Tuesday, September 26, 2017

The Invalid's Story

Tuesday 26 September 2017 for Periods 2, 5, & 6 and Wednesday 27 September for Periods 1 & 7

Students practiced vocabulary drills on Membean and reviewed "The Invalid's Story" before taking a quiz.

Students graded other papers in the remaining class time and started on their homework.

Homework:  Write by hand half a page on notebook paper explaining how Mark Twain's "The Invalid's Story" is humorous.  Hint:  The story includes multiple examples of mistaken identity and hyperbole.


*Due to a mix-up, Period Two will have their quiz over "The Invalid's Story on Wednesday and will complete the homework over the weekend.

Monday, September 25, 2017

Four Points of View

Monday 25 September 2017 for Periods 1, 2, 5 & 6 and Tuesday 26 September 2017 for Period 7

Devotional Text:  Proverbs 25: 14

Membean:  10 minutes of drill time

Students had the opportunity to retake the first vocabulary test if they missed any questions on the first test.

Mr. Stone read four examples of different types of point of view and made additional examples using students from each class period.

Students graded the "One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts" quiz.

Homework: Read Mark Twain's "The Invalid's Story."

Note:  If you are having trouble viewing the text of "The Invalid's Story," try making the window smaller to realign the text.

Here's another link for the story that doesn't have pictures and may be easier to read:  "The Invalid's Story."

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Weekend Homework: September 22-24

Students should spend twenty minutes reading their selected book for their first quarter book report.

Students who scored less than a hundred percent on their first vocabulary test should study for a retake that will be offered during the first class next week.

If a student has not finished their journal entries, they should get caught up over the weekend.  Mr. Stone will be checking journals early next week.

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Reading Day

Thursday, Septemeber 21, 2017, students will spend forty minutes in silent sustained reading of the novel they have selected to read for their first quarter book report.

Student need to be sure to bring their book to class and their signed book approval slip, if they have not already done so.

Book approval forms received after September 21st will receive reduced credit.

"The Five Orange Pips" and Journaling

Membean Vocabulary Drills: 10 minutes

Vocabulary Test:  Students took their first individualized test on Membean.  They will be given a retake opportunity on their first test.  The higher of the two scores will be taken.

Quiz:  "The Five Orange Pips"

Journaling:  Students need to complete a journal entry for each of the four stories we've read so far for which they have not already done an entry.

Reader-Response Journal Options:

--Write a mini review (your opinion about whether others would enjoy reading the story and why)

--sketch a scene or a character from the story

--write an alternate scene/ending to the story

--make a list of your favorite quotes from the story and explain why they are meaningful to you

--create a collage of a scen or character from the story

--select five words from the story that are new to you and write out each word and its definition


Remember that each entry should be headed with the title of the story and its author's name.  A minimum of one panel should be completed for each story.

The class has already completed journal entries for Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game" and Saki's "The Interlopers."

Complete entries for the following stories:

"The Man to Send Rain Clouds" by Leslie Marmon Silko

"Our Dead, Your Dead" by Kamila Shamsie

"One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts" by Shirley Jackson

"The Five Orange Pips" By Sir Arthur Conand Doyle

Homework:  Finish any of the four journal entries not completed during class time.

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Character Analysis in Kamala Shamsie's "Our Dead, Your Dead"

Tuesday 19 September 2017 for Periods 2, 5 & 6 and Wednesday 20 September 2017 for Periods 1 & 7


Devotional Text:  Proverbs 19: 20/Proverbs 20: 4


Membean Vocabulary Drills:  10 Minutes


Mr. Stone collected book report parent approval slips.


The class discussed conflict in "Our Dead, Your Dead" and broke into small groups to determine the character traits of characters from the story.  They also determined whether  the group's character was static/dynamic and whether the character was round/flat.


Homework:  Read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Five Orange Pips" for a quiz at the beginning of the next class.



Monday, September 18, 2017

Analysis of the Setting in "Our Dead, Your Dead"

Monday 18 September 2017 for Periods 1, 2, 5 & 6 and Tuesday 19 September 2017 for Period 7

Devotional Text:  Proverbs 18: 6-7/Proverbs 19: 2

Students spent ten minutes on Membean.com practicing their vocabulary.

Mr. Stone finished reading any portion of Shamila Kamsie's "Our Dead, Your Dead" not completed.  The class took notes using a story analysis sheet on the story' setting, including each of the five elements of setting and their primary function in the story.

Homework:  Select a novel to read for the first quarter book report.  Complete the parent approval form distributed in class and return to Mr. Stone for approval.

