The Eve of Trial

Today, Scholars, we did the following:

Submitted the Capote packet; and 

Prepared for trial.

Tomorrow, please proceed directly to the Multi-purpose room in your trial garb.   We will have a thrilling two-day trial beginning tomorrow.  

Remember that Wednesday, second period will participate in the trial during third period; during second period on Wednesday, you will attend your third period or sit in your third period and make-up work.  You may prepare for the trial in my room during second period on Wednesday if and only if you have a pass from your third period teacher.

Remember that Wednesday, fourth period will participate in the trial during fifth period.  The foregoing rules apply to you all as well.

Start reading 1984 now.  The first 104 pages are due (read and annotated) Tuesday, February 8th. 

Prepare tonight; breathe your part tomorrow (and Wednesday!)

TGIF - Last one in January

Scholars:

Today we continued our trial preparation.  On Monday, you will need to submit the following:

Capote excerpt, annotated and read;

If you are directly examining a witness a TYPED list of each question you will ask that witness with page number references;

If you are a witness offered by our side, your attorney should send you questions over the weekend.  Accordingly, you should come to class with a TYPED list of answers that you have memorized;

Also, if you are presenting a witness, you must submit to me and your witness a TYPED list of questions that the other side may ask your witness on cross examination.

If you are an attorney responsible for cross examining a ninth grade witness, you must submit a TYPED list of potential cross examination questions for your witness(es).  Remember that virtually every question on cross examination should be leading.  Cross examination is no time for a fishing expedition.

You also must inform the person in charge (1st Reagan and Diana; 2nd Danielle; 4th Hasanthi; 6th JP; and 7th Kristie) exactly what you are planning to wear.  We will have no time at the beginning of class to don costumes.

After the trial, we will discuss all of the sources you have been reading and peruse the format for a synthesis AP essay.  On Monday, February 7th, you will write one.

On Tuesday, February 8th, you first reading assignment in 1984 is due - read and annotate the first 104 pages.

Have a great weekend and prepare, prepare, prepare!

Late but great entry

Scholars, I just arrives home; apologies for the late entry.

Today we discussed briefly the two Leopold and Loeb handouts.  We also discussed the case.

Tomorrow we have much to do.  Specifically:

All direct examination questions must be written and page references cited.

All answers to direct examination questions must be written and page references cited.

Potential cross examination questions to our witnesses must be written.

Potential cross examination (leading) questions to ninth grade witnesses must be written.

You should read the Capote excerpt tonight, but you may submit annotations on Monday.

Please procure a copy of 1984; a reading assignment is imminent.

Hump Day!

Scholars, please note the following on this beautiful day:

You received your graded annotated books today.  You also tendered to the other side the following documents:  witness list; case theory(ies); and outside sources.

We also continued to work on trial preparation.

Tomorrow, you will your Leopold and Loeb handouts.  Annotate the news article in a conversational manner; annotate Darrow's closing argument for rhetorical strategies.

Monday, please have read and annotated the excerpt from Capote.

See you tomorrow!

One week from today ...

Students, please note the following:

You received three handouts today:

• An excerpt from Capote;
• A handout regarding insanity;
• The parameters of trial

You also submitted your annotations for grading.  You will receive your annotations back tomorrow.

The Leopold and Loeb handouts are due Thursday;

The Capote excerpt is due Friday;  and

Our next book, 1984, is on sale for $8.

Tomorrow each class MUST have ready to present to the ninth grade:

• witness list
• theories of the case
• list of sources to be used at trial

If you are responsible for one of the foregoing items, please bring a hard copy to class and e-mail a copy to yourself or to me so that we have a back-up copy.

I thought that you all worked well today - good job. 

BTW, Bybee made cookies for everyone today, but I forgot to put them out sixth and seventh periods.  Please remind me to do so tomorrow.

Have a good night! 

Monday! It's a five-day week! It's raining!

