A New Term Begins

Here we are, at the beginning of the final term of the 2017/2018 school year!  We have accomplished a lot, but we have so much to go!  Last week all students bubbled in their forms for the PSAT which will take place after Spring Break; we continued working on punctuation rules; we turned in another reading log; freshmen started the research, notes, and Works Cited page for their paper; sophomores began Macbeth and we're almost done with Act I.

Here's what's coming up this week:

English 9

• Monday, 3/26 - finish and submit the Works Cited through Google Classroom; fill in the pros/cons chart; form a thesis - due by the end of the hour on Tuesday; start filling in the outline.
• Tuesday, 3/27 - Academic Advisory - check in the thesis statement; work on the outline - due before leaving for vacation.
• Wednesday, 3/28 - 1st Hour Assembly (Ok2Say) - work on the outline - due before leaving for vacation.
• Thursday, 3/29 - PSAT Advisory - TURN IN READING LOG #18; check in outlines by the end of the hour.
• Friday - NO SCHOOL!

English 10

• Monday, 3/26 - finish reading Act I of Macbeth
• Tuesday, 3/27 - Academic Advisory - watch Macbeth Act I; begin Act I quiz which is an analytical paragraph - due before leaving for vacation.
• Wednesday, 3/28 - finish analytical paragraph - turn in; turn in annotated Act I packet.
• Thursday, 3/29 - PSAT Advisory - TURN IN READING LOG #18; make sure all work is turned in.
• Friday - NO SCHOOL!

That's the schedule.  I hope everyone enjoys the next week as the weather begins to warm and we head for a break.  Ciao!

A New Term Begins! by Laura Stubbsis licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://www.laurastubbs.blogspot.com.

Last Week of Term Three

What a week it has been!  So exciting, inspiring, thrilling...and exhausting!

On Tuesday night the 10th grade English students presented their Wax Museum, and wow did they make me proud!  This was the culmination of a month-long project that involved writing a research paper, creating a visual aid (their boards), creating a speech, and dressing up to present their author and texts.  I took as many photos as I could, so I've attached them here:

It was also spirit week for Coming Home, so we had assemblies and dress up days.  English 9 began a research paper (looking at how to cite an online article), and English 10 began Macbeth by playing around with the witches' lines in Act I, scene i.  Finally, the weekend arrived, and yesterday I had the chance to go down the road from my house to watch Cow Town Robotics compete all the way through the finals at a big competition at Lincoln High School.  They did so well, and once again, my heart was filled with pride.  I've been so privileged over the past few weeks to get to see my students and former students doing things outside of the classroom: JV Basketball, ACP Regionals, Wax Museum, Robotics, and I have also been able to see some of them dressed up for Winter Ball because of pictures posted on Facebook.  You all have really great kids!

This week is busy as well.  It's the last week of Term 3: anything assigned this week will go on Term 4 since I've got to get all the essays and papers graded for Term 3.  It's also the week where we fill out the forms for state testing in April.  On Wednesday 9th graders and 10th graders will bubble forms for the PSAT.  There will be no advisories this week.

Here's the schedule:

English 9

• Monday, 3/19 - silent reading day - reading log #17 is due on Thursday.
• Tuesday, 3/20 - bell work - colons; finish the citation worksheet; start identifying articles to use for the research paper.
• Wednesday, 3/21 - bubbling for PSAT; take notes and keep track of sources/citations.
• Thursday, 3/22 - TURN IN READING LOG #17; bell work - colons; continue to take notes and keep track of sources/citations.
• Friday, 3/23 - get reading log #18; finish taking notes and check them in; start building the Works Cited for the paper.

English 10

• Monday, 3/19 - record Act I, Scene i from Macbeth on video; save to Google Drive; if possible attach to Google Classroom and submit.
• Tuesday, 3/20 - bell work - colons; finish attaching videos to Classroom and watch; view YouTube video comparing/contrasting different versions of Act I, Scene i; get vocab. and study guides; start scene ii.
• Wednesday, 3/21 - bubbling for PSAT; read scenes ii, iii, iv of Macbeth
• Thursday 3/22 - TURN IN READING LOG #17; bell work - colons; watch scene v; read scenes vi, vii
• Friday, 3/23 - get reading log #18; finish scene vii - Act I quiz on Monday; silent reading

That's the plan.  I hope all have a good Sunday and a great week.  Ciao!

Last Week of Term Three 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.

Another Exciting Week is On Deck!

Another exciting week is ahead!  It's so busy right now that I thought about abandoning the blog for the week, but I've managed my time effectively enough that I have a few moments before rushing off to a personal commitment to drink my coffee and write.  So here we are!

