Happy 2018!

Welcome back! I hope everyone had an enjoyable break and despite all of your activities, had a chance to sleep in many of the mornings. Highlights for me were going to the Nutcracker, going to San Francisco, eating my first Korean BBQ burrito, watching the new season of Black Mirror, catching up on my Atlantic subscription, and of course reading all of your journals. :-)

Here's what's on the agenda for our short week:

MONDAY: New Year's Day!  No school, unfortunately.

TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY: Overview of the next 5 months in 2018.  New Year's/Benjamin Franklin-themed journal warm-up.  Receive Vocabulary/Grammar #12. Receive Paper Tigers article and begin reading it in class. Answer discussion questions, discuss in small groups.  If time, play Vocab Story Rounds.

Due: n/a

Homework: Finish reading Paper Tigers and answering the discussion questions for next class.

Study for quiz.

THURSDAY/FRIDAY: Journal warm-up. Quiz covering vocabulary, grammar, and Paper Tigers reading assignment. Receive Vocab #13, study guide for final. Share Paper Tigers discussion question responses spiderweb-style.  Review Huckleberry Finn and act out Chapter 18. 

Due: Finish reading Paper Tigers and answering the discussion questions.

Homework: Read Huck Finn, through the end of Chapter 20.  

December 11-15

It's the last week of school in 2017!  Please note that journals are due at the end of class on Thursday/Friday.

Optional: A couple of students have put together a fund for helping the horses that have been displaced due to the recent fires in Southern California.  If you'd like to go to their gofundme page, please click here.

Here's what's on the agenda on our last week before Winter Break:

MONDAY/TUESDAY: Journal warm-up.  Collect Huckleberry Finn rafts.  Notes: definition of claim. Claim vs. fact activity. Read and act out Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 15.

Due: Huckleberry Finn Raft Project

Homework: Please read Huckleberry Finn through the end of Chapter 17 for Thursday/Friday.

Make sure your journal is ready to turn in by the end of the week, (full pages except where noted).

WEDNESDAY: Journal warm-up. Current event day - read and annotate two opposing viewpoints and perform an SAT-style rhetorical analysis as a class.  Discuss and debate, vote.  Outline the majority opinion in a synthesis/ACT-style outline response based on the discussion.

Due: n/a

Homework:  (Same as Monday/Tuesday)


THURSDAY/FRIDAY: Journal warm-up. Quiz. Read and act out Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 18 in class.

Due: Read Huckleberry Finn through the end of Chapter 17. 

Journals in the bin by the end of the class period.

Homework: Please read through the end of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 18.

Have a wonderful, well-deserved Winter Break.   I look forward to seeing everyone in 2018!

December 6-10

December is here! Two more weeks until the long break.  We will continue with Huckleberry Finn, and with our argument unit. 

MONDAY/TUESDAY: Journal warm-up. Notes: line graph of possible responses to an argument prompt. Universal outline for argument essays. Read and act out Huck Finn Chapter 9, 10 if time. View "Bike Thief: What Would You Do?" video and discuss.

Due: read Chapters 6-8 of Huckleberry Finn.

Homework: Please read Huckleberry Finn Chapters 10-12 for Thursday/Friday.

WEDNESDAY: Journal warm-up. Current event day - read and annotate two opposing viewpoints and perform an SAT-style rhetorical analysis as a class.  Discuss and debate, vote.  Outline the majority opinion in a synthesis/ACT-style outline response based on the discussion.

Due: n/a

Homework:  (Same as Monday/Tuesday)

THURSDAY/FRIDAY: Journal warm-up. Quiz covering vocabulary #10, grammar, and reading.  Read Huckleberry Finn Chapter 13 and 14 in class and act it out. Intro Huck Finn Raft Project, view samples. 

Due: Read Huckleberry Finn, Chapters 10-12.

Homework:  Huck Finn Raft Project for next class.