Today, we took background notes for Antigone, an ancient Greek play by Sophocles.
Here is a link to all of our Antigone materials.
Today, we took background notes about Antigone and Oedipus, her father.
Here is a link to download a copy of the Student Handout for the background notes.
Here is the PowerPoint we went through. It goes with the Student Handout link above.
Friday, September 29, 2017
Thursday, September 28, 2017
Due Friday: Warm Ups, Set #1
We are turning in our warm-ups on Friday, 9/30/17. If you were absent, you are not expected to go back and do warm-ups for days you missed.
I am posting them here just in case anyone needs to see them because they lost them or didn't finish them one day, etc.
#1 (9/11) Write five sentences: What is one thing about you that a mirror doesn't show?
#2 (9/12) Write a list of fifteen adjectives about the picture of a puppy. (See slide show for picture.)
#3 (9/13) Write a paragraph describing the image of the puppy from yesterday. Use all of the fifteen adjectives you wrote yesterday.
#4 (9/14) Write a list of 10 adjectives that describe texture. See the pictures on slide six to help you think of texture words!
#5 (9/15) Make a list of all the things that should be capitalized.
#6 (9/18) Make a list of 15 adjectives to describe what the building was like this morning. (This was the day that the AC went out!)
#7 (9/19) Trace your hand onto your piece of paper. On each finger, write one of the senses.
#8 (9/22) Make a list of all the prepositions you can think of. Prepositions describe where two things are in relation to each other (on, beside, behind...)
#9 (9/25) Describe yourself using nothing but metaphors and similes. Write at least 5!
#10 (9/26) List the five "to be" verbs.
#11 (9/27-9/28) Write five sentences describing how you are holding your pencil right now.
#12 (9/29) What do you remember about Greek mythology? Do you remember who any of the gods are? Write anything you remember about Greek mythology or myths.
Here is the PowerPoint of warm-ups. Some of the dates are slightly different than what I wrote above, because some classes did do some warm-ups on different days. No matter the date, as long as you have all 12 warm-ups, you get a 100!
I am posting them here just in case anyone needs to see them because they lost them or didn't finish them one day, etc.
#1 (9/11) Write five sentences: What is one thing about you that a mirror doesn't show?
#2 (9/12) Write a list of fifteen adjectives about the picture of a puppy. (See slide show for picture.)
#3 (9/13) Write a paragraph describing the image of the puppy from yesterday. Use all of the fifteen adjectives you wrote yesterday.
#4 (9/14) Write a list of 10 adjectives that describe texture. See the pictures on slide six to help you think of texture words!
#5 (9/15) Make a list of all the things that should be capitalized.
#6 (9/18) Make a list of 15 adjectives to describe what the building was like this morning. (This was the day that the AC went out!)
#7 (9/19) Trace your hand onto your piece of paper. On each finger, write one of the senses.
#8 (9/22) Make a list of all the prepositions you can think of. Prepositions describe where two things are in relation to each other (on, beside, behind...)
#9 (9/25) Describe yourself using nothing but metaphors and similes. Write at least 5!
#10 (9/26) List the five "to be" verbs.
#11 (9/27-9/28) Write five sentences describing how you are holding your pencil right now.
#12 (9/29) What do you remember about Greek mythology? Do you remember who any of the gods are? Write anything you remember about Greek mythology or myths.
Here is the PowerPoint of warm-ups. Some of the dates are slightly different than what I wrote above, because some classes did do some warm-ups on different days. No matter the date, as long as you have all 12 warm-ups, you get a 100!
Monday, September 25, 2017
More Parts of a Whole Practice
Today, we wrote a practice draft for Parts of a Whole. We continued building off of what we did on Friday, except this time we wrote in whole paragraphs and about a topic of choice.
Still confused about Parts of a Whole?
The idea is to describe the components of something, and then describe how those parts go together. Describing the parts isn't new; we've done those kind of descriptions before, and we did them well. The new thing here is describing how they are put together to make up a whole.
