Thursday, December 15, 2011

Final Draft Expectations

Name
Date
Period in upper right
Title is Centered

     Before you print your story, change the font to Times New Roman, 12 pt. Be sure to double space your paper. You might notice I added some grammar codes to your introduction. Correct the errors (consult your planner first, then ask a teacher or a friend) and delete the codes. I also commented on your introduction. You can reply to comment if you wish, but you don't need to. The last thing you need to do before printing is to change the name of your document to Last Name Narrative (for example, Kline Narrative). When you've done all that, print away!
       While you are typing, you may listen to your own music so long as it is not a distraction to yourself or your classmates. Don't share earbuds, and please don't stream music or video - it kills the batteries. The only website you need is google docs. Have fun, but be sure to let your classmates work in a quiet environment.

Agenda, December 15

Due Every Day: Bring your personal reading book. 
Due Every Night: Read for 15 minutes (or more). Fill in your bookmark when you finish reading.
Due Two Days Ago: Rough Draft of Short Story
Due Friday: Bookmark 1. Five Wondrous Words. We'll fill out the front in class.
Due Friday: Final draft of story and all freewrites. We'll type your stories in class. If you want to work at home, use google docs (just add to your intro) and be sure to bring something to keep you productively occupied during class.


Extra Credit Forms Due Friday.


  1. Personal Reading
  2. Wondrous Words
  3. Laptop Guidelines
  4. Peer Review
  5. Typing time. I'll give you a laptop when your peer review is done.
Learning Goals: I can think about unfamiliar words in my personal reading. I can help my classmates improve their stories. I can revise my rough draft to improve my final draft.

Unit Goal: I can analyze a short story using the elements of literature. I can incorporate the elements of literature into a personal narrative.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Agenda, December 14

Due Every Day: Bring your personal reading book. 
Due Every Night: Read for 15 minutes (or more). Fill in your bookmark when you finish reading.
Due Now: Rough Draft of Short Story
Due Now: Test on Elements of Literature
Due Friday: Final draft of story and all freewrites. We'll type your stories in class. If you want to work at home, use google docs (just add to your intro) and be sure to bring something to keep you productively occupied during class.


Extra Credit Forms Due Friday.


  1. Quiz style seating
  2. Test / Reading time 
  3. Wondrous Words
  4. Word choice exercise: cold; mad; running
  5. Peer review / drafting time
Learning Goals: I can think about unfamiliar words in my personal reading. I can share my writing with others.

Unit Goal: I can analyze a short story using the elements of literature. I can incorporate the elements of literature into a personal narrative.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Agenda, December 13

Due Every Day: Bring your personal reading book. 
Due Every Night: Read for 15 minutes (or more). Fill in your bookmark when you finish reading.
Due Now: Rough Draft of Short Story
Due Wednesday: Test on Elements of Literature
Due Friday: Final draft of story and all freewrites. We'll type your stories in class. If you want to work at home, use google docs (just add to your intro) and be sure to bring something to keep you productively occupied during class.


Extra Credit Forms Due Friday.


  1. Reading time
  2. Wondrous Words
  3. Decoder Practice
  4. Writing Traits Notes
  5. What's on the test tomorrow?
  6. Write 3 test questions and their answers
  7. Read around groups / drafting time for unprepared writers
Learning Goals: I can think about unfamiliar words in my personal reading. I can share my writing with others.

Unit Goal: I can analyze a short story using the elements of literature. I can incorporate the elements of literature into a personal narrative.

Friday, December 9, 2011

Agenda, December 12

Due Last Friday: Share your opening paragraph with me on google docs.  
Due Now: Bring a personal reading book to class. If you want to check one out from my library, please do so before the end of lunch on Monday.
Due Tomorrow: Rough Draft of Short Story
Due Wednesday: Test on Elements of Literature

Due Friday: Final draft of story and all freewrites. We'll type your stories in class. If you want to work at home, use google docs (just add to your intro) and be sure to bring something to keep you productively occupied during class.
 

Due Every day: Bring your personal reading book. 

Extra Credit Forms Due Friday.
  1. Reading time
  2. A Well Organized Paragraph
  3. Drafting time
Learning Goals: I can think about unfamiliar words in my personal reading. I can organized a disorganized paragraph. I can make progress on the rough draft of a short story.

Unit Goal: I can analyze a short story using the elements of literature. I can incorporate the elements of literature into a personal narrative.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Agenda, December 9

Due at the end of class: Share your opening paragraph with me on google docs. 

Due Monday, 12/12: Bring a personal reading book to class. If you want to check one out from my library, please do so before the end of lunch on Monday.
Due Tuesday, 12/13: Rough Draft of Short Story
Due Wednesday, 12/14: Test on Elements of Literature 
Extra Credit: Go see South Pacific! Wed-Sat, 7:30 pm, OCHS auditorium. All tickets $9. Ask me for an extra credit form.

  1. Three openings: describe the place, describe a characters, begin with an action
  2. Library orientation: the books, google docs

Agenda, December 8

Due Monday, 12/12: Bring a personal reading book to class. If you want to check one out from my library, please do so before the end of lunch on Monday.
Due Tuesday, 12/13: Rough Draft of Short Story
Due Wednesday, 12/14: Test on Elements of Literature 
Extra Credit: Go see South Pacific! Wed-Sat, 7:30 pm, OCHS auditorium. All tickets $9. Ask me for an extra credit form.

  1. Book Talk
  2. 20 minutes of silence. Put the events of your story on the plot chart. For Exposition, list the setting and the characters. For the Narrative Hook, state the conflict and the type of conflict. You need three events of rising action and one event of falling action.
  3. Conflict: Give one, get one
  4. Openings: Describe the place, describe a person, start with an action
Today's Goals: I can use the plot pyramid to brainstorm ideas for a short story. I can work with others to think of examples of the five conflicts. I can write a variety of openings for a story.

