2/28/11

Friday, February 25


Writing Prompt:
What is something that makes you nostaligic? Describe why it makes you nostalgic and what it makes you think about.

Today:
1. Review vocabulary
2. Review article from yesterday
3. Review 111-136 and collect notes!
4. Finish color symbolism

Important Dates:
1. Vocab Test - Tuesday, 3/1 (40 old, 40 new, 5 paragraph essay)
2. Persuasive Essay - Friday, 3/4
4. Finish reading chapter 7 for Monday


2/25/11

Thursday, February 24

Writing Prompt: If you had to modernize The Great Gatsby and make it into a video game, television show or movie, what changes would you make? What elements of the book would you highlight to draw people into your modernization? Describe.

Today:  
1. Review vocab
2. Review homework
3. Author's purpose and point of view
4. Practice article/Gatsby work time  

Important Dates:
1. Read up to page 136 for tomorrow. Reading notes for pages 111-136 are due tomorrow. This should be at least 2.5 pages
2. Vocabulary Test on Tuesday - 40 new, 40 old, 5-paragraph essay
3. Finish your Gatsby color symbolism for tomorrow.

4. Finish "Color Correction" sheet for tomorrow (see older post)
 

Wednesday, February 23


Writing Prompt: 
On page 124, Nick realizes that Tom and (George) Wilson are in similar positions. He writes, "I stared at him and then at Tom, who had made a parallel discovery less than an hour before — and it occurred to me that there was no difference between men, in intelligence or race, so profound as the difference between the sick and the well. Wilson was so sick that he looked guilty, unforgivably guilty — as if he had just got some poor girl with child."


How does Nick find Tom and Wilson similar and different? What does this show about each character's personality, and how do you think Nick feels towards them? Do you think Nick is right? Do you feel bad for either of them? Explain.  

Today:
1. Review vocabulary and collect word maps
2. Gatsby Review Party (from last Friday, 2/18)
3. Gatsby - up to page 125 

Important Dates:
1. Read pages 125 to 136 for Friday, 2/25. Reading notes will be collected on Friday.
2. Finish PSSA packet (including open-ended response) for tomorrow, Thursday
3. Finish color tracking sheet for Friday, 2/25
4. Vocabulary Test on Tuesday, 3/1 - 40 new words, 40 old, one 5 paragraph essay

Missing PSSA Pop Quiz (literary terms, fact vs. opinion) from Tuesday, 2/15: Fajion, Corrie, Jeffrey
Missing Gatsby quiz on chapters V & VI from Thursday, 2/17: Maryliza, Katyra, Sadée, Miguel, Jeffrey,
Jessie, Daiquan
Make up these quizzes by Friday, 2/25.
Wednesday: after school until 3:45
Thursday: before school (7:10-7:45), during lunch or after school until 5pm
Friday: before school (7:10-7:45) or after school until 3:30

2/23/11

Just what you've been waiting for...

The Great Gatsby - Color Analysis

In your group of 2-3, search for your assigned color in chapters I-VI of The Great Gatsby. You can do this using Google, but you still need to determine the page number from the book, so keep your book out!
  1. Go to Google and put the following into the search engine: The Great Gatsby online + chapter 1 + white. 
  2. When your search results appear, choose the "Cached" version. This option will highlight the words that you searched for. 
  3. Scroll through the chapter and take note of how often and where your color appears. Do your best to find the correlating page number in your book. Record the example on your chart. 
  4. On a separate sheet of paper, complete the following:
    • Write the similarities you find among the color occurrences. You may want to make a list or a Venn Diagram to help organize your thoughts. 
    • What types of things/places/events is the color used to describe? Why do you think this is?
    • What could the symbolic meaning of this color be? Why do you think this? 
    • How does the use of the color in The Great Gatsby compare to the traditional symbolic use of the color. (Example: green often symbolizes money - does it have the same symbolic meaning in Gatsby?)

2/21/11

Friday, February 18

Complete this with a partner in class. If you don't finish everything, you can complete it over the weekend and turn it in on Tuesday.

Important Dates
1. Reading notes for chapters V and VI are due today! Don't forget to hand them in!
2. Word maps are due on Tuesday
3. Read pages 113-125 for Tuesday
4. Enjoy your weekend!

Thursday, February 17


Today:
1. Review PSSA reading from yesterday
2. Review vocabulary
3. Gatsby - chapter VI & pop quiz!!

