Interesting Information about How to Study

This pretty much agrees with the course materials I taught years ago at UVU (then UVSC) in our College Success classes.   Learning to study effectively now will pay off in many ways and for many years.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130728588&sc=fb&cc=fp

Ah, Love! Romeo and Juliet at AFHS

Earn up to 10 points of extra credit by attending the American Fork High School production of Romeo and Juliet and writing a brief review of the play.  Also, I have  available a few coupons for 2 for 1 admission.

The dates and time for this play are November 17, 18, 19, 22, and 23 at 7 pm.

The Contest

The class that has the fewest demerits (keeping the classroom clean, cooperating, etc.)  will have a party at the end of the term.

Points by class:

Less is More!

A1 total points	A2 total points	A3 total points	A4 total points
	-3	-6	-2
	-14	-10	-8
-1	-17	-10	-8
-8	-22	-14	-11
-36 by Oct. 13	-40 by Oct. 13	-24 by Oct. 13	-21  by Oct. 13
-41  by October 27	-54 by October 27	-25  by October 27	-27 by October 27
		The Winners!

Originally published earlier

Begin Second Term

Reminders:
If you've lost  your copy of the class disclosure document, you can find those materials at

Disclosure Document and Other Materials

 

Second Term Spelling  

     Our spelling for second term will focus and word parts -- prefixes and suffixes -- and commonly used words that include those word parts.  We'll work with one word part at a time, along with spelling the example words on the chart, with a test every week or so. 

Prefixes and Suffixes Chart 2010   -- This is a file to download.

 

 

The Word Parts Poem

     If you have a base word and you happen to find

     something in front or something behind --

     a prefix begins: a suffix ends,

     and that is the basic rule, my friends.

 

Book-of-the-Month 

This time the book-of-the-month will be a "book-of-the-months."  For November and December you will read another novel -- again in a different genre, or at least a different author than the books you have read for September and October.  Remember that it should be at least 100 pages long, a novel, and preferably close to your reading level -- 100 points below to 50 points above.  See Skyward -- the note on your score for taking the SRI -- for your lexile level.  

 

 

 

October 29, 2010

Important Reminder:  Friday the 22nd was the last day to hand in late and revised work for Term 1. If you have an F, see me. 

1.  Bell-Ringer:Prepare to watch the movie again -- fill out anything you need to from the movie so far on the chart in your composition book, and receive your spelling to study for the test next week: your first prefix or suffix and the set of words that goes with it.  

   Our spelling for second term will focus and word parts -- prefixes and suffixes -- and commonly used words that include those word parts.  We'll work with one word part at a time, along with spelling the example words on the chart, with a test every week or so.  

 

Prefixes and Suffixes Chart 2010   -- This is a file to download.

A2 may not have received their handouts today for this assignment.

Your first prefix is bi- which means two or halves.  Test on November 4.

When you write it on the spelling tests, make sure you include the hyphen after it: bi-.
You will also spell the words bicycle, bisect, binoculars, and bimonthly.


If you can tell the meaning of each of those words (according to the word parts) you will receive more credit.


1. bicycle   = two circles or wheels
2. bisect = cut into two parts
3. binoculars = involving two eyes  (Ocular refers to the eye.)
4. bimonthly  = every two months or twice a month

No retakes will be available, so study the words and word parts sets as they come.

Halloween (and School) Spirit!

2.  Reading Minute:  See the calendar for your day.

A1 The 13th Reality by James Dashner

A2  Zoobreak by Gordon Corman

A3  Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

A4 The Watsons Go to Birmingham-- 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis

4.  Reading:  Developing reading skills and learning literature terms and strategies. 

The Outsiders -- We will be watching the movie, comparing and contrasting the movie with the book, and comparing and contrasting the way the characters are portrayed in the movie and in the book.

A1 watched movie from  45:18 to end of movie. 
A2 finished book, watched movie from minute 27 to  1:34:20
A3  movie from  minute 34. (Socs chasing Pony and Johnny at the park) to scene 26 (motorcycle escort)
A4 movie from minute 35:26 to Ponyboy passing out after Dally dies.

Extra Credit:  Be the first to tell me the title of this movie that C.Thomas Howell (Ponyboy) also acted in.  It came out the year before The Outsiders, and he and the other boys pictured here were in a scene where they had something very unusual happen when they were riding bicycles.
This extra credit has been used.  It is no longer available.

See Ponyboy on the left, looking up at ?

October 27, 2010

Important Reminder:  Friday the 22nd was the last day to hand in late and revised work for Term 1. If you have an F, see me. 

