Wink...Wink! Daily Assignments Title Graphic
Grades/Homework
Independent Reading Practice
Utah Write
Goodreads
Class Notebook Wiki
Book Review Outline
Word Cells
 
 To see all the weeks in the term, scroll ALL THE WAY DOWN!

September 3-7, 2012: Welcome Back!
Term 1: "Why?" and "How to..."

Monday, September 3: Labor Day

  • No School: Labor Day Holiday
  • This term you will learn WHY...
  • ...literacy matters. (Communication)
  • ...people read and write outside of school. (Purpose + Audience = Genre)
  • This term you will learn HOW TO...
  • ...ask questions.
  • ...have a conversation.
  • ...develop an argument: evidence, warrant, conclusion.
  • ...put a book on trial.
  • ...write a simple argumentative essay.
  • ...close read and annotate text.
  • ...figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word by recognizing its "cells.".
  • ...wiki.
  • ...identify the parts of speech.
  • ...accept responsibility.
  • ...work in a group.
  • ...analyze the elements of fiction in various texts.


Tuesday, September 4: A Day
Wednesday, September 5: B Day

  • Poem o' the Day: "Invitation" by Shel Silverstein
  • Letters from Last Year: What're we really in for?
    • Read. Write. Repeat
  • Writing Notebooks: Select one. Write now. Right now!
  • Turn to the third page in your notebook and write for ten minutes. Introduce yourself!
    (Writing Notebooks remain in the classroom!)
  • Mini-Lesson: Question Answer Relationships (QAR)
  • Four Types of Questions
  • Assignment/Discussion: Disclosure & Independent Reading Policy (if time) -- Close reading with a partner, generate one of each type of question (QAR) about these documents and be able to answer the question for the class.
  • Homework:
  • Return this form signed by a parent/guardian.
  • Find a book of your choice that you have not read before, start reading it, and carry it with you at all times.


Thursday, September 6: A Day (Computer Lab 202)
Friday, September 7: B Day (Computer Lab 202)


September 10-14, 2012

Monday, September 10: A Day
Tuesday, September 11: B Day

  • Let the Routines Commence...
  • Turn in Homework: "Where I'm From" Template
  • Seating Chart: Choose wisely...
  • Poem o' the Day: "O Captain! My Captain!" by Walt Whitman
  • Writing Notebook: The Finer Details
    Copy this quotation on the first page of your WN:
    "You learn to write by writing. The only way to learn to write is to force yourself to produce a certain number of words on a regular basis."
    --William Zinsser
    • Writing Notebook Guidelines:
    Copy these under the quote on the first page.
    • Date every entry and assignment.
    • Skip only one or two lines between entries. Do not put each entry on a separate page!
    • Never remove any pages from your writing notebook, even after they have been scored.
    • Writing Notebooks are to remain in the classroom at all times!
  • Writing Notebook: Now title the next page Reading & Writing Genres, and let's get started! Try to think of a GENRE for each letter in the alphabet: A: autobiography, B: blog, C: catalogue, etc. The second page in your Writing Notebook is your Genre Alphabet. Try to get one for every letter, but don't confuse a topic with a genre. (For example, Josh thinks "juggling" is a genre. Josh is a jabbering joker. Do not believe him!) A genre is a kind of reading or writing, not a thing you write about.
  • Genre Intro: Who would have thought there was so many ways to write about one guy?
  • Using the personal list in your Writing Notebook, let's collaborate on this big, collaborative Genre List. (More on this next time!)
  • Weekly Routine #1: AoW (Article of the Week)
  • Intro: Close Reading and Annotating Text
  • This Week's Article: "How Writing By Hand Makes Kids Smarter"
  • (Wanna get an A on this? Then make sure yours looks like these: EVIDENCE that you were THINKING while reading!)
  • Homework: Close Read the AoW and bring it back next time.


