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Davis School District

August 21-25, 2006

Monday, August 21: Teacher Prep. Day

• No School for Students
  

Tuesday, August 22: Teacher Prep. Day

• No School for Students
  

Wednesday, August 23: Welcome Back!

• A Kind of I.Q. Test: Where do I sit?
• First Day Presentation/Discussion: Great Expectations
• Letters from Last Year: The Advice of Your Elders
• Disclosures: Parent signature due Friday!
• Honors English, Anyone?
  

Thursday, August 24

• Prewrite: List all the things (related to Language Arts) you hope we do in this class and all the things you hope we definitely don't do in this class.
• The Usual Handouts:
  Hall Passes, Independent Reading Contracts (due September 6th!)
• What's with the new independent reading requirements?
• Writing Assignment #1: Sign My Yearbook! (Expectations Realized: Use the Prewrite!)
• Honors English, Anyone?
  

Friday, August 25

• Disclosures: Signed Form Due!
• A visit from Mr. Muna: Safe Schools
• Honors English, Anyone?
• *Homework: Have class materials and a reading book in class on Monday!
  

August 28- September 1, 2006

Monday, August 28: Materials and Reading Book in Class!

• Write Something! (10 minutes' worth)
• Writing Trait #1: Ideas and Content
• A Timely Example: Zachary Rosenstein for Pres!
• Specific vs. General: Defining Our Terms
  Non-example: What Does Baby Mickey Find?
• Evaluate the ideas and content of what you wrote. Turn it in.
  

Tuesday, August 29: Computer Lab 137

• STAR/AR/Student System/E-mail/etc.
• Specific vs. General Assignment (Developing Ideas and Content)
  

Wednesday, August 30: Back-to-School Night, 6:45 P.M.

• Journals: Pick one! Write your name on it...everywhere.

• Journal Topic #1: How is 9th grade treating you so far? Give examples! Be specific! (80+ words)
• The Pigman: Chapter 1 (Meet John!) & Chapter 2 (Meet Lorraine!)
• Pigman Vocabulary List #1
  

Thursday, August 31

• Journal #2: Who make the best friends--those of the same sex or those of the opposite sex? Why? What advantages are there to each? (80+ words)
• The Pigman: Finish Chapter 2 (from page 8..."right in the middle of the living room!")
• Pigman Study Questions 1 (in journal)
• Read Chapters 3 & 4
• 
  

Friday, September 1: Honors English Applications due!

• Journal #3: What is the best day of the week? Why? (80+ words)
• The Pigman
  • Humorous Devices in The Pigman: Presentation/Notes
  • Vocabulary List #2
• Begin Chapter 5
  

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September 4-8, 2006

Monday, September 4

• Labor Day: No School
  

Tuesday, September 5: Computer Lab 137

• Finish and Submit Specific vs. General Assignment
• Fill out Independent Reading Contract (It's due tomorrow!)
• Take STAR test if you weren't here last week.
  

Wednesday, September 6: Independent Reading Contracts due!

• Journal #4: Are you a good liar? Why or why not? (Give an example of a time you either lied very well and got away with it or lied poorly and got caught.) Is there ever a time when it is right to lie? Explain. (90+ words)
• The Pigman: Literary Concepts (Copy them onto the "Pigman Pages" in your notebook.)
• Finish Chapter 5 & 6

Thursday, September 7: Honors English Meeting (3:00 P.M.)

• Journal #5: Are you afraid to die? Why or why not? What is your attitude about death? Is it a natural part of the life process, or is it something to be avoided at all costs? Discuss. (80+ words)
• Literary Concepts: Define
• The Pigman: Read Chapter 7 & Define Vocab. #3
  

Friday, September 8

• Journal #6: Do you like to shop? Why or why not? How do you prefer to shop: Online? In a mall? Department stores? Alone? In a group? Discuss your feelings on shopping. (80+ words)
• The Pigman: Chapter 8
• Literary Concepts: Begin Worksheet
  

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September 11-15, 2006

Monday, September 11

Tuesday, September 12: Computer Lab 137

• Characterization: The Big Four
• Write Character Sketches: Show me; don't tell me!
• A Helpful Link
• A Sample (Way longer than yours needs to be!)
• Suggestion: Don't try to tell the story; just describe your character.
• If you don't finish today, you have until Friday. (Don't forget!)
  

Wednesday, September 13

• The Pigman
• Vocabulary List #5
• Read Chapter 11 (aloud)
• Journal #8: You know you are an adult when.... (80+ words)
• Read Chapter 12 (silently)
• Work on Literary Concepts / Vocabulary Worksheet (handed out last Friday)
  

Thursday, September 14

• Journal #9: Copy the following quotations.
  

  "It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do." --John Baptiste Moliére "Man must cease attributing his problems to his environment, and learn again to exercise his will - his personal responsibility." --Albert Einstein "When we have begun to take charge of our lives, to own ourselves, there is no longer any need to ask permission of someone." --George O'Neil "A sign of wisdom and maturity is when you come to terms with the realization that your decisions cause your rewards and consequences. You are responsible for your life, and your ultimate success depends on the choices you make." --Denis Waitley

  The Pigman
• Read Chapter 13 & 14
  

Friday, September 15: Ms. Threlkeld in the House!

