Caveman English

Monday, January 30, 2012

2012-01-28T15:32:00.000-08:00

Self-Starter

Notice these examples:

His room smelled of cooked grease, Lysol, and age. -- Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969)

Hector's room smelled of gym socks, Hot Cheetos, and lies. -- Jeff Anderson

Mine: My car smells of Armour-All vinyl cleaner, banana peels, and teenagers.

Now create your own sentence using commas in a series.

Use this pattern.

[Place] smells of ______________, _____________, and __________________.

To practice more with commas in a series, see this post: Commas in a Series

Commas in a Series

2012-01-28T14:59:00.001-08:00

Here is a game -- firing at spaceships -- that reviews commas in a series.
http://www.childu.com/sample_act/34lang_confusion.html

Using Commas Between Adjectives

Commas in a Series

Historical Fiction Books and Topics

2012-01-24T14:54:00.001-08:00

Here are many of the books that

you and your classmates

have chosen.

All Quiet on the Western Front: World War I, trench warfare
A Long Way from Chicago: Great Depression, 1930's, Illinois
A Thousand Never Evers: South during the Civil Rights Movement, 1963
Across Five Aprils: Civil War, Southern Illinois
Adventures of Tom Sawyer: Mississippi River town in the early 19th century
All Capone Does My Shirts: Alcatraz, Great Depression, Al Capone, autism
Assassin: John Wilkes Booth, Abraham Lincoln, Civil War, Reconstruction
Black Storm Comin': Pony Express, racial tensions, wagon trains, Civil War
Book of the Lion: Crusades, King Richard
Book Thief, The : World War II, Holocaust, Dachau
Boy in the Striped Pajamas: World War II, Concentration Camps, Holocaust, Auschwitz
Caged Eagles: Canada, World War II, Pearl Harbor, Japanese Internment
Chains: slavery, Revolutionary War
Charley Skedaddle: Civil War
Charlotte's Rose: Mormon handcart pioneers
Crossing the Wire: illegal aliens, border between U.S. and Mexico
Deadly: Typhoid Mary
Devil’s Arithmetic, The: Holocaust, World War II
Devil's Paintbox: 1865, drought, Kansas, Seattle lumber camps, Oregon Trail, smallpox
Doomed Queen Anne: Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII, England
Elijah of Buxton: slavery, Buxton, Canada, slave catchers
Emil and Karl: Holocaust, Vienna, World War II
Fever, 1793: yellow fever, Philadelphia, epidemic
Forge: Valley Forge, runaway slaves, Revolutionary War
Friedrich: 1830's, Germany, Hitler, Jewish
Help, The; Civil Rights, Medgar Evers
Hero’s Don’t Run: World War II, Pacific Theatre
Honus and Me: Honus Wagner, baseball, baseball cards, 1909 World Series
Jimmy Spoon: Old West, Shoshoni Indians, Chief Washakie
Journal of Ben Uchida: Japanese-Americans, internment camps, World War II, Pearl Harbor
Light in the Forest: Pennsylvanian Colony, Lenni Lenape tribe, territorial wars
Little House on the Prairie: The First Four Years: South Dakota prairie, pioneers, 1880's
Lunch Box Dream: The Civil Rights Movement
Matilda Bone: medieval English village, medicine in the Middle Ages, leech, barber-surgeon, apothecary, bonesetter
Midwife's Apprentice: Middle Ages (Medieval), midwifery, medicine in the Middle Ages
Moon Over Manifest: World War I, Great Depression, Ku Klux Klan, immigrants, coal mining
Most Beautiful Place in the World, The: Guatemala, poverty
My Brother Sam is Dead: Revolutionary War
Nightjohn: slavery, 1850’s U.S. South, Civil War
Numbering All the Bones: Civil War, slavery, Prisoner of War, Andersonville Prison, Clara Barton
Number the Stars: Holocaust , World War II, Resistance
Out of the Dust: Great Depression, Dust Bowl
Rifles for Watie: Civil War, Cherokee Indian rebels
Rilla of Ingleside: World War I, Canada, Red Cross
River Between Us, The: beginning of Civil War, 1916, 1861, Camp Defiance, slavery
Rumors of War: World War II
Run Away Home: 1886, Apache Indians,Geronimo, reservations, African Americans
Sacagawea: Girl of the Shining Mountains:
Secret Life of Bees, The: South Carolina, 1964, racism,
Shades of Gray: Civil War, Reconstruction
Shakeress, The: Shakers, religious movements in the 1820s and '30s, orphans
Shakespeare Stealer, Shakespeare’s Scribe, Shakespeare’s Spy: Shakespeare, Globe Theater, 1600’s, black plague, Elizabethan England
Slave Dancer: 1840, slave ships, slavery, New Orleans, Africa
Someone Named Eva: Lebensborn center in Poland, Nazi, World War II
Sounder: Civil Rights, sharecroppers, early nineteenth century
Steal Away. . . to freedom by Jennifer Armstrong: slavery
Summer of My German Soldier: Nazi, prisoners of war (POW camp), internment camp
True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, The: 1832 transatlantic crossing, Puritans, mutiny
Tucket's Travels: Mr. Tucket: Old West, Oregon Trail, Pawnee Indians
Under the Blood Red Sun: World War II, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Japanese-Americans
Vietnam #1: I Pledge Allegiance : Vietnam War, draft, U.S. Navy
War Horse: World War I, cavalry, trench warfare
Witch of Blackbird Pond, The: Colony of Connecticut in 1687, religious intolerance, Puritanism, Quakers
Woods Runner: Revolutionary War, Hessians
Words in the Dust: Afghanistan after the defeat of the Taliban
Year of the Hangman, The : This is actually speculative fiction, grounded in our past history. It asks, what would have happened if the British had won the Revolutionary War?

Historical Fiction Essay Research.docx

Book of the Month Essay for Historical Fiction.docx

This is No-Name-Calling Week

2012-01-23T23:05:00.001-08:00

Watch the video and find other information at
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/no-name-calling-books-childrens-books/379002621/?&cm_mmc=Facebook-_-BN-_-product_page-_-no_name_calling

Look Forward to Reading This Book in Ninth Grade!

2012-01-23T22:16:00.000-08:00

Commas in a Series

2012-01-23T22:08:00.000-08:00

The comma before the conjunction (and) is called the Oxford Comma.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

2012-01-23T18:52:00.000-08:00

Self-Starter: Apostrophes: How'd They Do it?

Apostrophe WDYN.docx

Vocabulary/Spelling #8 Test on January 26

Suffix to study: -ful which means full of, characterized by (adjective)
careful
beautiful
useful
helpful
frightful
New Words and Word Part:

Vocabulary/Spelling #9 Test on February 3
Prefix to study: im- which means not
impossible
improbable
imperfect
immobile

Lesson on Conflict

ConflictMovieClipsathome.pptx

Words By Heart

A1 from top of page 3
A2 from page 5, middle of page
A3 from beginning
A4 from beginning

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

2012-01-23T12:30:00.000-08:00

Self-Starter: Apostrophes -- Notice: What is the difference between Version 1 and Version 2?
Version #1
It's true. I don't like her Christmas tree at all.
versus
Version #2
Don't even get me started about my Aunt Rose's Christmas tree. First of all, it's aluminum. Second of all, it's pink. I mean, like the color of PeptoBismol, which makes sense, because I get sick to my stomach just looking at it. -- Neal Shusterman, The Schwa Was Here (2006)

_________________________________
This Is Just To Say

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast.

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold.

-- William Carlos Williams

Would you have. . . ?
Would you have forgiven the speaker in the poem for eating the plums you had been saving for breakfast?
Would you have eaten the plums?
Answer these two questions, then write until you have at least a half page, responding to any part or all of the poem.

_____________________________________

Computer Lab -- Revise and finish essays/stories on MyAccess.

If you have extra time,
you could do research on the background of your historical fiction book.
(research handout)

Historical Fiction Essay Research.docx

Historical Fiction Assess Literary Elements. A(1).docx

This is No-Name-Calling Week

Originally published 1/20/12

More Poems for Words By Heart/Historical Fiction

2012-01-21T16:31:00.000-08:00

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15609
Let America Be America Again

Wow! It's Grammar Ninja!

2012-01-21T15:49:00.001-08:00

This is an interactive game.
http://www.kwarp.com/portfolio/grammarninja.html

Three Little Pigs if Told By Shakespeare

2012-01-20T20:47:00.000-08:00

Three Little Pigs if Told By Shakespeare

Friday, January 20, 2012

2012-01-14T11:10:00.000-08:00

1. Self-Starter: What Do You Notice?

Title: What Do You Notice? -- You will tape a half-sheet handout into your composition book under “Editing.” This is what is on the half-sheet:
What do you notice about these sentences? Write about three things you notice about them. What you notice could be about individual sentences or about all of them. Begin at least three sentences with “I notice that. . . .” (Your “noticings” should be about the sentences themselves, not where they’re from or who wrote them.)
1. Harold's eyes were glued to the floor. He couldn't look.
2. Harold is in the principal's office.

--Dav Pilkey, Captain Underpants and the Preposterous Plight of the Potty People (2006)

3. Spelda tousled her son’s thick, black hair.
       -- Paul Stewart and Chris Riddle, The Edge Chronicles: Beyond the Deep Woods (1999)
4. Mac’s office is located in the East Wing boys’ bathroom, fourth stall from the high window.
        -- Chris Rylander, The Fourth Stall

You could notice many different kinds of things, but here is something I hope you'll notice.

