2018: Note: Any overdue Term 2 work must be handed in by Feb. 15. That is the cutoff date.
March 1: The end of unit assignment on The Outsiders was handed out and explained. Students had time to begin the first 2 planning steps of the found poem. HW: finish the planning steps and bring them to class next day.
Feb. 20: We reread scenes in Ch. 9 and 10, in order to connect the deaths of Johnny and Dally. I read aloud from Ch. 11 and 12. HW: finish reading the last 4 pages of the whole novel!
Feb. 16: I showed part of the movie: from the Chapter 6 scene in which Dally picks up PB and J and takes them to the DQ, to the end of Ch. 9, when Johnny dies. We read part of Ch. 10. HW: read the rest of Ch. 10.
Feb. 14: We added 3 chapter 7 events to the chart, and read the rest of Ch. 7 and 8 in class. We added one Ch. 8 event to the chart.
HW: Read Ch. 9
Feb. 9: We read Ch. 6 in class and discussed the important events. We added 3 events from Ch. 5 to the chart. HW: Read pp.100-110 in Ch. 7, and add 3 important Ch. 6 events to the chart.
Feb. 5: We discussed the examples we have so far of pitstops, etc., and looked for patterns. I read aloud most of Ch. 4 , and we added two examples to the chart, one from Ch. 3 and one from Ch. 4.HW: finish reading Ch. 4.
Feb. 1: We read most of Ch. 3 (finish 47-52 for hw). We began a chart tracking the main character's pitstops, roadblocks, cruising and detours.
Jan. 26: Students have got back their rough drafts of their photo descriptions. The good copy is due Jan. 30. Today we began reading The Outsiders. I have read aloud most of the first chapter.
Jan. 10: Students began the Map assignment (for Cole's Journey of Recovery) and will have 2 more classes to work on it before it is due on Jan. 18.
Jan. 8: I read aloud the last 2 chapters of the novel as a review. I introduced the assignment on Cole's journey, and gave students the examples they need to write down for the steps of the journey. HW: complete the 9 examples you need to find.
Dec. 21: Our last class of 2017. Students did the sentence errors quiz (after a final review). Then we did the second to last worksheet together. After the break you need to bring your novel to class for a unit-end assignment on the novel.
Dec. 19: Last Lit Circle. Time was given to complete corrections for the sentence structure review exercise. Quiz on sentence errors next day.
Dec. 15: Ch. 24/25 were read aloud. Students got their sentence structure booklets back so they could complete the second review exercise. The booklet was then handed back in so I can mark the sheets. HW: finish reading the novel, and completing the role sheet for Ch. 22-28, so you are ready to discuss on Dec. 19.
Dec. 13: I read aloud Ch. 22 and 23 and explained the references to being invisible. Students had time to complete the first review sheet in their sentence structure booklets and handed in the booklets for me to check. Note: There will be one more lit circle and it will be on Dec. 19. Therefore, your role sheet needs to cover what happens between Ch. 22 and 28.
Dec. 7: Students had time to read and prepare the next role sheet, for Ch. 19-21. The next lit circle is on Dec. 11.
Dec. 1: Students were introduced to the concept of a journey, with 6 icons to represent steps on the journey. I also explained what has caused Cole to begin changing. Students had time to read, and to begin the role sheet that is due next class. On Dec. 5 you will have your fourth lit circle discussion.
Nov. 21: Students had at least half an hour to read the next set of chapters (8-11) as well as completing the next role sheet. Second half of class: students were introduced to a new unit on sentence structure. HW: figure out example 4
Nov. 9: We read Chapter 4 and students signed out their own copy of the novel. Students sat in groups for the first time and practiced creating good discussion questions for Ch. 4. Students got a meeting schedule and their first role sheet to complete for the first lit circle discussion. Wed., Nov. 15, students will have time to read the novel, but they should do some of the reading for hw in order to get through the novel in time for the discussion on Nov. 17.
Nov. 7: Students read Ch. 3 and we discussed the chapter and wrote down good discussion questions for Ch. 1-3. We added two points to the conflict sheet. Next day you will find out your groups and begin the first step of working together in your group.
Nov. 3: Read Ch. 2 of the novel. Students began writing down examples of the conflicts the main character is having.
Nov. 1: After reading aloud Ch. 1 of Touching Spirit Bear, we brainstormed what happened in Ch. 1, as well as briefly discussing Cole Matthews' character. Students received a booklet with 3 role sheets in it. HW: write a plot summary of Ch. 1. Use the example I gave you as a model.
Oct. 30: I gave students an example of a plot summary, based on the short story we have read. I showed them how to look for places in the story where questions may occur to them. We brainstormed a list of questions, and students wrote down 5 good discussion questions on the lit circle role sheet I gave them. No HW, unless you are behind on one of the compositions.
