Extra Credit

Just FYI if you haven't heard:
-if you saw the school play, "Once On This Island," and write a review for it, you can get extra credit. One page written single-spaced OR one page typed double-spaced.
-you can do one last Reading Record for Extra Credit
-you could have handed in Part 1 of your final early, got it graded, corrected it and hand it in again.

Just In Case . . .

Just in case you weren't in class next week, this is the Part 1 of your English Final. It is worth 100 points. Please read it carefully. Don't forget: to do BOTH essays, to type it, to hand it in ON TIME, to have research, to have the proper structure of an essay, etc.


English Final: Part 1
Two Essays (big surprise, right?)

Assignment: 2 three-paragraph essays

Each of your essays needs to follow these guidelines:
-Be typed and double-spaced in 12 pt. Times New Roman font.
-Have an outline for your essay (topic, thesis, reason/example, opposing view, refutation, call to action)
-Have a complete introduction, body paragraph (only one), and conclusion for each essay. MAKE SURE you follow the proper structure of an essay.
-If you have a thesis as your first sentence, I will take off 10 points.
-You should have TWO commentaries for every example.
-The back of this paper reviews the structure of an essay.
-Include at least one piece of research in your essay and cite where you got it
-Use proper grammar, punctuation, etc.
-Use respectful, essay-writing language (i.e. DON’T use “stupid,” “dumb,” etc.)
-Include a title for your essays

Your two essays are due at the beginning of class on the day of your scheduled final:
A1: Friday 22 A3: Wednesday 27 A4: Wednesday 27
B5: Tuesday 26 B6: Tuesday 26 B8: Thursday 28

Rubric for Essays:
Outline (does not need to be double-spaced) /5
Introduction /5
Body Paragraph /10
Conclusion /5
Format (typed, double-spaced, 12 pt) /5
Structure of an Essay, title /10
GUM (grammar, usage, mechanics) /5
Research /5
Total: /50
Comments:



This part of your final is worth 100 points.

Extra credit may be earned if you turn your essay in early (at least 2 days before your scheduled final), I grade it and give it back to you, and you revise it for a final draft.

Part 2 of your final will be in class during your scheduled time. Part 2 will include:
knowing the structure of an essay, grammar, punctuation, etc. If you know the structure of an essay and have been paying attention in class, you probably won’t have to study.
FYI: There will be a test the last day of classes, Friday 29th, worth at least 20 points. If you do not come, you will receive a zero for this assignment.

YOU SHOULD ALREADY KNOW THIS, BUT HERE IS A REVIEW FOR THE STRUCTURE OF AN ESSAY:

Structure of a Persuasive Essay –

INTRODUCTION: (hook the reader)
1. State/identify topic (I want to find out in the first line what I'll be reading about.)
2. Give background information (Why is this topic important?)
3. Hint at structure (Hint at what you’ll be talking about in the rest of the essay.)
4. Thesis (take a stand)

BODY PARAGRAPH(S): (In a full essay, you usually have at least 3 body paragraphs. This is the meat, the substance of your essay)
1. Topic sentence (Every other sentence in the body paragraph should relate to your topic sentence.)
2. Concrete detail/Example (this is your first point)
3. Commentary/Explanation of example (you explain your example, these are your thoughts)
4. Opposing view (address the other side)
“Some people think/believe . . .” (a good way to start out)
5. Refutation (prove them wrong, or at least point out why the other side is weak. You present the opposing view in order to refute it.)
“However/but/even though/contrary to this . . .”
6. Transition/Concluding Sentence (make your essay flow from one paragraph to the next)

CONCLUSION: (this is the last thing the reader will read, so make it count)
1. Key points in brief/summarize (review your main points)
2. Restate thesis (don't copy it exactly, say it a little differently)
3. Call to action (now what? what do you want the reader to do after they read your essay?)

**Next year, when you write a 5-paragraph essay, ONLY ONE paragraph will have the opposing view and refutation.

Vocab Test 33 This Week

A Day: the LAST VOCAB TEST (yay!) is on Thursday.
B Day: the LAST VOCAB TEST (yay!) is on Wednesday.

