Conferences

After five days of dressing up with Spirit Week last week and Halloween today, we are ready to get back to uniforms.  This week, all classes are preparing for major writing assignments.  Ninth graders have a college research paper due on Nov. 21, with deadlines along the way for their outline (Nov. 2)  and rough draft (Nov. 14).  We will spend some time each week writing this paper, but some will have to be done at home.  Tenth graders also have a paper assignment, an argument paper also due Nov. 21. They will also have a rough draft due Nov. 14 for in class peer review with time to make revisions.

For reading, ninth graders have learned about American Romantic authors and read one short story from this literary movement today.  They will have chances to read others and compare in the coming weeks.  Tenth graders have been reading Shakespeare, starting with sonnets.  They are analyzing the sonnets for both form and meter as well as meaning.

This week we start Parent Teacher Conferences.  I look forward to meeting with the ninth grade parents.  Tenth grade parents, please  email me if you have concerns.  I'll be happy to work with you.

Starting Second Quarter

Welcome back from Fall Break!  We are now one day into the second quarter.  All grades have an in class book report coming up on November 10.  All students should have declared their book and should be reading to be ready for this assignment.

Tenth graders are studying the writing of William Shakespeare, starting first with sonnets.  We will read several sonnets this week, looking at form and meter and analyzing the meaning of the poems.  All work on this will be done in class.  Ninth graders have some IXL work to start off the quarter.  They have three standards on comma rules to review and show mastery.  They will begin studying the American Romantic literary movement by reading short stories from this time and looking at the plot diagram as it applies to each story.  We will also learn about authors from this literary movement.

I look forward to meeting with ninth grade parents at Parent Teacher conferences next week.  Check your email for info on how to sign up.            

End of First Quarter

And just like that, the first quarter is coming to an end!  For students that means many assignments as we finish the quarter strong.  Tenth graders have three IXL standards due Tuesday by midnight.  They also have a restaurant review due in class Wednesday morning.  Students need a printed hard copy and their highlighters because they will go through their writing with the rubric to assess themselves before they turn their paper in.  Many students come to class without their work ready to go.  All classes have been warned, their work will be counted late if they are not prepared with their assignment printed when they walk into class.

Ninth graders are completing their Great Little Madison creative writing this week.  Their writing is due when they walk into class on Tuesday.  We will make a study guide for the test in class to prepare.  Ninth graders will take their test on this biography on Wednesday, using the notes they took as they read.  Thursday we will have a chance to share our writing with each other in class.  This will be a good chance for all students to get ideas from their classmates and to see ways they can improve and to celebrate the good things they are doing as writers.  Any ninth grader who wants to bring a snack for the class to enjoy as we share our writing may do so.  I'll provide plates and napkins.  

This week will be busy getting everything finished,  but after this week, students (and parents) can relax and enjoy their Fall Break!  Have a good week and encourage your student to finish the quarter strong!

Writing Assingments

This week we are writing to evaluate and judge in the tenth grade.  We are writing restaurant reviews, so if your tenth grader asks to go out to dinner and starts taking notes, that may be why!  We started today by reading and annotating restuarant reviews from newspapers.  We will chooese our local restaurant and consider many areas of focus.  Students will also practice their word choice and sentence flow with this assignment.  This will be due next week.  Also, thank you to the parents who came to see our Heroic Journey presentations.  I also appreciate your questions for the groups!  

In ninth grade, students are finishing the biography of James Madison and working on a creative writing task that goes along with the book.  The writing will be due next week and we will have some itme in class each day to work on it.  A hard copy of the writing is due at the start of class next Tuesday.  We will be marking the final draft before turning it in. We will also have a test on this book next week.

Have a great week!