Please be advised that you will not have a vocabulary quiz on Thursday, 2 January.

EVERYONE WAS PHENOMENAL DURING OUR ROMEO AND JULIET SOCRATIC SEMINAR! I APPRECIATE YOUR ENTHUSIASM AND EFFORT DURING YOUR PREPARATION FOR THIS ACTIVITY. 

ARTS AND LETTERS DAILY 
I wonder why Diedrich would post this link? Perhaps, it may have something to do with our next unit of study? (He also recently added the links that appear below...)

http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/topics/topicsSubject.html

http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/

Schedule for Week of 9 December

SAT Vocabulary Quiz List 12 on Thursday, 12 December

Monday, 9 December: Romeo and Juliet QUIZ on Act IV (Multiple Choice and TWO Short Answer Questions-these questions will asked you to respond to exactly what was discussed in class-EVERYONE will do well-do not worry...) [Should take approximately 20 minutes maximum to complete this quiz.]

Please remember to bring your text to class! Why do the same students ask me if they can go to their locker to retrieve it? I will no longer grant permission to do so.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: Due Monday, 2 December
Romeo and Juliet Act 3, Scene 5 

Romeo and Juliet Act 3, Scenes 1-5

These study guides will be distributed in class on Wednesday, 27 November, just in case you were going to be absent, I provided links for this assignment. No excuses for failing to complete this assignment when due. The text can be found on line so do not tell me that you "forgot" your book in your locker.

Romeo and Juliet: No Fear...
(Presented in a power-point format.)

You will be directed to use this when completing the study guide assignment that will be distributed in class. This will help many of you score higher on the study guide. Please keep in mind that your FOCUS is still on the language of Shakespeare.

Effective immediately-until further notice-I am requiring a parent's signature on the study guides for Romeo and Juliet.

Schedule for Week of 18 November:

A new conferencing topic has been posted to www.nicenet.org. You have until Sunday, 24 November @ 11:59 PM to post your response and to post your reply to a classmate's post.

We will complete Act II of Romeo and Juliet on Monday and Tuesday and then begin Act III. You will be given study guides at that time.

As usual, Thursday, 21 November: SAT Vocabulary Quiz List 10 (SEVEN words from this list and THREE words from List 9) Several of you should be making-up flash-cards as a study aid...

Dear Parents:
I am now requesting that you place your signature on homework assignments that your child will be turning-in for any assignment related to Romeo and Juliet. This will begin with their next assignment that will be due on Tuesday, 12 November. Depending on what we complete together in class, your child will be responding to questions for Act 2-Scenes 3, 4, or 5. Please ensure that your child responds with more than one sentence for any question that requires them to: EXPLAIN-ANALYZE-INTERPRET-REACT... This actually applies to the majority of my questions since they all require "critical thinking" and that they make an attempt to answer all of the questions.

A Concern:

"Several" students have not joined-in on our discussion when we attempt to answer the study guide questions for a specific scene as a class. My rationale for doing this is to "model" possible answers and strategies for reaching these responses. Why should these students receive the same grade for "just sitting back" and permitting others to do the work? Soon, you will be working in a cooperative learning group responding to "critical thinking" questions-where the answers will vary and all group members will be assessed on their collaborative effort in assisting the group in responding to these questions (Act 2, Scene 2; perhaps-one of the most "important/critical" scenes in the play).

I am also disappointed that several students did not complete the study guide homework assignment that was due today-Monday, 4 November. I was not pleased with the "excuses" and neither would your parents.

Just a Reminder:

DPS Presentations will begin on Thursday, 7 November.

You have until Friday, 8 November (11:59 PM) to post your "second" response/reply on www.nicenet.org

SAT Vocabulary List 8 Quiz (SEVEN words from List 8 and THREE words from List 7: Thursday, 7 November (Recall the "revised" policy about re-taking a vocabulary quiz?)

Every one should be viewing the power-points/videos related to our reading of Romeo and Juliet that I have posted. This is NOT happening; I could give you a "surprise" quiz on their content at any time...

Shakespeare's Language

"I wonder why Diedrich would post this power-point (video)?"

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY! When a SAT Vocabulary Quiz is re-taken, your score will be averaged with the score on the first quiz (regardless of how "low" you scored).

Schedule for Week of 28 October

Your usual SAT Vocabulary Quiz on Thursday, 31 October. Effective immediately, you will not be permitted to "re-take" a Quiz unless you present to me YOUR flash-cards that YOU have used to prepare for the quiz. I will inspect these "cards" for YOUR in  name-upper right-hand corner of each card)
(THREE Words from List 6 and SEVEN Words from List 5)


Archetypes and Symbols  (NOTE: You will not receive this as a handout in class, but you should certainly download this resource and place it in your three-ring binder.)

Please be advised that you probably should take notes from any power-point/video that appears below since I will not duplicate it and distribute as a power point handout. We will certainly discuss the content in class as we read Romeo and Juliet.

 

 

Your next nicenet.org conferencing topic has been posted. (Is there such a thing as "love at first-sight"? How would this be possible? In responding to this topic, integrate your "personal" reaction along with your reaction to Romeo and to Juliet. Then, wait until other classmates have posted their "initial" response prior to replying to their post. DUE DATE: 8 NOVEMBER BY 11;59 PM!