Vocab 33

1. defect
2. ignominious (impress your parents by using this word at dinner!)
3. asinine (this is a great word for your vocabulary too)
4. retrospect
5. pompous
6. fabricate
7. aversion
8. invincible
9. conscience
10. conscious

A Day: due on Tuesday, along with Reading Record
B Day: due on Monday, along with Reading Record

Vocab Lesson 32

1. prevail
2. impeccable
3. meander
4. uproar
5. vehement
6. flagrant
7. encroach
8. gibberish
9. immigrate
10. emigrate

A Day: Vocab and Reading Record due on Monday.
B Day: Vocab and Reading Record due on Tuesday.

Structure of a Persuasive Essay - YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS!!!

INTRODUCTION: (hook the reader)
1. State/identify topic (I want to find out in the first line what I'll be reading about.)
2. Give background information (Why is this topic important?)
3. Hint at structure (Hint at what you’ll be talking about in the rest of the essay.)
4. Thesis (take a stand)

BODY PARAGRAPH(S): (In a full essay, you usually have at least 3 body paragraphs. This is the meat, the substance of your essay)
1. Topic sentence (Every other sentence in the body paragraph should relate to your topic sentence.)
2. Concrete detail/Example (this is your first point)
3. Commentary/Explanation of example (you explain your example, these are your thoughts)
4. Opposing view (address the other side)
5. Refutation (prove them wrong, or at least point out why the other side is weak. You present the opposing view in order to refute it.)
6. Transition/Concluding Sentence (make your essay flow from one paragraph to the next)

CONCLUSION: (this is the last thing the reader will read, so make it count)
1. Key points in brief/summarize (review your main points)
2. Restate thesis (don't copy it exactly, say it a little differently)
3. Call to action (now what? what do you want the reader to do after they read your essay?)

Vocab Lesson 31

1. ostentatious
2. collaborate
3. affluent
4. discretion
5. mediocre
6. compensate
7. estrange
8. rain
9. reign
10. rein

Vocab Lesson 30

1. lenient
2. perspective
3. accentuate
4. resilient
5. overbearing
6. impart
7. somber
8. delve
9. persecute
10. prosecute

Vocab Lesson 29

1. legitimate
2. concrete
3. initiate
4. rationale
5. transition
6. indicate
7. opposition
8. sight
9. site
10. cite

This Lesson 29 and your Reading Record are DUE FIRST DAY BACK from break!!!

Vocab Lesson 28

1. discrepancy - noun - an inconsistency; a difference between conflicting facts or claims or opinions. Example: There was a discrepancy in the article because they said two different things.
2. thorough - adjective - utterly complete; very careful and accurate.
3. clarify
4. analysis
5. elaborate
6. diction
7. reinforce
8. structure - noun meaning anything composed of parts arranged together in some way; an organization.
9. plain
10. plane

A Day: Vocab and Reading Record due on Monday
B Day: Vocab and Reading Record due on Tuesday

Fact/Opinion HW

Identify 5 things in 'real life' as a fact or an opinion. Write them down, classify them as either fact or opinion and explain why.
For example:
1. I was watching TV and the weather guy said it snowed 2 inches. That is a fact because it can be proven.
2. I was reading a magazine and it said that Angelina Jolie was one of the most beautiful people alive. This is an opinion because some people may think she's ugly.

So 5 of these. You can do it! Remember your goals for Term 4!

