Week of December 7

As you may know by now the STI program on which the students grades are kept is experiencing problems. Hopefully it will be oporational in a few days. Probably because of the work being done on STI, the AR Reader program is also having difficulties. Students are not allowed to take AR test now, but we have been reading in class and I have been calling parents of those students who have not been keeping up their 10 page per day reading homework..
Students should be reading as much as possible so that when they are able to take tests again they can take tests on all the books that they have read. The deadline for taking tests will be extended until Mrs. Erwin, the librarian, gives us permission to take test again.
Study guide for the language 9 week test will be given to students by Thursday of this week.
The guides should be completed by Monday, so that we can go over these as a class. The language 9 week test will be given on the last day of classes before Christmas holidays, December 18.

Week of November 16

Periods 1, 3, 6, 7 and PreAP Deadline for all 15 AR points is December 10. The grade for the first 5 AR points is in STI and I am making an effort to call parents of students who are not reading.

Periods 1,3,6,7 Review test on Friday for Spelling/Vocabulary Units 1-3 Please see lists that were posted last week
Period 8 Test on Unit 4 words which were posted last week

Week of November 9

Remember to read 10 pages from AR book every day. First 5 Points are due on November12th. Remember books read in the reading classes do not count.

Student are typing their rough drafts of their embarrassing moments on the AlphaSmart keyboards as they finish with group work. I am proofreading as many of the drafts as I possibly can, but it would be of great help if parents could also proofread.

Below is a list of vocabulary words that we have been working with since school started. Perhaps parents would like to use some of these words in conversation with their children to reinforce their knowledge of the words.
Students are being encouraged to listen for these words on T. V.,radio, and in conversations in their homes.
Notice this is a review. Students have already been tested on this material and and should know it , but I will narrow the list to 20 for the test and will advise the student of the 20 words before the spelling test on Nov. 13 and the vocabulary test on Nov. 19.
Students in periods 1, 3, 6, and 7 will review meanings and spelling for Unit 1-3.

Unit 1 Target Words /Related Words --Unit 2 Target Words /Related Words
1. assault /1. advantageous--1. application /1. applicable
2. collide /2. collision-- 2. appreciate /2. appreciative
3. completion /3. demolition --3. attention /3. attentive
4. demolish /4. disband-- 4. career/ 4. discourteous
5. disadvantage /5. disorderly-- 5. common /5. dishonorable
6. effective/ 6. dissolve-- 6. courteous /6. inattentive
7. estimate /7. effect-- 7. deceive /7. indirect
8. invader /8. ineffective-- 8. devour /8. indirectly
9. mishap/ 9. invade-- 9. direct /9. unappreciative
10. mission /10. invasion-- 10. disguise /10. uncommon
11. navigator /11. navigator-- 11. honorable /11. untroubled
12.realize /12. realization--12. landscape
13.twilight --13. serious
14. severe--14. troubled
15. vicinity--15. victim

Unit 3 Target Words /Related Words
1. deserve /1. deserving
2. display/ 2. disregard
3. especially /3. finance
4. financial /4. fortunate
5. fortune /5. inform
6. information /6. informative
7. investigate/ 7. investigation
8. observation/ 8. observe
9. opportunity /9. opportune
10. position /10. pose
11.private /11. privacy
12. profit
13. solution/12. solve
14. struggle
15.temptation /13.tempt

Period 8 PreAP students will review Unit 1-3 briefly. I will give students a list of these words on Monday.
They will be expected to know how to spell each of the words in Unit 4 by Nov. 13 and know the meanings of the following words well enough to use each correctly in sentences by Nov.19.
Unit 4
1. acute-adj. serious or sudden
2. durable-adj. sturdy, long-lasting
3. eavesdrop-v. snoop, secretly listen in on private conversation
4. ethical-adj. 1. moral 2. virtuous or decent
5. fjord-n. a narrow inlet of the sea between tall cliffs and steep banks
6. gaudy-adj. flashy, tastelessly showy
7. nominal-adj. 1. existing in name only 2. insignificantly small; token
8. nurture-v. foster; raise
9. pommel-v. to strike or beat n.a knob on the handle of a sword or weapon
10. quibble-v. to evade the main point by arguing over petty matters n. an irrelevant argument
11. rampart-n. defensive structure or embankment
12. respite-n. delay or rest period
13. rite-n. ritual; customary or religious ceremonial act
14. seismic-adj. pertaining to earthquakes or vibrations of the earth
15. terrestrial-adj. of or pertaining to solid land; earthly

Week of November 2

The student is writing the story of his most embarrassing moment. It should be based in fact, but it can be embellished to make it more interesting or comical. The story should follow the same story line of -Beginning, Action, Climax or the most exciting part, and Conclusion. In addition, the student should end with the lesson that he learned from the experience. As always the story should be a page to 2 pages in length. It should be a minimum of 4 paragraphs not counting dialogue.
The entire rough draft is due on Thursday. Please have an adult proof read your work which will be typed in class over the next 2 weeks.

