Week of December 14, 2009 Monday - All students will finish the P.S.S.A. Coach Book Unit One Test from last Wednesday - "Comprehension and Reading Skills" - pages 46-125. Tuesday - Coach book pages 131-133 (metaphors). In pairs, students will devise 20 metaphors to hand in for 4 points. Wednesday - Coach book pages 134-135 (personification). In pairs, students will write 20 sentences containing personification to hand in for 4 points. Thursday - Miss Bessermin of Devry University will conduct a presentation on career opportunites and students will take part in interest inventories to narrow their choices for the future. Homework for period 3 is to study blue book page 514 for tomorrow's quiz. Homework for all other periods is to study vocabulary unit 7 for tomorrow's test. Friday - Vocabulary test on unit 7. Period 3 - Irregular verb tenses quiz number 2, blue book page 514. Also, we will work on the progressive and emphatic forms of verbs on blue book pages 522-523. Students will complete exercises 6, 7, and 8 to hand in for 6 points. Week of December 7, 2009 Monday - Coach book pages 117-125 (graphic organizers, review of text organization, author's purpose, and analyzing argument). Tuesday - Review of P.S.S.A. Coach Book Unit One - "Comprehension and Reading Skills" for tomorrow's test. Homework is to study coach book pages 46-125. Use the review sheet as a guide. Wednesday - 2 hour delay. Test on P.S.S.A. Coach Book Unit One - "Comprehension and Reading Skills," pages 46-125. Thursday - Coach book pages 127-130 (figurative language introduction, similes). In pairs, students will devise 24 similes, 12 with "as" and 12 with "like," to hand in for 4 points. Homework for tomorrow for period 3 is to study blue book chart on page 513 for the quiz. Friday - We shall go over vocabulary unit 7 in class together, including short definitions, pronunciations, and various exercises. Period 3 - Quiz on blue book chart on page 513. Also, we will cover blue book pages 519-521, the perfect tenses, including exercise 5 to hand in for 3 points. Homework for Friday is to study blue book chart on page 514 for another quiz. Week of November 30, 2009 Monday - No school - hunting day. Tuesday - Annual Rotary Essay Contest Presentation by Mrs. Welch and Mr. Carey. These extra credit essays on volunteering are due by December 10. Wednesday - Mr. Vnuk will visit the classes to discuss the P.S.A.T. results. Then, we will work on coach book pages 103-108 (analyzing viewpoints across texts; review of summarizing, facts, opinions, and viewpoints). Thursday - Coach book pages 109-116 (text organization, graphics, analyzing argument). Homework for tomorrow is to study vocabulary unit 6 for the test, except for period 3. Friday - Vocabulary unit 6 test, except for period 3. Period 3 - blue book pages 515-519, including exercises 1, 2, 3, and 4 (verb tenses) to hand in for 8 points. Homework for Friday is to study chart on blue book page 513 for the quiz. Week of November 23, 2009 Monday - Coach book pages 87-94 (bias, propaganda; review of inferences, conclusions, bias, propaganda). Tuesday - Coach book pages 95-102 (summarizing; facts and opinions). In pairs, students will write 20 facts and 20 opinions (high school work) to hand in for 4 points. Homework for period 3 is to study the 7 fallacies or errors in reasoning on blue book pages 226-230 for the test. Wednesday - We shall go over vocabulary unit 6 in class, including pronunciations, short definitions, and various exercises. The test is next Friday. Period 3 - Test on the 7 fallacies or errors in reasoning, blue book pages 226-230. Students will then copy chart on page 514 into notebooks (irregular verb tenses). Thursday - Thanksgiving - No school. