What a Great Time of Year!

Wow, what a great weekend it's been for the Fitch family (yes, that is my maiden name; no, I do not get discounts at Abercrombie &, though it never hurts to try it when there, right?).  I'm on the road in Dayton, OH, driving home from my nephew's wedding in Lexington, KY.  Yesterday it was 60 degrees and we didn't even need coats!  We were able to spend some time at the plantation of Henry Clay, who among his many roles was Secretary of State under John Quincy Adams:

We were also able to go on campus at the University of Kentucky and get pizza at the Mellow Mushroom:

Finally, we ended the day celebrating the marriage with family, both new and old:

This is the same nephew who was ring bearer in my wedding twenty years ago.  How is this possible?

It was also my neice's graduation from CMU, so since my dad was unable to travel to Kentucky, she was able to have a cheering party in Mt. Pleasant.  She was my flower girl, by the way:

So much to cheer for as we begin to pass the torch to the next generation.

It's back to reality for me, however; at least for three days.  Last week we finished Edgar Allen Poe, so this week we're going to try to do Emily Dickinson and then combine the two together for an end of unit assessment.  Here's what the schedule looks like:

• Monday, 12/19 - we'll read and annotate a Dickinson poem.  There's a Type 2 Quiz at the end of it.
• Tuesday, 12/20 - we'll fill out a pre-packet and begin the assessment.
• Wednesday, 12/21 - we'll finish the assessment.

That's the plan; as always, I'll update the calendar if we get behind.  Second Hour Co-Taught, by the way, is behind and might need to do the End-of-Unit assessment after break.

Have a great couple of weeks and I'll see everyone in 2017! Ciao!


What a Great Time of Year! by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://www.laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Do you think this is a harbinger of things to come?  I hope we don't end up with a winter like we did a few years ago.  I don't mind a snow day here or there, but I detest making up days in June!

Well, we made it.  Romeo and Juliet, along with Module 1, is done!  We finished up the assessment on Friday and they did a culminating activity on Google Classroom.  So now we're ready to move forward.  Module 2 surrounds fiction pieces such as "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe, "I felt a Funeral, in my Brain" by Emily Dickinson, and "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller; the non-fiction centers around Bernie Madoff.  The theme for the Module is Personal Accountability, and continues with the idea of Individual Identity vs. Group Identity, and our struggle to remain true to ourselves while being part of a society.  Very appropriate for today's world, I think.

So this is what we have on deck for this week:

• Monday, 12/12 - we will begin by getting new seating charts, handing out some papers, and then we'll turn to Verb Packet #1.  Back to grammar for bell work (they'll be so excited).  I'll hand out the Type 3 vocab. cards for Unit 1, and then focus on Edgar Allan Poe.  I have a short video biography aimed at kids for them to watch.   
• Tuesday, 12/13 - we will do some verbs and then listen and read "The Cask of Amontillado".  When finished we'll go back through the text and annotate it.
• Wednesday, 12/14 - academic advisory - we'll work on verbs and then we'll finish "Cask" and take a short Type 2 Quiz, and then we'll turn to Emily Dickinson and begin her poem "I felt a Funeral, in my Brain."
• Thursday,12/15 - career advisory - we'll do another sheet of verbs and turn in packet #1, and then attempt to finish annotating and concentrating on "Funeral".   There's a short Type 2 Quiz for this poem, as well.  
• Friday, 12/16 - we'll begin the End of Unit Assessment.  This will take us 2-3 days in class.

If there is a snow day on Monday, everything will just be pushed off a day.  I'll adjust the online calendar as needed.

A note on scheduling:  we were given an email to clarify that as advisory teachers we were being asked to collect the purple sheets as they are completed.  If you student was told different information, just have them check in with the counseling office.  If you have questions, it would be best to check in with the main or the counseling office.

I hope everyone is staying safe today and enjoying the snow a bit.  Have a great Sunday! Ciao!


Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://www.laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

The End of Tragedy

Finally!  We're at the end of Romeo and Juliet.  Every class has finished reading it and all study guides are turned in.  It seems like it took forever, but we're actually a month and a half ahead of last year's schedule, so I don't think we're doing badly.

A couple of notes for this week that are not related to Romeo and Juliet:
     A.)  Wednesday is a half day, so your student will be released from school early.  Check the
             district website for release times.
     B.)  All students should have received a purple schedule for 10th grade from the counseling
            office.  These are due back to their advisory teacher by 12/8 (Thursday).  I've been going
            over things and talking about how to access the course selection guide with them, so they
            should all be aware.  By Thursday they should have made all decisions, gotten all signatures
            (including yours), and returned to school with it in hand.

So here's what our schedule this week looks like:

• Monday, 12/5 - we'll finish watching all movie clips, and then I'll hand out the pre-writing worksheet and explain the final assessment.
• Tuesday, 12/6 - we'll work on the pre-writing worksheet; this involves a lot of quotes, so we'll do it all in class.
• Wednesday, 12/7 - 1/2 Day (30 minute classes) - we'll finish doing the pre-writing worksheet.
• Thursday, 12/8 - career advisory - schedules are due - we'll transition over to doing the actual assessment which is not an essay, but has the same type of information on it with a short writing.
• Friday, 12/9 - the final assessment is due by the end of the hour, stapled to the pre-writing worksheet.  If time, we'll start looking at a biography for Edgar Allan Poe, which begins Module 2, Unit 1.

Well, that about covers it. As always, if we find more time to get things done, I'll adjust the online calendar. I hope everyone had a great weekend.  Ciao!

The End of Tragedy by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://www.laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

Back To Life, Back To Reality...

Somehow this year I'm always channeling '80s songs.  When we were working on the Central Idea of Love, I would ask, "What is love?" And they would respond, "Baby don't hurt me." They're always good for a chuckle.

Anyway, our five-day reprieve is coming to an end.  I have to be honest, I didn't do a whole lot of grading.  I spent time with my family, watched a little football (Yay, for my 12-0 WMU Broncos and the Detroit Lions; boo to the UM/OSU results, and we won't even bother with my Spartans), I worked on getting the house ready for Christmas and my sister's visit next weekend, and I went to a UM hockey game where I got to watch a former student play:

So I'll try to get a little done today.