Noticing Sentences and Apostrophes

______________________________________

2. Spelling test on "il-" words
See illustrations for the words here: Illustrations for il-

3. New Words: Vocabulary/Spelling #8 Test on January 26

Suffix to study: -ful which means full of, characterized by (adjective)
careful
beautiful
useful
helpful
frightful

4. Poem and discussion:

MERRY-GO-ROUND by Langston Hughes

Where is the Jim Crow section
On this merry-go-round,
Mister, cause I want to ride?
Down South where I come from
White and colored
Can't sit side by side.
Down South on the train
There's a Jim Crow car.
On the bus we're put in the back—
But there ain't no back
To a merry-go-round!
Where's the horse
For a kid that's black?

_______________________
5. Character: How does an author reveal information about a character?

Examples from the opening scene of the movie Tangled:

The narrator shows us what Mother Gothel does. She hoards the flower. She steals the baby.

The narrator tells us that the king and queen are beloved by their people.

We hear what Mother Gothel says and how she says it when she is explaining to Rapunzel why she can't go outside.

________________________

Begin Words By Heart.
A1 to top of page 3
A2 to page 5, middle of page
A3 did not read today
A4

We noticed ways that the author showed us what some of the characters are like.
We also pointed out in A2 some conflict and a theme.

Conflict: Lena vs. Winslow = man vs. man
Theme: Those who are considered weak or foolish can sometimes overcome the strong and supposedly wise.

See Third Term Requirements.
Words By Heart Student Notes 2012.docx

Historical Fiction Essay.docx

Historical Fiction Assess. A(1).docx

Book of the Month Essay for Historical Fiction.docx

Poems for Words By Heart

A Poem to Go with Words By Heart and the Topic of Identity

http://www.pbs.org/teachers/thismonth/civilrights/index1.html

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

2012-01-14T11:00:00.000-08:00

Self-Starter: Pick up your composition book. When done you will put it back into the proper crate for the class period you are in this semester.
In the section "Notes and Quickwrites," label this: Prejudice
What could you say to someone who hates people because of their color, religion, or where they come from? Write at least a half page.

Poem Discussion:

Incident

by Countee Cullen

Once riding in old Baltimore,

Heart-filled, head-filled with glee,

I saw a Baltimorean

Keep looking straight at me.

Now I was eight and very small,

And he was no whit bigger,

And so I smiled, but he poked out

His tongue, and called me, "N-----."

I saw the whole of Baltimore

From May until December;

Of all the things that happened there

That's all that I remember.

Two! Two! Two for the Price of One!

You will read one historical fiction novel of your choice and base both your reading assignment and your writing assignment on it. Have your book read by February 9.
Together we will read Words By Heart.

Learning about Historical Fiction cloze activity (fill-in the blanks).
Portrayed means shown, depicted, described, represented.

Historical Fiction Assignment:
Receive book assignment: Literary Elements in Historical Fiction
Brainstorm: What do I need to learn to be successful doing this assignment?
A1 still needs to do this.
A1 went over this.

Receive writing assignment: Researching and Writing to Answer Questions about History
Brainstorm: What do I need to learn to be successful doing this assignment?
Answers: How to write an interesting essay
Putting together important ideas
                                     Using informal citation
                                     Effectively doing research
                                     Using transitions in an essay

Words By Heart Student Notes 2012.docx
Historical Fiction Assess. A.docx
Book of the Month Essay for Historical Fiction.docx

A1 and A2 went over this.

Book Sell

Begin Words By Heart.
A1 Did not have time.
A2
A3
A4

See   Third Term Requirements.

Next time: Spelling Test on il- It means not.
[themes and topics?]

Parts of a Paragraph, Essay, and Fictional Story

2012-01-14T09:37:00.000-08:00

Comparing the Parts of Three Types of Writing
	Paragraph	Essay	Fiction
Beginning	topic Sentence	introductory paragraph with thesis (overall topic sentence)	exposition
Middle	supporting details – body	supporting paragraphs -- body	rising action, climax, falling action
End	concluding sentence	concluding paragraph with overall concluding sentence	resolution

Third Term Requirements

2012-01-14T09:18:00.000-08:00

Historical Fiction Unit -- What you need to know and show that you know
	o Together we will read the historical fiction novel Words By Heart. o You will select another historical fiction novel to read. Pick one from a time period you would like to learn more about because you will be doing research on that subject and writing an essay to present what you learned. You will also be watching in your novel for character, conflict, and theme. Historical Fiction
	Apostrophes – how to use them to show possession and contraction
	Capitalization – how to capitalize for the beginnings of sentences and proper nouns (This is a review of earlier in the year.)
	Character -how the author shows you what the character is like
	Commas in a series – using commas when you have a series of ideas
	Commonly Confused Words – continue to use them correctly
	Conflict – what conflict is and types of conflict in literature
	Context clues – how to figure out what a word or phrase means by using the words around it
	Figurative language – recognizing simile, metaphor, and personification Chart for Examples and Non-Examples of Simile and Metaphor Figurative Language
	Inquiry – asking and answering questions – doing research and presenting what you found out
	Poetry – knowing how to read poetry and recognizing main idea (theme) and mood in poetry Poems for Words By Heart
	More Prefixes and Suffixes and spelling words using them
	Subject-Verb Agreement Subject-Verb Agreement
	Theme -- How to recognize a theme
	Words – choosing the best words for your purpose (and using the dictionary and thesaurus)
	Writing an Essay – about your subject for historical fiction – using an introduction with a thesis (topic sentence), supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion.
	Other writing such as writing a narrative (truth or fiction)
	Taking a test – successful testing – hints and helps

A New Beginning -- Term 3

2012-01-14T05:48:00.001-08:00

Illustrations for il-

2012-01-13T20:39:00.000-08:00

illegal

illegible

illiterate

illogical

Fun with Books!

2012-01-13T01:27:00.001-08:00

Watch this video that shows great creativity.

Why It's Hard to Spell in English

2012-01-13T00:54:00.000-08:00

From Brian P. Cleary

Reason #234 that English is a hard language to learn: the –OUGH sound. “Though he had a rough cough, he still thought he could jump through the air and touch the bough of the tree.”

Visit Brian Cleary at http://www.brianpcleary.com/

More from Brian P. Cleary:
Most people have trouble remembering how to spell one word or another. When I was a kid (long before spellcheck) my enemy was "necessary". It was mostly the C' and S's ...how many of each? So I came up with "1 COAT, 2 SHOES" to remember 1 C and 2 S's. As a grownup, I wrote a whole book of these tricks.

Friday, January 13, 2012

2012-01-12T06:10:00.003-08:00

Finish The Giver and hand in reading guide packet.

End of term review: we played our own version of Jeopardy.

This is a link to Bulbous Bouffant.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

2012-01-12T06:06:00.000-08:00

Spelling test on -er, -or, and receive list for next test.
Writing Complete Sentences
Reading The Giver and filling out the reading guide/road map.

______________________
Here is the new spelling assignment:

Vocabulary/Spelling #7 Test on January20

Prefix to study: il- which means not

1.      illegal
2.      illiterate
3.      illegible
4.      illogical
1.     illegal    -- leg = law   So, illegal means not conforming to the law
2.     illiterate   -- literatus, literally mean. "furnished with letters." So, if you are illiterate, you are NOT furnished with letters.
3.     illegible -- leg ( ere ) to read + -ibilis   -ible = capable of. So, illegible means NOT capable of being read.
4.      illogical -- log = word, speech, thought, reason   So, illogical means NOT conforming to reason.
conform = to fit together                                           Learn the underlined definitions for extra credit.

_________________________
Here is the tape-in for Writing Complete Sentences:

Writing Complete Sentences

Use the Write Source book and the purple Writing and Grammar book to complete this assignment.

In your composition book under “Editing,” label the page “Writing Complete Sentences.”

Then do each numbered step below for each of the following:

A. Sentence Fragment -- page 86 in Write Source, page 469 in Writing and Grammar.

B. Comma Splice -- page 86 in Write Source, page 473 on in Writing and Grammar. They call it a type of run-on.

C. Run-on -- page 87 in Write Source, page 473 on in Writing and Grammar.

If you are doing this at home because your were absent, you could look up definitions and examples online.

For each of the sentence problems above, you will

1) Label each with the type of sentence problem.

2) Write a definition (taken from one of the books).

3) Copy an example from the textbook and its corrections.

4) Copy one of your sentence fragments that you found in your book-of-the-month assessment, and show corrections for it. If you don’t have one, find someone else in the class that does. If you can’t find anyone who does, ask Ms. Dorsey.

Monday, January 9, 2012

2012-01-12T06:03:00.000-08:00

Students received back their Book-of-the-Month tests and copied editing errors into their composition books as samples to use later as we learn about sentence structure, subject-verb agreement, apostrophes, and as we review commonly confused words and other spelling.

Reading from The Giver and working on a reading guide (road map).