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your families! Friday - No school - shopping day! Week of November 16, 2009 Monday and Tuesday - We shall take the reading comprehension foresight tests that will count as a test grade for this course. Wednesday - No classes today. Parents or guardians may come to meet the teachers from 1:00 P.M. until 6:00 P.M. Thursday - Coach book pages 80-86 (review of main ideas and supporting details; making inferences and drawing conclusions). Homework for period 3 is to study the 7 fallacies or errors in reasoning on blue book pages 226-230. Homework for all other periods is to study for the vocabulary unit 5 test. Friday - Vocabulary unit 5 test, except for period 3. Period 3 - Quiz on the 7 fallacies or errors in reasoning on blue book pages 226-230. Also, period 3 will complete blue book pages 512-513. Students will copy chart on page 513 into notebooks (irregular verb tenses). The test on the 7 fallacies or errors in reasoning is on Wednesday. Study blue book pages 226-230 again. Week of November 9, 2009 Monday - Book report is due today for a test grade. Coach book pages 66-69 (multiple-meaning words/homonyms). In triads, students will write one sentence per each meaning of each word on pages 66-67, using and underlining context clues. Hand this in for 6 points. Total of 31 words and 73 sentences. Tuesday - Coach book pages 70-72 (review of context clues and homonyms). Wednesday - Veterans' Day - no school. Thursday - Coach book pages 73-79 (main idea and supporting details). Friday - We shall go over vocabulary unit 5 in class, including short definitions, pronunciations, and various exercises. Homework is to study vocabulary unit 5 for next Friday's test, except for period 3. Period 3 - blue book pages 229-230, including exercise 13 (red herring, either-or- thinking, faulty cause-and-effect thinking). Homework for period 3 is to study blue book pages 226-230 for next Friday's quiz (the 7 fallacies of reasoning). Week of November 2, 2009 Monday - Coach book pages 50-51 (suffixes). In pairs, students will list 4 words per each suffix on page 50 to hand in for 4 points. Tuesday - Coach book pages 52-55 (synonyms and antonyms). In pairs, students will write 25 high school words and then list one synonym and 1 antonym for each word to hand in for 4 points. Wednesday - Coach book pages 56-60 (review of roots, prefixes, suffixes, synonyms, and antonyms). Thursday - Coach book pages 61-65 (context clues). Homework is to study for the test on vocabulary unit 4, except for period 3. Friday - Vocabulary test on unit 4, except for period 3. Period 3 - we will work on the coach book to catch up to the other periods today. Homework for ALL 6 PERIODS is to hand in the book report on the autobiography or biography that you have been reading for the last 6 weeks. This will count for a TEST GRADE. Follow the 10 paragraph format sheet in your packet from 6 weeks ago. Week of October 26, 2009 Monday - American Literature Unit One Test: "The New Land to 1750." Tuesday - We shall distribute and preview the 11th grade P.S.S.A. Reading Comprehension Coach books. We shall go over pages 45-48 (roots, prefixes, and suffixes). In pairs, students will write 4 words per each root on page 47 to hand in for 4 points. Wednesday - Coach book pages 48-49 (prefixes). In pairs, students will write 4 words per each prefix on page 48 to hand in for 4 points. Thursday - We shall go over vocabulary unit 4 together in class, including short definitions, pronunciations, and various exercises. Homework for next Friday is to study vocabulary unit 4 for the test (except for period 3). Period 3 - Students will review bandwagon and go over blue book pages 227- 228, including exercise 12 (name-calling and testimonials). Friday - We shall read various short stories of horror from Edgar Allan Poe for Halloween. Period 6 will be attending the Halloween assembly in the auditorium. Week of October 19, 2009 Monday - We shall read page 76 and preview Cotton Mather, style, the Salem witchcraft trials, and the excerpt from "The Wonders of the Invisible World." Homework is to read pages 77-80 and do page 81 (1-9, 1-2, 1-3) to hand in for 4 points. Tuesday - Page 81 (1-9, 1-2, 1-3) is due to hand in for 4 points as we discuss Cotton Mather, style, the Salem witchcraft trials, and the excerpt from "The Wonders of the Invisible World." We shall talk about extra credit options on pages 82-83. Wednesday - We shall watch the video from The History Channel: "Salem Witch Trials." Thursday - We