1.  Bell-Ringer: 

Divide this passage from Hidden Talents by David Lubar into sentences.  Insert punctuation and double- underline letters that should be capitalized because they begin a sentence.

All other punctuation and capitalization has been left as it should be, except the beginnings and endings of sentences – and except one spelling error that you should be able to find and circle.  (Paragraphing has also been removed, but we’ll talk about that another time.) 

All I needed was handcuffs if my wrists had been chained to the seat, the scene could have been taken straight from one of the movies where they show the bus bringing the new guy to the prison of course, there wasn’t any need for cuffs on this ride fill my pockets with rocks, add a couple more layers of winter clothes – wet winter clothes – and I might push the scale up toward ninety pounds the bus driver looked like he weighed three times that much his wrists were thicker than my neck he could probably crumple me up like a used tissue and still keep one hand on the steering wheel no way was I going to cause him any trouble

(We’re skipping some text.  The narrator gets to his destination, gets off the bus, and is greeted by the principal of his new school. Just as the principal was taking him to his dorm room, the following happens.)

When I heard the kid shout, “FIRE!” my brain said, Get out of here, but my feet said, Freeze my feet won suddenly, kids were running all over the place along both sides of the hall, doors flew open and kids popped out, almost like they were throwing a giant surprise party far down at the end of the hall, smoke drifted from a room there wasn’t a lot of smoke – just a trickle – but any smoke is bad if it isn’t supposed to be there at least the fire wasn’t between me and the stairs I relaxed when I realized I wasn’t trapped “its Torchie’s room,” one kid said  “he did it again”     (By the way, Torchie will be the narrator’s roommate.)

  _____________________________________________ 

2.  Reading Minute:  See the calendar for your day.

A1 Summer of the Swans by Betsy Byars       Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

A2   Junebug by  Alice Mean       Holes by Louis Sachar

A3  Cirque du Freak: Trials of Death by Darren Shan

A4   Pretties by Scott Westerfield

 

4.  Reading:  Developing reading skills and learning literature terms and strategies. 

The Outsiders -- We will be watching the movie, comparing and contrasting the movie with the book, and comparing and contrasting the way the characters are portrayed in the movie and in the book.

A1 watched movie through 45:18
A2 finished book, watched movie to minute 27 
A3  track 2, minute 33:34  to end and movie to minute 34. (Socs chasing Pony and Johnny at the park)
A4 to end and movie to minute 35:26

October 25, 2010

Important reminders:
October 22 was the last day to hand in late or revised work for the first term (which ends October 29).  
Your October Book-of-the-Month Assignment  was due October 19. You should have turned in your  yellow sheet filled out and with notes, and/typed the essay on MyAccess  by Friday, October 22.

Your September Book-of-the-Month project was due on the 21st.  You were able to hand it in for points minus 25% up until October 22nd.

We checked your composition books on October 13.   You also were able to turn in the grading on and do make-up work on your composition book up through the 22nd. If you haven't been here since the 13th, see me.  The Composition Book -- So Far.   Make-up work for composition book: Make-up Work for Composition Book

If you have an F in the class, please see me.

_________________________________________________________________

1.  Bell-Ringer:  
 

Divide this passage from Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George into sentences.  Insert punctuation and double- underline letters that should be capitalized because they begin a sentence.

All other punctuation and capitalization has been left as it should be, except the beginnings and endings of sentences – and except one spelling error that you should be able to find and circle.  (Paragraphing has also been removed, but we’ll talk about that another time.)

 It was my aunt who decided to give me to the dragon not that she was evil, or didn’t care for me its just that we were very poor, and she was as we said in those parts, dumber than two turnips in a rain barrel my father had been a terrible farmer, and too proud to admit it, so he had struggled on year after year despite countless failed harvests it had only been my mother’s skill with embroidery that kept us from starvation she had sewn fancywork for all of the merchants’ wives and once for the lady of the manor but now Mother and Father were dead of a fever, leaving me and my brother, Hagen, to the mercy of my father’s sister and her husband, who weren’t exactly wealthy themselves after the sale of our farm brought only enough money to pay off the mortgage, my aunt proposed the idea that I might marry into money and so pull the rest of the family out of poverty but while I was pleasant enough to look at, with blue eyes and a small nose, my straw-yellow hair was also straw-straight and I was sadly freckled to be blunt, I was not beauty, and as I could not spin straw into gold or cry diamond tears, there was no reason for a wealthy suitor to overlook the fact that I had no dowry whatsoever  “it will have to be the dragon,” my silly aunt declared as we all sat around the hearth, holding what my uncle called a council of war   “surely a brave adventuring knight will save her from its clutches,” she continued.