Spelling test next time on -er, -or.
______________________________
This is the tape-in information for the composition books:

Errors from the Book-of-the-Month Assessment

Tape this into your composition book under “Editing.” You will copy errors from your book of the month assignment into your composition book. Clearly label which type of error each is. These are the types of errors you will copy.

o comma splice (Copy the two sentences that are hooked together incorrectly with a comma.)

o run-on (Copy the two sentences that are run together when they should be separate.)

o sentence fragments (also just called fragments) (Copy the fragment, and if there is one, the sentence that it should be hooked onto.)

o apostrophe errors (Copy the phrase it is in, such as “Aunt Annie’s alligator.”)

o subject-verb agreement Copy the part of the sentence that has an agreement error. Example:

“The boys is late for class.” You’d copy “boys is late.” (Of course, that should be “The boys are late. . . “)

If you have misspelled one of our commonly confused words, you need to pick up one of the

Quote

2012-01-06T22:13:00.001-08:00

When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”
-Arthur Conan Doyle, The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes was allegedly born on this day in 1854, according to the calculations of the literary society, the Baker Street Irregulars.

And another quote -- this one anti-violence:

"To paraphrase several sages: Nobody can think and hit someone at the same time."
-Susan Sontag

"She refused to be bored chiefly because she wasn't boring." -Zelda Fitzgerald

Steal Away. . . to freedom by Jennifer Armstrong

2012-01-06T21:19:00.000-08:00

The book begins with a letter to someone called "Free." It is sent in 1928 from a hospital in the Philippines.
Go to the Pioneer Library and use the World Book to find out about the Philippines.

The page right after the letter says that the book will be an account (story) of a journey made by Susannah McKnight Emmons
and Bethlehem Reid.
It says there are notes by Mary Emmons, who is also the person who wrote the letter on the pages before it.

The first chapter begins in 1896.
The narrator is from New York City. She has a dear friend named Amy Van Tassel.
The narrator is 13 years old.
Her grandmother, whom she calls Gran lives with them.
The grandmother announces she's received a letter from Bethlehem. Could that be the Bethlehem Reid who stole away to freedom?
Bethlehem is in Toronto, Canada, so Gran is going there and wants to take Mary.
Gran says that Bethlehem "thinks we should write it all down before she gets much worse."

Mary's mother comments that Bethlehem is "an old slave." That makes Gran mad.

Mary says she helped Gran and Bethlehem write their story down. She says she found out that "Bethlehem was no longer in bondage, but that she truly never had been."


Mary	writes a letter	granddaughter to Susannah
Susannah		grandmother to Mary
Bethlehem		friend to Susannah

Now, everybody say "Awwwww"

2012-01-05T21:27:00.000-08:00

Penguins in Sweaters
http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3756813

History Stuff

2012-01-04T22:08:00.000-08:00

What historical periods and events are you especially interested in? Here are some bits of information from our history:

Japanese Internment
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/01/04/144684260/gordon-hirabayashi-has-died-he-refused-to-go-to-wwii-internment-camp?sc=fb&cc=fp

Thursday, January 5, 2012

2012-01-03T10:38:00.000-08:00

No late, make-up, or extra credit work will be accepted in this class after Friday, January 6.

Self-Starter: Under "Notes and QuickWrites" in your composition book, list all the emotions you can think of. Select one and write at least a half-page about a time you felt that emotion.

1. Spelling Test on "fore-"

Vocabulary/Spelling #5 Test on January 5, 2012

Prefix to study: fore- which means front (or before)

1. forehead (no extra credit)

2. forecast -- casten "contrive." Contrive = find out, imagine So forecast means to "find out or imagine before"

3. forethought -- thought is from Old English: "cause to appear to oneself.” So forethought means to "cause to appear to oneself before"

4. forefront -- (no extra credit) Note: Something at the forefront stands out, projects, or comes first.

If you are absent for today's test, get with me right away to take it before the end of the term.

2. Receive words for the next test.
Next test:
Vocabulary/Spelling #6              Test on January 11, 2012
Suffix to study:   -er, -or which means one who, that which (noun)
1.      farmer
2.      baker
3.      dancer
4.      teacher
5.      author
6.      doctor
_

3. We read from The Giver -- If you were absent, see the folders at the back of room for a copy, or ask me for the question packet.
The Giver
A1 page 125 to (Students are reading chapters 17, 18, and 19 on their own and answering questions in a packet.)
A2 page 130 to (Students are reading chapters 17, 18, and 19 on their own and answering questions in a packet.)
A3 page 126 to (Students are reading chapters 17, 18, and 19 on their own and answering questions in a packet.)
A4 page135 to (Students are reading chapters 17, 18, and 19 on their own and answering questions in a packet.)

Reminders:

If you have not taken or finished the November/December Book-of-the-Month Assessment, you need to come in this week to finish it.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

2012-01-03T10:30:00.000-08:00

No late, make-up, or extra credit work will be accepted in this class after Friday, January 6.

Self-Starter:
a. "Holiday"
Write/list/ get down all you can think of about your Christmas/New Year's vacation. Write continuously for about five minutes. Don't worry about writing complete sentences or about spelling or punctuation as you do this.
b. Clocks -- set appointments
c. Pair Share
d. Write, in complete sentences, describing Christmas the best you can for someone who has never experienced or even heard of it before. This would be someone like the people who live in the community of the Giver -- people who do not have books or movies or passed-down memories, or even weather the way we know it.

We read from The Giver --
The Giver
A1 page 108 to page 125, right after "'Love.' It was a word and concept new to him."
A2 page 118 to page 130
A3 page 118 to page 126, right before the page break and "Father? Mother?"
A4 page 121 to page135, right before the page break and "Back in their dwelling, that evening. . . "

Reminders:
The spelling test on "fore-" will be given on January 5.
The next test will be on the suffixes -er and -or on January 11.

If you have not taken or finished the November/December Book-of-the-Month Assessment, you need to come in this week to finish it.

No late, make-up, or extra credit work will be accepted in this class after Friday, January 6.

Quotes about Books and Reading

2011-12-28T20:55:00.001-08:00

"In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you." -Mortimer J. Adler

Wisdom of Trees -- Science

2011-12-26T10:29:00.001-08:00

This is just cool and beautiful.

http://www.npr.org/2011/12/26/144127874/the-wisdom-of-trees-leonardo-da-vinci-knew-it

Death of North Korean Leader

2011-12-21T07:26:00.000-08:00

Here's a clear and simple explanation about North Korea and the death of Kim Jong II.

http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3756794

This is interesting: a game for learning about the Koreas:
http://www.gamesforchange.org/2011/12/nanu-planet-interview-suzanna-samstag-oh/

What I'm Reading

2011-12-21T07:13:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading War Horse. It's historical fiction, which is our next genre, and the movie is coming out on Christmas Day. The narrator is a horse named Joey who participates in World War I. He experiences both cavalry and trench warfare, and sees action from both the British and German sides.

Next up: Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen

A New Book Series -- with an online game!

2011-12-21T07:07:00.000-08:00

and it's by James Dasher of Maze Runner!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/20/books/a-mutiny-in-time-by-james-dashner-to-be-first-in-infinity-ring-series.html?_r=1&smid=fb-share

Anyone interested in clouds and weather?

2011-12-21T06:57:00.003-08:00

I've never seen clouds like this!
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/12/20/144010831/cool-video-massive-cloud-waves-roll-over-alabama?sc=fb&cc=fp

Quotes and Extra Credit

2011-12-18T17:45:00.000-08:00

Extra credit: Memorize one of these quotes.
Quote of the Day: "A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds." -Francis Bacon -- 2 points

"Two things cannot be in one place. Where you tend a rose, my lad, a thistle cannot grow."
-Frances Hodgson Burnett -- 2 points

Forgiveness
Is the mightiest sword
Forgiveness of those you fear
Is the highest reward
When they bruise you with words
When they make you feel small
When it's hardest to take
You must do nothing at all...
- Jane Eyre. (5 points)

Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.
- Paul Boese. -- 2 points

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.
-Mahatma Gandhi -- 2 points

"Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much."
--Oscar Wilde -- 2 points

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-15T17:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Bill of Rights Day!

2011-12-15T17:08:00.000-08:00

I'm slow getting this up, but today is Bill of Rights Day. We really should celebrate that in the United States we are guaranteed these rights. Here is a source of more information: http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Constituting-America---It-s-Bill-of-Rights-Day.html?soid=1103010792513&aid=bfyBppbUVuA

Want to try your hand at ratifying some amendments? These "votes" are nonbinding, but it's interesting to participate in, because it has similarities to the ratification of our United States Constitution when an attempt was made to involve as many citizens as possible in the ratification process. (Note: At that time voting citizens would have all been adult males.)
Go to http://www.npr.org/2011/12/14/143648941/interactive-join-our-constitutional-convention?sc=fb&cc=fp

And the outcome: http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/12/20/144016912/we-the-people-npr-readers-would-ratify-four-new-amendments?sc=fb&cc=fp

More on The Bill of Rights:
http://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/op-eds/2011/12/protecting-liberty-means-knowing-your-bill-rights/2018572

Something to think about

2011-12-14T07:38:00.000-08:00

Thursday, December 15, 2011

2011-12-13T14:42:00.001-08:00

Thursday: A1 Basketball Games -- Come to class. Bring your dollar if you wish to go to the game.
We will take roll, and you will wait to be called down over the intercom.
A2, A3, and A4 will not be going to basketball games during class.

Reading The Giver
A1 read from 107 to (Not today because of the basketball games)
A2 read 94 to 117. They answered questions for 12, should have the three best sentences to summarize chapter 13 circled in their composition books, and read chapter 14 and answered the questions that go with it, though not everyone finished reading chapter 14.
A3 read 94 to 117. They answered questions for 12, should have the three best sentences to summarize chapter 13 circled in their composition books, and read chapter 14 and answered the questions that go with it, though not everyone finished reading chapter 14.
A4 read 100 through page 121. They should have the three best sentences to summarize chapter 13 circled in their composition books, and read chapter 14 and answered the questions that go with it, and read chapter 15 and answered the questions.

