Early D!

Ninth Graders worked on the Open Ended Response skills.  Tonight's homework is to write a one page story (one side of one sheet of paper) based on the theme of the tension between the risk and the necessity of standing up for oneself.

Juniors took a quote quiz and discussed Mountains briefly.  Please have read and annotated through page 237 for Friday.  Please have the book finished and annotated on Friday, March 9th.  If you are leaving for Spring Break and will not be in class on that Friday, you need to leave your book with me before that time.

Our next book is  Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat.  I will have them for sale for $12 in the near future.

(The) write stuff

Thought du jour:  "Leading your life and saying yes is much richer than saying no and being safe" (William Shatner).

Ninth graders had another super day.  We honed your short answer writing skills and read more of A Lesson Before Dying.  Good job.  Don't worry - we will start having homework again real soon.

Juniors had a guest author/teacher today, Lacy Johnson, who gave First and Third Periods the following assignment:

A narrative of about 1,000 words describing a significant, transformative experience in your life.  Please begin your paper somewhere in the middle of the experience (in medias res) and explain or show how that experience has shaped you (the realization) near the end of your narrative.

Sixth and Seventh Periods have the following assignment:

Describe one scene (could be up to ten minutes in a time span) from a significant or transformative experience in 250 or fewer words.  Describe as many details as possible - remember it doesn't exist to your reader unless you write it.

Your paper is due Tuesday, March 6th.  Please bring two hard (typed) copies to class.  You will also submit your narrative to turnitin.com.

Tomorrow. please have read and annotated through page 210 of Mountains.

All for now

Back in the saddle again ...

So good to see all of you amazing students today. 

Ninth graders read chapter 8 in A Lesson Before Dying and wrote a short answer with an embedded quote.  Tomorrow we will write more of the narrative and read more.

Juniors wrote creatively today.  Tomorrow you will have a guest teacher.  Wednesday please have read and annotated through page 210 of the transformational book Mountains Beyond Mountains.  Thursday and Friday is TAKS time!  If you are new to TAKS, please let me know.  I will have additional materials for you. 

Life is good (and short).  Embrace passion.

February 22, 2012 - last post this week! (It's Friday for me!!!)

NINTH GRADE FINISHED THE BENCHMARK TODAY!  Hallelujah!  You all worked so well.

Thursday and Friday you will write - be good.  If I receive a favorable report from the sub, doughnuts will come your way.

Juniors, you never fail to amaze me with your insightful outlooks that broaden my perspective.  Thank you!

Today we watched Kwame Dawes's video-poem "Mothers to Mothers."  The link to this piece is as follows:

http://www.veryartistical.com/2011/01/05/in-haiti-poet-kwame-dawes-tells-post-quake-stories/

You also received an article responding to David Brooks-Seward's notion that we should implement a national service.  Please have this article read and annotated for Monday, and, of course, bring it to class on Monday.  The link to this article is as follows:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/15/opinion/invitation-to-a-dialogue-a-national-service-program.html

Now, please note the following:

Tomorrow, please bring your Gingrich articles; you will need them for the amazing essay you will write.  The links to these articles are as follows:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/03/opinion/blow-newts-war-on-poor-children.html?_r=1

http://www.nationalreview.com/exchequer/283865/newts-right-put-kids-work

http://www.npr.org/2011/12/07/143301568/a-look-at-gingrichs-comments-about-the-poor

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/rachel-maddow-newt-gingrich-jonathan-swift

Friday, you may bring your Super Bowl article; it is not essential, however.

Monday, please bring the David B-S article I gave you today; also bring your two articles on the national service proposal.  These articles are essential to the stupendous essay you will write.  Links to those articles are as follows:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72302.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/31/opinion/brooks-the-great-divorce.html?_r=1

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/opinion/sunday/sunday-dialogue-uniting-america-through-national-service.html?pagewanted=all

Whew!