Just a Reminder: SAT Vocabulary Quiz on Thursday, 3 October (List 3 (SEVEN Words) and List 2 (THREE Words). I suspect that those students who are not doing well are waiting until the night before and/or are not making up flash-cards. Have a parent or a sibling work with you at home-several days prior to the quiz on Thursdays. By now you should have downloaded the lists, but just in case you have not done so-click on this link: SAT Vocabulary Lists

Homework Assignment: Due Monday, 30 September

"Because I Could Not Stop For Death" Paragraph Response to the Aim for this poem. Recall discussion of this poem and the directions I provided. If you neglected to bring your notebook home, click-on the poem's title for the specific Aim/Question. Be sure to follow the "Eleven Sentence Paragraph Model" for this assignment.

SAT Vocabulary Quiz

Just a Reminder: SAT Vocabulary Quiz: List 2 (SEVEN words from this list and THREE words from List 1) on Thursday, 26 September.

SAT Vocabulary Quiz Retake Policy: If you do "poorly" on any quiz or simply would like to re-take it for a higher grade, you may do so for only THREE occasions during the course of a semester! This must be done prior to your next scheduled quiz-which happens to fall on Wednesdays-for example-List 1 must be -retaken by Thursday, 26 September-not during the following week. Furthermore, if you are absent on any quiz day, you must see me immediately upon your return (even if your Band does not meet on that day) to make arrangements to take your quiz. Dear Parents: Students had since Day 1 of class to prepare for the List 1 vocabulary quiz so there is not any excuse for the low grade your child may have received.

Schedule for Week of 16 September:

I would first like to share how pleased I have been with your Book Talks-this sentiment was also shared by the Assistant Principals who visited the classroom. Everyone appears to be off to a "good" start responding to the Conference Topic on www.nicenet.org. (Often, I too, will enter your conversation, but this time I am "taking a back seat." (Although, I was searching for a "reaction" to the comment, "We were only having a laugh.") Perhaps, someone may desire to address this. [Diedrich's heart almost stops every time he hears this-I wonder why.]

A Reminder: Your "second" post/response is due by 23:59 hours on 18 September.

Monday, 16 September: Book Talk Presentations continued...I will introduce you to TWO of the English 9 "mandated" units if we have time left in the period. We will begin with a Poetry Unit (Please do not make a face-I promise that this unit will be an enjoyable and a meaningful activity for all.) Simultaneously, you will also be acquainted with the Writing Unit-but this is actually a "year-long" activity-you would probably "scream" if I used three to four weeks of class time for the required activities.

Introduction to Our Poetry Unit

This is a "link" for a handout you will actually receive either on Tuesday or on Wednesday. I included it so you could watch the videos we may or may not view in class. Our "primary" initial focus will be on applying the TPCASTT strategy to the analysis of a poem. Relax-students in the past have felt comfortable using this technique.

By the way, one project will involve everyone taking his/her turn in "teaching" a poem to the class using this procedure.

Tuesday, 17 September: We will actually begin with the writing unit-a "brief" explanation -see below- for the paragraph "structure" I will require from everyone in this class. Then, I will introduce the Poetry Unit. Logically, you will then have to submit the "Eleven sentence paragraph" of a poem you "analyze" using TPCASTT. Naturally, since we now have a 57 minute period, I will allow you to begin this assignment in class so that I will have the opportunity to assist if needed.

Wednesday, 18 September,  We will continue to "mix" the two units. Specific aspects of both will be addressed. Note: We do not have specific "texts" so I will distribute appropriate handouts when necessary as well as display power-points for you to take notes as required.
Assignment: TBA (Depends on what we accomplish in class). Please do not wait until tonight to prepare for your first SAT Vocabulary Quiz (List 1).

Thursday, 19 September" SAT List 1 Vocabulary Quiz(Ten Words-Matching-Seven Minutes)
Poetry Unit continued...

Remember: I am always available after your last class of the day for tutoring and/or to address any concerns you may have.

BE ADVISED THAT YOUR SAT VOCABULARY QUIZ
(List 1) has been rescheduled for Thursday, 19 September.
Recall the rationale I provided for the change?


A Reminder: You are required to "post" TWO comments in response to the "Conferencing Topic" on nicenet.org. (See posting below). DEADLINE: 11:59 pm  on 18 September:

Beginning on Wednesday, 11 September, you will demonstrate that you have indeed completed your summer reading assignment by giving a "BOOK TALK", instead of writing an essay in response to a "prompt". Please note that we will discuss BOTH texts throughout this semester. I was thrilled by how well all groups worked in preparation for this activity.

Conferencing Topic Video

 

Internet Safety Conferencing Topic
(assignment sheet) Due: Wednesday, 18 September
on www.nicenet.org

English 9 Class Outline

Weekly Vocabulary Quizzes

ATTENTION English 9 STUDENTS FOR THE 2013-2014 SCHOOL YEAR

SAT VOCABULARY QUIZZES

Beginning with our second week of school, you will take a Vocabulary Quiz. For our first quiz (List 1), you will study all THIRTY words on this list-but you will be tested on only TEN of the words. (TEST FORMAT: MATCHING) However, for your second Vocabulary Quiz you will study ALL of the words for List 2-but you will only be tested on SEVEN of the words from that list AND THREE of the words from List 1. Let me clarify-for our THIRD Vocabulary Quiz-you will study ALL of the words for List 3-but you will only be tested on SEVEN of the words from that list and THREE of the words from List 2. We will follow this procedure throughout the year until you are tested on each of the lists which appear when you click on the link above: "SAT VOCABULARY QUIZZES."

I recommend that you make-up Flash-Cards for each list and store them in a shoebox for your review. Furthermore, you probably should download and print these lists and place them in your required three-ring binder for this class.

PLEASE NOTE: THE SAT VOCABULARY QUIZZES WILL HAVE A "WEIGHT" OF 12% FOR EACH MARKING PERIOD WHEN "JUPITER" CALCULATES YOUR GRADE.