December 20-January 4

Exams

Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a Happy New Year!! See you January 5th.

December 17, 2004 Friday

Don't forget: there will be a study session Monday: Sophomores from 3-4 and Freshmen from 4-5. Hope to see you there!

Now you know: Michael Jordan makes more money from Nike annually than all of the Nike factory workers in Malaysia combined.

Speech: We are working on our audience analysis and looking up information on our topics/labeling them facts, statistics, etc.

Sophomores: Print and turn in bellringers from this week. We will finish the movie and review for the exam. Turn in your essays today if possible; however, I will accept them by 3:00 Monday with no late points deducted.

Freshmen: Be sure that if you didn't turn in bellringers yesterday, do so today. Speak essay needs to be turned in. Check to see that you turned yours in. We will review today for exams.

December 16, 2004 Thursday

Don't forget about the study sessions after school this evening and Mon. evening for exam review. Hope to see you there.

Now you know: In Scotland, a new game was invented. It was entitled Gentleman Only Ladies Forbidden...and thus the word GOLF entered into the English language.

Speech: We will work on our topics and audience analysis.

Sophomores: NO BELLRINGERS. We will peer edit and type some today as well as attempt to finish the movie. Second hour may not get to it since we need to review for exams.

Freshmen: Last bellringer of the semester! Go to yesterday's link and go to number 16. Finish the questions, copying and pasting like yesterday. Print all this week's bellringers and turn in. We will get your essays ready to turn in and then turn them in by the end of the hour. If time remains, we will begin reviewing for exams.

December 15, 2004 Wednesday

ANNOUNCEMENTS: THIS THURSDAY AFTER SCHOOL I WILL HOLD A FRESHMAN REVEIW SESSION FROM 3-4 AND A SOPHOMORE REVIEW SESSION FROM 4-5. NEXT MONDAY, I WILL HOLD A SOPHOMORE REVIEW SESSION FROM 3-4 AND A FRESHMAN REVIEW SESSION FROM 4-5.

Now you know: In English pubs, ale (an alcoholic beverage) is ordered by pints and quarts. So in old England, when customers got unruly, the bardender would yell at them to mind their own pints and quarts and settle down. It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's."

Speech: We will begin discussing Chapter 7 and taking notes on how to organize a speech.

Sophomores: Bellringer 51. Today, you will do numbers 6-10 and copy and paste your correct answers in your bellringer file. We will discuss what a good TKaM essay looks like. We will then watch the movie. Tomorrow, we will spend some time peer editing. Final is due Friday.

Freshmen: Bellringer 52. Today, do numbers 11-15 and copy and paste your correct answers in your bellringer file like yesterday. We will discuss conclusions and add one to our essays. You will have the rest of the hour to peer edit again if you would like, then you may type your essay if it is not yet typed. Final draft is due tomorrow, Thursday.

December 14, 2004 Tuesday

Now you know: The average number of people airborne over the US any given hour is 61,000.

Speech: Chapter 6 test. If enough time remains, we will discuss what types of information needs to be included in your first speech.

Sophomores: For your next bellringer, go to http://www.chompchomp2.com/gbfree/hotpotatoes/commas05a.htm . Do the first five sentences, then write in your bellringer journal (named Bellringers 50-53) about how difficult correcting those sentences was. Did you do them right the first try? Did it get easier each sentence? Think sheet/graphic organizer for TKaM essay is due. Rough draft due tomorrow. We will spend a brief amount of time going over the essay, then spend the rest of the hour watching the movie.

Freshmen: For your next bellringer (51), go to http://www.chompchomp2.com/gbfree/hotpotatoes/commas05a.htm and do the next five sentences. Tell me today if it was easier than yesterday. Why or why not? What troubled you? Today, your draft is due. We will discuss how to peer edit and check for a good essay. If you didn't get your draft due today, you have homework tonight! Get to it.

December 13, 2004 Monday

Now you know: In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase, "Good night, sleep tight."

Speech: We will go over the study guide we did not get to discuss Friday due to picture retakes. Test tomorrow over Chapter 6. We will discuss how to prepare for our first major speech.

