ATTN: all English students-

Don't forget that all of your reading pages are due on Wednesday, January 13th. Please read over the break if you are behind in the number of pages you need to read.

When we return on Jan. 4 - we will wrap up the Tall Tale unit by writing a tall tale. We will share the most creative stories. Before the term ends, all classes will be working on writing process and improving word choice and sentence fluency.

The term ends on Jan. 15th.

Students began a Tall-tale/legend unit this week which will take us to the Christmas break. We have been introduced to different types of legends, tall tales, and cultures. The students will be reading a variety of stories and will eventually write a tall tale.

Upcoming events before the break:

Dec. 9th - Spelling quiz #6
Dec. 14-16 - Cultural presentations by the students. Each student will present to the class a story, tradition, or food that is part of his/her culture. Students will refer to their pedigree chart to find their heritage and talk to families about traditions that they celebrate.

Dec. 15 - A book mark or timeline will be turned in on a book that was read.

Dec. 16 - Spelling quiz #7

Dec. 18 - out for break until Jan. 4th

Contact me at the school if you have questions about what we are doing.

Wed. 11-18 / Students will take a spelling quiz on Voc. #4. (It is on the back of #3). The students will receive a new list Voc. #5.
They will have the rest of class time to read their library books.

Thursday/Friday - students will work in groups on the short story they were assigned. They are to plan a presentation for Monday on the elements of a short story. They have spent the past couple of days reading and discussing their stories.

Monday/Tuesday - students will do presentations in front of the class on their stories.

Tuesday - we'll wrap up any presentations that weren't completed on Monday. Students will have a spelling quiz on #5.

Have a great rest of the week/break. See you on the 30th.

Monday - students will read pg. 61 A Retrieved Reformation and answer the questions on the study guide they have.

Tuesday - Reality Town - no class

Wednesday - Spelling quiz on Voc. #3 Students will discuss the questions to pg. 61 and review the elements of a short story. We will then discuss pg. 97 and 113 in the short story unit.

Thursday / Friday - students will be placed into groups and assigned a short story. Check with your students to see what their story is. Each group will have questions to answer, then they will plan a presentation for the class on that story including all the elements of a short story.

Please remind your students to keep up on their reading. The first book report is due on Friday for periods 1-7 and on 11-17 for periods 2-5

Wed. the students will have a spelling quiz on Voc. #1. It is ten words and definitions.
For the rest of the week, we will be working on short stories and being able to identify the elements of each.

The students received information on the reading pages for 2nd term. Please check with your student and have them explain what is required. The first report is coming soon and is worth 100 points.

Friday, the final draft of the Great Mail Race letter is due. It must be revised, typed and a perfect copy. If the copy isn't quality work, the student will have to re-do the paper until it is acceptable. The final drafts will be mailed within the next week. Check with your student to find out where his/her letter is going.

Tuesday, the students will work on revision of their Great Mail Race letter and discuss the story on pg. 12, Rain Rain

Wed. they will receive a new list of spelling words - quiz will be Nov. 4th

Thursday and Friday the students will watch The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

Contact me at the school if you have questions:
patd@provo.edu

Monday - all students will be reading pg. 3 in the brown anthology - Tears of Autumn.
Tuesday - we will discuss the story and continue discussing the elements of a short story.
Wed. - Students will take the spelling quiz that they didn't on the 13th. They already have a list. We will begin a unit called The Great Mail Race where students will mail letters to other schools in the U.S. This will take about 2 weeks to complete and mail the letters. Cont. reading Short Stories
Thursday - Free choice book report is due. All students received the form for this on Oct. 8th.
Friday - students will read a story called Raymond's Run and complete a study guide to it.

Monday the 12th, all classes will have an in-class essay on Flowers for Algernon. They can use their books and notes. Tuesday, we will watch part of the movie Charly. Wed - Frid is Fall Break.

Wed. 10-7-09 Students in all classes had a spelling quiz today.
They went to the library and checked out a book: 1 & 7 need a book with at least 200 pages, on grade level, and NO fantasy books.