Exit slip:

1. What happens when twins are born in the community?

2. What memory did Jonas share with Gabe?

Questions for The Giver:Write the answers in your composition book, or on neat paper to be taped into your composition book.
Giver Chapt 10-16 comp book.doc

Next Book-of-the Month: Historical Fiction

After that: Nonfiction including biography and autobiography and other single-subject books. No how-to.
See recommendations for Historical Fiction
and for Nonfiction.

No late, revised, or make-up work for term 2 will be accepted after January 6, 2012.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

2011-12-12T14:07:00.000-08:00

Today:

1. Self-Starter:

A. Students who did not receive at least a 38/45 on each part of the Paragraph Post-Test wrote another paragraph to make up points.
B. Students who did not need to do the make-up work wrote Santa letters for extra credit. The other students also had a chance to do a Santa letter today or by class time Thursday. These letters are helping to raise money for charity.

A. Paragraphs --
This is your make-up assignment: Write a paragraph contrasting our society with that shown in The Giver.
Include

a topic sentence,
at least three major ways that they are different (supporting details in the body of the paragraph), telling about their community and ours within each major detail,
and a conclusion.
Use transitions to show relationships between sentences and to show the place of the ideas in the paragraph.

Highlight your topic sentence with green, underline transitions, and highlight your conclusion with red.
___________________________________
This is a sample of a complete and contrasting paragraph: (This is on a different topic, but shows a complete paragraph, with all needed parts and highlighted and underlined as directed.)

Hot chocolate and orange soda provide two very different drinking experiences for several reasons. First, the hot chocolate is just that -- hot, while soda is best served cold. Next, the hot chocolate smoothly glides through your mouth. On the other hand, the soda bubbles and fizzes against your lips and in your mouth. Color is another difference. My favorite hot chocolate is a rich deep brown topped with clouds of white whipped cream. Orange soda, in contrast, is a vibrant orange color. Also, a generously sized mug holds the chocolate with whipped cream, but the soda is best from an ice cold and crystal clear glass bottle, just opened. In conclusion, though hot chocolate and orange soda are different in temperature, texture, color, and in how they are served, either can quench your desire for a delicious drink.

____________________________________
Transitions: This is a list of transitions that are useful for paragraphs that contrast.

Transitions show relationships and help your sentences to fit together.

Some of the transitions you could use in a paragraph that contrasts: conversely, instead, on one hand, on the other hand, on the contrary, rather, yet, but, however, still, nevertheless, in contrast, first, second, third, first of all, to begin with, in the first place, at the same time, in conclusion, with this in mind, after all, all in all, all things considered, briefly, in brief, on the whole, in short, in summary, in the final analysis, on balance, to sum up, to summarize, finally

____________________________________
3. Reading The Giver
A1 read from 95 to 107
A2 read 81 to 94
A3 read 72 to 94
A4 read 77 to 100

Spelling The Prefix "fore-"

Thursday: A1 Basketball Games -- Come to class. Bring your dollar if you wish to go to the game.
We will take roll, and you will wait to be called down over the intercom.
A2, A3, and A4 will not be going to basketball games during class.

Reminder: Study your spelling for January 5.
Take or finish your Book of the Month Assessment if needed. Times available to take or finish the Book-of-the-Month test are Tuesday and Wednesday during CaveTime in the Computer Writing lab 211, and after school on Tuesday and Wednesday in the same lab.

(SRI)

December 17 -- Authors and Authors!

2011-12-09T18:49:00.001-08:00

Jessica Day George says: "I will be at a twelve author MEGA EXTRAVAGANZA December 17th, 12-2 pm, at the Orem Library! Come see me, Robison Wells, Dan Wells, Ally Condie, Brandon Mull, Nathan Hale, Jed Henry, Rick Walton, Bree Despain, Kristen Chandler, E. J. Patten, and Tyler Whitesides!"

Friday, December 9, 2011

2011-12-09T05:21:00.000-08:00

Self-Starter: Prepare for spelling test and Book-of-the-Month Assessment

Spelling test on the "-ate" words.

Prefix and words for our next text: The Prefix "fore-"

Book of the Month Assessment for November-December: Distopian fiction

Open this template and type your answers on it:
My Nov. Dec. Book-of-the-Month Assessment.doc

Here are the questions. You will answer five of the six.
BoM Questions for Nov Dec.doc

You will receive a grading sheet. Attach your answers to the front of the grading sheet.
Grading for Nov.-Dec. Book of the Month.doc

Themes and Types of Government:

Additional Themes in Literature and What is a Theme?

Forms of Government

Reminders:

We will have a make-up (or finish) day for the test next Tuesday during Cave Time.

Practice your "fore-" spelling before the vacation, so you won't have to worry about it over the vacation.

The Prefix "fore-"

2011-12-08T14:33:00.000-08:00

Vocabulary/Spelling #5 Test on January 5, 2012

Prefix to study: fore- which means front (or before)

1. forehead (no extra credit)

2. forecast -- casten "contrive." Contrive = find out, imagine So forecast means to "find out or imagine before"

3. forethought -- thought is from Old English: "cause to appear to oneself.” So forethought means to "cause to appear to oneself before"

4. forefront -- (no extra credit) Note: Something at the forefront stands out, projects, or comes first.

Additional Themes in Literature

2011-12-07T12:42:00.000-08:00

You might find these themes in your distopian book:

Becoming beautiful does not fix everything.
A seemingly perfect world is never perfect.
You should be true to yourself and not blindly follow everyone and what they think.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_theme_of_the_book_Uglies#ixzz1ft9WIR2s

The natural inclination of man toward greed and power makes it unlikely that there could ever be a utopia.

Change may be uncomfortable, but it is necessary.
Ambition destroys.
We create our own destruction as we create our technology.

People are destroying nature and themselves with uncontrolled technology.

Just when you think life is finally going to be easy,

something bad happens to balance it all out.

Death is just a part of life.

Sacrifices bring reward.

We all have more in common than we have differences.

Ignorance can be bliss.

Knowledge can be dangerous.

(Also see the list on the back of your handout from December 7.) supporting Themes Chart.doc

Some of the other themes found in literature:

We need to treat others the way we would like to be treated.

Crime does not pay.

Friendship depends on sacrifice.

The greatest beauty is found in simplicity.

Racism is an evil that harms everyone it touches.

Things are not always as they seem.  or You can't judge a book by its cover.

The pen can be mightier than the sword.

The names we call ourselves or each other can have great power.

Pride leads to a downfall.

"Spirit can defeat physical strength."

"One must live the way one thinks or end up
thinking the way one has lived" ~ Paul Bourget

"Every man loves what he is good at."

About the quote: A True Widow by Thomas Shadwell.

What it means: People like to do things that they are good at.

Found on http://simple.wikiquote.org/wiki/Memory

"Not the power to remember, but its very opposite, the power to forget, is a necessary condition for our existence." - Sholem Asch

Simple: The power to forget, not remember, is important for humans to exist.

Found on http://simple.wikiquote.org/wiki/Memory

What is a theme?

 
·     A theme is a big idea about life revealed in a piece of literature.

·     A theme is an idea or message about life, society, or human nature. 

·     Novels will usually express several themes.

·     A theme in literature is stated as a complete sentence.

·     It will not be a question. 

·     The theme of a book will be expressed in at least several different places in the
book. 

·     A theme will not necessarily be directly stated. 
More often it is implied from the story – from what happens and how the
characters act and react.

 Extra Credit Opportunity:

Examples of Theme from Movies

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

2011-12-07T08:51:00.000-08:00

Self-Starter: Pick up and complete the word sort. Do not sort them alphabetically.
Pre-Suff Word Sort 3 -ate .doc
If you are absent, do this, then ask the teacher for the answer key. In class most students did it two different ways: one of many different ways you could do it, then the way Ms. Dorsey directed.

2. Themes in The Giver and in your distopian book. This is homework to prepare for your test on Friday. supporting Themes Chart.doc

3. Reading The Giver
A1 read from 83 to 95.
A2 read 68 to 81.
A3 read 65 to 72.
A4 read 77 to

Important reminder:
The Book-of-the-Month Assessment will be given on this Friday, December 9.
The spelling test on the "-ate" words will also be given this Friday, December 9.

The Charity Basketball Games will be held next Thursday and Friday. Bring your dollar!

Monday, December 5, 2011

2011-12-05T11:00:00.000-08:00

1. Self-starter: Students copied the questions for the book assessment, to be used for preparing for the test.
If you were absent, see this post: November/December Book-of-the-Month

Students had time to review their spelling -- all of the prefix and suffixes so far with their spelling words and meanings, and we played Sparkle.

2. The Giver -- We finished the ceremonies (assigning of jobs and the one selection) if needed.

A1 -- to page 83, halfway down, and they wrote in their composition books a 1/2 page or more response to what they'd read in the book or to the poem "The First Book" by Rita Dove. Instructions: When instructed to write (under "Notes and Quick-Writes," quickly and constantly for five minutes about he part of The Giver we just read or about the poem. The First Book -- Poem by Rita Dove
A2 -- to page 68
A3 -- to page 65
A4 -- to page 77

Reminder: This Friday will be the Book-of-the-Month Assessment and you will also take this week's spelling test on the "-ate" words.

