Class: 9.30.09 September 30, 2009
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Today’s Warm-up
Vivid Nouns
In your writing, use nouns that are strong, specific, and clear rather than vague and general.
Example:
- Average Writing: He heard a loud noise in the next room.
- Better Writing: He heard a crash in the kitchen.
Practice:
- He saw an old car in poor condition
- A bird flew past the window.
- Mr. Myers lived in an old house.
- Tom brought some new clothes at the store.
- The sound of thunder frightened her.
With the short period, we moved quickly into a second quiz on “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan. Then we briefly discussed some of the details you took reading notes on. And then the bell rang–it was very quick today.
Your only homework is to study vocabulary on p. 154-156
Class: 09.29.09 September 29, 2009
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Today’s Warm-up:
Vivid Verbs
Use the most vivid, exact verbs you can think of in your writing.
- She ____________ into the sleeping baby’s room.
- The soldiers ___________ in line.
- She ________________ breathlessly into the room.
- The dancer ____________ across the stage.
- the huge wrestlers _____________ into the ring.
After the warm-up we tackled the reading quiz for “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan (pgs. 49-55). It was pretty basic information from the story.
Afterwards we discussed some of the points in the story, especially where Jing-mei’s mom finally burst and yelled that she just wanted her daughter to do her best, be her best. We read a little in class together and then it was time for the bell.
One piece of information that I shared was a new list of vocabulary scores on the door that showed whether you have an 85% average in vocabulary or not. If you do then you are highlighted in green and do not have any vocabualry homework. And it stays that way as long as you can keep that 85% average. Good luck.
Finish the story tonight and take reading notes.
Study vocabulary.
Class: 09.28.09 September 28, 2009
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Welcome back. Hope you had a great weekend. I sure did.
We quickly graded last Friday’s vocabulary quiz. Hope you scored well so you don’t have any vocabulary homework.
Today’s warm-up
Something Good…
- No one can comment until everyone has shared.
- Each person shares 1 positive experience that happened last week.
- Answer the following in your journal:
- Were there any similarities between the “good things” you shared?
- When was the last time you told someone about a positive experience?
- How can you tell if others are using good listening skills?
- How did you feel while sharing with your group?
After focusing on group collaboration we shared the material that you worked on last Friday: “How do you know you are an adult?” Most of the groups came up with the same idea: Being able to think for yourself. That’s a tough one, but I’m going to do my best to use little strategies to help you practice that one.
Then we looked at “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan in the red literature book. It starts on page 49. I also asked you to take reading notes as we read focusing on details, imagery, and dialogue–especially how dialogue tells us about the speaker.
Study vocabulary and read from p. 49-55 in your red lit books.
Class: 09.25.09 September 25, 2009
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I was out today. Our Sub was Mr. Latchem.
Today’s warm-up:
Quiz
An open note quiz on the details that we research on the Internet. They are details that appear in “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan, which we will be reading next week.
Afterwards, we took the vocabulary quiz on Latin prefixes, list 2.
Finally you worked together as groups on the worksheet ”How Do You Know When You’re an Adult?” Individually and then as a group you decided on your top 5 examples and then finally chose one. You will present your example and your reasons on Monday.
Enjoy your weekend.
Class: 09.24.09 September 24, 2009
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Today’s Warm-up:
Class: 09.23.09 September 23, 2009
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Class: 09.22.09 September 22, 2009
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Today is the day that Abraham Lincoln issued his Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation which freed all slaves in states that were in rebellion during the Civil War. This year is the bicentennial celebration of Lincoln’s birth.
Today’s Warm-up:
Euphemisms
A euphemism is a “nice” word used in place of one considered too direct or harsh or unpleasant.
Examples:
- between jobs instead of unemployed
- passing away instead of dying
- senior citizen instead of old man or woman
- took his life instead of suicide
- sightless instead of blind
- intoxicated instead of drunk
- intelligence-gathering instead of spying
- restroom instead of bathroom
Make up euphemisitic job titles for the following:
- garbage man
- maid
- dishwasher
- dog catcher
- busboy
- barber
- plumber
- student
- teacher
- housewife
- paper boy/girl
- street sweeper
- secretary
- gardener
- waiter/waitress
- farmer
- tax collector
- night watchman
After sharing our group’s ideas for different euphemisms, I then reminded that those of you who scored 8 or below on the vocabulary test had 10 sentences to produce this week. Then we switched gears to last night’s homework: Imagery on p. 64 of the blue packet. Many of you found it challenging, so we worked on it together to solve the puzzles it proposed. The passage concentrated primarily on auditory imagery. When we reproduced the sounds from the selection we realized there was actually quite a contrast–the harsh metallic sound of the spoon on the pot and the soft and warm sounds of the voices “twining together.”
Your homework is to complete Detail (p. 24) in the blue packet; and study vocabulary; (complete vocab sentences if you need to).
Class: 09.21.2009 September 21, 2009
Posted by Mr. Eldridge in Class notes.Tags: Imagery, vocabulary
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Happy Monday to all.
Today’s Warm-up:
Get to Know Your Classmates
Get signatures from a classmate who can answer each question and then have him/her write the answer next to their name. Find someone who…
U2 - from Ireland
- has been to another continent.
- can read and write fluently in another language.
- wants to live in another country in the future.
- believes people are basically the same no matter where they are from.
- can define globalization.
- can define civility.
- knows of an ancestor who came through Ellis Island.
- has a family member in Iraq.
- can legitimize war.
- can name a band from a foreign country.
- has a favorite foreign film.
- knows the most spoken language in the world.
After sharing, we went over the vocabulary quiz from Friday. Those who scored with 9 points or higher have no vocabulary homework this week. Good job! Finally I introduced the Blue packets that have your homework in them. They work with the white packet that we received last week.
Your homework is to complete Imagery p. 64 and study vocabulary: Latin Roots 16-30 (p. 150)
Class: 09.17.09 September 17, 2009
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Today’s Warm-up
Chameleon
The chameleon can move each eye in a different direction, allowing it to look forward and backward at the same time.
Suppose you were suddenly granted this ability. Describe some situations in which you might use it to your advantage.
Afterwards we finished sharing the imagery examples from “Through the Tunnel.” It took most of the period. You all took notes. And, I think we learned a lot about presenting and taking notes from presenters. It’s not as easy as you might think, huh? Then I handed out a review of Through the Tunnel that you need to complete tonight.
Don’t forget about your vocabulary!
Class: 09.16.09 September 16, 2009
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Today’s Warm-up
Problems
Here are some problems that are of concern to many young people. Select the one that concerns you most and write a paragraph in which you explain how it is a problem in your life. If none of these is a problem for you, explain how one is a problem for a friend, or explain hoy you handle one of these problems very well.
- divorced or sparated parents
- gangs
- drugs
- parents with problems–alcoholism, etc.
- too much homework
- being unemployed in the summer
After the warm-up we perused the rubric for class discussions. I spoke briefly about what “higher order thinking skills” are. Most of the time we are dealing with analysis, a mentally demanding skill that requires us to make inferences, educated guesses, about the topic under discussion. In this case it is imagery in “Through the Tunnel.” When we finally realized that those more complicated ideas were really going to be graded, the groups got to work and developed educated theories about why different images were in the story. I began calling a representative of each group to give a brief presentation to the class on the section you were assigned yesterday so that we could take notes on our “Tracking Imagery” handout. We only got through one or two before the bell rang, but those who did present today were excellent. Thanks.
Your only homework is to study vocabulary (p. 147) for Friday’s quiz.