shall discuss the probable causes for the Salem witch scare, the Jonestown Massacre, and McCarthyism. We shall go over the test study sheet and the test format for Monday's test on literature unit 1: "The New Land to 1750," which covers everything from the historical background to the Salem witchcraft trials (items we covered from pages 1-81). Homework for tomorrow is to study vocabulary unit 3 for the test (except for period 3). Homework for period 3 is to study the blue book pages 226-227 and the list on page 221 for the quiz on stereotypes. Friday - Test on vocabulary unit 3 (except for period 3). Period 3 - quiz on stereotypes. Homework for Monday is to study literature unit 1: "The New Land to 1750" for the test (items we covered from pages 1-81). Week of October 12, 2009 Monday - No school - Columbus Day. Tuesday - We shall go over pages 70 and 71 and preview Jonathan Edwards, sermons/persuasive speeches, and the excerpt from "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." Homework for Thursday is to read pages 72-75 and complete page 75 (1-8) to hand in for 2 points. Wednesday - P.S.A.T.s will be administered today. Any students not taking these tests plus afternoon periods will complete the proofreading sheet correctly and completely to hand in for 5 points. Thursday - We shall discuss Jonathan Edwards, sermons/persuasive speeches, and the excerpt from "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." Page 75 (1-8) is due for 2 points. Friday - We shall go over vocabulary unit 3, including the pronunciations, short definitions, and the exercises (except for period 3). Vocabulary test on unit 3 is next Friday. Period 3 - We shall discuss stereotypes and bandwagon in our blue books, pages 221, 226, and 227. We shall complete exercises 10 and 11 in notebooks. We will go over these items orally. Next Friday, we shall have a quiz on stereotypes. Week of October 5, 2009 Monday - Literature page 57 (1-8, second set of 1-2) will be due by the end of class as we discuss William Bradford, narrative writing, and the excerpt from "Of Plymouth Plantation." Tuesday - We shall preview Anne Bradstreet (page 58), Puritan Plain Style, lyric poetry, "To My Dear and Loving Husband," and "Upon the Burning of Our House." Homework for tomorrow is to read the 2 poems on pages 59, 15-17. Complete page 59 (1-4, 1-3) and page 18 (1-8, 1-3) to hand in for 5 points. Wednesday - Page 59 (1-4, 1-3) and page 18 (1-8, 1-3) are due to hand in for 5 points as we discuss Anne Bradstreet, Puritan Plain Style, lyric poetry, "To My Dear and Loving Husband," and "Upon the Burning of Our House." Homework for tomorrow is to hand in the book report choice selection sheet. Also, there will be a vocabulary test on unit 2, except for period 3. Period 3 will have a quiz on the 6 rules for using precise nouns and action verbs. Study the notes and blue book pages 134-135. Thursday - Book report choice selection sheets are due. Test on vocabulary unit 2, except for period 3. Period 3 - Quiz on the 6 rules for using precise nouns and action verbs. Friday - Act 80 Day - no students today. Week of September 28, 2009 Monday - We will go over the first semester book report packet on biographies and autobiographies. Your book choice selection sheet is due on 10-8-09. The actual book report that counts as a test grade will be due on 11-9-09. Tuesday - Literature pages 41-43. We shall preview John Smith, historical writings, and the excerpt from "The General History of Virginia." Homework for tomorrow is to read pages 44-48 and complete page 48 (1-8, 1-2) to hand in for 3 points. Wednesday - Page 48 (1-8, 1-2) is due today to hand in for 3 points as we discuss John Smith, historical writings, and the piece from "The General History of Virginia." Thursday - Literature pages 50-51. We will preview William Bradford, narrative writing, and the excerpt from "Of Plymouth Plantation." Homework for Monday is to read pages 52-56 and complete page 57 (1-8, second set of 1- 2) to hand in for 3 points. Friday - We shall go over vocabulary unit 2, including short definitions, pronunciations, and various exercises. The test