Last week in English 9 we finished typing the final essay for The Crucible.  Most are turned in; any stragglers are expected to be turned in on Monday with no penalties attached for being late.  After that, all bets are off and I'll be keeping track of late assignments.  This week we'll watch the movie as a reward for all the hard work, and then we turn our attention to the Research Paper Unit.  Because of my schedule over the next week, I have to move the silent reading day to Thursday; March is Reading Month, so we definitely don't want to lose the opportunity to enjoy our own independent reading (I include myself in this).

Last week in English 10 we spent the entire week with work time for the Wax Museum Project.  This coming Tuesday is the big night!  I hope that every student has someone coming to support them.  They've worked so hard and it means a lot to them when their families and friends come to see what they've accomplished. It also spurs them on to put their best effort into their work, so I appreciate the support!  After that, we'll finalize the research paper, editing and revising it on Wednesday.  The last day I'll accept them is Friday.  And then we'll start Macbeth (yay, Shakespeare!).

In the meantime, it's Coming Home time, which means Spirit Days, assemblies, and the dance.  Our schedules for the week are all crazy, and the energy is high, so the challenge is to keep everything together but still have fun.  Here's the schedule for the week:

English 9

• Monday, 3/12 - Activity Day (assembly at end of day) - *Change - I'm not giving out Reading Log #17 until Thursday; Type 1 - semicolon rule #1; watch The Crucible
• Tuesday, 3/13 - Jostens Advisory - Class Rings - Type 1 - semicolons vs. commas; continue The Crucible movie
• Wednesday, 3/14 - Type 1 - semicolon rule #2; finish the movie; begin discussing research topic
• Thursday, 3/15 - Activity Day (assembly at end of day) - Type 1 - semicolon rule #3; get reading log #17; silent reading
• Friday, 3/16 - begin research paper - overview and preliminary ideas about the topic.

English 10

• Monday, 3/12 - Activity Day (assembly at end of day) - Type 1 - semicolon rule #1; practice speeches for Wax Museum
• Tuesday, 3/13 - Academic Advisory - Type 1 - semicolons vs. commas; practice speeches for Wax Museum
• Wednesday, 3/14 - Type 1 - semicolon rule #2; revise, edit, print research papers - turn in
• Thursday, 3/16 - Activity Day (assembly at end of day) - Type 1 - semicolon rule #3; Type 1 - semicolon rule #3; get Reading Log #17; silent reading
•  Friday, 3/16 - LAST DAY TO TURN IN RESEARCH PAPERS! Begin Macbeth.

Another Exciting Week is On Deck! 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.

Important Assignments Ahead

Good morning!  I'm running early this weekend, I think because my anxiety is running high for both of my groups.  In English 9 we've finished reading The Crucible, so we're working on the final assessment which is a multi-paragraph analytical essay; right now we're working on the outline.  In English 10 we're finishing the research paper rough draft (due Monday by midnight) and heading toward the presentation portion of this project.  My nerves are definitely jangling away, so I can only imagine how their's are.

Here's our schedule for the week:

English 9

• Monday, 3/5 - we'll finish the outline for the paper and begin to type - it's due Thursday!
• Tuesday, 3/6 - Academic Advisory - we'll continue to type the paper on Google Classroom
• Wednesday, 3/7 - 1/2 Day and Parent/Teacher Conferences from 2:30-5:30 - we'll continue to type the paper on Google Classroom
• Thursday, 3/8 - PSAT Advisory - we'll type and turn in the final paper and if time start the movie
• Friday, 3/9 - they'll get reading log #17 and we'll watch the movie for The Crucible

English 10

• Monday, 3/5 - the rough draft is due submitted through Google Classroom by midnight
• Tuesday, 3/6 - Academic Advisory - we'll work on the boards for the presentation
• Wednesday, 3/7 - 1/2 Day and Parent/Teacher Conferences from 2:30-5:30 - we'll continue work on the boards
• Thursday, 3/8 - PSAT Advisory - finish the boards and work on the index card for the speech
• Friday, 3/9 - they'll get reading log #17 and either work on their speech or silently read

For both groups it's very important that they're in class so that they hear all of the information and have time to ask questions unless they absolutely have to be out.  I can't emphasize this enough.

Parent/Teacher Conferences: these are held from 2:30-5:30 in the gym and cafeteria at the high school on Wednesday, 3/7.  I've sent out emails and made phone calls inviting those who are struggling with anything below a 70%, but all are welcome.  Please come visit!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!  Ciao! 

Important Assignments Ahead 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.