Vocabulary/Spelling Test on Frday, October 30

Students will be given mutiple choice test on the words on the blog from last week in which the word is spelled 4 different ways, only one of which is correct. He must be able to pick out the correct spelling.
Students will be expected to choose from last week's spelling list to fill in a blank in a sentence where that word would make sense if the student studied the definitions which were also on the blog last week and given in class.

Week of October 19

Students should hand in the rewrite of the spooky stories written in cursive in blue or black ink on Monday, October 19, if they wish to be considered for the short story writing contest and on Tuesday if they do not. Of course, stories may be typed but this is certainly not required.

Vocabulary/Spelling Lists- Students should be able to spell these words by Thursday of this week and know the meanings well enough by the end of next week to be able to choose which of the words would best complete a sentence.
Periods 1, 3, 6, and 7
1. deserve- v.- earn
2. display-n. v.-show
3. especially-adv. -unusually
4. financial-adj.-money
5. fortune-n.-large amount of money
6. information-n.-facts about
7. investigate-v.-study
8. observation-n.-watching
9. opportunity-n.-chance
10. position-n. v.-job
11. private-adj.-secret
12. profit-v. n.-benefit from
13. solution-n.-an answer to
14. struggle-v. n.-fight
15. temptation-n.-attraction

Period 8 PreAP

1. amity-n.-friendship syn: peacefulness
2. cater-v.-to supply what is needed , especially support or food syn: provide; contribute
3. guise-n.-a false appearance syn: semblance
4. inconsequential-adj.-of little or no importance syn: unnecessary; unrelated
5. jubilant-adj.-joyous,especially because of success syn: elated; happy
6. placate-v.-to calm; to pacify syn: appease; satisfy
7. preclude-v.-to prevent syn: prohibit; forbid
8. repress-v.-to hold back or put down with force syn: restrain; stifle
9. saturate-v.-to fill or soak to capacity syn: drench; permeate; infuse
10. slake-v.- 1.to satisfy or quench 2.to make less intense syn: 1.fulfill; please 2.abate; mitigate; diminish
11. sortie-n.-1.a flight of a combat aircraft on a mission 2. an armed attack, especially against surrounding enemy forces syn: maneuver; assault
12. succumb-v.-to submit reluctantly syn: surrender; give in
13. tranquil-adj.- calm or peaceful syn: placid; serene
14. venomous-adj.-1. poisonous 2. intentionally harmful syn: 1. toxic; lethal 2. malicious; spiteful; cruel
15. wrest-v.-to obtain by force, usually by twisting and turning violently
syn: wring; wrench

Spooky or Mystery Story due October 20th

After students finish with nine week tests tomorrow, they will begin writing a spooky or mystery story. Student are being encouraged to ask parents or grandparents if they know of such a tale. Rough drafts are due on Friday. Only rarely will I give written homework over the weekend and this will be one of those times since I will expect the rewrites to be written in blue or black ink on the front only to be turned in no later than Tuesday so that I may enter our best papers into a contest that is being sponored by CCMS Paw Prints. As usual, the story should follow at least a 4 paragraph format, not including dialogue. The final draft should be 1 1/2 to 2 pages in length.

Week of October 12

Students have been given the First Nine Week Study Guide which consists of 14 sentences that we are reviewing from our DOL notebooks. Students are to correct each sentence in pencil and then list the errors and grammar rules at the bottom of the guide and finish on their theme paper. All 14 sentences should be completed on Monday. The completed and corrected study guide will add 10 points to the 9 week test grade. If it is incomplete or lost, no points will be given. The Language Nine Week Test will be given on Wednesday.

Students who take the classroom novel AR tests by 3 p.m. on Wednesday will be given credit for that book. This doesn't apply to the PreAP class.

Reading for the second 9 weeks officially begin on October 19 so that any test taken on or after that date will count for the second 9 weeks. Students will have 21 days from October 19 until November 9 to earn 5 AR points. From November 10 until December 11, students will have 31 days to earn an additional 10 AR points. The classroom novel will not count this grading period since those books are being read aloud in class rather than independently by the student. Remember the students are being assigned reading of at least 10 pages from AR book everyday.

Week of October 5

Students will be working on Daily Oral Language exercises in conjunction with grammar rules on the board each day in class until the 9 Week test on October 14. The deadline for all 15 AR points is October 8.

Week of September 28

All Language Classes
Daily Oral Language test tomorrow, Tuesday, on sentences 7-10 of Week 1 which should be in the DOL notebook.
All students will have spelling test on Thursday. Classwork/ homework is worth 50% of the test grade. Go back to blog entry 9/21 for list of the words.
Students have 10 days from today to have all 15 AR points.
Get AR Reading Report and STAR Test results signed by parent.

