Sunday, October 5, 2014

English 9--10/8/2014 & 10/9/2014 (EXCLUDING BLOCK 4 BDF--PEP ASSEMBLY)

Jump Off (5 mins.)
--Please find your name card and sit in your new assigned seat!
--Open your vocabulary book to page 29. Begin completing the "Completing the Sentence" exercise quietly and independently. As you do so, underline the specific context clues within each sentence that help you arrive at your selections for filling in the blanks. (For example, when selecting the word erratic for #1, I underlined the words Though, great sinker ball, and "Wild Pitch Hickock" because these words helped me realize that a contrast exists within the sentence (one good pitch type vs. an overall lack of pitching control), and the word erratic means "inconsistent", so a pitcher with a lack of control the majority of the time is not consistent.) Be ready to share your logic later in the class block (much as I have done here in this parenthetical example).

Teambuilding Activity -- Artifact Bags (remaining bags)
--I hand a paper bag to a random student--he/she then displays items from the bag one at a time, briefly describing what he/she is seeing
--guess who?!
--owner of bag repeats first and last name and further describes, explains, shares anecdotes, etc. as a form of introduction to teacher/peers
--REPEAT THE PROCESS...

S. the C. (5 mins.)
--agenda/HW

Review -- Vocabulary Unit #2 (40-45 mins.)
--work time (continued from the work begun during the Jump Off)
--a student comes up to the SmartBoard as per the established order and, for a sentence of his or her choice, writes in the answer for the sentence/underlines the context clues used to arrive at the answer while engaging in a "think-aloud" about his or her logic
--REPEAT THE PROCESS FOR ABOUT A THIRD OF THE LIST...
--concurrently create a list of common types of context clues and strategies for finding/using context clues--THIS INFORMATION IS WORTH WRITING DOWN IN YOUR NOTES!
--go over remaining exercise answers
*I WILL RETURN THE UNIT #1 VOCABULARY QUIZZES (WHICH WILL THEN BE RE-COLLECTED MOMENTARILY)*
--FYI: The two most common "pitfalls" that occur when taking the vocabulary quizzes are as follows: improvement needed in using context clues AND incomplete knowledge of the function and meaning of words (perhaps due to a lack of good strategies for learning/remembering?). To which of these pitfalls (if any) did you succumb on the Unit #1 quiz, and how can you improve in the future?
--Transition--pick up the "Split-Page Notes Study Strategy"sheet from the front table--I will briefly model this study strategy for you and invite you to use the strategy as preparation for the the upcoming vocabulary quiz!

DEAR -- Free Reading Books (remainder of class)
--students without books will read Upfront Magazine

HW
--Finish your work with Article of the Week #4, which is due at the beginning of class next time (Tuesday, 10/14 [ACE] or Wednesday, 10/15 [BDF]). This task will include purposefully reading the directions in the box at the top of the page (which include some additions this week!) and completing your best work with regard to the directions.
--Finish preparing for the Unit #2 vocabulary quiz, which will take place next class (Tuesday, 10/14 [ACE] or Wednesday, 10/15 [BDF]).  I invite you to use the strategy modeled during today's class as preparation.  REMEMBER THAT WORDS FROM PREVIOUS UNITS ARE "FAIR GAME" ON ANY VOCABULARY QUIZ THEREAFTER!
--Read your free reading book for at least 15 minutes between now and next class. For those of you still struggling to find the "reading flow", I suggest you actually set a timer and commit! Your book must be finished by early-November. ALWAYS BRING YOUR FREE READING BOOK TO CLASS.
--FYI: We will pick back up with "St. Lucy's..." next time!

Backburner Goals (Mr. Martin's Note-to-Self):
  • Teambuilding (first and last name prior to participating)
  • Revisit methods for finding key details in nonfiction (use notes from last class later in school year)
  • Review the parts of speech as introduction to our grammar work/in order to aid in vocabulary study
  • Share "tried and true" vocabulary study method (word and easy-to-remember synonym