A Day: due Thursday
B Day: due Wednesday

Vocab 27

1. differentiate
2. competent - adjective - being adequate, but not exceptional; able to get the job done; having proper or sufficient skill, knowledge, experience. Example: Even though Michael Scott is kind of an idiot, he is competent enough to run the business.
3. persuasive - adjective - convincing; having the power to convince in action or belief.
4. influential
5. extensive - adjective - far-reaching; thorough; of great extent. Examples: (1) The damage from the tornado was extensive. (2) He gave an extensive amount of information in his speech.
6. refute - verb - to prove to be false or incorrect; to overthrow an argument, evidence, or proof.
7. imply - verb - to suggest or to indicate
8. infer - verb - to figure out from something; to conclude; to figure out by reasoning
9. threw
10. through

A Day: due on Tuesday (along with Reading Record)
B Day: due on Monday (along with Reading Record)

I apologize to B5 and B6 for not having the vocab lessons ready for them. If you need it, here is a reminder on what you should be doing for your vocab. This way if you ever lose your vocab lesson (or the school runs out of paper), here you go:

Word ______________ (then write it out five times): ____________________________________________________________________

Important Information and Relationships:

Define it in your own words (with help from a dictionary): ________________________

Part of speech (noun? verb? adjective? adverb?): _______________________________

Connect it/Make it personal (make it mean something to you so you'll remember it):

_____________________________________________

Memory Clue: (draw a picture so you can visually remember what the word means)

Practice Using It: (in a complete sentence that demonstrates your understanding of the word)


By the way -- you can ALWAYS do a Reading Record on a blank piece of paper too. You just need to tell me: what you read, how long you read for, what days you read, give me a response (these are listed on a previous post from last year), you sign it, and a parent/guardian signs it.

Vocab Lesson 26

Okay guys, so this is the FIRST vocab of Term 4 -- PLEASE get this done and hand it in ON TIME and COMPLETED. Remember, if you hand in your Vocab Lesson and Reading Record on time and completed, you will most likely start out Term 4 with an A in my class. That sounds good to me!

Here are the words:
1. perilous - if you can't find this in your dictionary, look under "peril." It means the same thing, only perilous is the adjective version of the word. (Instead of danger, it's dangerous).
2. stamina
3. accumulate
4. benevolent
5. malevolent (Benevolent and malevolent are opposites of each other).
6. excessive - adjective - exceeding a normal, usual, reasonable, or proper limit. For example: Many people choose not to read Lord of the Rings because the author J.R.R. Tolkien uses excessive descriptions.
7. discern - verb - to distinguish, recognize, or figure out. Example: Because Henry kept on staring at her, Brittany did discern that Henry liked her.
8. reconcile - verb - to settle, to bring into harmony. For example: The sisters agreed to reconcile their differences.
9. guest
10. guessed

Other Extra Credit

For this term or next term, you can bring in a copy/copies of "Mississippi Trial, 1955" by Chris Crowe. The 7th graders will unfortunately not be reading this book, but the 8th graders will. I am hoping that by offering you extra credit for this book, we can help out the budget of the school and give you some extra points as well. Please let me know if you plan to bring a copy/copies. Thank you!

Extra Credit

Extra Credit for Term 3:
Go see the play at Rockwell, "Fortress." It plays from Wednesday night until Saturday night. If you go see "Fortress," you can write me a review -- what did you think? What did you like? What did you dislike? Would you see it again? Would you recommend it to others? Was it easy to understand? What was your favorite part? Etc.
If it's typed, it needs to be a page long, double-spaced.
If it's hand-written, it needs to be a page long, single-spaced.
The last day I'll accept these is March 20th, Friday.

Vocab Lesson 25

1. detrimental
2. redundant
3. ludicrous
4. cynical
5. vivacious
6. vengeance
7. malign
8. livid
9. intense
10. intents

Important - Carol Philosophy Project

A1: Project due THIS Thursday (Mar. 12)
A4: Project due THIS Thursday (Mar. 12)
B6: Project due NEXT Wednesday (Mar. 18)

Parts 2 and 3 are what you will hand in. Make sure to include any and all documentation. If you need an extension, you need to talk to me ASAP, or you will not get it.

THIS PROJECT IS WORTH 60 POINTS (EACH PART IS WORTH 20), SO PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO DO THIS! MAKE SURE YOU DO IT WELL, TOO.