Due to fog delays, my 1st and 2nd Hours are behind the other three, but what I mainly want to accomplish this week is to finish reading the play.  We're kind of in the home stretch, so they'll have study guides that we do together as we read, but that's about it.  So here's the plan:

• Monday, 11/28 - we'll try to finish Act III with a movie clip and a Type 1/2; classes that still have vocab from Act III will finish and turn them in.
• Tuesday, 11/29 - we'll read Act IV and do a study guide.
• Wednesday, 12/30 - Academic Advisory - we'll finish Act IV and head to Act V with study guide.
• Thursday, 12/1 - Career Advisory - we'll try to finish Act V.
• Friday, 12/2 - we'll watch the end of the movie and start prepping for the final assessment.

So that's the plan.  I'm writing this as I watch my older son play indoor soccer, so when I get home I can concentrate on your kids.  I hope everyone has a relaxing end to the weekend.  Ciao!

Back to Life, Back to Reality by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://www.laurastubbs.blospot.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!  The holidays are here, and the weather sure is cooperating at this point...I have snow all over my yard right now!  One of those lake effect snow bands hit us hard yesterday.  If anyone was watching the end of the Michigan game, the same band dropped by my house, too.

I hope everyone is finding some time to relax.  I'm working on balancing work and family time at this point, as well.  Last week I got lots of things put into HAC, though from your perspective it probably doesn't look like it.  Please be patient with me and remember that I have 150 students with the same assignment, so it takes time to get them all done.  I also have the issue that just as I dig myself out of one hole, the next hole opens up right next to me.  We worked this past week on two things:  a 5-paragraph essay that was turned in on Friday (which many did not have completed on time, despite having two days for working on the outline, and two days to get it written from said outline), and we worked on Act III and three of my classes did a Type 1/2 and turned it in.  The exception to the essay deadline is 2nd Hour - with two fog delays so far this year, they've gotten behind and they are turning in the essay on Monday.  All that said, I'm working on grading this weekend along with trying to get ready for Thanksgiving.  I hope this doesn't sound whiny; it's meant to be explanatory.

So with our very short week coming up, here's what we're doing:  trying to finish reading Act III of Romeo and Juliet.  That's it.  That's my whole goal.  We'll see how I do and I'll keep the online calendar updated.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday, filled with family and joy!  Ciao!

Happy Thanksgiving! by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://www.laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

Finally...a Regular Week!

It was so nice to see so many parents at conferences last week!  Thank you to all who came; it makes such a difference to know that so many people view this process as I do:  we are a team and our goal is to help each student achieve their potential and open those doors to the future!  It certainly makes my job joyful.

Last week was a whirlwind of activity, both in and out of the classroom.  Out of the classroom: conferences twice last week (for me), winter sports beginning to pick up, drivers education...the halls were a busy place after school!  In the classroom: we managed to finish Romeo and Juliet through Act II. That doesn't sound like much, but between the reading, movie clips, notes, study guides, and physical activities to play with the text a bit - it's a lot.  I also gave out homework on Friday - I mimicked the PSAT reading section with a passage from Romeo and Juliet - balcony scene and sent it home to be annotated with two multiple choice questions.  It's not a quiz; it's participation points.

This week we finally have a normal week with normal schedules.  So here's what's on deck:

• Monday, 11/14 - we'll turn in the homework and finish Balcony Scene movie clips, then we'll do the Type 1 Brainstorming activities for the Mid-Unit Assessment which is a 5-paragraph essay.  If we have time, we'll begin the outlining process.
• Tuesday, 11/15 - we'll finish outlining and then work on drafting the essay.  Whatever they don't finish in class, goes home to be finished for homework.  The Type 3 Essay is due on Thursday, and we'll do a read-aloud edit/revision before turning it in.
• Wednesday, 11/16 (academic advisory) - we'll start with a PSAT worksheet, and then watch the movie clip of the wedding of Romeo and Juliet.  Then we'll start Act III.
• Thursday, 11/17 (academic advisory) - we'll read aloud the mid-unit assessment essay, revising and editing, and then we'll turn it in.  After that, we'll continue Act III.  Either Thursday or Friday there will be a Type 1/2 worksheet for close reading.
• Friday, 11/18 - we'll try to finish Act III.

Those are my goals.  As always, things are subject to change, and I'll keep the online calendar updated.  Just as a side note, second hour is about a day behind every other hour, so we're working on catching them up.

I hope everyone has a great week!  Ciao!
 
Finally...a Regular Week! by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://www.laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

It's Parent/Teacher Conference Time!

It's that time of year again!  I've already done both of my conferences as a parent, and now I'm ready for the parents of my students.  I enjoy getting to connect with so many parents, since I see both sides of the spectrum myself.  I hope to meet as many as possible between the two days.

In the meantime, we keep pushing forward with Romeo and Juliet.  Last week we managed to finish the Preposition unit and Act I of the play.  Here's what's coming up this week:

• Monday, 11/7 - we're finishing all discussion and activities of Act I.  All study guides and vocab. cards will be turned in by the end of the hour.  We'll also finish the notes for this section.  If time, I have a couple of activities to do that get them up and moving.
• Tuesday, 11/8 - we'll finish any movement activities and move towards the Type 1/2 worksheet.  FYI: the Type 2 counts as a quiz.  Then I'll show them the movie clip of Act I all the way through with the Claire Danes/Leo DiCaprio version.
• Wednesday, 11/9 - we'll start with a PSAT Annotation, then head into Act II.  They'll get a new study guide and vocab. cards.
• Thursday, 11/10 - I want to finish the Act II reading and do the notes.
• Friday, 11/11 - anything that is lagging in Act II will be finished, and then we'll prepare for the Mid-Unit Assessment.

There's the schedule.  I hope to see as many parents as possible this week, and I hope everyone has had a chance to enjoy the beautiful weather we've been having.  Enjoy the week!  Ciao!

It's Parent/Teacher Conference Time! by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://www.laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

On to Term Two!

It's always amazing to me how fast time seems to go; it doesn't feel that way when I'm in it, but looking back as we begin a new term, that was fast!  I actually did the cut-off for assignments for Term 1 a week ago so that if I had anyone with an emergency (and I have more than one), we have time to deal with it.  What I have in the gradebook is pretty much what's going to be in the gradebook, but I'm still hunting down stragglers.

