English 9
Rosemary Dibben
(707) 965-6759, PrepEnglish@yahoo.com
English Dept.
PUC Preparatory School
McKibbin Hall, 1 Angwin Ave.
Angwin, CA 94508

Syllabus | First Quarter's Assignments

Revised: Sept. 2, 2010 

Week of August 16 to 20 (Beginning of first quarter and first semester)
Mon

First day of class: Class introductions. English I as part of the Prep English sequence and the NAD Curriculum Guide (reading, writing, listening, speaking, and viewing). What experience do you already have with these processes? Distribute copies of course syllabus. Begin Assignment #1:

  1. [Appropriate salutation] Mrs. Dibben, You need to know . . .
  2. In order for me to be successful in English class, I need . . .
  3. I think this class would be extra fun if we could . . .

Turn in Assignment #1 if complete. Otherwise, file in "In Progress" section of English binder.
Hmwk: Finish reading course syllabus before class tomorrow. By Wednesday, send to Mrs. Dibben (PrepEnglish@yahoo.com) a photo of yourself doing something fun this summer. Also by Wednesday, organize English binder--using instructions in course syllabus.

Tues

Complete Assignment #1 and submit. Intro to writing journal entries, rationale for journal writing, and journaling as part of the writing process. Journal Writing #1 (Be prepared to share answers to items #1 & 2 with classmates by way of introduction.):

  1. What was the BEST part of your summer?
  2. Brag on yourself about something you've done in the last 12 months of which you are very proud.
  3. What I need to accomplish this school year . . .
  4. This year will be the same . . .
  5. This year will be different . . .

Share and introduce selves. Writing sample: person you admire, story, or description of your favorite place.
Hmwk: Finish organizing English class notebooks. (These will be left in the English classroom on Wednesday for their initial check.) Finish writing sample before class tomorrow. Also, send to Mrs. Dibben (PrepEnglish@yahoo.com) a photo of yourself doing something fun this summer (if you haven't already done so).

Wed

Collect writing samples finished as hmwk. Intro English website. Learning styles resources: Introduction, Survey, Four Learning Styles. (Print out results to file in English binder.) No hmwk.
Leave notebooks 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.)

FriNo Class: Whole-School Fine Arts Field Trip to SF
Week of August 23 to 27
Mon

[Shortened class period for Week of Prayer] Intro to spelling list. Spelling pre-test. Syllabus quiz (open syllabus). Learning styles resources: Introduction, Survey, Four Learning Styles
Hmwk: Follow links to Spelling guidelines and spelling strategies. Print out the pages (you might not want to print the background on the second one) and put them into the "Notes" section of your binder. As you read, mark (underline? highlight? draw arrows?) on the printout to help you remember the best strategies for you. Put the results of your Learning Style Survey in the "Handouts" section of your binder. (I can print out copies for students who have difficulty accessing a computer and/or printer. Just ask.)

Tues

[Shortened class period for Week of Prayer] Finish syllabus quiz (started yesterday). Complete Learning Styles survey (and print out results). Distibute handouts for those who experienced difficulties accessing a computer and/or printer last night. Distribute and read Backpack Basics. Read Spelling guidelines and spelling strategies--if your haven't already done so. Grammar and mechanics pre-test.
Hmwk: Study for spelling quiz (Friday). Finish reading--if not completed in class.

WedNo Class: Whole-School Field Trip to Ball Game
Hmwk: Study for spelling quiz (Friday).
Fri

[Shortened class period for Week of Prayer] Spelling quiz. Complete grammar and mechanics pre-test. Journal Writing #2 (Untimed: What are your hopes for your experience at Prep this year? Write a prayer for yourself, for Prep). Read aloud Rudyard Kipling's "How the Rhinocerous Got His Skin." (Students who want to may draw quietly during the reading.) No hmwk.

Week of August 30 to September 3
Mon

Spelling pre-test. Investigate strategies. Discuss/describe strategies for success that are appropriate for different learning styles. Option: Partner with a classmate who shares your learning style (if this is helpful for your learning style). Journal Writing #3 (In a format that is appropriate to your learning style, prepare a collection of strategies that can help you be successful in English class.
Hmwk: Complete Journal Writing #3, if not completed in class.

