Frightfully Friday!

Block B: Great work on your opinion outlines today! The double-spaced rough draft is due on Monday for peer editing!

Block C: Phew - essays are done! And consider yourselves lucky - the verbal visual essay will now be due on Wednesday Nov 5. I expect amazing results!

Block D: Make sure you bring your completed outline, sources/notes and MLA works cited page on Monday - to write your essay!!!

Thankfully Thursday

Block B: Great work today on Fact vs. Opinion! Consider your 5 topic choices - we will start the outline in class tomorrow. No homework!

Block C: Good start to your literary analysis essays today in class - we will wrap this up tomorrow!

Block D: Well - consider my arm twisted! Bonus work block tomorrow on your outlines. Bring in your sources and notes to class tomorrow. Essay writing starts Monday.

Walk Away Wednesday

Block B: Study for your verb quiz tomorrow! Also complete the double-spaced good copy of your compare and contrast paragraph. Consider the feedback provided by your editor.

Block C: It is essay time tomorrow!!! You will get two blocks to write.

Block D: Please complete the introduction and first body paragraph of your outline for homework tonight.

Tasks for a Tuesday:

Block B: Double-spaced rough drafts of your compare and contrast paragraphs are due tomorrow! Don't forget to review for the verb quiz on Thursday.

Block C: Your last set of 3 journal entries are due tomorrow - read the criteria - make goals for yourself on how you are going to improve this time.

Block D: No homework tonight!

Make it your Monday!

Block B: Hope you all enjoyed your time at camp!!! It was great to see you all today - and with a new seating plan to shake things up. Today we reviewed how to write a compare and contrast paragraph. Please review your notes on the different transitions to write a smooth paragraph. For tomorrow - if you did not do so in class - please complete the outline of your choice - either whole-to-whole or point-to-point - on Mrs. Higgins and Mrs. Jones or Roger and Alfred.

Block C: Today was the last group meeting - although if you need extra time there will be some time to finish up tomorrow. Don't forget that your last set of journals is due on Wednesday. There should be time tomorrow to finish any group discussion not yet completed.

Block D: We're on an essay journey together. Today in class you submitted your proposals for essay topics. Not all were approved. If you got the red butterfly - then please complete the introduction for your essay. If you did not get approval - please resubmit tomorrow - make sure you follow the notes to make your topic: single, significant, supportable and significant.

Thoughtful Thursday

Block C: For this weekend - finish your book!!! We have ONE last group meeting on Monday - so make sure you are prepared! And because I am the nicest teacher ever - your last set of 3 journal entries will now be due on Wednesday Oct 29. So you get another bonus day to work on them.

Block D: Today we talked about developing an essay topic - how to make it Single, Supportable, Significant and Specific. 

We did some in-class practice before talking about how to find reputable and reliable sources for this essay. You will need to find at least 3 sources: a book, a website, and an encyclopedia for your proposal. Do not print out your sources as I want to see your essay proposal first. If you do not like any of the topics from the green handout - I fully recommend that you create your own topic. Choose something that is not overdone and something that intrigues you. Here is the slide of the proposal due on Monday.

Working Wednesday:

Block C: Great start to the discussions today! There will be more time tomorrow to finish up. Don't forget that journals are due on Oct. 28 and your Verbal Visual Essay is due on Nov. 3.

Block D: Thanks for handing in your projects! We started our essay writing unit today with some practice putting together a blown up essay. We then started talking about good thesis statements and that is where we ended class - no homework tonight!

Take That, Tuesday!

Block B: We continued practicing parts of a paragraph today - with a paragraph in strips, then putting together sample paragraphs from the worksheet. Almost everyone completed their practice paragraph - so there should be no homework! Have a great time at camp - and see you on Monday!

Block C: Finish your reading and sticky notes for tomorrow. You should be thinking and planning your verbal visual essays - I know it seems like they are not due for awhile - but time flies!

Block D: The deadline is here - hand in all three parts of your final project - plot line, creative task, and literary analysis. Make sure you have an outline, rough draft and a double-spaced good copy along with the criteria sheet tomorrow.