Scholars, we will have a blockbuster week.  Please peruse the following:

Today we took a AP style M/C choice test.  I have posted the dramatically curved results on gradespeed and the class rankings on the board.  (BTW, Lorena, I like my Diet Coke in a can, chilled, thanks.)  You also turned in your second vocabulary list for a grade.

Tomorrow, you will have finished the book (read and annotated).  You will finalize your witness list, a description of any theories other than insanity, and a list of all outside sources to be used at trial.  You will also submit your beautifully annotated book for grading.

Wednesday, we will deliver all information described above to Blank, Blank, & Blank and continue to prepare for trial.  I will also give you a short excerpt from the biography Capote to read for Friday.

Thursday, you will have read and annotated the Leopold and Loeb pieces, which I will take up for a grade.  We will also continue our trial prep.

Friday, trial prep. - a judge is visiting Ms. Blank's class fifth, sixth, and seventh periods.  We will send a representative from sixth and seventh periods to learn as much as we can about trial procedure.  You will also turn in your annotated copies of the Capote excerpt.

Monday - trial prep.

Have fun!  Enjoy this rainy evening!

Sunday!

Scholars,

I apologize for this tardy entry.  I will keep it short.

Ms. Blank and I met Friday afternoon.  We negotiated the scope of the trial, which you and I will discuss Tuesday in class.

Why not tomorrow?  We have a test tomorrow, on which you may use your second ICB vocabulary sheet, but not the first sheet.  I will pick up your second sheets tomorrow at the end of class.  Please bring your copies of ICB tomorrow for the test!

See you tomorrow!

Thursday! Goin' to trial!

Scholars, please take note of the following:

Your Mockingbird packet is due tomorrow. Please annotate only the differences between your packet and In Cold Blood.

Thus far, our classes are taking the following stands at trial:

First period - defense

Second period - prosecution

The remaining classes have volunteered for the defense ... we'll see later today.

Ideally, most of your trial work will be done in class. This leaves you time to complete your vocabulary sheet and learn all of the words from your first sheet by Monday, if you haven't done so already, and finish and annotate the book by Tuesday.

Have a great day!

Hump Day!

Scholars, pay close attention to the following dates and information:

First of all many congratulations to fourth period - every student turned in his or her ADQ checklist - well done!  BTW, I haven't seen sixth or seventh periods yet, so there is still hope.

Today we had a vocabulary check on the last twenty words of the vocabulary sheet.  We also began discussing the In Cold Blood trial.

Tomorrow, 20th, we will focus on trial prep.

Friday, 21st, you will have read and annotated the Mockingbird excerpt.  Fascinating, if I do say so myself.

Monday, 24th, you will submit your vocabulary sheet at the end of class.  We will have a multiple choice test on Monday.  You must use your ICB book, and you may use your second vocabulary sheet.  You may NOT use your first sheet.  (This is different from what I told first period - please take note.)

Tuesday, 25th, you will have finished ICB and annotated it.  Can't wait to read those annotations!  We will also draw to see what side we represent at trial (defense or prosecution).

Wednesday, 26th, trial prep.

Thursday, 27th, please have read and annotated the two pieces regarding the Leopold and Loeb murder case.  Annotate Darrow's argument for rhetorical devices (and their effects) and the other piece mainly for information.

Finally, congratulations to the following Scholastic winners:

Daniel Yun

Daniel Lee

Caroline Bybee

Well done!

Tuesday - Welcome back!

Scholars,

I hope you took the time to listen to Dr. King yesterday, whose eloquence and courage seem to reverberate throughout the media yesterday.  If not, don't worry; we will read "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" later in the year.

Today in class we did the following:

Quote quiz from pages 120-248; and

Began to discuss textural evidence to support and undermine a plea of insanity.

I did not pick up your annotations.  I reserve the right to do so any day this week, so bring your book every day.

You will also submit your ADQ Checklist to turnitin.com tonight well before midnight.  If for some reason you cannot access turnitin.com, please e-mail me your paper before midnight.  This mode of transmission should be used by very few of you, if any of you. 