The novel should be finished being read by Monday, October 16th.

Friday, September 15, 2017

More of Kamila Shamsie's "Our Dead, Your Dead"

Thursday 14 September 2017 for Periods 5, 6, & 7 (Devotional Text:  Proverbs 14:1)
Friday 15 September 2017 for Periods 1 & 2 (Devotional Text:  Proverbs 15:1)

Students completed ten minutes of Membean vocabulary drills to get to the forty-minute minimum requirement for the week.  (Students away at the football tournament should complete these ten minutes before Monday: www.membean.com.)

Quiz:  Shirley Jackson's "One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts"

After the quiz, Mr. Stone picked up reading Kamila Shamsie's "Our Dead, Your Dead" where the class  left off last week.

Homework:  Finish vocabulary sheet for "The Man to Send Rain Clouds" if not completed earlier in the week.

Students who did not score a 10/10 on the setting quiz will have a chance to retake the quiz next early next week.  If a student plans to retake the quiz, they should study over the weekend.

Elements of Setting
Geographical location
Historical period
Time of day
Weather
Cultural Milieu

Functions of Setting
Propel the plot/create conflict
Create a mood
Act as a character
Act as a symbol

Review your short story notes to prepare for the tenth question.

Shirley Jackson's "One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts"

Tuesday 12 September 2017 for Periods 7 & 5 (Devotional Text:  Proverbs 12:1)
Wednesday 13 September 2017 for Period 6 (Devotional Text:  Proverbs 13:4)
Thursday 14 September 2017 for Periods 1 & 2 (Devotional Text:  Proverbs 14:1)

Students completed fifteen minutes of Membean vocabulary drills using the classroom set of laptop computers.

Students were to turn in their completed vocabulary sheet for "The Man to Send Rain Clouds."

Students began reading Shirley Jackson's "One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts."

Homework:  Finish reading "One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts" in preparation for a quiz over the story.

Leslie Marmon Silko's "The Man to Send Rain Clouds"

Monday 11 September 2017 for Periods 5, 6, & 7 (Devotional Text:  Proverbs 11:2-3)
Tuesday 12 September 2017 for Period 2 (Devotional Text:  Proverbs 12:1)
Wednesday 13 September 2017 for Period 1 (Devotional Text:  Proverbs 13:4)

Students completed fifteen minutes of Membean vocabulary drills using the classroom set of laptop computers.

After they completed their time on Membean, they began reading "The Man to Send Rain Clouds."

Homework:  Finish reading "The Man to Send Rain Clouds," if not completed during class time, and complete the vocabulary sheet for the story.

Thursday, September 7, 2017

"Our Dead, Your Dead"--Remembering 9/11

Thursday 7 September 2017 for Periods 5 & 6 and Friday 8 September 2017 for Periods 1, 2, & 7

Devotional Text:  Proverbs 7: 1-5

Membean Vocabulary Drills:  10 minutes

Quiz:  Setting Notes

Mr. Stone began reading Kamila Shamsie's "Our Dead, Your Dead" with the class.  The class will finish reading this story after Mr. Stone returns from the senior class trip.

No homework over this weekend.  Get extra sleep in preparation for the Iowa Testing next week.

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Elements of Setting

Wednesday 6 September 2017 for Periods 5 & 6 and Thursday 7 September 2017 for Periods 1, 2, & 7

Devotional Text:  Proverbs 6:

Lockdown Drill Discussion for Mr. Stone's room

Membean Vocabulary Drills:  15 minutes

Quiz:  Plot

Notes:  The five elements of setting and the functions of setting

Mr. Stone spent a few minutes discussing notebook organization with the class and distributed story analysis sheets.

Homework:  Study the elements and functions of setting for a quiz.  Review the notes on plot as well.

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Six Stages of Plot

Tuesday 5 September for Periods 2, 5 & 6 and Wednesday 6 September for Periods 1 & 7

Devotional Text:  Proverbs 5:1-2

Membean Vocabulary Drills: fifteen minutes (Typically we do ten minutes, but with a short week, we're doing ten to get all of our time.)

Mr. Stone distributed yellow "Genre Focus" sheets and spent time discussing the stages of a typical plot.  Mr. Stone differed from the handouts five stages.  He noted six.

Homework:  Study the material on plot on the "Genre Focus" sheet for a quiz as well as the notes that Mr. Stone asked students to write on the "Genre Focus" sheet.  The quiz will be given at the beginning of the next class period.

If you didn't turn in the critical thinking and vocabulary worksheet from last class period, be sure and complete that for homework as well and get it turned in at the beginning of the next class period.