected them. We wrapped up the day by adding the vocabulary from page 237 to the vocabulary lists in our notes.

Wednesday Homecoming Madness

We began with grammar exercises A (pg. 14) and B (pg. 15), and then moved on to a review of the notes from yesterday and last night. Students wrapped up the period by starting work on page 191. This should be finished for homework if necessary.

POV & Character

We began the day with page 13 in the grammar book, and then spent the rest of the day taking Cornell notes on pages 186 through 190 in the text (the Unit 2 Literary Analysis Workshop). Students should finish these notes for homework if necessary.

Navigator and Essay Revision

In period 1, we spent the day in the computer lab doing 4-year-plans on Navigator.
In period 5, we started the period by checking off revised rough drafts. Students spent the rest of the period doing peer revision and revising their own work.

Typed, Correctly Formatted, Final Draft Essays with attached rough draft and prewriting are due Friday, 10/8.

Friday: Period 5

Students had the opportunity to finish their rough drafts at the start of the period. We spent some time going over the revision strategies on page 173, and then students had some time to work on revision and begin typing.

Revised first drafts are due Monday. These may be handwritten, but should show evidence of revision on the draft itself.

Friday: Period 1

We started the period by checking off revised rough drafts. Students spent the rest of the period doing peer revision and revising their own work.

Typed, Correctly Formatted, Final Draft Essays with attached rough draft and prewriting are due Friday, 10/8.