Thursday, November 17, 2022

Writing 1 Class Notes (Week 12)--November 1

Today was another full day.  The class was engaged and ready to learn–just what I like!


Quick Write

Today’s Quick Write was Thanksgiving inspired.  The class read a poem by Billy Collins called “The Gathering–A Thanksgiving Poem” and responded. I also asked them to contribute to a list of Quick Write ideas to be used for the rest of the year.


Words of The Day

Today’s word is also Thanksgiving inspired:

Repast:  (noun)  A meal, or the food eaten or provided at a meal.  Students listed their highlights and lowlights (if any) of their Thanksgiving repast.


Homework Check

A reminder to students:  make sure you correct your grammar worksheets and show on the worksheet or the Google Classroom assignment that you're corrected it.  Also, make sure you turn in assignments that you've done on Google Classroom.  A number of assignments have been finished, but students have forgotten to turn the work in.


Grammar

We had our last presentation for our parts of speech unit.  Today we heard from the Prepositions duo.  They had a slide presentation, a video, and a game.  Students have Prepositions worksheets and evaluation to do for homework.  They also have a review of the last 4 parts of speech before the final test.  (CAPP Review)


Literature

Today we  discussed A Christmas Carol up to Stave (chapter) Three.   We've read about Marley, the Ghost of Christmas Past, and the Ghost of Christmas Present along with others.  Students partnered up and completed a character “Roll-Call”--they were asked to match descriptions and quotations with the characters.  Using their books, they were able to locate more quotations and this led to a rich discussion. 


Writing

Students have been assigned another essay -- a History Essay.  The Pre-Write and Rough Draft are due the week after Thanksgiving break.  We discussed possible thesis statements.  Coming up with thesis statements is one of the hard parts of writing a paper.  The thesis statement is more than a topic sentence; it is a sentence that tells the reader what the topic is and what the writer's stand or opinion is.  When students are thinking about their topics, they should also be thinking about that topic's importance or significance.  I often call this the "Why should I care?" element.                    

Students also took notes (for Extra Credit!) on things to keep in mind for their next essay.


Homework Links

Quick Write

Prepositions Worksheets

Prepositions Evaluation

CAPP Review–-Conjunctions

CAPP Review–Adverbs

CAPP Review–Pronouns

CAPP Review–Prepositions

ACC Roll-Call Activity

Read Stave 4 of A Christmas Carol

Stave 4 Study Guide Questions



Links for this Week

Class Summary video (for those absent)

Thursday, November 10, 2022

Class Notes–Nov. 10 (WK 11)

We had an engaging and quick-paced class once again today.  Students are working well and we are accomplishing so much.  We can all be proud of ourselves.


Quick Write

I asked students to respond to a prompt about the concept and word “solace”.  They were to think about a time they received solace when they went through a difficult time.  What was it?  Today’s writing led to some rich discussion and reflection.


Word of the Day

“Denouement” is the word of the day today–appropriate because we have recently finished our latest novel.  It means the resolution of a plot following its climax; the wrapping up or outcome of any complex series of events–especially in literature/film/theater.  It can also mean the unraveling of understanding the details underlying arguments between friends.  

The etymology is fromLatin=nodus=knot; French=+de=”untying of a knot” (1752). 

Students were asked to “make it stick” in their brains by answering a question about the denouement of the plot of their recent novels.  Was it satisfying?




Writing

The final drafts of the Biography Essay were due this week, and we're on to the next essay -- a History Essay.  For the Biography Essay, students were to write about the significance of a person, and for the History essay, students should discuss the significance in history and culture of an event, item, or period.  For the rest of the essays that they will write for Writing 1, students will write a Pre-Write, Rough Draft, and Final Draft.  I have the Pre-Write "due" next week because I want students to take the week to plan and research for their essays.  However, they don't have to hand in the pre-writes until they hand in the rough drafts, which will be on December 1 (3 weeks from this week.)


