Students took part two of the nonfiction unit test.
After the test, students wrote in their journal in response to the following prompt: Valentine's Day is ___________________. They were to fill one page/minimum of 25 lines in their journals.
Homework: Finish journal entry if not completed in class. Spend time reading book report book and/or if finished reading your book report book, work on the eight prewriting entries for the next book report as done for the last book report if you would like to work ahead.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Career Writing
For the career writing question of the nonfiction test, students will be asked to identify the career of one of their parents or guardians and list at least the two most common types of writing they do for their job: business letters, charting, e-mails, blogging, PowerPoint scripts, business proposals, menus, shopping lists, etc.
Fifteenth Class: Grammar Review
Mr. Stone listed again the sections of part two of the nonfiction unit test:
Section one: subject verb agreement
Section two: verb tense consistency
Section three: distinguishing between nonstandard and standard English
Section four: classifying common nonfiction genres (graphic organizer)
Section five: career writing
Section six: identifying quotations
Students completed three exercises in class to review the grammar concepts on the first three sections of the test. Mr. Stone went over the answers to the exercises at the end of the period.
While students were working on their grammar exercises, Mr. Stone checked for completion of the political cartoon journal entry, the describing a political cartoon pre-writing journal entry (naming, detailing, and comparing), and the typed rough draft of the describing a political cartoon e-mail.
Homework: Study for part two of the nonfiction test for tomorrow.
Section one: subject verb agreement
Section two: verb tense consistency
Section three: distinguishing between nonstandard and standard English
Section four: classifying common nonfiction genres (graphic organizer)
Section five: career writing
Section six: identifying quotations
Students completed three exercises in class to review the grammar concepts on the first three sections of the test. Mr. Stone went over the answers to the exercises at the end of the period.
While students were working on their grammar exercises, Mr. Stone checked for completion of the political cartoon journal entry, the describing a political cartoon pre-writing journal entry (naming, detailing, and comparing), and the typed rough draft of the describing a political cartoon e-mail.
Homework: Study for part two of the nonfiction test for tomorrow.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Fourteenth Class Period: Highlighting and Reading
Mr. Stone reviewed the expectations for the two political cartoon journal entries.
The first entry should be titled "Political Cartoon" and contain the name of the newspaper, its publication date, the section letter and page number where the cartoon was located, and the actual cartoon pasted to the page.
The second entry should be titled "Political Cartoon Prewriting." This page should be fully filled with a description of the cartoon. Students should highlight their use of the three primary description techniques: naming, detailing, and comparing. The names used to describe the people, places, things, ideas, and actions found in the cartoon should be highlighted blue. The adjectives and adverbs that provide details about these items should be highlighted yellow. The similes and metaphors used should be highlighted orange.
Mr. Stone checked to see if students brought their book report book to class.
Homework: Type a rough draft of your description of your political cartoon for your imaginary visually-impaired friend. Use the drafting directions found to the right on this blog under the heading description.
The first entry should be titled "Political Cartoon" and contain the name of the newspaper, its publication date, the section letter and page number where the cartoon was located, and the actual cartoon pasted to the page.
The second entry should be titled "Political Cartoon Prewriting." This page should be fully filled with a description of the cartoon. Students should highlight their use of the three primary description techniques: naming, detailing, and comparing. The names used to describe the people, places, things, ideas, and actions found in the cartoon should be highlighted blue. The adjectives and adverbs that provide details about these items should be highlighted yellow. The similes and metaphors used should be highlighted orange.
Mr. Stone checked to see if students brought their book report book to class.
Homework: Type a rough draft of your description of your political cartoon for your imaginary visually-impaired friend. Use the drafting directions found to the right on this blog under the heading description.
Thirteenth Class Period: Nonfiction Test Part One
Students took part one of the nonfiction test.
After the test students had time to read their book report book, work some more on their describing a political cartoon prewriting, or begin prewriting journal entries for their third quarter book report.
No homework was assigned for the next class period; however, students would be wise to be studying for part two of the nonfiction test.
After the test students had time to read their book report book, work some more on their describing a political cartoon prewriting, or begin prewriting journal entries for their third quarter book report.
No homework was assigned for the next class period; however, students would be wise to be studying for part two of the nonfiction test.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Part Two of Nonfiction Test Delayed
To allow a little more time for instruction and review, Mr. Stone has decided to postpone part two of the nonfiction test (identifying quotes from nonfiction texts read for class, subject-verb agreement, consistent verb tense, formal/standard English versus informal/nonstandard English, classifying nonfiction genres.)
In particular, Mr. Stone would like to give some more time to classifying nonfiction genres.
Periods two, five, and six will take part two of the nonfiction test on Tuesday, February 14th. Periods one and seven will take part two of the nonfiction test on Wednesday, February 15th.
In particular, Mr. Stone would like to give some more time to classifying nonfiction genres.