Important Dates:
1. Reading notes will be collected tomorrow (chapters V & VI). You should have at least two full pages (front and back) for every ten pages (about 3 pages front and back for both chapters)
2. Word maps are due on Tuesday
3. Read pages 113-125 for Tuesday

Wednesday, February 16

No Writing Prompt Today :(

PSSA Test Prep - 2 practice released items

Important Dates
1. number2.com - due tomorrow
2. read Chapter VI (pages 97-111) for Thursday
3. Word maps due Monday
4. Tuesday and Wednesday are half days - PSSA/SAT test prep

Tuesday, February 15

No writing prompt today :(

S.A.T.uesday!!! Test prep today
Pop quiz on fact vs. opinion and literary terms


Important Dates
1. number2.com - due today

2. read Chapter VI (pages 97-111) for Thursday - expect a quiz

3. Word maps due Monday

4. Tuesday and Wednesday are half days - PSSA/SAT test prep

2/14/11

Monday, February 14


Writing Prompt: Do you think any of the couples in Gatsby are actually in love? Explain why or why not.

  • Tom & Daisy 
  • Tom & Myrtle
  • Myrtle & George Wilson 
  • Gatsby & Daisy
  • Nick & Jordan

Or
If you are feeling more creative, write a poem from Gatsby to Daisy that expresses his feelings for her throughout the years.

Today:
1. Augment your vocabulary to sound more pedantic!
2. Gatsby
3. finish chapter V

Important Dates
1. number2.com - due tomorrow
2. read Chapter VI (pages 97-111) for Thursday
3. Word maps due Monday
4. Tuesday and Wednesday are half days - PSSA/SAT test prep



Friday, February 11


Writing Prompt: No writing prompt today :( 
Get a copy of Gatsby's Party Guests and begin completing the information about Gatsby's party guests. 

Today

1. Hand back open-ended responses
2. Gatsby chapter 4
3. Color Chart
4. Movie 

Important Dates
1. Read chapter 5 up to page 92
2. 5 paragraph essay - due Monday
3. New vocabulary on Monday!
4. number2.com due Tuesday

2/10/11

Thursday, February 10


Writing Prompt: Reread from the bottom of page 58 to the end of 59 in Gatsby and think about what you know about Nick Carraway. Nick ends that chapter stating, "I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known."
Do you agree or disagree with Nick's statement? Find two examples from the text and explain how each supports your opinion.   

Today
1. Main Idea ppt
2. PSSA practice 

Important Dates
1. Read chapter 4 and take notes for tommorrow. Reading notes for chapters 3 & 4 will be collected tomorrow.
2. 5 paragraph essay due Monday
3. number2.com due Tuesday

Wednesday, February 10

Writing Prompt:  
On page 49, Jordan says to Nick, “Anyhow, he gives large parties,” changing the subject with an urbane distaste for the concrete. “And I like large parties. They’re so intimate. At small parties there isn’t any privacy.” 

This is an example of what type of literary device? Do you agree or disagree with Jordan? How can a large party be more intimate than a small party? Do you think this is why Gatsby throws them? Explain why or why not.    

Today
1. SAT practice question

2. PPT on Pronoun Agreement (skip through the slides on punctuation)
3. Review essay assignment
4. Gatsby! 

Important Dates
1. Read chapter 4 for Friday.
2. Reading notes for chapters 3 & 4 will be collected on Friday.
3. 5 paragraph essay is due on Monday. You do not have to type it. Include your brainstorm.
4. number2.com due Tuesday

2/8/11

Tuesday, February 8

No Writing Prompt :(
Study for quiz

Today:
1. Vocabulary Quiz (If you weren't here today, you have until Tuesday, 2/15 to make this up)
2. Finish PSSA Released Item
3. Open-ended scoring guidelines 3-2-1

Important Dates:
1. Finish chapter 3 for class tomorrow. Reading notes will be collected on Friday, 2/11.
2. 5-paragraph essay due Monday. You do not have to type this. 
3. number2.com - due Tuesday

Monday, February 7


Writing Prompt: English class is rated G!
Describe the best party you ever attended. Who was there? What did you wear? Was there music? Food? Dancing? Explain what made this party so poppin'.
or
Describe your ideal party. What would you plan if money was not an issue? Who would you invite? Would you require a dress code? Would there be music? Food? Dancing? Explain how you would ensure that your party does one thing.


Today's Agenda
1. Review vocabulary
2. Beginning of chapter 9
3. PSSA Released item!

Important Dates
1. Vocabulary Quiz tomorrow - 80 words
2. Finish chapter 9 & take notes for Wednesday

2/6/11

Friday, February 4

Writing Prompt: Have you ever hear the cliché "You can't buy class"? What do you think this means? Do you think it is a true statement? How could this apply to The Great Gatsby?

