ADVICE/INDEX CARDS

SENIORS: Here are some things to think about when crafting your children's book; click on this link for a list of advice.

SOPHOMORES: Index cards will help you organize your information.  Create one card for every piece of information you've gathered, including the information that you didn't put on the Debate Outline.  Click on this link for an example of what you should write on the index cards.

FAVORITE ANIMAL/DEBATE OUTLINE

SENIORS: Click on this link for one last prompt that could stimulate some ideas for your children's book.  Write your response in your notebook under the title Favorite Animal.  Then, on Google Docs, start outlining your plot (think Plot Rollercoaster from Nanowrimo).  Start thinking about how you want to illustrate your book: can you do the drawings yourself, do you need to spend time on the internet looking a clip art, do you need to cut images from magazines to make collages?

SOPHOMORES: Continue filling out the Debate Outline handout.  Work with your debate partner: look over all of the information both of you have researched and help each other choose which piece of information will work the best in what part of the debate.  Also, filling out the Debate Outline will show you if you have gaps in your argument or if your information is too much of the same type (all statistics and no quotes from an authority, or all pathos and no logos, etc.).

As for late work, I will not accept ANY late work after tomorrow. You've had enough time to check for missing work on Power School, even if you've been absent.

FOUR PROMPTS/DEBATE OUTLINE

SENIORS: You worked on four different prompts to help you generate story ideas.  Click on this link for the prompts; put your responses in your notebook under the title Four Prompts.

SOPHOMORES: There are a couple of handouts for you to use that will help you to organize your information for the debate.  Please see me as soon as possible and ask for the Introduction/Conclusion handout and the Debate Outline handout because you'll need to write on them.  However, you can get a look at them on the following links; that way, you'll know what to ask for when you see me.  Click on these links for the Debate Outline: Front, Back.  Click on these links for the advice on Introductions and Conclusions: Front, Back.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR/EVIDENCE SHEETS

SENIORS: What are the characteristics of a good children's book?  One characteristic could be that it is memorable.  In your notebook, under the title Books I Read, respond to the questions on this link.  We spent some of the class period looking at a variety of children's books that I brought in from a library.  If you've been absent, perhaps you have some books or your little brother, sister, cousin, niece, or nephew have some books that you can look through; when you look through the book, answer the questions on this link.  Put the answers in your notebook under the title for each book (you need to do this for at least 8 books).

SOPHOMORES: You are working on filling out the evidence sheets for your debate.  These will be due this Wednesday.  Remember that you are not limited to finding evidence from articles on a website; look at books, TEDTalks, news programs, documentaries, or interview people who are authorities on your topic.

KID'S MEMORIES/DEBATE GROUPS

SENIORS: You continued sharing the childhood photos and then did some writing in your notebooks.  Under the title, Kid's Memories, respond to all of the following: Think about a time when you were a little kid.  What was important to you then?  What things did you like to do?  What were your favorite toys and games?  What did your room look like?  Did you have any nicknames?  If so, why were you called that?  What about other kids with nicknames?  What was your greatest triumph?  What was your worst catastrophe?  Try writing about different ages in your life.  What changes (if any) do you notice?

SOPHOMORES: Now that you have your topics, you need to fill out the evidence sheets.  These need to be completed no later than Wednesday.  See me if you need more evidence sheets.

CHILDHOOD PHOTO/DEBATE ORDER

SENIORS: We started the Children's Book unit by looking at your old childhood photos, remembering what it was like to be a kid; how did you pass the time, who was present in your life, what were those special moments that stand out to you?  All these memories could be the basis for a plot, a character, or a theme.

SOPHOMORES: Now that the CAHSEE is over, we can get back into the Debate unit.  At this point, you should know who is in your group, know your topic of debate, and know your debate duties by filling out the Debate Order Chart.  If any of these things sound new to you, see me at once.

CAHSEE TESTING

CAHSEE TESTING TODAY AND TOMORROW, PERIODS 1-4.
SENIORS: Go to the library.  If you haven't presented your pitch, now would be a good time to get that together to present on Thursday.

SOPHOMORES: Good luck! Today and tomorrow, after lunch, Periods 6 and 7 will be on normal schedule; I will expect to see you in class.  

CHILDHOOD PHOTO/SUMMARY AND GRAMMAR

SENIORS: We continued with the TV pilot pitches and ran out of time, so we will continue  on Monday and finish on Thursday.  Tuesday and Wednesday is CAHSEE, so you'll go to the library on those days.

We'll be starting a new unit, Children's Book, on Thursday.  In order to help you with your target readers, bring a childhood photo of yourself.  Click on this link to see the expectations for the photo.

 SOPHOMORES: Click on this link and put your answers to Grammar 14 in your notebook; click on this link to put your answers to Grammar 15 in your notebook.  Then, write a summary based on the article about the 6000 calorie hamburger and share it with me on Google Docs. If you were absent and didn't received the handouts that go with this assignment, see me upon your return.

Tomorrow and Wednesday is the CAHSEE; report to your CAHSEE testing room at 7:30, and do not report to your normal 1st period class (unless, of course, that happens to be the room you have been assigned for the test).  Get a good night's sleep tonight and have a good breakfast tomorrow.  GOOD LUCK! ;)

TV PILOT PITCHES/GRAMMAR 13 & SUMMARIES

SENIORS: Today you began pitching your TV pilot; if you didn't pitch today, be ready to do so tomorrow.

