Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/31/14

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

AGENDA

Objective:  To read and discuss The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

1.) Candy Quiz warm-up

2.) Listen to and follow along with The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe (page 202 in the text book - see the link in the "Important Links" section)

3.) Start talking

4.) Agenda books

HOMEWORK

1.) Monthly word work assignment is due on Monday

2.) Rough draft of author letter is due on Monday

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/30/14

AGENDA
Objective:  To finish everything up on The Raven

1.) 20 minutes of independent reading
2.) Last words about The Raven
3.) Symbolism all the way
4.) Mental images
5.) Agenda Books

HOMEWORK:
ALL PERIODS
1.) Monthly word work assignment due Monday, 11/3
2.) First drafts of letters to an author due Monday, 11/3

PERIODS 1, 4 & 6:
1.) Packet
2.) Finish mental image of the poem that was started in class.  Remember, you need to include the overall message/theme of the poem, whether you write a few sentence summary or you find a quote to wrap it all up (if you're quoting, make sure you're citing it correctly!).

PERIOD 3:
1.) Finish mental image of the poem that was started in class.  (see note above)

EXTRA CREDIT OPPORTUNITY

I have been getting quite a few emails regarding the Edgar Allan Poe project and finding a way to add some more points, and I think I have the BEST idea!  In the spirit of Halloween, if you want to dress up like your favorite literary character, I will award your five bonus points on your Poe project grade.  If you dress up like a literary character from a short story we've read this year, you'll get seven bonus points.  But, if you choose to dress like Poe or like one of his characters, you'll get ten bonus points.  My final stipulation is that you must be recognizable to get the points, meaning that I must be able to look at you and know who you are without you having to tell me (no masks, no face paint covering your entire face, no weapons).

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/29/14

AGENDA
Objective:  To finish clicking and clunking with The Raven as well as having an accountable talk discussion about it.

1.) Finish The Raven
2.) Talk it out
3.) Traditional Questions
4.) Agenda Books

HOMEWORK
ALL PERIODS:
1.) Monthly word work assignment due Monday, 11/3/14
2.) First draft of author letter due Monday, 11/3/14

PERIODS 1, 4 &; 6:
1.) A solid, one paragraph "So What?" for The Raven that pieces together your understanding of the poem from reading it, our class discussions, and from the video clip you saw in class (not period one).

PERIOD 3:
1.) In The Raven comprehension packet, please complete:
* the third section (putting the events in The Raven in order)
* numbers 2, 3 and 4 in the questions section (complete sentences are required)
* the symbolism chart on the back of the packet (Lenore:  Who was she?  How do you know?  The Raven: Go back to yesterday's homework and see what a raven symbolizes.  Why a raven, especially since, as we discussed in class, there is no actual raven in the poem.  Night's Plutonian Shore: The narrator said the raven was from here.  Why?  Nepenthe:  Since the narrator was unable to acquire some, what conclusions can you draw between that and Poe's actual life.  The Bust of Pallas:  Why would Poe strategically decide to have the raven perch itself there?  Midnight and December:  Ho doe these things effectively set the mood of the poem?

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/28/14

AGENDA
Objective:  To click and clunk in chunks with The Raven in our groups.

1.) Weekly Word Work presentations
2.) Let's talk about symbols (last night's google homework)
3.) Click and clunk with The Raven
4.) Agenda books

HOMEWORK
ALL CLASSES:
1.) Monthly Word Work due on Monday, 11/3/14
2.) First draft of the letter to your author due on Monday, 11/3/14

PERIODS 1, 4 AND 6:
3.) Fold a piece of computer paper in half.  Label the left side "First Chunk of The Raven" and the right side "Second Chunk of The Raven."  Illustrate or explain what's going on in those two chunks (you can choose to do pictures or words; you don't need to do both).

PERIOD 3:
3.) Finish clicking and clunking with the poem and be prepared to talk about it all in class tomorrow.

