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Well, the magic day has arrived. I hope you did very well on your math exam. We appreciate the goodies provided by the PTSA moms. Many thanks to you all for your good wishes and your nice gifts. I'll be grading and writing lots of thank you notes during my holiday. Take care and see you next year!
Today I shared a holiday treat and a bonus coupon. If you were absent, please stop by tomorrow to receive yours. We discussed the 3 types of irony: verbal, situational, and dramatic. Then you read O. Henry's famous story "The Gift of the Magi". After that, you had time with a partner to correct a hononym-error filled holiday paragraph. If I don't see you tomorrow, have a wonderful, holiday break!
We began today by going to the Media Center so that you could check out a book for reading during the holiday break. Then we spent some time organizing notebooks and filling in some "black holes". Relax tonight and study for your other tests. No homework here...an early holiday treat!
It was interesting to hear in class what you learned from your imagery "walk about" at home last night. We all agreed that we sometimes ignore what we get used to. Today in class, you looked with partners for specific imagery examples from our Capote story "A Christmas Memory". Since you are facing some big tests tomorrow and the next day, there is no LA homework. Just check to be sure that you have no "black holes" to sink your LA grade.
Today we read and listened to "A Christmas Memory" by Truman Capote, the second of the American authors I've introduced this season. We especially listened/read for his wonderful examples of imagery: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. For tonight, you are to create a chart and look for 3 examples each around your home. Remember to say "the taste of chicken" is NOT an example; you must describe the taste.
Yesterday in class we discussed the Mock writing test and you turned in your self-evaluation. We read and reviewed the important usage of imagery in writing. I returned your letter to me, and you agreed to revise and recopy it. Don't forget the letter is due tomorrow. You spent all period today revising and re-copying your expository essay on your television program.
Today you wrote your little hearts (and fingers) out on the Mock Writing Test. In our short classes, you self-evaluated your experience. If you were not here today, see me. You'll be taking it at 7:15 one AM soon. Tonight you may rest from your labors. No HW!
I hope you had a nice weekend and have come back prepared to work hard for these last 2 weeks of the quarter. Today we analyzed your expository essays....with most folks discovering that they still had lots of work to do. Tonight you are to review for your mock writing test which will begin promptly at 9:15 and last for 100 minutes. Remember to bring sharpened pencils and 2 or 3 non-erasable blue or black pens for writing. Sleep tight and come ready to write!
Today is a special day of remembrance, but unfortunately you were so busy writing your final draft of your essay on television that we didn't have time to talk about Pearl Harbor. If you were absent today, please come in by 8:15 on Monday to work on your essay. The Mock Writing Test will be next Tuesday for 100 minutes. It is imperative that you be here on time with a blue or black non-erasable pen. This will become in important step in preparing for the January state writing exam. Thanks to all of you who participated in our Wishes 2007 gift program for students at Powers Ferry Elementary. You have helped many children who would not otherwise have had a happy holiday. Helping others brings joy to both the giver as well as the receiver. You've learned a very important life lesson. Enjoy your weekend.
Well, I'm back. While I'm not well yet and my voice is still crackling, I missed you guys, and we've much to accomplish. I'm a bit disappointed that many of you took a vacation while I was sick. Most of you turned in less than quality work, so part of next week will be spent with extra practice...for redused credit! Hats off to those of you who learned active/passive voice and did well on the video quiz and to those of you who wrote carefully detailed letters on holiday traditions. Your LA life next week will be considerably easier. Way to be responsible! Today and tomorrow in class you are writing your expository "test" on a topic of interest. Please come in at 8:15 to makeup if you were not in class today. *******Also, remember that tomorrow is our last day to bring in toys & clothes for our special children from Powers Ferry. We want their holiday memories to be special, too.
