Friday, October 14, 2011

My Access for November 4


Select one of these two prompts and type the best essay you can.

A Fantastic Day! - HB Unit 1 Level B

Write a fantasy story for your class to read.  Write about a normal, daily event that turns into something that could not really happen.

As you write, remember your story will be scored based on how well you:

·  develop a multi-paragraph response to the assigned topic that clearly communicates the purpose of your story to the audience.
·  describe the characters, setting, and conflict using meaningful sensory descriptions and details that enable the reader to visualize the experiences in your narrative.
·  organize your story in a clear and logical manner, including a beginning, middle and end.
·  use well-structured sentences and language that are appropriate for your audience.
·  edit your work to conform to the conventions of standard American English.

Use any of the tools available to you, such as the Checklist, Spellchecker, or Graphic Organizer.

Copyright © Hampton-Brown.  This High Point Unit Test Prompt is used in MY Access!® with permission from Hampton-Brown.  Essays submitted for this prompt will be scored against the appropriate MY Access!® rubric.

or

A Vivid Childhood Memory
We all have experienced something in our childhood that has impacted our lives.  Think of a vivid memory from your childhood.  Do you remember the first time you rode a school bus?  Do you remember your first best friend?  Do you remember when you learned to ride a bicycle?  Do you remember the first time you earned enough money to buy something that you really wanted?

In a multi-paragraph essay, narrate the events related to a vivid childhood memory.  Be sure to use details and examples so that your readers will be able to visualize the experience and understand what makes your memory so important.
As you write your story, think about these questions:
·  did you write a story about the assigned topic?
·  did you use details to describe the characters, places, and events?
·  did you organize your story clearly with a beginning, middle and end?
·  did you use a variety of words and well-written sentences?
·  did you use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation?
Use any of the tools available to you, such as the Checklist, Spellchecker, or Graphic Organizer.

You are not limited on the number of times you revise, edit, and final-submit.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

The Outsiders Essay should be finished and revised and edited by the end of today to get a satisfactory grade to be applied to your term grade.  We will not be in a computer lab today.

Self-Starter:  Prepare for a quiz on your commonly confused words.

Today we will do activities to make sure you know the commonly confused words. 
1. Quiz/Practice Test
2. Making Mini-Posters
3.  If time -- Sparkle!


This is the format of the test we will take next Tuesday, October 25 on commonly confused words.:  Practice Commonly Confused Words Test.doc

confused words chart.doc

confused words chart with a few pictures.doc 



Don't forget that you should have your book finished by next Tuesday, October 25!
October BoM Assessment.doc
Bring your book to class on the 25th.
 

No Mock Trial on Wednesday, October 19.

Intervention is available for English and reading classes.

October 19th is the

last day to hand in late, revised, or extra-credit work for first term .

Reminders: 

Are you ready for your Book-of-the-Month test?

Are you caught up on your composition book?  See the tab above labeled "Composition Book."

Test on Commonly Confused Words  -- Don't forget the commonly confused words!  The test will be on October 25.  

October 19 is the last day to hand in late and revised work.

confused words chart.doc 

Monday, October 17, 2011

I hope to have a computer lab for about 25 minutes so you can finish and/or revise and edit your Outsiders essays.
We will also be reading more from The Outsiders. 
A1 to page 128   (p. 110, nightmare, 31:52) 
A2 to page   136  (chapter 9, 8:53) 
A3 to page  128, top  (p. 110, nightmare, 31:33)
A3 to page 144, top  (chapter 9, 22:16)


Here are your instructions for your computer lab/MYAccess work: 

Outsiders essays October 2011.doc  

Hints for Revising, Finishing Outsiders Essays

See these sample essays:

Sample Essays for MyAccess Essay about Character Traits

 Final scores will be taken on these essays at the end of the day on October 19.

 

Reminders: 

Are you ready for your Book-of-the-Month test?

Are you caught up on your composition book?  See the tab above labeled "Composition Book."

Test on Commonly Confused Words  -- Don't forget the commonly confused words!  The test will be on October 25.  

October 19 is the last day to hand in late and revised work.

confused words chart.doc  

 

No Mock Trial on Wednesday, October 19.

Intervention is available for English and reading classes.

October 19th is the

last day to hand in late, revised, or extra-credit work for first term .
 