Wednesday, September 12: A Day
Thursday, September 13: B Day

  • Notebook for English: I don't care how you organize your things, but there are certain handouts that you MUST KEEP AND HAVE AVAILABLE ON DEMAND. You are going to get some of those handouts today. If you want to use the official school binder (with the red, yellow, blue folders), that's great. If you don't, that's great too. But you have to have somewhere to keep the handouts I give you. If I bother to three-hole punch it, you better bother to keep it.
  • Poem o' the Day: "The Hand" by Mary Ruefle
  • Homework Check: Did you close read that article? Does yours look like these? I hope so because I have a few other things I want you to look at. Heh-heh-heh!
  • Handwriting Artifacts
  • Now for some cursive practice!
    (It's called cursive because it makes you curse.)
  • Writing Notebook: Copy this into your journal in your neatest handwriting:
    "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog."
    Skip a line and write now...right now: Describe your handwriting. Do you think it is a reflection of your abilities or intelligence? Is handwriting important in a world in which keyboards and keypads seem to be the predominant forms of text generation? What good does it do to have legible or very fancy handwriting? Is handwriting a lost art? Discuss handwriting. (100+ words)
  • Mini Argument: Consider the articles and information we looked at. Write a CLAIM about handwriting (in your neatest handwriting, of course!). What EVIDENCE supports your claim? What WARRANT explains how the evidence supports your claim?
  • Using the Genre List (from last time) in your Writing Notebook, let's collaborate on this big, collaborative Genre List.
  • Routine #2: Word Cells (Figuring Out Unfamiliar Words)
  • Reference Handout: Intro to Word Cells (Don't lose it!)
    • Podcast: Etymology
    • Word Cells o' the Day: -log-/-ology (Start your study list!)
    • 9th Grade Weekly Cell: -chrom- (color)
    • Podcasts: Listen and Learn!
  • Homework: Have you joined the group and updated your shelf on Goodreads? Did you create your wiki page?


Friday, September 14: A Day

  • Poem o' the Day: "Cartoon Physics, Part 1" by Nick Flynn
  • Routine #3: Grammar Punk (POS)
  • DO NOT LOSE THIS HANDOUT!
  • Grammar Punk Rock: Parts of Speech Review -- Verbs (MPT, pp. 1050-2)
  • How 'bout a Quick Pretest?
  • Verb Chart (Keep this with your other grammar handouts/notes!): principal parts of verbs, especially irregular past and past participles; simple, perfect, and progressive tenses; agreement of subject and verb, especially with collective nouns
  • Common Core Standard: L 9.3
  • The Pigman by Paul Zindel
  • Chapter 1 (Meet John!)
  • Writing Notebook: What are your first impressions of John? Find a sentence in the chapter in which his voice seems particularly strong. Copy it and explain what you think it says about him. Do you think he will be an interesting narrator? Does he remind you of anyone you know? (If so, who and why?) Would you be friends with John? Why or why not?
  • Chapter 2 (Meet Lorraine!)
  • WN: What are your first impressions of Lorraine? Find a sentence in the chapter in which her voice seems particularly strong. Copy it and explain what you think it says about her. Do you think she will be an interesting narrator? Does she remind you of anyone you know? (If so, who and why?) Would you be friends with Lorraine? Why or why not?
  • dfg
  • Ticket Out: Write an "Author & Me" (Type 3) question about the first two chapters



September 17 - 21, 2012

Monday, September 17: B Day

  • Poem o' the Day: "Cartoon Physics, Part 1" by Nick Flynn
  • Routine #3: Grammar Punk (POS)
  • DO NOT LOSE THIS HANDOUT!
  • Grammar Punk Rock: Parts of Speech Review -- Verbs (MPT, pp. 1050-2)
  • How 'bout a Quick Pretest?
  • Verb Chart (Keep this with your other grammar handouts/notes!): principal parts of verbs, especially irregular past and past participles; simple, perfect, and progressive tenses; agreement of subject and verb, especially with collective nouns
  • Common Core Standard: L 9.3
  • The Pigman by Paul Zindel
  • Chapter 1 (Meet John!)
  • Writing Notebook: What are your first impressions of John? Find a sentence in the chapter in which his voice seems particularly strong. Copy it and explain what you think it says about him. Do you think he will be an interesting narrator? Does he remind you of anyone you know? (If so, who and why?) Would you be friends with John? Why or why not?
  • Chapter 2 (Meet Lorraine!)
  • WN: What are your first impressions of Lorraine? Find a sentence in the chapter in which her voice seems particularly strong. Copy it and explain what you think it says about her. Do you think she will be an interesting narrator? Does she remind you of anyone you know? (If so, who and why?) Would you be friends with Lorraine? Why or why not?
  • Ticket Out: Write an "Author & Me" (Type 3) question about the first two chapters


