Grade 9
Final Project: Link to the Assignment
Please check the assignment sheet for the daily schedule of tasks that need to be completed. I will be checking on your progress each class.
Final Projects are Due Thursday June 15
June 5: Today I will be checking in with you on the year end project. I need to see your topic and your chosen method for the written and visual components. In class you will have some time to begin creating your first draft. We will also be practising Titania's speech from MND and looking at the ridiculous number of literary devices packed into one short passage.
May 14: Introduction to A Midsummer Night's Dream part 2
Today we will be (quite literally) tossing lines from Act 1, Scene 1, lines 20-129. From now on, when we refer to a specific scene or line, we will use numeric annotations. For example, the above mentioned section of the play would be annotated or cited as, 1.1.20-129.
Play Map Link
May 16: Introduction to A Midsummer Night's Dream
In class we did two table reads of Act 1, scene 2. From this activity, we learned that we do not have to worry about unfamiliar words sentence structures when we understand the context and the characters in Shakespeare's work. By the end of the second reading and with your note taking, you were able to discern that scene two involves a group of performers, mostly unknown to each other, discussing a play that they will rehearse and perform for the Athenian royalty. Among the characters we met, you decided that Peter Quince, the playwright and director, is an earnest and fair leader, while his companion Nick Bottom is a bit of a loud mouth and something of a try hard.
May 2: Questions on individually chosen poems are due next class.
April 28: Thank you for your excellent participation in today's class. I was very impressed with the multitude of interpretations that came from the poem and your willingness to share them with the group. Thank you, too, for not injuring me with any of the paper balls!
April 24:
Great work on the Lit Circle unit, everyone! Your book trailers were amazing --please email me a copy so I can show them off and use them as examples for future classes.
We are now a couple classes into our Poetry unit and today we will take our annotations of free verse poetry one step further with some reader response questions on the poem. Remember to go back to your annotations when answering the questions. As always, compose your answers in the present tense and support all of your inferences with direct examples.
Questions for "Hanging Fire"
Feb. 27:
Today, we will start our Lit Circles. For your reference, I am putting a link to the role responsibility sheets here.
Lit Circle Roles and Responsibilities
This unit will be a major test of your organizational skills and your ability to take ownership of your learning. Each group member is responsible for the level of success that can be achieved in a lit circle. You MUST be honest with yourself and your group members when critiquing and reflecting on the lit circle process.
Feb. 07:
Today we started our Research Project. We will be in the computer lab on the 9th and 15th for the research portion of this assignment. Please see the attached assignment and rubric.
SCHEDULE FOR ASSIGNMENT:
Feb. 07 --Research in CPU Lab
Feb. 09 --Research in CPU Lab
Feb. 15 --Research in CPU Lab
Feb. 17 --Create and Assemble Posters in Class
Feb. 21 --Gallery Walk Poster Presentation. Grading will be done in class during the presentations. Be prepared to answer questions about your research subject.
Feb. 23 --In Class Writing
Research Assignment and Rubric
Works Cited Instructions
In Text Citations Instructions
Cite this for me Instructions
link to Cite This For Me
Feb. 03:
Protest Song Assignment
Jan. 30th:
We are starting our final assignment for In the Heat of the Night. Remember, you are to choose ONE of these assignments. They are of equal value and difficulty and they are all being evaluated based on the attached rubric. You have the entire class period today and on Wednesday to work on it.
I need to see a completed first draft by the end of class on Wednesday, and the assignment is DUE ON FRIDAY
Assignment File
Jan. 12th:
Student Created Kahoot Quiz
We will continue to work on these in class next week
Jan. 6th:
Character Sketch is due on Tuesday
Notes for quote incorporation and signal phrases
Jan. 4th:
After reading chapter 9, we will begin working on our character sketch.
Character Sketch
December 12/14:
We will be completing our suspect sheets and discussing our responses to the chapter 4 and 5 questions. Time permitting, we will read chapter 8.
Chapter 4-5 Questions
Summery Swordfish Comma Challenge
December 2-6th:
Commas: Part Two, Notes and Practice
Commas: Part One, Notes and Practice
Please check the assignment sheet for the daily schedule of tasks that need to be completed. I will be checking on your progress each class.
Final Projects are Due Thursday June 15
June 5: Today I will be checking in with you on the year end project. I need to see your topic and your chosen method for the written and visual components. In class you will have some time to begin creating your first draft. We will also be practising Titania's speech from MND and looking at the ridiculous number of literary devices packed into one short passage.
May 14: Introduction to A Midsummer Night's Dream part 2
Today we will be (quite literally) tossing lines from Act 1, Scene 1, lines 20-129. From now on, when we refer to a specific scene or line, we will use numeric annotations. For example, the above mentioned section of the play would be annotated or cited as, 1.1.20-129.