One thing I've noticed this year is that many of my students are having a rough transition from middle school to high school.  They've love the freedom that comes with high school; they've love the social life that comes with high school.  What they've forgotten (Spiderman Moment!) is that with great power comes great responsibility.  They're forgetting that they are now responsible for staying on top of things and meeting deadlines.  They don't keep track of their assignments.  They're not checking their own grades.  Many do not seem to realize that the responsibility for their education is now starting to come down to them.  Choices are made that have consequences - both good and bad - and many want to make the choice but avoid the responsibility.  I recognize this from my own children.  Having a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old in my house, I share the struggle.  I want to save them from a bad choice, but can't; otherwise they don't learn how to do this themselves.  I remember attending an inservice several years ago where the speaker talked about empathy and the "Bummer" moment.  I've used this ever since.  It means, "I get it since we all make mistakes, and it's a bummer.  So what are you going to do next time?"  In other words, the consequence sticks, so learn from it.  Forgot to turn in a homework assignment you did and the teacher doesn't take late work?  Bummer.  Watcha gonna do next time?  Took your phone to class and it got taken away?  Bummer.  Watcha gonna do next time?  Unfortunately for the guest speaker's wife, this backfired one day when she went to the bathroom and realized too late that she was out of toilet paper.  She called out to her son to grab her some from the closet and heard back, "Bummer!  Whatcha gonna do next time?"

So onward and upward into Term 2.  We're still struggling to get Romeo and Juliet going.  We finished Act I, Scene i and are now watching the movie clip.  We've done quite a bit to work on skills that make it more readable, so hopefully we can go more quickly now.  In addition, we worked last week on PSAT skills and grammar, on top of having vision testing and advisory schedules, so time was against us.

Here's what's coming up next week:

• Monday, 10/31 - we have to pass back papers.  I have a lot of no-names that need to be claimed.  We'll also do a page of prepositions and continue the movie clip for Act I.
• Tuesday, 11/1 - NO SCHOOL!!! It's an inservice day for teachers. (I hope they enjoy that 70-degree weather!)
• Wednesday, 11/2 - we'll start with the final page of prepositions from Packet #3 and turn it in, then we'll continue with Romeo and Juliet Act I.
• Thursday, 11/3 - Test over Prepositions!  I've shown them exactly what it looks like.  I've given them ways to study and get help if they're struggling.  Then we'll continue Act I.
• Friay, 11/4 - goodness, I hope we're done with Act I!

That's what I've got.  I hope to see many parents at conferences the following week.  There's been a change in how we do it and they now run (for the high school) on Monday, 11/7 and Wednesday, 11/8 in the afternoon and evening.  The school website has the times, I'm sure.

I hope everyone has a great week!  Ciao!
 
On to Term Two! by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

You Can't Beat October in Michigan

As I drove across the state yesterday toward Kalamazoo to visit my alma mater with my family, I kept thinking over and over how beautiful Michigan is in October.  I finally just started snapping pictures, and every time I saw the most beautiful trees, we'd go around a bend and a whole bunch more would pop up.  Here's a compilation of some of the photos:

Once we were there, we had a wonderful time walking around Western Michigan University.  So much has changed in the 20+ years since I lived there, yet at the same time, it was a lot like going home.  I easily found my way around campus and Kalamazoo.  I love that town.  Here are a few photos:

While perusing the library which was built while I went there (my favorite study spot - and for anyone who remembers - a great source of microfiche), I found this:

It just legitimized for me - again - why we focus so much on research evidence and how to cite them.  This is obviously still a large part of academic work.

Finally, I went to my first game at Waldo Stadium since it has been rebuilt.  Two thoughts passed through my mind this weekend when it comes to football.  First, the stadium is beautiful and amazing, and I've never seen so many people at a WMU football game at one time.  I love the pageantry at the beginning with the bands, the smoke, the cannon, the bronco rider leading the way, and the excitement around the football team.  But I also think a little of the charm is gone.  You can't see the Amtrak train go by as well as you used to when there were just metal stands next to the tracks.  The big screen used to say, "Wave at the Amtrak!" and we would all stop what we were doing to wave at the passengers and the conductor would blow the horn.  In addition, our team was usually terrible, so we would entertain ourselves by doing the chants and cheers, but also by having a marshmallow war as well.  On Dad's Day (or Parent's Weekend) we liked to aim exclusively for our parental units and bombard them.  Unfortunately, not one marshmallow appears to have been thrown at yesterday's game.  I did get to Row the Boat, however, so that was a good trade off.  Here's my son and I waiting for the game to begin:

My other thought on football is that my two alma maters are like that State Farm ad.  At Western, this season, we say, "What a game!" (with joy).  At MSU we say, "What a game!" (in misery).  At Western we say, "How is this possible?" (as we go 8-0).  At MSU, we say "How is this possible?" (as we drop the 5th game in a row).  But I love both of my schools - brown and gold AND green and white.

Anyway, on to my actual job at the school I have traveled to daily for 18 years - longer than any other school I've ever been to.  Last week I couldn't access my phone pictures, so Mrs. Sestak returned it to me this week and I now have the pictures from 1st Hour when we were doing a group activity.  Here they are:

We've gotten more into the group work these past two weeks, and I feel like they - and me - are enjoying the class a bit more.  We've also done the preview work for Romeo and Juliet and have analyzed the Prologue, so we're ready to tackle Act I, and hopefully move forward into Act II.

So here's the plan for this week:

• Monday, 10/24 - preposition review - packet #3; reading of Act I, scene i together; partner activity of specific lines.
• Tuesday, 10/25 - PSAT annotation activity; continue Act I, scene i; close reading of a second set of lines from scene i.
• Wednesday, 10/26 - Vision Screening by the state and Academic Advisory day - we won't have much time in class, but we'll attempt to move forward in Act I.
• Thursday, 10/27 - Career Advisory day - I hope to finish Act I.
• Friday, 10/28 - preposition review - packet #3; we'll either finish Act I if we still have more to read, or we'll do some activities that get them up and moving and having some fun with it.

Two notes:
     1.)   Vision Screening - free from the state - happens through 9th grade English classes on 
            Wednesday (at least I think so since it's always happened that way in the past).
     2.)  There's not a whole lot of homework from me this week.  Shakespeare is difficult so I tackle it
            with them in class.

