Archived+Unit+III+Dec+-March+HW+and+Notes

Archived HW and Notes for December 2013-March 2014

Good job on MCAS today. Students worked diligently.
===**HW:** VOCAB test on Act II words and 3 affixes on April 1. __Test WILL INCLUDE retest on some of the words from Act I__ so look back at your last test and learn any of the Act I words you did not test well on.===

==1. __Due Wednesday!__ 8 vocab cards for Scrooge and Marley Act II. See yesterday's entry. Classes that met today had class time to get some or all of this done. If you do extra work to design your OWN kind of study guide the way we did for the last set of words, I will allow you to share your strategies in small groups as a way to review at the start of classes for the remainder of the week. I will not give extra credit for this, but it should help you prepare and lesson the amount of studying you have to do at home. If you do not do any extra work to prepare, you may not participate in the small group reviews. You will not lose any credit for not doing extra.==

===2. __Due next Monday:__ Revised and Edited long comp in publishable form will be due by Monday at 8 am through Turnitin.com. We will have two more full periods in the lab to complete this so very few students should need to do any work at home--unless you never revised your opening, closing, or any body paragraph when it was assigned for homework earlier this month. If you work on any of this at home DO NOT ask for help from parents, siblings, or friends. Stay after with me tomorrow if you are not sure about your work. I need to see what YOU CAN DO without assistance to know how to help you improve. The directions and rubric are now on Turnitin.com.===

===All class will work in lab 102 tomorrow. Orange, red and green classes will be in labs on Thursday and yellow and blue will be in the lab Friday. I will review the directions on how to mark up your work and submit it during the lab time. Most students should have no trouble completing this by the end of the day Friday.===

3/24 FINAL MCAS COMPREHENSION TEST DAY TOMORROW. REST UP, EAT WELL, REVIEW REQUIREMENTS FOR A STRONG ORQ RESPONSE.
=VOCAB QUIZ APRIL 1.= ==HW: 8 ACT II "Scrooge and Marley" vocab cards __due WEDNESDAY.__ Find page numbers using the index of your purple text. Follow ALL directions for ELA vocabulary cards--these instructions and a printable template to use to format the cards correctly should STILL be at the beginning of the vocabulary section of your binder and is also on the REPRINTS page of this site. Words include //astonish, compulsion, threadbare, meager, dispelled, severe, gnarled, audible.//==

//**aud** means hear as used in the words audition, audience, audio// //**dis** meands apart, away as in disappear, disassemble, dismantle, discourage// //**CON/COM**--IF YOU still DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS--LOOK IT up! wE HAVE BEEN TESTED ON THIS AFFIX TWICE THIS YEAR SO IF YOU LOOK IT UP YOURSELF, YOU MAY REMEMBER IT BETTER. FIND THE MEANING AS IT IS USED IN THE WORDS "CONVICTION" AND "COMPRESSED" FROM EARLIER UNITS.//
 * //Affixes://**

3/19/14
After you have attempted the work, you can check your results against the following answers. The **answer to the multiple choice for “The Graveyard Book” are** 9. A 10.B 11. A 12. D 13. B
 * HW: ** No required HW but you may want to take one of the two MCAS fiction excerpts I gave out in class today and practice for tomorrow by using the strategies we reviewed in class to preread and markup the text and then try answering the Multiple Choice questions and ORQ. The strategies are in a handout in your binder AND still posted under the homework entry for March 4.

8. C 9. A 10. C 11.D 12 D 13. A 14. D 15. C 16. D 17. D 18. B
 * Answers to “The Absolutely True Diary ….”**

The following are what the state posted as Level 4-Advanced answers to the ORQ questions for each excerpt. I had a technical issue reposting copies of the level 4 student samples--so open the file below and scroll to the end for the two samples. Note that what both do well includes **TQA+ TAG + 3d(include Q and #)+3e+T=3/4.**
 * **TQA**: Restated key words from the prompt in the opening to show sharp focus on the question
 * **3 d**: Used specific examples from the text.
 * Used Q and #--referred back to specific text –not long passages but key phrases or a single sentence. And writer referenced the paragraph number in one of the excerpts. THIS YEAR do it parenthetically—the standard has changed since these were graded last year and the year before. Remember to reference a line number for poetry.
 * **In “Graveyard” the writer used 2 quotations with SPECIFIC details** that **showed WHAT made each child happy**. The quotations //do not just focus on one character//; nor do they just restate that they WERE happy. The examples are significant and show understanding of supporting details.
 * **The supporting evidence for the “Diary “ piece includes 2 quotes and a very specific paraphrase of the details from the text at the end. It also shows the writer read the question because it pulls from different parts of the passage to show gradual change.**
 * The writer paraphrases the quoted material—he or she does not just “DUMP” in a fact or a quote.
 * **Remember that using quotes can be easy as PIE//—__P__araphrase// the line; //__I__nsert// the quote; then //__E__XPLAIN// why the evidence matters/ what the quote shows.**
 * There is an elaboration **“THis shows that…” for each quote** or detail used.
 * There are **at least 3 details**
 * The information is in-depth enough to require **¾ of a page** to an entire page.
 * While the state gave these each an advanced, I have seen all of you do as well or even better than this. Shoot for getting a 4 on every ORQ tomorrow. Do not do LESS than your best and feel very proud when you are done.**

3/18/14
==Great work today. Everyone seemed to respect the work and be proud of putting forth a best effort. Enjoy the afternoon with NO ELA homework. Bring ALL your benchmark drafts and revisions to school for us to compile a finished product for a test grade in the computer lab next week. Pat yourselves on the back and know that you WILL use the strategies you used today for non-MCAS writing the rest of the year and in real life.==

3/17/14

 * NO specific ELA homework**. Get some fresh air. Eat a decent dinner, Go to bed at a reasonable hour. Pack WATER and two snacks for tomorrow since testing will start at about 8:30 and go through about noon. We will switch lunches with grade 8. Bring your own highlighters and/or pens to help you plan and revise your draft. ONLY pencil will be allowed on the final.


 * IF you want to review anything--read the handout I gave you on the Sewer Tunnel and notice how the writer took a VERY dull topic and used sensory language, figurative language, and ACTION to make it interesting. THat is your job on the long comp--write clearly and logically on a topic--but show some style so your reader is engaged.**

**READ/TNT/Group-Develop-Delete-Organize/ COWS/ "you"s-"things"?/ ZAPS/ CAPES!--**
You might want to write the above ON your question booklet to remind you of things to check for during the writing process.

MCAS LONG COMP TIPS: LONGER VERSION
In class we reviewed ADVANCED concluding paragraphs and some of the hints to think about as you work tomorrow:


 * Read the prompt! Read it again! TNT the prompt** to clearly define the **TOPIC, NUMBER** of questions implied by the prompt and examples you need to completely resond and the **TASKS** you have--(Describe/Explain Why/ Tell How....)


 * Read the prompt again**


 * PREWRITE: TNT-**
 * **Brainstorm** at least TWO options to answer the question before selecting the best. Use SOME method to plan your writing --web, power outline, T chart for compare and contrast questions
 * GROUP like ideas from your brainstorm together to use in body paragraphs, DEVELOP ideas for specific FACTS, SENSORY details and other evidence and elaboration you can include; DELETE less interesting or specific ideas--
 * ORGANIZE: Number your ideas--Put Strongest Evidence and support near beginning and end--keep weaker evidence in the middle
 * If stuck for specifics to discuss within body paragraphs--see if the **STAR graphic** gives you ideas--Can you relate an **"I"** example? An example from **fiction**? from **Non-fiction?** from something **learned recently** that would give you specifics? a connection to the **past or the future** that shows the ideas matter?
 * Long comp is **USUALLY a narrative which means using "I" or "WE" is appropriate**. Just read the question carefully to be sure.

Then think **COWS**--Concentrate on writing the SPECIFIC **CONTENT** and **ORGANIZING** it logically first--then go back add play with better **WORD CHOICE AND SENTENCE FLOW.**
 * DRAFT:** REREAD the question again before writing a single sentence!
 * Before you even START drafting--thinking of 4 or 5 synonyms for topic words you will need to repeat often in the essay to ensure some variety.
 * Maybe write your body paragraphs first if you struggle with opening hooks and strong closings.


 * REVISE:** REREAD THE QUESTION TO DOUBLE CHECK YOU ARE COMPLETELY answering it and have a meaningful point or two!


 * **CHECK FORMAT**--Do you have **AT LEAST 5 paragraphs of 4-8 sentences each? 6 or 7 paragraphs is preferable.** Too little means you are not developing ideas deeply--Too much means you may be repeating yourself or going off topic. You only have about 4 sides of paper to use--single space.


 * DO YOU HAVE A **STRONG HOOK**--preferably using sensory (Action, visuals, sound, feeling) and figurative language to make the topic come alive. Remember your opening is like shaking hands and making eye contact during an interview**--it is your first impression so make it special.**
 * You can devote and entire paragraph to SHOWING a moment related to your topic--then establish the topic in your SECOND paragraph.


 * DO you have **CLEAR topic sentences and details AND elaboration** in each of 3 or 4 or 5 body paragraphs of evidence that support your main topic.


 * Do you have a **STRONG CONCLUSION** that begins by revisiting an image or feeling from your opening and then ties together the major point of each body paragraph. Do you end with a strong statement--preferably using a metaphor or other figurative language to make the final statement memorable.Is the final paragraph at LEAST 3-4 sentences long? The closing is the LAST impression you make on the reader/grader--**MAKE IT COUNT--don't just run out of gas and write any old thing to be done.**


 * Troll for **"you" "things" and other non-specific nouns** that you can upgrade
 * Markup draft for evidence of **ACTIVE strong verbs. Circle the helping and linking verbs (am are, is, was were, be being, been, may, might, must, do, does, did, have, has, had, can, could, shall, should, will, would...)** IF you have a paragraph with ALL helping and linking and NO active verbs--find at least two verbs to improve--or use some figurative language to make your point. Helpng and Linking verbs are essential to speaking and writing, but there should be MANY MORE active and precise VERBS -- in the opening and closing ESPECIALLY!
 * **USE ZAPS**--Be sure in EVERY paragraph you do at least two of the four things in ZAPS-
 * **ZOOM in** on a specific moment or detail
 * USe **ACTIVE verbs** and action
 * USe a **Personification** at least once or twice in the essay--Don't overuse this technique--but SOME figurative language in at least half of your paragraphs is a good idea.
 * **Sensory images**: Use sound (Especially), visuals, feelings, to connect your reader to EXPERIENCE the topic--SHOW don't tell in at least one or two lines of at least 3 of your paragraphs.
 * EDIT: LEAVE about 10 minutes at the end of the test session to EDIT carefully. Remember CAPES:**
 * **Captialization**
 * **Apostrophe use for possessives and contactions--NOT for plurals**
 * **Punctuation--commas--periods at end of complete thougts-no fragments or run-ons**
 * **ENDINGS --reread word by word in your head SLOWLY to look for missing words, missing ENDINGS on words, repeated words**
 * **Spelling:**
 * **Check for misspelling of KEY words from the prompt and words you repeat. TRIPLE -CHEck spelling in the opening and closing to make a good first and last impression. YOU WILL have a dictionary for long comp! USe it.**
 * **Double check for words YOU commonly misspell //--a lot/ realize/business/ college/ then-than/ two-to-too/ hear-here/of-off//...)**
 * **Double check for words YOU commonly misspell //--a lot/ realize/business/ college/ then-than/ two-to-too/ hear-here/of-off//...)**


 * ==**When you get stuck--write through it and come back and fix word choice or sentence flow and transitions later.**==
 * ==**Plan carefully and don't worry about anyone else finishing earlier or later than you--take the time YOU need to feel proud of your work.**==
 * ==**You will draft from 8:30 to 10:30 and be able to start the final no sooner than 10:30 to noon. If you are not ready to start the final at 10:30--that is fine. You just need to be able to finish by 2:20 if you go to the library after lunch to continue working.**==

Take three deep breathes--longer exhaling than inhaling-- anytime you start to freak out. Don't freak out--MCAS is important but you are not giving a kidney.
Do NOT get rid of ANY of the MCAS prep materials we have used yet. We are going to type up the revisions we have done to the practice benchmark long-comp and edit them to have a final edited and publishable piece of work to count as a test grade for the term. We will do the typing DURING school in the lab, so no work at home is required at this time.

==3/14 HOMEROOM--Your child should have brought home BLUE handout on health curriculum. You need to return if you want your child EXEMPTED from upcoming health classes. Form due back by 4/1/14 and coffee discussion of curriculum March 21 a t 9 am.==

HW: Write an improved conclusion to your long comp using the strategies we discussed in class--reviewed below.

 * **Intro to conclusion**--write a sentence or two that connects back to an image or detail from your sensory Hook opening paragraph
 * **In 2-4 sentences, restate the main ideas of the 3-4 main body paragraphs in your essay**--do not repeat EVERY detail and try to be more GLOBAL --how does the specific example you used apply to life or human nature or the world in general.Reread each body paragraph (the "arms and legs" of the essay as we modeled with our skeleton in class). Find and state the main idea you used each body paragraph to PROVE about the main topic (the spine of your essay--the trait of ___is important because it....)


 * For example, ONE of the 3 or 4 body paragraphs you wrote might show Nelson Mandela in jail for a cause, forgiving his jailers when he is released, and serving as President when he could have spent his retirement years with the family he missed in jail--the POINT the example makes might be that **EMPATHY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TRAIT because __putting others' needs ahead of our own may lead us to have the courage to do things we would not do just for ourselves and that helps the world__.** You would use the main point--not the details--as one of the sentences in your conclusion.
 * **Conclude by finding a common thread that runs through all of the examples** you used (**VERY CHALLENGING to do**--**if you can't do this --it is OK--it is an advanced skill.** Give it a try- no need to be perfect. This final sentence or two should have a ring of finality about it. This is a good place to have a final meaningful metaphor or quote or personification to leave the reader thinking deeply about your topic.