Play Map Link
May 16: Introduction to A Midsummer Night's Dream
In class we did two table reads of Act 1, scene 2. From this activity, we learned that we do not have to worry about unfamiliar words sentence structures when we understand the context and the characters in Shakespeare's work. By the end of the second reading and with your note taking, you were able to discern that scene two involves a group of performers, mostly unknown to each other, discussing a play that they will rehearse and perform for the Athenian royalty. Among the characters we met, you decided that Peter Quince, the playwright and director, is an earnest and fair leader, while his companion Nick Bottom is a bit of a loud mouth and something of a try hard.
May 2: Questions on individually chosen poems are due next class.
April 28: Thank you for your excellent participation in today's class. I was very impressed with the multitude of interpretations that came from the poem and your willingness to share them with the group. Thank you, too, for not injuring me with any of the paper balls!
April 24:
Great work on the Lit Circle unit, everyone! Your book trailers were amazing --please email me a copy so I can show them off and use them as examples for future classes.
We are now a couple classes into our Poetry unit and today we will take our annotations of free verse poetry one step further with some reader response questions on the poem. Remember to go back to your annotations when answering the questions. As always, compose your answers in the present tense and support all of your inferences with direct examples.
Questions for "Hanging Fire"
Feb. 27:
Today, we will start our Lit Circles. For your reference, I am putting a link to the role responsibility sheets here.
Lit Circle Roles and Responsibilities
This unit will be a major test of your organizational skills and your ability to take ownership of your learning. Each group member is responsible for the level of success that can be achieved in a lit circle. You MUST be honest with yourself and your group members when critiquing and reflecting on the lit circle process.
Feb. 07:
Today we started our Research Project. We will be in the computer lab on the 9th and 15th for the research portion of this assignment. Please see the attached assignment and rubric.
SCHEDULE FOR ASSIGNMENT:
Feb. 07 --Research in CPU Lab
Feb. 09 --Research in CPU Lab
Feb. 15 --Research in CPU Lab
Feb. 17 --Create and Assemble Posters in Class
Feb. 21 --Gallery Walk Poster Presentation. Grading will be done in class during the presentations. Be prepared to answer questions about your research subject.
Feb. 23 --In Class Writing
Research Assignment and Rubric
Works Cited Instructions
In Text Citations Instructions
Cite this for me Instructions
link to Cite This For Me
Feb. 03:
Protest Song Assignment
Jan. 30th:
We are starting our final assignment for In the Heat of the Night. Remember, you are to choose ONE of these assignments. They are of equal value and difficulty and they are all being evaluated based on the attached rubric. You have the entire class period today and on Wednesday to work on it.
I need to see a completed first draft by the end of class on Wednesday, and the assignment is DUE ON FRIDAY
Assignment File
Jan. 12th:
Student Created Kahoot Quiz
We will continue to work on these in class next week
Jan. 6th:
Character Sketch is due on Tuesday
Notes for quote incorporation and signal phrases
Jan. 4th:
After reading chapter 9, we will begin working on our character sketch.
Character Sketch
December 12/14:
We will be completing our suspect sheets and discussing our responses to the chapter 4 and 5 questions. Time permitting, we will read chapter 8.
Chapter 4-5 Questions
Summery Swordfish Comma Challenge
December 2-6th:
Commas: Part Two, Notes and Practice
Commas: Part One, Notes and Practice
December 2:
Today we will be starting a mini unit on punctuation, starting with commas. (see what I did there?)
November 30:
Nice work on the News Article assignments. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment on your classmates' work. It was also great to hear you reading to each other from our novel. We will discuss chapter 5 in class, so if your group didn't finish reading it, make sure that you have it read before class on Friday.
November 24:
Notes on Newspaper Articles
Templates are available online for creating an eye catching and effective article. Here is a link to some of them. These should all work in "Word" and there are others available through google, too.
November 18:
Vocab list for our next quiz. Remember that spelling counts on this one.
Listtest_voc_heat.docx
November 10:
After our assembly today, we had the make-up quiz for capitalization, and then we worked on our vocab and character analysis paragraphs for chapter 2.
Chapter 2 Vocab and Character Analysis
November 8:
Today, as groups, we created a short story based on our understanding of the vocabulary from chapter one. Afterwards we read chapter 2 and discussed the characteristics of Chief Gillespie.
November 4:
We have now completed our reading of chapter 1.
Please complete the chapter 1 vocabulary and questions
Chapter 1 Vocab and Questions
October 31:
Today we had a discussion and writing period on the importance of setting within a text. We began reading the first chapter of In the Heat of the Night. We will continue on with chapter one on Friday.
October 25:
Today we will begin our review of capitalization - Yes, you did this in elementary school. No, you are not experts with it yet :) There will be a quiz on this next Monday.