That's about all I have for this week.  Since the BIG in-state rivalry happens this week, I'll just be humble and say that though I have many friends who are fans of the wrong team (including one of my sons), and many of them are graduates (including my husband), and things are rather desperate at my school this season, I still bleed green and always will.  I'm a Spartan born and bred, so I'll be cheering on my team and hoping for a miracle!

Have a great week everyone!  Ciao!


You Can't Beat October in Michigan by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

On to Shakespeare!

Well, life wouldn't be interesting if there wasn't a bit of drama.  Last week we did a lot of group work and some of it even involved markers and poster board, and laying on the floor doing fun things, so I took some pictures 1st Hour to put on here.  Then on my way out of the building Friday, carrying mounds and mounds of papers, I evidently dropped my phone/camera out of my pocket and drove away leaving it in the teacher's section of the parking lot.  I only know this because Mrs. Sestak found it and called to let me know she has it (thank goodness for Mrs. Sestak!).  So I guess I'll have to post pictures on here next week instead.

As mentioned, last week we broke up the routines of reading, annotating, and writing essays.  We did a mini-unit comparing a small piece of non-fiction to the fictional short story "St. Lucy's", analyzing author craft and the differences between fiction and non-fiction when developing similar central ideas.  Instead of doing what we've been doing, they worked in groups to look at organization by taking dismantled paragraphs and putting them back together. Then they identified the central idea of their paragraph, and came together as a whole class to find the big overall idea of the whole passage.  We then applied the same techniques to the non-fiction piece.  Ultimately, instead of writing an essay, they created a Venn Diagram to compare our two pieces, and then wrote a paragraph comparing a similar idea between the two.  First through fourth hours created a group poster, while fifth hour each did their own.  It was nice to shake things up.

This week we're heading into Romeo and Juliet.  We'll do some motivational and background activities and information, then we'll start into Act I.  We will read the entire play together in school; while some students could handle taking much of it home to read on their own, many cannot.  Rather than have a chunk of the group not read it, we just do it together.  They will have some homework where they take portions of the text that we read in class home to do a close reading and annotation, but it will not be every night.  So here's the schedule for this week:

• Monday, 10/17 - I am out for the day with a personal appointment, but they have an assignment on Google Classroom for a Shakespeare Scavenger Hunt.  They'll use the Chromebooks in the classroom to do this.
• Tuesday, 10/18 - after doing a PSAT annotation activity, we'll do the background on Shakespeare and the English Renaissance.
• Wednesday, 10/19 - we'll review the preposition unit, then we'll do the literary term definitions and set up the note-taking strategy for R&J.  They'll be able to use their notes on tests and quizzes.  We're going to try to fit in the Prologue for Act I.
• Thursday, 10/20 - more preposition review, then we'll read Act I.
• Friday, 10/21 - preposition review, then we'll continue Act I.  I'd love to say we'll finish it, but past experience says that we won't be able to get it done that quickly.

So that's the plan.  Enjoy the warm weather through these few days.  You know you've had a warm streak when 55 degrees at the end of October sounds chilly.  Have a great Sunday!  Ciao!

 
On to Shakespeare! by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at http://laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

Lots and Lots of Writing...

I love watching my students write.  You can see the wheels turning in their heads, and the moment when they figure something out, the "Ah Ha!" moment, their faces light up and all the struggles are worth it.

That's what this past week was about.  After we took the objective portion of the test (which is posted online, by the way), we spent the rest of the week working on a 5-paragraph essay that brings everything together for the core idea of the story.  It's as much about writing to learn as it is about writing to show what they've learned.  They really figure things out as they plan, and then craft, and I see lots of biting of lips, writing utensils poised over paper, eyes that light up bright when they figure something out, and heads bobbing to music as they work their way through the material (I like to let them listen to their own music because for many of them, it really helps them dive into what they are doing).

On Monday we'll submit the essays, and then we turn a corner.  We're doing a quick unit that links thematically with "St. Lucy's" in order to compare how authors craft their ideas, and by the end of the week we'll be getting the background knowledge on Shakespeare and his times so that we can read Romeo and Juliet.  Shakespeare's themes are timeless, but he really wrote about his own life and times (no matter where he set his plays), so it helps to understand his world when reading.  It also shows that as every generation thinks that their problems are unique, it turns out that they're really not.  Coping with things like - teenagers finding their own way and rebelling against their parents and societies institutions; war; facing new technologies (in our world, it's electronics that allow us to explore the universe, in his it was the technology that allowed them to explore the earth); disease; human rights - it was all prevalent in his day, much as it is in ours.

So here's the schedule:

• Monday - a PSAT annotation and reading test activity; we'll read a very short non-fiction piece on individual identity and how we find ourselves and annotate it.
• Tuesday - Preposition packet #3 - review what we've done; we'll look at how non-fiction pieces are organized and how that helps us find the Central Idea.
• Wednesday - Preposition packet #3 - adverbs vs. prepositions; we'll compare how authors of fiction and non-fiction organize and create to send out central ideas.
• Thursday - Preposition packet #3 - reviewing prepositions; we'll do a group poster with Venn-Diagram and paragraph focusing on comparing and contrasting our two readings.
• Friday - Preposition packet #3 - review; notes on English Renaissance and Shakespeare; Shakespeare scavenger hunt.

Well, that's the week.  As always, I'll keep the calendar updated as changes occur.  Ciao, everyone!

Lots and Lots of Writing by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

First Week of October...Already!

Wow, time moves fast!  Here we are, already entering the first week of October.  That also means that we're halfway through Term 1, so everyone (including me) needs to check their student's grades!  I'm keeping up with the grading pretty well, but grading their writing takes me longer, so I hope everyone has patience with me. I have a 3-paragraph essay in my hands to grade, and we're writing a 5-paragraph essay this coming week.  With 160 kids, it's a lot to read.  I like to really take the time to read them well and I try to give feedback, so patience is the name of the game!

