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Quarter 2 - Time to get serious! creative writing: The Horror Story Based on the inspiration of Mr. Edgar Allan Poe, in this unit we will be exploring the process of good writing by guiding the students through a very particular unit with many checkpoints along the way. Our unit starts with the prewriting activities (brainstorm, outline) then progresses into rough draft. Students will be expected to have at least 2 rough drafts with editing marks on them by the end of the unit. Final copies of each student's story will be typed and turned in on November 14. Also, students finished up with Stargirl and will currently be embarking on a new novel. 11-3-03 Students are expected to complete a brainstorm for their story topic and an outline. The brainstorm is due today and worth 10 points. 11-4-03 Students continue to work on their outlines. This outline is found on a form provided by the teacher. The outline is due today and worth 10 points. Students who finish the BS and the outline should proceed to their first rough draft. 11-5-03 Students were given the five questions that are a part of their peer comment assignment. Basically, the students will each pair up with a "writing buddy" and analyze their partners story for the following questions: 1. What do you like about the story? 2. List the characters so far. 3. Describe the setting. 4. What are the conflicts so far? 5. What questions do you have for the author? This should be turned in today and is worth 15 points. The purpose of this assignment is for each student author to get feedback on their story so far and possible questions that a reader might have and that the author could answer is his or her story.
11-6-03 Today is meant to be a pure writing day. Rough drafts are due tomorrow. 11-7-03 Rough drafts are due today. 11-10-03 Students worked further on rough drafts and fixing edits. 11-11-03 Veteran's Day - No School 11-12-03 Peer editing on rough drafts. This was a graded part of the unit. 11-13-03 Students started typing and filled out CIM writing work sample forms. 11-14-03 Final Drafts due today. For the entire unit students were expected to have done: 1. Brainstorm (10 pts) 2. Outline (10 pts) 3. Peer Comments (20 pts) 4. Peer Editing (25 pts) 5. Rough Draft (25 pts) 6. Final Draft (100 pts) Total: 190 points
How Persuasive Can You Be? 11-17-03 Today students will be starting their persuasive speaking unit. Their topic is, "What is the solution for the drug problem in the U.S.?" This unit will be integrated with the Math and Bodyworks class. Students will be receiving direction on researching evidence to support their opinions on the topics and will be using this evidence to create a persuasive speech. Students saw 4 movie clips showing successful and unsuccessful persuasive speeches. Students will also be doing impromptu speeches in front of the class. These last 30 seconds and are on random topics. The purpose of the impromptu speeches is to familiarize the students with being in front of the class. It is worth 10 points.
11-18-03 Journal entry today. Continuing impromptu speeches. Gave notes on the 9 different nonverbal successful characteristics of a persuasive speech. Then the students wrote a paragraph stating their opinion on the question, "What is the solution to the ( ) problem in the U.S."
11-19-03 Continued reading from books. Impromptu speeches. Then students received their outline to fill in for their persuasive speech. The last 15 minutes were committed to students being put into their groups for the Schoolwide Integrated Project (SWIP).
11-20-03 Journals were turned in today. Impromptu speeches were finished. Students finished filling in their outlines.
11-21-03 Students had shorter classes today because of the SWIP and they continued finishing their outlines.
11-24-03 Students practiced their outlines and transferred material onto notecards if they chose.
11-25-03 Students had double blocks in Bodyworks and LA to finish all the speeches. Those students that were absent or were not ready to go today have the option of making up their speeches sometime next week after school. Stay tuned for the exact date.
12-01-03 Students were asked the question, "What could you not live without at the Schoolhouse". They thought up individual answers then shared their favorite one with the class. This information will be compiled by Ron and shared with both staff and students. Graded assignment
The Original Humor Unit
12-02-03 Students will be starting a humor unit today. They will first be given notes on the most common types of humor: word play, irony/sarcasm/satire, impersonation/imitation, toilet humor, physical, dark humor, metaphor/juxtaposition, banal humor, slapstick, mean spirited humor, and ribald. They will then watch clips of Chris Farley and George Carlin to get a good idea of how stand up comedians use a variety of different types of humor to engage their audience.
12-03-03 Students will be getting into groups today. There should be no more than 3 students in each group. The groups will be creating their own comedy routines over the next two days. Each routine should include at least 5 different types of humor. They will have to produce a script and have each category clearly labeled. Worth 50 points.
12-04-03 Students continue work on their routines.
12-05-03 For extra credit, students can perform their comedy routines in front of the class.
LAST WEEK BEFORE WINTER BREAK IS DEDICATED TO SWIP.
Have a great holiday break!
Welcome back from Winter Break. The students have 3 weeks left before semester ends. Please check with your teachers for your grades in Science and Society and Math and Bodyworks. Your grade for Language Arts can be found on www.mygradebook.com.
1/5-1/9 Snow days!
1-12-04 Students received back graded papers and started their introduction to the Music Review.
1-13-04 Students worked on the white worksheets for the Music Review. Started rough drafting if ready.
1-14-04 Students completed rough drafts. Editing follows.
1-15-04 Students type rough draft.
1-16-04 If students are willing to read their music reviews to the class, they can play 2 minutes of their music. Always a good time. Worth 125 points.
1/20 - 1/22 Most students are participating in the Statewide Assessment Program in writing and math. Freshmen and those students who have already passed the writing assessment are doing a technical writing exercise involving peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
1-23-04 Students are continuing their music reviews if they were not ready last week.
Poetry Unit (lovely)
1-26-04 Our lovely introduction began this day with our favorite poems and a presentation of these poems. Some of our favorites include "Like a Wheel", "The Waking", "Incident", "Funeral Blues", and "When I was One-and-Twenty". The poetry unit will follow this course: reading and analyzing poetry, researching a specific poet, and then writing and creating original poetry. Also, the boys block had an extra 10 point assignment based on the "Jabberwocky".
1-27-04 Students received notes and examples of the following words: Stanza: A division of poetry named for the number of lines it has. Couplet - 2 Triplet - 3 Quatrain - 4 Quintet - 5 Sestet - 6 Septet - 7 Octave - 8 End Rhyme: The rhyming of words that appears at the ends of two or more lines of poetry Enjambment: The running over of a sentence or thought from one line to another Metaphor: A comparison of two things w/o using like or as Free Verse: Poetry that does not have a regular rhyme scheme Refrain: The repetition of a line or phrase of a poem at regular intervals, especially at the end of each stanza Simile: A comparison using like or as Alliteration: The repetition of the 1st consonant sound in words Internal Rhyme: When rhyming words appear in the same line of poetry
1-28-04 Today students got into groups and worked on analyzing their poem assigned to them. This is worth 20 points. If you were absent, you can analyze any poem but you need to attach the Poetry Exercise 1.
1-29-04 Students collaborated with their group and decided on how they are going to present their poem in a group. This is worth 50 points.
1-30-04 Students presented their poems to the large group. If you are absent, please write a summary of your Poetry Exercise 1 and turn it in by the end of the semester next week. This will make up the presentation grade.
2-2-04 Students are starting their Adopt a Poet assignment. This is a week long unit with 4 parts. The final due date for the complete portfolio is February 10.
**Please also keep in mind that all the assignments affecting this quarter's grades and assigned credit are complete. This Adopt a Poet assignment will NOT affect this quarter's grades. You can find the complete current grade on www.mygradebook.com under Quarter 2 once you log on. **Again, there are not going to be any more assignments that will affect your student's grades for this quarter. Students CAN turn in any and all late work for this quarter preferably Wednesday (2/4/04), but we will accept work on Thursday (2/5/04). |
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The
21st Century