Tuesday, you will have a splendid guest teacher; Wednesday please have read and annotated pages 1-210 of Mountains Beyond Mountains.

A Tuesday in February

Ninth graders participated in course selection today.  We WILL finish our benchmark tomorrow and then proceed to more fascinating stuff.

Juniors submitted their vocabulary lists and then published their commencement speeches.  The ones that were read in class first and third periods were simply splendid.  I can't wait to hear the rest.

Homework for tomorrow is to have read and annotated through page 147 of Mountains Beyond Mountains.  Also PLEASE submit your speech to turnitin.com tonight.

Ciao!

Monday

 Ninth graders worked on the benchmark ... one more day ...  The end is in sight.

Juniors read an article about Haiti, wrote about the article, and discussed briefly the book.  Tomorrow is commencement speech day.

Please bring the following:  your speech, your vocabulary list, your book, your brain.  Please remember to turn in your speech to turnitin.com by Tuesday night.  I will deduct 15 points if you miss this deadline. 

Please read and annotate through page 147 for Wednesday!

All for now!

FRIDAY!!!!

Ninth graders continued working on their benchmarks in a focused, mature manner.  I am proud of you.

Juniors discussed a  ... David Brooks article, cheating, religion, and the first 95 pages of Mountains Beyond Mountains.  You also took a quote quiz.  The links to the two Lincredible articles I mentioned in class appear below:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/17/opinion/brooks-the-jeremy-lin-problem.html?_r=1&scp=6&sq=david%20brooks&st=cse

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/17/opinion/asian-men-can-jump.html

For Monday, please have read and annotated the first 121 pages of Mountains.  Also, please make your own vocabulary list with 20 words from the first 121 pages of Mountains, with definitions, sentences, or both.

For Tuesday, have your commencement speech DONE!

For Wednesday, please have read and annotated the first 147 pages of Mountains.

Have a splendid weekend!

Sports Day!

Ninth graders - benchmark - hang in there!

Juniors discussed a bit Superbowl strategy and presented summaries of their lives in sports.  I smell a writing assignment coming.

Tomorrow, MBM, first 95 pages, read and annotated.  I smell a quote quiz coming.

If your group did not perform its skit, you must do so by Tuesday of next week.  Must.

Thanks!

Wednesday!

Ninth graders continued to take the STAAR benchmark.  Your collective concentration is impressive.

Juniors discussed Newt Gingrich and Rachel Maddow.  (Is the foregoing sentence an antithesis?:))

If you missed the clip, you may access it at the following link:

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/rachel-maddow-newt-enrich-jonathan-swift

Tomorrow is sports day!  Specifically, how does a scholar apply the lessons and inspiration that one learns in sport to life, to citizenship, to that (&^$%#$ AP English Language Exam? 

To that end, please have read and annotated the Super Bowl articles.

MBM is due Friday!  Ninety five pages!  Read and annotated?

BTW, please know the following words by Friday:  shibboleth, malignant, narcissism, chronic, scapegoat, incorrigible, licentious.

See you demain!

"L" is for the way you look at me ...

Ninth graders took a benchmark test today.  We will continue to do so throughout the week.

Juniors discussed the Brooks's article "The Great Divorce" today.  We will continue to do so tomorrow, as well as discuss Newt Gingrich's proposal.  What would Florence Kelley say?

Thursday please have read and annotated the Super Bowl articles from the NYT.  The link to this article is copied below:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/07/sports/football/super-bowl-46-after-giants-surreal-touchdown-debates-on-the-strategy.html?_r=1&ref=samborden

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/07/sports/football/super-bowl-coaches-agree-its-a-tough-one.html


Friday, please have read and annotated the first nine chapters of Mountains Beyond Mountains.

Your commencement speech is due Tuesday, February 21, 2012.

All you need is love,

Ms. Seward

Rainy days and Mondays always rev me up!

