Rubric for Claim Evidence Reasoning Response to Whether the Narrator in the Short Story “Us and Them” Can be Believed.

1. List four or five quotations from the text that indicate whether the narrator can be believed or not.  Explain each quotation.
2. Make a claim.
3. Use two of your quotations to support the claim.
4. Explain how the quotations support the claim

PSAT prep 3

Many PSAT questions are based on understanding a sentence, a group of related words having a subject and verb that stands independently.  Missing either the subject or the verb, or both, the group of words is not a sentence.  Also, having a subject and verb but not standing independently, the group of words is not a sentence.  For example, “Walks to Mohamed’s house on Jonathan” is missing a subject.  “Ali, an intelligent student attending Fordson High School” is missing a verb.  And “When Ali, an intelligent student attending Fordson High School, walks to Mohamed’s house on Jonathan” is also not a sentence because the subordinating conjunction “when” makes the clause dependent.

Apply your understanding of a sentence to this question:

When Mr. Wojtys speaks about one of his favorite short stories “Flowers for Algernon” and likes to ask students questions about their understanding,

1. no change
2. If Mr. Wojtys
3. Mr. Wojtys
4. Whenever Mr. Wojtys

When, if, and whenever are subordinating conjunctions making the entire group of words a subordinate clause.  By eliminating the subordinate conjunctions, the clause becomes an independent clause with one subject, Mr. Wojtys, and two verbs, speaks and likes.  Many students may not understand some of the terms here, phrase and clause. Before you complete this prep, you should come to an understanding of those two terms and others that you may not be sure of: for example subordinating and independent clause.

Now, put in your own words what you understand by this example question and explanation.  Also write two examples, one of how to correctly and another of how to incorrectly use subordinating conjunctions.

PSAT prep #2

The PSAT writing test is timed and in multiple-choice format.  You will average less than a minute to answer a question.  You will be scored on the number of correct answers, so answer the easier questions first.  If you have time, try to answer the more difficult questions afterwards.  Do not devote most of your time attempting to answer time-consuming questions.  With minutes left at the end of the test, make sure you have answered all questions.  Apply all the strategies, especially the process of elimination and reading questions first before reading the text.

Try answering today’s question, remembering the advice given in PSAT prep #1:. 

Football, played on fields around the city, has always been popular in Dearborn.

1. no change
2. playing
3. which is played
4. that was played

The example in PSAT prep #1 was of an adjective, popular, modifying the subject playing.  Today’s example is different in that the subject is modified by a participle, a verb used as an adjective, played.  Participles can be present–playing, and past–played.  The correct answer is a because the verb is passive: football is played by people.  B is incorrect because playing is active: football is not playing; people play football.  C and d violate the style rule of simplicity: use only necessary words to express an idea.

To make this lesson knowledge you can apply to your writing, in your own words restate what you have learned.  Write an example sentence with a present participle and one with a past participle.  Remember participles are verbs used as adjectives.

The PSAT will test your reading and writing skills. Prepare for the writing section by focusing on grammar and style, grammar being the established rules to follow in writing Standard English and style the usual, or widely accepted, way to write. Here is a helpful rule to remember. Read the example and come up with an example of your own.

Lesson 1  Style rule: use only necessary words to express and idea.  This is the rule of simplicity.

Apply the rule here: Use only necessary words to express an idea

Playing football is popular, as some say, among boys at Lowrey Middle School,

1. no change 
2. popular                      
3. really quite popular 
4. rather popular

The correct answer will have no unnecessary words. The correct answer is a matter of style, not grammar: b.  popular. The other choices are incorrect because they violate the rule of simplicity.  The additional words in choices a, c, and d add no more meaning to the word popular.

Do you find yourself using more words than necessary in writing?  If not, great.  When you see this type of question now, you will know the correct usage.  This is rather easy.  Or should I say only, “This is easy.”? 

To help yourself remember this rule, compose a sentence adding unnecessary words. Then rewrite the sentence eliminating the words that are not needed. Explain why the corrected sentence is correct.

To make a submission to an assignment from the web platform, students can:

1. Click the assignment for which they’d like to make a submission.
2. Click Submit Assignment in the Submissions area in the right column.
3. Select one of these options:
   • Upload: Select a file saved to the computer.
   • Create: Create a document on the web using the text editor.
   • Resources: Select a file from the My Resources area or from a Resource App. 
4. Click Submit to finish. 
   Optional: Students can make another submission by clicking Re-submit Assignment from the Submissions area and follow the same steps above.

“Us and Them”

Characterize the narrator.  Can he be trusted?  Is there a contrast between what the narrator says and does and what is happening?

Syllabus for English Language Arts Eighth Grade Mr. Wojtys—continuation

English Language Arts focuses on four skills: Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening.  You will be graded on these four skills.  The grading scale is as follows:

The first reading for English Language Arts is the short story by David Sedaris “Us and Them.” We are without an online book this year. You will find the short story available on the Internet. This is one place to go to: http://blackbinder.com/uploads/3/4/0/9/34090823/us_and_them.pdf.

Happy reading!

Syllabus: English Language Arts, Eighth Grade, Mr. Wojtys

This year has been like no other: we have had to make changes quickly.  To meet the challenges of today, we need to smile, talk about ourselves, and ask questions.  So, to write a syllabus as I have in previous years makes no sense.  This year the syllabus will be an evolving document.

1. We need to smile.  Smiling makes me feel good, gives me confidence, and helps me work with others.  With all the challenges facing us by remote learning, we need all the above.  By smiling, we will be able to work together in class, and, since this is an English Language Arts class, we should write down our thoughts about the effects that smiling has on us.  Create a document on which you discuss the need to smile.  Keep the document ready to read from in class.  Do not submit it yet.
2. Talk about ourselves.  Like most of you, I would prefer to be in class, in person—I have been doing so since 1990.  For me reading is an every-day activity: it is like breathing.  I find that writing helps me sort out the thoughts I have from reading.  I am looking forward to reading with you a great short story by David Sedaris “Us and Them.”  Now would be the time that you wrote down what you like to read on the document you have already created for smiling.
3. Ask questions. What works for you by remotely learning?  How would you like this class to be conducted?  What can I do to help you to succeed in ELA?

Oh, yes!  The syllabus.  I almost forgot.  Please come to class and participate every day.  You will be writing every day, so start now.  I believe every student wants to succeed, and if you start right now with the right attitude, you should get the rewarding grade you want.  This is not the end of the syllabus; it is the beginning.  Good luck!

To begin the year, you should email me with questions you have about me and about this class. You might tell me how you would like me to conduct this class. I am sure you have a lot of interesting ideas. I am working out how to run this class, and, when I have set some plans, I will inform you. Also, I would like to know something about you so write about yourself. Mr. Wojtys