Consider the outfit you are currently wearing. You may have shoes, a top, a bottom, perhaps socks and accessories.
Think about how you would describe each item, and then think about how they come together to make an outfit. Do the colors match? Are they the same brand? Is it all athletic wear or is it all comfy lounge-wear? How does one piece compliment the others? How are they physically arranged on your body? What prepositions could you use to describe how they are arranged?
Still confused about Parts of a Whole?
The idea is to describe the components of something, and then describe how those parts go together. Describing the parts isn't new; we've done those kind of descriptions before, and we did them well. The new thing here is describing how they are put together to make up a whole.
Consider the outfit you are currently wearing. You may have shoes, a top, a bottom, perhaps socks and accessories.
Think about how you would describe each item, and then think about how they come together to make an outfit. Do the colors match? Are they the same brand? Is it all athletic wear or is it all comfy lounge-wear? How does one piece compliment the others? How are they physically arranged on your body? What prepositions could you use to describe how they are arranged?
Friday, September 22, 2017
Description: Parts of a Whole Practice
Today, we got into groups and continued to work on description. We worked together to describe Oreo cookies and layered candy. What a tasty day!
Specifically, we worked on using prepositions and transition words to describe how two things are related.
We also did a transition word practice.
Click here to download the transition word practice.
You will notice that some of the transitions "turn around" the sentence, and some "go straight ahead" and continue the same idea.
Jasmine is a great friend; for example, she brought me flowers when I was sick.
The second half of the sentence continues with the idea that began in the first half. Being a great friend and bringing flowers both reflect the same central idea.
Some transition words show that the sentence is about to change directions.
I practiced everyday, and I felt confident about the audition. However, I did not make first chair.
The word however lets you know that the sentence is about to change direction.
Keep this in mind as you practice with transitions. Which ones show a change, and which ones show that the ideas are related?
Specifically, we worked on using prepositions and transition words to describe how two things are related.
We also did a transition word practice.
Click here to download the transition word practice.
You will notice that some of the transitions "turn around" the sentence, and some "go straight ahead" and continue the same idea.
Jasmine is a great friend; for example, she brought me flowers when I was sick.
The second half of the sentence continues with the idea that began in the first half. Being a great friend and bringing flowers both reflect the same central idea.
Some transition words show that the sentence is about to change directions.
I practiced everyday, and I felt confident about the audition. However, I did not make first chair.
The word however lets you know that the sentence is about to change direction.
Keep this in mind as you practice with transitions. Which ones show a change, and which ones show that the ideas are related?
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Everyday Action Revision Rotations
On block day this week (9/20-9/21), we are doing revision rotations.
Here is the link to the Rotation Station Directions
Here is a link to the Student Handout for the Stations
Here is the link to the Rotation Station Directions
Here is a link to the Student Handout for the Stations
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Open House
This is the information that we went over during Open House. I enjoyed meeting with parents!
Monday, September 18, 2017
"To Be" Verbs and Everyday Action Assignment
What a day! First the heat, then the rain.
Today, we started working to start our new writing assignment. Our goal is to use action verbs as much as possible, while using fewer "to be" verbs.
This is the PowerPoint of notes from today in class.
Here is the notes page from class today.
Tomorrow, we will write our first draft of the new assignment. The finished assignment will need to be at least 200 words long. The prompt is: Describe an everyday action.
We looked at some visual examples of everyday actions in class today.
Sneezing:
Blinking:
Throwing a punch, spitting, jello shaking, fire, pouring liquid, bee/mosquito flying, string instrument being played, water splashing, striking a match, glass breaking, a big hair flip, a water balloon that doesn't break, using a pin to break a water balloon, a single drop of water in a cup, and a dog catching a frisbee.
Think about what you would like to write about for this assignment. The best writing happens when you pick something that is interesting to you, and it is easier to write about things you are familiar with.
Today, we started working to start our new writing assignment. Our goal is to use action verbs as much as possible, while using fewer "to be" verbs.
This is the PowerPoint of notes from today in class.
Here is the notes page from class today.