Tuesday, September 18: A Day
Wednesday, September 19: B Day


Thursday, September 20: A Day (Computer Lab 202)
Friday, September 21: B Day (Computer Lab 202)

  • SRI: Reading Test
  • Poem o' the Day: "Paradoxes and Oxymorons" by John Ashberry
  • Review Elements of Fiction: You could make yourself some flashcards!
  • Humorous Devices in The Pigman: Euphemism
  • Routine #2: Word Cells (AKA Morphemes)
  • Neologolusion: Creating New Words & Making Sense of Unfamiliar Ones. Using your lists of prefixes/suffixes and the Word Cells we've learned so far, create a new word and its and its dictionary definition. Post a correctly written dictionary entry of the word to the top of your wiki page.
  • Homework (if you don't finish in class): Finish at least one dictionary entry for a new word of your own creation and post it to YOUR wiki page.
    (It's a wik-tionary! Get it?! Yes, Mr. Pignati, we get it.)


September 24-28, 2012

Monday, September 24: A Day
Tuesday, September 25: B Day


Wednesday, September 26: A Day
Thursday, September 27: B Day


Friday, September 28: A Day

  • Writing Notebook: AoW Reflection/Discussion (Turn in!)
  • Word Cells: Add these to your growing list!
  • Word Cells o' the Day: -graph- (-gram-) / -script- (-scrib-) /-dict-
  • 9th Grade Weekly Word Cells: -tact- (touch) & -terra- (land/earth)
  • Poem o' the Day: "At the Galleria Shopping Mall" by Tony Hoagland
  • The Pigman: Chapter 8 (Shopping Trip) & Chapter 9 (Norton)
    (You read Chapter 9 quietly, on your own.)
  • Update Literary Elements Worksheet: Motifs, Symbols, Conflicts
  • Writing Notebook: Pigman Personality Profile
  • Review Elements of Fiction: Here are some interactive excercises! (If time permits...)


October 1-5, 2012

Monday, October 1: B Day

  • Writing Notebook: AoW Reflection/Discussion (Turn in!)
  • Word Cells: Add these to your growing list!
  • Word Cells o' the Day: -graph- (-gram-) / -script- (-scrib-) /-dict-
  • 9th Grade Weekly Word Cells: -tact- (touch) & -terra- (land/earth)
  • Poem o' the Day: "At the Galleria Shopping Mall" by Tony Hoagland
  • The Pigman: Chapter 8 (Shopping Trip) & Chapter 9 (Norton)
    (You read Chapter 9 quietly, on your own.)
  • Update Literary Elements Worksheet: Motifs, Symbols, Conflicts
  • Writing Notebook: Pigman Personality Profile
  • Review Elements of Fiction: Here are some interactive excercises! (If time permits...)


Tuesday, October 2: A Day
Wednesday, October 3: B Day (PT Conferences, 3:45-7:15 P.M.)

  • Add this to your List of Literary Terms --> Humorous Devices in The Pigman: Sarcasm
  • A Word on Close Reading & Annotation: Examples to Emulate
    • "Interesting," "Wow!" and "I disagree" do not qualify as thoughtful commentary.
    • Underlining and/or highlighting are meaningless if you don't write WHY they are significant in the margins.
    • Lots of unexplained question marks don't provide "evidence of a close reading."
    • Cute clouds and artwork are nice...but they do not count as thoughtful commentary.
    • Speculating on whether or not Thompson is actually reading your comments does not illustrate that you read the article carefully.
  • Again, follow the examples.
  • The Pigman: Chapter 10
  • Routine #3: Grammar Punk (POS)
  • Grammar Punk Rock: Parts of Speech Review: Modifiers
  • Adjectives (What do they modify? What questions do they answer?)
  • Adjectives Review
  • Adverbs (What do they modify? What questions do they answer?)
  • Adverbs Review
  • And while we're on the subject, beware of misplaced modifiers!
    (We'll review some every day for the next few sessions, so be ready!)
  • Here are some funny mangled modifiers.
  • Poem o' the Day: "Alexander Throckmorton" by Edgar Lee Masters
  • WN: You know you're an adult when _______________. Consider what it means to be "young" or "old." Do these words represent a physical state of being or an attitude? Have you ever known a very young old person or a very old young person? Is Mr. Pignati old? Explain. (100+)
  • The Pigman: Chapter 11