Periods two, five, and six will take part two of the nonfiction test on Tuesday, February 14th. Periods one and seven will take part two of the nonfiction test on Wednesday, February 15th.
Twelfth Class Period: Description Prewriting & Test Review
Students were given time to write one page of description of the political cartoon they cut the previous period from a newspaper. They were to use naming, detailing, and comparing. Over the upcoming weekend, students will write their descriptions in an e-mail to an imagined blind friend, describing the cartoon and its humor. (Students will not send the rough draft of their e-mail to anyone. The final draft of their e-mail will be sent to Mr. Stone: dstone@lla.org.)
Mr. Stone described again how the upcoming test will be divided between two days. The first day's portion will include author-title, title-genre, literary terms, and vocabulary. The second day's portion will include identifying quotations, grammar (subject-verb agreement, consistent verb tense, and standard/formal English and nonstandard/informal English), and classifying genres of nonfiction.
Mr. Stone discussed the classification of nonfiction genres using a graphic organizer on the front whiteboard of the classroom. A revised copy of this graphic organizer will be posted on this blog for students to use for review.
Homework: Study for part one of the nonfiction test.
Mr. Stone described again how the upcoming test will be divided between two days. The first day's portion will include author-title, title-genre, literary terms, and vocabulary. The second day's portion will include identifying quotations, grammar (subject-verb agreement, consistent verb tense, and standard/formal English and nonstandard/informal English), and classifying genres of nonfiction.
Mr. Stone discussed the classification of nonfiction genres using a graphic organizer on the front whiteboard of the classroom. A revised copy of this graphic organizer will be posted on this blog for students to use for review.
Homework: Study for part one of the nonfiction test.
Eleventh Class Period: Description Techniques & Political Cartoons
Mr. Stone gave each student a newspaper and pointed out the typical location of political cartoons on the opinion/editorial/op-ed page usually located near the back of the first section of most daily American newspapers.
Students were directed to label a new page in their journals: "Political Cartoon." Before cutting out a political cartoon from their newspapers, they were instructed to write down the name of the newspaper they received (New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Press Enterprise, The Sun, or USA Today), the publication date, and the section and page number where the cartoon was located.
After cutting out the cartoon, they were to paste it in their journal.
Mr. Stone described the three most common techniques of description: naming, detailing, and comparing.
Homework: Read "In These Girls, Hope Is a Muscle," a book review by Steve Gietschier (715-716).
Students were directed to label a new page in their journals: "Political Cartoon." Before cutting out a political cartoon from their newspapers, they were instructed to write down the name of the newspaper they received (New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Press Enterprise, The Sun, or USA Today), the publication date, and the section and page number where the cartoon was located.
After cutting out the cartoon, they were to paste it in their journal.
Mr. Stone described the three most common techniques of description: naming, detailing, and comparing.
Homework: Read "In These Girls, Hope Is a Muscle," a book review by Steve Gietschier (715-716).
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Tenth Class Period: Grammar
Mr. Stone collected reading strategy worksheet 167 (Finding Writer's Main Points and Support), literary analysis worksheet 164 (essay), and literary analysis worksheet 168 (biographical and autobiographical writing)at the beginning of the period. He reviewed the key concepts for subject-verb agreement, consistent verb tenses, and the differences between standard and nonstandard English.
Students worked with classmates to complete four grammar skills worksheets: 158 Subject-Verb Agreement, 162 Consistency of Verbs, 166 Subject-Verb Agreement:Confusing Subjects, and 170 Varieties of English: Standard, Nonstandard.
All four worksheets were collected before class was over.
Homework: Read "Earhart Redux" (711-714).
Students worked with classmates to complete four grammar skills worksheets: 158 Subject-Verb Agreement, 162 Consistency of Verbs, 166 Subject-Verb Agreement:Confusing Subjects, and 170 Varieties of English: Standard, Nonstandard.
All four worksheets were collected before class was over.
Homework: Read "Earhart Redux" (711-714).
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Ninth Class Period: Analyzing Nonfiction
Mr. Stone described the common ways nonfiction is divided. He defined essay, formal essay, informal essay, narrative easy, persuasive essay, reflective essay, biographical and autobiographical writing. He pointed out to students the relationship between the students expository writing assignments and the terms under discussion, including main point and supporting details.
Students began working with class mates to complete reading strategy worksheet 167 (Finding Writer's Main Points and Support), literary analysis worksheet 164 (essay), and literary analysis worksheet 168 (biographical and autobiographical writing).
Mr. Stone announced the nonfiction unit test will be given over the last two class periods of each section next week.
Homework: Finish the three worksheets began in class.
Students began working with class mates to complete reading strategy worksheet 167 (Finding Writer's Main Points and Support), literary analysis worksheet 164 (essay), and literary analysis worksheet 168 (biographical and autobiographical writing).
Mr. Stone announced the nonfiction unit test will be given over the last two class periods of each section next week.
Homework: Finish the three worksheets began in class.
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