Periods 2-5 need a book with at least 150 pages, grade level, and any genre of fiction. These books have a report which is due on or before 10-22. The term ends on the 23rd of Oct.

spelling words for Wed. 10-7

developing interrupting
solving climbing
foundation tomorrow
crying scratching
competing creature
depressing directing
ignoring assigning
constructing creating
skiing customers
hospital costume

Students in all classes have a quiz on Friday on the Short Story Elements. For homework, they need to complete the mazes they were given in class today. We are reading Flowers for Algernon in class for the next week or two.

The "Twice-Baked Book" analysis is due on Tuesday, Oct. 6. All students have the form to fill out.

Today, the students received the Twice-Baked Book Analysis form which should be filled out and turned in no later than Oct 6th. It is worth 100 pts.

These are the spelling words for the quiz on 9-30
legend exploration percent agenda media conditions
resources standards catalog personal community impression
digital sequence processes different rough thorough
cuticle conference

We will start a new unit on Monday - 9-28 with short stories - 1st is Flowers for Algernon.

Per. 2-5 - Students will watch on Monday & Tues. clips from "Eyes on the Prize" about the Civil Rights movement.
Per. 1 & 7 will do class presentations on F-451.

Wed. all classes will go to the library to check out a book. It must be a book they have already read. Students will complete a 'book report' on this book and turn it in by Oct. 6th.

Thurs. - no class - students will be taking the IOWA test and it is Parent-teacher conferences. Please bring your student with you to visit with me that evening.

Friday - all classes will begin a new unit.

Per. 2-5 - On Thursday, students will read in class from Watson's. They need to be finished with the book and the report "Watson's Follow-up" when they come to class on Friday. We will discuss the book during class on Friday. Mon & Tues. 21, 22, we will be watching excerpts from the movie "Eyes on the Prize" from the Pepsi Corp. about Civil Rights. Wed. 23rd, students will have a spelling quiz.

Per. 1 & 7 - On Thursday, students will read from F-451 and complete the study guides. Friday we will discuss the book during class. Mon & Tues. 21,22, they will present their projects on the book.

Periods 1 & 7 need to finish study guide for pages 33-72 of F-451
Periods 2-5 need to have read Watson's to the end of ch. 8 and finish the study guide

Parents, this is the work for your students:
Period 2-7 - For Tuesday, please have dinner as a family so that your student can report on it when they come Tuesday. Read Watson's ch. 1-4 by Tuesday. We will have a quiz on them. Spelling quiz will be Wed. They have a list of 20 words. Friday - 9-11, the students will turn in the history of their name, pedigree chart and 1st to America.

Periods 1 & 7 - spelling quiz on Wed. Name history, etc. (above on Friday) and second study guide to F-451 by Tuesday.

Students in periods 2-5 received their Watson books today and began reading ch. 1. They need to bring the book with them each day.

Students in 1 & 7 received F-451 and a study guide to finish for tomorrow.

For the week of Aug 31-Sept 4: 1st & 7th are going to wrap up Watson's with discussions; 2-5 will be introduced and start Watson's Go To Birmingham, 1963. All classes will discuss the theme for the year which will deal with tolerance for others, diversity, and identity.

Welcome to a new week. I am going to finish my assessment of your students Monday and Tuesday. On Wed, Thurs, and Fri, students will be taking the DRP reading test. Please have your students attend school those days so we don't have to do makeup testing.

Welcome to my English classes. On Thursday, all students received a disclosure (blue) which needs to be signed and brought back by Monday, 8-24. The students also filled out a paper entitled : ALL ABOUT ME!

Are you ready for the next Harry Potter movie? I am reading #6 book again before I see the movie. I hope the movie is as good as the book!

Check This Out...

I just finished reading I, Q by Roland Smith. Everything he writes is great! His website, http://www.rolandsmith.com/, is a good resource for information about his books as well as himself. Go check it out!

It's Time to Start a New Year!

Welcome back to school! I am excited to have you in my English classes.