Today:
1. Review vocabulary
2. Gatsby - chapter 2 review
3. movie


Important Dates:
1. Vocabulary quiz - Tuesday (80 words)
2. Finish open-ended question for Monday
3. Finish chapters 1-2 color chart for Monday
4. Read pages 39-49 for Monday (with one page of notes - any style you choose)

2/4/11

Thursday, February 3

Writing Prompt: Art Analysis

Steps:
1. Describe - What do you see? What stands out to you? How are the objects arranged? What colors are used?
2. Analyze - How do the different parts of the painting work together? What overall effect does it have?
3. Interpret - What connections can you make between the painting and The Great Gatsby? What kind of mood does the painting create?

4. Evaluate - Do you like or dislike the painting? Are there parts that you particularly like? 

Today:
1. Review vocabulary
2. Review Gatsby - colors!
3. Gatsby chapter 2 - imagery 

Important Dates:
1. Finish chapter 2: 5-4-3-2-1 notes due tomorrow
2. number2.com - finish the assignment today!
3. Vocab quiz on Tuesday - new 40, last set of 40 (on blog: 211-291) 

GRACE PERIOD ends Friday!! Get all your make-up work in with no late penalty by tomorrow, Friday, 2/4

Wednesday, February 2


Writing Prompt: What was challenging about the test today? What was easy about the test today? Are there any strategies that you have found helpful? What types of test-taking skills would you like this class to focus on improving? Explain.

Today:
1. Review vocabulary
2. The Great Gatsby - colors & characters
Important Dates:
1. number2.com due tomorrow
2. Vocab quiz next week - new words and the last 40 words
HOMEWORK: Read chapter 2 for FRIDAY. Use the 5-4-3-2-1 note format.
 

5-4-3-2-1 Notes
5 sentence summary
Write five sentences that cover the major events and plot development of the chapter
4 sentence analysis
Write at least four sentences about the themes, symbols, character development, “big idea” questions or recurring ideas that occur throughout the chapter
3 pieces of textual evidence
Include three quotes, sentences or descriptions. For each include the page number and a 2-3 sentence explanation of why you chose them.
2 connections with the text
Make connections with anything in the chapter to your life, movies, music, other books, poems, or other characters/events in the book. Write 2-3 sentences for each.
1 prediction, idea, question, comment or insight
Write at least one thought or question about what you read. 
 


2/1/11

Tueday, February 1

S.A.T.uesday!!

Up until you take the SATs, we will review SAT grammar and writing, reading comprehension and test-taking skills twice a week instead of a Writing Prompt. Please include these assignments in your Writing Prompt book. You will get credit for them when the Writing Prompt books are collected.

Grammar Do Now: 
Identify the subject and verb in each of the following sentences.  Write whether the noun is singular or plural and whether the verb is singular or plural.
1. Ms. McCartney, we read The Life and Times of Frederick Douglass at the end of last year.
2. Steam engines, which once were the hopes of car manufacturers, have never proved practical.
3. After the game, the team threw a party for themselves and their friends at 5th & Girard.
4. For many centuries, the Chinese carefully guarded the secret of making silk cloth. 

Grammar Notes:
1. Match subjects and verbs like a puzzle: 
singular & singular; plural & plural
Ex: He teaches me how to Dougie.
Ex: They teach me how to Dougie. 

2. Prepositional Phrases
Prepositions are words indicating relationships : above, under, at, before, by, for, from, of, on, under, with, after, before
These often separate the subject and the verb!!
Ex: Even possession of eagle feathers is illegal if you are an American Indian. 

3. Collective Nouns are singular nouns.
A collective noun is a noun that represents a group: class, family, group, pack, herd, army, team, audience, country (also think of names of countries).
Ex: Constitution's basketball team is the best in the city. 

4. Pronouns as subjects
Pronouns are words that fill in for proper nouns (he, she, I, they, that, us, we).

If it ends in "one" or "body," it is always singular. 
Ex: Everyone is here but Fajion.
Ex: Every weekend, somebody calls me to do something, but I just want to sleep.

"Some" is plural if you can count it; "some" is singular if you can't count it. 
Ex: Some of the class members are attentive. (plural)
Ex: Some of the excitement for school is gone after the first day. (singular)

5. Multiple Subjects
If the subjects are joined with an "and," it is a plural subject.
Ex: Gold, silver and platinum are expensive, but they do not rust or corrode easily. 

If the subjects are joined by "or" or "nor," you look at the last subject in the list to determine singular or plural. 
Ex: Neither Kyle nor Eva has a flashlight.
Ex: For Thanksgiving, either my uncle or my grandparents have dinner at their house.  

Today: 
1. Review vocabulary
2. PSSA Practice - pgs 2-4
Important Dates:
1. For Wednesday: Read the rest of chapter 1 for Wednesday. Instead of taking notes, review the chapter and find the references to colors. For each color, take note of what/who the color represents and what that color traditionally signifies. 
2. number2.com - Thursday
3. Don't get behind in your work! It's a new marking report and a fresh start! Get your make-up work in now!