===__**Opening hook**__--shows **details on building of Panama Canal** and creativity it took to dig out the shorter route than going around all of South America. Creativity led to solutions to malaria killing workers and engineering challenges solved with a lock system and railroad to remove huge quantities of rock. Defines Creativity and identifies CREATIVITY as a **critical trait** for life.===
 * ===**Point: Creativity is not just important for artists, it is equally important for solving technical and practical challenges.**===

===**__Body paragraph 1:__** **Topic is musicians** showing creativity to express feelings through music. Details on Eric Clapton writing "Layla" to express love for a woman married to his best friend and the pain it caused. Other details on Billy Corgan who wrote an album about both the joys and the pain of his childhood.===
 * ===**POINT: Creativity helps express and release deep feelings to cope with the ups and downs of life.**===

===**__Body Paragraph 2:__** Topic is an **"I" example**--how this student uses **playing guitar** to experience freedom. Details include freedom to be good, bad or average--to explore different types of music-- to be free from expectations and rules.===
 * ===**POINT: Creativity gives me freedom when life as a teenager seems so ruled by adults.**===

**__Body paragraph 3__:**
===Creativity can lead to a rewarding career. Details on the awards and money earned by musicians Clapton and Corgan mentioned earlier in essay. Detail imagining himself enjoying a career doing something he loves and still paying the bills.===


 * ===POINT: Creativity can help us combine the joy of what we want to do with the hard work of what we need to do to support ourselves someday.===

In class we modeled how the final paragraph tying these 3-4 main points together might read as follows.

 * ===The blue ties back to the sensory hook,===
 * ===the red ties the first body paragraph point to the second body paragraph point.===
 * ===THe green reminds readers of the third body paragraph point--using a metaphor/personification to avoid repeating "creativity" again.===
 * ===The black is a final metaphor that has a ring of finality and says how the WHOLE essay makes a point that is MORE important than just thinking about the Panama Canal or musicians or careers--a point that would apply to people with different interests who could connect THIER OWN creativity to the examples the writer supplied.===

===**The metaphor about bone marrow came from a student who related the science lab with chicken parts today to connect to the topic.** It is always a great strategy to mine what you have just seen or done up close to spark interesting connections between details from your own life and experience to a broader topic.===

Without the creativity of American doctors and engineers, the Panama Canal project might have ended with French workers booking passage home. Cargo ships might still have to navigate the long route around the tip of South America. Creativity not only helps engineers solve problems, it also allows artists to express feelings, from love to despair, that connect us all. Individuals find freedom and release when they let imagination open doors to rewarding careers and enriched daily lives. Like the marrow in our bones, creativity is an often imperceptible but life-sustaining force. It is the trait that defines us as human beings. - Class Review: Most of the class discussion is reviewed above. We also linked writing to the science lab today. Students tried to find connections between writing and lab investigations. They had great observations including the following:


 * ==specific nouns, active verbs, figurative language are all different parts that work together for a working whole--like the tendons, muscles, and bones of the chicken parts==
 * taking the time to look closely at details gives us the focus to come up with deeper insights and more lasting understanding. Writers use details to help readers experience a topic. It creates readers and writers that understand more deeply than writers who just give conclusions.
 * Scientists ask questions about how life works--so do writers


 * Main ideas run through essays the way the spine holds together a skeleton. Ideas have to connect logically the way the femur connects to the tibia and fibua or the "leg" doesn't move you forward.


 * The specific details, and solid nouns and verbs are the skeleton--figurative language, sound devices, adjectives, and adverbs are like the muscles and skin covering the basic ideas to make them work better as a unit...and be more attractive on the surface.

I briefly checked in on verbs used in **last night's homework**. We discussed that some of the revisions we have made are terrific, while we may prefer what we started with after reviewing other changes. **A good writer is NOT afraid to try out "new outfits" and then mix and match to keep some and delete others.**

We noticed that students were sometimes just using LONGER words--not always clearer words.

=
Most student agreed THIS change __used more words and longer words--but was NOT better or clearer.__ (It did however make the student aware of the word accelerate as a great word for some other sentence someday!) ======

3/13
==HW I do not have time for detailed entry. Tonight's work is to REPEAT last night's so see that entry for details. You are to mark up your entire benchmark, circling or highlighting and labeling helping and linking verbs (including forms of be) listed on the chart in yesterday's entry. Then highlight STRONG active verbs. Find at least 3 MORE lines to replace a tired verb with and active verb. Try to insert them in paragraphs you have not yet revised at all. You can put each new verb in a different paragraph or all in one paragraph. Then Add ANOTHER personification to a paragraph that does NOT have one. MARK THESE CHANGES CLEARLY so I can see the "before and AFTER" when I check tomorrow.==

==Below are two examples of great sensory hooks we have reviewed in class. They both use strong verbs. THe MLK example in particular uses lots of active verbs. Both create interest and tension by SHOWING not just telling the reader about the importance of a trait. Both invite the reader to stick around and read more.==



HW: **Revise long comp to add at least 3 ACTIVE VERBS and at least ONE PERSONIFICATION. Add these to paragraphs you have not YET revised.**

 * 1) ==Read your ENTIRE draft long comp and circle all linking and helping verbs in black (or some color you have not used yet). Below is a copy of the list of **common linking and helping verbs**-which include the **forms of be**.==


 * **Linking and Helping Verbs** (The verbs that DON’T express action) ||
 * ==Forms of Be== || ==//am, are , is, was , were, be, being, been//==

||
 * ==OTHER common linking and helping verbs== || ==//may, might, must//==

//can/could, shall/should, will/would//
||

==These verbs are extremely common and very necessary to expressing ourselves. They can not be avoided! BUT they are not very exciting because, unlike other verbs, they just express that something IS—that it exists. There is no action.==

==IF your paper uses ONLY linking and helping verbs, it will not **SING**. It will not **MOVE** through ideas and **PUSH** the reader to think. (See how using ACTIVE verbs like **//move, push, sing//** makes the writing more lively and engaging than writing “//Good writing HAS active verbs. It IS fun to read.”)//==

==1. After you have highlighted or circled all the linking and helping verbs (including forms of be), **highlight your OTHER verbs—the active ones** in a different color (I use green for verbs because it makes me think “GO”) .==

==In class today we highlighted active verbs in a passage in red/pink and linking and helping in black. We saw that the descriptive opening used ALL active verbs and follow-up paragraphs used a mix of Active and Linking/Helping verbs. Your paper should be similar. The opening and closing should really be lively—so you should see more active verbs highlighted there. You should also have at least three active verbs in every paragraph.==

==In paragraphs that have **MORE black and less or NO green, look for places to substitute active verbs** for boring ones. Insert phrases or rewrite whole sentences to add verbs that add life to the sentence**.** I am assuming your revisions last night and the night before have already improved at least two paragraphs of your essay. This will help you finish a chunk of the final rewrite of the entire essay that everyone will do for homework eventually.==


 * ==EX: //My pencil case exploded and the pencils and markers made their escape down the corridor.//==
 * =//The lie entered the room ahead of me and seemed to settle itself on the couch, ruining my peaceful afternoon as I tried to ignore my conscience and watch TV.//=
 * =//Even as the icy clumps of snow tripped me, the Black Diamond Trail dared me to try again.//=

March 11,2014 HW: 1. **REVISE your long-comp opening AGAIN tonight if you have not yet used a few specific sensory details to bring a moment to life to draw your reader into the topic.** We reviewed several excellent examples in classes today. Some students had removed the overuse of "you" or "things" but still need to SHOW a trait in action--not just define the trait or explain its importance.

**2. IF you created a hook last night that really works--contains sensory description and some figurative language while STILL introducing the topic of your essay--you should take ONE body paragraph of your essay and improve that paragraph.** Even if you do not HAVE the benchmark with you, you can still write a paragraph that can be used as a NEW paragraph when you revise the body paragraphs of your essay for a grade. If you are improving a body paragraph, try to include at LEAST TWO of the following:


 * ===give a SPECIFIC example to illustrate the topic of your paragraph. For example, if your topic sentence is "Bravery does not mean the absence of fear. Bravery is about moving forward in spite of your fear." Then give a SPECIFIC example of someone --You, a friend, a figure from history, current events, or literature---and DESCRIBE what they did in spite of fear.===
 * Bring at least one or two sentences to life by using visuals, sound, feelings, even smells or tastes.

=="//The first time I dove into a pool I had to face many fears. I imagined the water slapping my skin or my head smashing into the concrete floor of the pool. I could hear my frenemies screeching with laughter as I belly-flopped. There was so much that COULD go wrong. It took every ounce of bravery I could summon to breathe deeply and force my legs to move to the end of the board. After a minute that seemed like an hour, I pried my toes from where they had curled around the edge of the board and plunged forward. It wasn't pretty, but I hit the water and came up alive. Whenever I face a new fear, I think about how simple the act of diving really became once I pushed my fears behind me and thought of what could go right, instead of what could go wrong. "//==

//DO jus//t ONE paragraph revision tonight.

March 10, 2014 HW: Revise or create a completely new opening paragraph (or two) for your long comp essay on the importance of ONE trait in life. Below is a sample of an opening that shows several writing skills.




 * It uses **and “I” not a “you”** example to hook the reader. It uses humor and something everyone reading it can connect to –falling down and “failing” before succeeding. Even if you will never take a ballet class, you can identify with falling.
 * It uses **similes and metaphors** “hop like a bunny” “the ground ended up being my worst enemy”
 * It moves from a **SPECIFIC example to a SECOND paragraph that clearly introduces a GENERAL** topic “Determination is an essential trait”
 * It **has credibility (ethos) by using a TRUE first person (I) example**. We believe it more. Her use of ballet terms and specifics ALSO add credibility. She sounds like an authority.
 * She uses **varied and precise vocabulary**. She uses the synonym “focused” as well as “determined”.
 * She uses strong verbs that **create VISUAL images**---“whipping” hopping” “rotating”


 * If you ALREADY revised your opening—DO SOME or ALL of the following**
 * take another look and see if you can **improve it with MORE specific and sensory language** to make the reader SEE/HEAR. And or FEEL a moment so your point is clear and compelling. SHOW don’t just TELL.
 * **Add dialogue** as a way to bring a scene to life
 * Insert more **ACTIVE verbs**
 * Insert some **similes/metaphors/personification/hyperbole**
 * **DELETE as many “you” and “yours”** as you can

__ Use the STAR graphic I gave you to think of another specific example to bring to life __ to prove your points about the importance of your trait.
 * If you hook/opening is PERFECT—improve a BODY paragraph **
 * **If you already used an “I” or a “my” example** (my brother, my mom, my friend, my coach…) try out one of the other kinds of examples.
 * Discuss a moment in the life of **a fictional character** that shows the trait
 * Discuss **an action or actions of a person from history or current events**—or even a celebrity/athlete/infamous or famous person.
 * Think of **something or someone you recently learned about** (so you will have a few details to use) in ELA, Social Studies, Science, Foreign language, Exchange City, …”
 * Choose an **event from the past or the future** if nothing is coming to you about the present.

Below is a sample paragraph using SPECIFICS about a fictional character as EVIDENCE and SUPPORT for why CARING—compassion –is an important trait—using the bullet points from the single body paragraph organizer we shared in class on Friday.

// Familiar fairytales can teach children about the challenges and rewards of being compassionate. For example, in the fairytale “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, the homeless girl, Snow White, takes refuge with the seven little men. They show compassion by letting this “giant” invade their home, while she shows compassion by working and bringing a cheery presence into their lives after their tough days working in the mines. She cooks and cleans their cottage. Her singing fills the house as she does everyday chores. She toils without complaint, even though she had been a princess with servants of her own in her former life. As she dances with Bashful, and even gets Grumpy to crack a smile, she shows that empathy, kindness, and gratitude, improves her own life and the lives of those around her. The fairytale shows that caring can be contagious. If we all looked to show benevolence toward others as much as we hope to benefit from being cared for BY others in our own households, the average family would enjoy more of the simple joys of everyday life together. // // //

Class Notes:

WE reviewed and marked up our ORQs on Panama Canal


 * Corrected for QUALITY of specifics as WELL as quantity of details from text. ** The Best WRITING had


 * ** More than three details ** from the text.
 * ** Paraphrased and introduced quotations and facts ** —did not just “dump in quotes”
 * ** Used transitions ** BETWEEN details “Another obstacles was…” “Not only did they have to deal with illness, they ALSO had to overcome engineering challenges…”
 * ** Used MORE than TWO quotes WITH paragraph numbers ** in parenthesis
 * used information from the beginning, middle AND end of the article—showing they understood and could EXPLAIN the difficult engineering portion as well as the less complex issues about limiting the spread of malaria and yellow fever.
 * ** Used phrases that explain HOW and WHY the evidence quoted matters ** —“This helped them overcome the challenge of…” “This moved construction forward by…” “This is important because…”
 * ** Was At LEAST ¾ of a page long **


 * A good use of evidence would be (2 out of 4) : **

// Workers died of malaria, so a doctor suggested killing mosquitoes to stop the spread of disease. //


 * A BETTER use of evidence would be (3 out of 4) : **

// Three out of every four workers was dying of malaria, which led to a severe shortage of workers for the massive Panama Canal project. A doctor names William Gorgas suggested using mosquito nets to prevent the spread of disease. Healthier workers could get the job done. //


 * AN ADVANCED use of evidence would be (4 out of 4) **

// The Canal project was slowed by two health related obstacles: yellow fever and malaria. These diseases killed three out of every four workers. A doctor named William Gorgas helped solve the problem but introducing ways to stop the breeding of mosquitos and keep workers protected from adult mosqitoes. “All standing water—a great place for mosquitoes to lay eggs—was eradicated…” (par 6) He also suggested simple fixes like window screens to protect sleeping workers at night, and introduced predators including “spiders ants and lizards to feed on the adult insects” (par 7). Healthier workers meant more work could be done and also made it less likely workers would “book passage home” before finishing the job (par 5). //


 * The treasure chest metaphor for writing ORQ responses. **

THINK of the articles as a treasure chest full of gems, gold, silver AND some dirt. Choose the portion of the sentence to quote that is the GEM—the most significant evidence…Don’t make the reader sift through the less important “dirt” even though the dirt is necessary. AN ORQ is a short response so you have to make every bit of evidence count.
 * LONG COMP TIPS**

We switched gears to long comp writing after ORQ review. Attached are handouts we reviewed on


 * the need to AVOID overuse of the word “you” and offer options to VAGUE words, like //you, they, someone, places, things….//
 * suggestions of ideas for BETTER topics to use as examples that students can bring to life with specifics—instead of “preaching” to a hypothetical “YOU” in the reading audience.

