English 10

Thank you for your participation in class discussions Grade 10's!

Today, we completed a worksheet on verb tenses. We also went over questions for Chapters 2 and 3 in Animal Farm. We then looked at a Powerpoint Presentation pertaining to Lenin and the Bolshevik Revolution. We also read Chapters 4 and 5 and started questions respectively.

Reminders:

• Chapter 4 and 5 questions: due Wednesday, Oct 1, 2014 (for Blocks 1/2) and Thursday, Oct. 2014 (for Blocks 5/6)

English 8

The Thumbprint Self-Portraits look great!

Today, we started off with a worksheet on verbs. We then created a character map for Marc Girondin - the main character in "The Street That Got Mislaid". We also went over the comprehension questions for the story. We also started reading the story "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury. We will continue this story next class.

Reminders:

• Thumbprint Selft-Portraits: OVERDUE
• Short Story Introductions: OVERDUE
• Character Map (for "The Street that got Mislaid"): due Thursday, Oct. 2, 2014

English 8

Welcome back to your second week at RSS!

Today, we took notes on verbs (the definition of verbs, active/passive voices, and verb tenses). I also gave you more time to work on your Short Story Introductions and showed you an example. We then looked an Edgar Allen Poe Prezi and talked a bit about his life; we also watched a video based on his poem "The Raven". We proceeded to go over the questions for "Tell-Tale Heart". We also read the story "The Street that got Mislaid" and completed questions respectively.

Reminders:

• Thumbprint Self-Portraits: due Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014
• Short Story Introductions (half a page maximum): due Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014
• "The Street that got Mislaid" questions: due Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014

English 10

I hope you had a restful weekend :)

Today, we completed a worksheet on verbs and discussed active and passive voices. We then went over the questions for Chapter 1 of Animal Farm and completed filling out our chart on different types of government. We also read Chapter 2 and Chapter 3, and started questions respectively.

Reminders:

Block 1/2
-Finish Chapter 3 for tomorrow, Sept. 30, 2014

Block 5/6
-Finish questions for Chapters 2 and 3 for tomorrow, Sept. 30, 2014

English 10

I wish you a wonderful weekend Grade 10's!

Today, we completed a worksheet on pronouns. We then read Chapter 1 of Animal Farm, discussed some of the symbolism and completed questions for the chapter. We proceeded to work on a chart comparing different types of government. We will finish this next class.

Reminders:

• Introductory Writing Assignments: OVERDUE
• Literary paragraphs: OVERDUE
• Animal Farm questions: due Monday, Sept. 29, 2014

English 8

Congratulations Grade 8's! You survived your first week!

Today, we completed a worksheet on pronouns. We then went over some notes and questions for "Tell-Tale Heart" and also watched a short animated film based on the story. We also started taking notes on the Parts of Plot in short stories and focused on the Introduction. I then asked you to start writing me an introduction to a short story (not the whole story though!) We will continue this next class.

Enjoy your weekend:)

Reminders:

• "Tell-Tale Heart" questions due: Monday, Sept. 29, 2014
• Thumbprint Self-Portrait: due Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014

English 8

You've almost completed your first week of High School!!!

Today, we did a lesson on pronouns and went over the grammar worksheet from yesterday. We spent more time working on your Thumbprint Self-Portraits; today was the last class you had to work on them. I then told you another oral story and we went over the parts of plot briefly. We finished the class by reading Edgar Allen Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart".

Reminders:

• I'm still accepting Course Outlines!
• Thumbprint Self-Portraits: due Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014

English 10

It's almost Friday!

Today, we did some more work on nouns. We also finished the film version of the short story "Harrison Bergeron". We discussed some of the main differences between the story and the film. Students were then required to write a literary paragraph pertaining to the story:

In one paragraph, explore how Kurt Vonnegut suggest that equality is dangerous and not worth striving for (your answer should be based on the SHORT STORY and not the film). 

I then showed you a Powerpoint Presentation. We talked about fables, George Orwell, Karl Marx and the events leading up to the Russian Revolution. You will be quizzed on the content of this presentation in the future. This information will help us understand the context and purpose of Animal Farm.

Reminders:

• Introductory Writing Assignments: due Friday, Sept. 26, 2104
• Literary Paragraph: Friday, Sept. 26, 2014

English 8

Thank you again for working so well today!

Today, we learned about nouns. Students took some notes and completed a worksheet. We continued to work on our Thumbprint Self-Portraits (they are almost done). Finally, I briefly went over the parts of plot and told an oral story to get students in the mood for our Short Story Unit.

Reminders:

• I'm still waiting for a couple of course outlines!

English 10

Congratulations-- you're halfway done your first week!

We started off class today with a worksheet on nouns. Students then had more time to work on their Introductory Writing Assignment. We also read the short story "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut and discussed themes about equality and government control (themes that we will see in Animal Farm). We also started watching the short film version of the story.

Reminders:

• Bring Animal Farm next class
• Introductory Writing Assignments: due Friday, Sept. 26, 2014

English 10 - Blocks 1/2 and 5/6

Great to see all of you after a long summer! I am excited to be working with you again!

Today, we started off the class with a grammar (editing) quiz. I also handed back your Mad-Lib worksheet from yesterday.

I introduced an Introductory Writing Assignment. You have the choice either to compose a personal credo (min. 150 words) or a formal letter telling me about your summer (1 page). I didn't assign this for homework because we will work on it again tomorrow. We also went to the library to retrieve both Sightlines 10 and Animal Farm.

Additionally, we did an exercise on themes and hashtags.  I was happy to see that some of you really enjoyed this activity.

Reminders:

• Bring Animal Farm next class

English 8

Welcome to RSS Grade 8's! It was such a pleasure spending a whole block with you today. Thank you for being so attentive and working so well on your Thumbprint Self-Portraits!

Today, we started off the class with a small student questionnaire (to help me learn a bit more about you). We then went to the library to retrieve our Sightlines 8 textbooks. Please bring this textbook to class from now on. We finished the class by working on your Thumbprint Self-Portrait assignment. I didn't assign this for homework because we will continue working on it next class.

Reminders:

• Don't forget to bring in your signed course outlines if you haven't already!