We're doing a lot in English 9.  When students are out it's difficult because we have so little down time.  We're always doing something, whether it be grammar, reading, writing, PSAT, educational/work technology...we're quite busy.  So here's what we accomplished last week:  we wrote, self-edited, and turned in a 3-paragraph essay that is the mid-unit assessment for Unit 1; we worked on grammar (prepositional phrases, subjects, verbs, adverbs, and infinitives); we did an annotation activity with a PSAT reading passage; we finished reading our short story "St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves" and annotated it, as well as doing a study guide.  So here's what's coming up this week:

• Monday, 10/3 - we'll review for the "St. Lucy's" Assessment
• Tuesday, 10/4 - objective portion of the "St. Lucy's" test; we'll go over the written portion which will begin either today or tomorrow.
• Wednesday, 10/5 (1/2 Day - 25 minute classes) - we'll plan out the 5-paragraph written assessment for St. Lucy's.
• Thursday, 10/6 - Career Advisory Day - we'll work on drafting the 5-paragraph assessment - paragraphs 1-3.
• Friday, 10/7 - we'll complete the 5-paragraph assessment, read-aloud and self-edit, and then submit it by the end of the hour.

That's the plan.  I hope everyone is having a good weekend.  The weather seems to be cooperating at this moment, but give it a minute.  I'll be that will change.  Ciao!

Homecoming 2016 Is In The Books!

What a fun, crazy, wild week it was!  It's always a challenge to blend the Homecoming madness with the academic world, but we did it!  When working with freshmen, Homecoming always feels like an indoctrination into the high school world, and I think my students did a great job.  I hope that they liked what they experienced, and that a fun time was had by all.

In the meantime, the weather has now cooled to a very seasonable fall temperature, meaning warmer clothes and yummy foods made from the bounty of the harvest.  My family managed to fit in about an hour of picking time on Saturday morning at a local apple orchard:

We've already made applesauce and I'm looking forward to pies, crisps, and just plain old eating of all the apples we brought home.

I have also managed to get in some grading time this weekend, including the Type 3's I still had left of the original writings, and I moved on to grading the Type 2's which are a single paragraph with very specific requirements for writing about literature.  I've got two of the classes done on those and I'll try for more today.

So here's what's coming up this week in English 9:

• Monday, 9/26 - we're writing a 3-paragraph mid-unit assessment (a Type 3, which means one self-edited draft).  Last week we planned it out and organized it; Monday they have time to either hand write it or type it - their choice.  It is due Tuesday when they walk through the door.
• Tuesday, 9/27 - Tuesdays with Teachers after school - we'll do the read-aloud of the essays and turn them in; we'll do a PSAT annotation activity; our first Type One of the week will happen; we'll read Stage 4 in "St. Lucy's" and annotate it; we'll work on the study guide.
• Wednesday, 9/28 - Academic Advisory - Preposition Packet #2 - helping verbs; check in homework; discussion of Stage 4
• Thursday, 9/29 - Activity Advisory - Preposition Packet #2 - infinitives; read Stage 5 of "St. Lucy's" and annotate; a Type One; finish the study guide
• Friday, 9/30 - Preposition Packet #2 - imperative sentences; a Type One - turn in for the week; finish the discussion of St. Lucy's - objective and written assessments next week.

As always, as things change I will update the calendar on my web page.  If you need me, you know how to find me.  Enjoy this beautiful Sunday! Ciao!

 
Homecoming 2016 in In The Books! byLaura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com

Buona Notte.  I'm writing this as I watch football, having just finished a football Saturday homemade meal of carnitas and Texas trash dip.  I love Saturdays, especially in the fall!  Since Michigan seems to have Colorado well in hand, I decided to get a little work done.

It's been a busy week...and a chaotic one.  Every plan I made seemed to change as it became apparent quickly that I needed to slow things down to make sure my students understood my expectations and how to meet them.  So I changed the calendar every day, just in case anyone was counting on it.  What we finally accomplished was to gain access to Google Classroom on my Chromebooks (beautiful because they can access the assignments and documents from home), and an understanding of what I expect for a well written paragraph with quotes.  It took us three days, at least, but I think we did it.  Students were also introduced to how we do advisory days at the high school - Wednesdays and Thursdays - so we've gotten that accomplished as well.  Of course, this week will be different from last because it's Homecoming, so hopefully they'll retain the pattern for the week after. 

So here's what's coming up this week:

• Monday - Assembly at the end of the day, freshmen wear white for spirit week - we'll work on annotating text, check in and discuss this weekend's homework, and do a Type 1.
• Tuesday - students dress up as twins and take a selfie - we'll finish Preposition Packet #1 and turn it in, do a Type 1, read Stage 3 and annotate it, and do the study guide.
• Wednesday - pajama day, assembly at the end of the day - we'll start Preposition Packet #2, check in and discuss the homework, do a Type 1, and prewrite for the mid-unit assessment.
• Thursday - animal print/camo day, advisory schedule - we will work on writing the mid-unit assessment.
• Friday - blue and gold day, assembly at the end of the day - we'll do a Type 1 and turn them in for the week, work on prepositions, and then we'll finish the mid-unit assessment.

As always, as things change, I'll update the online calendar.  I hope everyone has a good week.  If you go to the game on Friday and see me, make sure you say, "Hi!" I'd love to see you!  Ciao!

We're Off to a Good Start

Buongiorno! Week one is in the books!  We're off to a good start, and believe it or not, I have several assignments in the grade book.  Most of them are just practice (or participation points, if you prefer), but the first writing assignment is listed there and I'm working on grading this weekend.  We accomplished a lot, and we trained a lot.  Seats are assigned, I showed them how I like to do Type 1 and Type 3 writings, and I showed them that I mean it when I assign homework by checking in that they attempted it before we went over it.  They are in that transition period from middle school to high school, so we had to have conversations about time management and meeting deadlines; some of them are struggling a bit, but they will get there.

For those who are unfamiliar with Collins Writing and the whole Type 1,2,3 thing, be aware that we train your students so that they get it.  They'll also do it in every class and every subject, so they learn quickly.  I am working on creating a pamphlet to hand them, but for parent/guardian benefit, here's a really basic breakdown:

1.) Type 1 Writing - it's like journaling - there's no right answer and they get points just for 
      participating.
2.) Type 2 Writing - there are right answers and it's like a quiz.
3.) Type 3, 4, 5 Writing - these have FCA's (Focus Correction Areas) that tell the student exactly
      what he/she will be graded on.  I think of them as drafts - Rough Draft, Final Copy, Perfect and
      Publishable Copy.  I rarely get to a Type 5 writing.