An occasional general statement or use of you in a concluding sentence is fine, but most students are using WAY too many “you” examples. In **one class students had 20-30 “yous” in 5 paragraphs. An honest student or two admitted to having SEVENTY uses** of the word in 2 pages! There are more vivid and specific options!

3/7
==HW: All classes: complete ORQ response for the "Panama Canal" reading. Do a planner in the packet and hand-write the planner on white-line paper--do not skip lines. Remember to check for AT LEAST 3 significant details and a clear explanation of how EACH detail answers the questions. Use AT least one direct quote WITH paragraph number in parenthesis. 2-3 quotes (short --part of a sentence or no more than one sentence) would make even better text evidence.==

I will post notes from Friday's class on revising long comps on Monday after the Blue class has had the lesson,

3/6 Many thanks for kind birthday wishes. You are a very thoughtful class! (But I am still giving homework) HW: Read the "Panama Canal" selection in the MCAS packet and mark it up using the EXACT same directions for prereading and reading that I assigned TUES (3/4) I gave you all a handout with the directions, but it is also still posted below under the 3/4 entry for your reference. Most ORQs looked pretty solid today. Most students need to add quotations and note the paragraph number of the quote. Some still need to more clearly explain HOW the details you note answered the question--HOW did whatever action you mention help protect the people. THe markup and multiple choice answers are due tomorrow, and the ORQ response is due Monday if you want to get ahead.

HW: **Complete the ORQ response to the question in your MCAS packet that follows the “Summer, Winter, Spring, Fall…and Night?” reading. You MUST complete**


 * ** a PLANNER in the MCAS packet. ** Use the space below the question. If you need more space, attach paper
 * 1) to **brainstorm** WHAT **main points** you will make;
 * 2) what **specific examples** and **evidence** from the text you will use to PROVE your points;
 * 3) which paragraphs you will pull **quotes** from to support your answer; and
 * 4) what **ORDER** you will present your examples.

>>> ** --- **
 * ** A finished ORQ on white-lined paper that is no shorter than ¾ of page and not much more than a page ** (a few lines might be OK because the paper in the MCAS answer booklet has more lines than most notebook paper. Your **__answer MUST be single-spaced and handwritten__** (unless you have typed responses on MCAS in past years). This is to help you practice knowing how to deal with the space restrictions on MCAS.

Class Notes:

We reviewed how students marked up and paraphrased the text. Most are doing a much better job of taking margin notes that paraphrase main ideas and the MOST significant examples.


 * Great strategies I saw: **


 * When you actively read, **write your connections and reactions in ONE margin** or in one color, and write the **paraphrases that show what you understand from the reading in the OTHER margin**—maybe in a different color.
 * You should have **MORE paraphrasing and LESS reacting and connecting**
 * ** Use the CONNECTIONS you make as the basis of a great closing for your ORQ. ** For example, many kids wrote “I don’t believe how scared they were of darkness” or “I wear light colors and figure out safe routes too”—These could lead to a great closing line that sums up why the article’s information matters such as “Thanks to technology, we no longer view night with as much fear and can take fewer precautions.” OR “Even with all our advances, darkness still causes some of the same fears mankind had in the middle ages and it is still wise to prepare and prevent problems.”

TIPS for drafting the ORQ

**One possible way to set up a planner is below. We modeled this in most classes.**


 * **order to use items** || **Category of danger faced** || **Action to prevent danger** || **paragraph with****Quote** **to support my point or example** ||
 * //2// || //physical//

//1. falling//

//2.// || //rich had servants with lantern//

//poor mapped routes ahead// || //par. 10// ||
 * || //health issues//

//1.//

//2.// ||  ||   ||
 * //1// || //safety issues//

//1. fire//

//2.// ||  ||   ||
 * //3// || //superstitions//

//1.//

//2.// ||  ||   ||

I have filled in some ideas, but you can use completely different ways to categorize the topics you want to include. After filling in the planner, you

>>> **OPENING sentence:** TAG + TQA >>> Together in class we reviewed the format for a logical and clear first sentence for an ORQ. For MCAS ORQs you do NOT have to be creative—(no hook is necessary as it IS for a long comp). Just remember TQA and TAG –Turn the Question Around and Name the Title, Author and Genre of the piece you are discussing. >>> EX**//. “In the article “Summer, Winter, Spring, Fall …Night?”, Meg Moss explains what people did in the past to protect themselves from the dangers of a nighttime. One danger they faced was….//**
 * ** MUST cross out items that are NOT as important ** —since you ONLY have about a page to develop the MOST important and significant examples.
 * ** Then NUMBER the order you might use the info in ** . FOR MCAS ORQs use the MOST significant items first—in case you run out of room on the page!


 * Homework for 3/4/11 **

Students out for today’s test should plan on staying after to take the test on Wednesday of this week. If you have been out multiple days during our review of the vocabulary, plan to stay after this Wednesday for review and we will make up the test next week.

**HW: Review of HOW to approach an MCAS comprehension selection. Tonight you will work with the FIRST story in the MCAS packet—“Summer, Winter, Spring, Fall and Night?**” DO NOT do the second article in the packet yet.

Tonight you **will show me you know and use ALL the correct strategies to understand and answer questions about a reading you have never seen before. DO ALL of the following—**


 * __ BEFORE reading the selection __**


 * 1) **Highlight key words in the italicized introduction** to the text that give you an idea of the MAIN idea of the passage.
 * 2) **Read all of the multiple choice questions** and **highlight paragraph numbers in the text** that are mentioned in the questions to remind you to focus extra hard on these paragraphs when you read. **In the margin, summarize the question** so you know what point to read FOR.
 * 3) **Read the ORQ question and TNT it (**underline the key topic words, circle any numbers (are you looking for one DANGER or many DANGERS as you read) and put a box around Task words (Describe, explain, support)


 * __ READ THE SELECTION __**


 * 1) As you read “Summer, Winter, Spring, Fall and…Night**” HIGHLIGHT details you can use as evidence to answer the multiple choice AND the ORQ.**
 * 2) **In the margins,** **PARAPHRASE the main idea and MOST significant details used** near the highlighted or underlined passages. You **should have bullet points that show you UNDERSTAND after every 2-3 paragraphs.** Stop and paraphrase every few paragraphs before you continue through the article. You might want to skim through the entire article first and go back and reread and paraphrase carefully on the SECOND reading if you are having trouble understanding.
 * 3) **__ANSWER the multiple choice questions.__**
 * 4) **__DO NOT answer the ORQ yet__**—that is tomorrow’s homework. You should, however, have lots of examples and evidence to answer the ORQ in your markup of the reading.

REMEMBER when I counted the paraphrasing as a homework quiz and many people did not do well earlier this term? Take this homework seriously—HINT ! HINT!

Class NOTES

All classes took vocabulary test. See me if you need to make up this test. Some classes will have a very short amount of time to finish the test tomorrow because of interruptions at the start of class.

I reviewed the directions for marking up the homework and modeled what to do with the packet.

=== MARCH 3: Still having some technical issues with uploading files and adjusting font colors and waiting for a bug fix from wikispaces. I cannot upload example files until then. I WILL continue to list homework of course! ===

__ HW: STUDY! Comprehensive vocabulary test TUESDAY! __
== Complete your final 20-30 minute review of 30 "Black Cat" words; 7 words from Act I of "Scrooge and Marley" and the affixes bene, mal, volen, mis, anthrop, re, il/ir/im/in; mor. (YOu ALL copied the meanings and examples of words that use the affix in the vocabulary section of your binders.) ==

__ FOR ALL vocabulary words: __
1. **Know the definition**--For the "Black Cat" words, you do NOT need exact definitions but need to be "in the ballpark" to show you understand how and when you would use the word.
 * For the 7 "Scrooge and Marley" words, I expect you will know the KEY words from the definition--especially to show you understand part of speech. As we discussed in class, for example, if you said the **VOID meant EMPTY--that would be WRONG** because I need you to show you know how to **use VOID as a NOUN meaning EMPTINESS; EMPTY SPACE--**so the ADJ empty would be wrong.

2. **Know the part of speech for every word.** Create a chart sorting the words into nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs to practice. Notice the **common endings for nouns (ment, tion, ence/ance/ ity, tion) and for ADJ ( our, able/ible**) which should help.

3. Be able to use the words in your **OWN sentences**--


 * do not just take the author's sentence and change a single word or two. Show you can apply the word to NEW situations and uses. (For example, do **NOT** change Dickens' sentence which includes the phrase "//**charity, forbearance, benevolence were my business"**// to **//"charity, benevolence, and kindness were the man's business."//**
 * Come up with something more unique that shows you REALLY understand how to use the word, --- "The teacher showed benevolence by giving everyone 10 bonus points to cheer them up."

4. **Recognize how the word would be used in fill in the blank sentences**.

5. **For the affixes**: (mal, bene, etc...)


 * know the meaning
 * know the word on the list that uses the affix
 * list one word NOT on the list that uses the affix to mean the same thing it does on the word ON the list

EXAMPLE:

**bene** means **good**

Vocabulary word using this affix: **__benevolence__-has to do with "good intentions"**

other word using the affix: **__benefit__ had to do with "a good thing or advantage"**


 * EXTRA CREDIT words: know the definition and an example for altruism, serendipity, resolute, resolution **

Technical Feb 27: No new homework.
== But wouldn't it be a great idea to briefly review a few notes from class or revisit some of the words you had trouble with and try to write sentences just for those. I am happy to check any tomorrow if you need reassurance that you are correct. ==

== We are done with class vocab review to prepare for next week's test. If you have a specific word from the "Marley and Scrooge" list you want reviewed in class, bring your question up tomorrow. Students have been VERY creative and thorough in their review guides and classes have been energized. Hope it all pays off in your using the words effectively in future writing AND in a great test score. ==

Do LAST 10 words! Review instructions from LAST TWO nights for specifics. Red class wins the award as the ONLY class where everyone did BOTH ways to show all 10 words.
== I have no time to post more great examples now but will try to do so after 5. One students used synonyms in "scrabble" fashion running vertically through the words. For example, she wrote "intelligent" running down from the "I" in sagacious" and "strategic" off the "s" . ==

== Another student gave multiple choice sentences, only ONE of which used the word correctly. One wrong answer might have the word with the right meaning, but wrong part of speech (or vice-versa) or just may not have a great clue. One of the answers is correct for each word. ==

Students have actually reported having fun with this. We won't tell anyone that vocab learning can be fun.
== Feb 25: HW: all classes create study guide for the NEXT 10 words on the "Black Cat" list. YOu may choose either column that remains. Below are some samples of hw turned in by your peers that may give you ideas of some new ways to study the words.== ALL of these students said it took them about 20 to 30 minutes to complete and all of these samples would have met the create for using solid study skills. THey ALL would have met the ultimate goal of forcing the student to focus carefully and think deeply about MEANING and how to use words in writing.
 * 1. One (Espen and Danae's) is a crossword puzzle clues and finished puzzle**. TWO people could make one for each other as this student did, which REPEATS and makes you FOCUS to develop the puzzle, paraphrase some definitions for clues, create a visual AND repeat review by doing the OTHER person's clues.
 * 2. Brian's uses patterns** in TWO ways AND visuals (color-coding and grouping in boxes). He sorted words by MEANING ("words that have to do with feelings/.traits; words that have to do with horror; words that are concrete things; words that are abstract ideas or actions)--AND by part of speech. You will see that some words are in several boxes--showing different ways to connect to the meaning and use of the same words.
 * 3. The set of pictures** at the bottom can be connected in different ways to ALL 10 words.

Other students did more traditional flash cards, matching exercises or fill in the blank sentences which are perfectly appropriate. **Try something**
 * NEW tonight to strectch your brain and get out of your comfort zone for at least 5 of the words. THis should create deeper learning--and may even be more fun than doing ANOTHER set of flashcards.**

__**WARNING of what to AVOID tonight:**__ A few people word scrambles, word searches, or just copied the words multiple times--You will not receive credit for that tomorrow because these methods MIGHT teach you spelling--but that is not the POINT--your work has to involve meaning, create ideas about WHEN and WHERE you might someday use the words, and clues to how to use the words grammatically correctly in sentences. WHATEVER

-
Class NOtes WE reviewed student hw samples like the ones above and clues to use SOUND and ACTION as well as more traditional methods to connect the WAY we say a word to its meaning. For example, we all said the word "felicity" in a high and happy voice, and fidelity in a stable and serious tone--since loyalty and faithfulness (fidelity) are serious, stable qualities.

In some classes we began a writing review of what made for effective use of specifics in the sample long-comp essays we had begun marking up. More writing review and shorter time on vocab for tomorrow.

[[file:black cat words with all def.doc]]
===This is to CHUNK your studying for the vocabulary test you will have next TUES, Mar 4. The guide should show me that you found TWO different ways to review. As we learned in the fall, your brain needs to connect a few DIFFERENT ways to material to retain it for life.===

Possible ways you might combine to show me you studied using at least TWO different strategies to connect to different parts of your brain.

 * ===make flashcards with definition, part of speech, and sentence OR===
 * ===Create fill in the blank sentences using the words===
 * ===create a chart that GROUPS words that have similar meanings and give examples of when you might use the word===
 * ===create a chart of definitions and personal connections===
 * ===create a sound device to help remember each word===
 * ===Draw pictures or find clip art to help you remember meaning===
 * ===Think of hand motions or "body language" clues--then write very brief description for me to see you did it.===
 * ===Use SOUND--review outloud with someone, use flashcards with a partner if you made them, match similar flashcards or sort by part of speech in a game with someone else. HAVE SOMEONE SIGN that you spent 10-15 minutes on oral review if that is one of your two ways to study tonight.===

This does not have to be the BEST study guide anyone ever prepared__**--just spend about half an hour of FOCUSED attention**__ and it will help you prepare for the test next week. After you have reviewed by doing the homework each night this week, then all you should need is a quick review of the guides you prepared and your notes from class over the weekend and Monday night.