November/December Book-of-the-Month

2011-12-05T08:54:00.001-08:00

Questions for Friday, December 9

November-December Book-of-the-Month Assessment

Answer five of these questions about your Book-of-the-Month book. Don’t forget to use specific details, examples, and description from the book in your answers.

The Setting:

What is the setting – place- time?

What is the setting – government, society, community?

Why?

What is good about it?

What is bad about it?

The People:

How do the people live?

The Rulers:

Who rules?

How much power do they have?

If they live differently from most of the people, how are their lives different?

The main character:

How does the main character find himself/herself in conflict with society?

Does he or she fight against the society? How?

The Theme or Message:

What does this book teach about how life could or should be lived?

--- about what is of value in life?

--- about how to balance freedom and security?

--- about what governments should or should not do?

More "-ate" Words

2011-12-01T20:58:00.000-08:00

When the suffix "-ate" is used to form verbs, you can end up with

agitate
aggravate
incinerate
calibrate
evaluate
ruminate
prevaricate
pontificate
proliferate
resuscitate

For extra credit, can you come up with more verbs that end with the suffix "-ate"?

-ate Spelling

2011-12-01T20:42:00.000-08:00

-ate means cause, make, operate upon

create
Artists create art.

create
segregate
separate
dominate

segregate
People used to segregate people by race.

Separate the yolk from the white.

The standing wolves dominate the one on the ground.

Forms of Government

2011-12-01T11:16:00.000-08:00

Types of Government

Watch the PowerPoint and fill out the following chart to compare and contrast several forms of government, and to evaluate them.

What is the form of government?	Who is in control?	How much control do they have?	Rank these types of government from most desirable to least desirable: 1-8.
anarchy	no one	none
democracy	the people (demos)	Their control is limited if they consider the rights of others.
republic	The people turn over part of their power to representatives that they choose.	Representatives' power is limited because the people can vote them out.
Authoritarianism the governing power is used without the consent of the people being governed
oligarchy	a committee or other elite group rule	potentially unlimited Commmunism and socialism are often ruled by an oligarchy. There is also a theory that all democracies eventually end up ruled by an oligarchy.
communism	The government owns everything .	potentially unlimited
socialism	The government does not own everything, but they do control all businesses and finances.	somewhat limited but could include vast control
fascism	A dictator rules and everyone must obey the dictator.	unlimited
monarchy	An emperor, king, or queen—holds power for life.	unlimited

English 7, Dorsey, The Giver. Distopian Fiction

Then there are combinations:
For example:
-- Democratic Republic
-- Constitutional Monarchy
-- Socialist Republic (though the reality may not match the label!)

Thursday, December 1, 2011

2011-11-30T10:42:00.000-08:00

Self-Starter: Prepare for spelling test and, if time, read your book-of-the-month club book.

Spelling Test on "extra-" and the words that go with it.
Prefix to study:   extra- which means beyond or outside
Words to learn for the spelling test:
1.    extraterrestrial
2.    extraordinary
3.    extravagant
4.    extrovert
You are responsible for learning the prefix and the spelling words.

Extra Credit: Learn the underlined parts:
terra: earth, so extraterrestrial means beyond or outside earth
ordinem: "order." extra ordinem = "out of order," especially the usual order, so extraordinary means beyond or outside the usual order
extravagant: vagārī “to wander,” so extravagant means to wander beyond or outside
vert: turn, so extrovert means to turn beyond or outside
Just so you know, an extrovert is someone who is turned outside of themselves.
An introvert is someone who is turned inward.
An extrovert is outgoing, and an introvert is shy.
_____________________________________________
Our next spelling test:
Vocabulary/Spelling #4              Test on December 9, 2011
Suffix to study:   -ate which means cause, make, operate upon (This suffix makes verbs.)
Words to learn for the spelling test:
1.    separate
2.    create (on state list)
3.    segregate
4.    dominate
No retakes will be available, so study the words and word parts sets as they come.
Extra credit for spelling #4 -ate      Learn the underlined portions below:
1. The se- in separate means "apart."     So separate means to cause to be apart.
2. The crea- in create means "to make." So create means cause or operate on to make.
3. The "greg" in segregate means "flock."   So segregate means cause to be apart from the flock.
4. The "domin" in dominate means "master or control."   So dominate means operate on as (or to) master or control.
___________________
Finish PowerPoint about governments and taking notes. Learn about types of Governments
PowerPoint and worksheet Types of Governments.ppt FormsofGovernment.doc

3. Read chapters 7 and at least part of 8 from The Giver.

4. The Ceremony of Twelve.

Reminders:
Parent-Teacher Conference today
Book Fair today
Book-of-the-Month Assessment on December 9

You can use this worksheet to make up points when you misspell one of our seventh grade commonly confused words and lose points on an assignment (such as the paragraph post-test): Commonly Confused Word Make-Up.doc

Parent Teacher Conference and Book Fair

2011-11-29T19:12:00.000-08:00

Parent-Teacher Conference December 1
3:30 to 7:00 or 7:30

For the Book Fair, or for Christmas gifts, you might want to know that our January Book-of-the-Month will be Historical Fiction, and the February Book-of-the-Month will be nonfiction (single-subject, not how-to).

See recommendations for Historical Fiction
and of Nonfiction.

Originally Posted November 22.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

2011-11-28T14:16:00.000-08:00

Self-Starter: Match up our spelling words. Find others who have the rest of the word for which you have a part.

The Giver
Read Chapter 6 on your own and play The Giver Game
More from The Giver -- a taste of the Ceremonies

Learn about types of Governments
PowerPoint and worksheet
Types of Governments.ppt

FormsofGovernment.doc

A1 finished
A2 got through socialism
A3 got through authoritarianism
A4

Reminders:

Spelling test on Thursday (next time), December 1. Prefix extra- and sample words that use that prefix.
Book Assessment on December 9 -- A week from Friday.

Should we fence off the river to protect people, or allow them freedom of access to the river?

What Ms. Dorsey is Reading

2011-11-28T13:41:00.000-08:00

Crossed by Ally Condie (the sequel to Matched)

Expand your Verb-edge

2011-11-21T20:35:00.000-08:00

Extra Credit for Term 2, 2011

Play these games to learn strong verbs for various ways of moving.

Then be able to correctly identify at least five of these words:

Words in This List

peregrinate: To travel or journey, especially to walk on foot.
traipse: To walk or go aimlessly or idly or without finding or reaching one's goal.
sashay: To glide, move, or proceed easily or nonchalantly.
dawdle: To move slowly, languidly, or dilatorily.
meander: To proceed by or take a winding or indirect course.
saunter: To walk with a leisurely gait; stroll.
trot: To go at a quick, steady pace; move briskly; hurry.
canter: To throw with a sudden jerk.
dash: To move with violence; rush.
lope: To move or run with bounding steps with a long, easy stride.
sprint: To race or move at full speed, especially for a short distance.
mosey: To wander or shuffle about leisurely.
bolt: To make a sudden, swift dash, run, flight, or escape; spring away suddenly.
flee: To run away, as from danger or pursuers; take flight.
flit: To move lightly and swiftly; fly, dart, or skim along.
gallop: To run rapidly by leaps.
skip: To move in a light, springy manner by bounding forward with alternate hops on each foot.
skitter: To go, run, or glide lightly or rapidly.
veer: To alter the direction or course of; turn.
tramp: To tread or walk with a firm, heavy, resounding step.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

2011-11-19T14:12:00.000-08:00

Self-Starter:

5 minutes to finish and highlight your paragraph comparing one aspect of two holidays (begun and perhaps finished last time

Finish and highlight your Holiday Paragraph.
Underline transitions.

7 minutes to trade with the person across from you and grade each other's paragraphs using the rubric

Test:

Paragraph Post-Test

If you wish to prepare for the Paragraph Post-Test, look over these materials:

Example of a Holiday Contrast Paragraph

Paragraph Make-Up Assignment

Topic Sentence:
Supporting Details	1.
	2.
	3.
Concluding Sentence:

Sample Paragraph for Candy-Contrast

Model Paragraphs for Starburst/Jolly Rancher Contrast

Paragraphs

Paragraphs -- Let's Make Sure You Understand

Examples of Comparison and Contrast Paragraphs

Transition Words for Comparison/Contrast Paragraphs

More Transition Words I

______________________________

Reading:

The Giver --Chapter 5 and part of 6

Originally posted 11/15/2011

Illustrations for the Prefix extra-

2011-11-18T22:41:00.000-08:00

Extra- means beyond or outside.

1. extraterrestrial

2. extraordinary

3. extravagant

4. extrovert

"Extra-" means beyond or outside.

extravagant

extraterrestrial

Friday, November 18, 2011

2011-11-17T14:10:00.000-08:00

Self-Starter: a. Pick up your composition book and a transition tape-in. Tape it in next under "Notes and Quick-Writes."
b. Practice for spelling test.

2. Today:
Spelling Test on -able, -ible and associated words.

3. Brainstorm for Holidays and write a contrast paragraph about one aspect of two holidays.
Add and sign on "Poster" responses for holidays.

As directed, write a holiday contrast paragraph in your composition book, right after the transition list in the "Notes and Quick-Writes section.

