| Syllabus
| First Quarter's Assignments | Revised:
Sept. 1, 2010 | |
Week
of August 16 to 20 (Beginning of first quarter and first semester) |
| Mon | First
day of class: Class introductions. English I0 as part of the Prep English
sequence and as a reflection of the NAD
Curriculum Guide (reading, writing, listening, speaking, and viewing). Distribute
copies of course syllabus. Review of journaling as
part of the writing process. Assembling English notebooks. Journal Writing #1
(Be prepared to share #1 & 2 with classmates.): - What
was the BEST part of your summer?
- Brag
on yourself about something you've done in the last 12 months of which you are
very proud.
- What I need
to accomplish this school year . . .
- This
year will be the same . . .
- This
year will be different . . .
Hmwk:
Finish reading course syllabus. Send to Mrs. Dibben
(PrepEnglish@yahoo.com) a photo of
yourself doing something fun this summer. Due by Wednesday. |
| Tues | Complete
Journal Writing #1. Finish assembling English notebook. Reading survey (on board).
Journal Writing #2 (untimed preparation for class discussion): - Why
do we have grades?
- What
function/s do grades serve?
- Agree/disagree:
"Grades are a good reflection of what I know about a subject."
Explain.
- Agree/disagree:
"Grades are a better reflection of how conscientious I am as a student than
how well I know the subject." Explain. (Can students who are organized, don't
procrastinate, and learn the teacher's 'system' earn better grades than students
who know more about the subject but are not as conscientious?)
- Complete:
I get good/not-so-good grades because . . . .
- Agree/disagree:
"Good grades reflect good teaching. If the teacher is really good, everyone
in class will earn good grades." Explain.
- Agree/disagree:
"Grades are fair." Explain.
Hmwk:
Discuss Journal Writing #2 questions with your parent/s and/or some other adult.
Be prepared to explain their ideas in class. Finish organizing English binder.
Send summer photo to PrepEnglish@yahoo.com. |
| Wed | Discussion
about grades--based on Journal Writing #2 notes and conversations with parents.
Grades and learning styles? Learning Styles resources: Introduction,
Survey,
Four Learning Styles. Have
you sent your photo to PrepEnglish@yahoo.com?
No hmwk.
Leave English binders in classroom for initial check.
(For full credit, you need to have a notebook, five tabs--correctly
labelled and in right order, a syllabus in "Handouts" section, Writing
#1 in the "Journal" section, and your name on the front cover and/or
spine.) |
| Thurs | No
Class: Whole-School Fine Arts Field Trip to SF |
| Week
of August 23 to 27 |
| Mon |
[Shortened class period for Week of Prayer] Intro spelling
and vocab words. Spelling pre-test.
Writing sample: Write a story about something that didn't turn out the way you
expected. No hmwk. |
| Tues | [Shortened
class period for Week of Prayer] Study strategies for vocab. Practice in class.
Write sentences on board. Discuss features of "winning" sentences.
Hmwk:
Study for spelling/vocab quiz. |
| Wed | No
Class: Whole-School Field Trip to Ball Game
Hmwk:
Study for spelling/vocab quiz. |
| Thurs | [Shortened
class period for Week of Prayer] Spelling/vocab
quiz. No hmwk. |
| Week
of August 30 to September 3 |
| Mon | Spelling
pre-test. Begin "Soph-o-More" stories unit. Define sophomore.
Read aloud "Two Kinds," Amy Tan (pp. 49-58). Students finish reading
the last two pages silently.
Hmwk: Think about your own experience.
Have you ever been made to do something that you didn't want to do? Did it turn
out well? Not so well? |
| Tues | "Soph-o-More"
stories. Reading quiz, "Two Kinds." Discuss together "Conflict"
qstns, #1-3, p. 59. Answer "Analyzing Literature" qstns, #1-10, p. 59.
(Due by end of class; OK to work with partner.)
Hmwk: Journal Writing
#3 (Write a story about an experience you had when someone made you do something
that you didn't want to do. How did it turn out?) |
| Wed | "Soph-o-More"
stories. Check off homework Journal Writing #3. In groups, discuss Debating Issues
(p. 60). Record good and bad points in two columns in Journal Writing #4. Agree/
disagree: "Pushing kids to do things that they don't want to do is generally
good." Discussion of Journal Writings #3 & 4. What are the conditions
that make the statement true or false?
Hmwk: Study for spelling/vocab
quiz. |
| Thurs | Spelling/vocab
quiz. "Soph-o-More" stories. Introduce narrative essay (an essay
that is supported by a story or stories). Review of writing process: we've done
lots of thinking. Now we need to organize those thoughts. Thesis statement needs
to make obvious your opinion on the agree/disagree statement. Create a one-sentence
thesis statement and write it at the top of a piece of paper. On the paper with
your thesis statement, write bullet point notes of the chronology of a story (or
stories) that support/s your thesis statement. Go for details, details, DETAILS!
(More details = less work when you begin drafting and a better grade when I check
off the organizing stage.) No hmwk. |
| Week
of September 6 to 10 |
| Mon | No
School: Labor Day. |
| Tues | Spelling
pre-test. "Soph-o-More" stories. Continue working on narrative essay.
Complete thinking stage, the chronology of your story (or stories). Review concept
of strong thesis statements. Begin drafting.
Hmwk: Complete rough-rough
draft. Be able to access rough-rough draft tomorrow on computer in classroom. |
| Wed | "Soph-o-More"
stories. Self evaluation. Revise essay based on self evaluation.
Hmwk:
Study for spelling/vocab quiz. (Complete
revision based on self evaluation.) Print out hard copy of essay to have in class
tomorrow. |
| Thurs | Spelling/vocab
quiz. "Soph-o-More" stories. Peer evaluation. Revision based on peer
evaluation. No hmwk. |
| Week
of September 13 to 17 (Midterm) |
| Mon | Spelling
pre-test. "Soph-o-More" stories. Continue revision based on peer evaluation.
Discuss proofreading techniques and tricks. Proofread.
Hmwk: Study for
spelling/vocab quiz. Complete essay revision
and print out final draft. |
| Tues | Spelling/vocab
quiz. "Soph-o-More" stories. Due: Final draft of narrative essay (with
all previous drafts, in a pocket folder). Share with classmates. No hmwk. |
| Wed | No
Class: Biology Trip. |
| Thurs | No
Class: Biology Trip. |
| Week
of September 20 to 24 |
| Mon | No
Class: Standardized Tests. |
| Tues | No
Class: Standardized Tests. |
| Wed | Spelling
pre-test. "Soph-o-More" stories.
Hmwk: Study for spelling/vocab
quiz. |
| Thurs | Spelling/vocab
quiz. "Soph-o-More" stories. |
| Week
of September 27 to October 1 |
| Mon | Spelling
pre-test. "Soph-o-More" stories. |
| Tues | "Soph-o-More"
stories. |
| Wed | "Soph-o-More"
stories.
Hmwk: Study for spelling/vocab
quiz. |
| Thurs | Spelling/vocab
quiz. "Soph-o-More" stories. |
| Week
of October 4 to 8 |
| Mon | Spelling
pre-test. |
| Tues | |
| Wed |
Hmwk:
Study for spelling/vocab quiz. |
| Thurs | Spelling/vocab
quiz. |
| Week
of October 11 to 15 (End of first quarter) |
| Mon | Spelling
pre-test. |
| Tues | |
| Wed |
Hmwk:
Study for spelling/vocab quiz. |
| Thurs | Spelling/vocab
quiz. |