Turnitin.com information was transmitted to you via an earlier post last week.

Many of you have asked me today how long each entry needs to be for each movie, book, or source.  Answer: two to four sentences.  Each entry should serve as a prompt (thanks, Jack Ogden) for you to summon all of the salient information regarding your source as you are writing your essay.

You will bring a hard copy of your ADQ checklist to class tomorrow.

You also received a Mockingbird packet, which is due Friday.  Please annotate each time the information in the Mockingbird packet diverges from In Cold Blood.

You will finish the book by Tuesday.  Please note all potential evidence regarding insanity.

TGIF - January 14, 2011

Hello Scholars!

Today we did the following:

First Period - vocabulary puzzle (not graded) and discussed "Let them eat dog"; you also submitted your annotations on "LTED."

Second and Fourth Periods - discussed "LTED" and submitted annotations.

Sixth Period - graded vocabulary puzzle, discussed "LTED," and submitted annotations.

Seventh Period - reviewed multiple choice answers, discussed "LTED," and submitted annotations.

Tuesday, January 18th - read and annotate through page 248 of ICB; on the last page of your annotations, please jot down three roles in which you would possible be interested in our mock trial.  Please start noting all of the evidence supporting and undermining an insanity defense for both alleged killers.

Tuesday, January 18th or BEFORE - submit your ADQ Checklist to turnitin.com.

Wednesday, January 19th - Hard copy of ADQ Checklist submitted in class.

Have a great three-day weekend, and thank Dr. King for all that he did for us.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Scholars, today we did the following:

You received your graded annotations;  

All but sixth period took a vocabulary check on the second group of twenty words; sixth period took a crossword puzzle on the first twenty words; and

Answered eight multiple choice questions with a partner.

Tomorrow, please have read and annotated "Let them eat dog."  Sixth period will also take a crossword puzzle quiz on the second group of twenty words.

Have a fun-filled, enriching night!

Very Brrrrr! Wednesday, January 12, 2011

So much to say!

I have the AP exam registration forms in my room.  Please take one and turn it in timely to the office.

Today in class (except for sixth period) we discussed ICB and took a quote quiz and a crossword puzzle quiz.  Sixth period took a quote quiz.

Tomorrow, sixth period will take a crossword puzzle quiz on the first 20 words from the vocabulary list.  All other classes will take a vocabulary check on the second 20 words.  All classes will do some AP style multiple choice questions on ICB.

Please read and annotate ICB through page 248 by Tuesday, January 18th.

Your ADQ assignment is due into turnitin.com on January 18th and a hard copy in class on January 19th.  The information for turnitin.com is as follows:

First Period - password - sewardfirst

class id. - 3421894

Class name - 2010-2011 First Period

Second Period - password - Sewardsecond (This is the only password with "Seward" capitalized.)

class id. - 3421908

Class name - 2010-2011 Second Period

Fourth Period - password - sewardfourth

class id. - 3421920

Class name - 2010-2011 Fourth Period

Sixth Period - password - sewardsixth

class id. - 3421930

Class name - 2010-2011 Sixth Period

 Seventh Period - password - sewardseventh

class id. - 3421939

Class name - 2010-2011 Seventh Period

Brrrrrrr! Tuesday, 1/11/11

Scholars, today was picture day!

We also reviewed the vocabulary test.  If you missed this test, you will make it up on Friday at lunch.

You also received a bunch of graded work.  You will peruse this work for a short time tomorrow and then write a bit about your strengths and weaknesses as a writer.

Also tomorrow you will have a quote quiz on the first 120 pages of ICB; I will also take up annotations.

You will also have a vocabulary quiz on the first 20 words from your vocabulary list.  Your quiz is a puzzle without a word bank.

Future assignments:

ADQ sources - due turnitin.com on January 18th, hard copy in class January 19th;

Read and annotate through page 248 of ICB for January 18th.

See you tomorrow!  Study those words!

