Black and White Picture Homework

Get a black and white picture (from the Internet or COPY one of your own to black and white). Then choose ONE color and color everything in that picture that is that color. For example, if I chose yellow, I would color a daisy and the sun. If my picture was of a street and my color was red, I would color the stop sign and the fire hydrant. With the picture you also need to explain why you chose that color and what you think that color does to the picture.
DUE: Wed. Oct. 1 for B days
DUE: Thurs. Oct. 2 for A days
You should also be working on missing work, your Reading Record, and studying. Let's bring those grades up!

Mrs. Merrill's Epistle: Explanation of Engrade, late work, absent work, etc.

So last week I handed out Progress Reports and parents and students alike were stunned. I have had a lot of the same questions, so here is (hopefully) some clarification.

-Usually, I don’t let you hand in assignments after one week. HOWEVER, because so many of you are behind, I will let you hand in anything from this last week all the way back to the beginning of the year.

-When you hand in missing work, COMPLETE it. You cannot receive higher than a 70% on missing work, but you can score lower than that, making it a D grade. Bottom line: When you hand in things make sure they are completed. Don’t waste your time and mine with anything less than your best.

-If you have missing work, but you were absent, on the top of your paper you hand in put “ABSENT” or “I was absent.” If you were absent when we did or handed in an assignment, these can be made up for FULL POINTS. (Know that I will check the attendance).

-IMPORTANT: Make sure you hand in assignments ON TIME and make sure they are COMPLETED. Write down when assignments are due. Have a specific place for “things to turn in” and “things handed back.” Have a folder just for my English class. Listen when I ask for assignments. Many of you do not get a good score on assignments because either they are late or are incomplete. Get them in COMPLETED and ON TIME.

-Keep all assignments I hand back. Many of you may realize that you have a zero grade for something you know you handed in. Come show it to me. Sometimes I make mistakes and somehow I don’t record the grade.

-Even though your grade might not be what you want it to be, just keep working hard. If you have any questions or concerns, just come talk to me. You can bring your grade up by the end of the term if you are committed and work hard.

-About Engrade: how to log in and access Engrade. Go to www.engrade.com. Click on “Students and Parents.” Click on #2 where it says, “sign up for a free student account now.” This will bring up a box. Type in your code I gave you that should look something like this: engrade-mrsmerrill-123456. (Reminder: Don’t give your code to ANYONE). Click “next.” This should bring up a page where you can set your own username and password. From then on, you can just go to www.engrade.com/mrsmerrill to sign in.

-Study hard for the Vocab Tests. A lot of you are scoring poorly. Remember that you need to memorize all 10 words (I don’t give them to you) and to spell them correctly.

-If you have any questions about ANYTHING, just come ask me. If you have a question on an assignment ask me as soon as possible. It doesn’t do you much good to ask me how to do something if it’s due in 60 seconds.

-BOTTOM LINE: Keep working hard. I know that each of you can bring your grade up. I know that each of you are capable of getting a good grade in my class. Don’t give up. Keep working hard. Together we will succeed.

Vocab Lesson 6

-instinctively - This is an adverb. An adverb describes how something is done. Instinctively means that something is done as an instinct, it's second-nature, it's natural, you do it without thinking. For example: When my brother scared me, I punched him instinctively.

-tantalizing - adjective - two meanings, (1) very pleasantly inviting and tempting (2) to bring up a desire for something that is just out of reach. For example: The promotion that he might have gave him a tantalizing taste of success.

-exquisite- adjective - extremely beautiful, very delicate, refined

-lethargy- noun - unusual lack of energy. Lethargy is like being languid, only probably a little more intense.

-obscure - an adjective meaning not clearly understood or expressed, or a verb meaning to make unclear. Example as an adjective: Mrs. Merrill tried to explain how to access Engrade, but her explanation was still obscure. Example as a verb: The rain pouring on the windshield did obscure her vision.

-resign - verb - to leave voluntarily

-accusation - noun - a charge that somebody did something wrong, what you say when you blame someone for something

-subtle - (silent b) - adjective - barely perceptible, hard to see, lacking in brightness or loudness, etc. For example: Mona Lisa's smile is very subtle.

-capital - a noun meaning an upper-case letter, also means money. An adjective meaning very important.

-capitol- noun - a building for the government

What Would Your Assignment Be?

We did this assignment last week (sorry I'm a little late on posting this). 

Name __________________________

Period _____________

 

What Would Your Assignment Be?

 

For Parent/Guardian:

1.     What do you think your student should ‘be’ when they grow up (what profession or career)? Please be specific. Choose an actual job title.

