WEEK 10 AGENDA: NOVEMBER 5-9

Foci: Short Stories and Punctuating Dialogue

Notes:
NO SCHOOL ON FRIDAY
BOOK TALKS ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY
CONFERENCES ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY 3-7
NO HOMEWORK HELP THIS TUESDAY BECAUSE OF CONFERENCES

Homework:
Tic Tac Toe #2 due on Monday, November 12

MONDAY AND TUESDAY:
Book Talks and Punctuating Dialogue

WEDNESDAY
Organize Binders
New Base Groups
Daybook 49-52

THURSDAY:
WNB #9
Read TTT #2 story in class

QUARTERLY REFLECTION

Questions:

1) What is your overall effort in this class?

2) Are you respectful to your peers and teacher?

3) Do you come to class prepared, with all of your materials?

4) How organized are you?

5) Describe the organization of your binder, your WNB, and your writing portfolio. You may choose to use some vivid figurative language here!

6) Look back at the goal sheet you set for first quarter. Which goals have you been pursuing, and which have you met?

7) Set some goals for second quarter here.

8) Comment on your base group. What kind of group would you like to be in next time?

9) Discuss your best piece of writing in this class. Why are you proud of it?

10) What has been your favorite activity this quarter? Why?

WEEK 9 AGENDA: OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 2

Foci: Characterization and commas

Notes:
*This Friday is the end of 1st Quarter. Friday is an early release schedule. Quarterly recognition at JHMS in the afternoon.
*All missing work is due by Wednesday, October 31.
*Halloween is weird hair day!!!
*Student Dance is November 2nd.

Homework: Final 1st Quarter HW - Tic Tac Toe - due on Wednesday, October 31. One box is required. Two boxes optional for extra credit.

MONDAY
-Finish sharing "Landlady" rewritten endings
-Discuss setting and characterization in Roald Dahl's "Landlady"
-Grade Daybooks together
-Daybook p. 46 - Characterization

TUESDAY
-Commas and Comma Splices mini-lesson
-Grammar in Context: More practice punctuating dialogue - samples taken from student narratives

WEDNESDAY - WEIRD HAIR DAY
-Tic Tac Toe due
-Share Tic Tac Toe in Base Groups
-Vocabulary List #2 - 5 words from texts: "Landlady" and Tic Tac Toe story

THURSDAY
-Read "Lamb to Slaughter" by Roald Dahl
-Make 5 CM's about characterization as we read

FRIDAY - EARLY RELEASE SCHEDULE
-Quarterly Reflection

WEEK 8 AGENDA: OCTOBER 22-26

FOCUS: Mapping the Short Story

Upcoming Short Story Unit: Students will read a variety of short stories and respond to literary prompts. Classroom discussion and activities will focus on the question: What makes a good short story? Unit will culminate in a student written short story.

Parent Teacher Conferences are November 6th and 7th.

Student Dance is October 26 - this date is going to change.

Final First Quarter Homework Assignment:
Select one assignment from the Short Story Unit Tic Tac Toe.
Submit your typed response by Wednesday, October 31st.

MONDAY
Finish conferencing for narratives
Finish typing final drafts

TUESDAY
Final narrative draft due - turn in two copies
WNB #6 - Student Prompt
Vocabulary List #2

WEDNESDAY
Narrative Unit Quiz
Share Narratives

THURSDAY
Finish sharing narratives
Mapping the Short Story & Short Story Terminology
Begin "Landlady"


FRIDAY
Finish "Landlady"
WNB #6 - New Ending for "Landlady"
Grammar in Context:
Reviewing dialogue punctuation and the dash
Commas and comma splices

WEEK SEVEN AGENDA: OCTOBER 15-19

Foci: Narrative Structure and Essentials of a Story


Weekly Homework: Complete Daybook pages 39-45. Annotate and complete the assignments for “Journey to Topaz” and “The Witch of Blackbird Pond.” This assignment is due on Friday.

MONDAY AND TUESDAY:

Continue drafting Narratives
Rough Draft due at the end of class on Tuesday

WEDNESDAY

Peer Editing x 2
Complete checklist and response sheets for two peers

THURSDAY AND FRIDAY

Continue working on Narrative - final draft due at the end of class on Monday
Daybook Homework due on Friday

Narrative Topics

This is a space for you to share what you are writing your narrative piece about. Simply post your topic under the 'comments' link and make sure to put your name at the bottom. It will be fun for everyone to find out what others are writing on...have fun!!!

WEEK SIX AGENDA: OCTOBER 8-12

Over the next two weeks you will be creating a narrative essay.
A narrative essay is a recollection of an experience. The essay shows how one experience has shaped or formed a part of you. A good narrative essay is focused on a meaningful incident or event. The reader should see, smell taste and feel what happened. A strong narrative has an individual voice that suggests the importance this event has had on you. Usually a narrative utilizes a first person point of view, and uses honest and realistic dialogue where it fits. For the next two weeks, spend one hour per week improving, revising or adding to the writing time provided in class. Time spent interviewing parents or others is a valuable use of this time.

Foci: Narratives & Punctuating Dialogue

Weekly Homework - due on Friday:
I. Read "What's the Worst that Could Happen?" by Bruce Coville
Task: Highlight all the places you find figurative language (imagery, similes, metaphors, onomatopoetic words, sensory details, personification, etc.)
Respond: How does figurative language improve the story?
You need to use two quotes from the text to support your argument. Remember to INTRODUCE YOUR QUOTES AND CITE THE PAGE NUMBERS IN PARENTHESES!!!

II. WNB's due on Friday: Entries 3-5: Bully Sketch, Letter to Kyle Walker, Narrative Pre-writing

Notes:
There is no school on Monday - district wide inservice for teachers


TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY:
Begin Drafting Narratives
1) Finish your pre-writing - WNB#5
2) Begin Typing - 12 point font, double space

Header format:
Name
Period number
Date

You need a title, and page numbers with your last name.

THURSDAY:
Grammar Mini-Lesson: Commas, the dash, and punctuating dialogue

FRIDAY:
WNB's due
Response to "What's the Worst that Could Happen?" due

Keep Typing