Sophomores: Do bellringer 49 and print, since we didn't get to print Friday due to server problems. We will discuss the brief essay due Wednesday over To Kill a Mockingbird. Then, we will begin the movie and take notes over the differences between the novel and movie.

Freshmen: Do bellringer 50. We will discuss ways to make introductions good and look at some great ones and some that need some improvement. Next, we will move on to the body of the essay. We will go to www.bearcatenglish.com/speaksampleessay.doc to look at an example. Body will be due tomorrow, in rough draft form.

December 10, 2004 Friday

Now you know: 111,111,111 X 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321. Cool, huh?

Speech: Only one makeup impromptu today...We will review Chapter 6. You have notes we took in class on stage fright and how to control it. Test Tuesday. Makeup pictures today.
Sophomores: Bellringer 49. Print this week's bellringers, 45-49. We will try to solve the answer to yesterday's bellringer. Finally, finally, we will discuss the end of the novel. If time remains, we will discuss our short essay over the novel. Monday we will begin watching the movie and looking for differences between the book and the movie (There are many!).


Freshmen: Bellringer 49. Print this week's bellringers, 45-49. We will try to solve the answer to yesterday's bellringer. We will then move on to our paragraph worksheet. We will look at a good sample at www.bearcatenglish.com/speaksampleessay.doc. Essay/paragraph is due next Wednesday at the beginning of the hour.

December 9, 2004 Thursday

Now you know: Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks; otherwise it will digest itself!

Speech: Finishing up impromptu speeches this week. By Friday, I hope to be working on locating information for our first imformative speech.


Sophomores: Bellringer 48. We will discuss Chapters 26-28 in groups and turn in our responses to three passages. Finish the book for tomorrow! Be ready to discuss the rest of the novel.


Freshmen: Bellringer 48. We will work on our speak paragraph. Be sure you have your worksheets I gave you yesterday!

December 8, 2004 Wednesday

Did you know: Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair!

Speech: We will continue with impromptu speeches today.


Sophomores: Bellringer 47. We will discuss the novel so far (up to Chapter 25). For tomorrow, read Chapters 26-27 and choose three passages and write your responses. We're almost finished!


Freshmen: Bellringer 47. Today, we will finish our worksheets on speak and begin a writing assignment.

December 6, 2004 Monday

Did you know: It was discovered on a space mission that a frog can throw up. The frog throws up its stomach first, so the stomach is dangling out of its mouth. Then, the frog uses its forearms to dig out all of the stomach's contents and then swallows the stomach back down. EWWW!


Speech: We're almost finished with impromptus. Hang in there. Today, begin thinking of a topic you'd like to present for your first speech. It will be an expository speech. In other words, you will simply tell the class about a topic you find interesting. Spend class time today looking on the Internet for ideas for a topic for a 3-5 minute speech.


Sophomores: Begin this week with bellringer 45. Label your document "Bellringers 45-49." We should have a lot to discuss today, since we didn't discuss Friday. We will discuss 15-20 (since MANY of you chose not to read 15 when it was assigned). Try for intelligent discussions today over the ASSIGNED reading, not early parts of the novel. For tomorrow, read Chapters 21-23, since the chapters begin to get shorter. For tomorrow, I want you to choose three passages from the novel and write your response to them. Please go to http://www.seymour.k12.wi.us/shs/brogley/images/10/pageimages/oms/joanna.jpg , http://www.seymour.k12.wi.us/shs/brogley/images/10/pageimages/oms/riley.jpg , and http://www.seymour.k12.wi.us/shs/brogley/images/10/pageimages/oms/scan0001.jpg to see what good ones look like. If your responses are not intelligent and detailed, you will not receive credit.
You need to keep up with the reading. Several of you did not score well on the DYRT quizzes from the previous two weeks, which leads me to think you're not reading the assignment. Once you get behind, it is really difficult to get caught up.