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/27/14

AGENDA
Objective:  To reflect on work that's made an impact on you and why as well as read, clink and clunk with The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe.

1.) Reading survey (Thank you!!!!)
2.) Letter Writing Competition (an on-going assignment)
3.) Edgar Allan Poe vocabulary sheet
4.) The Raven
5.) Agenda books

HOMEWORK
1.) Weekly word work due tomorrow (Tuesday)
2.) Do the Google search in the back of The Raven packet
3.) Letter writing first rough draft due on Monday (11/3)

Our Surprise Visitor! - 10/24/14

Thank you, Mrs. Herrera, for coming in and visiting our classroom to share some great books with us!  The coolest thing about the books she shared with us is that they're all in verse (stories told through poetry).  But, the most awesome thing is that she is going to be giving us a bucket of the titles she shared with us for our classroom library!  How cool is that!!!

If you're interested in one of those titles, please see me to borrow it from our classroom library.  I know that I have a few titles that I want to read too!

Hidden by Helen Frost
Wicked Girls by Stephanie Hemphill
Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham
Hate That Cat by Sharon Creech
All the Broken Pieces by Ann E. Burg
Little Dog Lost by Marion Dane Bauer
May B by Caroline Starr Rose

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/24/14

AGENDA
Objective:  To complete yesterday's assignment on perspective, voice, style and word choice.

1.) A special visitor
2.) Hand out and go over rubric for A Response from Annabel
3.) Time to work on A Response from Annabel
4.) Agenda books

HOMEWORK
1.) Think about all of the books you've read in your lifetime.  What book sticks out the most to you and why?  What was it about that book that made it so memorable?  Be prepared to discuss this in class on Monday.  Take a few seconds and jot some ideas down in your journal - just bullets, no sentences required.  Make sure you record the book and the author.

2.) Finished poems/letters due Monday.  They need to be decorated/illustrated on the same page as your poem (no second page illustrations, please).

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/23/14

AGENDA:
Objective:  To understand perspective by responding to Annabel Lee from the narrator's point of view.

1.) Quick Annabel Lee check-up
2.) A Response to Annabel
3.) Agenda Books

**During class I will be checking your Words section of your binder, so my absent friends need to make sure you check in with me and show me this when you come back to school.**

HOMEWORK:
1.) Finish your Response to Annabel poem/letter rough draft and bring coloring/art supplies to do the final copy in class tomorrow!

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/22/14

AGENDA FOR PERIODS 1 AND 3
Objective:  To get all caught up and organized

1.) Update your Trimester One Reading Goal List
2.) Do you need a new book card for the board?  Make one!
3.) Organize your binder using the list below
4.) Agenda books

HOMEWORK
None
(but if you didn't get to finish anything in class, please make sure it's completed by tomorrow.  I am also checking your Words section of the binder tomorrow, so please make sure that's all in order!)

AGENDA FOR PERIODS 4 AND 6
Objective:  To have an accountable talk discussion about Annabel Lee in order to maximize understanding and to get all caught up and organized.

1.) Accountable talk discussion about Annabel Lee
2.) Update your Trimester One Reading Goal List.  Do you need a new book card for the board?    
     Make one!
3.) Organize your binder using the list below
4.) Agenda books

HOMEWORK
1.) What is the overall meaning of this poem?  Illustrate it and include either a summary in your own words or a line from the poem that wraps it all up.

2.) Organize your binder and update your book list if you didn't get a chance to do so in class!

3.) Make sure the Words section of your binder is in complete working order because I'm checking it tomorrow!


