Wink...Wink! Daily Assignments Title Graphic
Grades/Homework
Utah Compose
Thompson's Textbook
Put a Book on Trial
Book Review Outline
Grammar Punk
Class Notebook Wiki
Word Cells
Word Cells Biglist
 To see all the weeks in the term, scroll ALL THE WAY DOWN!

August 25-29, 2014: Welcome Back!
Term 1: "Why?" and "How to..."

  • 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.".
  • ...classify words according to their parts of speech.
  • ...recognize & define various ACT vocabulary words.
  • ...accept responsibility.
  • ...work in a group.
  • ...analyze the elements of fiction in various texts.

So, let's get started!
Monday, August 25: A Day
Tuesday, August 26: B Day

  • Pick a card, any card! (Seating Chart)
  • Poem o' the Day: "Invitation" by Shel Silverstein
  • So, what're we in for?
  • Textual Evidence #1: Letters from Last Year
  • Textual Evidence #2: Disclosure & Reading Requirements & Reading Schedule
  • Textual Evidence #3: Ask me some questions to clarify.
  • Honors English Designation: Not for the Faint-hearted!
  • (Those who are interested: Sign and return the contract and receipt for lab fee with your disclosure form.)
  • Homework 1: Finish this. Then write your argumentative paragraph on a separate page, and staple them together.
  • Homework 2: Discuss everything we talked about today with your parents; have one of them sign the form; return it next time.
  • Homework 3: Find a reading book by Friday.


Wednesday, August 27: A Day
Thursday, August 28: B Day

  • Turn in assignments from last time!
  • Poem o' the Day: "Did I miss anything?" by Tom Wayman
  • Website Review: Look around for a few minutes.
  • Hall Passes: You get one per term. Use it wisely.
  • Three-ring Binder: You need one for this class here next time.
  • Writing Notebooks: Select one! Write now! Right now!
    Turn to the third page in your notebook and write for ten minutes. Introduce yourself! How is ninth grade different than eighth grade? What did your do over the summer? How was the first week of school? What you write about is not as important as the fact that you write a coherent and complete reflection, story, or description. (You could be creative: Imagine that you are 75 years old, and you have discovered the notebook in a box with nostalgic collectibles. You open it, wondering what you may have written during the first week of ninth grade, all those years ago. Surprise! It is a letter addressed to you...from the younger you! Write that letter to remind yourself what your life was like during this first week of ninth grade. Imagine how cool it will be to find it 60 years from now. What will you want to remember?)
  • The basic rule for Writing Notebook entries can be found here.
  • WN: 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.
  • Put each entry on a new page.
  • Date every entry in this format: August 27, 2014
    (Spelling, spacing, and punctuation all count!)
  • 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!
  • A Day
  • 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? (Your response should fill the top half of the next blank page in your notebook.)
  • Begin Chapter 2....(3rd)
  • B Day
  • Argumentative Paragraph Self-Assessment
  • You have one more chance....


Friday, August 29: A Day

  • Seating Chart: Choose a seat to call your own.
  • Argumentative Paragraph Self-Assessment
  • You have one more chance....
  • Poem o' the Day: "The Lie" by Anne Waldman
  • The Pigman by Paul Zindel
  • Chapter 2: Meet Lorraine!
  • Writing Notebook (bottom half of page you started last time): 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?
  • Chapters 3: Murder?
  • Writing Notebook: On the next blank page in your Writing Notebook, write this heading: Pigman Chapter Titles. None of the chapters in this novel have chapter titles...yet. On this page, you are going to give each chapter a title and explain why it is appropriate. Number (1-15) on every other line. As we finish each chapter, assign it a title that you believe works for the content of that chapter and write a brief explanation of why you think that is an appropriate title for the chapter. Leave room on the same page to do this with the remaining chapters. (There are 15 in all, so you will be returning to this page often for the next couple weeks.)
  • Have you chosen your independent reading book?
  • Honors Designees: Our first seminar will be on September 9th in Computer Lab 202. Until then, stay on the reading schedule and make sure you have paid your lab fee.


