Ms. Gardner's English 9

Night

2012-01-31T14:25:00.000-08:00

Please read through page 11 of Night by Thursday, 2/2.

You will have a vocabulary test on the words in your Night syllabus on Friday, 2/10. In addition, you will need to be able to use these words in the following patterns:

general statement: specific statement
a semicolon and conjunctive adverb
a parenthetical element set off with dashes
an adjective phrase opener
a prepositional phrase opener

We will practice these patterns in class on Thursday.

Finally, please bring three photographs of yourself to class on Monday, 2/6. These photos should be from different periods in your life, and they may include other people. If you wish, you may bring photocopies of these photos instead of the original picture. We will use these to write our next major essay, a photo memoir.

Absence

2012-01-24T18:00:00.000-08:00

Dear Students:

I've been called in for jury duty tomorrow, so I won't be in class. Please note, however, that your literary devices logs are still due--on time, stapled and ready to go--at the beginning of fourth and fifth periods.

Although we will prepare for our in-class essay on my return, you will still have the objective portion of the Romeo and Juliet test on Friday. Tomorrow, you will watch the film version of the play and note the differences between it and what we read.

I have confidence you will be the lovely, respectful students I know you can be with the substitute tomorrow.

Ms. Gardner

Literary Devices Log

2012-01-24T05:08:00.001-08:00

A reminder: Your literary devices log for Romeo and Juliet is due tomorrow. Be sure it is word-processed, impeccably edited, and formatted exactly as noted in the directions.

In the process of finding passages for this log, you should also be reviewing the play to prepare for Friday's test.

Please come to tutorial for help with the log or to be coached for the test on Friday.

Romeo and Juliet Final Test

2012-01-18T11:00:00.000-08:00

Our final test on Romeo and Juliet will be on Friday, January 27. The in-class notes you have taking on each scene of the play will also be due on the 27th.

It is important that you are familiar with the major characters, events, and terms we have worked with in this play.

The objective portion of the test will require you to identify the speaker of important lines, the literary devices used in key passages, the elements of plot (Freytag's Pyramid), and basic facts from the play.

I will address the essay portion of the test in class.

To study for the test, I suggest you use multiple resources: the notes you've taken in class, the play itself (remember, you have the web address for an online version), online study aides such as Smoop or Spark Notes, and, of course, your teacher!

Your Sonnet

2012-01-11T10:58:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow, I will introduce the sonnet project you and a partner will complete.

Each of you must bring a copy of the sonnet you will recite to class on Tuesday, January 17. At that time, I will help you with the annotation of the sonnet and with creating a thematic statement. In addition, you will have some time to rehearse your sonnet.

Sonnet recitations will be on Thursday, January 19. I suggest that you and your partner start working early on memorization, if you would like to achieve an A on the project.

Welcome to Spring Semester

2012-01-09T11:32:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Spring Semester. You have a new opportunity to start from scratch and to build a body of work--and a grade--that matches your ambitions. Now that is a fine thing, indeed.

Tomorrow, I will give you a handout with directions for creating a literary terms log for Romeo and Juliet. These directions will give you an example of an entry and explain how I would like you to format your paper. Please follow the directions carefully. The log is due on Wednesday, January 25.

In addition, this week we will learn about sonnets. You and a partner will work on a sonnet project where you will annotate and recite one of Shakespeare's sonnets. (If you flawlessly recite the sonnet from memory, you will qualify for an A on the assignment.) Again, please refer to the directions I will give you for specific instructions and requirements. The sonnet project is due on Thursday, January 19.

This Monday

2011-12-18T12:27:00.000-08:00

Be sure to attend class tomorrow, so you have the opportunity to read and annotate an essay that will be the springboard for your semester final on Wednesday.

If for any reason you cannot attend class on Monday, have someone pick up the essay for you, so you can read it at home.

Fall Semester Final

2011-12-13T20:04:00.001-08:00

Today, we created a review sheet for your semester final on Wednesday of next week. The final will be comprised of a multiple-choice portion (common to all freshmen at Casa Grande High School), an essay you will read and annotate, and an essay you will compose.

The review sheet will help you to prepare for the exam, but if you are unsure about any of its content--how to craft a thesis statement, how to write a compound-complex sentence, etc.--please come to tutorial so I can help you before the exam.

Please be sure to come equipped with blue or black ink pens, binder paper, and a highlighter the day of the exam. Also, be sure to eat a good breakfast the day of your final that includes protein, complex carbohydrates, and little to no sugar. (Sorry, it's the mom in me--I want your brains to be super-charged and ready for success!)