Tomorrow, we will write our first draft of the new assignment. The finished assignment will need to be at least 200 words long. The prompt is: Describe an everyday action.
We looked at some visual examples of everyday actions in class today.
Sneezing:
Blinking:
Throwing a punch, spitting, jello shaking, fire, pouring liquid, bee/mosquito flying, string instrument being played, water splashing, striking a match, glass breaking, a big hair flip, a water balloon that doesn't break, using a pin to break a water balloon, a single drop of water in a cup, and a dog catching a frisbee.
Think about what you would like to write about for this assignment. The best writing happens when you pick something that is interesting to you, and it is easier to write about things you are familiar with.
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Final Draft of Ordinary Object - Due in class today
We wrote the final draft of the Ordinary Object assignment during class today. If you were absent today, ask me for the lined paper.
Some things to consider:
1. Avoid very - The word very doesn't mean much. We just use it to lend emphasis to the word it comes before. Consider this sentence:
It is very cold in my English class.
By putting the word very there, you are emphasizing the word cold - letting us know that it's not just ordinary cold - it's extra cold. More than just plain old cold. So what's a better way to express a more extreme degree of cold? Freezing. Frosty. Wintry. Brisk.
It is frosty in my English class.
So it is that frosty is a more interesting and concise way of expressing very cold.
That book is very weird. How about: That book is eerie. That book is haunting. That book is spooky. Peculiar. Kooky. Bizarre.
If you have access to an electronic device, http://www.thesaurus.com/ is an excellent way to get upgraded adjectives. There are also several thesaurus and dictionary apps you can download. (Nerdy, I know.)
Some things to consider:
1. Avoid very - The word very doesn't mean much. We just use it to lend emphasis to the word it comes before. Consider this sentence:
It is very cold in my English class.
By putting the word very there, you are emphasizing the word cold - letting us know that it's not just ordinary cold - it's extra cold. More than just plain old cold. So what's a better way to express a more extreme degree of cold? Freezing. Frosty. Wintry. Brisk.
It is frosty in my English class.
So it is that frosty is a more interesting and concise way of expressing very cold.
That book is very weird. How about: That book is eerie. That book is haunting. That book is spooky. Peculiar. Kooky. Bizarre.
If you have access to an electronic device, http://www.thesaurus.com/ is an excellent way to get upgraded adjectives. There are also several thesaurus and dictionary apps you can download. (Nerdy, I know.)
2. Avoid repetition as much as you can. Think: How can you explore an idea if you just keep using the same words over and over? You can't help repeating some words. There is no other word for a "heart" shape, and no other word for "diamond" the jewel. You also can't help repeating pronouns, such as I, you, he, she, it.
However, there are some words that can be switched out.
my phone = my iPhone = my device = my electronics = my Apple phone
street = road = pavement = roadway
3. Upgrade basic word choices. Words like bad, mad, small, big, and happy need to be swapped out for something more sophisticated. The easy fix would be to grab a thesaurus, but there's another way to do this.
Instead of writing, "The taco was bad." - - - describe the taco and let ME, the READER, figure out that the taco was bad.
If you tell me the taco's tortilla had mold spots and the chicken smelled funny, I will figure out that it was a bad taco. This is the difference between showing and telling. Don't tell me the taco was bad; show me the bad taco.
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Revisions continued, Next draft!
Today's agenda - - -
- Step 1 – Highlight on their paper. YOU CAN USE DIFFERENT COLORS IF YOU NEED TO. MAKE A COLOR KEY ON THEIR PAPER SO THEY KNOW WHAT THE COLORS MEAN.
- Steps 2 and 3 – Write in complete sentences on the green half sheet. This is where you are suggesting and helping them fix and “upgrade” their paper.
Goal 2: Finish writing your second draft.
- When you are done, switch your papers back and start writing a new draft of your paragraph. When they are due, these paragraphs should be between 100 and 150 words long.
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Revising our Descriptive Paragraphs
Today, we revised our descriptive paragraphs and started writing a second draft. Most of us traded papers with a partner, but some of us decided to revise our own papers.