Monday! Baby it's cold outside! January 10, 2011

Scholars:

Today you took a vocabulary test, which was fun for all, I am sure.  If you didn't do well on this test (at least a "B"), please come see me for some vocabulary infusion potion.

Tomorrow is photo day at BHS.  If past experiences are any indication, my door will become a revolving one with students coming and going throughout class.  Therefore, please note the following change.  We will discuss ICB tomorrow.  However, we will take a quote quiz and turn in annotations on Wednesday.  With this change, we won't have massive numbers of people coming in at random times to make up quizzes, and no one will forget to turn in annotations.

Remember your ADQ assignment is due January 18th!

Also, please read and annotate ICB through page 248 by January 18th.

Stay warm,

Ms. Seward

"Saturday NIght's Alright for Fighting" - January 8, 2010

Scholars:

I hope that you got out and snagged some vitamin D today!

Below is the vocabulary list for your test on Monday, complete with personalized definitions - you're welcome!

The list is long, so, before you peruse it, I will remind you of the vocabulary test on Monday and the reading assignment (through page 120) due on Tuesday.

BTW, to what does the title of this entry refer?

First Vocabulary List – In Cold Blood

Impinge – (v) – to collide, strike, encroach, trespass

Keening – (v) a loud, wailing, lamentation for the dead

Beneficence – (n) the quality of charity or kindness

Pious – (adj.)[1] – reverent or devout in a religious sense

Lamentably (adv.) – LOTS of words ending in “ly” are adverbs – mournfully, deplorably

Myriad (adj.) a vast number; a great multitude

Abstemious – (adj.) – eating or drinking in moderation

Equanimity – (n.)[2] – the quality of being calm and even-tempered

Tawny – (adj.) – light brown to brownish-orange

Pungent – (adj.) – penetrating, biting, caustic, often to the sense of smell

Obscure – (adj.) – not clearly understood or known

Sentry – (n.) – a guard, a watch person

Valor – (n) – courage or honorable boldness

Chamois - (n) an antelope/goat type animal or a piece of soft pliable leather often used to polish surfaces

Enthralled – (adj.; v.) – held spellbound, captivated

Changeling – (n.) – A child who is separated at birth from its birth family and surreptitiously transferred to another; a person who acts out of character for his or her family

Ominous – (adj.) – relating to an evil omen; foreboding, threatening

Mesmeric – (adj.) – hypnotic

Pragmatic – (adj.) – practical

Reverie – (n.) – daydream

Jauntiness (n.)[3] – a lively sense of style; a buoyant sense of self-confidence

Enigma – (n.) – a mystery

Girth – (n.) - the distance around an animal’s or human’s midsection

Wan – (adj.) – pale, weak appearance often attributed to poor health or weariness

Ardently (adv.) – passionately

Affront (n. & v.) – to treat offensively in a defiant way

Reticent – (adj.) – hesitant, especially to speak

Devoid – (adj.) - totally lacking in a certain quality

Ludicrous - (adj.) – absurd

Solace - (n.) – comfort

Ineffable – (adj.) – indescribable; cannot be expressed in words

Protégée – (n.) – a female (that’s where the extra “e” originates) under the patronage or protection of another

 

Elocution – (n.[4]) – the art of speaking clearly and distinctly, often in public to an audience

Ethereality- (n.) – characterized by lightness, airiness, exquisite refinement

Lilliputian – (adj.) – extremely small

Diminutive – (adj.) extremely small, sometimes used to describe a nickname or a word to describe a smaller version of something

Dote – (v.) – to pay excessive attention to

Austere (adj.) – severely simple or plain; strict in manner or demeanor

Fastidious – (adj.) - characterized by excessive care or delicacy

Serpentine - (adj.) – like a snake in form (winding and twisting) or stereotypical characteristics (sneaky and sly)

Itinerant - (adj. & n.) – one who travels without a fixed location to live or work

