Words to Know for Testing (Flash Card Words)

Words to use on the backs of your flashcards:

ADD:  The A in ARMS for Revsion

Analyze:  break it into parts, tell about the parts

Capital LETTERS: the  L in Smiles for Editing

Central idea: A sentence that states the main idea being presented.  It includes the topic and what the author thinks or wants to show about that topic

Cite: To quote, summarize, or paraphrase (a passage, book, or author) as evidence to back up an argument or statement,

Claim: The central idea in an argument.   It is a sentence that tells what the person arguing is trying to prove.

 Classify:  arrange (a group of people or things) in classes or categories according to shared qualities or characteristics.

Compare: Tell how two things are alike

Conclusion: a decision made about information you are given

Contrast: Tell how two things are different

Define: Explain the meaning of a word or idea

Describe: give specific and relevant details about something, create a picture in the reader’s mind of that thing or idea:  to tell about or write about; paint a picture with words

Determine: decide

EDIT: Correct errors in conventions such as capitalization, punctuation, spelling, indenting,  and using a word the wrong way

Evaluate: to judge and tell the good and the bad; or to decide the value or amount of

Excerpt: Part of a passage: a portion or section of a written work
Explain: teach me or show me, tell me the steps: to make clear or understandable 

INDENT paragraphs

Infer: To guess based on the information

MOVE: one of the words that the letters in ARMS stand for

Omit: to leave out

Paraphrase: putting information from a source into your own words

Punctuation MARKS: the M  in Smiles for Editing

REMOVE:  one of the words that the letters in ARMS stand for

Revise: to change or improve something for your writing. It means to add, remove, move around,  or substitute.

SENTENCES (complete): The S in SMILES for editing

 SPELLING:  The S in SMILES for editing 

SUBSTITUTE: one of the words that the letters in ARMS stand for

Summarize: give a brief statement of the main points of (something).

Trace: Explain something step by step

A desire for education (For A Long Walk to Water)

From Humans of New York, January 2015

“I came from a very poor family. My father was a small farmer in Nigeria. And even though he had no education, he always taught me that education was the most important thing. He told me: ‘When you have no education, it’s like being in a small room with many people. There is little opportunity available to you, and many people are competing with you. But as you educate yourself, the room grows. You have more opportunities, and less people competing with you.’ I always remembered that. My mother died when I was twelve. I started working as a maid when I turned thirteen. I made 5 cents a day, which I saved for school. There was no free education in Nigeria. When I ran out of money, I’d stop going to school and go back to work. Stop, work, go back to school. Stop, work, go back to school. And all along my father would say, ‘You aren’t done yet. This is not your last bus stop. One day you will have so much education that you will teach in America.’”

“I came from a very poor family. My father was a small farmer in Nigeria. And even though he had no education, he always taught me that education was the most important thing. He told me: ‘When you have no education, it’s like being in a small room with many people. There is little opportunity available to you, and many people are competing with you. But as you educate yourself, the room grows. You have more opportunities, and less people competing with you.’ I always remembered that. My mother died when I was twelve. I started working as a maid when I turned thirteen. I made 5 cents a day, which I saved for school. There was no free education in Nigeria. When I ran out of money, I’d stop going to school and go back to work. Stop, work, go back to school. Stop, work, go back to school. And all along my father would say, ‘You aren’t done yet. This is not your last bus stop. One day you will have so much education that you will teach in America.’”

January 6, 2015

Announcements and Reminders: 

* Are you ready to hand in your December Book Assignment? Hand it in TODAY.

* Hand in your hall passes 

if you are ready to not use any more. 

* We will be taking a retake on the main idea test and taking the post test on writing paragraphs.

* If you do not receive a response for your 

"Causes of Good Grades" Essay sometime during class,

  see me.  Tape the essay grading into 

your composition book.

*Do not forget to complete your spelling make-up 

assignment if you have one.



When you are finished with your test, please quietly 

read or work on your spelling assignment.



1. Time to read or to work on your book project (due today)
       and to complete make-up work, if needed for Essential, Non-Negotiable Spelling

***********************************************
In your composition book under Notes and QuickWrites --
2.  iWrite:  You just experienced two major holidays.  Write a complete, correct paragraph to contrast your Christmas Eve with your New Year's Eve.