Here are the directions:
Steps for Peer Reviewing
Step 1: Highlight
On the screen, I projected these additional directions:
•Step 1 – Highlight on their paper. YOU CAN USE DIFFERENT COLORS IF YOU NEED TO. MAKE A COLOR KEY ON THEIR PAPER SO THEY KNOW WHAT THE COLORS MEAN.
•Steps 2 and 3 – Write in complete sentences on the green half sheet. This is where you are suggesting and helping them fix and “upgrade” their paper.
•When you are done, switch your papers back and start writing a new draft of your paragraph. When they are due, these paragraphs should be between 100 and 150 words long.
Here is the rubric that we will be using to grade these paragraphs. For the first (Ordinary Object) paragraph, we will only be using the Concrete Details part of the rubric. As we continue with more practice, we will include other parts of the rubric.
Here are the directions:
------------------------------------
Steps for Peer Reviewing
Step 1: Highlight
- Strong, unique, and interesting adjectives: Green/blue
- Dull, weak, or nonspecific adjectives: Pink/Orange
Step 2: Annotating
- You will make comments throughout the paragraph, using the margins on the side. Read each category carefully. You must use at least one sentence stem from each of the following categories throughout your peer's paper. (Instead of writing it on their paper, please write these on the green half-sheet.)
- Concrete Details: Are the details effective and why?
- Your details are effective according to the rubric because...
- Your details can be improved by...
- Purpose: Can you understand the purpose the writer is trying to accomplish? Why or why not?
- You clearly establish purpose in your writing by...
- Your writing becomes confusing at times because...
Step 3: 2 Stars and 1 Wish
- At the bottom of the green page, write two stars (strengths) and one wish (one weakness and how they can improve it)
------------------------------------
On the screen, I projected these additional directions:
•Step 1 – Highlight on their paper. YOU CAN USE DIFFERENT COLORS IF YOU NEED TO. MAKE A COLOR KEY ON THEIR PAPER SO THEY KNOW WHAT THE COLORS MEAN.
•Steps 2 and 3 – Write in complete sentences on the green half sheet. This is where you are suggesting and helping them fix and “upgrade” their paper.
•When you are done, switch your papers back and start writing a new draft of your paragraph. When they are due, these paragraphs should be between 100 and 150 words long.
Here is the rubric that we will be using to grade these paragraphs. For the first (Ordinary Object) paragraph, we will only be using the Concrete Details part of the rubric. As we continue with more practice, we will include other parts of the rubric.
Monday, September 11, 2017
Descriptive Paragraphs
Today, we talked about description. We practiced out loud a bit (see images in PowerPoint) and began our first assignment.
The prompt is: Write a paragraph describing one ordinary, everyday object. The full assignment is on the last slide of the PowerPoint.
After we read the prompt, we read "Mirror," a short poem by Sylvia Plath. We are reading this poem to see how the author uses descriptive words (adjectives, adverbs, and action verbs) to describe.
Link to Mirror Poem and Annotation for Description
Tomorrow, we will finish "Mirror" and begin revising the paragraph we wrote on the ordinary object.
Also: Please note that the date for Open House has been changed. The new date is Sepember 19, 2017 from 6-8pm. See you there!
The prompt is: Write a paragraph describing one ordinary, everyday object. The full assignment is on the last slide of the PowerPoint.
After we read the prompt, we read "Mirror," a short poem by Sylvia Plath. We are reading this poem to see how the author uses descriptive words (adjectives, adverbs, and action verbs) to describe.
Link to Mirror Poem and Annotation for Description
Tomorrow, we will finish "Mirror" and begin revising the paragraph we wrote on the ordinary object.
Also: Please note that the date for Open House has been changed. The new date is Sepember 19, 2017 from 6-8pm. See you there!
Sunday, September 10, 2017
Introductory PowerPoint
Here is the information we covered on Thursday and Friday. Don't forget to bring your parent/guardian page back ASAP! On Friday, we started pulling together our social contract. Those will be ready some time this week.
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