**You will do a second column tomorrow and the final column Wednesday if you have time and want to get ahead this evening.**
Class NOtes: Upcoming work: We will have THREE priorities over the next three weeks


 * I. Vocabulary test March 4** will include knowing definitions, part of speech, and being able to write sentences for
 * **all 30 "Black Cat" vocab words**
 * **the 7 words from "Scroog and Marley you already did cards for (ponderous, void, misanthrope, morose, destitute, implored, benevolence**
 * **the affixes bene, volen, mis, anthrop, re**
 * **Extra credit: altruism, altruistic, serendipity, resolve, resolute**

Because the test is going to cover a lot of words, I will include more matching and multiple choice connections between words and definitions and allow students to pick 10-15 of the words to use in sentences to connect to pictures you will get on the day of the test.

(test is March 18) We will have short writes, conferences, and evaluation of the writing of others to improve use of sensory descriptions;; specifc examples to make broad points; and opening paragraphs that really grab the reader.
 * II: MCAS LONG COMP prep**

We discussed the symbolism of the fact that the Russians poked fun at a mistake from the opening ceremonies of the Olympics by REPEATING it on purpose in the closing. We used this story to show how you can zoom in on a small detail to make a bigger point (Find the SYMBOLISM in a small moment--make METAPHORICAL connections. Students noted that the story shows CREATIVITY, A SENSE of HUMOR, EVEN COURAGE, and ACCEPTANCE of mistakes as part of life even on the hypercompetitive Olympic world stage. When students revise long comps, they should include examples such as this and take the risk to make conclusions and transfer knowledge from real life, personal experience, other courses, history, etc to elaborate on their main points in narrative essays.
 * Olympic Ring Example:**


 * III. MCAS Comprehension and ORQ prep (Tests Mar 20 and 25)**

Review of how to paraphrase in margins to capture major ideas and the most important specific evidence used to PROVE or SHOW the main points and sub-points

Review of how to choose and use evidence to explain understanding of a text in an ORQ response.

Feb 13

=== **ELA HW:** BLue **and** Red **classes--YOU ACTUALLY have some homework--You need to do the following exercise that the other classes did in class today to help you develop some sensory writing skills.** If you were out today--please do the following if your health permits. ===

Orange **,** yellow **, and** green **classes--no homework.**
==We will share your observations in class tomorrow and use them in future writing. IF it has stopped snowing by the time you read this, DO the activity with WHATEVER weather you can experience--just be sure it is safe to be out. You only need to experience it through your senses for 30 seconds to a minute to be able to get some ideas and observations recorded.==
 * 1) ===== On a piece of notebook paper, write the words see, feel (touch), hear, smell, and taste and then the word EMOTION. At the top of the page, write the word ZOOM IN! =====
 * 2) ===== Look out a window at the snow (I hope it is still falling when you do this). Write down a few words to describe the BIG picture of what you SEE. Note some details such as color, texture, patterns... =====
 * 3) ===== NOW look up or over or down or focus on ONE detail that you had not noticed before and describe that. ZOOM in and write another detail. =====
 * 4) ===== GO OUT into the snow for at least 30 seconds. LISTEN without talking or stomping. Describe what you hear. Listen to your footsteps in the snow and describe them. =====
 * 5) ===== Notice where and how you FEEL the snowstorm. You might want to pick up some snow. Feel it on your hands or as is lands on your cheeks or nose. Is there cold coming through a sleeve or your toes or your jeans. Write down a description of a few words of phrases. =====
 * 6) ===== SMELL the air--describe it. Compare it to something if you can't think of a specific word. =====
 * 7) ===== Taste a flake as it falls on your tongue--then another. If it has STOPPED snowing, do not taste snow from the ground or a wall--NOT a good idea. Describe it or compare the taste to something, This is often difficult -- just take a stab at it.NOw =====
 * 8) ===== NOW write any emotion or connection you feel that came to you by taking the time to slow down and just EXPERIENCE snow. =====

Class Notes:

TWO areas MOST students need to address when revising benchmark essays and to improve ALL future writing--even the Social Studies essay for Mr. Giardina!

Feb 12
== No HW. Happy Birthday to Abraham Lincoln! He read Euclid's Geometry and Shakespeare to help himself develop as a person when he had a little time to himself. In his honor, maybe you would like to look up some famous person you have always been a little bit curious about, since you have a little free time.==

---
Class Notes: Students began in-depth analysis of sample essays as a first step in discovering how to revise their benchmark essays to improve at least one or two aspects of their writing. I met with the first few students in each classroom one-on-one to discuss strengths and areas for revision. I will devote 10-15 minutes a day to conferences until all students have received feedback.

Class Notes:
We reviewed a few of the Works Cited pages turned in for the "infamy" extra credit. We used them as a chance to learn to spot problems in a Works Cited page by separating items that should be in the CONTENT and then what FORMAT each item should be presented in.

The file below has some of the information we reviewed on the board.

We then discussed the FDR speech that used the word "infamy". Go to the "Links to Websites and More" page of my site and scroll down to the "infamy" entry for a very brief summary of some of the points we discussed about how FDR revised and edited. The bottom line of this mini-lesson was that if the President on the brink of war made time to revise and edit, you can also take time to revise and edit. We also noted the KINDS of revisions he made are no different from the types of revisions I expect you to make to your MCAS benchmarks after we conference. Some of the types of changes FDR made included:
 * adding phrases to make ideas and examples clear
 * trimming out unnecessary words
 * adding commas to tell the reader to pause for effect
 * adding a personification
 * changing words to get the more precise TONE ( the very negative word "infamy" instead of the more neutral term "world history"
 * using arrows to change the order to a better or more logical flow
 * Checking and changing the endings of words (to ensure that singular subjects have singular verbs.)

We read MORE "Black Cat" in some classes. --we are done or nearly done in most classes.

to give you practice with researching and citing sources AND to teach you a line from a VERY famous speech every well educated person should be at least familiar with.
Look up the line " a day which will live in infamy." Look up and write down responses to EACH of the following questions in COMPLETE SENTENCES You will receive 10 extra points if you do ALL of the above correctly. I will not give partial credit--so prove to yourself you can answer all parts of a question by taking it a step at a time and rechecking the steps. Students who have already done this reported that it took about 10 minutes to do it correctly.
 * Who said the line? SPELL the full name AND the person's job at the time correctly
 * When did he say it? Give month, day and year
 * WHY did he call it a day that will "live in infamy" ? What happened and what would make it "infamous"?
 * CITE the source correctly in MLA format. You only need one source. Challenge yourself to find a source OTHER than Wikipedia for a change--but I will accept Wikipedia if you have no luck otherwise.

................................... Class Notes: On Friday and today we discussed how MCAS long comp is graded and reviewed some of the elements to look for in a great essay. We will spend more time analyzing sample essays in groups tomorrow and Wednesday.

In most classes we continued reading "The Black Cat" out loud and have finished in one class. Students listened for the TONE Poe uses to create horror in the listener. We noted over and over that Poe uses an emotionless tone to briefly describes horrific crimes in simple, direct sentences of one syllable words. When the protagonist expresses his feelings about his own mental torture and questions, however, he uses long and complex phrases and a passionate and desperate tone. The disconnect between tone in the writer's choice of words and the mood created in the reader is striking. We also paused to notice how word choice builds tension. Poe refers to the cat using increasingly negative word choices--"the beast" "The dreaded creature" "The thing" "the monster." We also noted how Poe uses sensory images to make you FEEL the hot breathe of the cat and the WEIGHT of his guilt on his heart. Poe refers to his dread of the cat using figurative language--saying he fled from the cat as one would flee from the "breath of pestilence". The cat is like death itself is in the air. Students need to remember that great word choice does not end with using "big" words, but also remembering to use figurative language, sensory description, and sound devices to make writing come alive.

We also noted how issues from Poe's own life are woven into the problems and the perspective on life that the main character has. Poe's own struggles with alcohol seeming to take over his better nature are reflected in how the character sees himself changed by alcohol. The "misanthropic" nature of the main character is similar to Poe's real attitude about many men being evil to defenseless woman, and men being less trustworthy than animals. The character struggles with worries about what will happen in the afterlife--whether there could be forgiveness for horrible crimes--just as Poe is known to have struggled with what happens when loved ones leave the earth.

= = = Feb 4 = = HW: No new homework unless you did NOT try to use Easybib on Monday night. If you did not print out a Works Cited list or turn it in with your Poe paper on Turnitin.com, please bring it or email it. If you tried Easybib and had one of the technical difficulties we reveiwed in class on Tuesday, try to repair the error and redo so you KNOW you can use the correct format for future papers where teachers DON'T already give you the sources to plug in. This first go-round was just to help you get comfortable with the technical side of creating a Works Cited. = Class Notes: I will add some of the pointers we reviewed a little later today. = Feb 3 =

Poe summaries WITH 2 parenthetical citations due before you go to bed tonight via Turnitin.com
====1. We THOROUGHLY reviewed how to turn in your papers on Turnitin.com today. If you have trouble, first try logging out of the Turnitin site and logging in again. If you STILL have trouble, try saving the file as a PDF and then submit. IN ALL CASES--print a back up copy. If you cannot print, email me the paper. IF Turnitin.com fails for you, in addition to printing, BRING the paper on your flashdrive if you did not do it at school and we will try to send using Turnitin.com during school.====

2. Try out EASY.BIB and print out your Works Cited List for the sites we used for the Poe paper. To review everything we went over in class, GO to the http://greentechlit.wikispaces.com/EasyBib+quickstart+notes.

You can always access that by going to the "Links to Websites and MORE page of my site and scroll down to "HOw to Search and Cite Sources" for several pages that provide guidance on how to research and cite sources in MLA format.

For tonight, I want you to experiment with filling in the boxes the way we did in class and create a Works Cited page. Your list only has to include a correct citation for the Poe museum page and the video. The information for the video that I GAVE YOU to write down in class is ALSO in this screen shot of what we did together today in class. Click and open to read. We got the URL to insert into the "CIte THIS" box by googling "Biography.com Poe video.

You MAY copy and paste into your Poe Summary and submit tonight's homework via Turnin.com BUT to do this, you have to make the Works Cited List the last page of the document--you can't submit TWO separate documents via Turnitin.com. You may also just Print the Works Cited List you create to show me that it worked for you and you are ready to roll when you actually have to figure out WHICH sources to cite. For Tonight you are just creating a list with the TWO sources I showed you--exactly HOW I showed you--very little thinking involved and should take no more than 10 minutes. Good LUCK!!. If you hit a snag, write down whatever error message you get so we can clear things up for future use. Remember, it will NOT work on Ahern computers, so you have to try this at home. If you have not computer at home and are able to read this by phone, send in a note.

= Jan 30: = = HW: 1. Vocab cards assigned on MONDAY are DUE tomorrow. Follow ALL directions or no credit. See Jan 27 entry for full instructions. = 2. Look over your Poe draft summary so far and try to add 1 or 2 vocabulary words from any we have learned all year. These include the 30 "Black Cat" words, as well as the "Scrooge and Marley" words you are working on now and the words in the vocab section of your binders from "Seventh Grade" and "Oranges".l THis is part of CHUNKING your review of your draft writing. I will NOT be collecting this tomorrow, I am just suggesting you take a stab at adding these words tonight so you can ask me questions BEFORE the paper is due on Monday. - Class Notes: Pop quiz on margin notes taken for "Truth About Grit" homework from last week. I have not yet decided whether to COUNT these quizzes. The point of taking them was for kids to see that the notes you take in the margin SHOULD be clear and complete (but not too long) to give you the main points and main sub-points of whatever you read. Many students had notes such as the following, that make connections BUT DO NOT help the student remember and understand what is the most important set of points made through the article.

"So I have grit" "Grit important" "Was Newton the first to have grit?" "epiphany" "My coach has grit."
 * INEFFECTIVE MARGIN NOTES**

Duckworth tested West Point Cadets to see why some left if they all came in with similar SAT scores and fitness levels. Found ability to persevere made the difference.
 * EFFECTIVE MARGIN NOTES included**

Newton showed grit by working 20 years and doing boring things like watching pendulum. Shows grit is not being born a genius--takes work and focus.

=**Jan 31**: HW Poe Essays due MONDAY night=

=
Poe essays are due by Monday night. I do not expect anyone to be working on these after 8 pm Monday, but technically the Turnitin.com site will accept them until Midnight. No late papers will be accepted unless you have been absent.=====

=
As we discussed in class, because the Easybib site is not working properly on school computers, I am **no longer asking that the paper you submit through Turnitin.com Monday have a Works Cited list at the end.** If you CAN use easybib at home and want to create a Works Cited list, that will be GREAT PRACTICE, and give you a chance to see where you have technical difficulties, since we WILL have you compile one next week for homework.=====

=
This is a fancy way of saying, you will refer to the source of your information in the body of the paper, in parentheses, at the end of the line that includes the information. I GAVE all students the correct way to cite the movie on Poe in class. For in-text citations, you usually lead with the FIRST item that would appear for the source on your Works Cited List. Usually, that would be the AUTHOR, however, for the sources we used, (a web page and the video) there WAS NO author. So using MLA format, you then go to the NEXT part of the source citation that would be on your works cited list--which is the TITLE of the piece.=====

=
FInd ONE fact or idea that you got from the video, but did not ALSO find in the Poe Musuem handout. At the end of the sentence with that observation or fact, take OUT the period and insert the title in parentheses--than MOVE the period OUTSIDE of the end parenthesis.=====

=
Your paper DOES NOT need exact quotations. An in-text citation ALSO is used to tell the reader that the idea or information, while paraphrased into your own words, CAME FROM someone else's brain! The in-text citation is a way for the reader to cross-reference to your Works Cited List (which you will eventually have). Using only the author or title within the paper, takes up less room than giving ALL the info you have in the Works Cites list (Date of publication, web site name, etc.) but the reader can use the title to look up WHICH source to go to in the Works Cited List to double check a fact or find more information.=====

=
This WILL confuse you for a while...you have to do it often to get it down. That is why we are starting with some simple examples and a couple of sources and will move to more sources and more work on your own in the future.=====


 * QUICK Pop QUIZ NOTE: I will be entering pop quiz grades from yesterday over the next few days. Do NOT panic if your grade is low. I will give ANOTHER similar quiz later in the term and drop the lowest grade. THe grade is just a message to some of you to take more precise notes and come for help if you still cannot paraphrase effectively.**

= Jan 28 AND 29: = = HW: Vocab cards due Friday--see Jan 27 descriptions of assignment. = --  Class Notes : Students worked in lab on Poe drafts. We reviewed how to include a parenthetical citation and modeled how to insert one into the Poe summaries. The **Green class still needs this lesson**. Anyone who did not get this lesson should see me during 20 minutes tomorrow. I expect to see TWO parenthetical citations in the Poe final.