Grammar

We had a nice student presentation today on pronouns with a Power Point presentation, worksheet and competitive activity.  Homework and evaluations are due next week.  Our last presentation is next week:  prepositions.


LIterature

We did not discuss A Christmas Carol this week.  Next week we will discuss Stave 1-3.  Students are to read Stave 3 and do 3 Study Guide Questions.


Homework

Biography Essay Rough Draft (if not done)

Biography Essay Final Draft (if not done)

First 5 Corrections (if not done)

History Essay Pre-Write (work on for 11/17; due with RD on 12/1)

Pronouns Worksheet

Pronouns Evaluation

Read Stave 3 of A Christmas Carol

3 Study Guide Questions


Links for this Week

Quick Write

About the History essay


Enjoy the changing of the season!


Warmly,

Amanda Gonsalves 

aka Mrs. G


Friday, November 4, 2022

November 3–Week 10

 We had a full class today–but we do every week!


Quick Write

This week, we had a Quick Write on a colorful topic!  After thinking of our favorite color, we watched a brief video on what different colors symbolize.  Then students wrote about what they think of when the color yellow comes to mind..  Do certain colors carry certain meanings for them?


We had a brief homework check. Grade Reports were sent last week. Here are the points we talked about:

  •  If students have missing homework, they can consult the Late Homework policy and hand it in as soon as possible.  Those points really make a difference!  

  • In order to help support students to have strong worksheets for the Parts of Speech Presentation, students will now be required to submit their worksheets to me for approval BEFORE their presentations.

  • Once an essay (Rough Draft/Final)  has been submitted and graded, it is final.  


Words of the Day

We had NO Words of the Day this week as it was a full class and I wanted to leave room for it all.  We’ll get back on the train next week.


Grammar

For our Grammar Discussion today, we had a wonderful presentation, game and worksheet from the team of Jack and Teegan (make sure you fill out an Evaluation for their group.)They taught us about Adverbs.  Students have two worksheets due next week. One was handed out in class, the other one is posted on Google Classroom.  Make sure you correct them BEFORE you hand them in!


Some students had a hard time with the Adjective IVAN Quiz that was due last week. For that reason, we revisited this topic briefly and took “Guided Notes”--student’s received Extra Credit for these notes! If you are absent, fill the notes out using your Grammar Review Packet.  You can hand them in for Extra Credit.  They are to retake the Adjectives IVAN Review Quiz this week.


We will briefly touch on Conjunctions next week in the same manner.


Writing


If students handed in their Biography Rough Drafts, they were graded and handed back last week.  Students should fill out their First 5 Corrections (Mistakes) as they are editing and hand that in next week.  Biography Finals are due next week as well.


Today, the class took part in their second Writing Circle DIscussion.  They read some sample introductions and broke into groups to discuss the merits and weaknesses of the introductions. I asked them to especially look at the hook, “road map” and if the writer’s opinion was clear.  


They also discussed how confident they felt about different aspects of Grammar.  They took a Grammar Inventory and discussed what areas are strengths and weaknesses.


Literature

We did not discuss Stave 1 of A Christmas Carol this week, but we’ll circle back next week.  Students will answer three questions on Stave 2  on a Reader Response worksheet.


Have a blessed week!

Warmly,

Mrs. G



Homework

Adverbs HW #1 I gave out in class; #2 must be completed on GC

Adverbs Evaluation

Self-Evaluation (for Adverbs group)

Adjectives IVAN Review GC

Guided Notes for Adjectives (Extra Credit)

Grammar Review Packet (for Guided notes and self-study)

First 5 Corrections

Biography Essay Final Drafts

Writing Circle #2 & Grammar Inventory

Stave 2–3 Questions


Links for the Week

Quick Write 11/3

Late Homework Policy


End of the Year Wrap Up!

  Dear CHAT Writing 1 & 2 Students & Parents, I've just finished calculating the grades for the Spring semester, and you will be...