Mostly Monday

Block B: Today we started our journey into paragraph writing. Hopefully the structure - of Topic - Support - Conclusion is a friendly reminder blended in with some of the high school expectations of good writing. At the end of class we completed part one of the handout. Which was to correctly label the parts of a good paragraph. If you didn't manage to finish both paragraphs in class - please do so tonight!

Block C: After I introduced the verbal/visual essay in class today - you were then given extra time for your groups. If you need more time tomorrow that's ok - you have another work block. Other than that - just read for Wednesday's meeting.

Block D: Today you were given time in class to peer edit your chosen literary analysis paragraph. There is one more day in class to work on the final touches for this assignment. All three parts are due on Wednesday.

Full-on Friday!

Block B: Awesome work today everyone!!! We wrote our noun and pronoun quiz then continued working on the group discussion charts. And because you all worked so hard this week on all of those ELOs - there is no homework this weekend!

Block C: Don't worry if you didn't finish your group discussion today - there will be time on Monday to finish up. Plus your next group meeting isn't until Wednesday - so you have some time to get caught up generally.

Block D: Great work block today! On Monday we will be peer editing the rough drafts of our chosen literary analysis paragraphs. I will be giving you time to work on Tuesday and collecting the project on Wednesday.

Think about it Thursday!

Block B: Great work on your group discussions today! Study hard for your quiz on nouns and pronouns tomorrow!

Block C: I will be collecting your 3 journal entries tomorrow. And there is also a group meeting - so make sure your reading and sticky notes are done.

Block D: Work continued today on your short story analysis project. The rough draft of your chosen literary analysis paragraph is due on Monday for peer editing. The entire project is due on Wednesday!

Walk-Away Wednesday

Block B: If you didn't get exercise A and B finished for the nouns practice - please do so tonight. We will continue to group discussion ELO tomorrow!

Block C: There will be extra time tomorrow for groups to complete their group work - either discussions around character and characterization or the journals - which are due on Friday.

Block D: Today I handed out the short story literary analysis project. Most people chose their stories and got to work reading and figuring out the elements of fiction for the story. Read through your story tonight and come prepared to work tomorrow - due date is TBA.

Turnaround Tuesday

Block B: Today we reviewed the different types of nouns - there will be more opportunities for practice - then a quiz on Friday. For tomorrow, please complete the worksheet on inferences in "All the Years of Her Life" and study the pink sheet of terminology for the short story quiz tomorrow.

Block C: For tomorrow - you need to have completed all of your reading and sticky notes. Hopefully you will also have the opportunity to work on your journals - as you have 3 entries due on Friday.

Block D: The double-spaced good copy of your "Saturday Climbing paragraph is due tomorrow. Make sure you hand in all parts - as I want to see your outline, rough draft, peer editing sheet and good copy.

Full Throttle Friday!

Block B: Today we discussed the characters from "Thank You M'am" and the various plot points. We then read our last story: "All the Years of Her Life." There was a vote on what the in class work would be and the majority chose to complete the plot diagram and leave the inference work for Tuesday. If you were called down for photos and did not complete the plot diagram in class - please do so for Tuesday! In addition you need to study the pink sheet of terminology for the quiz on Wednesday.

Block C: Great start to this unit today! You met with your groups and completed (or mostly) completed your discussion organizers. If you did not finish there will be extra time on Tuesday. You are responsible for getting your reading and sticky notes completed for the next group meeting. Also you should be choosing your 3 quotes and writing your 3 personal responses to discuss with your group on Tuesday.

Block D: Thanks for all the great questions about thesis statements! Consider the feedback and for this next attempt at the literary analysis what you would like to focus on to get better. The double-spaced rough draft is due on Tuesday for peer editing. Also you should study the green sheet of terminology for the quiz on Tuesday.

That's all for Thursday!

Block B: In class today, we read the story "Thank You, M'am" by Langston Hughes. After discussing the story you started working on a story map and characterization chart. If you didn't finish these in class please do so tonight as we will be discussing them tomorrow.