BINDER ORGANIZATION TO THIS POINT:
Reading/Literature
9/2:  Reading Goals T.1
9/8:  Elements of a story notes
9/15:  Tone sheet
9/15:  Mood sheet
9/16:  Tone/Mood movie trailer notes
9/24:  Irony notes and work

Writing
9/3:  Good, great and ugly writing
9/22: Perfect paragraph notes
9/22: Open response grading rubric (original and the one you made in your own words)
10/8:  Very chart - 45 ways

Journal
9/3: Journal ideas
9/4: ABC about me/letter to Mrs. Leahy
9/5: Journal #2
9/9: Leprechaun response
9/15: Journal #3
9/22: Journal #4
9/29: Journal #5
10/6: Journal #6
10/14: Journal #7
10/20: Edgar Allan Poe
10/21: Mirror purpose

Grammar
9/4: Apostrophe
9/8: Apostrophe HW
9/10: Apostrophe sentences

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/21/14

AGENDA
Objective - To learn how to click and clunk with a poem to maximize understanding.

1.) Word Work Week 5
2.) Get all caught up with my absence from yesterday - collecting rubrics and works cited pages, Edgar Allan Poe Q & A, journals from Friday and yesterday
3.) Turn and Talk - What images does the word "clunk" create?  The word "click"?  What do you think we are doing with these words in ELA
4.) Annabel Lee and discussion
5.) Agenda Books

FOR ANY OF MY ABSENT FRIENDS:

IF YOU WERE ABSENT OR WERE AT THE VOKE FIELD TRIP, PLEASE COMPLETE THE CLICKING AND CLUNKING TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY (CLICKS = THINGS YOU UNDERSTAND, CLUNKS = THINGS THAT ESCAPE YOU) AND COMPLETE THE HOMEWORK LISTED BELOW

HOMEWORK
periods 1 and 3:  What is the overall meaning of this poem?  Illustrate it and include either a summary in your own words or a line from the poem that wraps it all up.

periods 4 and 6:  Finish clicking and clunking with Annabel Lee.  You must also complete the "So What?" section

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/20/14

Hi Language All-Stars,

Unfortunately, I'm not feeling too hot today and will be out.  You know what's expected of you, and I know that you'll use today's class to finish those wonderful projects.  Even though I'm not there, they are still going to be passed in.  Please make sure that you put all of your names and your period number on your project and then put them on the three red chairs in the back of the room.  If you still have time in class after you've turned in your project, you may get started on your journal homework.  Have a productive day, my friends!

Keep Smiling,
Mrs. Leahy

AGENDA
Objective:  To understand the life of Edgar Allan Poe in order to fully understand his work.  Over the next two weeks, we will be evaluating the influence that an author's life has in their work.

1.) Easybib.com  (period 6) - Don't worry about this, guys!  We'll go over it in class tomorrow.
2.) Wequest - Day Four
ALL PROJECTS MUST BE TURNED IN BY THE CLOSE OF CLASS TODAY!  I WILL COLLECT YOUR RUBRICS AND WORKS CITED PAGES TOMORROW, THOUGH!
3.) Agenda Books

HOMEWORK
1.) 20 minute journal prompt:  What is the purpose of a mirror?  Why do people use them?  Now move beyond the literal meaning of a mirror (past the glass) and tell me what other things could people use as a mirror?  Explain what you mean.  Be prepared to discuss what you mean tomorrow in class.

2.) If you didn't complete the journal assignment from Friday's class, that must be completed by tomorrow.

3.) Weekly word work assignments due tomorrow.

TMS Has An Online Newspaper Now! - 10/17/14

The TMS Current is the NEW online newspaper that has just made its debut!  It is run by the Journalism Club and its advisors, Mr. P. and Mr. Maslanka.  I'd check it out if I were you!  I have also put the link in our "Important Links" section of the blog for future reference.

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/17/14

AGENDA
Objective:  To understand the life of Edgar Allan Poe in order to fully understand his work.  Over the next two weeks, we will be evaluating the influence that an author's life has in their work.

1.) Easybib.com  (periods 3, 4 and 6)
2.) Webquest - Day 3
3.) Agenda Books

SAMPLE WORKS CITED PAGE

HOMEWORK
1.) Whatever your group decides you should do for homework, please do it.  Remember, projects are due at the end of class on Monday, so make sure your group is in a really good position to complete this mission successfully.

