Persuasive Essay, STAAR

Week #14 November 25-26, 2013

Last week, we reviewed the Fall Benchmark test.  We reviewed the following: persuasive essay and rubric, OER rubric, and question stems.  We also reviewed sentence structure and wrote sentences using vocabulary words. 

This week was a short week. We continued to review STAAR question stems and sentence structure. When you get back from the Thanksgiving holiday, we will continue to our next selection.  

Greek Drama, WITS, STAAR

Week #13 November 18-22, 2013

Literature: Greek Drama
Vocabulary: Academic - SAT 7
                      CP- SAT 12
Writing: WITS poetry, persuasive essay, and OER
Homework: 
- Academic - SAT 6 - due: Thursday, Nov. 21
- CP - SAT 12 - due: Wednesday, Nov 20

Last week, we finished the STAAR Fall District Assessment, but we did not get to read anything that has to do with Greek drama.  We will try to shoot for some readings towards the end of this week.  That week, we also had vocabulary quiz #5 in the academic class and quiz #10 in the CP class. 

This week, we will begin with WITS writing on Monday.  First period will have the WITS writer and will write poetry with her. The other classes will have quiz #6 first, and then the WITS lesson next where they will also write poetry.  First period will have their quiz on Tuesday. The CP class will take quiz #11. 

The next few days will be spent studying the Fall District Assessment accomplished last week and looking at sample essays and OER responses. 

By Thursday or Friday, we hope to read about Greek drama.  

Each level will receive vocabulary lists on Monday, Nov. 18. 

Fall District Assessment, Greek Drama

Week #12 November 11-15,2013

Literature: Greek Drama
Vocabulary: Academic - SAT 6
                      CP - SAT 11
Homework:
- SAT notes 5 - academic - due: Thursday, 11/14
- SAT notes 10 - CP - due: Wednesday, 11/13

Last week, we finally finished our unit on Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Good job on accomplishing all activities related to the novel.

Today, we started the week with quizzes: SAT quiz #5 for academic classes and SAT quiz #10 for the CP class.  After the quiz, we also had a head-start on the Fall District Assessment.  Tomorrow, Tuesday, and for the rest of the week, we will spend time on the district assessment. 

We are now on the 3rd Six Weeks, so let us make the most of it.  Please do not sit on any low grades, for this cycle will go really fast. Before you know it, it is the final exam.  

Of Mice and Men, persuasive essay

Week #11 November 4-8, 2013

Literature: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Writing: Persuasive essay
Vocabulary: Academic - SAT 5 due: Thursday, Nov. 14
                      CP - SAT 10 due: Wednesday, Nov. 13

Homework:
- Finish the essay, both levels, due: Wednesday, Nov. 6

During week #10, we finished reading the novel Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Ye-hey!  I know a lot of you were saddened by the ending, but don't despair. Soon, we will embark on another adventure, but not too soon.  During this week, we also started a persuasive essay which we will finish during week #11.

We will begin Week #11 with the Of Mice and Men unit test on Monday, Nov. 4.  For the next one to two days, you will finish the persuasive essay you already started last week.  After submission of the essay on Wednesday, we will view the movie adaptation of Of Mice and Men and a short film on John Steinbeck. 

Let's stick to our schedule, so we can continue to indulge ourselves in Greek drama in Week #12. 

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Week #10 October 28-Nov. 1, 2013

Literature: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Grammar/writing: CP - appositive phrase
                                  Academic - participial phrase
Vocabulary: CP - SAT 9
                      Academic - SAT 4

Homework:
- CP - SAT notes - due Wednesday
         - First book report - due in person or on Edmodo on Friday, Nov. 1
- Academic - SAT notes - due Thursday

Last week, we read and annotated and discussed Of Mice and Men in class.  CP students wrote sentences with appositives while the academic students wrote sentences with participial phrases.  Everyone had a quiz on Monday, 10/21.  Oh, and we had Homecoming and won the game last Friday, Oct. 25! :)

We started this week with a vocabulary quiz as well.  We will continue to read and annotate the novel OMM until we finish it at the end of this week.  Prepare for a UNIT test on Monday next week, Nov. 4.

Note: Please complete all your missing work or make-up low grades before this cycle is over.  Ask about extra credit opportunity.  

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Week #8 and 9 October 14-18/October 21-25, 2013

Literature: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Vocabulary: Academic - SAT 1 and 2 lists
                      CP - SAT lists 7 and 8
Writing: OER

Homework:
Academic: SAT List 2 due - Thursday, Oct. 24
CP: SAT List 8 due - Wednesday, Oct 23

Last week was a busy week. The students took a vocabulary quiz on Monday and continued to read chapter 1 of OMM.  They used their focus questions and character and setting analysis chart to understand the plot, characters, and motivations in the novel.  On the 16th, they took their PSAT. Back in the classroom, they continued to read and made headway in chapter 2. There was an early dismissal last Friday, Oct. 18.

We will start the week of Oct. 21 with a vocabulary quiz.  We will continue to read and annotate OMM. 

John Steinbeck, The Great Depression, Of Mice and Men

Week #7 October 7-11, 2013

Literature: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Vocabulary: Academic - SAT 1#s 1-20
                     CP - same as last week
Homework: Academic - TP map - due: Oct. 8 on Edmodo
                    CP - TP map, music and lyrics - due: Oct. 8 on Edmodo

Last week, we read and wrote poetry. Twice! You wrote a poem with me after reading Exra Pounds' poem and used specific diction, imagery, tone and mood.  You also submitted your poem to Edmodo. Congratulations! And then, you read two poems with our WITS writer, after which you also wrote a poem, still with specific language, but you added metaphors using a comparison between and abstraction and a concrete noun. Great job!

We started the week yesterday reading about John Steinbeck, the Great Depression, and the Migrant Experience.  We finished these articles today.  Tomorrow, Oct. 9, I will give you an open notes quiz on these articles. Don't forget your notes! This is for both academic and CP.

The CP students read an additional article about "The Flood," an excerpt from the Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. You have the questions based on this article. Please bring it tomorrow, Oct. 9, already done. You will also take Quiz #6 for SAT list #6. (Additional assignment: "The Possibility of Evil" questions)

For the rest of the week, we will work on the following assignments:

• Anticipation guide
• Chapter 1 reading
• Character analysis

One last thing, please DO NOT FORGET to finish your PSAT questions!!!

The PSAT mandatory test is on Oct. 16.