Queen Mab and Letter to the Author

2011-12-07T13:40:00.000-08:00

Please finish what we started in class today: closely reading, drawing, and annotating Mercutio's Queen Mab speech. This paper is due on Friday, 12/9.

In class today, we also reviewed business letter form and the suggested content for your letter. Please start to draft your letter this weekend. In addition, scroll down through this homework blog to review what you should assemble (stamped and addressed envelope, two copies of the letter, rubric, etc.) before class on December 15, the day the letter is due.

Outside Reading Book and Semester Final

2011-12-06T16:25:00.000-08:00

Don't forget to bring your outside reading book to class tomorrow. We will review the requirements for your letter to your author, and you will write a second installment of your summary.

Please read for a minimum of thirty minutes per day from your book.

Although we will complete a study guide for the semester final next week, you can get a jump start on studying by reviewing all of the sentence patterns we have learned this year--for example, sentences that use parallel phrases and clauses, sentences that begin with a prepositional phrase, sentences that use the appositive, sentences that use a semicolon and conjunctive adverb, and more. Your copy of the Freshman English Handbook, GraphoMania, and your own notes will help you with this studying.

Biographical Facts

2011-12-02T11:43:00.000-08:00

Do a little research on the author of your outside reading book. Bullet five or more interesting facts about this author on your Outside Reading Book Overview handout. Please bring this handout--and your book--to class on Monday, December 5. (Note: You should be reading for a minimum of 30 minutes a day from your book.)

Turnitin.com

2011-11-28T11:57:00.000-08:00

As you know, you are required to upload your autobiographical incident to your Turnitin.com account before midnight on Thursday, December 1. If you recall, Ms. Koval walked you through creating an account in the library's computer lab several weeks ago.

It is very important that you check to see that your name and this class turns up on your Turnitin account. Please go online tonight and double check. If for some reason your name is not there, see me at tutorial before Thursday, and I will help you reestablish your account.

If you need help uploading your essay, please check this video tutorial courtesy of Ms. Koval.

Due Date for Outside Reading Book and Letter to the Author

2011-11-26T20:28:00.000-08:00

Please be sure to bring your outside reading book to class on Thursday, December 1. We will begin to prepare for our final outside-reading project, a letter to the author.

You should have finished reading your outside reading book by Thursday, December 15. Your letter to the author of your book is due that same day. (I will provide directions and a rubric on Thursday of this week.)

On the day the letter is due, please have the following things assembled:

1. Your signed, word-processed letter placed in a stamped, addressed envelope. Address your envelope as follows:

Your author's first and last name
The name of your author's publishing house
The address of the publishing house

Frequently, you can find the address of an author's publishing house on the copyright page of a book. If it is not there, do an internet search using the name of the publisher. Once you locate the publisher--for example, Random House--go to the "contact" link. More often than not, you will find an address there.

Be sure to include your return address in the upper left corner!

2. A second copy of your letter, also word-processed and signed. This copy should have the rubric stapled to the top and the handout "Outside Reading Book Overview" stapled to the back.

Autobiographical Incident: Turnitin.com

2011-11-17T15:10:00.000-08:00

In addition to turning in a word-processed copy of your autobiographical incident to me on Thursday, December 1, you will upload a copy to your Turnitin account. (I will review how to do this when we return from Thanksgiving break.)

Note: You must upload your essay to Turnitin BEFORE 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, December 1.

Autobiographical Incident

2011-11-15T20:44:00.001-08:00

Don't forget to come to class tomorrow with an event in mind for your autobiographical incident. We will create a brainstorm and a map before drafting our essays in class on Friday.

Over Thanksgiving break, please edit and word-process this initial draft. Bring your new, word-processed draft to class on Tuesday, November 29, for a peer review.

The final draft of your essay is due on Thursday, December 1. Staple your papers in this order:

rubric
final word-processed draft
peer review
first word-processed draft
brainstorm
map

Be sure to highlight and label the required sentence patterns. (See the handout for directions.)

New Outside Reading Book

2011-11-07T18:44:00.001-08:00

Next week, we will start to read Romeo and Juliet in class. Consequently, it's a perfect time to select a new outside reading. book.

As before, the book must be over 200 pages, something you've never read before, and something you want to read. A sports biography? Terrific. The third novel in a series you love? You bet.

Before selecting your new book, however, please click on this link to the Big House Library. Here, you will find a number of sites that have excellent reviews of books relevant to teens. Read through a number of reviews until you find one that appeals to you. Print the review, and write a full MLA heading on it. (NOTE: Don't worry, you can choose a book that's different from the one in the book review.)

