Monday & Tuesday - Students taking STAAR tests, no classes
Wednesday - Students will complete "The Shakespeare Stealer" and discuss its historical context.
Thursday - Students will be introduced to the upcoming research project and grade expectations for this term.
Friday - Students will review plagiarism and begin discussing the basic notecard system for research.
**Students should have index cards for note and source cards by Monday.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Saturday, March 24, 2012
STAAR Resources
Look on the left side at the bottom of "Pages" to find the notes from today's STAAR Academy workshops. I hope this helps! Let me know if you still have questions.
Approach to Writing Tips
See the bottom of the "Pages" list to the left for the suggestions for working through the writing that we discussed in class yesterday.
TEA Release Test Website Link
The website we discussed in class yesterday is
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index3.aspx?id=3839&menu_id=793.
Remember, check out the short responses only, not the essay scoring guide. Also remember you may NOT double-stack lines or simply mildly suggest an answer as those have done. Your rules are different. You must clearly, specifically write out your answer statement and write only on the lines given, not in between.
If you have questions, contact me at karen.thompson@killeenisd.org.
My thoughts will be with all of you on Monday!
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index3.aspx?id=3839&menu_id=793.
Remember, check out the short responses only, not the essay scoring guide. Also remember you may NOT double-stack lines or simply mildly suggest an answer as those have done. Your rules are different. You must clearly, specifically write out your answer statement and write only on the lines given, not in between.
If you have questions, contact me at karen.thompson@killeenisd.org.
My thoughts will be with all of you on Monday!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Assignments for the Week of March 19 - 23, 2012
* Remember, we have a textbook check this week. Please bring in both books to be checked prior to Friday.
**This weekend will be the last opportunity for the STAAR Academy. We will offer general reviews for all components of the test during the 1st session and a test strategies review during the 2nd session. I hope to see you there!
Monday -
Today we will review basic terms and concepts related to drama. Homework: Complete the grammar packet distributed the Friday prior to spring break --1st period will get it today.
Tuesday -
Students will review grammar packet responses and begin utilizing drama concepts and techniques using "Stealing Shakespeare" from our textbooks. Homework: Complete Anne of the Green Gables reading packet.
Wednesday -
Students will review the Anne of the Green Gables reading packet responses and complete "Stealing Shakespeare." Homework: Complete "Hungry Bears Prefer Minivans" reading packet.
Thursday -
Students will review the "Hungry Bears" reading packet responses and finish any last-minute drama notes. As a class, we will review STAAR testing strategies. Homework: None
Friday -
Students will complete their STAAR strategies review. Homework: None.
**This weekend will be the last opportunity for the STAAR Academy. We will offer general reviews for all components of the test during the 1st session and a test strategies review during the 2nd session. I hope to see you there!
Monday -
Today we will review basic terms and concepts related to drama. Homework: Complete the grammar packet distributed the Friday prior to spring break --1st period will get it today.
Tuesday -
Students will review grammar packet responses and begin utilizing drama concepts and techniques using "Stealing Shakespeare" from our textbooks. Homework: Complete Anne of the Green Gables reading packet.
Wednesday -
Students will review the Anne of the Green Gables reading packet responses and complete "Stealing Shakespeare." Homework: Complete "Hungry Bears Prefer Minivans" reading packet.
Thursday -
Students will review the "Hungry Bears" reading packet responses and finish any last-minute drama notes. As a class, we will review STAAR testing strategies. Homework: None
Friday -
Students will complete their STAAR strategies review. Homework: None.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Change of Plans . . .
Because of the time it took to complete the stories in class yesterday and because I need to get a real understanding of what you can do in the limited time of 45 minutes, our "A Celebration of Grandfathers" quiz will take a new shape. This has become a take-home OER quiz. Answer the following prompt in ten lines or less:
In what way does Anaya's grandfather influence his character?
Remember, this is a short response (OER) and must be no longer than ten lines. Your response should be in APE format (Answer, Proof, Evidence), and the you must TAG (provide the title, author's name, and genre of writing) it in the first line.
In what way does Anaya's grandfather influence his character?