Underline your central idea/topic sentence.
Number your supporting details: ways they are different.
Circle any transition words.
Double underline your concluding sentence. 

• Write it at an appropriate level of formality.
• Use specific details to explain your major supporting details.
• Revise for complete sentences that say what you mean them to say.
• Edit for capitalization, spelling, and punctuation.

***************************************************
None of the classes did this today:  Check which classes have done this before. 
  Main Idea Practice for Post-Test Retake
B5 (B6 and B7 may have already done it.)

NOW FOR CENTRAL IDEA:   (The BIG IDEA found in nonfiction)

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/06/12/321314037/cool-kids-lose-though-it-may-take-a-few-years

read and practice finding central idea and supporting details

3.  Paragraph Post-Test

4.  The Outsiders --  We will read if there is extra time.

• Reading from The Outsiders   
   
  A1: page 22 "Why don't you be nice and leave us alone?"
  B5:  Page 25 "Okay, I said. . .  " to page 31 page break
  B6: Page 26  "He'd leave you along if he knew you." -- none today
  B7: Page 22  "Dally merely shrugged and strolled off." to page 30, top

January 5, 2015

Announcements and Reminders: 
Are you ready to hand in your December Book Assignment?
We will be taking a retake on the main idea test and taking the post test on writing paragraphs.


1. Time to read or to work on your book project (due today)
       and to complete make-up work, if needed for Essential, Non-Negotiable Spelling

2.  iWrite:  You just experienced two major holidays.  Write a complete, correct paragraph to contrast your Christmas Eve with your New Year's Eve.

Underline your central idea/topic sentence.
Number your supporting details: ways they are different.
Circle any transition words.
Double underline your concluding sentence. 

2.  Main Idea Practice for Post-Test Retake

NOW FOR CENTRAL IDEA:   (The BIG IDEA found in nonfiction)

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/06/12/321314037/cool-kids-lose-though-it-may-take-a-few-years

read and practice finding central idea and supporting details

3.  The Outsiders --  The A1 class was on page 18.  We read today to page 22.

Example Essays

This one is great, but missing a citation.

     Grades are one of the most important parts of school, in fact they may be the most important part. Not only do they communicate understanding of subjects to teachers, they can help us later on in life. Things like collage and getting a good job all depend on the grades we are getting right now. As you can see, if you are lazy now it will haunt you for most of your life. Although they are important, they may not be easy to abstain and maintain. There are ways to do it though, first, hard work. Second, motivation. Lastly, reputation. At first these may not make sense, but by the end of this essay, you could be a 4.0 student. But you can't stop there once you reach the good grades you still have to work to keep them.

     First, put forth hard work. This one is the most important. If something is hard that means that it is worth doing, and hard work is the only way to do it. You can skim by all through school with grades that just make the cut, or you can put forth the effort and be the star of the class. To show hard work you need to be on top of everything, it sounds hard, but it is. Don't be discouraged, all you have to do is pay extra attention. When you get to class, be on task taking and reviewing notes. At home use your notes to help with homework and to study for tests. When test-day comes be sure that you are ready and prepared. To accomplish this do things like: completing all homework, paying attention in class, studying, and lastly take your time. If you put forth the work needed, you will notice and almost immediate change. Grades will rise, homework will get easier, and tests will not be as terrifying.

     Second, do your best to be motivation, This is the big one! If you have no reason to get good grades, why would you? This is why it is important to make high goals. Goals are the perfect was to stay motivated. Motivation can also come from other places: parents always want their kids to have good grades. Some schools have parties for students who have excelled with the grades they have. You could even make a special arrangement with your parents. It may be helpful to look into things like this. No mater where it comes from tries to find a way to motivate yourself and try to pursue it. By doing this to the fullness of your abilities you are one step closer to perfect grades.

     Lastly, try to get a good reputation. Sadly, this has a lot to do with it, even tough it should not. The problem here is that we all are human, even teachers. Because they are only human, the way you look, act, dress, or even talk can effect the way your assignments are graded. Because this is almost impossible to fix, you have to preserver. This is achieved when, you take hygiene into account, as well as what you wear. You can also do yourself a favor by being extra nice and respectful to not only your teachers, but everyone you meet. I am not saying you have to wear a suit and tie and start calling everybody 'sir' and 'ma'am, just be nice and presentable. In, you must remember to be teachable, this means if a teacher or instructor tells you to do something, try your best to do so.