Writing a practice paragraph:

_{Today's Prompt:}

_T_{hink about how one holiday differs from another holiday.}_{Pick one aspect of holidays in general (food, decorations, activities, gifts, reason for the holiday, colors, etc.) and write one paragraph contrasting (showing the differences between) the two holidays.}_{Remember to focus on just one aspect.}

Example of a Holiday Contrast Paragraph

___________________________________________

4. Receive new spelling assignment:

Vocabulary/Spelling #3 Test on December 1, 2011

Prefix to study: extra- which means beyond or outside

Words to learn for the spelling test:

1. extraterrestrial

2. extraordinary

3. extravagant

4. extrovert

You are responsible for learning the prefix and the spelling words.

Extra Credit: Learn the underlined parts.

terra: earth, so extraterrestrial means beyond or outside earth

ordinem: "order." extra ordinem = "out of order," especially the usual order, so extraordinary means beyond or outside the usual order

extravagant: vagārī “to wander,” so extravagant means to wander beyond or outside

vert: turn, so extrovert means to turn beyond or outside

Just so you know, an extrovert is someone who is turned outside of themselves.

An introvert is someone who is turned inward.

An extrovert is outgoing, and an introvert is shy.

5. If time, read The Giver and play The Giver Game.
A1 did not.
A2 did not.
A3 did not.
A4 did not.

Quotes on Freedom

2011-11-16T23:21:00.000-08:00

We're considering freedom as we read The Giver.

"Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present Generation to preserve your Freedom! I hope you will make good use of it. If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven, that I ever took half the Pains to preserve it." - John Adams

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

2011-11-16T04:56:00.000-08:00

1. Self-Starter: In your composition book find the paragraph you wrote last time. Use colored pencils to mark the paragraph:

Color the topic sentence green.

Color the supporting details yellow.

Color the concluding sentence red.

Underline at least three transitions.
If you are missing any of these parts, add them.

Checking Paragraphs
Information about paragraphs --
Paragraphs

If you have extra time, read your distopian book.

November/December Book-of-the-Month: Distopian Fiction
Our assessment will be on December 9.

October/November Book-of-the-Month

2.   Reading The Giver
Last time:
   A1 from page 14 to page 26
   A2 from page 8, page break to page 20
   A3 from page 8 , page break to page 22, last paragraph
   A4 from top of page 8 to top of page 25

Today: Finish reading Chapter 3 together as a class if needed.
All read Chapter 4.

If time, we will play a bit of Sparkle to review and to practice for your spelling test on Friday.

Reminders:
Today the make-up assignment for the paragraph booklet is due. Paragraph Make-Up Assignment

Spelling test Friday on -able, -ible

November/December Book-of-the-Month: Distopian Fiction
Our assessment will be on December 9.

Suffix -able, -ible

2011-11-12T07:08:00.000-08:00

For this test you need to know that the suffix -able, -ible means capable of.
The test will be on November 18.

Your spelling words are agreeable, expandable, edible, visible, and audible.

Each of these men is being agreeable.

Wouldn't you love to have an expandable bracelet like this?

The centerpiece is edible. Yum!

Visible light includes the wavelengths we can see. Infrared and ultraviolet light are invisible to the human eye.

When something is audible to us, we can hear it.

Extra Credit: Be able to tell what part of speech each of these is. Hints: They are all the same part of speech. What part of speech do -able and –ible make?

edible means “capable of being eaten”

visible means “capable of being seen” (extra credit -- Related words include vision and video.)

audible means “capable of being heard” (extra credit -- Related words include audience and audio.)

Example of a Holiday Contrast Paragraph

2011-11-10T07:09:00.000-08:00

While Christmas and Fourth of July have many differences, the most striking deal with the traditional meal. First, there is the manner in which food is cooked. For example, on the Fourth of July many families take advantage of the nice weather and have an outdoor barbeque. The food is cooked outdoors over hot coals or open flame. In contrast, Christmas dinners are prepared in a cozy kitchen using a multitude of pots, pans and hot ovens. The second major difference is the formality of the meal. For example, on the Fourth of July people are dressed casually and carry around their meal on paper plates. Christmas dinner on the other hand, is presented more formally in the family’s best dishes and in the family’s best dress. Finally, the major difference is the food itself that is served. On Independence Day, a rainbow of salads, coleslaw, and potato chips accompany a main course of hotdogs and hamburgers (or if you’re lucky, steak!). Christmas, however, is famous for slow roasted turkeys, hams, mashed potatoes, and homemade rolls. These significant differences between the two holidays are what makes each memorable.

Paragraph Make-Up Assignment

2011-11-10T00:36:00.000-08:00

If you'd like to make-up points from the paragraph booklet, here's what you do:

1. Pick up a sheet for another paragraph booklet from the folders at the back of the room, or download and print this document: Paragraph booklet one column.doc
2. Acquire either two different types of cookies or two different types of crackers or a cracker and a cookie.
3. Collect words in the word collector on your booklet to describe your two items.

4. Write
1) a topic sentence which contrasts the two items
For example, "Hot chocolate and orange soda provide two very different drinking experiences."
2) three or more supporting detail sentences which contrast the two items
                        For example, if I were contrasting two different drinks such as hot chocolate and orange soda, I could contrast
                -- the temperature at which people drink them (The hot chocolate is just that -- hot, while soda is best served cold.)
                -- the feel or texture of each (The hot chocolate smoothly glides through your mouth. On the other hand, the soda bubbles and fizzes against your lips and in your mouth.)
               -- the color (My favorite hot chocolate is a rich deep brown topped with clouds of white whipped cream. Orange soda, in contrast, is a vibrant orange color.)
              -- how they are served (A generously sized mug holds the chocolate with whipped cream, but the soda is best from an ice cold and crystal clear glass bottle, just opened.)

   3) a concluding sentence that sums up and wraps up.
                           For example:
                           Though hot chocolate and orange soda are different in temperature, texture, color, and in how they are served, both can quench your desire for a delicious drink.

4) Decide on the transitions you will use to make clear relationships between sentences and between ideas.    Transition Words for Comparison/Contrast Paragraphs
       5) Write the whole paragraph out, including effective transitions.
                 You may use the back of the paper if you need more room for writing. Clearly indicate it if you have done that.

6. Edit your work for capitalization, end punctuation, and spelling (especially your commonly confused words).

7. Make sure your name and class period are on the paper, that you have written all parts of the assignment, and that you have clearly named the types of cookies or crackers you have used for this assignment.

8.   Hand in by next Wednesday, November 16 for points.

        Hot chocolate and orange soda provide two very different drinking experiences for several reasons. First, the hot chocolate is just that -- hot, while soda is best served cold. Next, the hot chocolate smoothly glides through your mouth. On the other hand, the soda bubbles and fizzes against your lips and in your mouth. Color is another difference. My favorite hot chocolate is a rich deep brown topped with clouds of white whipped cream. Orange soda, in contrast, is a vibrant orange color. Also, a generously sized mug holds the chocolate with whipped cream, but the soda is best from an ice cold and crystal clear glass bottle, just opened. Though hot chocolate and orange soda are different in temperature, texture, color, and in how they are served, either can quench your desire for a delicious drink.

A Challenge to Do the Write Thing

2011-11-09T22:32:00.000-08:00

The Do the Write Thing Challenge offers 7th and 8th grade students an opportunity to examine the impact of youth violence on their lives and to communicate in writing what they think should be done to prevent this type of violence.
See more at
http://www.juvenile.utah.gov/writething.html

Consider writing an entry or more.

Monday, November 14, 2011

2011-11-09T05:23:00.001-08:00

Minimal Day

1. Self-Starter: In your composition book, right after the last entry under "Notes and Quick-Writes," write the label "To Choose or Not to Choose: Jobs" with today's date, and write at least a half page about this statement: "It would be easier to have someone tell you your occupation than for you to have to decide." Write a paragraph or more, using a topic sentence, supporting details, and a conclusion. Prepare by filling in this outline:

Topic Sentence: I do/don't think it would be better and easier to let someone else choose your career.
Supporting Details	1.
	2.
	3.
Concluding Sentence:

From a stage adaptation of The Giver presented at BYU

2. Read from The Giver -- Distopian Fiction
   A1 from page 14 to page 26
   A2 from page 8, page break to page 20
   A3 from page 8 , page break to page 22, last paragraph
   A4 from top of page 8 to top of page 25

Paragraph Make-Up Assignment

You can use this worksheet to make up points when you misspell one of our seventh grade commonly confused words and lose points on an assignment: Commonly Confused Word Make-Up.doc

Minimal Day

Time	Period	Minutes
8:15 – 9:15	1^st Period	60 minutes
9:20 – 10:20	2^nd Period/Announcements	60 minutes
10:20 – 10:45	First Lunch	25 minutes
10:50 – 11:50	3^rd Period	60 minutes
10:25 – 11:25	3^rd Period	60 minutes
11:25 – 11:50	Second Lunch	25 minutes
11:55 – 12:55	4^th Period	60 minutes

November/December Book-of-the-Month: Distopian Fiction
Our assessment will be on December 9.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

2011-11-07T10:34:00.003-08:00

1. Self-Starter: Word Sort

2. Test on the prefix bi-

3. Correct test and receive the assignment for your next test.
Vocabulary/Spelling #2 Test on November 18

Suffixes to study: -able and -ible which both mean capable of

and are used to create adjectives.