Thursday, October 4: A Day (PT Conferences, 3:45-7:15 P.M.)
Friday, October 5: B Day

  • Writing Notebook: Write the dialogue (hey, there's another genre!) that will/would take place between your parents and me when/if they came to Parent-Teacher Conferences.
  • Mispalced Modifiers Review 1
  • Poem o' the Day: "The Rider" by Naomi Shihab Nye
  • The Pigman: (Finish Chapter 11 -- Spaghetti Dinner) Chapters 12 & 13
  • AoW (Close Reading): The Cost of Dropping Out (Homework -- Due next time!)
  • Homework: Finish the Close Reading & Annotation. (Make yours this good!) Here are some suggestions!

October 8-12, 2012

Monday, October 8: A Day
Tuesday, October 9: B Day

  • Writing Notebook: Write a one-page reflection on The Cost of Dropping Out and the Annotated Close Reading.
  • Poem o' the Day: "Where I'm From" by George Ella Lyon
  • Turn your outline (from four weeks ago!) into a non-literal poem about yourself. (See/Hear other models.) You have 10-15 minutes of class time to get started, and the rest is homework. Bring a draft next time.
  • Word Cells: Add these new ones to your list!
    • Word Cells o' the Day: -chron- / -pre- / -post-
    • 9th Grade Weekly Word Cell: -aster-/-astr- (star)
  • Finish The Pigman (Chapters 14 & 15)
  • Finish Chapter Titles in WN.
  • Homework: Finish your "Where I'm From" Poem. Bring it next time!


Wednesday, October 10: A Day (Computer Lab)
Thursday, October 11: B Day (Computer Lab)


Friday, October 12: A Day


October 15-19, 2012

Monday, October 15: B Day


Tuesday, October 16: A Day
Wednesday, October 17: B Day

  • Today is the Independent Reading Due Date!
    Finish the book and bring it to class! You must have read the entire book before doing the following steps!
  • Independent Reading Assignment: Put the book you read on trial.
    • First, complete the outline.
    • Here's an example of a completed outline from The Pigman.
    • Next, using the information from your completed outline, write up your argument into a presentation like what a lawyer would deliver to a jury. (Remember "Slip or Trip?" Like that! Pretend you're the lawyer!)
    • Prove your case using evidence from the book. Put your best writing on display!
    • Here's a Pigman example. Notice how the information on the outline ends up in the essay!
    • Then, post the final draft of your essay on Goodreads.
    • Finally, turn in the outline to me, and we will have a book talk before I read your essay on Goodreads.
    • >>>>>>>>> Due date: October 23rd <<<<<<<<
    • IF YOU DO NOT COMPLETE ALL THE STEPS, YOU WILL NOT GET INDEPENDENT READING POINTS. If you have not read a book, you should just tell me that. It will drop your grade significantly, but it is better than being caught trying to cheat.
  • Argument: So, what did happen to Arthur?
  • Routine #2: Word Cells
    • Word Cells o' the Day: -bene- / -mal- / -phil-
    • Weekly Word Cell: -rupt- (break)
    • (Neologulsion: Create a new word and write the dictionary definition.)
  • Mispalced Modifiers Review 3
  • Poem o' the Day: "To One in Paradise" by Edgar Allan Poe
  • Poe Biography: "Terror of the Soul" (30 minutes or so) -- Respond to study questions and take notes as needed.
  • *Homework: See below. Put your book on trial.Due October 23rd. Turn in your completed outline after you have posted your essay. We will use the form to have a book talk during the final week of the term. If you do not turn in the outline form, you will get no reading points.


Thursday, October 18: Fall Recess
Friday, October 19: Fall Recess

  1. Read a the book.
  2. Complete the outline.
    (Here's an example of a completed outline from The Pigman.)
  3. Use the info on your outline to write up your argument into an essay that proves your case by using evidence from the book. Best writing, please! Remember "Slip or Trip?" Like that! Pretend you're the lawyer!
    ( Here's a Pigman example. Notice how the information on the outline ends up in the essay!)
  4. Post the final draft of your essay on Goodreads.
  5. Turn in the outline, and we will have a book talk before I read your essay on Goodreads.
  • >>>>>>>>> Due date: October 23rd <<<<<<<<
  • IF YOU DO NOT COMPLETE ALL THE STEPS, YOU WILL NOT GET INDEPENDENT READING POINTS. If you have not read a book, you should just tell me that. It will drop your grade significantly, but it is better than being caught trying to cheat.
  • Review Elements of Fiction: How 'bout a Crossword?
  • Review these for the quiz next week: Misplaced Modifiers Review: 4 & 5