     In conclusion, I think that good grades can be earned by first, work hard. Make sure you give you're all at everything you do. Second, stay motivation.Remember why you are striving for the best. Lastly, try to earn a good reputation. Be care full what you say and do. I strongly believe that if you follow the steps I have listed above that you will begin to notice a change, not only in your grades, but also your entire life. Once you have mastered these steps you will have mastered grades. Which means that getting them will be easier, and maintaining them also. Like I mentioned before you can not stop once you have reasonable grades, but work to keep them. Also remember no one is perfect so if you do make a mistake, do not dwell in it, but learn from it. Also remember that these are not the only way to improve grades. According to Cameron, he is adamant that exercise is the best way to get good grades.



Another Essay

Causes of Good Grades

     All students want to get straight A's, but it is hard to do that if they do not do the things that help them. Some things will help students get better grades in school. When a student does not do the work the teacher assigns they will not do as good on the test as the students who did their work. Participating and being organized in class will help students get better grades. Also making better healthy choices can get students better grades.

     First, doing the work that the teachers give out can help students get good grades. Doing the work they have will help them get good grades on the tests because they know the things they are being tested on. Since I do my work I know what I am being tested on and get a good grade on the test, but when I do not do my homework or do the class work I do not do well on tests. Doing homework right after school will help students get good. According to an article titled How to Get Good Grades found at www.wikihow.com/Get-Good-Grades it states,"Time management is essential. If you are given an assignment that is due next week, do not procrastinate."

     Second, when the students are in class, participating can help them know more then if they did not participate. Participating can also help children be a better student because the teacher knows they are listening. Even if one student is participating, the other students will listen and learn. Being organized will help students do better also. In an article at http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Good-Grades it says "Organizing whatever you use every day helps your mind feel clutter free." That, means that when students are organized their minds are clearer and their minds will concentrate on the things they are learning.

     Finally, when a student gets good sleep, a good breakfast, and they exercise they will do a better job in school. According to a video at NewYorkTimes.com, titled "Exercise and School Grades" it quotes "Students do better on tests after they have exercised and get a good nights sleep." If a student does not eat or eats only a little bit of food for breakfast they can not focus and have a hard time paying attention in school. It is good to eat a healthy breakfast of food like eggs. Getting about 30 minutes of exercise each day helps students brains be more focused.

     In conclusion, all students have to do to get a better grade is to do the things stated. Doing all their homework and classwork, being organized and participating, and finally making good choices for your health. Those are three easy ways to get good grades, because who does not want to get good grades?

  

And another. . . 

     There are many ways for students to get good grades. The ways that I thought were most important were health, prioritizing, and preparation. If students can work more on these things their grades will start to improve much more, and they will see what benefits it brings and start wanting to try their hardest on work.

     My first way for students to get better grades is to be healthy. This includes sleep, eating, and exercise. In order to focus properly, students have to be fully awake, so when students are playing video-games all night they are tired in the mornings and at school they are not capable of focusing entirely. I know that I am often tired during school and can't focus or remember anything, causing me to do poorly on tests and therefore lowering my grade. It is also important to eat healthy meals. If students do not have a proper breakfast it is hard to focus because they don't have the energy from the food. It is also important to exercise. A study from 2013 proves that students that exercise tend to do better in math, science, and writing.("Exercise and School Grades." NYTimes.com Video Collection 2013. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 7 Oct. 2014.)

     My next way for students to get good grades is to prioritize. When students get home some of their first priorities are eating, sleeping, hanging out with their friends, video games, or social media. If students made it their first priority to get their schoolwork done then they would not have to rush and do poorly. Also some students prioritize having social relationships more than school . It would improve their grades if they stopped focusing on their friends and started focusing on school.

     My third and final way to get good grades is preparation. Often students forget homework, pencils, or other items needed for their classes. This makes them fall behind or lose points for late work. If students fail to prepare an assignment or presentation students might get docked for simple errors that students might have been able to fix if they had taken time to prepare. This would also help students feel more relaxed and less stressed.

     Overall, there are many ways to improve a student's grades, however, I think that the ways that are the most efficient are being healthy, prioritizing, and preparing. If students are willing and take an effort in doing these things their grades will most likely start improving.

by Dallin H., Teigun P. ,