Hi Students,

I hope you are all settled in to your new school year and are enjoying your classes! We are half-way through the first marking period! I loved seeing your self-portraits and hearing you recite your Bio-Poems! After spending the first few weeks focusing on routines and expectations, speaking and listening skills, and getting to know each other, we will now hone our reading skills in the Narrative genre, as well as develop writing through the 6+! Traits, starting with IDEAS. I’m excited to work with you!

Hi Students!

I hope you’re having a safe and restful spring break! I’m looking forward to seeing you again and hearing all about it! Remember to eat healthy, drink water, and sleep on a regular early schedule every day! These are a few things you can control to help you be successful in school and in life. They will also help you perform at your best as we return and take the PSAT and SAT this week! Do your best and believe in yourself, knowing how hard you have prepared for this moment! Best wishes for great success!

SENIORS:  Starting Monday, 4/10, you may pick up a form in counseling to test out of courses. Also, there are many exciting events to prepare for as you approach your final weeks (see memo on the door in D106). It’s also important to STAY FOCUSED and finish strong, so you keep up your credits and GPA! You’re in the home stretch! You can do it!

Hey Students! Great job tackling the Article of the Week lessons! I hope you’re finding them interesting, and they are excellent to help you improve your reading skills for the SAT/PSAT! On Monday, we will have a quiz on this week’s AOW on cell phone addiction, so you may want to re-read that. Also, remember to read just for fun! 🙂

Hi students! Hope you’re enjoying the break! Maybe you want to keep up your SAT skills? Check out the link below! You can sign up on Youtube and on Facebook to watch FREE SAT tutoring sessions today and on the next 2 Thursdays at 4:00 p.m. Remember, the more you practice, the higher your score, and the more college scholarship money you can earn! You will need to COPY the link below and then PASTE it in the URL box in your search engine. Do it!

https://www.youtube.com/user/khanacademy?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SAT%20Live%20Streams%20-%20Student%20Invite%20-%20A/B%20Test&utm_content=D&utm_term=Student_Live_Instruction

Hey Students,

Just a quick note to encourage you to finish strong this semester! Study hard, eat healthy, and get some extra sleep to help you focus & do your best on your final exams! Best wishes!

Hi Students,

Today, we begin a new card marking period and the final one of the semester! Let’s stay focused on our studies and do our best to finish strong!

In literature, we’ll finish out our unit on Short Stories and then begin a new unit on Ancient Greek Culture and the epic poem, The Odyssey.

In the 6+1 Writing Traits, we’re wrapping up Organization and moving on to Conventions.

Of course, we will continue with mini-lessons for SAT prep each day.

So much to learn! So little time! 🙂

Hey Students,

We have a short week! Be sure to read at home every night! Enjoy your Thanksgiving break from Wed.-Sun. I am thankful for YOU! 🙂

Hey Students,

We’re continuing our short story unit with “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” Please continue working on the study guide questions. The guide is due on the day of the quiz, which will be on Friday, 11/18.

Continue with your Close Reading homework lessons. This will help prepare you for the SAT and PSAT.

Remember, Wednesday is a late start! 🙂

Hey Students!

This week I modeled examples of paragraph writing with the 4-Square framework. We wrote a summary of “The Most Dangerous Game” to answer the 1st square’s question: What does it say? Next we wrote a paragraph for the 2nd square’s question: How does it say it? For this we had to analyze the author’s choices of literary devices and techniques. Then we discussed the 3rd square’s question: What does it mean? For this, we explored possible themes of the story, claims the author seems to make through the events of the story, and what is his message about human nature. We wrote the 3rd paragraph to explain and support the claim.

Next week, you will be shown some examples and take notes on the 4th square’s question: What does it mean to me? Then you will take a writing test to answer this big question. Since this is the most personal question, you are on your own for this. Each student can have a DIFFERENT CORRECT answer! The important thing is to make 3 kinds of personal connections between:

1. the story and another story or movie you have seen,

2. the story and YOUR own life experience, and

3. the story and some current or historical event in the real world

Later in the week, we will deconstruct the 6+1 Trait of Organization. You will work on some group activities to help develop this trait.

Remember:  No school for students on Tuesday, 11/8! Read a lot! 🙂

Hey Students!

It was wonderful to meet your parents/guardians and other family members at Parent Conferences! Their support is an indicator of your success! We had a great turnout, and I appreciate everyone who was able to join us!

This week we continued our study of Short Story Narratives and their unique text structure. We also introduced the 4-Square Framework, which you are taking notes on as we read and analyze “The Most Dangerous Game.” Next week, you will write a 4-paragraph essay (writing test) on this short story, using the 4-Square notes.

We also studied various forms of narratives (First Person, Third Person Limited, and Third Person Omniscient Point of Views). Can you identify from which Point of View “The Most Dangerous Game” is written? Hint: Who is the main character? Is the narrator one of the characters IN the story? We will discuss this more next week! Remember to take good notes, as you will be allowed to use them on the essay exam! 🙂

Keep up the great work!