September 1-5, 2014

Monday, September 1: Labor Day

  • No School: Labor Day Holiday
  • Poem o' the Day: "What Work Is" by Philip Levine


Tuesday, September 2: B Day

  • Seating Chart: Choose a seat to call your own.
  • Poem o' the Day: "The Lie" by Anne Waldman
  • The Pigman by Paul Zindel
  • Literary Concepts to Review and Watch For Today:
    Setting, Foreshadowing, First-Person Narrator (x2)
  • Chapter 1: Meet John!
  • Writing Notebook (top half of page): 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? (Your response should fill the top half of the next blank page in your notebook.)
  • Chapter 2: Meet Lorraine!
  • Writing Notebook (bottom half of page): 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?
  • Chapters 3: Murder?
  • Writing Notebook: On the next blank page in your Writing Notebook, write this heading: Pigman Chapter Titles. None of the chapters in this novel have chapter titles...yet. On this page, you are going to give each chapter a title and explain why it is appropriate. Number (1-15) on every other line. As we finish each chapter, assign it a title that you believe works for the content of that chapter and write a brief explanation of why you think that is an appropriate title for the chapter. Leave room on the same page to do this with the remaining chapters. (There are 15 in all, so you will be returning to this page often for the next couple weeks.)
  • You should be well into your independent reading book by now!
  • Honors Designees: Our first seminar will be on September 9th in Computer Lab 202. Until then, stay on the reading schedule and make sure you have paid your lab fee.


Wednesday, September 3: A Day (Writing Lab)
Thursday, September 4: B Day (Writing Lab)

  • Welcome to the Computer Lab: Our Home Away from Home!
  • Seating Chart
  • A Day Only: SRI
  • Poem o' the Day: "Writer Waiting" by Shel Silverstein
  • Wiki Setup: Start Here!
  • First Lab Writing Assignment: Story in Stereo (Analyzing Point of View)
  • Finish reading Chapters 1-4 of The Pigman.
  • Write a short argumentative essay response to the following prompt and post it to your wiki page. You may use the book to find textual evidence. Use the formatting functions of the wiki to color code your essay, like this.
  • Prompt: The Pigman is a novel with dual first-person narrators: John, a rebellious troublemaker and Lorraine, a compassionate but insecure young woman. Having read two chapters from each narrator, you should be able to write a short argumentative essay responding to this question: How do the two narrators balance one another? Consider the strengths and weaknesses of each character as a narrator, how their separate insights and opinions will influence or enhance the story, and which of them you prefer as a narrator and/or which you would like better as a person/friend. Topics you might address include the following: compassion, attitudes toward lying, self-confidence, respect for authority, sense of humor, and creativity. However you choose to address this question, it is painfully important that you use evidence from the text to support your claim. Also, if you have time to address a counterclaim, consider what the possilbe weaknesses are in having two narrators. As with the paragraph you wrote last week, try to make your short essay meet all the requirements of argumentative writing.
  • Here's a color-coded model.

Friday, September 5: A Day


September 8-12, 2014

Monday, September 8: B Day


Tuesday, September 9: A Day
Wednesday, September 10: B Day


Thursday, September 11: A Day
Friday, September 12: B Day

  • Using this, this, and this (which are due now), revisit the Good ol' Days!
    Remember these? And paper like this?
  • On that paper, write a claim about handwriting; use the texts you have read to support it; show your reasoning (warrants); address/rebut counterclaims. Turn in. Your writing will be scored using this rubric.
  • This one gets an 8.
  • Poem o' the Day: "Thoughts in a Zoo" by Countee Cullen
  • Humorous Devices in The Pigman: Hyperbole & Understatement
  • The Pigman: Chapter 6
  • Writing Notebook: What do Chapter 6 and today's Poem o' the Day have in common? Use textual evidence from both to support your response. (How are the characters in The Pigman like the animals mentioned in the poem?) Fill the page!
  • Ever had pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis?
  • Podcast on Morphology (Listening + Quiz)



September 15-19, 2014

Monday, September 15: A Day (Writing Lab)
Tuesday, September 16: B Day (Writing Lab)