2.) Given all the information you have embraced about Edgar Allan Poe, please individually answer the following question in a thoughtful journal entry:  Poe might have sometimes been described as opinionated, romantic, impractical, arrogant, ingenious, creative, intelligent and restless.  Did you find examples in your research that would support these descriptions?  BE SPECIFIC.

Something Fun for My Logophiles! - 10/16/14

I saw this article and I wanted to pass it on to all my budding LOGOPHILES!  Check it out!

Logophile (n.) - A lover of words; a word buff; a wordsmith

Article:  An A to Z of Noah Webster's Finest Forgotten Words

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/16/14

AGENDA
Objective:  To understand the life of Edgar Allan Poe in order to fully understand his work.  Over the next two weeks, we will be evaluating the influence that an author's life has in their work.

1.) 20 minutes of independent reading
2.) Webquest Day 2
3.) Agenda books

HOMEWORK
1.) Finish whatever work your group assigns you.
2.) If you feel you need to conduct more research, please do so.
3.) Works Cited page must be completed by Monday at the start of class.

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/15/14

AGENDA
Objective:  To understand the life of Edgar Allan Poe in order to fully understand his work.  Over the next two weeks, we will be evaluating the influence that an author's life has in their work.

1.) Word Work share out
2.) KWL - Edgar Allan Poe

3.) Webquest - Day One
4.) Agenda Books

HOMEWORK
1.) Continue the research component of your Webquest.  Make sure you have enough information for your group where your topics are concerned.

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/14/14

AGENDA
Objective:  To improve our writing by going through the revision process with a partner.

1.) 20 minute journal on the following prompt - Reflect on your experience during Friday's Speed Friending activity.  Who were you embodying?  Who did you meet?  What did you think of them?  Who do you think your character would most likely be friends with and why?  Enemies with and why?

 2.) Revisions vs. Edits (2 minute mini-lesson the difference between the two)

Revision/Revise:  Look for content and defense.  Do these areas need to be changed and/or added to?  Does everything make sense?

Editing/Edit:  Looking at conventions - spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, spacing, heading issues, etc. - and fixing those errors.  No attention is paid to content and clarity.

3.) Revision partners - work with an assigned partner to revise each other's paper by swapping papers and reading your partner's paper aloud to them and working together to make the necessary changes.

4.) Work on final copies

5.) Agenda books

HOMEWORK
1.) Final copies due tomorrow (Wednesday, 10/15/14)
2.) Weekly word work due tomorrow (Wednesday, 10/15/14)
Periods 4 and 6 ONLY:  Journal check tomorrow :)

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/09/14

AGENDA
Objective:  To work with two editing partners on perfecting our first drafts of an irony open response.  One partner will focus on correcting conventions while the other will hone in on word choice.

1.) Preparations for tomorrow
2.) Editing partners round one - CONVENTIONS
3.) Editing partners round two - WORD CHOICE
4.) Agenda Books

HOMEWORK
1.) Second draft of open response due on Tuesday.  Mom, dad, brother, sister, grandma, grandpa (anyone older and wiser than you) needs to edit your paper on the paper and sign the top.

2.) Weekly word work due on Tuesday, 10/14/14

TOMORROW IS TIGER PRIDE DAY!  SHOW YOUR TMS/TIGER SPIRIT!

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/08/14

AGENDA
Objective:  To show your understanding of irony and it's importance in literature by writing an open response paragraph.

1.) Share your chart words
2.) Story chat
3.) Open response breakdown
4.) Graphic organizers
5.) Agenda Books

**Douglas, please click here for your assignment**

HOMEWORK
1.) Turn your graphic organizer into a rough draft (If you are typing, please double space.  If you are writing by hand, please skip lines.  You must include the correct heading and an original title).

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/07/14

AGENDA FOR PERIODS 1, 4 and 6:
Objective:  To strengthen our word choice in our writing by choosing more colorful sophisticated words.

