The Reader's Den

Weekend Assignments

2010-06-04T06:35:00.001-04:00

1. All textbooks are due on Monday, June 7th.
2. Myths, Tales, & Legends-Due ALL classes on Tuesday. You will be allowed one more day to work with your group during schol on Monday. Be ready first thing Tuesday, June 8th to present your myth, tale, or legend. All classes will present Tuesday morning. :)
3. EPCOT-June 9th
4. Show your school spirit on Thursday, June 10th for our End of the Year Celebration
5. Enjoy your weekend!

Rubric

2010-06-01T11:23:00.002-04:00

Task: Create and perform an original myth, legend, or tall tale.
Costumes: Appear as your character, neat costumes, whole body costumes, props. Must have original characters.

Performance: 5-7 minutes long, every person has a role, every character speaks, follow the script, must have a narrator.

Characteristics: Easily distinguishes the type of story: Myth (explains a mystery of the world), Legend (heroes and heroines that have a struggle), and Tall Tales (exaggerated characters and/or events)

Script:Typed, Actions and dialogue are present in script, well written-grammatical and spelling mechanics, meets the requirements of a story (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution), Must be original.

This assignment is due June 7th & 8th respectively. We will perform on both days. Good luck!

Weekend Assignments

2010-05-27T18:04:00.002-04:00

1. Study for your final exam.
2. Compass odyssey
3. Reading Log
4. Unit 6-Pages 126-146 in your workbook, do the assignments.
5. Begin to write your myth, legend, or tale. 4th & 5th periods you will receive this assignment next week.

Review for the End of the Year Exams

2010-05-18T12:17:00.004-04:00

Please review the study guide for tomorrow's activity. You will need to be in very comfortable, loose fitting clothing. Get ready to sweat for this review! :) I'm ready!

P.S.
Ladies no skirts or very girly clothing that can't get wrinkled. Please. :)

Weekend Homework

2010-05-13T08:40:00.000-04:00

Please complete the End of Course Study Guide.

Biography/Autobiography

2010-04-27T12:20:00.002-04:00

Apparently, my post did not post on Friday. I am not sure what I did wrong. At any rate, because of my mistake the deadline for the biography/autobiography has been extended until Friday April 30, 2010 for all classes. If you would like to turn it in on Wednesday as we discussed last week and this, then you will receive five bonus points on top of your score.

Thank you for understanding.

Weekend Assignments ALL CLASSES

2010-03-27T07:37:00.002-04:00

1. Reading Log
2. Compass Odyssey
3. Study "The Skin I'm In" Test on Monday/Tuesday respectively
4. Think of an autobiography and biography that you have read that really interested you. Bring that title for discussion on next week.
5. Enjoy the weekend!

P.S.
5th period-Summarize Act I of "The Phantom Tollbooth"

2010-03-19T15:53:00.002-04:00

1. Reading Log
2. Compass Odyssey
3. If you have an opportunity to read "The Skin I'm In" please do so this weekend. We will complete this book next week and move on with our learning schedule.
4. There are still two books missing from our class set. If you have one of those books please return it.
5. Enjoy your weekend.

March 18, 2010

2010-03-18T14:41:00.001-04:00

I am missing several books of "The Skin I'm In." Please return the books if you accidentally took the books from our classroom.

Quiz on the first twelve chapters of the novel, "The Skin I'm In."

Reading Log

Compass Odyssey

Books

2010-03-16T11:30:00.000-04:00

Books

Several students are missing books. Whether these books were misplaced, stolen, or left on a bus, they are missing. Students are responsible for having their book in class daily, and returning that same book at the end of the year. If you have a book at home, in a locker, or in some other place known only to you, please bring the book to me. Tomorrow is the last day that I will electronically check books; the next book check will occur when books are collected at the end of fourth quarter. Having the opportunity to electronically check books before the end of the year (at the last minute) is a valuable time saver for students and staff. If you know your book is definitively GONE, please see Ms. Marx as soon as possible to make arrangements to pay for the book.

Thank you.

March 15, 2010 ALL CLASSES

2010-03-15T07:48:00.003-04:00

1. Reading Log

2. Compass Odyssey 60 minutes

3. Bring your literature book on Monday/Tuesday for an electronic book check.

4. For any assignment on which you earned a zero (0) you can make-up the assignment for partial credit. Only those assignments where a zero (0) was earned. You may not make up the Reading Logs, Compass Odyssey, and the Surprise Book Check.-Assignments are due on the 17th & 18th respectively.

2010-02-26T07:34:00.003-05:00

1. Reading Log.
2. Compass Odyssey, 90 minutes weekly-Language Arts only NOT Language Arts Extensions.
3. Writing Prompt

Typed, Double-Spaced, Times Roman font 12, Numbered Lines and Title: Persuasive Essay: Mental Patient

Situation: A man was recently convicted of murder. A mental condition affected his ability to make rational choices; however, he chose not to take his medicine to control his problem and killed an innocent man.