Tues

Notes on board reviewing how to write a pragraph. Intro writing assignment about your favorite book. Why is this book your favorite? Write a paragraph about your favorite book. Start with an interesting topic sentence, continue with examples, illustrations, explanations, and/or stories to support your topic sentence. End with an appropriate capping sentence.
Hmwk: Finish handwriting your favorite-book paragraph.

Wed

Due: Handwritten paragraph on your favorite book. Analyze your paragraph for the revision stage of the writing process. Does it:

  • Start with an interesting topic sentence?
  • Contain supporting examples, illustrations, explanations, and/or stories that support the topic sentence?
  • End with an appropriate capping sentence?

Revise your paragraph to fix any structural and/or content issues. Word process the paragraph. Due Friday at the end of class. (Save all previous drafts to submit with latest draft.) Make sure your computer draft is accessible in class Friday.
Hmwk: Study for spelling quiz.

Fri

Spelling quiz. Proofreading stage of the writing process: techniques and tricks. Now is the time to check for spelling, punctuation, grammatical, and word choice glitches. Do your sentences communicate as you want them to? Also, at the proofreading stage, we take care of final writing format (double spaced, 12 pt. font, Times New Roman; name, course, assignment, and date single-spaced in the upper-left corner--NOT in the margin). After you have proofread your paragraph and made all changes, print out the final draft AND save it as a NEW Pages file (with a NEW file name) on your USB drive or in your web-based email inbox (so that you can access this final draft in class next time we meet. Turn final draft in with all previous drafts (behind final draft). No hmwk.

Week of September 6 to 10
Mon

No School: Labor Day

Tues

Review with students how to check grades on RENweb. Intro RENweb assignment (for next week). Pass back papers. File returned papers in "Returned Papers" section of notebook. Go over paragraph writing assignment. Revisit the revision stage of the writing process:

  • Does your paragraph have a clear, general topic sentence--that can be supported by evidence from the book? (Ex: "This book makes me feel good" canNOT be supported from evidence within a book.)
  • Are your examples really strong and as detailed as needed to get your main point across?
  • Are you showing--rather than just telling?

Revise paragraphs to include more/better/stronger examples. Really make the REASON you love this book OBVIOUS to the reader by SHOWING, not just telling. Journal Writing #3 (Untimed/group: Underdogs. Definition, Bible story example/s, sports story, story from your own life, fairytale/myth, movie, novel). Intro unit of stories about underdogs (those expected to lose but who end up as winners).
Hmwk: Read "The Brave Little Tailor."

Wed

Reading quiz: "The Brave Little Tailor." Journal Writing #4 (What about the tailor's life would lead you to expect him to lose--be an underdog? What are the circumstances of the story that allow the tailor to be successful? What has to happen for him to be successful at each turn? What about the tailor himself makes him successful?) Discuss "The Brave Little Tailor." Continue revision stage of the paragraph writing assignment. Make sure you have a clear, general topic sentence--that can be supported by evidence from the book. Then, go for really strong, detailed examples that illustrate your topic sentence. (See revision questions above.) Word process a new draft of your paragraph--if you haven't already. Turn in new final draft by end of class on Friday.
Hmwk: Study for spelling quiz.

Fri

[Publication Workshop] Spelling quiz. Due: New final draft of favorite-book paragraph. Intro Turnitin.com. Join English 9 at Turnitin.com. Follow student instructions handout. Finish proofreading, and save final draft of paragraph. Convert to a Word doc, and submit final draft of favorite-book paragraph to Turnitin.com by end of class. No hmwk.

Week of September 13 to 17 (Midterm)
Mon

NB: Bring Bibles to class. Spelling pre-test. Intro RENweb and grade printout assignment (due Friday). Read story of David and Goliath from I Samuel 16 & 17. Journal Writing #5 (Reflect on David's story as an example of an underdog story. What evidence supports this idea? What are the circumstances of this Bible story that allow David to be successful? What about David would lead you to expect him to lose against the giant? What do David's brothers think of his abilities? Compare this story to "The Brave Little Tailor.") Discuss story. No hmwk.
Hmwk: Complete Journal Writing #5.