  • Poem o' the Day: "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas
  • Argumentative Paragraph Analysis: Based on the paragraphs that were turned in last week, I have some suggestions and a little "exercise" for you before you begin today's writing task!
  • The Pigman: Chapter 7
    • (Motif: Death)
  • Wiki: Writing Assignment
  • Write a short essay in which you identify the CLAIM made by the Dylan Thomas poem and then show how some part of Chapter 7 in The Pigman supports that claim. (Be warned: Chapter 7 shows all sorts of ways people respond to death, so you should consider before you start which one is the most like what Dylan Thomas suggests. You will then compare the poem to a the passage from the chapter. Use TEXTUAL EVIDENCE (QUOTES FROM BOTH SOURCES) to support your argument. EXPLAIN YOUR REASONING (WARRANTS).
  • Annotated Model: This sample contains all the elements that your final essay should contain, so make sure you include them all in your own writing. And... um...don't just copy the model.


Wednesday, September 17: A Day
Thursday, September 18: B Day

  • Podcast on Etymology (Listening + Quiz)
  • Word Cells o' the Week: Start your lists!
  • Resources: Prefix/Suffix Lists
  • -log- / -ology-
  • -form- / -morph-
  • -chrom-
  • 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 dictionary definition. Fill in ALL the blanks!
  • Poem o' the Day: "At the Galleria Shopping Mall" by Tony Hoagland
  • Writing Notebook: How do you feel about going shopping? Is it joyful or torturous? Why? What do you shop for, and with whom do you go? Tell a shopping story of your own if you have one. Fill the page!
  • Humorous Devices in The Pigman: Sarcasm
  • These things are to prepare you for Chapter 8 of The Pigman, but we may not get to it today.



Friday, September 19: A Day


September 22-26, 2014

Monday, September 22: B Day (Autumn is here!)


Tuesday, September 23: A Day
Wednesday, September 24: B Day (Midterm)

  • Book #1: Tests (You need the book in class today!)
  • The Pigman: Chapter 9 (on your own)
  • Pigman Personality Profile + Argumentative Writing Assignment
  • Write a claim indicating who you feel is most reponsible for the wife's death.
  • Quote textual evidence to support your claim.
  • Explain your reasoning (warrants).
  • If any of the characters had not done what they did, the murder would not have occurred; therefore, there are many potential counterclaims. Address the ones that are most understandable to you..
  • Offer a rebuttal that explains why the character you selected is MORE responsible than the others.
  • John's Example (Annotated):
    • Claim: The Boatman is most responsible for the wife's death.
    • Textual Evidence: According to the story, he refused to take her across the river because she could not pay him fifty cents.
    • Reasoning: This shows that the Boatman values money more than he values human life, and the sanctity of human life has been supported not only in most religious texts but also in our laws.
    • Counterclaim: Of course, a businessman has to make money to survive,...
    • Rebuttal: ...but when a desperate woman pleads with you to help her and you turn your back on her for the sake of a measly fifty cents, you prove yourself an immoral fiend.
    • Textual Evidence: The story says that the boatman was the last person the wife approached for help, and by then she "was nearly out of her mind" with fear.
    • Reasoning: Most of us would agree that a person's life is worth more than fifty cents, and most reasonable people would be willing to help such a woman. A person who knew the seriousness of the situation as the boatman did and still refused to help should be punished.
    • Counterclaim/Rebuttal: Some might say that the wife deserved what she got because she was fooling around on her husband, but not only is death an extreme punishment for her "crime," it is not the place of a guy giving boat rides to make that judgment.
    • Reasoning: This is why we have laws, courtrooms, and judges, and no reasonable person would want to have his fate decided by a character like the boatman, someone who values money above human life.
    • Conclusion: Because he refused to help when a decent citizen would have, the Boatman is the most responsible for the wife's death.
  • The Pigman: Chapter 10
  • (Writing Notebook: Update Chapter Titles)
  • Poem o' the Day: "Alexander Throckmorton" by Edgar Lee Masters
  • Copy this poem onto the next blank page in your Writing Notebook. We will finish the entry next time.