Words to learn for the spelling test:

1. agreeable 3. edible

2. expandable 4. visible

5. audible

Extra Credit: Be able to tell what part of speech each of these is. Hints: They are all the same part of speech. What part of speech do -able and –ible make?

edible means “capable of being eaten”

visible means “capable of being seen” (extra credit -- Related words include vision and video.)

audible means “capable of being heard” (extra credit -- Related words include audience and audio.)

4. Read from The Giver and discuss the Book-of-the-Month assessment --
See the tab for Book-of-the-Month and/or

October/November Book-of-the-Month

4. The Giver -- Distopian Fiction
   A1 to page 14
   A2 to page 8, page break
   A3 to page 8 , page break
   A4 to page top of 8

Reminders and Make-Up Work

Paragraph Make-Up Assignment

November Book Orders are still available.
Hints on popular books for this year's gift-giving from Scholastic: http://oomscholasticblog.com/2011/11/we_predict.html

November/December Book-of-the-Month: Distopian Fiction
Our assessment will be on December 9.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

2011-11-07T10:33:00.000-08:00

Self-Starter: Pick up your composition book and an Anticipation Guide. thoughtfully fill out the Guide and write (next under "Notes and Quickwrites") about the first statement (about memories) what you know and/or think about the statement. Write one or more paragraphs for 1/2 page or more.

2. Discuss the statement.
3. Look at paragraphs and create a rubric.
A1 did part of the 5 and all of the 1
A2 did the 5 and the 1.
A3 did the 5 and the 1.
A4 did 5 and the 1.

4. If time, begin The Giver -- Distopian Fiction
   A1 to page 8
   A2 to 2 or 3
   A3 to page 2
   A4 not started

Reminder: Spelling test next time on the prefix bi- which means two or halves.

"Memories, even your most precious ones, fade surprisingly quickly. But I don’t go along with that. The memories I value most, I don’t ever see them fading."
-Kazuo Ishiguro

More Second Term Extra Credit

2011-11-06T20:20:00.000-08:00

Brian P. Cleary
Syncope (SINK-uh-pee) in grammatical terms, is the shortening of a word by omission of a sound, letter, or syllable from the middle of the word; for example, "ne'er" for never, or "ev'ry" for every. So it's like a contraction for the middle (as opposed to the ends) of the word. -- Come and tell me about this word (including the word, a definition, and an example) for 3 points of extra credit.

What to you know about the Constitution?

Play the game and learn the words.

November/December Book-of-the-Month

2011-11-05T01:03:00.000-07:00

November-December Book-of-the-Month Assessment

Answer five of these questions about your Book-of-the-Month book. Don’t forget to use specific details, examples, and description from the book in your answers.

The Setting:

What is the setting – place- time?

What is the setting – government, society, community?

Why?

What is good about it?

What is bad about it?

The People:

How do the people live?

The Rulers:

Who rules?

How much power do they have?

If they live differently from most of the people, how are their lives different?

The main character:

How does the main character find himself/herself in conflict with society?

Does he or she fight against the society? How?

The Theme or Message:

What does this book teach about how life could or should be lived?

--- about what is of value in life?

--- about how to balance freedom and security?

--- about what governments should or should not do?

______________________

-- UNDER CONSTRUCTION --
For suggested books and other additional information, see the tab above for Book-of-the-Month.

As you read, watch for how you learn about what the characters are like, what themes are emphasized in the book, and what the setting is (especially what sort of society/government the people live under). What do they have that is good and that we might want in our society? What things that we value have they given up?

Collect data: quotes, descriptive and other details, examples,

Compare the society in your book with our own contemporary American society

type of government
who rules
How much power do they have?
lives of the rulers (the people in charge)
types of rules governing the society

What are the supposed goals of the government?
Many distopian societies are attempting to create some kind of perfect society by eliminating problems that we experience in our current society. What was this distopian society trying to do, and how successful are they? What problems have they created in the attempt?

How much freedom do the people have?
everyday lives of the people

Friday, November 4, 2011

2011-11-02T15:56:00.000-07:00

1. Write about candy! See Wednesday, November 2, 2011.

Last time:

A1 received candies, made booklets, got into assigned groups, collected words, got started on topic sentence

A2 got into groups, made booklets

A3 got into groups, viewed/helped with model paragraph

A4 got into groups, viewed, noticed things about a model paragraph

This time you will receive candy (a Jolly Rancher and a Starburst), if you didn't last time.

-- create a small booklet, folded out of one sheet of paper

-- collect adjectives to use

-- create a contrast paragraph step-by-step focusing on differences between the two candies

Students will work in small groups, helping each other, and will have about twenty minutes to complete the activity.

Sample Paragraph for Candy-Contrast

Added 11-7-11:

Model Paragraphs for Starburst/Jolly Rancher Contrast

At this link you'll find paragraphs that were written by students on November 4, 2011.

2. Computer Lab 211 --
Select a narrative prompt to write about. Write your best essay or story.
You may submit and final submit as many times as you wish.

My Access for November 4

Reminders:

1. Today November book orders are due.
If you'd like to order Scholastic Books online, and benefit our classroom, go to http://pcool.scholastic.com/parentordering/login.jsp register, and enter code GKLJW.

2. Spelling test on November 10! See the links below:

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Prefix bi-

3. Another note: Our school PTSA book fair will be held November 29-30 and December 1. Parents, be sure to stop by during the Parent Teacher Conference on December 1st.

Great Opportunity to Enter a Contest and to Earn Extra Credit

2011-11-02T15:46:00.000-07:00

The Letters About Literature Contest is sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress
in partnership with Target. If you decide to write and enter a letter, you could show it to me for possible extra credit.

Yours would be a letter written from you to a very favorite author -- living or dead. See the instructions at the links below for more details.

There is also a prompt for writing the letters on MyAccess:

Letters About Literature (The links on the prompt are outdated.)

Here are links to use to learn more about the contest:
www.lettersaboutliterature.org
At this site they give you lots of great instruction for successfully writing a letter to an author.
or
http://www.lettersaboutliterature.org/how_to_enter

Sample Paragraph for Candy-Contrast

2011-11-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

To contrast is to point out differences.

Students used a chart to collect words (especially adjectives) to use in their paragraphs: Below is an example of word collecting:

One Kind: M&M	Both	Another Kind: Skittle
chocolaty M Subdued colors Soft, smooth center velvety	Tasty Letters on it Colorful Candy shell	Fruity S Vibrant colors Chewy

We wrote, revised, and edited. Thanks for revision and editing help!

Candy Contrast Paragraph

The Skittle and M&M that I hold in my hand both have a candy shell and are tasty, but they have several differences. First of all, the M&M is chocolate on the inside, but the Skittle is fruity inside. A second difference is that while the M&M is a subdued brown, the Skittle is a vibrant orange color. After I get through the candy shell, my M&M is smooth, while the Skittle is chewy. I enjoy both candies even though they are very different.

Then we color-coded the paragraph for topic sentence, evidence and explanation (details), and concluding sentence. We also bolded transitions.

The Skittle and M&M that I hold in my hand both have a candy shell and are tasty, but they have several differences. First of all, the M&M is chocolate on the inside, but the Skittle is fruity inside. A second difference is that while the M&M is a subdued brown, the Skittle is a vibrant orange color. After I get through the candy shell, my M&M is smooth, while the Skittle is chewy. I enjoy both candies even though they are very different.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

2011-11-01T15:09:00.001-07:00

Self-Starter: Individual Reading and sign up for Book of the Month if needed.

History of the English Language and receive your first spelling assignment.
Make-up absence by viewing the PowerPoint and filling in the blanks on the cloze document.

This is a the cloze document to download. There should be more in the room, too.
A Brief History of the En.doc
See the PowerPoint during CaveTime or make arrangements for after school.

Begin Prefix-Suffix Study and Tests:
General spelling test rules:

If you misspell or fail to capitalize your name, you will lose points.
If you capitalize words or letters that should not be capitalized, you will lose points.
A prefix, when it is written alone (not in a word) should be followed by a hyphen, such as "bi-" which is our prefix for the November 10 test. A suffix, when it is written alone, should be preceded by a hyphen, such as "-ment."
Every letter must be legible for a word to be counted as correct.

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

Vocabulary/Spelling #1 Test on November 10, 2011

Your first prefix is bi- which means two or halves.

When you write it on the spelling tests as a prefix (not in the words), 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

__________________________

Writing a Contrast Paragraph --

A1 received candies, make booklets, got into assigned groups, collected words, got started on topic sentence.

A2. got into groups, made booklets

A3 got into groups, viewed/helped with model paragraph

A4 got into groups, viewed, noticed things about a model paragraph

Prefix bi-

2011-11-01T15:04:00.000-07:00

bicycle

bisect

binoculars

Bimonthly can mean every two months.

Bimonthly can mean twice a month.

Monday, October 31, 2011

2011-10-31T12:23:00.000-07:00

Self-Starter: Fill out a Parts-of-Speech worksheet. Play Mad-Libs as pairs and groups of four with those words.

2. Author/Novel Study -- Neil Gaiman reading from The Graveyard Book

3. Period 4 worked on a schema/puns exercise -- with Halloween jokes

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Halloween Treat!