Here is the paper you have already been given:

“The Carol Philosophy”

I am sure that I have thought of Christmas time, when it has come round . . . a good time: a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time: the only time I know of in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of other people . . . as if they really were fellow-passengers . . . and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.

Your Project: Create a Carol-philosophy-based project for Rockwell or for the community. Projects must promote “the Carol philosophy” and Scrooge’s pledge to ‘keep Christmas all year long.’

1. Zero in. What part of the Carol philosophy do you want to focus on? Think hard and be creative. Focus on something that NEEDS to be focused on.
2. Do your homework. Learn more about the issue you want to tackle. Research ways others have worked to create change on an issue like yours. Brainstorm to come up with original, creative ideas.
3. Create a project plan. What specific tactics will you use to raise awareness about the problem or to create change? Set goals; assign roles and responsibilities. Who will do what – when, where, and how?
4. Document your efforts. Take good notes as you go along. A record of events will help you keep track of remaining tasks, as well as the group’s accomplishments.
5. Take action. Implement your project.
6. Assess progress. Debrief after you finish your project. How’d it go? What worked? What didn’t? What should be done differently – or the same – next time?
7. Share your experiences.


Written Portion:
Reflection is an important aspect of any learning and should be used before, during, and after the project.

Part 1: Before
1. Write up a written proposal for your project: What are you focusing on? Why? What is your goal/s? How will you achieve this? What are you going to do to create change? Who is in your group? What is each person’s role? Who will do what – when, where, and how?
2. What is a social boundary you have crossed and what was its outcome?
3. What is a social boundary that you are intimidated by or afraid to cross? Why?
Part 2: During
1. Take good notes to document your effort. What are you doing? What are others doing?
2. How does it feel to be developing a project that will help you and others carry out the Carol philosophy?
3. What do you think is the hardest part about asking others to develop a Carol philosophy? Why?
Part 3: After
1. How do you think it went? Was your project a success? Why or why not? Please explain.
2. What would you do differently next time?
3. What are the three most important things you’ve learned as a result of this project?

Thanks to: www.mixitup.org. Check out this site for more great ideas!

Vocab Lesson 24

1. catastrophe
2. specific
3. oblivious - adjective - unaware. Example: The girl, completely absorbed in herself, was oblivious of the boy's interest.
4. feasible
5. drastic - adjective - very extreme or severe. Example: When Brittany dyed her hair from blonde to pink, it was a drastic change.
6. undermine - verb - to injure, destroy, or weaken. When you use the word "undermine," you're usually referring to someone undermining someone/something else. For example: The Duke was trying to undermine the King by bossing him around.
7. bland
8. eccentric - adjective - peculiar, irregular, apart from the norm. Example: Stargirl is an eccentric person because she always carries around a ukulele and she wears a pioneer dress.
9. lesson
10. lessen

A Day: Due Tuesday with a Reading Record
B Day: Due Monday with a Reading Record

Vocab Lesson 23

1. engross
2. implication - noun - something suggested. Example: The implication that Mrs. Merrill is involved in some sort of conspiracy is false.
3. sparse - adjective - thinly scattered, not thick, not a lot of something. Example: The bald man had sparse hairs on his head.
4. commiserate
5. amiable
6. inevitable
7. perpetual
8. taint - verb - to contaminate, disrupt, or spoil. Example: The article in the newspaper tainted his reputation.
9. quiet
10. quite

Vocab Lesson 22

1. miffed - could be used as a verb or an adjective - to be irritated or ticked off. Example: Mrs. Merrill was really miffed when nobody did their homework.
2. despair
3. sinister
4. condone - verb - to allow, excuse, or overlook. By keeping quiet, Jason seemed to condone the teasing of the boy.
5. sporadic - adjective - happening in irregular and often unpredictable patterns. Example: Sasha felt so good, she went about the day giving sporadic hugs to random people.
6. omit
7. avert
8. inane - adjective - pointless, lacking sense, silly. The boy's comments in English class about elephants were inane.
9. patience
10. patients