=== These parenthetical citations will be INSTEAD of the Works Cited list in the project rubric. Due to a technology glitch, students could not learn how to use Easybib at school so I will not require a Works Cited list for this paper via Turn it In.com. We will do one in class and for homework next week. ===

POE Summary work will continue in Lab Tues and Wed and deadline is NOW MONDAY Feb 3.

Anyone who received a 0 on homework today WILL stay after with me Wednesday. You had MORE than enough time to do the work given the snow day and NO homework last week.

HW: Due Friday JAn 31
Do "Build Vocabulary" words in the purple textbook for ACT I of "Scrooge and Marley." Use your index reading skills to find the pages. Remember that these are the words that appear throughout the play in the yellow boxes. DO NOT DO footnoted words. DO NOT DO ACT II words. Show me you can read and follow directions.

You will do Vocabulary Cards using the Instructions for Literature Vocabulary Cards and the template you used for "Seventh Grade" and "Oranges" vocabulary cards. THis is reprintable from the Reprints page of this website if you do NOT have it in your binder as a reference sheet in the vocabulary section--(where I told you to keep it all year.)
 * I will NOT give credit at all if you do not copy out the complete sentence Dickens uses--I know they are long sentences.
 * I will NOT give credit if you leave out quotation marks AND page number citations
 * I will not give credit if you do not have a sentence of your OWN that CLEARLY shows you understand the word's meaning AND has proper punctuation and capitalization.

You do NOT have to read the play yet--We still have to finish some Poe work.

Class notes: Completed benchmarks. Anyone absent last Tues or today for Benchmark work will have to stay after to finish. These can not go home. All students have the equivalent of 3 in-class periods to work.

Jan 24: HW
====Everyone received an extra few days to finish the homework that was due Thursday--so I expect terrific work to start Term 3! See prior Jan 16 entry to double -check that you completed ALL steps. **As I reveiwed draft homework, I noticed that students still struggle with paraphrasing in the margins. If you read your margin notes outloud to someone in your house who did NOT read the Truth About Grit article, the listener should understand the major argument of the article and the 3-4 most significant details about why Duckworth studies grit; how she tested whether it matters to success; and the DIFFERENT kinds of information that each of the two major tests (the West Point study and the study on music lessons and kids) seem to prove about exactly what grit involves.**====

MAYBE I will test you on understanding --- MAybe not--did you do your homework to actually understand? Or just to finish....?
Monday we will spend one period completing the essay benchmark. Tues and Wed we will head to computer labs to work more on the Poe Summaries. Due date for the summary will be extended AGAIN to Friday or Monday after I see how far folks are getting in the lab Tues.

HW: TWO assignments both due Thursday Jan 23. Instructions in Jan 16 entry.
==== Class Notes: Below is as brief a review (as brief as I can make it for anyone who was absent) of the in-depth lesson we shared on writing a great long-comp to prepare you for the Tuesday ELA long-comp bench mark. The short version is to write CLEAR, CORRECT, COMPLETE, COMPELLING and COMPLEX work.

I suggest you remember the following **acronyms and time frames-**-these are specific tips for writing in STANDARDIZED TEST MODE--some of them apply to any good writing, but the time-frames and some of the formatting tips are specific to MCAS style writing.


 * I. __PREWRITE__**__:__

that Long-comp is VERY different from an informational summary or an ORQ response.
 * FAP: ALWAYS start here. Spend at least 2 minutes jotting down a reminder**


 * **FORMAT:** For a long-comp the format is ALWAYS essay and usually a narrative essay--no text to read beyond the prompt. **5-7 paragraphs (paper is limited to about 4 sides of writing; fewer than 5 paragraphs will NOT allow you to meet the requirement for a "well-developed" composition which ALWAYS requires a great hook, strong, clear on-topic opening; at least 3 body paragraphs of significant and relevant evidence and elaboration to support EACH topic sentence; and a concluding paragraph that not only reviews the major topics in each body paragraph but ties them together to make a broader point about why this topic MATTERS to the reader who may not share your interests or experience.** How does THINKING and writing about this topic apply to the world in general or the future?


 * **AUDIENCE**: for MCAS, the audience is always an ELA teacher so keep the tone **FORMAL--**stay away from slang and conversational language. Employ vivid, precise, and sophisticated vocabulary. Write in complete sentences and write with CONVICTION. Sound like an authority--don't muddle through with a lot of "I think" or " It could be this, but it could be that"


 * **PURPOSE:**
 * SHow you **READ DIRECTIONS** (the prompt) carefully!
 * **Show you focus SHARPLY on the topic and have thought DEEPLY--**the most obvious topics and examples earn only a C. Don't settle for too little elaboration, or too much stringy and repetitive elaboration. Don't just fill space with insignificant details. This requires MORE time on planning before you begin a single sentence.
 * **MAKE THE TOPIC MATTER**


 * TNT/TQA:** spend **5 minutes to TNT** the prompt-
 * underline **TOPIC** words from the prompt that MUST appear in your essay
 * Circle **NUMBERs** and words with singular or plural endings (a, the, one, vs. detailS, reasonS, some, several...) MANY prompts ask you to go deep on a single narrow topic. Others may ask you to answer SEVERAL questions and figure out how to connect several topics into a single organized essay.
 * Box **TASK** words like //describe, explain, list, identify, justify, write how, explain why,...//Almost ALL MCAS prompts for long-comp ask you to do at least TWO writing tasks--one related to **describing-**-lots of detail including SENSORY detail; and another related to **explaining**--find the meaning and SIGNIFICANCE of the details--what do they add up to?
 * **Spend 2 minutes drafting a sentence or two that turns the prompt/question around to create a clear TOPIC/THESIS statement** that is an overview of everything you set out to "prove" or explain in your essay. THis statement will either follow your hook, or may be the final sentence in the opening paragraph (or TWO).


 * MAKE a 3 stage PLANNER:** spend up to 20-30 minutes
 * **Brainstorm** several ways to respond--first choice is not always best--be sure you have ENOUGH to say before drafting;
 * **Group/develop/delete evidence**
 * **ORDER/**Organize--Decide whether to start with your strongest examples or end with them. Order the sequence of details in each paragraph to help the reader follow a logical argument.


 * II. __DRAFT__: allow 40 minutes**
 * In class we shared examples of how POWERFUL it can be to have **TWO opening paragraphs**--one that hooks the reader with sensory description that brings a moment and some tension alive to draw the reader in--followed by a second that gradually introduces the general topic, 3 or 4 sub-topics you will focus on to elaborate on the topic; and the REASON the topic matters. You may end up writing the opening and closing AFTER you get your draft body paragraphs written.
 * **A Closing paragraph of at least 3-4 sentences is a critical element of grade 7 writing.** Sum up the major points of the paper __without just repeating__ the opening or the 3-4 topic sentences you used in the paper. Try out a figurative language/sensory description to restate, or different vocabulary.
 * **MOST important for closing paragraphs--try to STRETCH to show why the topic MATTERS beyond the topic itself.** In class we showed that if we had written a paper saying Martin Luther King Jr. is a hero because he helped end segregation, wrote memorable speeches, and stood up for what he believed in--the final paragraph would state this but then
 * **ADD a bigger idea such as //"His work to gain equal rights for African Americans has become a model and inspiration for gender equality and the rights of many oppressed groups." or "The power of his words and ideas still inspire and show that words and ideas help change history and mobilze action. Without free exchange of ideas, change cannot come. "//**
 * **EXAMPLE CONCLUDING STATEMENTS:** Classes did an exercise to quickly draft ideas for an essay on something they were proud of and why it mattered (2011 MCAS). While the essay topics ranged from //"riding the Tower of Terror" to "volunteering at a soup kitchen" to "getting a slot on the Daily Two"--- the students could **make their personal experiences matter to the reader with insights about success in general learned from these experiences.** They could all say--and their readers could all relate--to "**make it Matter" conclusions such as**//
 * //**" I learned to take risks and face fears; a skill I did not know I had but one that I know I will use often in meeting future challenges." or**//
 * //**"I discovered that pride is not about boasting to others, but instead it is that deep-down feeling that I LEARNED something. I have come to realize that life is NOT about avoiding stress, it is about embracing challenges.**//
 * //**"Staying comfortable is no longer going to be my end goal because true happiness comes from riding the roller-coaster of life, not watching safely from the unloading zone."**//


 * III. __REVISE__: Allow 20 minutes**
 * USE COWS**. We have reviewed this often. For Long-comp, **graders weight the C-Content and the W-word choice most heavily**--although Organization and Sentence Flow are still important to effectively presenting significant content and weaving word choice smoothly through the piece.


 * Double check papers to remove repetition
 * Find at least **one clear point and 2-4 concrete examples to support** the point in each paragraph,
 * Include sensory description and SOME figurative language in several paragraphs. Do NOT however just pile on similes --especially not overused ones like "fast as lightening or a cheetah; cold as ice; strong as a bull. Try to be original fit the the topic. Don't use a silly simile for a serious topic.
 * Add transtions that are meaningful ("As a result" "Most important" "NOt only, but also" instead of first, second, finally...
 * Be sure each topic sentence has a slightly different structure. It is boring to read "A reason I was proud" "Another reason I was proud" "I also was proud" as the first lines of body paragraphs.
 * Try to use one or two vocabulary words you learned this year--infer, compelling, conviction, ferocity, ...


 * IV: __EDIT__ using CAPES:** allow **10 minutes**
 * __Capitalization__:** especially **NAMES;** Months, First letter of each word in **TITLES**!!! Countries and languages.


 * __Apostorphes__//://** USE THEM in possessives and contractions or you have a misspelling. DO NOT use them for a simpe plural--a hugely common error.


 * __Punctutation:__ This is a GIANT category that covers**
 * commas after introductory phrases like "//for example, Also, ..//.
 * commas in a series //birds, dogs, and cats are all...//
 * Commas after the speaker to introduce dialogue: //She said, "Ouch!" "That is awesome," he said.//
 * commas between complete ideas connected by a conjunction: //Dogs and birds are great pets, and they teach you responsibility.//
 * Periods between COMPLETE thoughts not connected by a conjunction. //Dogs and birds are great pets. They teach kids responsibility.//
 * Quotation marks for quoted material and for titles of short stories, poems, songs, and short works: //"The Black Cat"// . Underline novel titles when handwriting--italicze them when typing: //A Christmas Carol.//
 * __Endings:__** REREAD "outloud in your head"--maybe using your finger under each word to find where your brain skipped endings of words or left words out. Also check for incorrect engings that come from mismatching singular and plurals separated withing a sentence or a subject/verb mismatch.
 * //**The boys GOES to school. The girls IS playing. They going to camp in summer.**//
 * __Spelling__:** GO back and **look for TYPICAL mistakes you make and CORRECT them.** YOu might want to make a ist of YOUR most common errors to recheck for BEFORE editing. You WILL have access to a dictionary but not to a thesaurus. In class we reviewed how to use a dictionary to find synonyms. Poor spelling hurts because it can make it more difficult to understand what you mean. **//"I witch I where a better locroz player." vs. "I wish I were a better lacross player."// Looking for correct spelling is NOT just being picky if spelling interferes with clear communication.**
 * DO use complex vocabulary even if you have speling issues.
 * DO use the dictionary and your gut to double-check words that you are unsure of AND to double-check silly homophone spelling errors such as //their/there/they're; too/to/two; where/were; of/off; than/then...//
 * DO not mispell **//a lot; beginning; realize; maybe;// It just ticks me off.**

Jan 16 Still missing 3 Exchange City permission slips!
I THOROUGHLY reviewed and modeled how to do TWO assignments that will both be due Jan 23. Even though we only have 3 school days next week and may not meet as a class due to Exchange City and Benchmarks, I still expect some learning to happen. The work on both pieces is likely to take about 40 minutes per assignment. **NO EXCUSES for not having it next week.**
 * HW: DUE THURSDAY JAN 23--CHUNK IT!!!**

Follow the Active Reading Steps I expect for ALL readings in handout form for the REST of THE YEAR!!!!! I thought that was clear. I was VERY disappointed to see the large number of students who learned HOW to actively read in Oct and Nov and then did not USE that skill for the Poe article. **You MUST follow the three steps below whenever I give a a handout you CAN markup.** This will help you know how to read and understand MCAS and other work when I am not nagging you--and you will understand more and remember more which is THE POINT of reading something in the first place.
 * Assignment I.**
 * ACTIVELY READ the "Truth About Grit " article.**

Get the big picture by reading it once without taking ANY written notes or highlights Use the symbols (happy face, sad, star for great style, WOW or stop for what makes you think; ? for vocab or concepts you need to go back to to understand.) This is reviewed on the GREEN active reading reference sheet in the Lit Notes section of your binder. 3**. HIGHLIGHT, paraphrase and give titles** to sections of the reading in the margins. THIS IS THE MOST** important step! ** DO NOT highlight everything! You are trying to separate the most significant ideas and information from the rest of the info. You should be able to cut your margin notes off the reading and have useful notes you could use to write a summary of key ideas and important examples from the text.
 * Active Reading Steps (Reviewed in ALL classes today)**
 * 1. Just READ!**
 * 2. Read again and REACT**--

The finished product will be that I see at LEAST **one margin note every 2 to 3 paragraphs and significant items (NOT EVERY word) highlighted** to show the BEST example or evidence that supports the main point of each section of the piece. Below are files with reprints of the article AND the vocbulary sheet that defines some of the more difficult words in the article.


 * Assignment 2: Vocabulary words from "Black Cat"**
 * Every student was given a handout with 3 columns of words from the story and assigned one column of 10 words. [[file:black cat words with all def.doc]]**

[] that we looked at in class. It is connected to the Boston Globe, so using it for the pictures and READING THE CAPTIONS will also help you see interesting news items from around the world. There are lots of weather, science, and celebration related pictures--not just depressing news items to choose from.
 * 1. You are to find a picture from the news--I suggest using the following link**

2. Show you know how to USE the words by first **reading the definition and part of speech of each of your ten words.** If you are unfamiliar with the word, you might want to look at some sentences on a dictionary web site to see how the word is used.