Review of capitalization rules and practice questions
October 17:
We started working on our ending for "August Heat". Please complete your good copy and have it ready to be handed in on Wednesday.
October 13:
Thank you all for your hard work and participation on the vocabulary activity. Wasn't it interesting that there were certain words that almost everyone picked. Did you notice, too, that by the time we got to the last group we were almost out of new words to choose from. Next week, we will be working on composing our creative ending for "August Heat".
Here is the list of vocabulary words that we came up with as a group. Remember that for your quiz on Monday, you will be asked for either a sentence, a definition, an antonym, or a synonym.
Vocab List: Palpable, Uncanny, Roused, Redemption, Elephantine, Mend, Reverie, Convey, Veined, Intrusion
October 11:
We watched and discussed the short-film version of "The Veldt" before moving on to our next story, "August Heat". We began with an audio version of the text and a Y chart to fill in while listening. For homework, please read the story and fill in any more information on the chart that comes to mind while reading. Please prepare the vocabulary words (2) for next class. You will be responsible for teaching your word to a small group of classmates, so come prepared to do this. (I can't load the vocab and Y chart right now, but it will be on my site soon)
Audio version
Story text version
October 5
We (almost) finished reading "The Veldt" together. For homework, please complete all of the questions. Remember that these are not being marked solely on completion --I am marking based on the quality of your responses. This means that you must include direct textual evidence (quotes or paraphrases) in your answers.
Story
Questions
October 3
We will be reading, journaling, discussing, and analyzing "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury. For this story, we are doing a guided reading which means that we will work through the story in small sections before we attempt to answer any questions that pertain to the piece as a whole. Because we are going to work on this as a group and in sections, I am not posting the story or the questions here yet. If you did not finish the questions in class today, there will be time on Wednesday. The purpose of this method is to establish strong close reading techniques and to enhance our ability to support our inferences with textual evidence.
FORCEFUL USE OF TEXTUAL EVIDENCE
"When writing about literature, the text is the primary source of evidence. To present a convincing and persuasive analysis, the writer must demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the text by presenting carefully chosen, pertinent quotations which support each point the essay writer makes." --Adapted from Professor Erika Kreger
Sept. 23
Today we finished reading "The Ruum" and took our first vocab quiz. Reminder: If you missed the quiz today, you can take it on
Tuesday. Study the first 10 words on the list
Story: "The Ruum"
Questions and Vocab List
Sept. 21
We finished our letters to Mrs. Wilson and our charts in-class, and then we moved onto discussing our next story, "The Ruum". This is a more complex story when we consider the vocabulary and the non-linear plot. We will finish reading the story next class before moving on to a further discussion of conflict, character, and plot structure.
Sept. 19
Complete the STEAL chart and compose your letter to Mrs. Wilson. If you need it, you will have some time (maybe 20 minutes) for this next class.
Letter Instructions:
Imagine that after Boyd gets home, he tells his mother about the offer of clothes and other happenings at the Wilson's. Compose a letter from Boyd's mother to Mrs. Wilson that explains how you feel about Mrs. Wilson and the way she treated Boyd.
Sept. 15
Today, we discussed the STEAL method for discovering indirect characterization. We also read Shirley Jackson's "After You, My Dear Alphonse". I was very impressed with the inferences all of you were making. It was great to see how easily you could connect the story to the video clip discussing "The Danger of a Single Story".
Homework: Please answer questions 2,3,4, and 5. Be prepared to discuss your responses with a classmate.
Story and Questions
S.T.E.A.L Characterization Chart
Sept. 13
Today we worked on discussion techniques and practices. Remember that it is okay if someone has an idea that is similar to your own. Simply acknowledge your classmate's idea and then see how you can add to it or complete it. Similarly, disagreement is a good thing in a discussion of literature. If you disagree, you can say, "That is interesting ,_________, but I read that passage differently," or, "I hadn't thought of it that way. Here is how I understood it...."
For next class, please read Shirley Jackson's "After You, My Dear Alphonse"
Sept. 9
"Charles"
Discussion Questions: Be prepared to share your responses with a classmate. Proofread for clarity and completeness.
Today we will be starting a mini unit on punctuation, starting with commas. (see what I did there?)
November 30:
Nice work on the News Article assignments. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment on your classmates' work. It was also great to hear you reading to each other from our novel. We will discuss chapter 5 in class, so if your group didn't finish reading it, make sure that you have it read before class on Friday.
November 24:
Notes on Newspaper Articles
Templates are available online for creating an eye catching and effective article. Here is a link to some of them. These should all work in "Word" and there are others available through google, too.
November 18:
Vocab list for our next quiz. Remember that spelling counts on this one.
Listtest_voc_heat.docx
November 10:
After our assembly today, we had the make-up quiz for capitalization, and then we worked on our vocab and character analysis paragraphs for chapter 2.
