Friday, December 16th

Happy Friday!!!

Reminder: 3 Diary Entries from a character (NOT ANNE) in the Anne Frank story are due MONDAY!

1) Announcements: Re-vote, pass papers back.
2) Role Assignments
3) Reading Aloud: Act 2 Scenes 1 and 2

Thursday, December 15th

1) Finish Act 1 Scene 3 from yesterday.
2) Assign roles for scenes 4 and 5.
3) Read Aloud "The Diary of Anne Frank"

REMINDER: Any late work is due TODAY! I will be here until 7 tonight if anyone needs to stay after school to complete late work.

Wednesday, December 14th

1) Assign Roles
2) Reading Aloud- "The Diary of Anne Frank"

REMINDER: All late work is due to me by tomorrow or the missing turns to a zero!

Tuesday, December 13th

1) Agenda/ Outlook/ Expectations
2) Assigning of ROLES :)
3) Play Reading: The Diary of Anne Frank

Homework: Get any LATE WORK to me BY THURSDAY in order for it to make it onto your report card. I will not take any LATE WORK after THURSDAY!

Monday, December 12th

1) Quick Talk about Vocab
2) Explain Gallery Walk
3) Gallery Walk
4) Discussion

Tomorrow we will begin Anne Frank

Friday, December 9th

Happy Friday!

Please turn in your FINAL DRAFT to the BLUE bin on the AC unit by my desk. You have the first 10 minutes of class to do so.

Once your final draft is in, please take a copy of the Anne Frank vocabulary words and get a dictionary. There are 45 words. You should group up with 2 other people and each find 15 words. Please find the part of speech, and the definition!

Weekend Homework: Finish Vocabulary Words

Thursday, December 8th

1. Warm-Up- What is a peer review?
                      Why is a peer review beneficial to a writer?
                      As a reviewer, what is your responsibility?
(*****Come up to my desk and show me your completed draft if I did not see it yesterday.*****)
                     
GOAL- Our goal for today is to learn about and successfully complete the peer review process to improve our writing.

2. Peer Review Process- (handouts)

3. Partner Up and Review Away!- Once you have completed your review, make needed changes to your work.

Homework: Complete FINAL DRAFT for TOMORROW :)

Wednesday, December 7th

1) Warm-Up: Why is peer review beneficial to a writer?
                      As a reviewer, what is your responsibility?
                      Should you be mean to the writer if their writing is really bad? Why? Why Not?
                      After someone has reviewed your writing, what should you do with their review?

Our goal for today is to learn about the process of peer reviewing and to experience the peer review process as a reviewer and an author.

2) Take out your draft. (If your draft is not complete you may sit in the back at the tables and finish it.)
     I will go over the peer-review process, and what your responisbilities as a reviewer are.

3) Partner-up and peer-review!

NO HOMEWORK! Tomorrow, we will work on our final drafts!

Tuesday, December 6th

No Warm-Up Today!

Your goal for today is to complete DRAFT 1 of your Chemical Warfare Research Paper.

You must type your draft- use the Neo-Smarts to complete your typed draft. Once you are finished, print your draft. Drafts are due at the beginning of class tomorrow.

Monday, December 5th

Hope everyone had a nice weekend!

FIRST: Warm-Up: Science World P. 2&3 "Green Goop" Read the short article and answer the following questions:

1) How do Algal Blooms form?

2) By how many did the number of dead zones increase from the 1990's to the 2000's?

3) What is one thing that humans can do to decrease or prevent the green goop from happening?

NEXT: Neo Test and Expectations...

LAST: Drafting Chemical Warfare Research Paper

Friday, December 2nd

Period 2- Outlining Research Paper- follow WEDNESDAY's agenda.

The rest of the classes:
COFFEE HOUSE TODAY!

1) Warm-Up: What are the rules for a Coffee House?

2) Check Outlines

3) Discuss Citation Stations

4) Coffee House- sharing your work

Thursday, December 1st

PICK A SEAT, PUT ALL OF YOUR THINGS UNDERNEATH IT EXCEPT SOMETHING TO WRITE WITH.

Today is WRITING CITATIONS STATIONS DAY!

You will go through a series of 5 stations, and have about 8 minutes at each one. At each station, you will need to read the directions, and do what they say. Some stations have you working individually, others have you working as a group. Please take this seriously, and complete each task to the best of your ability. You will be graded on your participation as a whole today.

REMINDER: Tomorrow, your OUTLINE is DUE.