So here is what is coming up this week:

• Monday, 9/12 - a type 1; annotation training; begin working on literary terms; read Stage 1 in "St. Lucy's"; HOMEWORK - finish the vocab. packet, do ques. 3-7 in the study guide
• Tuesday, 9/13 - begin a preposition unit; check in homework and go over it; Google Classroom on Chromebooks - Type 2 for Stage 1
• Wednesday, 9/14 - Academic Advisory Day, so shortened hours - prepositions; a type 1; read Stage 2 in "St. Lucy's"; HOMEWORK - do ques. 8-13 in the study guide
• Thursday, 9/15 - Activity Advisory Day with shortened hours - prepositions; check in and go over homework; Google Classroom on Chromebooks - Type 2 for Stage 2
• Friday, 9/16 - a type 1 - turn them in for the week; read Stage 3 of "St. Lucy's" and work on ques. 14-17 of the study guide; HOMEWORK - whatever did not get finished needs to be finished.

That's the plan.  When things change, I adjust them on the calendar online.  I hope everyone has a great week.  Ciao!

Welcome to the 2016/2017 School Year!

Welcome!  Can you believe summer flew by that fast?  Here we are at the beginning of the 2016/2017 school year...already!  I am your student's 9th grade English teacher for this year.  I like to use this space to post information about what we have accomplished and what we will work on in the upcoming week.  This is not required reading (I'm a parent, so that makes me go, "Ha!"), but for anyone who would like more detail than what a calendar or email can provide, this is the space for you!

First, let me tell you a little bit about myself.  I am in my 23rd year of teaching (amazing, since I'm only 35, right?), this being my 18th year at Airport.  I began my career in the Lansing School District (my home town) and then moved this direction and received the opportunity to work at Airport.  I have two boys of my own - 13 and 15 - and they are the light of my life.  I also have a husband who helps me keep my sanity as I try to negotiate my two worlds: teacher and mom.  Much of what I do in the classroom is driven by my experiences in the mom-world, so I try to make sure that my classroom is not only student-friendly, but parent friendly, because I know what it's like to be on the other side of the table.  If you ever need me, want to address an issue, or even just want to say hi, please feel free to contact me.  My door is always open to both you and your student.

So let's get things started.  Here is what is coming up this week:

• Monday - Labor Day - hopefully you get a chance to enjoy your day.
• Tuesday - First Day of School - parent letters will go out to be signed by you (due by Friday); introductions will be made; they'll interview another student in the room; homework - a type-three writing - due Thursday - based on the interview.
• Wednesday - Pre-Test for Reading.  This will take the whole hour and is PSAT based since your student will be taking this test in April.
• Thursday - turn in the type three writing; pre-reading activities for our first unit, along with instructions on notes, type ones, and procedures; homework - vocab. and study guide questions.
• Friday - parent letters are due; check in of homework from Thursday; instruction on reading and annotation; reading of "St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised By Wolves" Short Story; homework - vocab. and study guide questions.

Please note that this is my plan, and plans change (the best laid plans of mice and men, and all that).  I try to keep my calendar up to date on my webpage so that if you need to know about changes, you can check there.

This is going to be a great year.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope you can feel the excitement as well.  Have a great week.  Ciao!

Final Full Week for the 2015/2016 School Year!

Well, we finally made it: the end of the 2015/2016 school year!  Can you believe how fast it went?  This is going to be my final blog post for the year, since the following week only has 1 1/2 days.  I've truly enjoyed teaching all of my students this year.  As always, I feel like I've learned more from them than they have from me!  They are funny, creative, and insightful.  Thank you for sharing your children with me!

This past week we finished reading Of Mice and Men.  Though we finished the reading, we're still working on vocabulary and activities, which we'll finish up this week.  The test is on the final exam which will occur on Monday, 6/13.  So here's the schedule:

• Monday, 6/6 - we'll take the quiz over chapters 5/6 (whether absent or not on Friday, the chapter was assigned and on the board, so everyone takes it); then we'll finish the chapter 5/6 packet and turn it in.
• Tuesday, 6/7 - we'll finish the story map and turn it in; then we'll review symbolism, central ideas, and characters.
• Wednesday, 6/8 - Academic Advisory - we'll watch the first part of the movie.
• Thursday, 6/9 - Academic Advisory - we'll finish the movie.
• Friday, 6/10 - we'll review the semester and prepare for the exam.
• Monday, 6/13 - Final Exam for 2nd Semester, English 9!

And that about covers it.  Thanks for a great year, and I hope everyone enjoys their summer with family, vacations, activities, and fun!

Ciao!


Final Full Week for the 2015/2016 School Year! by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com

Graduation Week!

As we say goodbye to the senior class, it feels like the end of the school year...but it's not!  We still have two weeks + 1 1/2 days to go!  I've scheduled the exam for Monday, 6/13.  Exams are traditionally the last few days of school, both in high school and college, so that they can reflect the entire semester.  If this will be a problem for your student, they just need to come talk to me so that we can work with your schedule.

Last week we worked our way through the first half of Of Mice and Men.  This week we will finish the book.  The schedule looks like this:

• Tuesday, 5/31 - we'll finish the verb review packet (test Thursday); then we'll work on the Chapter 4 packet; homework will be to read Chapter 4 for a quiz on Wednesday.
• Wednesday, 6/1 - we'll do a verb review activity; when finished with verbs, they'll take a quiz over Chapter 4, and then we'll finish the discussion and packets and turn them in; homework will be to read Chapter 5.
• Thursday, 6/2 - verb test!  Afterward they can work on the vocabulary section of the Chapter 5/6 packet.
• Friday, 6/3 - we'll read Chapter 6 together and work on the activities.

The test over the novel will be the primary part of the final exam on 6/13.

As far as grades, I've completed all of the grades I have for 2nd Hour (I have a senior in that class and have to submit his final grade by Tuesday).  I'm working on the rest of them today.  It's hours and hours of time, so it may take me a couple of days.  Thanks for your patience!

I hope everyone has enjoyed the long weekend.  Hopefully we're ready to jump in and finish the school year!  Ciao!


Graduation Week! by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

Allergy Season Corresponds with Senior Season

This is a season of contrasts:  warm sunny days, cool sweatshirt nights; beautiful flowers, allergies gone wild; joyful seniors saying goodbye, tearful seniors saying goodbye.  I love this season, but it comes with a lot of emotional baggage.

