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| Syllabus
| First Quarter's Assignments | Revised:
Nov. 3, 2009 | |
Week
of August 24 to 28 (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, speaking, listening, viewing). Distribute copies
of course syllabus. Literature survey. Journal
Writing #1:- 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 . . .
Begin
grammar and mechanics pre-test. Read course syllabus.
No hmwk. [Handshake and POP Back-to-School supper tonight!] |
| Tues | Finish
Journal Writing #1. Finish literature survey. Continue grammar and mechanics pre-test.
Writing sample: person you admire, story, or description of your favorite place.
Intro English
website.
Hmwk: Finish organizing English class notebooks.
Finish writing sample. Finish reading course syllabus.
|
| Wed | Collect
writing samples finished as hmwk.Intro
to writing journal entries, rationale for journal writing, and journaling as part
of the writing process. Journal Writing #2 (Untimed: What are your hopes for your
experience at Prep this year? Write a prayer for yourself, for Prep. What have
you discovered already?) Intro to spelling
list.
Hmwk: Follow links to Spelling
guidelines and spelling
strategies. Print out the pages and put them into the "Notes"
section of your notebook (right behind your classroom notes, "Spelling Strategies").
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.) |
| Thurs | Syllabus
quiz (open syllabus). Check that students were able to find class assignment website.
Help with any issues. Review how to find English
website. No hmwk. |
| Week
of August 31 to Sept. 4 |
| Mon | Spelling
pre-test. Notes on board reviewing how to write a pragraph. Intro writing assignment
about your favorite book. Why is this book your favorite? Analyze your paragraph.
Does it have all the characteristics of a successful paragraph? Revise the paragraph
so that it has a topic sentence, strong examples or illustrations or explanations,
and a concluding sentence.
Hmwk: Complete revision of paragraph. Word
process the paragraph. Due tomorrow at the beginning of class. (Save all previous
drafts to submit with latest draft.) |
| Tues | Due:
Word-processed, revised paragraph on your favorite book (with all previous drafts).
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).
Read "The Brave Little
Tailor."
Hmwk: Finish reading "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."
Hmwk:
Study for spelling
quiz.
NB: Bring Bibles to class tomorrow. |
| Thurs | NB:
Bring Bibles to class. Spelling quiz.
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. |
| Week
of September 7 to 11 |
| Mon | No
class: Labor Day. |
| Tues | Spelling
pre-test. 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. |
| Wed | [Publication
Workshop] 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: Study for spelling
quiz. |
| Thurs | [Publication
Workshop] Spelling quiz. Review with students
how to check grades on RENweb. (Intro next week's RENweb assignment.) Pass back
papers. File returned papers in "Returned Papers" section of notebook.
Go over paragraph writing assignment. Begin 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?
Begin
revising paragraphs to include more/better/stronger examples. Really make the
REASON you love this book OBVIOUS to the reader by SHOWING, not just telling.
No hmwk. |
| Week
of September 14 to 18 |
| Mon | [ITED/CogAt
Testing] No class. |
| Tues |
[ITED/CogAt Testing] Spelling pre-test.
Continue revision stage of the paragraph writing assignment worked on in
class last Thursday. 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 questions in Thursday's class
material above.)
Hmwk: Word process a new draft of your paragraph. Bring
it to class tomorrow as a Pages file OR as a Word doc (not docx) on your USB drive
or in your email inbox--accessible in the classroom. I'll give credit for all
assignments that can be opened on the school laptops in class tomorrow. Study
for spelling quiz. |
| Wed | [ITED/CogAt
Testing] No class. |
| Fri |
Spelling quiz. Due: Revision of paragraph
writing assignment on a USB drive (or in email inbox). Check off revisions on
laptops. Proofreading stage of the writing process. 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-right corner--NOT
in the margin). After you have proofread your paragraph and made all changes,
save it as a NEW Pages file (with a NEW file name) on your USB drive or in your
email inbox. Be able to access this NEW draft in class on Monday. No hmwk. |
| Week
of September 21 to 25 |
| Mon | Spelling
pre-test. Intro RENweb and grade printout assignment (due Friday). 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 store on your USB drive OR in your email inbox for tomorrow's
class.
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. |
| Tues | Submit
paragraphs to Turnitin.com during today's
class period. Follow student instructions
handout. (Make sure you submit it as a Word doc. You can export it in Pages.)
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: - Why
the protagonist is considered an underdog and
- 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 | 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 28 to Oct. 2 |
| Mon | Spelling
pre-test. 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. |
| Tues | 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. |
| Wed | 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. |
| Fri | Spelling
quiz. 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 October 5 to 9 |
| 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. |
| Tues | Begin
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. |
| Wed | Spelling
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 12 to 16 |
| Mon | Spelling
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). |
| Tues | Due:
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.) |
| Wed | Due:
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.) |
| Fri | Due
(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 19 to 23(End
of First Quarter) |
| Mon | Spelling
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). |
| Tues | Reading
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. |
| Wed | Check
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.) |
| Fri | Spelling
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. |