Opulent – (adj.) – luxurious, lavish

Wanton – (adj.) – describes reckless or careless behavior, committed without regard to laws, rules, or social mores

Evocative - (adj.) – an experience that tends to call forth emotions, memories, sensations

Placid – (adj.) – calm

Nostalgia – (n.) – a yearning or wistful longing for the past; a fond remembrance of past events or conditions

Eminent – (adj.) – outstanding, well-regarded, well-respected, prominent

Coterie – (n.) – a clique

Quandary - (n.) – a dilemma; a state of indecision

Decrepit – (adj.) – old and tired from age or use

Dourness – (n.) – gloominess, harshness

Disheveled – (adj.) – disorganized and untidy

Emanated – (v.) – to spread out, stem, or radiate from

Credulous – (adj.) – gullible

Furtive – (adj.) – sneaky, sly

Ruminations - (n.) – ponderings, contemplations, reflections

Agoraphobic - (adj.) – an irrational fear or public or open spaces

Sojourn - (n.) – a brief visit

Mirthful – (adj.) – joyful; full of laughter

Edifice – (n.) – a large building or structure

Languid – (adj.) – lacking energy or vitality

Pallid - (adj.) – pale, lacking spirit

Lair – (n.) – a wild animal’s den; a retreat or hideaway

Caustic – (adj.) – a remark of biting or burning sarcasm

Gaunt – (adj.) – extremely thin

Ruefully - (adv.) – regretfully

Mica – (n.) a shiny, flaky mineral

Annihilating – (v.) – destroying

Raucous – (adj.) – unruly in a noisy and boisterous fashion

Delineating – (v.) – to mark the outlines of

Tantalized – (v.) – teased or tempted someone with something desired but just out of reach

Intrepid – (adj.) – courageous and adventurous

Prevarications - (n.) – lie

Affable – (adj.) – friendly and approachable

Sullen – (adj.) – gloomy; showing an ill temper by silence

Bravura – (adj. & n.) – dazzling artistic flair

Stealthy – (adj.) – done quietly, secretive, furtively

---

[1] ALL words (except “couscous”) ending in “ous” are adjectives

[2] Many words ending in “ty” are nouns

[3] Many words ending in “ness” are nouns

[4] ALL words ending in “tion” are nouns

Thursday, January 6. 2011

Scholars:

Good job with a tedious task today.

We finished analyzing "A word about evil" today.  You also submitted your vocabulary sheets, which you will receive back tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, we unfortunately have short classes; however, we will have ample time in which to write a ... on ... .

Monday we will have a vocabulary test on all of the words on the list.

Tuesday please have read and annotated the first 120 pages of In Cold Blood.

Have fun in the new year!

Wednesday, January 5, 2010

Scholars:

Your vocabulary sheet is due tomorrow.

Today you received your ADQ assignment, and we brainstormed about potential sources on which to base an AP essay.  This assignment is due to turnitin.com on January 18th and in class (hard copy) January 19th.

Your first reading and annotating assignment in In Cold Blood is due Tuesday, January 11 - (through page 120).

Today (except in fourth period) we started analyzing rhetorically "A word about evil."  We will work on that again tomorrow and perhaps discuss the rhetorical analysis from the 2010 AP test.

Ain't it good to be back?  Where else would I have learned about the pandacow?

Happy New Year! Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Brilliant Scholars,

I hope that you all had a marvelous break.

Today you received an In Cold Blood vocabulary sheet, which is due Thursday, January 6th.  As noted at the end of the sheet, please read ICB with particular focus on the childhoods of Dick and Perry, as well as any evidence that would support an insanity defense.

We also read and discussed today Leonard Pitts's (notice how the possessive of that name is formed?) article entitled "A few words about evil."  Please keep that article, which we may analyze a bit rhetorically tomorrow.  Also ponder whether some of Mr. Pitts's statements may be effective in a closing argument for the defense in our ICB trial.

Tomorrow we will start reviewing the 2010 AP exam.

So many fascinating subjects, so little time.