Thursday, September 25: A Day (Writing Lab)
Friday, September 26: B Day (Writing Lab)

September 29-October 3, 2014

Monday, September 29: A Day
Tuesday, September 30: B Day

  • New Reading Schedule & New Book (due Oct. 23/24)
  • Writing Notebook (Same page as "Alexander Throckmorton"):
  • Summarize the poem.
  • Paraphrase the poem.
  • (Do you know the difference?)
    Fill the Page: 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.
  • Poem o' the Day: "The Rider" by Naomi Shihab Nye
  • The Pigman: Chapters 11 & 12
  • Word Cells o' the Week: -gram-/-graph-, -scrib-/script-, -dict-,
    -string- / -strict- / -strain-
  • Neologolusion: Creating New Words & Making Sense of Unfamiliar Ones
  • Using your lists of prefixes/suffixes and two of the Word Cells we learned today, create two new words and their dictionary definitions. Fill in ALL the blanks! The front of the handout is now finished!
  • Ticket Out: Summarize Chapter 11 + Paraphrase Lorraine's statement about the "pig room".


Wednesday, October 1: A Day
Thursday, October 2: B Day

  • Poem o' the Day: "October" by Don Thompson (no relation)
  • Parts of Speech: Pretest
  • Grammar Punk Rock: Parts of Speech Review
  • Adjectives & Adverbs (modifiers)
  • Verbs
  • The Pigman: Chapters 13 & 14 (?)
  • Literary Elements w/ Assignment
  • Paraphrase vs. Summarize: Do you know the difference?
    (Some don't: I'll give you one more chance.)
  • Writing Notebook: 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? Consider the many different sorts of lies that have been told in The Pigman. What are some of the reasons we lie? Fill the page!

Friday, October 3: A Day

  • Poem o' the Day: "To Help the Monkey Cross the River" by Thomas Lux
  • Finish The Pigman:
  • Literary Elements w/ Assignment
  • Writing Notebook: Copy the quotation that you think best applies to the last chapter of The Pigman and explain why. Use well reasoned (warranted) textual evidence.
    "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
    Explain which quotation best applies to the last chapter of The Pigman and tell why.
  • Literary Elements w/ Assignment due next week!



October 6-10, 2014

Monday, October 6: B Day

  • New Seats: My Choice!
  • Poem o' the Day: "To Help the Monkey Cross the River" by Thomas Lux
  • Finish The Pigman:
  • Literary Elements w/ Assignment
  • Writing Notebook: Copy the quotation that you think best applies to the last chapter of The Pigman and explain why. Use well reasoned (warranted) textual evidence.
    "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
    Explain which quotation best applies to the last chapter of The Pigman and tell why.
  • Literary Elements w/ Assignment due Friday!
  • B-Day Homework: "The Final Lines" side of the Motifs and Last Lines handout -- Bring this to the lab with you next time!



Tuesday, October 7: A Day (Writing Lab)
Wednesday, October 8: B Day (Writing Lab)


Thursday, October 9: A Day
Friday, October 10: B Day

  • A-Day: New Seats: My Choice!
  • POEm o' the Day: "Alone"
  • Big Points: Turn in these Pigman assignments:
  • (Top) A-Day, this is new to you: Motifs and Last Lines
  • (Bottom) Literary Elements in The Pigman
  • Word Cells o' the Week: -chron-, -pre-, -post-, -terra-/-terr-
  • 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 dictionary definition. Fill in ALL the blanks!
  • Homework: Printed Final Draft of Term Paper is due next time!


October 13-17, 2014

Monday, October 13: A Day
Tuesday, October 14: B Day

  • Term Paper due now! Turn it in!
  • Grammar Punk Rock: Parts of Speech Review
  • About Prepositions, Conjunctions, and Interjections!
  • Word Cells o' the Week: -bene-, -mal-, -phil-
  • 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 dictionary definition. Fill in ALL the blanks!
  • Poe-try Handout w/ Poe-cabulary List
  • POEm o' the Day: "Annabel Lee" (Check this out!)
  • POEm o' the Day from Last Time: "Alone" by Edgar Allan Poe
  • Massive Purple Text: Narrator and Voice (pp. 148-149)
  • "The Cask of Amontillado" (pp. 172-181)
  • Writing Notebook (A): Are you a vengeful person? Have you ever sought revenge on someone who wronged you? Tell the story. If not, why not? What experiences could lead someone to seek revenge? How could an obsession with vengeance lead to tragedy? Is revenge ever necessary or good? Consider all the dangers and advantages of getting even. Fill (half) the page!
  • Remember "The Tell-Tale Heart"? Are the same narrative elements at work here?