Unit Goal: I can analyze a short story using the elements of literature. I can incorporate the elements of literature into a personal narrative.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Agenda, A day that will live in infamy

Due Monday, 12/12: Bring a personal reading book to class. If you want to check one out from my library, please do so before the end of lunch on Monday.
Due Tuesday, 12/13: Rough Draft of Short Story
Due Wednesday, 12/14: Test on Elements of Literature 
Extra Credit: Go see South Pacific! Wed-Sat, 7:30 pm, OCHS auditorium. All tickets $9. Ask me for an extra credit form.

  1. Freewrite #5: Write about a time you were fearful or fearless.
  2. "Fish Eyes" Wrap Up
  3. Conflict Groups
  4. Drafting time
Today's Goals: I can use the elements of literature to identify the structure of a short story. I can use the plot pyramid to brainstorm ideas for a short story.

Unit Goal: I can analyze a short story using the elements of literature. I can incorporate the elements of literature into a personal narrative.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Agenda, December 6

Due Now: Bring your planner
Extra Credit: Go see South Pacific! Wed-Sat, 7:30 pm, OCHS auditorium. All tickets $9. Ask me for an extra credit form.

  1. Google Doc Question
  2. Freewrite #4: Write about a dare OR Write about a time you did something you didn't want to do.
  3. C-1 / C-2
  4. Planner Check / Decoder Practice / 
  5. C-1 & C-2 Handout
  6. Fix it!
  7. Connection Self Check
  8. "Fish Eyes" Wrap Up
  9. Conflict Groups
Today's Goals: I can use the grammar decoder to correct my own grammar errors. I can identify and correct errors in punctuating introductory clauses and compound sentences. I can use the elements of literature to identify the structure of a short story.

Unit Goal: I can analyze a short story using the elements of literature. I can incorporate the elements of literature into a personal narrative.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Agenda, December 5

Due Tomorrow: Bring your planner
Extra Credit: Go see South Pacific! Wed-Sat, 7:30 pm, OCHS auditorium. All tickets $9. Ask me for an extra credit form.
  1. Freewrite #3: Write about a competition with a friend or sibling. Tell me about a time you wanted to outdo one another.
  2. What good readers do
  3. A model of a connection
  4. "Fish Eyes," by David Brenner. Stop 4 times to practice one of the different reading skills. Practice a different skill each time.
  5. "Fish Eyes" Plot Chart Questions

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Agenda, December 2

Late: Parent Signature on Syllabus
Late: Post a friendly comment to the blog (for example, ask a question, tell me your favorite word, or post an interesting link). 

Late: Revised Nametag Paragraph. You may make the changes right on the paper you turned in yesterday. If you rewrite it completely, staple the new copy on top of the old one.
Due Now: Put your nametag on your desk where I can see your name.


Extra Credit: Go see South Pacific! Wed-Sat, 7:30 pm, OCHS auditorium. All tickets $9. Ask me for an extra credit form.
  1. The Jar o' Justice is hungry
  2. Quiz Style Seating
  3. Quiz
  4. Theme in "American Childhood"
  5. "An American Childhood" on the Plot Pyramid

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Agenda, December 1

Late: Parent Signature on Syllabus
Late: Post a friendly comment to the blog (for example, ask a question, tell me your favorite word, or post an interesting link). 

Due Now: Put your nametag on your desk where I can see your name.
Due Now: Revised Nametag Paragraph. You may make the changes right on the paper you turned in yesterday. If you rewrite it completely, staple the new copy on top of the old one.

  1. Seating Chart
  2. Plot Pyramid Review
  3. What's on the quiz?
  4. What good readers do
  5. "An American Childhood" by Annie Dillard: Focus on plot, setting, theme
  6. Plot Chart 

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Agenda, November 30

Due Now: Parent Signature on Syllabus
Due Now: Post a friendly comment to the blog (for example, ask a question, tell me your favorite word, or post an interesting link). 

Due Now: Put your nametag on your desk where I can see your name.
Due Tomorrow: Revised Nametag Paragraph. You may make the changes right on the paper you turned in yesterday. If you rewrite it completely, staple the new copy on top of the old one. 
  1. Nametag Check
  2. Any stray paragraphs?
  3. What's a paragraph? What's a topic sentence? Will this be on the quiz?
  4. Freewrite #2: Tell me about a snow day, real or imagined.
  5. Elements of Literature
  6. The Plot Pyramid in small groups

Monday, November 28, 2011

Agenda, November 29

Due Now: Bring your planner to class.
Due Wednesday: Parent Signature on Syllabus

Due Wednesday: Post a friendly comment to the blog (for example, ask a question, tell me your favorite word, or post an interesting link).


  1. Planner Check
  2. How to post
  3. 10 minutes of nametag time: Your name needs to be large and easy to read, use at least three symbols to explain your personality, use color.
  4. What's a paragraph?
  5. Grammar Decoder Practice
  6. Nametag Paragraph: Skip lines. Use your best spelling, grammar, punctuation, and handwriting. Aim for a 5 in Ideas and Content.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Agenda, November 28

Due Tomorrow: Bring your planner to class.
Due Wednesday: Parent Signature on Syllabus
Due Wednesday: Post a friendly comment to the blog (for example, ask a question, tell me your favorite word, or post an interesting link).
  1. Freewrite #1: Tell me about something you learned during Fall Trimester.
  2. Class rules
  3. Small group sharing
  4. What's a paragraph?
  5. Write a topic sentence
  6. Make a Name Tag: Your name needs to be large and easy to read, use symbols to explain your personality, use color