October 22-26, 2012

Monday, October 22: A Day
Tuesday, October 23: B Day


Wednesday, October 24: A Day (No computers)
Thursday, October 25: B Day (No computers)

  • Independent Reading Assignment Due!
  • "The Cask of Amontillado" (video)
  • Review: Paraphrasing -- What is it? How is it different than summarizing?
  • Poem o' the Day & AoW (Close Read): The Raven -- Read and Listen.
  • Writing Notebook: Everything that follows should be done in your WN.
  • Translate (paraphrase) an assigned stanza into regular modern English (no rhyme -- just story).
  • Present "Translations" to the class so everyone knows the whole story.
  • (Identify the Literary Elements & create a Plot Diagram for The Raven.
    Since it is narrative poetry, it tells a story using many of these elements.)
  • Make notes on your own copy of the poem so you will remember what it all means because you're going to...
  • ...work on The Raven Study Questions, due next time!
  • Homework: FinishThe Raven Study Questions!


Friday, October 26: A Day (Writing Lab)

  • Poem o' the Day: "Annabel Lee" (Check this out!)
  • Word Cells: Add these to your list! (Test next week!)
  • Word Cells o' the Day: -fer- / -port- / -lat-
  • Word Cell o' the Week: - mort- (death)
  • Utah Write: Baseline Essay/Term Paper -- Consider the narrator in one of the following works by Edgar Allan Poe: "The Cask of Amontillado" or "The Raven." Is he a reliable narrator? Can you believe what he says and/or trust him? Why or why not? Write your essay as an ARGUMENT in which you make a CLAIM about the narrator, give specific EVIDENCE to support your claim, and then WARRANT your evidence by explaining how it supports your claim. Use this form to outline your ideas. You may revise your paper to improve your score as many times as you want between now and October 30th.


October 29 - November 2, 2012

Monday, October 29: B Day (Writing Lab)

  • Poem o' the Day: "Annabel Lee" (Check this out!)
  • Word Cells: Add these to your list! (Test next week!)
  • Word Cells o' the Day: -fer- / -port- / -lat-
  • Word Cell o' the Week: - mort- (death)
  • Utah Write: Baseline Essay/Term Paper -- Consider the narrator in one of the following works by Edgar Allan Poe: "The Cask of Amontillado" or "The Raven." Is he a reliable narrator? Can you believe what he says and/or trust him? Why or why not? Write your essay as an ARGUMENT in which you make a CLAIM about the narrator, give specific EVIDENCE to support your claim, and then WARRANT your evidence by explaining how it supports your claim. Use this form to outline your ideas. You may revise your paper to improve your score as many times as you want between now and October 30th.
  • Book Talks are comin'!
  • Last Chance to get Independent Reading Assignment done (on Goodreads)
  • Extra Time? Revise "Where I'm From" poems on wiki. Check with me.
  • Submit to Davis Reads.


Tuesday, October 30: A Day
Wednesday, October 31: B Day


Thursday, November 1: A Day
Friday, November 2: B Day

  • Poem o' the Day: "November for Beginners" by Rita Dove
  • Extra Credit: Turn it in now!
  • Term Test: So, what did you really learn this term?
  • Halloween Horror: Make your case (in writing). Turn it in!
    (The correct answer will be posted on the website this weekend.)


To see previous weeks, scroll ALL THE WAY DOWN!
"Did I miss anything?" This is the most annoying question students who have been absent can ask. My usual sarcastic reply is something like this: "Oh, heck no! We knew you were gone, so we just sat around all day and looked at each other. You don't really think I'm going to assign work on a day you're not here, do you?" So, in order to keep everyone (students and their parents) apprised of what exactly is going on each day in class, I am going to put it here. Check back often!
Despite the absence of any support from the school district, I have made every reasonable attempt to insure that this website is educationally sound and does not contain direct links to inappropriate material.
©2012 M. Wolfman Thompson - All rights reserved.
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