Please bring your new book AND the printed book review to class on Monday, November 14.

The Odyssey Test

2011-11-03T10:38:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, you will have an objective test on the Odyssey. Please use the study guide in your Odyssey packet to help you study.

Word-processed Passage and Written Podcast Script

2011-10-30T10:23:00.000-07:00

Friday, you created a brainstorm and selected a one-minute passage from your book for your podcast.

Please bring a word-processed (MLA format required) copy of your one-minute passage to class on Tuesday, November 1. Include your book's title and author on your paper.

On Tuesday, we will finish scripting the podcast in class. (If you do not finish drafting your script in class, please finish it for homework and bring the handwritten completed draft to class this Thursday.) You must polish and word-process this script by Monday, November 7.

On that day, please have the following pieces assembled and stapled before the bell rings:

rubric (with a full MLA heading)
podcast script (parallel structure and appositives highlighted and labeled)
annotated one-minute passage
brainstorm

On a second piece of binder paper, tape or staple your 10 stamped Post-it paragraphs. Include a full MLA heading, please.

Podcasts and Autobiographical Incident Redux

2011-10-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, we worked to build sentence variety and clarity through the use of prepositional phrase openers and appositives. This work took us longer than I anticipated, so I wasn't able to discuss the upcoming autobiographical incident. No worries--I will tell you about this assignment tomorrow in class.

Bring your outside reading book once again. We will spend the first half of class drafting a script for the podcasts.

This Week in English

2011-10-23T07:53:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow marks the last week of the grading period. We are on the home stretch to the end of the semester.

On Wednesday, you have your test on the 12 Olympians. I hope to see several of you during tutorial, so I can coach you!

Also on Wednesday, we will begin to craft the introductions to our podcast book reviews. Be sure to bring your outside reading book (and Post-it paragraphs) to class.

Finally, we will begin to brainstorm and draft an autobiographical incident essay about a time you made a transition from childhood to young adulthood.

There are numerous ways teenagers make this transition. For this assignment, you will choose an event in your life that, to your mind, marked the shift from childhood to young adulthood. You might consider the following moments:

1. a time you felt alone and needed help but were able to solve your problem yourself;

2. a time you made a choice that went against societal or parental expectations;

3. a time you felt caught in the middle of a conflict between or among your friends, family, or community and were able to resolve, or at least to understand, this conflict;

4. a time you took on some new form of responsibility

5. a time you connected with a powerful mentor who nurtured a unique gift or talent you had.

On Friday, come to class with a specific moment in time you can write about in this essay.

Study Tips and Extra Credit for the 12 Olympians Test

2011-10-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, I will teach you some study tips that will be useful when studying for your 12 Olympians test. I will also give you a handout with some directions for extra credit. If on the day of the test you bring a word-processed (using perfect MLA format, please) paragraph describing which tips you used and their effectiveness--and if you have this paragraph signed by a parent or guardian--you will receive extra credit for the test. If the paragraph is not in MLA form, not word-processed, or not signed, then it is ineligible for extra credit.

The test will be on Wednesday, 10/26. I will also collect your 12 Olympian cards that day.

Please know the following things:

the Roman names for the Greek gods and goddesses (spelling counts)
their symbols
their function, purpose, and characteristics
the names of the three virgin goddesses
the genealogical chart you copied onto your packet
the name of the place to which the Cyclops were banished

Final Installment of Post-it Paragraphs

2011-10-16T08:03:00.000-07:00

Due date for the final installment of two Post-it paragraphs: Tuesday, October 18. You still have time to finish reading your outside reading book, but this portion of the project should be completed next week. On October 26, we will begin crafting a script for the podcast book reviews.

New Post-it Paragraphs, Myth Vocabulary Test

2011-10-12T17:26:00.000-07:00

Please complete two new Post-it paragraphs for your outside reading book and bring them to class on Friday, October 14. I've scheduled time in the library's computer pod for us: On Monday, November 7, we will digitally record, edit, and upload our book reviews to a wiki.

Today, we completed the presentations on our myth-related vocabulary. You should be studying for at least a few minutes every day to prepare for our test on Tuesday. Why not study with a friend on Skype? You could also create a set of flashcards to help reinforce your memory. And, last but not least, come to tutorial. I am happy to quiz you and to help create some memory aides suited especially to you.

Outside Reading Paragraphs and Materials for 12 Olympian Cards

2011-10-10T16:40:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, I will stamp two new Post-it paragraphs for your outside reading book. You should have at least six paragraphs at this point. Remember, the deadline for all ten (and the completion of your reading) is October 26.