Oct. 26.: Good copy of folktale due. Mr. Cartlidge came in to do some technical teaching this block.
Oct. 24: We began the first steps of learning the roles of being in a literature circle. We read a short story, "Inside the Pink Room," as one of the first steps. HW: Finish reading the last page of the story, and do the good copy of the folktale.
Oct. 19: Due today: the good copy of the 3 paragraph folktale composition. Students had the whole class to complete the draft of their own folktale. Both of these assignments should have been handed in by the end of class.
Oct. 17: Students had the rest of class to work on their own folktales. You will also have next class to work on it and complete the draft. I returned the drafts of the composition on the 2 stories. HW: do the good copy.
Oct. 13: I collected the drafts of the Cinderella composition. We reviewed the basic elements of a folktale and students had the rest of class to begin drafting their own folktale. You will continue it next day.
Oct. 11: How to write a composition on the 2 Cinderella stories. Time to begin the composition. Complete a draft for hw.
Oct. 5: I collected the practice outline due today (stay in flex if you did not have it finished). Reviewed the PEEL process, and students had 35 minutes to choose Characteristic 2 or 6, and complete at least one side of the 2nd Peel outline. HW: complete the 2nd side of the outline.
Oct. 3: We did a practice paragraph outline for the Yeh-Shen story. HW: do the second side of the outline, this time describing the helpers in the Sootface story.
Sept. 29: We read and discussed Sootface ,the Ojibway version of Cinderella. HW: finish 2 - 5 on the chart we began in class.
Sept. 27: We discussed characters and plot in the "Yeh-Shen" version of the Cinderella tale. Students began completing a "Folktales Characteristics" chart in class. HW: complete categories 3, 4 and 5 on the chart.
DUE MONDAY, SEPT. 25: The good copy of your Hepaestus story, along with the research notes you wrote, and a list of the 3 links you used for your research.
Sept. 25: We read the first of 3 versions of the Cinderella story. For this Chinese version 'hold' your thinking for this story by using the blank piece of paper I gave you to jot down 3 things: a visual pic or diagram for the story, actions in the story that stand out to you, and a list of similarities with the Cinderella you know best. (this is for hw).
Sept. 19 & 21: Students were given time to draft a story about Hephaestus based on their research notes.
Sept. 15: Students had all of the class to complete the research on Hepahestus.
Sept. 13: Students began research on Hephaestus, using the 6 research questions I assigned. You will have all of Friday's class to complete the research.
In Flex, students learned how to make a Time Matrix.
March 1: The end of unit assignment on The Outsiders was handed out and explained. Students had time to begin the first 2 planning steps of the found poem. HW: finish the planning steps and bring them to class next day.
Feb. 20: We reread scenes in Ch. 9 and 10, in order to connect the deaths of Johnny and Dally. I read aloud from Ch. 11 and 12. HW: finish reading the last 4 pages of the whole novel!
Feb. 16: I showed part of the movie: from the Chapter 6 scene in which Dally picks up PB and J and takes them to the DQ, to the end of Ch. 9, when Johnny dies. We read part of Ch. 10. HW: read the rest of Ch. 10.
Feb. 14: We added 3 chapter 7 events to the chart, and read the rest of Ch. 7 and 8 in class. We added one Ch. 8 event to the chart.
HW: Read Ch. 9
Feb. 9: We read Ch. 6 in class and discussed the important events. We added 3 events from Ch. 5 to the chart. HW: Read pp.100-110 in Ch. 7, and add 3 important Ch. 6 events to the chart.
Feb. 5: We discussed the examples we have so far of pitstops, etc., and looked for patterns. I read aloud most of Ch. 4 , and we added two examples to the chart, one from Ch. 3 and one from Ch. 4.HW: finish reading Ch. 4.
Feb. 1: We read most of Ch. 3 (finish 47-52 for hw). We began a chart tracking the main character's pitstops, roadblocks, cruising and detours.
Jan. 26: Students have got back their rough drafts of their photo descriptions. The good copy is due Jan. 30. Today we began reading The Outsiders. I have read aloud most of the first chapter.
Jan. 10: Students began the Map assignment (for Cole's Journey of Recovery) and will have 2 more classes to work on it before it is due on Jan. 18.
Jan. 8: I read aloud the last 2 chapters of the novel as a review. I introduced the assignment on Cole's journey, and gave students the examples they need to write down for the steps of the journey. HW: complete the 9 examples you need to find.
Dec. 21: Our last class of 2017. Students did the sentence errors quiz (after a final review). Then we did the second to last worksheet together. After the break you need to bring your novel to class for a unit-end assignment on the novel.
Dec. 19: Last Lit Circle. Time was given to complete corrections for the sentence structure review exercise. Quiz on sentence errors next day.