  _____________________________________________ 

2.  Reading Minute:  See the calendar for your day.

A1  Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

A2 Cavern of the Fear by Emily Rodda

A3  Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan

A4 None

3.  Reading:  Developing reading skills and learning literature terms and strategies. 

The Outsiders

Today we read from The Outsiders: (the track and time information are notes for me, the teacher) 
 

A1  page 168, disk 4, track 2, minute 17:45  to end of book. 

A2   page 157, Disk 4, track 2 minute 2:35  to page 17

A3  page 153, disk   4 , track  1, minute   37:10 to track 2, minute 33:34

A4   page 153, disk 4  , track 1 , minute 37:10  to track 2, minute 

Themes: 
"You don't just stop living because you lose someone.  . . . You don't quit." page 173
Families should stick together against anything.  p. 176
Understanding should go two ways.  p. 174





Here's a fun site -- especially if you are a Harry Potter fan!
http://harrypotter.scholastic.com/ 

October 21, 2010

1.  Bell-Ringer: Prepare for the Commonly Confused Words Test.  Those who were not retaking the test were to read quietly.  
If you haven't handed in your yellow October Book-of-the-Month sheet -- hand it in today or tomorrow. Staple it to the goldenrod grading sheet.
*No late or revised work or extra credit accepted after tomorrow.

2. Confusing Words Test   confused words chart.doc
  _____________________ 

3.  Reading Minute:  See the calendar for your day.

A1 Tennis Shoes and the Feathered Serpent  by  Chris Heimerdinger

A2 The Sisters Grim by Michael Buckley

A3  Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

A4 Last time was Secret Order of the Gum Street Girls by Elise Primavera

A4 Today:  The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan 

4.  Reading:  Developing reading skills and learning literature terms and strategies. 

The Outsiders
Character and Conflict in Literature
* Don't forget to fill in your chart about a character from The Outsiders.

Today we read from The Outsiders: (the track and time information are notes for me, the teacher) 
 

A1    page 140, disk 4, track 1, minute 15:10 to page 168, disk 4, track 2, minute 17:45

A2     page 130 Disk 3, track 3, beginning  to  page 157, Disk 4, track 2 minute 2:35

A3     page  127 . disk   3  track  2  minute 29:52 to page 153, disk   4 , track  1, minute   37:10

A4   page 125, disk 3, track 2, minute 25:39 to page   153, disk 4  , track 1 , minute 37:10  

Important reminders:
Your October Book-of-the-Month Assignment  was due October 19. If you haven't turned in your yellow sheet filled out and with notes, and/or if you haven't typed the essay on MyAccess, make sure you get this done by Friday, October 22.  

Your September Book-of-the-Month project was due on the 21st.  You may still hand it in for points minus 25% up until October 22nd.

October 22 is the last day to hand in late or revised work for the first term (which ends October 29).  
Make sure you're up-to-date on your composition book at The Composition Book -- So Far.

We checked your composition books on October 13.  If you weren't here, see me about checking your composition book.

Make-up work for composition book: Make-up Work for Composition Book

Answer to last time's extra credit question:  facetiously  

Grading for October Book-of-the-Month

Directions and Grading for the October-Book-of-the-Month Assessment

Bring your completed notes, and, if possible, your book.

Points:

Part 1: Filling out assignment sheet:                                                                                  __________/12

Title 1 pt.

Author 1 pt.

Dates 1 pt.

Pages read 1 pt.

Rating 1 pt.

Date Due 1 pt.

Author’s purpose 2 pts.

Intended Audience 2 pts.

Signature 2 pts.

Part 2: Notes -- Chart filled -- If one box is blank, there should be extras in others. __________/25

The character is described by

Narrator 5 points

Other characters 5 points

What he or she does -5 points

What he or she says -- 5 points

What he or she thinks 5 points

Part 3: Essay  -- Select one of the two prompts below and type it in MyAccess.       __________/40

Multi-paragraph essay	Meaningful examples, reasons, information, quotations support the major idea.	Organized with 1. introduction with main idea sentence 2. body 3. conclusion	Well structured sentences.	Carefully edited for ·       Capitalization ·       Spelling (especially our commonly confused words) ·       Punctuation ·       Format
All parts support one major idea.			Effective word choice

1.     Log in using your student number and open a browser.

2.     Go to myaccess.com  or access it from our school home page.

3.     Log in using  firstnamestudentnumber   and 999lastname.

4.     If your name shows up, click on   YES, this information is CORRECT.  I would like to CONTINUE.

5.     Go to Assignments at the upper left.

6.     Select one of the following:

Prompt a. Character Traits

Character traits in fictional or real people may have positive or negative effects on the people around them.