Periods 1, 3 6, and 7
Students are given a full class period to work with vocab/spelling words as follows:
1. Write in cursive.
2. Write each of the 15 words from last week 2 times.
3. Copy the one word definition off of the board during class.
4. Write a sentence demonstrating that you know what each word means that is a minimum of 6 words in length.
5. Do 1-5 Part C in the workbook that we are using in class.
Students may finish this for homework if they do not complete it in class.
Each of these categories is worth 10 points or 50% of the spelling test grade. On Thursday, you should have the work finished. You will have 10 of the 15 words each of which is worth 5 points on the spelling test. The test itself is worth 50 points plus classwork/homework which is 50 points totals the 100 points test grade.

AP Language
1. Write in cursive.
2. Use each word in a sentence of at least 6 words in length demonstrating that you know the definition of each of the 15 words.
3. Start each sentence with a prepositional phrase.
4. Read the selection on pages 30 & 31 of the workbook before answering questions 1-5.

Congratulations

Many students already have the 15 required AR points which are due on October 8th. Congratulations go to the following students who have gone above what was asked of them.

Matt Parker(82 points), Katie Robinson (56.2 points), Drew Armstong (44 points), Josh Heichelbeck(42.8 points), Emily Lowery (31.9 points), Aubrey Luallen (30 points), Zaria Roberson (30 points), Taylor Brooks (24.7 points), Jacob Riddle (22.0 points)

Week of September 21st

Students will be working in groups for the next 2 week to learn the meaning and spelling of the 15 words on the vocabulary list. The goal is for the student to incorporate the words into their oral and written vocabularies. Students are doing book work and playing vocabulary games with the words this week. Spelling/vocabulary test will be on Thursday of next week.
Periods 1, 3, 6, an 7

1. application - use
2. appreciate - think well of
3. attention - notice
4. career - work
5. common - familiar
6. courteous - polite
7. deceive -trick
8. devour - eaten
9. direct - straight
10.disguise - conceal
11.honorable - noble
12.landscape - scenery
13.serious -not joking
14.troubled - worried
15.victims of - killed by

Period 8 - PreAP

1. belittle
2. blase' This is not actually an apostrophe but the mark over the e that causes it to be pronounced as a long a.
3. concoct
4. decade
5. diverse
6. enunciate
7. hurtle
8. improvise
9. jostle
10.libel
11.mammoth
12.paradox
13.provincial
14.realm
15.undermine

Grade reports will come home again this Friday. Sign these and return on Monday. Remember all 15 AR points should be in the computer by October 8th.

Week of September 14

Students will complete the "Why Read" essay. Please have an adult proofread the rough draft on Thursday afternoon before it is rewritten in blue or black ink in cursive to be turned in on Friday. Paper may be typed, but this is not a requirement.
Deadline for the first 5 AR points to be in the computer is this Thursday!

Week of September 8

Students are bringing their progress reports for all subjects home on Friday, 9/4.
Students will take their first Daily Oral Language Test on Wednesday, 9/10, on sentences 1-6.
These sentences should be in their DOL notebooks. I will give one of the 6 sentences. Students will be required to correct it just as it is in the notebook including the grammar rules for each mistake. Students will be allowed to use their grammar rules during the test.
Students will write an essay, "Why Read?", during their group work.
Look on page 681 of the the language textbook "Making the Plan". The paper should begin with a definition of reading in the Introductoy Paragraph section. Use at least 2 of the bullets from the introductory section other than the quote. Choose at least 3 reasons that you feel reading is important. Develop a 5 sentence paragraph for each of these reasons using the Body Paragraphs section on page 681. I will give students a list of quotes from the internet that they may use in the Concluding Paragraph section. Student will use all 3 of those bullets to write the final paragraph. Please proofread it on Thusday night, September 17, before the rewrite is written that afternoon in blue or black ink in cursive and is turned in on Friday, September 18.

Week of August 31

Language Periods 1, 3, 6, 7, 8 Read at least 10 pages from AR Reader each day. The 1st 5 points worth 20 points each on a test grade are due on September 17. The 2nd 10 AR points worth 10 points each on the second test grade are due on October 8. Students are required to read 15 points this 9 weeks.

Spelling Vocabulary Lists
Periods 1, 3, 6, 7,
assault - attack
collide - crashing together
completion - finishing
demolish - destroy
disadvantage - handicap
effective - useful
estimate - calculate
mishap - an accident
mission - task
navigator - a person who plots the course
realize - understand
severe - harsh
twilight - sundown
vicinity -distant area around something
invader - attacker

Pre-AP
Period 8
articulate
crux
debris
decry
eminent
harass
milieu
opportune
refuse
skeptical
successor
sullen
tinge
trivial
unkempt

Spelling Test will be given on Thursday of this week!

Week of August 24

Friday, August 28th: "My Worst Accident" story due!