September 27/28, 2012 Thursday/Friday

Announcement:  If you need your school pictures retaken, or weren't here for school pictures, today is picture make-up day.  Come lookin' good!

iRead:  Get out your composition book and novel, read for 15 minutes (or more),  and fill out your reading log. 


iWrite:   One Family Member   September 27 or 28, 2012
Prompt: Tell me about a member of your family. Only positives today, so pick someone you think highly of. Describe the person as best you can. You may include physical description, character description, examples of behavior, good deeds, etc.

iWriteRight:  Paragraphs!  
  
If you were absent, watch this PowerPoint   ParagraphIntro.ppt, and revise your iWrite paragraph from today to make it a paragraph with a topic sentence, details, and a conclusion.  Highlight the topic sentence with green, the details with yellow, and the conclusion with red.  



Listen to/Follow along with The Outsiders

A1 --   page 51"Johnny, I'm scared."  (p 45 Track 1 -- 10:49) to page  (We did not read this today.)

A3 --   page 43 (paragraph 5 -- Chapter 3, 10:47) to page 53/Chapter 4 (12:56 on p 45 Track 1)

A4 --   top of page 47 "See y'all tomorrow." (p 45 Track 1 -- 3:30) to page 53 -- 13:05

B7 --   page 41 after "What are we going to do?" (Chapter 3, 7:03) to page 43 (Chaper 3, 10:49)

B8  --  page 51 (I'm scared.") (10:56)   -- (p 45 Track 1) to page 57 (p 45 Track 1, 20:21)

Two-Bit might "play a little snooker." page 47

Recommended Contemporary Realistic Fiction (from Ms. Dorsey) :
Lupita Manana by Patricia Beatty

Crossing over the border is a dangerous business... ...But Lupita must cross from Mexico to America. After her father dies in a fishing boat accident in the seas near their small Mexican village, Lupita's family is left in poverty. Lupita and her big brother, Salvador, must smuggle themselves into the United States to earn money to support their mother and young siblings. America is not the land of opportunity they had hoped. A new language, hard labor, and the constant threat of la migra -- the immigration police--make every day a difficult challenge. But for feisty Lupita, there is always hope for a better manana -- tomorrow.
 -- Review from Amazon.com

Return to Sender  by Julia Alvarez

After Tyler's father is injured in a tractor accident, his family is forced to hire migrant Mexican workers to help save their Vermont farm from foreclosure. Tyler isn’t sure what to make of these workers. Are they undocumented? And what about the three daughters, particularly Mari, the oldest, who is proud of her Mexican heritage but also increasingly connected her American life. Her family lives in constant fear of being discovered by the authorities and sent back to the poverty they left behind in Mexico. Can Tyler and Mari find a way to be friends despite their differences?

In a novel full of hope, but no easy answers, Julia Alvarez weaves a beautiful and timely story that will stay with readers long after they finish it.   -- Blurb from the hardcover edition.

Announcements:

Don't forget the PTSA Reflections Contest!  Entries are due in October.    2012 PTSA Reflections Contest

Another Contest: 
The Mary Kawakami scholarship speech contest for junior and high school students is accepting applications until October 13th.  Please see the attached flyer with the application form.

	122K   America Our Country Speech Contest 9-23-12.pdf

Click on the link, then on the Download tab.

Reminders:

• Don't forget to take your online tests by Friday.  If you were absent when we gave instructions, here is what you do:

1. Log into Skyward.
2. Look for "Current Assignments" at the left side of the page and click it.
3.  Your tests should show up -- four of them. 
4. Click on"Answer Questions."
5. Make sure you have done all pages of a test before you hit "Complete and . . . " (the bottom button)  to hand it in.  There is also a button to save it to finish it later.

• If you haven't handed in your Basic 8, Book 1 assignment yet, there is an optional format to use.  Ask your teachers or look for it on Edmodo.  You could do this during cavetime or on your own time. 

• Have you selected your Contemporary Realistic Fiction book?  Realistic Fiction -- Contemporary   Sign up to have your book approved.  What is Contemporary?  It could be happening now. We'll include any books set in the 1950's or later. Those are contemporary with Ms. Dorsey! 
• Reminder of term expectations:  Expectations for Term 1
• Don't forget to be studying your Commonly Confused words!  The test is coming closer!
• Today our focus is on the words   here   hear 

                         

HereHearPosters.pptx