Ninth graders focused like lasers today (hmmmm ... a simile).  We practiced short answers today.  Tomorrow we start a STAAR benchmark test.

Juniors wrote a persuasive essay!  Tomorrow, please have perused the Brooks articles; Wednesday, please have perused the Gingrich articles; Thursday, please have perused the Super Bowl stuff, and Friday, please have read and annotated Mountains Beyond Mountains.  Your commencement speech is due Tuesday, February 21, 2012.  Final offer.

Ciao!

Addendum for juniors

Juniors, one small change - your commencement speech is due on Thursday.  The rest of the schedule remains the same.

Great weekend,

Ms. Seward

TGIF

So good to be back!

Ninth graders did a little grammar today, and you also practiced short answers STAAR style.  Homework for Monday is to read through page 41 of A Lesson Before Dying.

Juniors performed their skits.  The schedule for next week is as follows:

Monday - persuasive essay

Tuesday - Brooks

Wednesday - commencement speeches due and Gingrich

Thursday - ?

Friday - read and annotate through page 95 of Mountains Beyond Mountains.

Great weekend!

Hump Day

Ninth graders turned in homework, wrote sentences from stems, took a reading quiz, and read from A Lesson Before Dying.  Homework tonight is to write sentences with words 11-20 from the Lesson Before Dying list#2 conforming to the following:  Two compound sentences with a semicolon; two compound sentences with a comma and a fanboy, two similes, two sentences with alliteration, and two anaphoras.  You also need to finish chapter two on your own.

Juniors finished their discussion on "Daze and Confused." You also wrote a play featuring Shelby Steele, and, perhaps, Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King, Charles Murray, or Paul Krugman. Tomorrow please read and have annotated the two Brooks packets as noted in yesterday's entry.

Penultimately: The commencement speech is not due until Wednesday, February 15, 2012.

Lastly:  Our next book is Mountains Beyond Mountains, which I will sell to you for $14.40.  First reading assignment will be approximately 100 pages and will be due on Friday, February 17, 2012.

Tuesday - a great day!

Juniors, please scroll down past the vocabulary sheet; you're there!

Ninth graders received a new vocabulary sheet today, which I have copied below:

A Lesson Before Dying List 2

1. aggravate VERB 1. To make worse or more troublesome 2. To rouse to exasperation or anger; to provoke The rowdy students aggravated the substitute teacher with one prank after another.

2. agitate VERB 1. To cause to move with violence or sudden force 2. To upset; to disturb 3. To arouse interest in (a cause, for example) by use of the written or spoken word; debate; To stir up public interest in a cause  The strong words of the candidate’s speech agitated the audience members, who previously had not given much thought to the issue.

3. criticize VERB 1. To find fault with  2. To judge the merits and faults of; analyze and evaluate  I wish that you would find a way to compliment me every once in a while rather than criticize every little thing that I do.

4. cynical ADJ 1. Believing or showing the belief that people are motivated chiefly by base or selfish concerns; skeptical of the motives of others: 2. Selfishly or callously calculating: 3. Negative or pessimistic, as from world-weariness 4. Expressing jaded or scornful skepticism or negativity Rudy was cynical about Marsha’s apology and suspected that it was not sincere.

cynicism NOUN 1. An attitude of scornful or jaded negativity, especially a general distrust of the integrity or professed motives of others 2. A scornfully or jadedly negative comment or act  I find it difficult to keep a positive attitude while surrounded by your cynicism day in and day out.

5. emphasis NOUN 1. Special forcefulness of expression that gives importance to something singled out One way to add emphasis to your words is to type them in a boldface font.

emphasize VERB To give emphasis to; to stress  While reviewing for the final exam, the teacher emphasized the main points that the students needed to know.

6. gesture  NOUN 1. A motion of the limbs or body made to express or help express thought or to emphasize speech  2. The act of moving the limbs or body as an expression of thought or emphasis 3. An act or a remark made as a formality or as a sign of intention or attitude     VERB To show, express, or direct by gestures  You don’t have to make a huge gesture of apology; a simple “I’m sorry” will suffice.  Mary gestured to the rescue boat to let them know that she needed help.