Remember, this is a short response (OER) and must be no longer than ten lines. Your response should be in APE format (Answer, Proof, Evidence), and the you must TAG (provide the title, author's name, and genre of writing) it in the first line.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Lessons for February 21 - 24, 2012
I apologize for the missing assignments for the last couple of weeks. I have been unable to get to the computer as much as usual. I will try to do better.
Quick Recap of Feb. 13 - 17: Because the issue paragraphs submitted did not demonstrate a full understanding of proper paragraph development and focus, we stepped back and went through the essay process, one step at a time, as a whole class. We spent this week discussing how to build an effective thesis statement, reviewing paragraph structure and how to develop ideas, preparing a proper outline for our issue essays, and composing our actual issue essays. These essays were submitted on Feb. 17th. Over the weekend, we began creating our essay bank cards to help us think through possible writing prompts.
Monday- Holiday! No school.
Tuesday - Students reviewed some basic usage errors that have been appearing in their writings. Today, they reviewed the following words: their, they're, there, its, it's, affect, effect, then, than, to, and too. For homework, students prepared sentences for lose, loose, your, you're, accept, except, who's, and whose. In class, we discussed components that make some of our most memorable readings exciting. We then compared those elements to the TEA Literary Essay rubric to demonstrate the overlap. Finally, we began reviewing a sample score 4 literary writing.
Wednesday - Today, we reviewed the homework sentences. Homework for tonight and tomorrow night was to read "A Celebration of Grandfathers" (starts on page 444 of your textbook). In class, we completed our review of the score 4 sample literary writing, reviewed the basic plot structure, and discussed strategies we could use to create an engaging plot for our literary "essays." Some of the tricks of the trade include foreshadowing, flashbacks, mood, irony, suspense, non-linear plot, and the use of dialogue. Students should try to incorporate at least three of these in their writings.
Thursday - Today, we will review once more how the score 4 writing sample incorporates various literary components to create an engaging plot and developed character. Then, students will review their "Environment" stories to see where specific strategies were used and where additional strategies can be utilized to improve the story.
Friday - Today, students will complete a quick reading quiz ("Celebration of Grandfathers") and begin writing and in-class literary "essay" which includes several of the strategies we discussed in class.
Quick Recap of Feb. 13 - 17: Because the issue paragraphs submitted did not demonstrate a full understanding of proper paragraph development and focus, we stepped back and went through the essay process, one step at a time, as a whole class. We spent this week discussing how to build an effective thesis statement, reviewing paragraph structure and how to develop ideas, preparing a proper outline for our issue essays, and composing our actual issue essays. These essays were submitted on Feb. 17th. Over the weekend, we began creating our essay bank cards to help us think through possible writing prompts.
Monday- Holiday! No school.
Tuesday - Students reviewed some basic usage errors that have been appearing in their writings. Today, they reviewed the following words: their, they're, there, its, it's, affect, effect, then, than, to, and too. For homework, students prepared sentences for lose, loose, your, you're, accept, except, who's, and whose. In class, we discussed components that make some of our most memorable readings exciting. We then compared those elements to the TEA Literary Essay rubric to demonstrate the overlap. Finally, we began reviewing a sample score 4 literary writing.
Wednesday - Today, we reviewed the homework sentences. Homework for tonight and tomorrow night was to read "A Celebration of Grandfathers" (starts on page 444 of your textbook). In class, we completed our review of the score 4 sample literary writing, reviewed the basic plot structure, and discussed strategies we could use to create an engaging plot for our literary "essays." Some of the tricks of the trade include foreshadowing, flashbacks, mood, irony, suspense, non-linear plot, and the use of dialogue. Students should try to incorporate at least three of these in their writings.
Thursday - Today, we will review once more how the score 4 writing sample incorporates various literary components to create an engaging plot and developed character. Then, students will review their "Environment" stories to see where specific strategies were used and where additional strategies can be utilized to improve the story.
Friday - Today, students will complete a quick reading quiz ("Celebration of Grandfathers") and begin writing and in-class literary "essay" which includes several of the strategies we discussed in class.
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