Tues

* * * * * * * * Not accurate below this line * * * * * * * * *

Underdog stories. Read aloud Jacobs version of "Jack and the Beanstalk." Journal #6 (Draw while you are listing to the story to help you focus on details). Begin reading Lang version of "Jack and the Beanstalk."
Hmwk: Finish reading Lang version of "Jack and the Beanstalk." Notice differences between the two stories.

Underdog stories. Reading quiz. Journal Writing #7 (Note differences between versions of "Jack and the Beanstalk." What purpose do variations serve? What is the moral/lesson of each version. Are the morals of the stories different? How?) Discuss differences between two versions of the "Jack and the Beanstalk" story.
Hmwk:


Hmwk: Finish proofreading paragraphs. Export Pages file as a Word doc to prepare final drafts. Save on USB drive and/or in email inbox so that you can access the file tomorrow in class.

Underdog stories. Read "Lazy Jack" (an Appalachian Jack tale). Read "Wonder Tales in Appalachia."
Hmwk: Finish reading "Lazy Jack" (an Appalachian Jack tale) and "Wonder Tales in Appalachia." Print out your English 9 grades from RENweb. (If you don't know how to access your grades on RENweb, see Miss Smith in the office. She can help.) Bring printout to class by Friday. No printout? No credit!

Wed

Reading quiz. Begin notes on the underdog stories that we have read so far:

For each story, identify:

  1. Why the protagonist is considered an underdog and
  2. Why/how the underdog ends up being successful. Note whether the success is because of his/her own abilities or because of external forces.

Keep these notes in the "Notes" section of your notebook.
Hmwk: Finish up notes started in class today--for all the stories we've read so far. Print out your English 9 grades from RENweb--if you haven't done this already. The final day for credit for this assignment is Friday, this week. Study for spelling quiz.

Fri

Spelling pre-test (for next week).

Due: RENweb printout of English grade. Spelling quiz. Check off completed notes (started in class on Wed). Begin reading Esther (the Bible's Cinderella story). No hmwk.

Week of September 20 to 24
Mon

No Class: Standardized Tests.

Tues

No Class: Standardized Tests.

Wed

No Class: Standardized Tests.

Fri

Spelling quiz.

Reading quiz: Esther 1-4. Continue with Esther. Work on Esther Reading Comprehension Questions. (Answers should be filed in "In Progress" section of binder.)
Hmwk: Complete Esther Reading Comprehension Questions through Chpt. 4.

Check off hmwk (through Chpt. 4). Underdog stories. Bring Bibles to class. Story of Esther. Continue reading Esther. Continue working on Esther Reading Comprehension Questions. (Answers should be filed in "In Progress" section of binder.) Complete Chpts. 5-6 in class today. Continue writing underdog notes started last week.
Hmwk: Continue reading Esther. Continue working on Esther Reading Comprehension Questions. Have Esther Reading Comprehension Questions completed before beginning of class tomorrow.

Check off completed answers for Esther Reading Comprehension Questions. Introduce other "Cinderella" tales. Read the Charles Perrault version of the Cinderella tale, "Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper." Continue writing underdog notes started earlier. (Include notes on a Disney version of the story--your choice which one).
Hmwk: Study for spelling quiz. Finish reading "Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" --if you didn't finish in class.

Read aloud another version of the Cinderella tale: Princess Furball, by Charlotte Huck. (Students may draw while listening--if this helps focus.) Discuss various morals/messages of different Cinderella stories. Journal Writing #8 (Untimed: What do you think the Cinderella tale is really about? Is it about bravery? Rags-to-riches success? Beauty? Goodness? Nobility of spirit? Grace in the face of adversity? Do different versions have different moral/themes? Why might a society want its children to understand the story of Cinderella?) Add Princess Furball to underdog notes in your binder. No hmwk.

Week of September 27 to October 1
Mon

Spelling pre-test. Questions for discussion about the "odd" messages of best-known Cinderella tale (Perrault):

  • Are only beautiful people good and vice versa?
  • Is every woman's supreme ambition to marry a prince/king?
  • Can/should one pick a spouse by appearances?
  • Does "goodness" mean being a doormat for unpleasant people?

Read aloud another version of the Cinderella tale: Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters, by John Steptoe (an African version of the Cinderella tale). Continue working on underdog notes. Add latest stories to notes.
Hmwk: Finish updating underdog notes.