7. humiliate VERB To lower the pride, dignity, or self-respect of Jackson was humiliated when the other students stole his backpack, threw his lunch on the floor, and called him names.

8. innate ADJ 1. Possessed at birth; inborn 2. Possessed as an essential characteristic; inherent 3. Of or produced by the mind rather than learned through experience Some people seem to be born with an innate sense of right and wrong, while others seem to learn right and wrong from their family and society.

9. maneuver NOUN A movement or procedure involving skill and dexterity; A strategic action undertaken to gain an end; Artful handling of affairs that is often marked by scheming and deceit  VERB To make a controlled series of changes in movement or direction toward an objective To use stratagems in gaining an end The commander’s wise maneuver allowed the soldiers to escape without harm.  Preparing for kickoff, the players maneuvered into position.

10. petrify VERB 1. To convert (wood or other organic matter) into a stony replica by petrifaction 2. To cause to become stiff or stone-like; to deaden. 3. To stun or paralyze with terror; to daze  Marva was petrified when the teacher used her essay as an example of how not to write an essay.

11. privilege NOUN a. A special advantage, immunity, permission, right, or benefit granted to or enjoyed by an individual, class, or caste b. Such an advantage, immunity, or right held as a prerogative of status or rank, and exercised to the exclusion or detriment of others  Off-campus lunch is a privilege that must be earned; it is not a right.

12. pry VERB To look or inquire closely, curiously, or impertinently 1. To raise, move, or force open with a lever 2. To obtain with effort or difficulty  Since we can’t find our key, let’s use this crowbar to pry the lock off the trailer. Mind your own business; do not pry into mine.

13. refrain VERB To hold oneself back Students must refrain from using their cell phones in the classroom.

14. stagger VERB 1. To move or stand unsteadily, as if under a great weight; to totter  2. To begin to lose confidence or strength of purpose; waver  After wandering for two days in the desert, Hank finally staggered back into town; he was barely able to walk.

15. stealth NOUN 1. The act of moving, proceeding, or acting in a covert or secretive way ADJ 1. Not disclosing one's true ideology, affiliations, or positions 2. Having or providing the ability to prevent detection by radar Irvin’s online stealth allowed him to steal from several bank accounts without the accountholders’ knowledge of what he was doing.  In retrospect, the townspeople regarded the newly elected mayor as having been a stealth candidate who didn’t honestly state his beliefs and ideology until after he had won the election.

16. stutter VERB To speak or utter with a spasmodic repetition or prolongation of sounds  NOUN The act or habit of stuttering When Jenna gets nervous, her voice shakes and she begins to stutter.  The children teased Mark mercilessly because of his stutter.

17. tyrant NOUN 1. An absolute ruler who governs without restrictions 2. A ruler who exercises power in a harsh, cruel manner 3. An oppressive, harsh, arbitrary person  Geraldine was glad to move out on her own, for she felt her father was a tyrant who had ruled every aspect of her life.

18. ventilate VERB 1. To admit fresh air into (a mine, for example) to replace stale or noxious air  2. To circulate through and freshen  Let’s open the window and ventilate the room; it won’t take long for the odor to dissipate.

19. vivid ADJ 1. Perceived as bright and distinct; brilliant 2.  a. Having intensely bright colors b. Having a very high degree of saturation 3. Presented in clear and striking manner 4. Perceived or felt with the freshness of immediate experience 5. Active in forming lifelike images  The author provided vivid  descriptions of the mountains that were realistic, so much so that we could picture every detail in our minds.

20. welt NOUN a. A ridge or bump on the skin caused by a lash or blow or sometimes by an allergic reaction. b. A lash or blow producing such a mark  I noticed a welt on my leg this morning precisely where I slammed into the coffee table yesterday.

