Time flies...

...and it certainly is a challenge to keep up with school work, YES for PREP work, things to do at home, homework, making time for family and friends an fun! I know!! In the coming week or two, we need to be certain that ALL assignments that have been missed are turned in. This will boost everyone's grades. In addition to grades, however, our writing skills will improve!

It is SO important...remember that word "imperative" (?)...well, it IS imperative that everyone turns in every single assignment! To help you, we will be doing a bit more in-class work. In the meantime, let's talk about your quizzes this week.

For English/Literature, we are reading the short story "The Quickening" and re-reading the short story "Thank You, M'am." Your quiz will be in essay format and you will have a good chunk of time to work on it. To prepare, you should pay attention to who the main characters are in both “Thank You, M’am” and “The Quickening” AND how each character is alike and different. You have your quiz review sheet that was handed out on Saturday that provides you with a good review of what a great essay should contain and how it should be formatted. The good thing is that you know this essay will be on comparison/contrast of the characters of each story. To help you be prepared, you may want to put together a little brainstorming chart listing each character and how they are similar to the other characters and how they are different.

For Writing, you will have a quiz that focuses on what we have covered in class so far:
· Forms of Poetry
· Sound Devices of Poetry
· The Writing Process
· Persuasive/Argumentative Essays
· Introductions
· Conclusions
This list is also on your assignment sheet from this week. You should refer to your class notes in order to prepare. In addition, your Literature textbook has some great tips that you can review too on poetry, the writing process and essays.

Remember that I will not be in class this weekend -- I will miss it!! :-( But, you will have some homework to turn in to me still! I will pick your work up from the office during the week. Here is a list of what you need to turn in:

• Any assignment you are missing! (You will still be graded according to full credit) (Writing and English)
• Persuasion & Catchy Conclusions Assignment Sheet (Writing)
• Your next draft of the YES for PREP writing contest essay (typed, saved on your flash drive) (Writing)
• A Striking Start & Planned Out Draft Assignment Sheet (if you haven't turned it in already) -- with the writing assignments (Writing)
• Your first full drat of the YES for PREP writing contest essay (remember, this was your draft from last week that you kept to work off of for your next draft) (Writing)
• “Sharing Some Thoughts” Assignment Sheet (English)

If you have any questions for me over the weekend or during the week, please email me! I will post next week's summary of work later this weekend. Have a great weekend everyone!

Keeping on Track

Well, I know you are just as busy as me. However, I must apologize for the tardiness of my updating our site! Don't some days just go by and you don't know what happened to them? Well, I've had one of those weeks. So, let me start by posting what our homework was for the week (that is due today):

In English/Lit. we needed to finish our one-page essay on the difference between the world Dante is experiencing in "The Inferno" and that described in the poem "New World." We started this in class. Then, we were to read "For My Sister Molly Who in the Fifties" by Alice Walker and answer the Literary Analysis questions (1-6) and Reading Strategy questions (7-8) on page 885 in the textbook.

Now, remember we're getting a new textbook today in English/Lit. We will be working out of it today. I have skimmed through the book and am preparing our syllabus through December based on this and the fact that we still need to complete reading Dante's Inferno. I will have this ready for us next week so we know where we are headed and what homework is due when, etc.

In Writing last week, we discussed the writing process in full. We also discussed the YES for PREP writing contest, which we will all participate in. If you recall, you have the chance of winning $200!! PLUS, I will help you with the writing process as we move through each step and this will be one of your papers I will grade you on and that you will put in your writing portfolio. Talk about taking care of business, right?! So, for homework this week, you were to decide on the book you would write about in the essay and then complete the questions listed on the "Discussion Checklist." That's it! Today, we are going to move forward in the writing process.

Now, going back to our letters to the editor. I have discussed with you that I will always have an "assignment sheet" for you each week. This keeps us all on track of what we are to be accomplishing AND it provides me with a place to assess your work. I did not receive one assignment sheet back with your letters to the editor, which means I can't grade your work. I have certainly reviewed the letters and made comments, but it will be yet another week until you receive them back. So, be certain to always turn in your assignments with your assignment sheets. When I return them, I will have filled in your rubric chart so that you understand how I have graded your work.

Okay, so that catches us up! I know you won't see this until after classes today, so let me know your thoughts, ideas, opinions, etc. Everyone keeps saying they'll post some comments! Let's do it! This site is for all of us. We can talk about the work we're doing, news in our community, news at YES for PREP, whatever you feel like...