Select one of the characters from your novel who possesses character traits that influence others in a positive or negative way.  Write an essay in which you describe this person's character traits and provide examples of how these traits affect other people.

or

Prompt b. Analysis of a Literary Character

We understand characters in literature by paying attention to what they say, what they do, and how other characters react to them.  The author of a novel will help us understand a character by describing how that character reacts in certain situations.  Select a character from the novel you have read and analyze that character's personality.  What adjectives would you choose to describe the character?  What information and evidence from the novel supports the use of those adjectives?

In a multi-paragraph essay, use adjectives to analyze a character from one of the novels you have read in class.  Use quotations, details, and examples from the novel to support your selection of adjectives.

·       Write a multi-paragraph essay about a main character in your book-of-the-month.

·       You may use spell check, grammar check, and any other tools available.  Revise and edit carefully.

·       You will submit and final submit.  You may revise this as many times as you wish through

October 22.  After the 19^th, let me know if you have revised further. 

October 19, 2010

 A4 Reading Minute: Secret Order of the Gum Street Girls by Elise Primavera

Bring your book and your notes.   Attach your notes to the direction/grading sheet.
Type your essays for the Book-of-the-Month assignment:

October Book-of-the-Month Assignment

Scoring:  

Part 1. filling out the assignment sheet: ___/12

• Each blank filled on the front is one.

• Author's purpose and intended audience each earn two.

• Signature earns two.  

Part 2. notes -- chart filled -- If one box is blank, there should be extras in others. ___/25 (five for each way of learning about a character)

Part 3. essay -- one of the two offered -- ____/40  (30 = 75%/ average)

• multi-paragraph 3+ paragraphs

• includes details, examples, quotations, from the novel

  The last day for revision for this is Friday, October 22.

   ____________________________

  Important Reminders:

  Next time will be our test on the commonly confused words. 

  Any late or revised-for-additional-points work must be handed in by Friday, October 22.  

   

  Extra Credit Opportunity:  What word that means "not to be taken seriously” or “in jest” has not only all of the vowels, but it has them in order: A, E, I, O, U and even Y.

  Look for the answer in the October 21th post, or come up with it on your own!

   

  Last revised 10/13/10  -- moved forward 10/18/10

Test on Commonly Confused Words this Week

In the past, this set has been most frequently missed: desert/desert/dessert
I got lost in the desert.
Never desert your post if you are a soldier.
Let's have chocolate pudding for dessert.

October Book-of-the-Month Assignment

You are again selecting a novel of over one hundred pages, at or near your own reading level, and not on the Do-Not-Read list.  Select a different sort of novel from what you read last month. Sign up for your novel to have it approved by the teacher.  Make sure your parents also approve of you reading that book.

For best practice reading, students should be reading from 100 points below their assigned lexile to 50 points above.   To find your own lexile score, see your print-out or the note/comment with your grade on Skyward for taking the SRI test. For those with scores above 1200, they could be reading anything at a seventh grade level and above, but should be providing themselves with some challenge!

To find the lexile score for a book, look for the label in our media center books, or go to lexile.com and search for your book title.  The Lexile site does not have all books, but does have many. 

Remember to select a book you can read within the allotted time. 

October Book-of-the-Month Assignment

Character Book-of-the-Month Assessment adapted.doc

extra character notes.doc

Recommended Books and Books Not Allowed

Sample notes: October 2010 Book of the Month Samples

This is the sheet we will use when we write and grade these: 

October Book-of-Month Grading.doc 

 

 Another Example:

Book-of-the-Month Club Assessment about Character

Title    __The Lost Hero___________________

Author           ____Rick Riordan____________

Date started/completed   10/12/10_/__________    Pages read  553 __

Rating of the book (1-10)    ________   Date your project is due _10/19/10

Instructions:             Select a character from your novel, probably a main character.

Step 1: Read and take notes on the character.  (Pick up more of these sheets if needed.)