3. Then, **take THREE pictures from the site and use 3-4 words from YOUR column to connect to each picture**. You will **use all 10 words** but only 3 pictures. Use the words **in complete sentences**. The sentences c__an describe the picture, or you can imagine a story or some action suggested by the picture. You may use MORE than three sentences PER picture to make your description or story make sense, but__
 * you must use ALL 10 words. If you use the link, Write DOWN WHICH picture and the DATE it was used in the news if you do not print it out. I can call it up when you present if you use this link.**
 * BRING the picture if you get it from any source OTHER than the "Big Picture" link.**

If you do not want to use the link above, you may use an actual magazine or news picture, but it must be school appropriate.
 * __What NOT to do--__**
 * DO NOT use the volcano picture we used as a model in class.**
 * Do not just google the vocab word and print a picture from clip art or a photo from Google images--that does not make you think. Use the link I gave you or a magazine or newspaper.**

Jan 15: ** Exchange City permission slips MUST come in or the student stays behind when we go. I only have 11 out of 23. **

 * Winter Carnival Basket: ** Our theme is New England sports. If you have an item to contribute--(maybe you got TWO goofy Partiots pom-pom hats for your birthday?) please bring it in ASAP. ANY team themed item for any of our major sports teams is appropriate--mugs, banners, player cards, hats, scarves, books, small games....) If you would like to be part of the project and do not have an item, you may choose to contribute a small cash amout--ANYTHING--even a dollar, helps share the load. If you'd rather contribute creativity than cash, let me know if you want to help decorate or make some of the signage that would help market the basket at the carnival. I thank the room parents in advance for making this possible each year.


 * HW:** See yesterday's entry for details on work on "Annabel Lee" due tomorrow. We will suspend work on the Poe Summaries for the Mid-term--Exchange City short week next week. The Summary due date will be moved out at least one or two days after 1/28 to give us one more lab day before it becomes homework.


 * Class notes:** All classes worked on Poe Summary writing in computer labs. Some look extremely good, with clear organization and significant information. Others drafts are surface level and seem to have no real point or organization--these usually are from kids who did not highlight and LABEL significant facts in the margins of the handout and did not highlight items in notes to consider using. Students with poor drafts tended to have poor planners (planners with less than a page of ideas--just a list of facts with no ideas of Topic sentences that unite the facts or connections back to how the facts make a significant points) . It is not too late to regroup and revise!

I am MOST concerned about people who pulled out the article and just worked from that --instead of from their OWN planner---this will likely result in a summary of the article alone t(not including movie facts) that copies the order of ideas in the article. This is NOT the assignment. Show me you can make some MEANING for yourself--don't just let another writer think for you.

**Jan 14: Need to rush--bare bones on HW**

 * HW DUE THURSDAY**
 * Read Annabel Lee, pg 774 in purple text**
 * 1. Paraphrase EACH of the 6 stanzas into your own words--show you know what the poet wanted you to picture for each part of the story he tells. THis should be in bullet points. Number each of the six sections of your paraphrases to correspond with the 6 stanzas.**
 * 2. Answer Check Comprehension questions only on p 775. As always use at least ONE complete sentence, TQA, and DO not use vague pronouns. Remember that in poetry you refer to "THE SPEAKER" not a narrator when no name is given. The person in the poem is fictional--not Poe.**
 * 3. Copy out (which means you need line number and quotation marks) 2 lines or passages with figurative language that you think show Poe's talent as a writer.**
 * No need to continue with summaries at home--these will be due no sooner than 1/28 and you will have class tomorrow to work on them.**

** Jan 13: **
**__EXCHANGE CITY:__** Wednesday after school I will meet with SNACK SHOP bakers to prepare products for Exchange City. Any parent interested in helping monitor a business for Exchange City should contact Allison Mello at melloa@foxborough.k12.ma.us. Volunteers will also need to attend a training session on Jan 17. = RETURN EXCHANGE CITY PERMISSION SLIPS ASAP. Parent or guardian must sign BOTH sides or student cannot go. =
 * ELA HW: **CAREFULLY READ the document with the sample planner I attached to the post for Jan 10. I expect your planners to have a similar amount of detail, even if you use a different format.

It is extremely important that you NOT just rehash a timeline of events from Poe's life--you must show that you have divided the information into 4-6 topics that will each be turned into a paragraph on how groups of events in his life influenced his writing and his lasting imapct. REVISE your planner if necessary if you already wrote it. WRITE IT if you have not started. We finished the movie and discussion in all classes.

= =
 * Jan 10, 2014 **

ALL CLASSES--my afterschool help day will be TUESDAY next week, (Jan 14)--not Wed.
**__EXCHANGE CITY:__** Wednesday after school I will meet with SNACK SHOP bakers to prepare products for Exchange City. Any parent interested in helping monitor a business for Exchange City should contact Allison Mello at melloa@foxborough.k12.ma.us. Volunteers will also need to attend a training session on Jan 17.

** HW: __ Orange and green __ __classes__: **Draft planners for summary you will write about the life of Poe due **Monday.**
===The planner is ALL you need to do--the writing will be done next week. Spend no more than 30 minutes on this--you can make changes next week. Later this weekend, I will post some more detailed notes on models to follow based on what we discussed in class today .===

===__** Red, Blue and Yellow classes:**__ these classes may have a few minutes left to view of the movie or did not yet get the mini-lesson on key elements for the planner--therefore the planner is not DUE until Tuesday for these classes. You should chunk your work, however, by starting to organize your thoughts over the weekend.===

__**ALL CLASSES**__ You should start organizing your ideas for the summary by **__highlighting key facts from your movie notes and the Poe Museum handout__** I gave you to use in a **summary of Poe's life that focusses on how his life influenced his writing and his fame**. Link to the handout is [] If a fact or note does not relate to WHY we still read Poe or his impact on literature, do NOT use it--no matter how interesting it is.

Sometimes a fact interests us, and we are not sure why--think hard before deciding to delete a fact--maybe there IS a strong link between the fact and his writing that we just need some time to develop.


 * Summaries are shorter than full research reports so you need to identify the MOST significant details/ evidence/ examples to make a few strong points a (probably 4 or 5 topics/paragraphs) about what Poe is remembered for and why Poe MATTERS to us today.**

We will use our planners in the computer lab next Tues and Wed to begin (maybe finish) writing. The final will not be due until after I have at least one opportunity for an afterschool help session as well--so likely not until Jan 21. This will mosty likely count for term 3. We will read a short story and a poem by Poe before the summary is due--so you will be able to revise your draft summary work if a new or better understanding comes to you as we get to know his writing better.

Class NOTES __**Reread YESTERDAY's notes below for a few basic pointers**__ on designing a useful planner/organizer before writing. Click on the file below for instructions and a sample planner.

HW: ORANGE CLASS--HOMEWORK ASSIGNED IN CLASS will NOT be due until Monday. No other class got far enough to do the planner so you have extra time if you want it. ALL classes received a handout with a written biography of Poe to supplement our movie source and notes. Planners can be in outline form, or web form but MUST show
 * Jan 9, 2014 **
 * Homework due MONDAY is for students to come up with their OWN graphic organizer that shows what the main TOPIC of each paragraph in the summary will be a
 * what 3-5 pieces of evidence (facts, explanations, etc) that elaborate on the main topic
 * The POINT that each topic makes about WHY Poe is an important figure to know about
 * you have looked at ALL your notes and found SIGNIFICANT connections to form sub-topics with ENOUGH but not too much RELEVANT evidence to fill a paragraph;
 * Students will ALSO have planners that show the ORDER they plan to present the information in. Number paragraph topics and sub-topics. You may change some things when you write, but at least have a general plan to get you started. The planner should help you see if you have too MUCH for a summary or too little. A summary of this information will run about a page typed--3-5 paragraphs. It is a tough trick to pull out only the most important information and put it in a logical order.

CLass notes: late for appointment so no time for detailed notes
 * We covered credibility and the root cred( which means belief)
 * An overview of what credible sources are and why writing has to be credible
 * an overview of the **__//rhetorical//__ __triangle__** which is a fancy term for the truth that ALL writing is **//rhetoric//--the use of words to argue or express ideas**. GOOD rhetoric (writing/speaking) appeals to
 * **the heart -//pathos//** (connects to the audience--makes them care);
 * **the head-** //**logos**// (uses facts, logic, evidence) and
 * **is credible**- //**ethos**//: delivered in a way that is believable . The listener/reader needs to sense that the speaker has strong convictions (uses a TONE that sounds authoratative) about thier views and strong facts to make them **trustworthy.** If we do not trust the source, we don't hang around long enough to read or listen to the argument--no matter how many facts or how much emotion is in the speech or writing.
 * Classes finished or nearly finished the film.

Jan 8, 2014 No new homework--don't worry--this won't last. --- Class Notes:
 * Continued watching video on Poe's life.** We **stopped and started a lot to be sure students understood information and could put some of the more bizarre aspects of his life and work into context.** A key point I ask students to try to focus on is that **his life was tragic in ways that, thankfully, are not common today with advances in medicine.** We also see how the tragedy influenced his writing, and I am working to be sure students see some of the positives
 * He WANTED to be a writer and a poet and use his imagination. Writing helped him work through and release some of the thoughts that troubled him. It was actually a steadying skill that gave him purpose and employment to survive a lot of the harsh blows fate dealt him.
 * He punished bad fictional characters with guilty consciences, as a way to almost right some of the wrongs he saw in life
 * Many of the female characters in his work in particular have terrible things happen to them that is in no way their own fault. This might have been a way for him to make readers feel the pain and NOT act as the evil-doers in his stories do. In an age that did not accord women a lot of rights, he was showing injustices done. He was ahead of his time in some ways in believing that women should be treated fairly and with respect and often are outstandingly patient and kind.
 * As we mature, we face the harsh reality that bad things happen to good people. Knowing Poe's history may make our own troubles seem less extreme, or make us realize that we are not alone in experiencing sadness or struggles. As dark as he is, however, he also shows a firm belief that death is not an end. In many of his stories, when a loved one is taken, he shows a fierce conviction that every life matters. No matter how short life is there are connections that are NEVER broken with loved ones. The evil characters are not happy characters--they do not profit in the end by their misdeeds. It makes you feel and think--which is what great literature is supposed to do.
 * The intensity of his life led to even MORE intense fiction. There are few writers that match the extremes of his imagination--even if it was a very dark imagination.
 * He influenced ALL American writing. He is widely read 165 years after his death, and one of the highest awards for writing is named for him.
 * REMEMBER THAT HIS WORK IS FICTION--the horrors he hints at show the power of writing that is actually not descriptively gory. The workings of tortured minds is more frightening in many of his works than the plots. He never DID any of the crimes in his stories--he drew from real-life possibilties and problems and exaggerated.
 * You do not have to love suspense or horror to appreciate the power of his word choice and flow and the way he makes characters and events feel TOO real. I personnally do not love to read POE for entertainment, but I marvel at his skill as a writer.

Jan 7, 2014 No new required homework, but extra credit "Elevator" Endings due tomorrow. See Jan 2 entry for complete assignment details. I have received a few and recommend BETTER EDITING! A great piece of creative writing with POOR editing (CAPES--see below) will require grading deductions.
 * Remember that when writing dialogue, you begin a NEW paragraph every time the speaker changes.
 * REREAD out loud and insert commas for pauses and after introductory phrases like "After he stopped, ..." "As he listened, ..."
 * Double check for COMPLETE SENTENCES--

Class Notes: During most classes we reviewed the mneuomics for what to check for when revising and editing.
 * 2 classes did not meet or had very short meeting because of assembly and extra music period.**
 * **When REVISING we check for COWS: Content; Organization; Word Choice; Sentence Flow**
 * **When EDITING we check for CAPES--Capitalization; Apostrophes; Punctuation (used to create complete sentences) Endings (new letter added today); and Spelling.**
 * **We added one NEW letter --an E for ENDINGS -- to this memory device today after reviewing a few of yesterday's homwork. Students** **should read their work OUT LOUD--or even better, have someone ELSE read it out loud to listen for missing or incorrect word endings.** Our brains often fill in missing words or ending when we read silently to ourselves, so having someone ELSE read it as we follow along is a great way to "HEAR" and CORRET missing words and word endings as well as fragments, run-ons, missing commas.


 * Sample papers today included the following examples** of when students WOULD likely have found errors if they had reread out loud.

//I also noted kids NOT writing in summary format. I had kids just hand in EXACT quotations of notes from the sites WITHOUT using quotations marks or putting the information into their own words.// //-//
 * //"Meaning a new beginning, because it is a new year."// Read out loud, this is CLEARLY not a complete thought or sentence. There is no subject--only a predicate.
 * "One faces is looking back and one looking forward." CLEARLY the writer meant //one FACE//--not FACES- is looking back and //one IS looking forward--//not //one looking forward.//
 * //"Allowed him to look in past and in the future" NO subject here, and missing a word --"in past?"//
 * //A summary SUMS UP the information--often from multiple sources. It is almost always in COMPLETE sentences and paragraphs (NEver bullet points--that is for paraphrasing).//
 * //Summaries are meant to show YOU UNDERSTAND the information--so unlike an ORQ response, which is meant to get you to show you read closely, a summary is BETTER without direct quotations because __**explaining in your OWN words shows the best understanding.**__//
 * //a student wrote "The Romans did not have flamen..." When asked, the student had no clue what a "flamen" might be. **If you do not understand a term--it may not even be relevant to answering the question asked. In this case--it did not have any significance and did not belong in the summary.**//
 * //ALSO--if you just drop in a term you don't understand you are likely to misuse it and that is a RED FLAG that invites your teacher to assume you copied exactly without using quotations marks and therefore PLAGIARIZED. Don't DO THIS!!!//
 * Poe video--**in the classes that met, we watched more of the Poe biography and paused to take notes and review and explain some information about the facts presented that might be confusing. We also discussed how **certain facts will be more important than others in the summary you will eventually write about him,** since the topic will be focused on facts of his life that influenced his writing--not EVERY fact about him.

