Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

1.) MUGS Week #16

2.) Continue to prepare for your Expert Team presentation on "The Necklace":
 Be sure to address every question or bullet on your team's instruction sheet. As you know, your job is to focus on ONE of the following literary elements...
- Plot and Conflict Analysis
- Characterization
- Point of View
- Looking at Language
- Symbolism

Remember: the goal of our Expert Team presentations is to learn what types of observations, comments, or questions we can contribute to the conversation when we discuss literature in the real world.

3.) Long Composition due Tuesday, March 6, 2012:
After-school activities give students an opportunity to do something they enjoy outside the classroom. Some students play sports, while others might enjoy acting or other activities. Imagine your school wants to add some new after-school activities and is taking suggestions from students. In a well-developed composition, suggest a new afterschool activity and explain why students might enjoy it.

Remember to ...
- Vomit
- Outline
- Use an introduction technique
- Present a strong thesis statement
- Use transition words and phrases
- End the essay with a conclusion technique
- Include an appealing, appropriate title

4.) Author Nuggets: Shirley Jackson (due Friday)

Happy Leap Year!

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

1.) MUGS Week #16

2.) Expert Teams: "The Necklace"
Be prepared to participate in your Expert Team's presentation on "The Necklace." Be sure to address every question or bullet on your team's instruction sheet. Remember: your focus is ONE of the following literary elements...
- Plot and Conflict Analysis
- Characterization
- Point of View
- Looking at Language
- Symbolism

3.) Long Composition due Tuesday, March 6, 2012:
After-school activities give students an opportunity to do something they enjoy outside the classroom. Some students play sports, while others might enjoy acting or other activities. Imagine your school wants to add some new after-school activities and is taking suggestions from students. In a well-developed composition, suggest a new afterschool activity and explain why students might enjoy it.

Remember to ...
- Vomit
- Outline
- Use an introduction technique
- Present a strong thesis statement
- Use transition words and phrases
- End the essay with a conclusion technique
- Include an appealing, appropriate title

Monday, February 27, 2012

Monday, February 27, 2012

1.) MUGS Week #16

2.) Long Composition due Tuesday, March 6, 2012:
After-school activities give students an opportunity to do something they enjoy outside the classroom. Some students play sports, while others might enjoy acting or other activities. Imagine your school wants to add some new after-school activities and is taking suggestions from students. In a well-developed composition, suggest a new afterschool activity and explain why students might enjoy it.

3.) Short Stories: "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
Finish the story (A block)
Work on your Expert Team presentation 

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Thursday, February 16, 2012

1. MUG Week #15 quiz tomorrow
2. Three IP of S statements due tomorrow for  television show or film.

Note:
MMS grades are now updated for A, C, and D blocks. The Internet server was offline for most of today, so grades for F block will be updated by the end of day tomorrow.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

1.) MUGS Week #15 quiz on Friday

2.) Due FRIDAY (changed from Thursday): With your parent'(s) permission, please view any television program or film and write three "IP of S" statements to identify the important or interesting parts of what you viewed. Remember: Do not pick a reality show!

Nice job on your Expert Teams today!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

1.) MUGS Week #15 quiz on Friday

2.) Due Thursday: With your parent'(s) permission, please view any television program or film and write three "IP of S" statements to identify the important or interesting parts of what you viewed.

3.) Due tomorrow: Be prepared to participate in your Expert Team's presentation on "Thank You, M'am." Be sure to address every question or bullet on your team's instruction sheet. Remember: your focus is ONE of the following literary elements...
- Plot and Conflict Analysis
- Characterization
- Point of View
- Looking at Language
- Symbolism

Friday, February 10, 2012

Friday, February 10, 2012

1.) Author Nuggets: Langston Hughes
Use online and print resources to gather 20 "nuggets" (interesting, important facts and details) about the authors life and literature.

2.) Twenty-Minute Habit. Always.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

** Sorry for this late post. The Blogger website was off-line for maintenance last evening. **

1.) Please find a song that features lyrics which you believe deliver an important or interesting message.
2.) Hyper- Hypo- (quiz to come! Be ready.)
3.) MUGS Week #14, quiz Friday
4.) Twenty-Minute Habit

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

1.) If you did not finish today's Open-Response test, please plan on coming to my P.A. tomorrow to finish your work.

2.) MUGS Week #14: Please edit the next two sentences in your study guide ("Anteaters" and "Pandas")

3.) Study Hyper- Hypo-

4.) Twenty-Minute Habit!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Monday, February 6, 2012

1. MUGS Week #14 Study Guide
Write three sentences each proving that you can use a delayed subject structure
(rectangle+heart = sentence   OR     rectangle+heart+rectangle = sentence).
- Begin one sentence with "There"
- Begin your second sentence with "Here"
- Create your third sentence to be a question

2. Open-Response test tomorrow! Expect the test to be exactly like our practice sessions.

3. Word Attack: Hyper-Hypo-

Friday, February 3, 2012

Friday, February 3, 2012

1.) Word Attack quiz Monday
2.) Open-Response test on Tuesday
3.) Twenty-Minute habit

If you are reading this blog, please approach me on Monday with a proper handshake and tell me a joke.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Thursday, February 2, 2012

1.) MUG #13 quiz tomorrow

2.) Word Attack quiz Monday: Circ- Circum- Trans-

3.) Now that we have written five practice Open-Responses, you can expect an Open-Response Test early next week. To study for this test, you should review "Mrs. Smith's Ten Easy Steps for Creating All-Star Open-Responses."

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

February 1, 2012

1.) No official MUG assignment tonight. If you feel unsure about this week's skills, please see me.

2.) Word Attack: Circ- Circum- Trans-

3.) MCAS Practice (last round!): "from The Namesake," due tomorrow
- Multiple-choice
- Open Response

For the record: I was disappointed to find only two students approach me today in regard to yesterday's posting (handshake, favorite food). Teachers devote precious minutes updating blogs/websites for your benefit; it's your job to visit the sites on a daily basis.