will be next Thursday (except for period 3). Period 3 - We will review the 6 rules for using action verbs and precise nouns as we discuss exercise 5, page 135 in blue book. Week of September 21, 2009 Monday - We shall continue our discussion of American Literature Unit 1: "The New Land to 1750" by going over pages 1-14 and finishing the packets orally. Tuesday - We shall discuss an extra credit option, the PSAT, and using quotes in a research paper. Wednesday - We shall preview 3 Native American Origin Myths. Homework for tomorrow is to read the packet with the 3 myths and complete questions 1-5, 1- 5, 1-6, 1-2, and 1-6 to hand in tomorrow for 5 points. Thursday - The Native American Origin Myths are due to hand in for 5 points today (1-5, 1-5, 1-6, 1-2, and 1-6). We shall discuss the myths. Homework for tomorrow is to study the 20 words and definitions in vocabulary unit 1 for the test (except period 3). Homework for period 3 is to study the blue book pages 88 and 94 for 2 quizzes tomorrow on general versus specific words and redundancy. Friday - Vocabulary test on unit 1 (except period 3). Period 3 - 2 quizzes on blue book pages 88 and 94 - general and specific words and redundancy. Also, we will work on pages 134-135, exercise 5, using precise nouns and action verbs. Week of September 14, 2009 Monday - We shall distribute, preview, and cover the literature textbook. Each student should bring a book cover, a paper bag, or a few sheets of newspaper to cover the book. Tuesday - We shall begin unit 1 of the literature textbook: "The New Land to 1750." Students will silently and independently fill in the key words from the introductory material to unit 1, pages 1-14, using the packet. Homework for tomorrow is to finish the packet if you do not complete it during the class. Wednesday - We shall begin to discuss the literary packets from yesterday's assignment as well as go over pages 1-14 of the literature textbook. Homework for tomorrow is to be ready for the essay test on the summer reading novel of your choice (except for period 3). Homework for tomorrow for period 3 is to bring another book cover, paper bag, or a newspaper to cover the grammar textbook. Thursday - Essay test on the summer reading novel of your choice (except for period 3). Period 3 - Bring a book cover, paper bag, or a few sheets of newspaper to cover the grammar textbook. We shall distribute, preview, and cover the grammar textbook. We shall also go over pages 88 and 94 (general and specific words, redundancy). We shall complete exercises 2 and 8 in our tablets and then go over them orally. Friday - We shall go over vocabulary workbook unit 1 in class together (except for period 3). Homework is to study the 20 words in vocabulary unit 1 for a test for next Friday (except for period 3). Period 3 - We will perform exercises dealing with general and specific words and redundancy orally and in our tablets. Homework is to study blue book pages 88 and 94 for 2 quizzes next Friday covering general versus specific words and redundancy. Week of September 7, 2009 Monday - No school - Labor Day. Tuesday and Wednesday - We shall complete some surveys about future plans. We will walk around the room focusing on six stations, one at a time, observing the various educational enrichment items that I have chosen to incorporate into the room. We will also complete a graphic organizer as an overview of what Englih class really entails. Thursday and Friday - Round one of the Reading Comprehension Foresight Tests, which will count as a test grade for these courses. Homework for Monday is to bing a book cover, paper bag, or newspaper to cover the literature textbook. Week of August 31, 2009 Monday and Tuesday - Teachers only. Wednesday and Thursday - Welcome back, students!!! We shall go over seating charts, the class rules, the class overview sheet (syllabus), vocabulary study sheet (except for period 3), and the summer reading assignment sheet (not period 3). Please bring a black pen or a pencil and a tablet. The summer reading assignment essay test will take place on Thursday, 9-17-09, except for period 3. Friday - No school.