Wednesday, October 15: A Day

  • Writing Notebook (B): Finish the entry from last time. Fill (the rest of) the page!
  • Poem o' the Day & Close Read/Analysis Assignment: The Raven
  • Read, Listen, and Translate!
  • Ask your questions now!
  • Paraphrase your assigned section.
  • Should be written in the first person -- I, me, myself – as though you are the narrator
  • Should include all the details: setting, description, quotations, what happened, etc.
  • Does not include any rhyme or repetition
  • (Finish this part for next time! You will be sharing them aloud.)
  • Word Cells o' the Week: -rupt-, -aster- / -astr-, -tact-/-tang-
  • 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 dictionary definition. Fill in ALL the blanks!


Thursday, October 16: Fall Recess
Friday, October 17: Fall Recess

  • No School: Finish that Reading Book for Next Week!



October 20-24, 2014

Monday, October 20: B Day

  • Writing Notebook (B): Finish the entry from last time. Fill (the rest of) the page!
  • POEm o' the Day & Close Read/Analysis Assignment: The Raven
  • Read, Listen, and Translate!
  • Ask your questions now!
  • Paraphrase your assigned section.
  • Should be written in the first person -- I, me, myself – as though you are the narrator
  • Should include all the details: setting, description, quotations, what happened, etc.
  • Does not include any rhyme or repetition
  • (Finish this part for next time! You will be sharing them aloud.)
  • Word Cells o' the Week: -rupt-, -aster- / -astr-, -tact-/-tang-
  • 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 dictionary definition. Fill in ALL the blanks!

Tuesday, October 21: A Day (Writing Lab)
Wednesday, October 22: B Day (Writing Lab)

  • Revision vs. Editing
  • Things about your term paper you might consider revising:
  • Finish it: Intro, at least three body paragraphs with two pieces of textual evidence in each, a paragraph to address the counterclaims, conclusion.
  • Organize it.
  • Don't be a Bubba!
    • Don't announce yourself: "I am going to tell you...," "I have to write about...," "Thompson is forcing us to write...."
    • Don't make it more about you than about the topic: Third-person, avoid "I" and "me".
  • Write sentences that are actually sentences! (Do you know how to tell?)
  • Submit Term Papers to Utah Compose ONCE! (USID # x 2)
  • Then do this.
  • REVISE and resubmit the paper to get the best score you can.
  • Final Due Date: Saturday @ Noon


Thursday, October 23: A Day
Friday, October 24: B Day



October 27-31, 2014

Monday, October 27: A Day
Tuesday, October 28: B Day

  • Poe-m o' the Day: "A Dream Within a Dream" by E. A. Poe
  • Term Test
  • Writing Notebook (Finish/Score): First Term Reflection -- How did it go? What were the highlights and lowlights? Were there unexpected things that happened, or did it go about as you thought it would? Fill the page!
  • When you finish, fill out the self-assessment/score paper and turn in.
  • Informational Text Studies: Biography of Poe (Video)


Wednesday, October 29: A Day
Thursday, October 30: B Day

  • INFORMATIONAL WRITING
  • Finish Poe Bio (Video) Notes
  • Time for Satire
  • Poem o' the Day: "Halloween" by Mac Hammond
  • ARGUMENTATION
  • Halloween Horror
  • Can you solve the case without jumping to conclusions? Who killed the ghost? Why do you think so?
  • Reasoning (Warrants): How does the available evidence support your claim? No guessing or illogical conclusions! You have to have a connection between your claim and your evidence.
  • Writing Notebook: Make a claim/guess. (One sentence.)
  • See you next term!


Friday, October 31: Professional Day
(No School for Students)


Q: "Did I miss anything?"
A: Yes.
^ Scroll up to find it. ^
Despite the absence of any support from the school district, I have made every reasonable attempt to ensure that this website is educationally sound and does not contain direct links to inappropriate material.
©2014 M. Wolfman Thompson - All rights reserved.
*<%^)