Freshmen: Begin this week with bellringer 45. Label your document "Bellringers 45-49." We will work on the literary elements worksheet from speak. Contine to find similes and metaphors (comparisons without using like or as--"He was a busy bee trying to complete all of his work.") and then continue on to motifs of mirrors and mouths/silence. In other words, a motif is a recurrent thematic element in an artistic or literary work. In speak, mirrors and mouths/silence occur many, many times. Look at your worksheet and see which ones have to do with mirrors, mouths and/or silence. Label them mirrors, mouths, or silence. There will still be some sentences we haven't lableled yet, so don't worry. No homework unless your group does not finish.

December 3, 2004 Friday

Now you know: You thought yesterday's word was long? Check this out! According t9o dictionary.reference.com, it might be supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, unless you count names of towns ,Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, a village in Wales, or antidisestablishmentarianism ("opposition to the disestablishment of the Church of England"), or
floccinaucinihilipilification , or honorificabilitudinitatibus (Which appears in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost). Finally, you might try "smiles" because there's a mile inbetween the first and last letter. :)

Speech: We're still plugging away through impromptu speeches. Since we had to vote on senior favorites yesterday, we fell behind when we got through only one speech. We'll do better tomorrow.


Sophomores: In your bellringer journal, write about this: Make a guess as to what the title of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, means. Label it TKaM bellringer #3. Print your bellringers. We will then discuss Chapters 16 and 17. Over the weekend, your reading assignment will be to read Chapters 18-20 and complete a bookmark.


Freshmen: In your bellringer journal, write about this: Melinda demonstrates many of the symptoms of clinical depression. What behaviors does she manifest that would cause you concern if you were her best friend or teacher? What would you do to help her? Label your answer speak bellringer #4. Print your bellringers. We will then discuss the ending of the novel in groups and as a class. For homework, you will have a worksheet that lists several sentences from the novel. Please go through them and label all similes you can find (you know, the ones that compare using "like" or "as").

December 2, 2004 Thursday

Now you know: Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is the fear of long words.

Speech: Impromptu speeches. Yesterday, I was impressed by your comments to each other!


Sophomores: For bellringers, continue in your folder you began Monday. Call it TKaM bellringer #2. Your topic: Have you ever been or seen someone treated unfairly simply because of how they look, what their family is like, how they dress, etc.? How did it make you feel? Why do people do this to others? We will begin by discussing bookmarks for today. Then, we will work on our group and individual goals. We will also discuss anything still not cleared up in your groups. Read Chapters 16-17 for tomorrow and do a bookmark.


Freshmen: For bellringers, continue in your folder you began Monday. Call it speak bellringer #3. Your topic: Mr. Freeman tells his class, "You must walk alone to find your soul." What does this mean? Is it true? What is a soul? We will begin by discussing our group and individual goals and how we will try to meet them over the last few lit circles. Then, we will discuss our bookmark comments and reading so far. Last, read to the end of the book for tomorrow and do a final bookmark! That does not mean lit circles are over, just that you will have read all of the book, so we can FINALLY discuss the "secret" and the ending together!

December 1, 2004 Wednesday

Happy December!

Did you know: American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating one olive from each salad served in first class!

Speech: We are still giving impromptu speeches. We need to work on movement and gestures!


Sophomores: Instead of regular bellringers today, please write about the following and label it TKaM Bellringer #1 (add it to the file you've been working on this week): Knowing what you do about how blacks were treated, how his family may be treated, and how unlikely Atticus felt it was he'd win the case, if you'd been Atticus in the same time period, would you have chosen to represent Tom? Why or why not? Next, we will discuss your bookmark comments in groups. We will then begin to evaluate our group and ourselves. Read Chapters 14-15 for tomorrow and fill out a bookmark.


Freshmen: Instead of regular bellringers today, please write about the following and label it speak Bellringer #2 (add it to the file you've been working on this week): Why is it that people sometimes "like us" more when they can get something out of us? Are the Marthas good friends to Heather? Why or why not? Next, we will discuss your bookmark comments in groups. We will then begin to evaluate ourselves since we evaluated our groups yesterday. Read to page 180 for Thursday and fill out a bookmark.