Yesterday we took our first vocabulary quiz. You can find our next set of Vocabulary in Context words at the link below:
Today we had our first Writer's Workshop (WWS).
Unfortunately, many of you were NOT PREPARED with your three printed copies of your writing, and had to go to the library to print. If you had to leave class to print, you were marked tardy for the day. Everyone, regardless of their level of preparedness, had to write a reflection on the benefits of being ready for class, and the detriments to learning (for both yourself and your classmates) when you are not ready to go. Rules for Writer's Workshop are below. We will be doing this activity multiple times this year, and, in the future, not having the materials and resources you need will not be tolerated. We will continue with WWS tomorrow. You must have your physical copies of your writing with you.
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Today we took our first vocabulary quiz.
Instead of checking off of the paragraphs in class, you now have until 11:59pm tonight to submit your drafts to Turnitin.com. Then Mrs. Hopkins showed the new "Writing Resources" tab here on the website. She passed out three handouts, and focused on the one on TLQ (Transition Lead-in Quote) for how to effectively embed quotes. The other two handouts (2-chunk Shaping Sheet and Embedding CDs Cheat Sheet) can be found on the new Resources page. Below is an example of effective embedding using TLQ. Tomorrow we will have our first Writer's Workshop. Please bring three printed copies of your paragraphs to class tomorrow in order to participate. Today you typed all of your paragraphs into a single document in preparation for review tomorrow.
You need to have one two-chunk paragraph exploring theme for each short story:
While you can use the same thematic topic for more than one story, your thematic statements must be different for each. Although all three paragraphs should be in one document, please have each on a separate sheet (so your paragraph portfolio should be three pages long), fully formatted to MLA specifications, complete with a heading and title for each page. Have all ready to be checked off tomorrow. Homework: finish typing/writing up your paragraphs, study for vocab quiz tomorrow. We had shorter periods today due to the Welcome-Back Assembly. We discussed what was covered in Mrs. Hopkins' absence. No homework over the weekend.
Today we finished reading "The Veldt."
Then we watched a music video of the song we listened to on Tuesday, and wrote a reflection on it on the same paper we wrote about the song--these need to be turned in at the end of class. Click here for the link to deadmau5 feat. Chris James - The Veldt (Official Video). We shared our responses with the class. Then we heard this info: "The rise in the popularity of television had a direct influence on Bradbury’s story “The Veldt.” At the time the story was written (1951), many American families were acquiring their first television sets, and no one was sure exactly how this new technology would impact the relationships among family members. Some people were afraid that watching too much television would lead to the total breakdown of the family unit. This fear is directly reflected in “The Veldt,” but in the story, Bradbury heightens the odds by creating a machine that not only allows children to detach emotionally from their parents, but one that can also physically destroy the parents, as well." And then transitioned into a class discussion using THESE QUESTIONS as a guide. If time permitted in class, we generated a list of possible thematic topics on the board. No homework today. Today we wrote! We added to our "Lottery" paragraphs, and wrote a paragraph on "The Pedestrian."
Mrs. Hopkins was absent today, but the sub returned the one-chunk "Lottery" paragraphs we turned in on Friday. They have been marked at the top, as Mrs. Hopkins has reviewed them, and we received credit for them in the grade-book, but they have not been given an official "grade" because they are not final drafts. Then we got Chromebooks, and formally typed up the one-chunk paragraph...and then ADDED an additional chunk for a regular two-chunk paragraph. When we were done with that, we started writing (typing) a two-chunk paragraph on the "The Pedestrian," using the theme statement we created/wrote on Monday. We will finish reading "The Veldt" tomorrow (Thursday). As part of our class this year, we will be studying vocabulary. It's not to torture you, I promise! The vocabulary words are actually useful words you'll come across in your own reading, and aren't just words you'll see on standardized tests (although you probably will). Each week, you need to come up with your own system for studying these words. I strongly recommend something digital, but it's totally acceptable to use something pen-and-paper instead. Hint: If you search in quizlet for "Vocabulary for the College Bound B" you will likely find some stacks that are already done. You can do use one of those--as long as you can add new words each week. You can make your own. You can use old-school index cards. You can write them on a list in a notebook. This system, in order to be effective, needs to include the vocabulary words AND the definitions! We will have quizzes once a week, either on Fridays or Monday. Week #1 Vocabulary can be found below.
Today we learned about expectations for vocabulary (see above). We listened to this song: The Veldt by Deadmau5. While we listened, we wrote about how the song made us feel, what images it produced in our minds, what impressions it brought forth? We shared our thoughts, and then looked at the lyrics of the song, which can be found here: LYRICS. After reviewing the lyrics, we wrote about how this knowledge may have changed our perception of the song. We then began reading Ray Bradbury's short story "The Veldt." PDF of the story can be found below.
Today we read and discussed Ray Bradbury's "The Pedestrian." A PDF of the text can be found below. For homework, please write a theme statement for this story. That is a SINGLE SENTENCE. Please be ready to share and work with this theme statement tomorrow.
Today we perfected our "Lottery" paragraphs--polished as much as possible using the feedback we received the last two days...and turned in a clean, new version to Mrs. Hopkins at the end of class.
Today we reviewed the theme statement proficiency scale. Remember that it only pertains to theme statements--so a single sentence, not an entire paragraph.
We discussed the importance of context in topic sentences and concrete details. Then, we revised our theme statements and chunks, while Mrs. Hopkins gave us individual feedback. |
Mrs. HopkinsIs your favorite teacher ever! Archives
June 2016
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