Wednesday, November 30th

HAND IN YOUR CHARACTER INTRODUCTION IN YOUR CLASS FOLDER!

ALSO, TAKE OUT YOUR RESEARCH NOTES BEFORE YOU START THE WARM-UP!

Warm-up: Answer the following questions based on your knowledge of research writing.
1) What is the purpose of an introduction?
2) What is the purpose of a conclusion?
3) What should each body paragraph contain?

Note Check.

Organizing your research and outlining your essay.

Homework: Finish your outline. Needs to be turned in for CHECKPOINT 2- due FRIDAY!

Tuesday, November 29th

1) Warm-up: Finish the following sentences.
Characters should be...
Good writers make sure that their characters...
Good readers...
Characters are memorable when...

2) Finish Create-A-Character Introductions

3) Vocabulary for The Diary of Anne Frank

DON'T FORGET!!!!!!!!- Your notes and sources are DUE TOMORROW at THE BEGINNING of class :)

Monday, November 28th

Welcome Back!

1) Warm-Up: Writing- Tell me about your week off.

2) Character Workshop: PPT, Discussion, Activity

3) Voki Demonstration

Thursday, November 17th

1) Warm Up- What is the most treasured item that you own? Why?
DISCUSSION

2) "The Treasure of Lemon Brown"
READING

3) Discussion of Questions

4) Paraphrasing (2,3,4,5)

REMINDERS: Dream Team- you will report to Ms. Bernal's room next door tomorrow for class. She will bring you to the library to do research. You need to be quiet and considerate! 8K- you have to do research on your own over break to complete your notes for the week we come back!

Wednesday, November 16th

Today we will be on campus tours of the high schools for 1st-4th periods.

5th period- Read "The Treasure of Lemon Brown" Textbook page 500

6th period- Debate Preparations

7th period- Paraphrasing Lesson

8th period- Paraphrasing Lesson

Tuesday, November 15th

Research Day!

All classes meet in the library today. Need to have at least two sources and notes by tomorrow!

Monday, November 14th

Library Research Day!

We will be in the library for class working on research for our integrated projects!

Friday, November 11th

1) Warm-up: What is Veteran's Day all about? What are some of the freedoms that we have because of those who have served in our name?

2) Taking a Side- Review TV and Curfew articles.

3) Debate outline

4) Note-Card Silent Debate

Have a great weekend! No homework :)

Thursday, November 10th

1) Warm-up: Fact vs. Opinion- what's the difference? Write your answer in two or more complete sentences.

2) Textbook p. 481- Reading Skills

3) Reading- "Saving Water"

No Homework Tonight!!!

Wednesday, November 9th

1)Warm-Up:
Writing- What are different techniques people use to persuade you? How do you persuade others? How do you write persuasively?

2)Discussion

3) Read "Teen Curfews" on p. 579

4) Discussion

5) Write a brief letter that would persuade your parents to let you stay out late this Friday.

(Don't forget to turn in KWL chart- just K and W filled out- and thesis)

Tuesday, November 8th

Warm-Up: Writing- Write about the following questions until I ask you to stop:
                               
Is there such a thing as watching too much TV? Do you think TV is good or bad for you? Why?

1) Hand in your thesis on a separate sheet of paper. (In the yellow or green folder up front)
2) Read "Trouble with TV"
3) Fill out the pro-con T-Chart

Homework: NONE!

Monday, November 7th

Warm-Up
Reading: Atom Article
Writing: Come up with two questions that require your audience to make inferences.

1) Integrated Project- Intro
2) KWL Chart
3) Thesis Writing

Homework: Complete thesis if not finished in class.

Friday, November 4th

Warm-Up
Write without stopping about one or all of the following prompts until I ask you to put your pens down:
I really like it when...
I really hate it when...
I wish there were more...
Explain yourself fully- show your reader, don't just tell them- use lots of details!

Coffee House
Sharing time- Share your DtWT essay, or your warm-up exercies, or another piece of writing.

DtWT- Collect final drafts of essays. Collect permission slips.

Integrated Project II- Pass out packet. Discuss.

NO HOMEWORK!

Thursday, November 3rd

Warm-up
Copy and Edit the following sentences:

This year their our twenty nine days in february. I though they're we're only twenty eight but you're favorite spanish teacher tole me otherwise. i wonder if any babys will be borne on that twenty ninth day. I wood feel bad for the babys who only had there birthday ounce every four years.

We will go over them together.

DtWT- Take out your draft. We are going to revise our drafts using the RADaR revision system.