SOPHOMORES: Put Grammar 13 in your notebook; click on this link for the exercise.  During the CAHSEE, you might be asked to write a summary, so we worked on that today and will continue with that lesson tomorrow. Ask me for the handouts upon your return to class.

TV PILOT/CAHSEE PREP

SENIORS: Today was your last day to prepare for the pitch of your TV pilot.  Everyone needs to be ready to go tomorrow. See yesterday's blog for details.

SOPHOMORES: We went over the answers to the CAHSEE Practice Test.  Homework was a handout on when to use FEWER, when to use LESS, and when to use either a semicolon or a comma. Click on this link for FEWER/LESS; click on this link for semicolon/comma.
The handout work is due first thing tomorrow.

TV PILOT RUBRIC/CAHSEE PRACTICE TEST

SENIORS: You have 2 days (today and tomorrow) to finish all of your preparations for your pitch.  I am again posting the rubrics; click on this link.  Everyone must be ready to present on Thursday, March 12.  I will start with volunteers; if I run out of volunteers, I'll randomly call names.  If you tell me you're not ready, you will lose one letter grade and you will still have to present on Friday.

SOPHOMORES: We continued with the Practice CAHSEE.  We will go over the answers tomorrow.

TV PILOT/GRAMMAR 8 & CAHSEE PRACTICE TEST

SENIORS: Pitches are due this Thursday.  Everyone needs to be ready to go. I will start by asking for volunteers; but if volunteers are not forthcoming, I will call names randomly.  If you tell me you're not ready, you will lose one grade and you will have to present on Friday.

SOPHOMORES: We did Grammar 8; click on this link for that exercise.  Then we started taking the Practice CAHSEE, which will last through tomorrow.  Bring something to work on if you finish early.  If you are absent, you can make it up during Advisory; if you don't have me for Advisory, ask for a pass.

As you were working on the Practice CAHSEE, I did a notebook check, so make sure you bring your notebook.

TV PILOT/CAHSEE PREP

SENIORS: Nothing new to say, just keep writing.  Bring your notebook on Monday for a notebook check; there are just 3 things: PERKS notes (the book), PERKS notes (the movie), and "How I Met Your Mother" notes.

SOPHOMORES:  Make sure you bring your notebook on Monday as I will be doing a notebook check.  During class today, you had some practice time with CAHSEE readings, putting your answers in your notebook.  If you were absent, see me about the readings.  You also did Grammar 6; click on this link for that work.

TV PILOT/CAHSEE PREP

SENIORS: Continue with your work on your TV pilot.  The script must be complete by Wednesday, March 11.  Pitches begin on Thursday, March 12.

SOPHOMORES: Click on this link for Grammar 4 and put your answers in your notebook under the title Grammar 4.

There is some confusion as to the difference between ITS and IT'S.  You'll need to remember that ITS is the possessive form and IT'S=IT IS.
      Example: It's up to you.  (It is up to you.)
                      I knew what model car it was, but I wasn't sure about its color.  (its=the color 
                      belonging to the car)
If you're not sure whether to use ITS or IT'S, try saying the sentence with IT IS.  If the sentence makes sense, use IT'S; if it doesn't make sense, use ITS.

The CAHSEE might ask you to write a formal letter.  There is a certain format for that type of writing.  Click on this link to see what that format looks like; then, in long-hand, write a formal letter to Mr. Becker about cleaning up the trash on school grounds.  Click on this link for the prompt to that letter.  This assignment serves two purposes: 1) You get experience writing a formal letter and learning its format, and 2) I can see if your handwriting is legible enough for the CAHSEE, giving you time to improve your handwriting if I can't read it.

TV PILOT/HISTORICAL EVENT; GRAMMAR

SENIORS: There is one week left before you will be "pitching" your TV pilot to media industry moguls (aka your classmates).  Many of you are behind; don't rely on just doing the work in class--you need to start communicating and writing with each other as homework.

SOPHOMORES: One of the things you will be asked to do for the CAHSEE is to write an essay, but we don't know what TYPE of essay will be on the prompt.  In order to prepare you for any essay genre, we are taking the time to front-load your brain with information.  Yesterday, you researched a person you studied in school and used that information to fill out a chart; now, if you're asked to write an essay about an historical person, you will have something to say.  Today, you researched an historical event, creating an outline of information that you could use if the CAHSEE prompt asks for that genre of essay.  I will collect the research for both essays first thing tomorrow.

Also, we've been doing some quick grammar exercises.  Due to tech problems, I haven't been able to get those exercises on my blog until now.  So far, we've done three; so in your notebook, under the titles Grammar 1, Grammar 2, and Grammar 3, write the answers from the following links: Grammar 1, Grammar 2, Grammar 3.

STORYBOARD/CAHSEE POWER POINT

SENIORS: If you're choosing to to pitch your TV with a storyboard, look at this demonstration.  Keep in mind that you are watching professionals and that they are breaking down one scene (not the entire show).

SOPHOMORES: The CAHSEE is going to be held on March 17 and 18; so we need to set aside the debate unit and concentrate on getting you ready to pass the CAHSEE.  We will return to the debate unit when the test is over.  In your notebook, under the title CAHSEE Power Point Notes, write down the useful information from this power point. We also did some practice CAHSEE grammar exercises; those will appear on my blog starting tomorrow.