Thursday, April 30, 2009

It's Thursday Right?

Ahh, testing has come to a close. Gatsby papers are due Friday 5/1. (That's tomorrow as I write this.) I was very impressed with the focus I saw in many writing groups today. People with finished work will watch the end of the movie tomorrow.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Gatsby Project Writing Groups

Good morning,
I hope your draft is ready to share. I only have five projects shared with me so far, but I know that many more of you have a draft and just haven't shared it yet. Please share your paper with me and the other members of your writing group ASAP. For those of you who are new to our class please review the chart up front that says "Writing Group Procedure". (I'm working on an online version of that to link to as well.) New people should also see me for your group assignment.

Today you need to:
  1. Get in your groups and share your papers in GD.
  2. Follow the writing group procedures chart for each paper. (If someone does not follow the procedure that should affect their grade today.)
  3. If someone does not have a draft they need to talk (yes talk) to the group about what they are planning to do in detail. Bug them.
  4. On a piece of paper (yes paper) write the names of all students present in your group today, the grade your group thinks they deserve for their draft (1-10) and the things your group thinks that student needs to work on before your next group meeting on Thursday.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Friday Afternoon

It was so nice to have our normal schedule back today. We continued watching the Gatsby movie, but some students opted to work on their draft of their Gatsby project while they could get help from me or Ms. S.
  • Don't forget your draft is due Monday in Google Docs.
  • Writing groups will meet Monday and probably also Thursday next week.
  • Next Friday 5/1 is the last day for any work to count for your 12 week progress report.
  • Gatsby project final drafts are also due 5/1, but I won't get them all graded in time for that progress report. I will have time though, to give 0's to people who don't get their final draft done.
  • If you really really really want your Gatsby project to be part of your 12 week grade please make sure I know that.

More testing (and crazy schedules) Tuesday and Wednesday next week.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Wednesday

Today was our first official day of CST testing. Long tests, strange schedules, no wonder we all feel a little off. The good news is all of my classes are now officially finished with The Great Gatsby. If you missed the last quiz for chapter 9 please use the link on the right to take that asap. If you haven't chosen a Gatsby Project Option you need to pick one and get started because your draft is due Monday. Many of you need those draft points to help your grade. Good luck with the rest of your tests.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Testing Week 1 and Gatsby Chapter 9

Good morning,
Welcome to a new week, a week of testing and crazy schedules. I won't even get to see you all every day. Our path looks like this: We will finish chapter 9, with associated quiz naturally. I will give you your project assignment options for The Great Gatsby. We will watch the movie. Yes, the 1974 version and you will work on your drafts for your Gatsby projects. Next week looks like a lot of writing group time mixed with revision time.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Chapter 8 (Finally!)

Good morning,

Today we will split our time between more standards prep and chapter 8 of Gatsby.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Hills Like White Elephants

Good morning,
Today you lucky people get to read a short story by Ernest Hemingway called "Hills Like White Elephants". If you get it you will like it. The story is full of dialog and the trick is to discern what the people are talking about. Ms. G will help you. When you are done write what you think about the story in your English Journal.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Monday afternoon...

Welcome back everyone. If you were absent today we did a close examination of the standards to see what they say as well as what vocabulary words there stump you. I will be at a workshop on Tuesday 4/14. I was going to have you read chapter 8 of Gatsby, but many, many of you will also be out for a variety of field trips. So those who are here will read a short story I have carefully selected for you by Hemingway and those of you who miss it can read it on your own when I publish the link tomorrow morning. See you Wednesday.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Happy Spring Break

Have a lovely week off everyone. I will be off the net and incommunicado from Monday through Saturday. I may have twitter withdrawal, but I think I can handle it. When we get back...Gatsby Essays! Yay!

Spring Break?... Almost...

Good morning,
Today we will finish chapter 7 and take the quiz. I'll give you the URL in class and then post it to the blog this afternoon. Because of break I don't want to start chapter 8 yet, so I'm going to show you a cool new feature in Google Docs and we will use that to further explore the relationships in the novel.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Good morning,
Before we finish chapter 7 I'd like to open your English Journal. Review what you know from chapter 7 so far and write a quick prediction about what comes next. When we last left them Nick, Tom, Daisy, Gatsby and Jordan were in a suite at the Plaza Hotel. Gatsby and Tom were just beginning to have a 'discussion' about Gatsby's relationship with Daisy and Daisy was trying to stop them.

I can't give you the rest of the questions for chapter 7 yet. They would give too much away.
Do a Ctrl-F for "At this point" to find our starting place.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Wednesday again...

Good morning,
Log in to your g-mail and read about CADIE. After that see this article.