2011-10-29T21:42:00.000-07:00

NPR provided a link to Neil Gaiman reading The Graveyard Book. This is one of my favorite books, and a favorite of many, many other people as well.

http://mousecircus.com/videotour2.aspx?VideoID=1

NPR is sponsoring a Back-Seat-Book-Club. You can send in questions for the authors. This one meets on October 28.
Added October 29: http://www.npr.org/2011/10/28/141766112/kids-book-club-a-graveyard-tour-with-neil-gaiman?sc=fb&cc=fp

Originally published 10/25/11

Paragraphs

2011-10-29T16:21:00.000-07:00

"A paragraph is a group of related sentences that develops one main idea. Although there is no definite length for a paragraph, it is often from five to twelve sentences long." p. 18

Clearly indent the first word of every paragraph about 1 inch (5 spaces).
Extend every line of a paragraph to the right-hand margin.
However, if the last word of a paragraph come before the end of the line, leave the rest of the line blank. p. 19

Topic sentence and body --

Most paragraphs contain one main idea to which all the sentences relate.
The topic sentence states this main idea.
The body of the paragraph develops and supports this main idea with particular facts, details, and examples. p. 19

This material is adapted (or directly taken)
from the college textbook Evergreen: A Guide to Writing by Fawcett/Sandberg, 5th Edition, 1996 Houghton Mifflin Co. Susan Fawcett and Alvin Sandberg

Beginning Second Term

2011-10-29T07:31:00.000-07:00

Reminders:
If you've lost your copy of the class disclosure document, you can find those materials at 7th Disclosure Dorsey 2011-2012.doc

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 See the Book of the Month tab above for more complete and up-to-date information.

A distopia is the opposite of a utopia, which is a perfect society, and most likely could not exist. Sometimes (or is it always) a distopia is the result of an attempt to create a utopia. In the attempt to create a perfect society, the members of the society give up (or are forced to give up) things that we value in our imperfect society, such as freedom.

This time the book-of-the-month will be a "book-of-the-months." For November and December you will read another novel -- this time it will be a distopian. Remember that it should be at least 100 pages long, a novel, one you haven't read before, and preferably close to your reading level -- 100 points below to 50 points above. If you read one book in a distopian series earlier this year, you could read the next for this assignment.

Examples of books you could read include

Hunger Games or other books in the series

Uglies or other books in the series

Matched or other books in the series

Gathering Blue or The Messenger by Lois Lowry (We will be reading The Giver as a class.)

Ender's Game or other books in the series

Hidden Talents or True Talents by Lubar

Truesight and others in the series

The Last Book in the Universe by Philbrick

Tunnels or other books in the series

City of Ember or other books in the series

Leviathan or other books in the series

Incarceron or other books in the series

Maze Runner or other books in the series

Maximum Ride or other books in the series

Among the Hidden or other books in the series

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Eva by Peter Dickinson

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

House of the Scorpion

The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm

The Tripods Trilogy

Bar Code Tattoo or other books in the series

A Wrinkle in Time

The Roar

The Looking Glass Wars -- (a very different version of Alice in Wonderland)

Birthmarked recommended by Mrs. Jones in the media center

Blood Red Road ? (I haven't read this one.) (It has been recommended for those who loved Hunger Games.)

The House of Power (Atherton Series) ? (I haven't read this one.)

The Sky Inside ? (I haven't read this one.)

House of Stairs ? (I haven't read this one.)

The Alliance -- by Gerald Lund

Recommended and Ridiculous: The Phantom Tollbooth

_________________________

Scott Westerfeld (author of The Uglies series) recommends this new book. Below is his blog post about it. However, I don't know yet whether it has stuff in it that your mom wouldn't like, so approach with care:

Scored – A New Dystopian Novel

Ridiculously Simplified Synopses (1) from Shelfari:

Which comes first? Your future or your friends?

This site tells about some distopian novels.

_____________________________

As you read, watch for how you learn about what the characters are like, what themes are emphasized in the book, and what the setting is (especially what sort of society/government the people live under). What do they have that is good and that we might want in our society? What things that we value have they given up?

Second Term Writing:

1. Writing a complete and correct paragraph -- Especially a contrasting paragraph

http://www.uen.org/core/core.do?courseNum=4070

Originally published 10/25/11

NPR's November Book Club

2011-10-29T07:18:00.000-07:00

http://www.npr.org/2011/10/28/141804843/nov-kids-book-club-pick-the-phantom-tollbooth

This book would also work as distopian fiction.

Learn about Oxymorons

2011-10-27T14:02:00.000-07:00

Available through November 2011:

Here is a fun link for learning about figurative language, including oxymorons:
http://blog.flocabulary.com/oxymoron/

Extra Credit: Explain to me why the Zombies are an oxymoron for five extra credit points.
Watch for oxymorons in published books, magazines, newspapers. Bring them in for extra credit.

Zombie Love Song: http://stephaniemabey.bandcamp.com/

Thursday, October 27, 2011

2011-10-27T07:45:00.000-07:00

Finish watching The Outsiders and comparing the movie with the book.

A2, A3, A4 wrote in their composition books about the movie of The Outsiders.
A4 -- To Media Center to find distopian books (A2 was also able to go briefly.)

Originally published 10/14/11

Caveman English

Monday, January 30, 2012

Commas in a Series

Historical Fiction Books and Topics

This is No-Name-Calling Week

Look Forward to Reading This Book in Ninth Grade!

Commas in a Series

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Suffix to study: -ful which means full of, characterized by (adjective) carefulbeautifulusefulhelpfulfrightfulNew Words and Word Part:

Vocabulary/Spelling #9 Test on February 3Prefix to study: im- which means notimpossibleimprobableimperfectimmobile

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Originally published 1/20/12

More Poems for Words By Heart/Historical Fiction

Wow! It's Grammar Ninja!

Three Little Pigs if Told By Shakespeare

Friday, January 20, 2012

Suffix to study: -ful which means full of, characterized by (adjective) carefulbeautifulusefulhelpfulfrightful

4. Poem and discussion:

_______________________5. Character: How does an author reveal information about a character?

Examples from the opening scene of the movie Tangled:

The narrator shows us what Mother Gothel does. She hoards the flower. She steals the baby.

The narrator tells us that the king and queen are beloved by their people.

We hear what Mother Gothel says and how she says it when she is explaining to Rapunzel why she can't go outside.

________________________

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Parts of a Paragraph, Essay, and Fictional Story

Third Term Requirements

A New Beginning -- Term 3

Illustrations for il-

Fun with Books!

Why It's Hard to Spell in English

Reason #234 that English is a hard language to learn: the –OUGH sound. “Though he had a rough cough, he still thought he could jump through the air and touch the bough of the tree.”

Visit Brian Cleary at http://www.brianpcleary.com/

Friday, January 13, 2012

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Monday, January 9, 2012

Quote

And another quote -- this one anti-violence:

"To paraphrase several sages: Nobody can think and hit someone at the same time."-Susan Sontag

"She refused to be bored chiefly because she wasn't boring." -Zelda Fitzgerald

Steal Away. . . to freedom by Jennifer Armstrong

Now, everybody say "Awwwww"

History Stuff

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Vocabulary/Spelling #5 Test on January 5, 2012

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Quotes about Books and Reading

Wisdom of Trees -- Science

Death of North Korean Leader

What I'm Reading

A New Book Series -- with an online game!

Anyone interested in clouds and weather?

Quotes and Extra Credit

"Two things cannot be in one place. Where you tend a rose, my lad, a thistle cannot grow."-Frances Hodgson Burnett -- 2 points

Merry Christmas!

Happy Bill of Rights Day!

Something to think about

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

December 17 -- Authors and Authors!

Jessica Day George says: "I will be at a twelve author MEGA EXTRAVAGANZA December 17th, 12-2 pm, at the Orem Library! Come see me, Robison Wells, Dan Wells, Ally Condie, Brandon Mull, Nathan Hale, Jed Henry, Rick Walton, Bree Despain, Kristen Chandler, E. J. Patten, and Tyler Whitesides!"

Friday, December 9, 2011

Reminders:

We will have a make-up (or finish) day for the test next Tuesday during Cave Time.

Practice your "fore-" spelling before the vacation, so you won't have to worry about it over the vacation.

The Prefix "fore-"

Vocabulary/Spelling #5 Test on January 5, 2012

Additional Themes in Literature

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Monday, December 5, 2011

November/December Book-of-the-Month

More "-ate" Words

-ate Spelling

-ate means cause, make, operate upon

Forms of Government

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Vocabulary/Spelling #4 Test on December 9, 2011

Suffix to study: -ate which means cause, make, operate upon (This suffix makes verbs.)Words to learn for the spelling test:1. separate2. create (on state list)3. segregate4. dominateNo retakes will be available, so study the words and word parts sets as they come.

Extra credit for spelling #4 -ate Learn the underlined portions below:

1. The se- in separate means "apart." So separate means to cause to be apart.

Suffix to study: -ful which means full of, characterized by (adjective)
careful
beautiful
useful
helpful
frightful
New Words and Word Part:

Vocabulary/Spelling #9 Test on February 3
Prefix to study: im- which means not
impossible
improbable
imperfect
immobile

Suffix to study: -ful which means full of, characterized by (adjective)
careful
beautiful
useful
helpful
frightful

_______________________
5. Character: How does an author reveal information about a character?

"To paraphrase several sages: Nobody can think and hit someone at the same time."
-Susan Sontag

"Two things cannot be in one place. Where you tend a rose, my lad, a thistle cannot grow."
-Frances Hodgson Burnett -- 2 points

Suffix to study: -ate which means cause, make, operate upon (This suffix makes verbs.)
Words to learn for the spelling test:
1. separate
2. create (on state list)
3. segregate
4. dominate
No retakes will be available, so study the words and word parts sets as they come.