TuesBegin reading individually: "Fair, Brown, and Trembling," an Irish Cinderella tale. Add info to your underdog notes. Read aloud Sleeping Ugly, by Jane Yolen--a tale in which the ugly girl gets the prince and the beautiful princess gets just what she deserves. Is this a parody of the Cinderella story?
Hmwk: Study for spelling quiz. Finish reading "Fair, Brown, and Trembling." (Reading quiz tomorrow). Add info to your underdog notes if you didn't finish doing so in class.
WedSpelling quiz. Reading quiz: "Fair, Brown, and Trembling." Discuss "Fair, Brown, and Trembling." as a Cinderella tale. Begin test review questions about underdog stories.
Hmwk: Complete reading of any underdog stories that you haven't finished. Add latest stories to your underdog notes. Continue working on test review questions about underdog stories.
Fri [Rio Football Tournament] Read aloud The King's Equal, by Katherine Anne Patterson. No hmwk.
Week of October 4 to 8
MonSpelling pre-test. Go over returned quiz and remind students about common standard English spelling and rules of capitalization that need to be used in all public writing. Go over paragraph writing assignment. Optional re-write--with graded draft--due Wednesday (at the beginning of class). Test review questions about underdog stories. (Due just before test. No review with you in class? No credit.)
Hmwk: Finish studying for underdog stories test. (Accepted ONLY just before you take the test.) If you have time, you could work on the optional re-write of your paragraph. (Due Wednesday, at the beginning of class).
TuesDue: Test review. (Accepted only just before the test.) Test: Underdog stories.
Optional hmwk: Finish up the optional re-write of your book paragraph. (Due at the beginning of class on Wednesday. Include graded draft.)
WedDue: Optional re-write of book paragraph (include graded draft). Begin reading "The Necklace," Guy de Maupassant (pp. 169-175). Journal Writing #9 (Untimed: "Honesty is the best policy." Why do some people ignore this good advice?) Chose response option: do qstns #3-10 & 14 (p. 176) OR "Personal Writing" (p. 177). Pass back papers.
Hmwk: Study for spelling quiz. Finish reading "The Necklace," Guy de Maupassant (pp. 169-175). (Grace abounds! Complete paragraph re-write.)
FriDue (grace!): Paragraph re-write. Spelling quiz. Reading quiz. Continue with "The Necklace" response option started in class on Wednesday. Read "Symbol" (p. 176), and do qstns. #1-3. No hmwk.
Week of October 11 to 15 (End of first quarter)
MonSpelling pre-test. (Students who didn't finish Friday's work should do so now.) Journal Writing #10 (Daydreams). Begin "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (pp. 116-120).
Hmwk: Finish Journal #10 (Daydreams) and finish reading "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (pp. 116-120).
TuesReading quiz: "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (pp. 116-120). "Walter Mitty" Daydream Story Assignment. Work on writing assignment: thinking/planning stage of the writing process. Begin drafting.
Hmwk: Complete rough draft of "Walter Mitty" Daydream Story Assignment.
WedCheck off rough draft. Continue "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" Circle the daydreams in your story. (What is not circled is the frame story, or frame narrative.) Have you developed the daydreams sufficiently? Can your reader "see" the action--as in the Walter Mitty daydream sequences? Distibute Walter Mitty Self-Critique form.
Hmwk: Study for spelling quiz. Complete word-processed draft of your daydream writing. Print out a hard copy and have it in class on Friday. Also, make sure you can access the current file of your writing in class. (Bring it on your USB drive or send the file to yourself by email so it's in your email inbox.)
FriSpelling quiz. Check off word-processed hard copy of daydream writing. Continue with "Walter Mitty" Daydream Story Assignment. Peer reviewing. [Walter Mitty Peer-Review Form]
Hmwk (only if you didn't finish in class): Make a hard copy of your daydream writing--incorporating the suggestions of your peer reviewer (if you think they are helpful. Don't incorporate changes that you know are wrong!). Print out hard copy of revised-revised draft, and bring it to class on Monday. Be able to access the latest version of the computer file. (Save it to your USB drive and/or put it in your email inbox). This should be a REVISED version of the writing you had checked off at the beginning of class today.


Syllabus | Assignments