I have to keep my freshmen going while we watch the Class of 2016 take their final exit.  Their energy is contagious, making it hard, but it's also an awful lot of fun.  Last week the Agricultural Science program brought in animals to showcase their program to the elementary students, but since it was on the high school property, many of us were able to go out and visit the animals while listening to our students give presentations on something they love.  It was great to see them in a different role:

This week the seniors will finish their projects and tests and tractor day will be Friday.  I'm in the senior hallway and they've already started to come by with hugs, invites to parties, and a few tears.  Then I step back into my classroom and reality hits:  we've still got 3+ weeks of school!  Last week we started Of Mice and Men.  They've read two chapters by now and they have work to go with it.  For the next two weeks you should see them with their books and packets.  There will be quizzes with each section, so they need to keep up, even if they're out for a field trip.  I'll try not to give homework over Memorial Day Weekend, but no promises.

This week we have the following schedule:

• Monday - we'll finish the chapter 1 packet and turn it in; quiz over chapter 1; chapter 2 should be read and we'll finish the vocabulary for chapter 2.
• Tuesday - we'll work on indirect objects; we'll finish the chapter 2 packet and turn it in; homework will be to read chapter 3 and do the vocabulary section of the packet.
• Wednesday - we'll finish the verb packet and turn it in; quiz over chapter 2; we'll work on the chapter 3 packet.
• Thursday - we'll start the verb review - test Tuesday 5/31; we'll finish and turn in the chapter 3 packet; quiz over chapter 3; homework will be to read chapter 4 and do the vocabulary section of the packet.
• Friday - we'll finish the verb review - test Tuesday 5/31; we'll finish and turn in the chapter 4 packet; quiz over chapter 4.

That covers it for this week.  If we need to slow down, I will, but I think we can do it. I hope everyone has a blessed week and survives the sneezing season as the cotton starts to fly!


Allergy Season Corresponds with Senior Season by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

Will It Ever Warm Up?

Happy Spring...I think.  Isn't this weather miserable?  I was supposed to work a carwash today for my son's band, but the cold temperatures and sputtering rain have cancelled it.  We'll see if the baseball double header still goes on...with this cold temperature, I'm actually hoping it won't, but we'll see.

In the meantime, life goes on and the school year keeps marching forward.  We are finishing The Crucible unit with a culminating project and heading for our final literature unit of the year.  The students can see the end of the year on the horizon, so I have to keep reminding them that we still have four weeks left!  At the same time, I have mapped out through the end of the year, so I can give a heads-up for the exam date.

Last week we spent the week building project papers and presentations.  They are in teams and so the papers are a team effort, though the grades are individual.  I asked them to attach their names with all of the work that they did so that they get credit for their own efforts.  However, the winning team in each class will get a pizza lunch on me, so that raises the stakes a bit.

Here's what's coming up this week:

• Monday - project presentations.  They'll submit the written work and present their ideas to the class as a team.  If they aren't there, they need to have a written note to excuse them, otherwise they'll lose half credit for the presentation portion of the grade.
• Tuesday - we'll finish any presentations still left...hopefully there won't be any, but I built time in, just in case.  Then we'll turn to working on background information for Of Mice and Men. They have a packet to do which contains in-class and homework activities.
• Wednesday - we'll work on the final verb packet.  Review and assessment will happen in the next couple of weeks.  Then we'll finish the background and go get the books.
• Thursday - verbs; we'll read Chapter 1 of Of Mice and Men and work on the study guide packet which contains vocabulary and focus activities for character and setting.
• Friday - verbs; we'll finish discussion for Chapter 1; homework - Chapter 2.

At this point I'm working on transitioning them to 10th grade.  Expect homework every night.  They'll be doing most of the reading on their own.  We'll talk less about plot line, more about concepts.  The test will be the primary element of the Semester Exam which I have scheduled for Monday, 6/13.  This is our last full day of school for the year.  Exams are always in the final week of school.

That about covers it.  Hopefully everyone has a chance to relax, even if the weather isn't cooperating for outdoor activities. Ciao!


Will It Ever Warm Up? by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there!  Your kids are amazing, which means you must be doing an amazing job!  I hope your day is filled with happiness and love.

Speaking of happiness and love, I'm done with all of the research papers that are in my possession at this moment!  I have some that are being revised; I'll grab those as they come in, and if your student wants to come investigate this possibility for his or her own paper, just have them come talk to me.

I now have just one last batch of essays in my hands, and then I'm completely caught up on grading!  I graded and entered the tests from The Crucible last week.  If your student wants to come do test corrections for 1/2 credit back, they can come during Tuesdays with Teachers or Academic Advisory.  This week we're continuing to work on the culminating group project; presentations are scheduled for Monday, 5/16.

So here's the schedule for this week:

• Monday - we'll continue with progressive verbs; then we'll spend the day doing research for the project.
• Tuesday - we'll finish working with verb tenses.  After that we'll start pulling the research paper together into an MLA format using Google Docs.
• Wednesday - we'll continue pulling things together into the paper form.
• Thursday - we'll finish the paper, then we'll start on the presentation using Google Slides.  This is also the day of the A.P. World History test, which affects many of my students, so flexibility will be the name of the game.
• Friday - we'll finish creating the presentations and print the papers.  Presentations will happen on Monday, 5/16.

I hope everyone enjoys this beautiful weekend and gets some time with family.  Ciao!


Happy Mother's Day! by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

April Showers Bring May Flowers, Or So They Say...

Rain, rain, go away.  And take the cold with you.  I've been freezing for a week now, so I'm ready for it all to be gone.  In the meantime, however, the yucky weather has been conducive to getting papers graded, since my own kids activities have been narrowed down to where I spend some extra time in the car: watching, warming up, and grading papers.  I feel like I've spent every waking moment grading papers lately.  The good news is that I've got all the research papers that were turned in on time completed and entered.  The bad news is that I haven't gotten to the tests, yet.  That's next.  I'm working as quickly and efficiently as I can.

In the meantime, we've accomplished quite a bit in class.  We're done reading The Crucible.  Here are a couple of pictures from our last moments of reading aloud in groups:

And My Favorite...

After watching the movie, 4th Hour even had enough time to play Kahoot.It!  They're so much fun to do this with...they get so into it!

Then we took the test.  As noted, I'll grade those early this week.