A1: due Tuesday
A4: due Tuesday
B6: due Monday

B6: don't forget you have 5 things due on Monday if you haven't already handed them in: Reading Record, Vocab Lesson, paragraphs on Christmas Carol, Christmas Carol Packet, Sneak of the Week (with paragraphs)

Vocab Lesson 21

1. pandemonium

2. seize

3. permanent

4. obnoxious

5. disrupt

6. rejuvenate – verb - make fresh or new again, restore to youthful vigor. Example:

7. emphasize

8. audacity – noun – Aggressive boldness or daring – Example: I couldn’t believe the audacity of the crowd as they rushed the stage.

9. allowed

10. aloud

A1 and A4: don't forget that your project proposals are due on Wednesday. Your Vocab Lesson and Reading Record is also due.

B6: Sneak of the Week is due on Tuesday, along with Vocab Lesson and Reading Record.

There's no Vocab Lesson due this next week (unless you didn't hand in Vocab Lesson 20 this week). There is a Reading Record due though. B6, don't forget the interview with your parents on homework.

Vocab Lesson 20

1. chagrin - noun meaning strong feelings of embarrassment; verb meaning cause to feel shame or humiliation. Example: To his chagrin, she said she would not go to the dance with him.
2. nourish
3. spastic - adjective - the medical definition is something like "characterized by spasms," so I want the more slang definition: extremely hyper, having a lot of energy. Example: The five-year-old was quite spastic after eating all his Halloween candy.
4. haggard
5. ruckus
6. obsession
7. despicable
8. garage
9. antidote
10. anecdote - noun - a short account of an event. Example: At the party the man told an anecdote of his trip to Europe.

A1: due Tuesday
A4: due Wednesday
B6: due Thursday

Have a great long weekend!

Vocab Lesson 19

1. nostalgic - adjective - a sentimental yearning for something from your past. For example: While going through his pictures, the old man became nostalgic for his college days.
2. repercussion - noun - an effect, result, or consequence. For example: A repercussion of doing your homework is that you get good grades.
3. mundane - adjective - common, ordinary, dull. For example: Stacey was in charge of doing the mundane task of washing the dishes.
4. elegant
5. slander - verb or noun - to lie; a false statement. For example: In the election, politicians slandered each others reputation.
6. chronic
7. bliss
8. tolerant - adjective - willing to put up with something, showing respect.
9. alter - verb - to change or make different
10. altar - noun - a structure used in religious ceremonies

A Day: due Tuesday
B Day: due Monday

Have a great weekend!

Vocab Lesson 18

1. luscious
2. disdain - verb - intense dislike, thinking something is not good enough for you, lack of respect for something.
3. latent - adjective - present but not visible, potential. For example: Even though Mary had never sung in her life, she knew she had a latent talent for the stage.
4. adamant - adjective - stubborn, not giving in.
5. etiquette
6. preposterous
7. amend- verb - to make changes to improve
8. reform - verb - to change for the better to correct wrongdoings
9. bear
10. bare

A Day: Due on Wed.
B Day: Due on Tues.

Have a great long weekend!

Vocab Lesson 17

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope everyone is having a terrific 2009 so far.
Here are the words for Vocab Lesson 17. This, along with your Reading Record, are due on Monday for A day and Tuesday on B day. Start Term 3 out right by handing those two assignments in. If you do, you will have a perfect grade in my class. What a way to start Term 3!

Vocab 17:
1. affront - verb - to insult or confront: I affronted the man who said I look weird.
2. odious - adjective - deserving hatred, highly offensive.
3. penitent - adjective - feeling sorrow for sin, repentant. For example: In Indiana Jones, he says something like, "the penitent man will get through" then he drops on his knees (praying, confessing). Another example: After Charlie realized his mistake, he was penitent.
4. whim - noun- a spontaneous/unexpected thought or desire. Example: On a whim, I decided to take a trip to Hawaii.
5. detest
6. hoard
7. edify
8. flaunt
9. band
10. banned