Wednesday 11/10/10

IN CLASS:
Hours 2, 4, 8--Today we finished up the partner questions (complete with bouncy dice) before reading chapter 8 together as a class. Then students took a comprehension quiz on clickers for their first grade of second quarter.

Hours 3, 5--Today students had time for working on their outlines and organizers while I checked thesis statements and progress. Outline/organizer/first draft is due tomorrow.

ASSIGNMENT:
Hours 2, 4, 8--none
Hours 3, 5--Outline/organizer/first draft is due tomorrow

Tuesday 11/9/10

IN CLASS:
Hours 2, 4, 8--Today students read chapter 7. Then we did a question/answer activity in partners.

Hours 3, 5--Today we took some notes on essay writing, revisited structure and reminders, and had some time to start/continue crafting clear thesis statements.

ASSIGNMENT:
Hours 2, 4, 8--none
Hours 3, 5--Have thesis written by tomorrow. Begin working on outline/organizer (due Thursday)

Monday 11/8/10

IN CLASS:
Hours 2, 4, 8--Today classes wrote important dates for the quarter into their agendas at the beginning of class. Then they received back graded work from 1st quarter including their Elements of Fiction Exam. Finally, we had a brief discussion regarding chapter 6 in The Outsiders. Are Ponyboy and Johnny heroes? Or criminals? Students ended the hour with time for silent reading finishing chapter 6 and beginning chapter 7.

Hours 3, 5--Today classes wrote important dates for the quarter into their agendas at the beginning of class. Then they received back graded work from 1st quarter including their Elements of Fiction Exam. After that we went through the expectations of the upcoming essay writing project and began thinking of possible topics of interest for writing.

• Essay handout from class

ASSIGNMENT:
Hours 2, 4, 8--none
Hours 3, 5--Decide on essay topic (one or two options) by tomorrow using essay handout from class

Thursday 11/4/10

All classes took the vocab exam covering the words from lessons 17-20 today. It is the last day of first quarter. There is no homework for the weekend.

Wednesday 11/3/10

IN CLASS:
Hours 2, 4, 8--Today students finished their critical response that was started yesterday (see yesterday's blog post for details). Then we played a review game to help prepare for the vocab exam tomorrow.

Hours 3, 5--Today students did their end of quarter reflection writing, and then we played a lively vocab review game.

ASSIGNMENT:
ALL STUDENTS SHOULD STUDY FOR VOCAB EXAM (10% of your final grade!)

Tuesday 11/2/10

IN CLASS:
Hours 2, 4, 8--Today these classes read chapter 6 in class on their own. Then students began work on a critical response.

• Based on the events in the story and what happened in the park, do Ponyboy and Johnny deserve to be called heroes?
• Explain your answer in the form of a critical response. Use at least 2 direct quotations to support your answer. At least one DQ should come from chapter 6.

Hours 3, 5--Today we began reviewing the parts of an essay. We did this using a list, sort, label activity. Then we took a few notes and began talking about possible thesis statements.

ASSIGNMENT:
All classes--study for vocab exam (review activity tomorrow)

• Download review sheet for hours 2, 4, 8

Monday 11/1/10

IN CLASS:
Hours 2, 4, 8--Today we read chapter 5 in The Outsiders. Hour 4 also read chapter 4.

Hours 3, 5--Today we finished reading the last chapter of The Outsiders. Tomorrow we will begin working on topics for the upcoming essay assignment.

ASSIGNMENT:

• Get caught up on any missing or incomplete work for the quarter.
• Remember the final vocab exam is on Thursday over lessons 17-20