 

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

How much do you text?

blog.restoredliving.com 

How much do you text? Here is an interesting article about text messaging:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2011/09/11/how-will-today-s-texting-teenagers-compete.html

Monday, October 10, 2011

an author you might be able to meet

 Awarding-winning author Susan Campbell Bartoletti will  be at the BYU Bookstore Thursday afternoon between 4:15 and 5:15.  She’ll be there to sign books and to chat with anyone who wants to chat.
http://www.scbartoletti.com/

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Self-Starter:  Read through the computer lab assignment and look through your composition book notes to help you select which character you will write about.

Discuss conclusions from last time.

Learn (or be reminded) about the difference between a paragraph and an essay.
Create a small folded "book" that shows the differences between paragraph and essay.

Paragraph to Essay.pptx 


Today we will go to the Computer Lab -- Computer Writing Lab 211.
You will each type an essay.  You may select one of the following topics:
Character Traits  of a Character from The Outsiders
or Analysis of a Character from The Outsiders

Instructions for today: 

Outsiders essays October 2011.doc 



You will write one of these about  a character from The Outsiders. 

You may revise as many times as you wish, and you are able to work on this from home -- through October 19 -- next Wednesday.


Sample Essays for MyAccess Essay about Character Traits

List of Character Traits

Enrichment:  Extra Information about Adjectives: Character Traits and Adjectives

 

A2 -- This is also the day to create our door decoration for Red Ribbon Week!  Bring ideas and stuff (glitter, ribbon, fun paper, pictures you've drawn that have to do with avoiding drugs) to make it great!  We won't have time to do this in class, so we need talented (or at least willing) volunteers to come during Cave Time on Friday to put up our door decorations.

 

Reminders: 

Are you ready for your Book-of-the-Month test?

Are you caught up on your composition book?  See the tab above labeled "Composition Book."

Test on Commonly Confused Words  -- Don't forget the commonly confused words!  The test will be on October 25.  

October 19 is the last day to hand in late and revised work.

confused words chart.doc 

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

You will have a substitute teacher today because I will be attending training meetings at the district office with other English and history teachers.

P.T.S.A. Reflections entries are due by Wednesday, October 19.   Extra credit is available in English class for entering the literature division.

Book orders are due by the 14th.  I could send an order before that if I receive enough requests.

_______________________________________________


Self-Starter:  Students will read and complete a page about creating effective concluding sentences on paragraphs.  If you  are absent, you could pick one up from the files at the back of the room when you come back, or you could download this file:

Concluding Sentence Lesson.doc

2.  Reading The Outsiders (and listening to the audio book) --
A1   page 104 (Chapter 6, 32:48) to 122
A2   page 110 (Chapter 7 -- page 110, nightmare)  to page 131
A3   page 101 (Chapter 6, 20:05)  to page 122
A4   page112 (page 110, nightmare 3:00)   to  page 138

List episodes/events in your composition book.   Notice conflict.

At page 122:  Stop and write in your composition book under Notes and Quickwrites. 
QuickWrite:  The Outsiders   Label:  Before I Die
            In The Outsiders,  Johnny says, “It ain’t long enough.  Sixteen years ain’t long enough.  I wouldn’t mind it so much if there wasn’t so much stuff I ain’t done yet and so many things I  ain’t seen.  It’s not fair.”
Discuss and/or describe two or three things you would really like to do or see before you die.  Remember to write at least a half page or 12 sentences.


A2 -- Think of ideas, and if you can remember, bring stuff next time to create our door decoration for Red Ribbon Week! There is a competition among the A2 Classes.

 

 _________________________________

October Book-of-the-Month    

Book-of-the-Month:  Find another novel, but in a different genre, and read it by October 25.   For example, if you read a fantasy book in September, you could read an adventure or historical fiction or other genre this month

 Be prepared to tell about what happened, where it happened, and who it happened to from the point of view of one of the main characters in the book.  What are that character's problems?  Are the problems solved?  How?   This time we'll try to avoid spoilers (about how the book ends).

For extra credit, come on the assessment day dressed as that character.  

To find our lists of recommended books and of books you may not use, go to
http://cavemanenglish.pbworks.com/Recommended-Books

Books you may NOT use for the Book-of-the-Month assignments

 Have your book read and be ready to write about it on October 25. 

 

Reminders: 

Are you ready for your Book-of-the-Month test?

Are you caught up on your composition book?  See the tab above labeled "Composition Book."

Test on Commonly Confused Words  -- Don't forget the commonly confused words!  The test will be on October 25.  

October 19 is the last day to hand in late and revised work.

confused words chart.doc