Jan 6, 2014
HW: NO new homework. Extra credit ending to "The Elevator" due WED. See details in Jan2 entry.

Class Notes:
 * Review and Edit Homework:**
 * We spent a few minutes trying to get to develop the good study habit of **reviewing directions BEFORE handing in work** to be sure all required content is in the assignment.
 * **Edit for CAPS:** Then I offered a minute for students to check **CAPS---Capitalization; Apostrophe use; Puncutuation; and Spelling.** Student were reminded that taking the time to check and correct common errors (the errors you KNOW that YOU personnally make and that MANY seventh graders commonly make) can be one or two minutes that keeps me from deducting points. Common errors for this homework included not capitalizing Roman, or forgetting to capitalize the words in the TITLE of the article, or incorrectly using an apostrophe for plural.

COLLECTED HOMEWORK on how January got its name.

For many classes I **modeled of how to find author, date, format and how to use Easybib.com** to plug in information students found about sites for HW to create an **MLA formatted cita**tion. We will practice this as a class in the computer lab in the near future.

I showed how to use Wikipedia to get some general information on a topic to put a more specific search into Google or Bing to get credible or scholarly academic sites--instead of sites like //ask.com or infoplease// which are not edited by experts on topics and can contain misinforation or repeat info from other sites without naming an original credible searchable site. **Once we read Wikipedia which noted that January is named for the Roman god Janus, we googled "Roman god Janus" and got more useful sites to read and take notes f**rom. At least one of the sites we found with the more specific search had and author (N.S. Gill) and we could click on her credentials and the sources SHE quoted to write her entry, which all seemed fairly trustworthy (Archeology sites, university sites, mythology texts...)
 * Refining the search and Using Wikipedia to GET TO more credible sites:**

POE research: We will summarize key facts and findings about POE after watching a 40 minute video and taking notes. The FIRST step in planning to write a research paper or a summary is to anticipate WHAT the most significant topics and subcategories are BEFORE beginning note-taking or writing. The Janus excercise showed that We looked at a WIKIPEDIA article on POE in some classes and noticed that it does not just tell key events from his life in chronological (year by year) format. WIKIPEDIA articles are good for showing the structure of non-fiction writing. THe outlines given near the beginning of any article list the topics that organize the entry. **For biographies, we noted the following common topics:** Tomorrow we will take notes on EACH of these categories. Having the questions in our heads beforehand should help you learn HOW to take notes when a teacher assigns a topic without giving you specific questions that must be answered. You can then use the topics to help organize your writing into paragraphs.
 * the internet often gives us WAY more than we need
 * reframing the question and narrowing the search helps us organize the answer before we start writing
 * when we summarize, we do not use everything we find when we research--we may use about 10 to 20 percent--but we still need to take a few more notes than we will use to find connections and see which points repeat or stand out from the research.
 * Personal facts and timeline (birthday, death date, age at death, places lived
 * Events that shaped the person's career choices and talents (childhood events, education)
 * Life milestones (marriage, children, friends, enemies)
 * professional influences
 * Achievements
 * Impact/Legacy --- what mark did this person have on the world, on US today? Why study him or her?
 * Coming up with significant quesitons is a KEY critical thinkging skill.**

Once we have taken notes, we will look for important threads that run through the details to decide what the MOST important findings are from the research and to write a short (3-5 paragraph) summary.

Jan 2, 2014
Welcome BACK!

HW: Due Monday, Jan 6
1. **Research** why January is called January -- What god is it named for and why? What connection does the god have to what we traditionally associate the first month of the year with? 2. **Write at least 3-4** __**sentences**__ to summarize what you find through your research and present it typed or neatly written on white-lined paper. 3. **Cite TWO sources** -- one of them CAN be Wikipedia, but the information must be confirmed in another credible source. You may use on-line or book sources.

__**Citation does not have to be in MLA format, but must include the following information**__
 * Author** (if available--check top and bottom of page and on HOME page and any "author" or "credit" or "about" tabs; Wikipedia has no authors cited)
 * Title of article** IN QUOTATION MARKS (" "). This matters--quotation marks tell the reader that it is a title, not a website name.
 * Site name** ( or encyclopedia or book name if not using an online source) UNDERLINE this if hand writing; italicize if typing.
 * Type of source:** WEB? Book? Newpaper?
 * Date of publication** (When the article was originally written or most recently modified--Usually at bottom of article; sometimes on a separate "credits" "home" or "About" tabbed page on a site.)
 * Date accessed:** (When did YOU find the site and take notes--Probably Jan 2, 2014)

Class Notes: COLLECTED: all remaining **"Elevator" packet answers and ORQ paragraphs** If you did not hand it in today (and were not absent) I will **accept it tomorrow, but deduct 10 points.**

Elevator Extra Credit endings--EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY Do not hand them in early--I don't want to lose them in the backlog of other papers I am correcting. If you already turned one in, I will find it--don't worry. As discussed in class before break, students seeking extra credit can write an ending to Sleator's "The Elevator". Do not EXPLAIN you ending--write the ending as though you ARE Sleator--use dialogue, and sensory descriptive lanauage (make your reader see, hear and feel the action). Show --don't just tell--your character's traits THROUGH what they say and do. Make the character traits and action make sense, given what Sleator wrote up to the point where the lady presses the stop button. Write a literary analysis explaining WHY you believe NO ending is the most effective way to leave this story. This response should be written in a formal tone and be 2-3 paragraphs long. It would be best to COMPARE or CONTRAST with possible endings or with another suspense story that DOES have a resolution to make a CLEAR, CORRECT, COMPLETE, COMPLEX, and COMPELLING argument. __Class LECTURE today covered a lot of ground--due to impending snow storm. IN MOST classes we discussed the following:__
 * due Jan 8 (Wed)**
 * Length: 2-4 paragraphs--about 3/4 to a page of handwriting.**
 * Grading:** It will be **worth 100 points and averaged in** as an extra quiz grade. If you do well, it would mean you could average a C- on a prior quiz with a A- on this extra credit to equal a B-. If the writing will LOWER your grade, I will not count it--but I will be ANNOYED that I had to grade it....So **put some effort into this. Do not just do it quickly to get points--do your best work. Revise to have great Content, Organization, Word Choice, and Sentence Flow--then EDIT for capitalization, punctuation, spelling, complete sentences....**
 * Option 1: Write an ending to resolve the story**
 * Option 2:**
 * Upoming lessons will teach how to read, summarize and correctly cite sources for non-fiction research.**
 * Starting small, students will do tonight's homework, researching the reason Ja**nuary is named January and citing two sources for the information--showing you NOW understand that just listing a URL ([|www.....or] http: ) is NOT a formal citation for grade 7 and beyond.

Then we will watch a video on Edgar Allan Poe's life and take notes, organize the notes, check on other on-line source, summarize the notes into a short report, and CITE two sources, MLA format. We will do this over the next few days.

LAter this year we will expand and do longer research paper on Victorian workhouse life as we read Dickens and finally we will do an argument paper on a topic of your choice, using research to back opinions and correct citations.

We started with the **basics of what goes into a correct citation (author, article title**, etc. ) and **looked at some websites** on Martin Luther King, Jr. to see where you commonly find dates of publication, web site names, and other vital elements of a complete citation. We also saw that SOME websites now have a button to click for MLA formatted citations (but beware--they are sometimes not perfectly formatted--we will teach you LATER exactly what order the information needs to be listed and how to get all the indents, spacing, and punctuation correct using the EASYBIB.com website. I will have one or two lessons in the computer lab to show students how to use this.
 * Citation review:**

We explained the difference between date of publication (when writer wrote or last modified info) and date of access (when reader took notes from website).
 * Date or publication vs. date of access**


 * In SOME classes we also**
 * Began a **journal entry on a New Year's resolution** and __**defined the roots--resolve, and re.**__
 * Discussed **WHY reading about author's lives helps the reader understand and analyze characters and events.** We noted that **Gary Soto's early love-life embarrassments** as well as his Mexican American roots and California childhood all surface in his stories and poems.
 * Similarly, Sleator's parents unorthodox parenting style and love of scary stories, dangerous adventure, and creativity may have helped him become a suspense writer, instead of a contemporary fiction writer like Soto.
 * We will see that Poe's life and some of the harsh realities he lived may have helped shape the horror in his character's lives. We also noted similarities between the father in "The Elevator" and Sleator's REAL dad's crazy ways to make his son face fears and overcome obstacles. Students saw parallels between getting stuck in an elevator with someone creepy and being locked in a freezer with dead animals and Sleator's dad "locked" him in as a kid in his lab.

Dec 19:
==HW: FInish packets--including the paragraphs on internal and external conflict. If you dug yourself a hole and need more time, I will accept packets on Jan 2 and will not deduct points--however most of you PROBABLY would prefer not to give yourself homework over break. See yesterday's entry which reviews the pointers I went over yesterday AND today to be sure you are doing the work correctly.==

==Dec 18: HW: Students need to COMPLETE the "Exploring Mood Through 'The Elevator'" packets by Friday. If you have not finished all the short answer and at least ONE of the two required paragraphs by the end of today's class, you probably want to do the first paragraph for homework tonight or you will have TOO much left to do tomorrow. I am assuming you will use your 20 minutes after lunch and 20 minutes in class tomorrow. You will NOT have class time on Friday. If you do the organizer well, you will find the paragraph is easy to write.==

This packet ends with TWO paragraphs that need to be written in ORQ format which includes--

 * ====Clear **topic sentence** that includes key words from the prompt; (**TQA**)====
 * **3-4 pieces of evid**ence from the story (preferably including at least one direct **quotation from** the text with **page number**);
 * and a **conclusion that expresses WHAT the evidence shows** (Why the evidence is significant and **how the resolution of the internal or external conflict moves the plot forward**).
 * A great paragraph also includes **paraphrases of any quoted text to elabortate** on the evidence and show where in the story the example comes from AND
 * **transition words that show the relationship between ideas--**Ex: "**//The most significant reason that..." "At the resolution of the story..." After Martin..." ...."Before the lady..." "As a result of ..."//**
 * //BE SURE to follow directions VERY CAREFULLY or I deduct points. I ask you to get examples from SPECIFIC pages and to look at specific elements of plot such as SETTING. Read and highlight and reread directions!//**
 * Worksheet is below if you left it at school**

The text of the story is on the three pages below.





Class Notes: I thoroughly reviewed EVERY direction in "The Elevator" packet and encouraged students to HIGHLIGHT items that kids often skim or skip. These packets will be graded for following directions and the level of thoughtful detail the student uses. I finished all remaining oral quizzes. We heard a few more groups skits and most classes had another 10-15 minutes to work on the story question packets in school. In most classes we also looked at the first sentence of the story VERY carefully to show how EVERY word counts in a short story and in sensory description. THe fact that Sleator repeats the word OLD (Old building and old elevator) emphasizes the feeling of a run-down place which makes the mood immediately OMINOUS--which means it foreshadows bad events to come. We illustrated with 3 people standing close together at the front of the room how VERY cramped and small an elevator with a maximum capacity for 3 would be. I also stared for an uncomfortably long time into the eyes of a students at close range to show how menacing that might feel, even though no physical harm actually happens. The rich sensory details and imagery CREATE TENSION AND SUSUPENSE. Just as in "If COrnered, Scream"--nothing bad actually happens in the pages of the story. The skill of the writer is in making you feel tension and sucking you in to worry about all the "waht if's".

Dec 17:
Afterschool was cancelled due to weather. I did not have chance to post. No homework. During classes we finished most of oral testing and heard from some groups doing their "Conflict" toy story skits. Students had most of the period to work on the Elevator packets while I tested.

Dec 16
HW: **Review your flashcards if you have not yet taken the oral quiz.** The poorest scores have been for people who did not bother to do flashcards, or for kids who paid no attention to the WAY the flashcards were supposed to be done. If you ignored the directions on the study guide and on the Literary Terms card template, you would be less able to give examples and to paraphrase to show you understand the definitions you memorized. Your grade is not magic-what you put in is what you get out.

No OTHER new homework.
Class Notes: Students had a few minutes to review for quiz and their story presentations. I gave the oral quiz to some of the students in each class while students continued work on the "Elevator" story and questions. One or two groups presented their stories and answered questions about plot and conflict terms for another grade at the end of the period. Students turn in the story maps, correctly labeled, for a grade.

=Dec 12:=

HW: ELA oral quiz MOVED to MONDAY. If you were absent Wednesday or Thursday of this week, you will have your quiz on TUES.
Use the extra time wisely to study in chunks!

Class Notes: Reviewed the terms that will be on the quiz and showed how students will use the terms in completing the story maps for the Toy Story presentations. Students will have about 10 minutes tomorrow to finish planning out their stories and completing the plot maps.