In addition, bring materials to work on your 12 Olympian cards on Wednesday and Friday of this week.

12 Olympian Cards and a Myth Vocabulary Test

2011-10-05T12:20:00.000-07:00

12 Olympian Cards

In preparing to read a prose version of the Odyssey, we will create note cards with key information on each of the 12 Olympians. I will provide you with the cards, glue, scissors--and, of course, the key information. You will cover the front of each card with an image or collage of images representing that Olympian's symbols or purpose. On the back, you will bullet the relevant facts.

To that end, please bring to class on Monday any materials (for example, magazines or photocopied images) that will help you in the creation of these cards.

Myth Vocabulary Test

On Tuesday, October 18, we will have a test on the myth vocabulary words you presented in class this week.

New Due Date for Outside Reading Book

2011-10-04T10:28:00.000-07:00

On occasion, it is appropriate to extend a due date. For this semester, we have that flexibility with your outside reading books.

The NEW (and final) due date for having your book read and your ten Post-it paragraphs completed is Wednesday, October 26.

Please be sure to have two new Post-it paragraphs for our next class, Thursday, October 6. I will stamp them for credit on that day.

Of Mice and Men Final Essay: Outline

2011-09-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

Outline

Last class, we created an outline for our final essay on Of Mice and Men. If you haven't finished the outline, be sure to do so before Friday. We will be drafting essays in class then.

The final essay--word-processed, impeccably edited--is due on Thursday, October 6. This gives you several tutorials to come see me if you would like help developing your ideas or editing your work.

Note: Please staple your outline and draft to the back of your word-processed essay before turning it in.

Outside Reading Book Post-its

Also, please bring your outside reading book to class tomorrow with a minimum of two Post-its (or half sheets of paper) marking key passages. Remember, you are to write one of the criteria you are tracking (for example, "vivid imagery," "plot twists," "complex characters") at the top of each Post-it and a paragraph of explanation describing how your selected passage fulfills your criteria.

FAQ: Improving Your Grade in English

2011-09-25T14:50:00.000-07:00

Dear Students,

Please print a copy of this blog entry and sign it. In addition, please have your parent or guardian sign it. This paper is due on Friday, September 30th.

FAQ

1. How can I improve my grade in English?

Turn in all of your work, and turn it in on time.
Check the homework blog to make sure you know the due dates and to get tips on your assignments.
Ask questions in class that will help you better understand the material and the assignments.
See me at tutorial for help editing your papers.
See me at tutorial in advance of a test or quiz for extra coaching.
See me at tutorial for extra advice on how to find evidence and to develop analysis for your essays.
Go beyond an assignment’s minimal requirements.
Read beyond what you are assigned in English—for example, read for ten minutes a day from any and all of the links on the homework blog for English. The more you read quality nonfiction, the more you will absorb what it should look and sound like.

2. Do you offer extra credit?

On occasion, I do. Whenever I do, it will be offered via the web site or in class for all students. I am cautious about giving too many extra-credit opportunities, however. Grade inflation is not something that benefits individual students or the larger academic community.

3. What if I come to tutorial and you're not there?

I'm always available during tutorial. If I'm not here the second you arrive, come back in two minutes--really, two minutes--and I'll be here. I promise. Also, if tutorial is jammed with many students and you have to see another teacher, send me an email with your concern, and we will schedule a time to meet.

Your Signature:

Your Parent's or Guardian's Signature:

Outside Reading Book Project and Due Date

2011-09-18T16:15:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, as you know, you are to bring your new outside reading book to class. As you read, you will track three or more elements that, to your mind, are essential for a book to be a good read: for example, surprise, complex characters, or detailed settings.

As you read, you will mark with a Post-it a minimum of ten passages that fulfill (or boldly don't fulfill!) these elements. On the Post-it, you will write a short paragraph describing how the passage meets your criterion.

Your book and Post-its should be completed by Wednesday, October 12.

The week before your reading is due, we will begin to prepare to create a podcast in which you will review your book for other students, family, and friends. Details to follow.

Dream Business Letter

2011-09-13T15:21:00.000-07:00

In class tomorrow, Wednesday, you will consider a large dream or desire you have and write about it. In turn, a classmate will read your dream and create a business plan to make that dream come true. He or she will write you a business letter that contains this plan.

The business letter, edited and word-processed, is due on Thursday, September 22. Please staple your classmate's dream paper to the bottom of your letter.

Extra Credit

2011-09-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

Do you use this website to check your homework and for homework advice? If so, you're in luck.

