October 30: Assignments and Homework

In-Class:

• Journal: Write about the "mother" figure in your life, whether that be your mom, a step-mom, your dad, a family friend, or your biological mother.  What characteristics does she have that makes her a good mother to you?  What things that she does would you like to repeat with your own children if you decide to have children one day?
• We read as a class the section entitled, "Grendel's Mother." 
• We split into groups of 3-4 and worked on an assignment with two parts, a writing portion (10 pts.) and a drawing portion (20 pts.). 

Homework:

• Tomorrow is the last day of the quarter. Turn in any late work!

October 28: Assignments and Homework

In-Class

• Journal: Are you guilty of sterotyping? What kinds of stereotypes exist? Is there truth to these stereotypes? Who do you know who defies stereotypes? Have you been stereotyped? How?
• Read lines 233-397 (The Battle with Grendel).
• We did the "Battle with Grendel" worksheet

Homework

• If you did not finish the "Battle with Grendel" worksheet in class, finish it for homework. 

October 24: Assignments and Homework

In-Class

• Are you going to attend college? Why or why not? What do you think of higher education in the U.S.?
• Catch up day- I called everyone up one at a time to look at their grades while people finished their informational text assessment and did make-up work.

Homework

• None (except getting caught up!)

October 20: Assignments and Homework

In-Class

• Journal: We wrote the skeleton of an argumentative essay regarding whether or not teachers should carry guns.
• We read the section starting on pg. 412 in Beowulf and did a worksheet (10 pts).

Homework

• Finish Beowulf worksheet!

October 14th- Assignments and Homework

In-Class

• Journal: What makes someone a "bad guy"? Are people born that way? Can you change and become good? Is it environmental? (10 points)
• We read the section on Grendel and did a worksheet discussing different aspects of the writing (10 points).
• We got together in groups and read half the section on Beowulf and summarized what we read.

Homework

• None

October 10th: Assignments and Classwork

In-Class:

• Essays due today (100 points).
• Journal: Describe a risk you have taken.  What kind of risk was it? Was it worth it? Did you learn anything from it?
• We did a worksheet on Kennings as an introduction to Beowulf (15 points). 
• We watched a History Channel film on Beowulf

Homework:

• In your new English text, read the section in Collection Five Beowulf entitled, "Grendel."  Look for Kennings and study the vocabulary listed on the side.

October 8th: Assignments and Homework

In-Class

• No journal
• We went to the computer lab and worked on our essays

Homework:

• Work on your essay

October 6: Assignments and Homework

In-Class:

• No Journal
• We went to the computer lab and worked on our Of Mice and Men argumentative essays.

Homework:

• Work on your essay

October 1st: Assignments and Homework

In-Class:

• Journal: Write your author bio that will appear one the back of your first best selling novel. 
• We went over the rubric for the paper which will be due on Wednesday, October 8th by midnight.  See rubric below in the homework section.
• We talked about body paragraphs and how to structure them.  I showed an example in class.  

Homework:

Work on argumentative essay.

Of Mice and Men Argumentative Essay

Rubric

Introductory Paragraph:

_______ Begins by introducing the topic (2 pts)

_______ Has a clear, arguable claim that can be supported by reasons and evidence (5 pts)

_______ Briefly addresses the counter argument (3 pts)

_______ Clearly introduces the three arguments that will be used to support the claim (5 pts)

Body Paragraph #1 (Argument 1):

________ Introduces the first argument clearly (3 pts)

________ Has at least three solid, well explained examples to support argument (9 pts)

________ Briefly addresses and argues against the counterargument (5 pts)

________ Connects the argument back to the claim in the introduction (3 pts)

Body Paragraph #2 (Argument 2):

________ Introduces the first argument clearly (3 pts)

________ Has at least three solid, well explained examples to support argument (9 pts)

________ Briefly addresses and argues against the counterargument (5 pts)

________ Connects the argument back to the claim in the introduction (3 pts)

Body Paragraph #3 (Argument 3):

________ Introduces the first argument clearly (3 pts)

________ Has at least three solid, well explained examples to support argument (9 pts)

________ Briefly addresses and argues against the counterargument (5 pts)

________ Connects the argument back to the claim in the introduction (3 pts)

Conclusion Paragraph:

_______ Summarizes the arguments in the paper (5 pts)

_______ Connects the findings back to the claim in the introduction (5 pts)

Overall:

_______ The text presents a formal tone that demonstrates standard English conventions of writing and elevated word choice (5 pts)

_______ The text is clear and concise, avoiding unnecessary words (5 pts)

_______ The paragraphs transition well from one another and the paper flows smoothly (5 pts).

Total Points: ________________

September 29th: Assignments and Homework

In-Class:

• Journal: Answer the following questions about your introductory paragraph:
• 1)What is your claim? Please write the claim exactly as it appears in your introductory paragraph from your homework.
  2)How do you distinguish your claim from the counter argument in your introductory paragraph? Please write the sentence where you do this exactly as it appears in your introductory paragraph.
  
  3)How do you introduce the topics you will discuss later in the paper? Please write the sentences where you do this exactly as they appear in your introductory paragraph.
  
  4)If you could not answer questions 1-3, make any necessary changes to your introductory paper 
• Students did a peer review of each others' introductory paragraphs, answering the same questions from the journal but about their partners' paragraph.
• Students re-wrote their introductory paragraphs in their journals and checked them off with me for journal credit.
  Homework:
  Work on your first body paragraph.