Week at a glance Oct 29 - Nov 2, 2012

This week we'll begin the process of creating the Junior Research Essay.  A copy of the assignment and general outline is available under the Course Materials section of the website.  This essay is a structured problem/solution research essay with a persuasive element in the end.  Students will be able to choose their own topic.  We'll then head to the library computer lab to hunt for research in support of their topic.  This week the point is not to write the essay.  We are doing preliminary research to discover ideas and help us shape the development of the essay.

• Mon: Junior Research Essay - select a topic.  Begin researching sources for the Annotated Bibliography.
• Tues: Junior Research Essay -continue finding sources for the Annotated Bibliography.
• Wed: Junior Research Essay -continue finding sources for the Annotated Bibliography.
• Thurs: Junior Research Essay - Annotated Bibliography due by the end of the hour.
• Fri: Junior Research Essay - Meet back in the classroom.  Check on our progress.  Begin outlining the essay.

Week at a glance October 22 - 26, 2012

Root words for this week (root - definition - examples):

1. derm - skin - dermatologist, epidermis, taxidermy
2. micro - small - microscope, microcosm, microbiology
3. ocu - eye - binoculars, inoculate, ocular
4. sci - knowledge - science, conscious, omniscient
5. therm - heat - thermometer, thermostat, endothermic
6. vis, vid - to see - video, visual, revise, review

This week is a transitional week.  We'll do a very brief short story unit while also beginning the 2nd Quarter Independent Reading Project.  Unlike the 1st qtr IRP, the 2nd qtr IRP will result in an oral presentation.  Students will be expected to either check out a book or bring a book to class on Friday and on Fridays for the rest of the semester.

• Mon: Short Story Unit - Read and discuss "The Yellow Wallpaper."
• Tues: Short Story Unit - Finish reading/discussing "The Yellow Wallpaper."  Preview "A Jury of Her Peers."
• Wed: Short Story Unit - Read and discuss "A Jury of Her Peers."
• Thurs: Short Story Unit - Finish reading/discussing "A Jury of Her Peers."  Begin working on the study guide, due by the end of the hour on Friday.
• Fri: Root Words Quiz.  Brief trip to the library to check out a book for the 2qIRP.  Finish the Short Story Unit study guide by the end of the hour.  Read quietly for the rest of the hour.

Week at a glance October 15 - 19, 2012

During this extremely short week, we'll wrap up our unit over Arthur Miller's The Crucible and review for the KS Reading Assessment.

• Mon: Go over the results of The Crucible Exam.  Pass back the 1st Quarter Independent Reading Project and 1st Quarter grades.  Review for the KSRA
• Tues: Review for the KSRA
• Wed: KSRA - report to assigned classrooms
• Thurs: No school - Parent/Teacher Conferences
• Fri: No school - Staff Comp Day

Week at a glance Oct 8 - 12, 2012

No new root words this week as we wrap up the 1st quarter of the school year.

This week we'll wrap up our unit over Arthur Miller's The Crucible and take the final exam.  We'll spend the first two days reviewing for the exam.  The exam itself will be a two-day process: one day for the objective portion and one day for the in-class essay.  The exam will count as the last grade of the first quarter.

• Mon: Review for The Crucible Exam.  Thematic analysis due by the end of the school day.
• Tues: Review for The Crucible Exam
• Wed: The Crucible - Objective Exam
• Thurs: The Crucible - Essay Exam
• Fri: No school - end of the 1st Quarter Teacher Work Day