A new week

I’m in the process of grading, grading, and more grading.  I have almost completed the personal narrative grades, and will be returning those soon.  Check STI for grade updates periodically.

All classes are working to complete We Beat the Street.  We have another reading and vocabulary quiz this week.  Wednesday is the quiz for honors classes, and Thursday regular classes.  Students will also have a Tic Tac Toe Board to complete on the book.  Regular classes can choose any three assignments.  Honors classes must complete three in a row.  I will distribute the assignment by Wednesday, and it will be due the following Wednesday. 

We will be working on more literary elements such as imagery, dialect and diction.  We are also discussion figurative language this week particularly personification, metaphor, and simile.

Tomorrow, we are discussing goals for graduating with the Class of 2016 just as the three doctors graduated with their senior class. Each student will also write a letter to his or her “senior self.”  I plan to keep these letters and give them to their senior English teacher in four years.

Progress Time

Progress reports go out this week.  The rubber is starting to meeting the road, and as the tasks get more difficult, I am seeing more NHI assignments (not handed in).  Thursday in the media center we typed personal narratives.  Those of you who didn’t finish were instructed to save it to a thumb drive or send it to yourself via email to complete for homework.  I have a number of them still not turned in, and it has definitely had a negative impact on grades.  These should be turned in asap.

We are continuing to read We Beat the Steet, and reading homework was assigned on Friday.  Each class was to read one chapter – Chapter 8 for regular classes, and chapter 10 for honors classes.  We will have another quiz this week on reading comprehension and vocabulary.

We will continue with literary elements and reading this week.  I will be assigning  a project for the end of the book.  Details to follow.

 

Mid-week

Yesterday was our first reading quiz on We Beat the Street.  Regular English classes test on Chapters 1-4, while honors classes tested on 1-6. 

Today we reviewed the suggestions I made to your first drafts of your personal narratives.  Tomorrow we will go to the media center to type them.  Remember, I am making a book out of these, so please change any names needed to protect the guilty (or innocent).  Really, if you want to remain anonymous, let me know. 

After finishing personal narratives go to this website and review your vocabulary cards.  <a href=”http://quizlet.com/13796685/we-beat-the-street-chapter-5-9-vocabulary-flash-cards/”>We Beat the Street: chapter 5-9 vocabulary</a>

We are continuing to read We Beat the Street – Read through chapter 6 for Friday (1st, 4th, and 6th) and chapter 8 for 2nd and 3rd periods.

We’ll be completing projects on the book.  I will assign these next week.  You will have a choice of projects.

Enjoy your weekend and Read!

Our first test was Wednesday, Sept 5, and I was pleased with the overall grades.  Some students didn’t have a clear grasp of the material, so those students were given an opportunity for reviewing/reteaching and retesting.  4th period (Paranormals) tested today, other classes who need to retest will do so on Monday.

1st drafts of the personal narratives were due by today.  I will review these and get them back to you on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.  We will then go to the media center on Thursday to type the revisions. 

We reviewed plot stages, drawing a picture and labeling the five stages of plot development, and the five main genres.  (4th period still needs to complete this activity).  We Beat the Street books were distributed.  1st and 4th periods read chapters 1-3 for Monday.  2nd and 3rd honors classes read through chapter 5 for Monday, and 6th period should read chapter 1.  We will have reading quizzes periodically while reading the book.

We’ve had a wonderful three weeks – keep up the good work.

Week Three

After an extended weekend, we are back at work in English.  Tomorrow is our first test, and it will cover types and functions of nouns.  If you missed the notes, click on the links for the powerpoint presentations.  Bring your personal narrative graphic organizers to class tomorrow.  You will work on your first draft after the test.  We start our novel later this week.

Types of Nouns

Functions of Nouns