• Finish The Pigman
• Literary Concepts: Finish Worksheet & Vocabulary Review (both sides)
  

September 18-22, 2006

Monday, September 18

• Journal #10: Look at the quotations you copied in the last journal. Choose one that you think applies to the last chapter of The Pigman. Explain your choice. (90+ words)
• Score worksheet from Friday.
• The Pigman: Review Chapter 15
• Study Questions (Only the 3rd and 6th questions require written responses; do them in your journal.)
• Themes, Motifs, Lessons (to be completed this week in class)
  

Tuesday, September 19: Lab 137

• The Pigman: Literary Skills Test
• Writing Trait #2: Organization
• What does an academic essay look like?
• Sample Essay
• Meet Bubba: He knows organization...but little else. Don't be a Bubba!
• Assignment: Choose one (1) of the three Pigman essay questions to answer and write an outline (by filling in the blanks on these handouts: #1, #2, #3) of your response. (The essay options are on the back of the handout from yesterday.)
• Homework: Finish the outline (#1, #2, #3) and bring it tomorrow.
  

Wednesday, September 20: Computer Lab 138

• Using the outline (#1, #2, #3) you created yesterday, write the essay.
• What's a transition? Try these links: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H
• Save it, but don't print yet.
• Do not lose your outline! (#1, #2, #3)
  

Thursday, September 21

• (Your journals have now been scored for the first time. After looking at your score, go back to the first page of the journal where you copied the Journal Guidelines. Read them and see if you are still following all of them. If not, start doing so now.)
• Journal #1: What did you think of your ninth grade picture/ID card that was handed out yesterday? Do you look as good as you'd hoped? Did your parents buy a picture packet, and if so what is going to happen to those photos? What is your philosophy of pictures? Explain. Discuss. Pontificate. Elaborate. (90+ words)
• Writing Trait #2: Organization Handout (Never Lose!)
• What does an academic essay look like? /Sample Handout
• Popsicle Sticks: Let's Color!
  

Friday, September 22: Midterm

• Journal #2: How was the first half of the term? Why? (75+ words)
• Themes, Motifs, Lessons: Finish in class (not the essay)
• Silent Reading/AR tests
  

September 25-29: Test Week

Monday, September 25: It's Banned Books Week!

• Journal #3: This week is parent-teacher conferences. Write the dialogue you think I would have with your parents. (80+ words)
• Paragraph Structure: pp. 347-355 Massive Blue Text (Language)
  

Tuesday, September 26: Explore Testing (30-minute classes)

• Computer Lab 137
• Explore Testing
• Finish/Revise/Self-Evaluate Pigman Essay
• Does the essay prove the thesis?
• Does each paragraph meet the requirements we discussed yesterday?
  

Wednesday, September 27: Explore Testing (30-minute classes) / Parent-Teacher Conferences

• Computer Lab 137
• Explore Testing
• Finish/Revise/Self-Evaluate Pigman Essay
• Print, color code, annotate, and turn in the essay, outline, and Pigman test.

Thursday, September 28: Parent-Teacher Conferences

• Journal #4 -- Copy and discuss this quote:
  "If all the year were playing holidays,
  To sport would be as tedious as to work."
  -- Henry IV, Part 2: Act II, Scene 1
• Intro to The Bard: Shakespeare in the Classroom (Video)
  

Friday, September 29

• Finish Shakespeare in the Classroom (Video)
• Journal #5 -- Copy and discuss this quote:
  "O, it is excellent
  To have a giant's strength,
  but it is tyrannous
  To use it like a giant."
  --Measure for Measure: Act II, Scene 2
• Handout Shakespeare Packets: Do Not Lose Them!
• Shakespeare's Language: A Glossary of Common Terms
• Write your own Shakespearean dialogue!
  

October 2-6, 2006

Monday, October 2

• Journal #6 -- Copy and discuss this quote:
  "The sweetest honey
  Is loathsome in his own deliciousness
  And in the taste confounds the apetite."
  --Romeo and Juliet: Act II, Scene 6
• Begin Romeo and Juliet: The Prologue
  Assignment: Translate The Prologue into Modern English
• Three Ways to Present The Prologue: Video
  

Tuesday, October 3: Computer Lab 137

• Shakespeare Web Quest
  

Wednesday, October 4

• Journal #7 -- Copy and discuss this quote:
  "Talkers are no good doers: be assured
  We go to use our hands and not our tongues."
  Richard III, Act I, Scene 3
• Return Pigman Essay/Outline/Test: Two Main Problems
  • What's a Thesis? (NOT a question, but the answer!)
  • Logical Fallacies about "The Message"
• Begin Romeo & Juliet Packets/Study Guides
• Romeo and Juliet: Act I, Scenes 1, 2
  

Thursday, October 5