Directions: Think about whether or not you feel the government should force mental patients to take their medication and why.

Prompt: Now persuade the reader of your paper to accept your point of view on this subject.

Review/Make-Up Day/FCAT Prep, Monday, March 1st from 1415 to 1530 hours.
We will review any assignments that need specific attention and practice FCAT strategies.
Your parents must contact me via e-mail in order for you to attend on Monday. You must have your own transportation from school.

Have a great weekend.

What's in a name?

2010-02-16T15:34:00.005-05:00

DUE February 17, 2010 for A DAY ONLY

What's in a name?
Task: Create a speech detailing the origin of your name.
Presentation (20 points)
-appropriately dressed, no jeans, sneakers, gym attire
-full body engagement during speech, eye contact with audience
-captivated the audience
-visual aids
Speech (20 points)
-minimal prompting with note cards
-focused on topic (where did your name come from, what does it mean, how did you get it, how does your name relate to who you are as a leader, etc.)
-remained within time constraints (two minutes and fifty seconds to three minutes-five points deduction for every five seconds over or under)
-tone, mature word choice, etc.

Helpful Hints:
-don't fidget
-smile (but not too much)
-purposely connect with someone
-be mindful of the time
-thank your audience for their time
-don't bow at the end of your speech
-relax!

Extra Credit:
Ladies-stockings (5 points)
Gentlemen-neck tie (5 points)

January 29, 2010

2010-01-29T11:55:00.004-05:00

1. Reading Log-1 hour
2. Compass Odyssey-1 hour a week
3. Create a poem dealing with your own dreams, or idea of dreams in general.
4. Complete the revisions for District Writes #1, #2, & #3. Must be typed with the appropriate title on each page, double spaced, numbered left column, and Times Roman font size 12. Have an adult review each essay and sign each essay. You will turn in a total of three typed essays. Due on February 4th.

Title: Final Revision to Graded DW #1
Writing Situation:
What is your favorite form of transportation? A bus, a car, a skateboard, the subway or something else?
Directions for Writing:
Think about the form of transportation you like best.
Now, write to explain what makes this form of transportation your favorite.

Title: Final Revision to Graded DW #2
Writing Situation:
A teacher is asking students where they would like to go on a field trip.
Directions for Writing:
Think about a place you would like to go on a field trip.
Write to explain why you would like to go on a field trip to this place.

Title: Final Revision to Graded DW #3
Writing Situation:
A recent newspaper article said that students should spend more time reading at home.
Directions for Writing:
Think about the effect it would have if students spent more time reading at home.
Now, write to convince the editor whether students should spend more time reading at home.

Please don't forget about the board game.

Extra Credit due on February 4th: Summarize Character Traits: Tribute Imagine that you are an archaeologists and have just discovered a lost tribute to Hamed, written by one of Sheik Tarik's subjects. What might such a tribute include? What aspects of Hamed's personality might the writer find memorable? Write a tribute to Hamed in third-person point of view and include details about Hamed from the text. Decorate your papers so that they resemble parchment that has been lost in the desert for many years.

January 22, 2010

2010-01-21T22:41:00.003-05:00

Good Day Team Brilliant!

Below is the rubric for the fable. I am sure that you will do well. On Monday and Tuesday, respectively, you will turn in the following items: Cornell notes on theme, your personal theme statement based on the given topics, and your fable inside of your original book cover. Remember that you receive two bonus points for typing an assignment!

If you need to contact me for help over the weekend, e-mail is best. For the subject line add the first initial of your first name with your complete last name. Example: A. Franklin-I'M READY! In the body of the e-mail, write your question. Please spell check and proofread for grammatical errors, and remember there is a big difference in writing a "business" e-mail and writing an e-mail to your friends.

Enjoy your weekend. Next week for the writer's workshop we will begin to examine how we can make our writing more mature in style. For the reader's workshop we will continue to look at theme in different genres. Are you ready?

Task: Write an original fable based on one of the following topics: leadership, mankind, service, teamwork, or scholarship.

Each area is worth a total of five points, for a total of 25 points for this assignment.

Theme
Does the fable have a theme?
Is the theme based on one of the five given topics?
Are there clues to the theme throughout the fable?
Characters
Does the fable have at least two main characters?
Are the characters animals?
Fable
Is there a clear plot to the fable?
Is there a clear resolution to the fable?
Does the fable use F.R.I.E.S. effectively?
Does the fable utilize two methods of characterization?
Is the setting appropriate to the fable?
Cover
Does the cover illustrate the theme of the story without giving the theme away?
Is the cover clearly done?
Is the heading (with the word count) on the outside of the back cover?
Is the fable with the word count guidelines? (700 to 1000 words)
Does the cover have all of the elements of a book cover (author, illustrator, etc.)?
Mechanics
Are all words spelled correctly (mature word choice)?
Is the fable typed?
Bonus:
Include ONE flashback for the main character. Refer to your literature book for more information.