Chapter 2 Vocab and Character Analysis
November 8:
Today, as groups, we created a short story based on our understanding of the vocabulary from chapter one. Afterwards we read chapter 2 and discussed the characteristics of Chief Gillespie.
November 4:
We have now completed our reading of chapter 1.
Please complete the chapter 1 vocabulary and questions
Chapter 1 Vocab and Questions
October 31:
Today we had a discussion and writing period on the importance of setting within a text. We began reading the first chapter of In the Heat of the Night. We will continue on with chapter one on Friday.
October 25:
Today we will begin our review of capitalization - Yes, you did this in elementary school. No, you are not experts with it yet :) There will be a quiz on this next Monday.
Review of capitalization rules and practice questions
October 17:
We started working on our ending for "August Heat". Please complete your good copy and have it ready to be handed in on Wednesday.
October 13:
Thank you all for your hard work and participation on the vocabulary activity. Wasn't it interesting that there were certain words that almost everyone picked. Did you notice, too, that by the time we got to the last group we were almost out of new words to choose from. Next week, we will be working on composing our creative ending for "August Heat".
Here is the list of vocabulary words that we came up with as a group. Remember that for your quiz on Monday, you will be asked for either a sentence, a definition, an antonym, or a synonym.
Vocab List: Palpable, Uncanny, Roused, Redemption, Elephantine, Mend, Reverie, Convey, Veined, Intrusion
October 11:
We watched and discussed the short-film version of "The Veldt" before moving on to our next story, "August Heat". We began with an audio version of the text and a Y chart to fill in while listening. For homework, please read the story and fill in any more information on the chart that comes to mind while reading. Please prepare the vocabulary words (2) for next class. You will be responsible for teaching your word to a small group of classmates, so come prepared to do this. (I can't load the vocab and Y chart right now, but it will be on my site soon)
Audio version
Story text version
October 5
We (almost) finished reading "The Veldt" together. For homework, please complete all of the questions. Remember that these are not being marked solely on completion --I am marking based on the quality of your responses. This means that you must include direct textual evidence (quotes or paraphrases) in your answers.
Story
Questions
October 3
We will be reading, journaling, discussing, and analyzing "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury. For this story, we are doing a guided reading which means that we will work through the story in small sections before we attempt to answer any questions that pertain to the piece as a whole. Because we are going to work on this as a group and in sections, I am not posting the story or the questions here yet. If you did not finish the questions in class today, there will be time on Wednesday. The purpose of this method is to establish strong close reading techniques and to enhance our ability to support our inferences with textual evidence.
FORCEFUL USE OF TEXTUAL EVIDENCE
"When writing about literature, the text is the primary source of evidence. To present a convincing and persuasive analysis, the writer must demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the text by presenting carefully chosen, pertinent quotations which support each point the essay writer makes." --Adapted from Professor Erika Kreger
Sept. 23
Today we finished reading "The Ruum" and took our first vocab quiz. Reminder: If you missed the quiz today, you can take it on
Tuesday. Study the first 10 words on the list
Story: "The Ruum"
Questions and Vocab List
Sept. 21
We finished our letters to Mrs. Wilson and our charts in-class, and then we moved onto discussing our next story, "The Ruum". This is a more complex story when we consider the vocabulary and the non-linear plot. We will finish reading the story next class before moving on to a further discussion of conflict, character, and plot structure.
Sept. 19
Complete the STEAL chart and compose your letter to Mrs. Wilson. If you need it, you will have some time (maybe 20 minutes) for this next class.
Letter Instructions:
Imagine that after Boyd gets home, he tells his mother about the offer of clothes and other happenings at the Wilson's. Compose a letter from Boyd's mother to Mrs. Wilson that explains how you feel about Mrs. Wilson and the way she treated Boyd.
Sept. 15
Today, we discussed the STEAL method for discovering indirect characterization. We also read Shirley Jackson's "After You, My Dear Alphonse". I was very impressed with the inferences all of you were making. It was great to see how easily you could connect the story to the video clip discussing "The Danger of a Single Story".
Homework: Please answer questions 2,3,4, and 5. Be prepared to discuss your responses with a classmate.
Story and Questions
S.T.E.A.L Characterization Chart
Sept. 13
Today we worked on discussion techniques and practices. Remember that it is okay if someone has an idea that is similar to your own. Simply acknowledge your classmate's idea and then see how you can add to it or complete it. Similarly, disagreement is a good thing in a discussion of literature. If you disagree, you can say, "That is interesting ,_________, but I read that passage differently," or, "I hadn't thought of it that way. Here is how I understood it...."
For next class, please read Shirley Jackson's "After You, My Dear Alphonse"
Sept. 9
"Charles"
Discussion Questions: Be prepared to share your responses with a classmate. Proofread for clarity and completeness.