Coming up this week for my classes:

• We will begin a two-week group project - a culminating project for The Crucible.  It is meant to do two things: help them analyze mass hysteria in our modern society and methods for combatting it; allow them to use a real-world situation of a business proposal to present their ideas.  This week will be for looking at the topic, finding examples of the topic, choosing a specific example, and researching the example.
• Tuesday we have an assembly 2nd Hour, 9:00 A.M., so that hour will be a bit behind.  I got it in my head that it was last week, but it's this coming Tuesday instead.
• Wednesday we have an Academic Advisory for anyone who needs it.
• Thursday we have an Assembly Schedule, so that means shortened hours.
• A.P. tests are running this week, but for the most part it shouldn't affect my classes because the World History A.P. test doesn't appear to be until the following week.

So that's what's going on.  I hope the weather gets nicer (it's supposed to) and everybody has a good week.  Ciao!

April Showers Bring May Flowers, Or So They Say by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com

Final Week of April; Final Week of Testing

What beautiful weather we're having!  You just can't beat it.  I even love it when the thunderstorms come through, as they're supposed to Monday evening.  I'm not spending much time out in it, but I can see it from my window.  The good news for my students is that due to fact that we're reading a play in class, they haven't had a whole lot of homework from me, so hopefully they've been able to spend some time outside.

Which leads me to what we accomplished last week.  We finished off another verb packet, so we're firmly enmeshed in the verb tenses.  We also finished Act III and we've begun Act IV of The Crucible.  Testing for the state is just about done, so after this week, we should be completely back on a regular schedule.

So here's what's happening this week:

• Monday - we'll just about finish reading The Crucible.
• Tuesday - we'll finish the text of The Crucible and begin reviewing by watching the movie.  The movie is very close to the text, so it's a way to bring it all back to them.  Second Hour we have an assembly mid-way through the hour, so they'll be a touch behind.
• Wednesday - no advisory due to testing - we'll continue the movie.
• Thursday - no advisory due to testing - we'll finish the movie; after the movie we'll do final review and they'll have time to work on their notes.
• Friday - the objective test for The Crucible.  This is open note, so whatever they have written in their notes is eligible to be used on the test.

I will be available for Tuesdays with Teachers for anyone who needs to come get help or make something up.  Because they cancelled advisory this week, I'll also have quizzes available for make up during the movie.

I hope everyone has a great week! Ciao!

Final Week of April; Final Week of Testing by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

Beautiful!

How great is Michigan when the weather cooperates like it has this weekend?  I hope everyone has had a chance to get outside and enjoy it.  I had the luck of having to sit outside for four hours during my son's double header.  It was a big sacrifice, I know, but someone has to sit in the sunshine and cheer him on. Luckily for my students, they didn't really have homework from me over the weekend, so I'm hoping they all had a chance to get some Vitamin D - the natural way.

We have a busy week coming up, but not nearly as busy as the last couple, so maybe we can settle back into routine again.  Last week they tested with the PSAT9 and most of them finished. Only a couple of people need to finish testing and I'll work with them to catch them up on what they will miss.

This coming week, we have the following:

• Monday - 2nd Hour needs to finish verb packet #6 for homework (the rest of the hours finished it last week); then we'll continue on with Act III of The Crucible and see if we can finish reading it. 
• Tuesday - they'll have a new verb packet that tackles past, present, and future verb tenses to do; then they'll work on their Act III study guide.
• Wednesday - we'll go over and turn in verb packet #7 and turn it in; then we'll finish off Act III, take a quiz, and turn in the study guide.
• Thursday - they'll get verb packet #8 and work on perfect tense verbs; we'll start Act IV (the final act of The Crucible) and get a new study guide
• Friday - we'll continue the perfect tense in verb packet #8; we'll continue Act IV of The Crucible.

By the following week, we'll be testing over The Crucible and start working on a project to synthesize the central ideas of the play.

Also, for anyone who chose to take me up on The Scarlet Letter extra credit, I'm going to meet with anyone who wants to go over the first three chapters on Wednesday during advisory day.

I hope everyone has a great week.  Ciao!


Beautiful! by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com

PSAT Week is Here!

Good afternoon!  I'm running late today, but I've actually been up and moving all weekend.  I graded a bunch of stuff yesterday and put it into the computer, leaving only the essays and big papers to grade.  Only...ha!  Nothing like leaving the difficult stuff for last.  I'm as bad as the kids!  Anyway, I left the house at 7:00 AM this morning and didn't make it back until noon, followed by a pizza dough-making session.  It's an easy dough, and delicious, but it has to sit for at least 4-5 hours, so I guess we're eating it for dinner.  That leaves me lots of time to grade some papers and work on this blog.  So here goes the latter:

This week, we have our weird testing schedule, as follows:

• Monday - regular day
• Tuesday - no school in the high school, except Juniors for SAT testing
• Wednesday - PSAT9, PSAT10, MME11 in the morning; regular schedule picks up starting at 10:30 A.M.
• Thursday - regular day
• Friday - regular day

So here's the plan for my classes academically:

• Monday - we got behind last week, so they'll take the quiz for Act II and finish the Act II packet, turning it in by Wednesday or Thursday, depending on when it is that I see them next.
• Tuesday - no class
• Wednesday - no 1st or 2nd Hour; no advisory; 4th through 6th hours I don't have a plan yet, but I'm going to try to keep it light since they're testing all morning.
• Thursday - no advisory; first - verbs; we'll start Act III and they'll get a new study guide and continue notes
• Friday - first we'll finish verb packet #6 and turn it in; we'll continue reading Act III with study guide and notes

As a side note, I've offered extra credit toward Term 4 in the form of an extra credit book project.  They have a packet full of project ideas, they just need to pick a book that they would like to read (and that is appropriate in age and level) and do a project for it; it's not due to me until June 10, 2016, so they have lots of time.

Finally, we had a good time reading Act II last week.  They were in small groups which allowed for more people to participate.  Here are some pictures I took of the groups working together:

I loved listening to them work, and then 4th Hour had a group that decided not only to read it aloud, but act it out.  They were hilarious.  I tried to take a video, which isn't very good since you can hear another group in the background, but here it is anyway:

 

 

Have a great week! Ciao!

 
PSAT Week is Here! by Laura Stubbs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at laurastubbs.blogspot.com.