HW: STUDY for plot and conflict quiz.
==I recommend REREADING the information about the quiz I posted yesterday below (all students got hard copy in class today) and reread the reference sheets CAREFULLY, make flashcards, __PRACTICE__ with flashcards, and reread "If Cornered, Scream" with ALL your notes and markups to remember examples of internal conflict, external conflicts, the 5 sections of plot ( exposition through resolution), and the other terms on the list.==

==== Espen drew the skectch below and says it contains an internal and an external conflict. Write down a possible internal and external conflict that could be going on in the picture and LABEL each and turn it in tomorrow in the homework bin during homeroom for a little extra credit and to practice applying the terms toprepare for the upcoming quiz. ====

CLass notes I thoroughly reviewed the topics and possible questions for the upcoming quiz on plot and conflict and discovered that MOST students have not been reviewing the terms at all during the two weeks we have been studying them and did not begin a formal review last night as I directed. Remember that **I expect you to take responsibility for chunking your work and repeating and applying definitions in MANY WAYS over MANY DAYS as we learned in September. When you don't do this, you end up with HOURS of cramming before a quiz that may not result in any lasting learning.** THis is YOUR job--take it seriously or risk a poor grade. A few students HAve been doing the right kind of studying and know the terms cold and already have flashcards, have highlighted items to study from reference sheets, and stayed after for practice. Do not complain about a grade if you are not doing ALL you can do to help yourself learn.
 * Forgot how to study effectively already?**
 * I passed out hard copies of the study guide I put on line last night.**

We began a **mini-group project** in which students use toys to construct a plot with specific internal and external conflicts, varied pacing, and an example of foreshadowing. Students will pass in a plot map of the finished piece and the group will perform the story for the class. Students will have MOST of tomorrow to develop the story and some groups will present before the end of class.
 * TOY STORIES applying terms**

HW: Begin studying terms for test discussed in class today and outlined below.
You already have study guides for most of the terms that will be on the test---I have already given you two reference sheets, a salmon colored one on types of conflict and a yellow one with the definition of plot and the 5 subparts of plot (exposition through resolution). These are reprintable from the REPRINTS page of my website. In addition, students will add the words “foreshadowing” and “pacing”(definitions below). For each term on the test you must be able to: IF YOU MAKE **FLASH CARDS USING THE FORMAT FOR LITERARY TERMS** (template is in REPRINTS) for ALL of the terms below, it will help you study AND I will give **5 extra points**. Be sure to use the format for LITERARY TERM CARDS and NOT the format for BUILD VOCABULARY cards. The Lit Term cards include the 3 elements above (MY definition; paraphrase; and example or picture) AND a space to list what the term is NOT so you can be careful not to confuse the term with something similar.
 * Terms and concepts** to know for oral ELA test by THIS FRIDAY 12/13:
 * TERMS:**
 * 1) **Recite from memory ALL key words from the definition I supplied for each of the terms in the list below. The key words are the ones I underlined on the reference sheets.**
 * 2) **Be able to paraphrase each term (put definition into your OWN words—not using exact words from my definition.)**
 * 3) **Give an example from a story we have read in class __and__ a book, movie, song, or real life event that you can apply the definition too.**
 * TERMS: **
 * **Plot**
 * **Conflict**
 * **Exposition, Rising Action, climax, Falling Action, Resolution**
 * **Inciting conflict**
 * **Setting**
 * **Foreshadowing: //__A writer’s use of hint or clues to indicate events that will occur in a story.__ __Foreshadowing creates suspense__ and prepares the reader for what is to come.//**
 * **Pacing: know that it has to do with the “speed” of the story; ramping up tension and then slowing things down to add some variety and keep reader interest.**
 * **Internal conflict**
 * **External Conflict—definition and explanation and examples of three types of external conflict**


 * Concepts to be able to explain and give examples for **
 * 1.** External conflicts often created internal conflicts, which lead to MORE external and/or internal conflicts to move the plot forward.


 * 2.** Sensory imagery enhances the MOOD, or emotions the reader feels. By SHOWING –not telling—the writer can make the reader feel, hear, and see what the character’s are experiencing. This often helps build tension and suspense.
 * 3.** Foreshadowing adds tension because the reader senses SOMETHING is about to happen but wonders exactly WHAT it will be and WHEN it will strike.


 * Be able to give an example from our recent reading of “If Cornered, Scream” or "Seventh Grade" that shows you recognize passages in which the writer used each of the 3 concepts above. You also need to be able to give examples of story events that would be examples of parts of plot (exposition, Rising Action, climax, Falling Action, Resolution.) **

I will put all student names and questions into cups and randomly pull students and questions. For the test, you will come to my desk and select a question that corresponds with one or two things on the study guide, depending on time. If you can not immediately answer, I will deduct 10 points but offer a follow-up question to help you. I will ask a second followup if necessary and deduct ANOTHER 10 points. If you still cannot answer, you do not pass. PREPARE for ALL of the items carefully and repeat studying in different ways over the next few days.

I will question 5-8 students a day, starting this Friday through next Wed or Thursday until I have reached the entire class.

Class Notes: __ Test __ We reviewed the format for the upcoming test explained above.

__Story Analysis__ We used some toy action figures and car to illustrate some of the key details from the Rising Action and the Climax of the story and clarify understanding. Students finished working in groups to mark up the text with examples of specific words, phrases and passages that used foreshadowing or sensory description to build tension, or showed and external or internal conflict. We shared examples after group work for most classes.

Class Notes:
==In class we did __close reading__--THE MAJOR reading skill we need to practice to analyze literature deeply and write about it with the detail. I gave some background information on life in the 1970s (when the story is set) to help students better understand some of the details that work together to make the story's puzzle pieces fit together and build tension. We also noted that suspense writers focus us on things that are possible, not on things that are probable or likely to happen. Fiction helps us think about the "what if's" while recognizing that normal precautions make sense in life, but no one can live thinkging that evil waits around every corner.==

I explained that

 * Car jackings were in the news- and just as happens today, a "ripped from the headlines" aspect of a piece adds tension. As we have said all year, a connection to real life is part of good writing. Stephen King, recognized as the best American suspense/horror writer of the last generation, often notes that his inspiration is usually linked to everyday common fears that get magnified through his writing into thrillers. If we don't feel the tension and connect to the character or situation, the reader is not as effectively engaged by the material.
 * In the 1970s, women were just coming to be more commonly found as professionals. A nurse was one of the few professions that had always accepted women, so it was a logical choice for the writer to choose a nurse as the woman at risk. Women are generally considered more vulnerable at night--so the writer plays into that comon fear. ANYONE on a night shift is a little more careful in a parking lot at night, so the writer had the nurse work the night shift.
 * There were no self-serve stations in the 1970s so it was logical that the nurse would have had a little bit of a friendship at the station where she got gas.
 * Full serve station workers used to clean the windows as the gas pumped as a service, so it was not unusual that Gabriel cleaned the mirrors and windows and could see into her backseat at an angle the nurse could not see from the driver's seat.
 * The gas shortage of the 1970s resulted in a "black market" for gas--people would syphon it out of tanks to resell at a high price to people who were not eligible to buy gas on certain days. This resulted in car companies installing keys to the gas tank--like the one Gabriel gets from the nurse. She is not giving him her car keys--just the gas cap key. Most cars now have levers to open the gas cap and some have no lock at all now, since stealing gas is not much of an issue currently.
 * Cars back then did not have a way to electronically and remotely lock all doors. As a result folks would check and recheck whether passengers had remembered to lock rear doors--just as many of you probably have someone in the family who worries about whether your house door is locked or pulled tightly shut when you leave. That is why even though the nurse had to unlock her door, it is possible that someone could have climbed in through an unlocked door and she would not have seen any evidence of forced entry to tip her off that something was not right.

LAST week our emphasis was on reading closely to identify **events that make up plot and conflicts that make each event. We started to sort out the differences between internal and external conflicts and see that plot is a series of external conflicts that cause internal conflicts that then can cause more external conflicts.....like dominos falling and pushing the story from beginning to middle to end.**

This week we are adding an awareness of how **tension can be created** not just by the event--a person who pulls out a gun... but also through **the author's use of sensory imagery and foreshadowing**. Even when nothing significant SEEMS to be happening, the author's word choice sharpens the tension.

Class Group work We reread the first few paragraphs as a class, and For exmaple, we noted that in the first line alone the author creates tension before anything actually happens through careful wordchoice in the sentence, //"On the night that it happened, she hurried across the hospital parking lot, unlocked her car door, and got in."// While on the surface and first reading this does not seem to scary, students slowed down and noticed the effect of the following: We noted the significance of what IS and isn't included, shifts the REAL conflict in the story from the guy in the back, to the nurse's main struggle about whether or not to trust Gabriel and get out of the car. THAT is the actual climax of the story. It almost doesn't matter what the guy in the car might have been planning to do or what happens to him. We talked about names in the story and repeated that the nurse is NEVER given a real name (we clarified again the Florence Nightengale is NOT her name--it is Gabriel's way of greeting her becuase he can tell from her uniform and the fact that she is a regualr customer that perhaps that she is a nurse) and that we know NOTHING about the name, motivation or the intent of the guy in the car.
 * Marked "MOOD" or a "? and FORSH" near lines and words that created a tense mood or foreshadowed trouble later in the piece
 * Marked an EXT near any external conflict
 * Marked an INT next to any internal conflict
 * Saying **"it happened" foreshadows that SOMETHING significant occu**rred and we are curious to find out what
 * Setting at **night makes it more shadowy** and tense
 * Saying she **hurried** makes the reader wonder **WHY there was a need** to hurry
 * Noting specifically that she **"unlocked" her door** seems like an **odd minor detail** to include--leading the reader to wonder **why locks and safety are so important**--especially since the next line mentions a **security guard**--and not ALL parking lots NEED a security guard.
 * Setting it in a HOSPITAL parking lot is a choice that connects to a basic uneasiness that most people have with hospitals and sickness that would not creep in if the story were set in a Dairy Queen parking lot. We noted that it might not make any sense to be afraid of hospitals, any more than it makes rational sense to fear clowns, but many of us do so the writer works with that. Some students even suggested that perhaps the hospital is a facility for the mentally ill--not just any hospital. The fact that the author never makes this clear, when so many other small details are emphasized, makes me think that the KIND of hospital is not actually all that important to the outcome of the story.

Students then worked in their groups to take turns reading a paragraph at a time and discuss and mark up for examples of MOOD/Forshadowing; external conflicts and internal conflicts. Students will finish this tomorrow and move on to create very brief two-minute mysteries themselve showing tenstion building through a few key details and internal and external conflicts.

=**Dec 6**= Interviews went well and students were very impressive and respectful overall. May be the most prepared class ever. Thanks for parent support. Speeches yesterday were extremely well written and thoughtful, and all did a very poised job of presenting. It was a very competitive field of candidates and a tough decision for the voters. THanks to all who had the confidence and put in the work to run. Thanks also to some very active and dedicated campaign staff and to the voters who were respectful of the process.

HW: No new homework. I collected ALL "If Cornered, Scream" packets so if you were out, be sure to get me YOUR completed packet on Monday for a grade.
Class Work: We discussed interviews and public speaking skills in most classes. We also briefly reviewed points to edit in homework packets. I hope to post a few pictures late this weekend of students prepared for interviews that could be used in the yearbook. You will have a chance to tell me if you do NOT want the picture in the yearbook before I submit anything.

==Dec 5--HW: Complete "If Cornerned,Scream" packet and REVISE first section if you did not CAREFULLY follow the directions in the 4 bullets at the top of the first page of the packet. We discussed common errors in every class today.== Spend 30 minutes and get parent signature if you cannot complete the work in that amount of time--IF you put in 30 minutes yesterday as well. Story and questions in file below.

EXCHANGE CITY: Revise cover letters and resumes and print clean copies to bring to interviews. Practice answering questions you KNOW you will likely be asked. Practice introducing yourself and have 3 or 4 specific examples in mind to give about what would make you more qualified than the 114 other kids who are competing. Look up the **specific job description (link below)** to be sure you sound like you have thought deeply about what the job requires. THink of a question to ask the interviewer about the business that shows you want to learn about his or her business and have done some research. []

CLass notes: We discussed problems with following directions in last night's homeowork and reviewed the 3 kinds of EXTERNAL conflict. More on this tomorrow once all classes have completed the lesson.

Dec 4--out sick
**HW:** Complete classwork: read "If Cornered, Scream" and mark up with reaction to 5 or 6 events. Complete Story Map of significant events. COmplete PART I only of packet of questions on the story. (questions 1-8.)

HW: NONE AGAIN! WOW!
Almost everyone who was out for any part of last week's test has caught up. Students in the BLue Class will be allowed to finish in the 20 minutes after lunch on Wed or THurs.

**EXCHNAGE CITY:** I will leave a BROWN folder with graded Exchange City resumes and cover letters on my front table. Please take your letters, resumes AND rubrics and make needed changes before your interviews. Your GRADE will not change, but you will be more competitive during the interview process with a stronger letter and resume. If you got your letter and resume back during class, but not your RUBRIC with grade, please take it from the folder.

Class Notes: Due to a doctor's appointment, I do not have time for full class notes. We had LOTS of fun today showing
 * how plot is like the video of falling dominos we viewed--students wrote connections they made and reported out--all took notes
 * memorizing hand motions to help us remember the defintions for PLOT and CONFLICT and INTERNAL CONFLICT--all definitions are on the yellow and salmon colored handouts I gave classes yesterday to put in the LITERATURE NOTES section of binders. Reprintable from reprints as noted in yesterday's entry.
 * Students made a complete Literary Terms Vocab Card for PLOT. Some classes also completed one for Internal Conflict. All will do so later in week.
 * BLue Class had complete plot lesson from yesterday.
 * We illustrated the concepts of
 * TENSION in a story using windup toys,
 * PACING by watching video with stops and starts that BUILT tension (and in some classes by watching Mrs. Ready walk, jog and run around the room)
 * the need in stories for twists and turns, slow and fast pacing--comparing a ride on a roller coaster that runs in a straight line to one with lots of dips and stops and starts
 * The need for an INCITING CONFLICT to spark the action and get the characters and the setting into MOTION to create a story--like the person kicking the first domino PC in our video.
 * Students practiced KICKING while saying the literary term INCITING CONFLICT to help memorize the term. Remember INCITING has a C--like conflict. You must spell it correctly!
 * and the links between EXTERNAL conflicts between people _ (Mrs. Ready "stealing" snacks and pencil boxes from a student) that lead to INTERNAL conflicts--the struggle within a character (students struggling to decide whether to yell at Mrs. Ready or sit quiet--the angel vs. the devil whispering in our ears to our conscience). We noted that the sitting quiet choice might earn a better grade--the CONFLICT would move forward and be more interesting in a story in which the student makes the more dramatic decision to go after Mrs. Ready with a light saber. BLUE class is considering videoing this scenario to share.

= Dec 2 = = HW: NO new homework.= ===Any student who missed last week's vocabulary and ORQ quiz/tests should see me to set up a makeup time ASAP, Students need about 60 minutes to complete both parts of the exam. I will be staying after TUESDAY this week-- a change from my usual after school.===

Class Notes Green and Blue classes had time to complete last week's ORQ since they had fewer classes due to last week's half days.


 * Handouts:** All classes received handouts on **plot and conflict**. Click to link to Reprints page, from which you can REPRINT if you lost these.

Today we focused on an in-depth discussion of plot and students filled in a literary terms vocabulary card after sharing paraphrases, pictures, and examples to understand what plot IS and what it is not. I will share some of the insights students shared in class tomorrow, after period 5 (blue class) has this lesson.