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

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

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)

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. 

 

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 5^th & 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!