Dec. 15: Ch. 24/25 were read aloud. Students got their sentence structure booklets back so they could complete the second review exercise. The booklet was then handed back in so I can mark the sheets. HW: finish reading the novel, and completing the role sheet for Ch. 22-28, so you are ready to discuss on Dec. 19.
Dec. 13: I read aloud Ch. 22 and 23 and explained the references to being invisible. Students had time to complete the first review sheet in their sentence structure booklets and handed in the booklets for me to check. Note: There will be one more lit circle and it will be on Dec. 19. Therefore, your role sheet needs to cover what happens between Ch. 22 and 28.
Dec. 7: Students had time to read and prepare the next role sheet, for Ch. 19-21. The next lit circle is on Dec. 11.
Dec. 1: Students were introduced to the concept of a journey, with 6 icons to represent steps on the journey. I also explained what has caused Cole to begin changing. Students had time to read, and to begin the role sheet that is due next class. On Dec. 5 you will have your fourth lit circle discussion.
Nov. 21: Students had at least half an hour to read the next set of chapters (8-11) as well as completing the next role sheet. Second half of class: students were introduced to a new unit on sentence structure. HW: figure out example 4
Nov. 9: We read Chapter 4 and students signed out their own copy of the novel. Students sat in groups for the first time and practiced creating good discussion questions for Ch. 4. Students got a meeting schedule and their first role sheet to complete for the first lit circle discussion. Wed., Nov. 15, students will have time to read the novel, but they should do some of the reading for hw in order to get through the novel in time for the discussion on Nov. 17.
Nov. 7: Students read Ch. 3 and we discussed the chapter and wrote down good discussion questions for Ch. 1-3. We added two points to the conflict sheet. Next day you will find out your groups and begin the first step of working together in your group.
Nov. 3: Read Ch. 2 of the novel. Students began writing down examples of the conflicts the main character is having.
Nov. 1: After reading aloud Ch. 1 of Touching Spirit Bear, we brainstormed what happened in Ch. 1, as well as briefly discussing Cole Matthews' character. Students received a booklet with 3 role sheets in it. HW: write a plot summary of Ch. 1. Use the example I gave you as a model.
Oct. 30: I gave students an example of a plot summary, based on the short story we have read. I showed them how to look for places in the story where questions may occur to them. We brainstormed a list of questions, and students wrote down 5 good discussion questions on the lit circle role sheet I gave them. No HW, unless you are behind on one of the compositions.
Oct. 26.: Good copy of folktale due. Mr. Cartlidge came in to do some technical teaching this block.
Oct. 24: We began the first steps of learning the roles of being in a literature circle. We read a short story, "Inside the Pink Room," as one of the first steps. HW: Finish reading the last page of the story, and do the good copy of the folktale.
Oct. 19: Due today: the good copy of the 3 paragraph folktale composition. Students had the whole class to complete the draft of their own folktale. Both of these assignments should have been handed in by the end of class.
Oct. 17: Students had the rest of class to work on their own folktales. You will also have next class to work on it and complete the draft. I returned the drafts of the composition on the 2 stories. HW: do the good copy.
Oct. 13: I collected the drafts of the Cinderella composition. We reviewed the basic elements of a folktale and students had the rest of class to begin drafting their own folktale. You will continue it next day.
Oct. 11: How to write a composition on the 2 Cinderella stories. Time to begin the composition. Complete a draft for hw.
Oct. 5: I collected the practice outline due today (stay in flex if you did not have it finished). Reviewed the PEEL process, and students had 35 minutes to choose Characteristic 2 or 6, and complete at least one side of the 2nd Peel outline. HW: complete the 2nd side of the outline.
Oct. 3: We did a practice paragraph outline for the Yeh-Shen story. HW: do the second side of the outline, this time describing the helpers in the Sootface story.
Sept. 29: We read and discussed Sootface ,the Ojibway version of Cinderella. HW: finish 2 - 5 on the chart we began in class.
Sept. 27: We discussed characters and plot in the "Yeh-Shen" version of the Cinderella tale. Students began completing a "Folktales Characteristics" chart in class. HW: complete categories 3, 4 and 5 on the chart.
DUE MONDAY, SEPT. 25: The good copy of your Hepaestus story, along with the research notes you wrote, and a list of the 3 links you used for your research.
Sept. 25: We read the first of 3 versions of the Cinderella story. For this Chinese version 'hold' your thinking for this story by using the blank piece of paper I gave you to jot down 3 things: a visual pic or diagram for the story, actions in the story that stand out to you, and a list of similarities with the Cinderella you know best. (this is for hw).
Sept. 19 & 21: Students were given time to draft a story about Hephaestus based on their research notes.
Sept. 15: Students had all of the class to complete the research on Hepahestus.
Sept. 13: Students began research on Hephaestus, using the 6 research questions I assigned. You will have all of Friday's class to complete the research.
In Flex, students learned how to make a Time Matrix.