Ninth grade homework for tomorrow is the following:  Sentences with the first ten words that conform to the following: 2 compound sentences with a semicolon; 2 compound sentences with a comma and one of the fanboys; 2 similes; 2 anaphoras; and 2 sentences with alliteration.

Please recall that if you made below a "C" on yesterday's test, you have lunch tutorials tomorrow AND Thursday, when you will re-take the test.

Ninth also need to finish the first chapter of a Lesson Before Dying, which is a whopping two pages. 

Juniors did the following:

Read, discussed, and submitted their ADQ checklists;

Received an article on Obama's dropout proposal, for your personal erudition; and
Read an essay "Dazed and Confused" in class.

You all also received a plethora of articles, which I will dsecribe below, with their due dates.

For tomorrow:  "Being Black and Middle Class";

For Thursday:  Brooks day (our last one) - the articles are as follows:
 http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/72302.html; and
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/31/opinion/brooks-the-great-divorce.html (including the comments)

For Friday: Newt! - the articles are as follow:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/03/opinion/blow-newts-war-on-poor-children.html (I will give this to first period tomorrow; the rest of you received this today);
http://www.nationalreview.com/exchequer/283865/newts-right-put-kids-work; and
http://www.npr.org/2011/12/07/143301568/a-look-at-gingrichs-comments-about-the-poor

Don't worry; these articles are not difficult (litotes) to read, and you will be even more informed after reading, if that is possible.  Enjoy!

Test Day

Ninth graders took a test featuring Deangelo and Lapo.  No homework tonight.

Juniors wrote a persuasive essay.  Your ADQ checklist is due tomorrow, both a hard copy in class and on turnitin.com.  Wednesday, please have read and annotated "Being Black and Middle Class." 

Yay Giants!

FRIDAY!

Ninth graders finished stories based on "Shame" and "Eleven" and then started flashcards for the test on Monday.  Your flashcards should have the following information on them: word, definition, part of speech, sentence, and a picture.  Your test Monday will be on the 30 words from the "I Have a Dream" sheet and the first ten words on a "Lesson Before Dying" sheet.

Juniors discussed the basics of writing a persuasive essay, as they will be writing one on Monday for a test grade.  (Remember to bring your watch.)  We also took a quote quiz on Frederick Douglass as well as submitted annotations.  We also discussed the Wall Street Journal essay 'What Wrong with the Teenage Brain?"  Next due dates are February 7th for the ADQ sheet, and February 14th for your commencement speech.  Embrace the opportunity to work in a prudent fashion.

Have a good weekend!

Two links

Juniors,

http://www.biography.com/people/malcolm-x-9396195/videos/malcolm-x-mini-bio-2078946252
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1698123446659130656#

These are the two links that we watched in class, just case you would like them.  There are tons more on the inaccessible youtube.

Taco Bell Thursday

Ninth graders finished the story "Shame" today and read "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros.  You also started writing your own stories.  Tomorrow we will work on vocabulary and prepare for Monday's test.  No homework tonight.

Juniors listened to iconic protest song "Strange Fruit" as sung by the late, great Lady Billie Holliday.  We also watched two videos featuring Malcolm X and discussed and analyzed same.  Third period tutored me in technology.  Thanks, David! 

Please read and annotated Frederick Douglass for tomorrow.

All for now,

Ms. Seward

Now, it's Wednesday

Ninth graders had a less-than-stellar class today.  Tomorrow we will all channel maturity.  Tomorrow you will have a test on "Shame."  Please make sure that you have read it carefully.  You also have homework due - sentence with words 11-20 on your new sheet.

Juniors finished their discussion on Malcolm X and turned in their annotated books.  For tomorrow, please have read and annotated "What's wrong with the teenage mind?"  For Friday, please read and annotated Frederick Douglass's "Learning to Read and Write." 

Thanks and have a great hump day!