Here is an extra-credit opportunity for you: Print this page and identify the sentence type for the sentences below (simple, compound, complex, or compound-complex). Bring your paper to class on Friday, the day of our vocabulary test.

The sentences are from Alice in Wonderland.

1. There was nothing else to do, so Alice began talking again.

2. She was close behind it, when she turned the corner, but the Rabbit was nowhere to be seen.

3. Suddenly she came upon a three-legged table, all made of glass.

4. She was surprised to see she had put on one of the Rabbit's little white gloves while she was talking.

Vocabulary Flash Cards and New Outside Reading Book

2011-09-12T14:26:00.000-07:00

If you did not complete your vocabulary flashcard set in class today, please do so tonight. In addition, you should use these cards for daily practice. Our vocabulary test is Friday.

Please select an outside reading book and bring it to class on Tuesday, September 20. The book should be 1) two hundred or more pages in length, 2) something you have not read before, 3) something you would like to read AND that challenges you. The book may be fiction or nonfiction.

Reading and Sentence Practice

2011-09-08T18:46:00.000-07:00

Please read pages 84-98 in Of Mice and Men for Monday of next week.

In addition, spend a few minutes each day working on your vocabulary list and practicing writing the four sentence types we learned in class today: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex. This practice will help you master the material for our test next Friday.

Friendship Paragraph

2011-09-06T10:30:00.000-07:00

In class today, we drafted well-developed paragraphs in which we analyzed how George and Lennie's relationship fit our selected criteria for friendship.

Your job tonight is to edit and word-process your paragraph using the MLA format found on page 30 in GraphoMania.

Underneath your word-processed paragraph, please staple your handwritten draft and the Venn diagram you completed in class last week.

This packet of papers is due on Thursday, 9/8.

In addition, please read through page 83 of our novel for Thursday.

Of Mice and Men Vocabulary, Parts of Speeh, and Sentence Test

2011-09-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

Please revise your assignment calendars so they read: the vocabulary, parts of speech, and sentence test will be on Friday, September 16.

You will need to know the thirty words from the Of Mice and Men syllabus, the eight parts of speech, and the four sentence types we've learned. In addition, you will need to know the difference between a phrase and a clause, a dependent and independent clause, and seven of the coordinating conjunctions. Please refer to GraphoMania, the Freshman English Handbook, and your notes for this information.

Reading and Preparing for Test

2011-09-01T06:51:00.001-07:00

Please read pages 54-65 in Of Mice and Men for Tuesday, 9/6.

In class today, we will practice creating possible test questions for Tuesday's test. At home, you can do the same thing as a means to help you study.

Reading and Objective Test

2011-08-30T06:56:00.000-07:00

Please read pages 38-53 of our novel by Thursday of this week.

You will have an objective test (True and False, multiple choice, fill in the blank) on the Steinbeck notes I will give you today and on pages 1-65 of the novel on Tuesday, 9/6.

Reading: Of Mice and Men

2011-08-26T15:00:00.001-07:00

Please read through page 37 in Of Mice and Men for class on Tuesday, 8/30. You will be introduced to several new characters in these pages. Study tip: Place a Post-it next to each new character and write a few notes about who they are.

Reading: Of Mice and Men

2011-08-23T17:04:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, Wednesday, I will introduce you to our new novel: Of Mice and Men.

Please read through page 16 for our class on Friday, 8/26. As you read, mentally compare the two main characters, George and Lennie, in preparation for a short writing assignment.

Annotation Quiz

2011-08-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

On Monday, we will learn some effective techniques for annotating a poem, short story, novel, or nonfiction piece.

You will have a quiz on these techniques the next class: Wednesday, August 24.

Please know the following things:

what language the word "annotation" comes from (Latin),
two broad categories of annotation (to clarify and to evaluate),
a minimum of two strategies for each type of annotation (see GraphoMania for examples).

Welcome and First Due Dates

2011-07-26T12:24:00.000-07:00

Hello, Freshmen!

Welcome to English 9 and to Casa Grande High School. Your ability to manage your assignments and time is crucial to your success in English this year.

This website will have reminders for due dates for tests, quizzes, and assignments. On occasion, you will also find directions for an assignment, if it has a component with links.

However, your best resources for homework information are your notes, my handouts, the white board in M-7, and your planner. This site is useful if you have been absent, or if you feel you did not copy a due date correctly.

I look forward to working with you this year.

First Due Dates

Please have your parent or guardian read the syllabus and sign the syllabus letter. This signed letter is due Monday, August 22.

Complete and word-process (type) your autobiographical poem. This poem is also due on Monday, August 22. Please refer to the handout I gave you for directions.