Block C: Today I reviewed some literary techniques that you should pay particular attention to: allusion, imagery, metaphor and irony. Not only are you expected to be able to identify their use in prose writing - but to discuss and analyze their functions in relation to the depth of your understanding of the work as a whole. Tomorrow will be your first group meeting - you need to have read the agreed upon pages and completed your sticky notes - should you fail to do so - there will be no meeting for you. Come prepared with lots to talk about!!!

Block D: My hope today is that you feel like you know how you are going to improve on your next literary analysis. After our discussion of the story - I talked about some of the things I noticed in your first attempt. I then assigned literary analysis number 2: In a well developed paragraph, analyze the central theme in "Saturday Climbing." The outline is due tomorrow. I will hopefully have the chance to talk to all of you about your thesis statements in class.

Walk-about Wednesday

Block B: Great work on characterization today! We'll read our next story tomorrow - no homework tonight!

Block C: Reading and sticky notes are due for our first group meeting on Friday! Good luck!

Block D: If you didn't finish the discussion questions for "Saturday Climbing" here they are. We'll discuss tomorrow!

Let's Talk Tuesday.

Block B: If you didn't finish the 4 questions for "Gentleman of Rio en Medio" in class today - please do them for homework tonight!

Block C: Intertextuality journal response is due tomorrow. Questions for consideration are on the bottom of the handout from Monday.

Block D: If you didn't finish the plot diagram for "Saturday Climbing" in class today - please do so tonight. If you did, no homework for you!

Mega-Monday!

Block B: Great job on the practice plot diagrams today with Pixar shorts. We will have an ELO on a plot diagram tomorrow in class - review the pink sheet of terminology to prepare. Otherwise - no homework tonight!

Block C: Thank you all for handing in your personal narratives today - I'm looking forward to reading them. There is no homework tonight - we will continue to explore intertextuality in The Matrix tomorrow. The journal response at the bottom of the handout today is due on Wednesday.

Block D: I will finish reading "Saturday Climbing" in class tomorrow. Your homework tonight is to use the feedback from your peer editor to create a double-spaced good copy of your Sammy paragraph.

Fun-times Friday!

Block B: Today we worked on the foreshadowing chart for "The Landlady" - which I know was a bit more of a tricky story - but hopefully our discussion helped you see the clues planted by the writer. Homework this weekend is to complete the plot diagram for "One Man Band." We'll discuss the parts on Monday.

Block C: Thanks for your interesting journals! Here is the slide of the questions if you had to leave early for clubs day and didn't finish.

Due on Monday - the double-spaced good copy of your personal narrative. Please also hand in your draft, map and pink criteria sheet.

Block D: Today I had a chance to check in with each of you on your thesis statements for your Sammy paragraphs. The double-spaced rough draft is due on Monday for peer editing.

Think about Thursday:

Block B: Please read the end of "The Landlady" for homework tonight. We will complete the foreshadowing chart in class together tomorrow.

Block C: The double-spaced good copy of your transformational narrative is due on Monday. If there is time tomorrow - you may use it to do revisions other than that - time's up!

Block D: The outline for your Sammy paragraph is due tomorrow - make sure you are including quotes to support your points and that you are analyzing not summarizing.

What about Wednesday?

Block B: It was very enjoyable to listen to your wonderful inferences about the story "They're Made out of Meat" in class today! We then got started on building up our foreshadowing skills. The notes you took on the prezi today will be used for the next 2 short stories - so make sure they are safe in your binder!

Block C: Keep working on those drafts. Personal narratives are due for self/peer editing tomorrow. I will not be giving you time on Friday to work on this. The 2-3 page double-spaced good copy along with the rough draft, editor feedback, map and pink criteria are due on Monday.

Block D: In class today, we took a few notes on direct and indirect characterization then applied them to the character of Sammy in "A&P" We will tackle the Literary Analysis (capitalization used to denote significance) tomorrow.