The character’s name:   Jason
Don’t forget to include the page numbers where you find the information.
how the character is described by the narrator	p. 7 "jeans and sneakers, a purple T-shirt, and a black windbreaker." p. 39 there is a tattoo on his arm -- "a dozen straight lines like a bar code, and over than an eagle with the letters SPQR."
how the character is described by other characters	Piper describe him: p. 33 "Jason stood right next to her: those sky blue eyes, close-cropped blond hair, that cute little scar on his upper lip.  His face was kind and gentle, but always a little sad." p. 7 Leo: "We go to the 'Wilderness School" . . . Which means we're "bad kids".. . . p. 15 Coach Hedge: "You've got a powerful way with the mist, kid.. . . You smell like a half-blood." p. 21 Dylan: "I'm glad I waited, demigod. . . . my mistress said a third was coming -- someone special. . . " p. 33 Annabeth: "You seem to know a lot, Jason." p. 45 Annabeth, describing all of the demigods: ". . . we're hard-wired for battle. Restless, impulsive, we don't fit in with regular kids." p. 49 Piper thinks of Jason (at least the way she thinks it was) : "He was so nice to her and so patient, he could even put up with hyperactive Leo. . . He's accepted her for herself and didn't judge her. . . "
what the character does	p. 23  He pulls out the coin and suddenly it becomes a sword. p. 25 . . . his instincts won. . . He ran to the railing and jumped over the side. floating in midair a hundred feet above the river. . . .27 Jason thought  Up, and instantly they shot skyward. p. 33 "He just stared at the horizon, not even noticing her."
what the character says and how he or she says it	p. 7 "I don't know who I am." p. 30 "I'm not going anywhere with her. . . . She looks like she wants to kill me." (referring to Annabeth)
what the character thinks	p. 3 [kids on the bus] "all looked around his age. . . fifteen? Sixteen? Okay, that was scary.  He didn't know his own age." p. 4 "He was sure the coach knew he didn't belong there." p. 9 about Dylan: "Jason hated him instantly." p. 9 about Leo: "Jason figured that if this was his best friend, his life must be pretty messed up; . . . " p. 10 "He may not remember. . . ., but he knew he hated mean kids." p. 12 He thinks "crazy gods," and gets a piercing pain behind his eyes.  "He felt like he'd gotten close to something important -- something he should know about. He also got the unmistakable feeling that he was in danger." p. 12-13  he wonders how he came to have the gold coin and how he knew he was going to need it soon. p. 14 Leo asks, "you think you just appeared here this morning, and we've all got fake memories of you? "  "A little voice in Jason's head said, That's exactly what I think. p. 15  When Coach Hedge affirms that Jason doesn't belong there, Jason "was so relieved he almost wanted to cry. At least he wasn't going insane."

 Getting ready to write my essay:

How Jason affects others	Adjectives  to describe Jason
Everyone seems to think he is using the “mist” to make Piper and Leo think they’ve known him all semester.	At the beginning of the book he is CONFUSED. He doesn't remember who he is or how he got where he is or how old he is.  Yet he seems to know things (about the Gods and monsters).
He confused and perhaps frightened Dylan, the wind spirit.	He shows that he is BRAVE when he jumps off the skywalk to save Piper.
He seems to make Coach Hedge angry -- and confused.	Piper thinks he is KIND.
	He seems to be POWERFUL.  He can move through air -- rising on a column of air far above the ground/rive.   He has the coin that turns into a sword.  The monster Dylan says his mistress will reward him especially well for getting Jason. Hedge calls him the "special package."

Character Traits – List 2

Characters (and real-life people) have unique attributes called traits. Use the following list of character traits as a guideline when writing book reports and essays about the different characters you've read about. Don't stop with this list, though; you can probably think of many more terms to describe your characters.

# Honest

# Light-hearted

# Leader

# Expert

# Brave

# Conceited

# Mischievous

# Demanding

# Thoughtful

# Keen

# Happy

# Disagreeable

# Simple

# Fancy

# Plain

# Excited

# Studious

# Inventive

# Creative

# Thrilling

# Independent

# Intelligent

# Compassionate

# Gentle

# Proud

# Wild

# Messy

# Neat

# Joyful

# Strong

# Bright

# Courageous

# Serious

# Funny

# Humorous

# Sad

# Poor

# Rich

# Tall

# Dark

# Light

# Handsome

# Pretty

# Ugly

# Selfish

# Unselfish

# Self-confident

# Respectful

# Considerate

# Imaginative

# Busy

# Patriotic

# Fun-loving

# Popular

# Successful

# Responsible

# Lazy

# Dreamer

# Helpful

# Simple-minded

# Humble

# Friendly

# Short

# Adventurous

# Hard-working

# Timid

# Shy

# Bold

# Daring

# Dainty

# Pitiful

# Cooperative

# Lovable

# Prim

# Proper

# Ambitious

# Able

# Quiet

# Curious

# Reserved

# Pleasing

# Bossy

# Witty

# Fighter

# Tireless

# Energetic

# Cheerful

# Smart

# Impulsive

# Loyal

Character Traits list from

© 2000-2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

  Previously published 10/2/10