Write your FINAL DRAFT as neatly as possible. You are welcome to type it up tonight at home, BUT it is due in class TOMORROW! Also, DON'T FORGET your signed permission slips to enter the contest!

Homework: FINISH WRITING FINAL COPY!

Wednesday, November 2nd

Periods 1-4 students will be in advisory due to math benchmark testing.

Periods 5, 6, and 8 will continue working on work given in the morning AFTER showing me their completed drafts and outlines.

Period 7 will show me their drafts and outlines, then we will talk about making inferences.

Classes will go back to normal tomorrow.

Tuesday, November 1st

Warm-Up (Science World P. 22)
1) Name three things that Erik Sprague has done to transform his appearance.
2) What are some health problems that Sprague may face because he has made these body modifications?
3) Do you think that it should be legal to make body modifications like these? Why or why not?
4) If your best friend decided to sharpen his/her teeth, or split his/her tongue, what would you tell them?

"The Tell Tale Heart"-Wrap it Up
Finish reading, discuss plot, discuss character.

DtWT- Check draft and outline. (Will continue with DtWT in class on Thursday.)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Monday, October 31st

There is no warm-up today. Please take out something to write with.

Today, we are going to read "The Tell Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe.

Before we read, we are going to learn a little bit about Edgar Allan Poe, and look at some of the vocabulary that we will see in the story.

After we read, we will look at the plot structure of the story, and discuss character traits.

You have no homework tonight, unless you have not yet completed both your outline, and your draft of the DtWT essay.

Friday, October 28th

BACK TO NORMAL SCHEDULE TODAY!

Warm- Up Pages 8&9 in Science World- "World's Fastest Car"

1) How fast do they hope this car will go?
2) What types of engines are in the car?
3) How do the wheels on this car differ from normal car wheels? Why do they use this material?
4) What is one thing about the design of this car that surprised you? Would you take a ride in this car?

Check-in: Where are we in our writing? We need to be finishing our draft, and beginning the revision process- hopefully starting our final copies today!

RADaR: Replace... Add... Delete... and Reorder...
Using RADaR to revise our writing.

Wednesday, October 26th

*Science World Warm-Up
Read the article "Big Dig" on pages 2-3, and answer the questions below:

1) How long have they been working on the Gotthard Base Tunnel?
2) Where is this tunnel located?
3) How much shorter will this tunnel make the route between Zurich and Milan?
4) If the excavation for the tunnel is finished now, how come they won't be able to open it until late 2017?

*Finish discussion about DtWT scenario 1, start the writing process by brainstorming and outlining.

HOMEWORK: Finish your brainstorm, and your outline. Be prepared to write draft 1 in class tomorrow.

Tuesday 10/25 (Shortened Class Periods)

Please hand in your letters and signed expectations sheets when you walk in!

1) WARM UP: Red Ribbon Week

What does Red Ribbon Week mean to you? How can you prevent drugs from becoming a negative impact on your life? How can you help others to do the same? Why is this an important cause?
Please write about this until I ask you to stop.

2) DTWT Introduction/ Scenerio 1

No Homework tonight!

Letter Questions

For those of you who did not finish writing your letters in class, here is the task and the questions:

¡Task: Write a letter to me introducing yourself, and asking questions that you may have.

1)It must be at least 3 paragraphs and follow the format of a friendly letter.

2)It must answer the following questions:

Who are you?

What is your favorite school subject?

What activities do you do outside of your regular academics?

What do you want to get out of English class?

What is your goal for English class this year?

How can I help you to be successful?

Don't forget to get your expectations sheet filled out and return it tomorrow as well!

Introductions

     Hello, and welcome to my class blog! I am so glad that I get to meet each one of you, and have the rest of the year to spend teaching you and working with you on writing, reading, and other English Language Arts skills. Together, we will complete many rigorous reading and writing assignments, and have lots different opportunities to share our work. Throughout the year you will work hard reading and writing as you build a portfolio of your work. 
     I want you to know that I am here for you, and will give you all of the tools that you need to be successful both in my class and on the STAAR Test, but it is you who needs to use those tools and work hard in order to earn your success. I will always be available for extra help, and you need to be responsible for scheduling a meeting with me if you would like extra help with something, or if you are falling behind.
     Please take a moment tonight to review my expectations sheet with your parents/guardians at home. Also, make sure that you fill out the bottom portion, and have it signed. This will be your first homework grade, and needs to be returned tomorrow.
      I look forward to each day that we get to spend reading and writing together, and know that we are going to have a great year!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Hughes