1.) New Seats
2.) Quick write and turn and talk
3.) Color your writing by adding sparkle
4.) Deleting Very Chart - fill in the chart using the strongest word you can find
5.) Agenda Books

HOMEWORK:
1.) Finish your Deleting Very Chart

AGENDA FOR PERIOD 3:
Objective:  Using your irony reference sheet and the three texts you dialogued with, you will write a cohesive, well-organized open response, making sure to focus on powerful word choice.

1.) Deleting Very Chart activity in class
2.) Now apply it!  (choose 5 words you fall victim of pairing with very and "paint" sentences with them using a darker shade of the word).  Want to go for the check plus?  Make your five sentences into one cohesive paragraph!
3.) Agenda Books

HOMEWORK:
1.) Finish your application activity.

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/06/14

AGENDA FOR PERIOD 3:
Objective:  To strengthen our word choice in our writing by choosing more colorful sophisticated words.

1.) New Seats
2.) 20 minute journaling time
3.) Quick write and turn and talk
4.) Color your writing by adding sparkle
5.) Agenda Books

HOMEWORK:
Monthly word work assignment due tomorrow (this is your first and only culminating assessment - 40% of you grade - so far this trimester, so it is imperative that you complete it on time and with your best effort)


AGENDA FOR PERIODS 1, 4 and 6:
Objective:  To complete the SRI Benchmark Reading Assessment

1.) New Seats
2.) SRI test (periods 4 and 6, turn in journals prior to starting the SRI test)
3.) Journal time
4.) Agenda Books

**For my friends who were absent today, please make arrangements to stay after school on TUESDAY, 10/7 for 45minutes to take the SRI test**

HOMEWORK:
Monthly word work assignment due tomorrow (this is your first and only culminating assessment - 40% of you grade - so far this trimester, so it is imperative that you complete it on time and with your best effort)

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/03/14

AGENDA:
Objective:  To get all caught up and on the same page.

1.) Finish Irony Ninja Assignment
2.) Work on Monthly Word Work Assignment
3.) Agenda Books

HOMEWORK:
1.) All Irony Ninja work must be completed by Monday
2.) Monthly Word Work assignment due Tuesday

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/02/14

AGENDA FOR PERIODS 1, 4 and 6:
Objective:  To continue to demonstrate your knowledge of irony by identifying it and explaining it's purpose in three different pieces of literature. 

1.) 20 minutes of independent reading
2.) Journals
3.) Irony Ninja Assignment (see activity below)
4.) Agenda Books
**While you're working, I will be calling people up to hand in their journals**

IRONY NINJA ASSIGNMENT (Periods 1, 4 and 6)
Short Story Reading Challenge - DAY TWO (you only need to get through one other story today)

HOMEWORK:
Periods 1, 4 and 6:
1.) Finish reading and dialoguing with the story you're on today

**Tomorrow, class time will be used to finish up the Irony Ninja Assignment AND I will give class time to work on your monthly words assignment so you can ask me any questions you may have.**

AGENDA FOR PERIOD 3:

Objective:  To get caught up with the Irony Ninja Assignment and to make strides on the monthly words assignment.

1.) 20 minutes of independent reading
2.) Journals
3.) So What?
4.) Monthly words assignment

HOMEWORK:

1.) Work on your monthly words assignment due on Tuesday

Today's Class and Tonight's Homework - 10/01/14

AGENDA:
Objective:  To continue to demonstrate your knowledge of irony by identifying it and explaining it in three different pieces of literature.
1.) Irony Ninja Assignment (see activity below)
2.) Agenda Books
**While you're working, I will be calling people up to check their journals**

HOMEWORK:
Periods 1, 4 and 6:
1.) Finish your work for Day One
2.) Work on your monthly words assignment 

Period 3: 
1.) Finish your work for Day Two
2.) Work on your monthly words assignment 

IRONY NINJA ASSIGNMENT (Periods 1, 4 and 6) 
Short Story Reading Challenge - DAY ONE

IRONY NINJA ASSIGNMENT (Period 3)
Short Story Reading Challenge - DAY TWO