Ms. King

February 15, 2008

For those who did not finish the classwork, it will carry over, and be homework for you over the long weekend. You will need to complete the following exercises: 35, 36,37,39, 40, 41, 47, and 48. Please remember that you NEVER have to copy sentences. Instead, you may find it useful to use points of ellipsis (...). The exercises can be found on these pages: 578, 579, 582,584, and 586. Reading the Key Concepts and other information on pages 578, 579, 581, 582,583, and 586 will help clear up any questions you have about the exercises. Have a wonderful long weekend, and I will see you on Wednesday.

Week of February11-15, 2008

I certainly enjoyed your hero essays!    You are very fortunate to have such amazing mentors to admire.

Please remember that we have the Georgia Authors writing opportunity in which to participate.  Although this is an optional activity, I encourage you to consider entering...I had a winner in the poetry division whose poem represented Dickerson in the county competition last year.  I feel that my students this year are equally , if not more ,literary.  If you are interested, please refer to the handout I gave you last week.

We are scheduled to go shopping /hunting in the Media Center today.  Please select a challenge novel if you have already not done so.  (This should be an A.R. book, at least grade level 6, at least 200 pages, and with a minimum of 10 points.)   Please know that you may use this book in another subject to satisfy your reading requirement!

As for grammar, we are working our way through the grammar book (WAG) with emphasis this week  on punctuation.  (Chapter 26, pages 556-597)  Assignments will be made daily depending on how far we get each day.  Please  be sure to copy the  exact assignment everyday in class.

You will receive your Language Arts progress report   tomorrow (February 13) .   Thanks for all your hard and creative work!

February 7-10. 2008

Today, February 7th, was the beginning of the Chinese New Year. In order to find out which animal represents them according to Chinese tradition, students had access to a newspaper article that listed the years 1991- 2002, along with their corresponding animal. Students could simply find their birth year before launching into deep thought about similarities between themselves and their symbolic animal. The assignment is simply to put those thoughts onto paper. Any animal will suffice as the subject of comparison, so students are not limited to their official Chinese animal. In the short essay, students will express how their traits are similar to the animal of their choice. On Monday  typed papers will be due, but the rough draft is due tomorrow, February 8.

Please enjoy this writing assignment, but remember I expect the following features to be included in your papers:  appositives. varied sentence beginnings, varied sentence structures, participial phrases, vivid verbs, correct capitalization/punctuation and be absent of run-ons and fragments.  It should be in your own handwriting, doublespaced, and 9-11 sentences in length.  The final copy should be the same , except that it should be typed. 

Last of all, please note in your agenda that the next challenge novel will be due on Tuesday, March 4.

Week of February 1-8

Thanks for a strong finish to January and an equally strong beginning to February!

We began the month with a continuation of verb usage, completing WAG pages 498 and 503.  We will check this work on Monday in addition to finishing our sharing of Hero essays.  (Please bring a second copy of your essay...this one with your name on it.) 

The end of the grading period is almost here....February 8.  Your last grade will be your AR printout of your January challenge novel.  Because some of you seem to need it, let's print out this report on Thursday, February 7.  I hope this helps.

And,just in case you didn't know,  Wednesday is an early release day!

Week of January 28-February 1, part 2

Just a quick reminder:  We will go to the Media Center tomorrow for a check out opportunity and then again on Tuesday, February 5 for your printout of your challenge reading. 

What to bring to class this week?  Today will be our last day to bring literature books for awhile.  Until otherwise notified, bring the usual requirements:  W A G text, workbook, L A notebook (I'll check yours this week), and your challenge novel.  Thanks!

Week of January 28-February 1, 2008

As you know, the Literature Selection Test was postponed until Friday , January 25 because we were not through discussing the  assigned material.  Grades will be posted promptly.

It's time for a notebook check, and as I told you, the check will be the week of January 28.  Be ready!  (As of now, you have 70 important  grammar , literature,  and  writing terms and their definitions . ) 

We will work on a rough draft and a final copy of a HEROES essay sponsored by the PTSA.  Much of this assignment will be done in class.  Your final typed essay will be turned in on Friday, February  1.  I will need two copies, one with the correct format in the upper lefthand corner and the other without any  identification  as to authorship.  Simply omit your name and give only the assignment title and the date.  Remember, the paper should conform to the standard font and size, be at least 20 lines, and cannot extend beyond one page in length.  The top 10 essays will be submitted to the PTSA>

Week of January 22-25, 2008

Welcome to a wonderful week!  (Alliteration)

Not only is it Early Release, Book Fair, but also a four-day week!

We continue out analysis of literature concentrating on "The Adventures of Isabel," (p. 246), "I'll Stay,"

(p.247), "Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright, (p. 248),  and "Dream Dust" on p. 250.  I asssigned certain questions following each selection and students copied these instructions from the overhead projector. 

I would also add the following directions:  Please read the short author biography following the poems .  The poets are Ogden Nash, Gwendolyn Brooks, Rosemary and Stephen Vincent Benet, and Langston Hughes.  Please go on line and find another Ogden Nash poem.  Bring it to class on Friday and be prepared to read it aloud to the class.  We need more smiles.

The Selection Test is scheduled for Thursday, January 24. 

Finally, as you know the Academy Award nominees have been announced.  We'll have our own vote for our favorite novel of the year.  Be prepared to make your nomination  on our quiz on Thursday.

Week of January 14-18, 2008

Literature books and WAG workbooks will be required again this week as we read, analyze, and write responses to poems and short stories.  "Names  Nombres,"  "The Southpaw," and "Alone in the Nets" will be spotlighted.

The grammar focus continues to be review of verbs, simple and progressive forms ,and all six tenses.

Workkbook pages 95, 96, 97, 98, 99,and 100 will be covered.

We have been invited (present perfect tense, basic form) to preview the Book Fair on Friday, January 18.  No purchases will be allowed on that day, but on the following Tuesday ,purchases  may be made .

January 8-11, 2008

Welcome back!  I'm almost through posting your A.R. scores, and they are strong.  Your commentary on your novel was interesting, and we will have a time share in class on Wednesday so everyone can be exposed to your ideas about your novel.  (Please note:  our next  A.R. printout date is February 4.)  Bring your novel to class daily;  if your finish your assignments, you will have reading time at school.

We will have a grammar warm-up  everyday at the beginning of class.  This is sometimes referrred to as DGP (daily grammar practice).  Please keep and date this review work;  I plan to have a quiz on Monday, January 14 covering this material.

Beginning tomorrow (Wednesday), you will need your literature book in class.  Third period may also bring in a snack. 

No homework tonight! 

December 17-18-19, 2007

Thanks for a strong "wrap-it-up" review of grammar learned during the past two quarters ...this review will continue today in class.  The final test of 2007 will be on Wednesday, and the content will not be a definition test as in the past (Word Wall Tests), but rather, application of the terms you have learned.  The questions will be just like the sentences taken from the Chapter Reviews which have been assigned this week.  Please ask for help...and study if you need extra review.

I am returning your persuasive papers on TIME magazine's PERSON OF THE YEAR tomorrow to coincide with the announcement of the winner (to be announced on Wednesday, December 19).  (Your grades have already been posted.)  I will share on the overhead exemplary papers so that you will be able to see what it takes to score a 20 out of 20 on a writing assignment. 

Finally, I just loved the descriptions of your rejected reindeers!  (Great use of appositives, participial phrases, and hyphenated adjectives!)

Our last visit to the Media Center will be today...be sure to check out reading material for the holiday break...both challenging and "fluff."