 

 

 

2.     What do you think they would be good at? Have they shown an aptitude towards a certain career?

 

 

 

3.     What do you think your student would enjoy doing?

 

 

 

4.     Please list and describe the different jobs you have had throughout your life.

 

 

 

 

For Student:

1.     When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?

 

 

 

2.     What about now? Why do you want to be that? How has it changed? Do you think you will change your mind as you get older?

 

 

 

3.     What will you have to do to achieve your career goal?

 

 

 

4. Now read the parent’s/guardian’s response. How does their idea differ from yours? How is it the same? Do you agree or disagree with them? Why? What if you HAD to be what your parents suggested? 

Vocab Lesson 5

Vocab words for Test on 9/25 or 9/26:

-sympathetic- (adjective) - feeling sorry for someone, having compassion, having sympathy

-dejected-(adjective) - depressed, sad, disheartened

-inconvenient-(adjective) - inopportune, untimely

-empathy (noun) - it's going one step further than having sympathy for someone. When you have empathy for someone, you really understand their feelings and emotions. You really identify with them and what they're going through. It is understanding and entering into another person's feelings. 

-anguish

-stealth-(noun) the act of moving, proceeding, or acting in a covert or secret way. For example: As he tried to sneak back into the house unnoticed, he was being very stealth. 

-languid (adjective) lacking in vigor and vitality, slow, lazy, indifferent

-pervade-(verb) - to spread or be present throughout. For example, if someone had really bad body odor, their smell would probably pervade the whole room. Another example: During Christmas, the feeling of love pervades the air. 

-ecstatic

-haphazard (adjective) disorganized, random, lack of planning, irregular

Mini-Project: "It's a Celebration!"

  It’s a Celebration!

 

In The Giver, when someone is about to be released in the House of the Old, that someone receives a celebration of life. This celebration includes a telling of life as well as a goodbye speech from the one being released. In this assignment, you will be given the opportunity to give a celebration of life for any member of your family as long as they are older than you.

This assignment must be typed, double-spaced, 12 point font, and standard margins.

 

Memories in pictures: You should include at least 3 pictures of the person you are celebrating. One should be from their childhood, the second from their teenage years/young adult/adulthood, and a recent picture. Each picture must be labeled. Each picture may be placed either on a separate page or within the celebration as illustrations. They may be actual pictures or copies of the pictures. They can be in color or in black and white. Each picture is worth 5 points each.

 

Memories in words: At the top of the page, you should have your name, the date, the class period, the teacher, and the name of the assignment. Then you should have the name of the person who you are celebrating and their birthday. Next should come two paragraphs of two different memories you have them. Following that should be one memory they have of their own life. You will need to interview them (in person, via e-mail, or over the telephone) to obtain this information. You should have at least one direct quote from them. (Example: Of this memory, my grandpa said, “It was the best day of my life when I married Buela.”). The last paragraph should include a summary of your feelings for this person, similar to the “wishing the person well” speeches the other members give to the one being released. Each paragraph should be 5-6 sentences long. Remember spelling and grammar count. Each paragraph is worth 5 points each.

 

Rubric:                                                                                    Totals:           

Pictures: 5 points each                                                            15

Your name, date, person’s name, etc.                                    5

2 paragraphs of your memories: 5 pts. each                         10

1 paragraph of their memory                                                5

1 paragraph of your thoughts                                                5

Presentation: Is it neat, does it look nice, is it typed?            5

Spelling, grammar, and format                                                5                                               

                                                                                    ____________________

                                                                                                    50 points total

 

You may ask your parents/guardians to help you to find pictures, to help you type the assignment, to help you print the assignment, and to help you edit the assignment for spelling, grammar, and presentation.

THIS ASSIGNMENT IS DUE _____________________.

Your due date depends on what class you're in: 

A3: Due Sept. 16 (Tues.)

B5: Due Sept. 17 (Wed.)

B8: Due Sept. 17 (Wed.) 

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST COME TALK TO ME. 

THIS IS WORTH 50 POINTS, BUT IT IS RELATIVELY EASY AND SHOULDN'T TAKE YOU TOO MUCH TIME. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE STRUGGLING IN THIS CLASS, THIS COULD HELP BRING YOUR GRADE UP. 

Vocab Lessons

www.dictionary.com is a GREAT online reference for words

Also, if you look the words up in the dictionary and (1) cannot think how to put it in your own words and (2) you understand the definition and (3) the definition is clear, you can copy it from the dictionary. 

What we did this week . . .

-DOL 4A, 4B (plus 4C if you're A day)

-more of The Giver 

-more Vocab words: 

   -admonish (can be used in a lot of ways -- to advise, to counsel, to warn, to remind)

   -dumbfounded 

   -assimilate (meaning to conform, to become similar to -- Example: The new immigrants need to assimilate into society quickly.) 

   -apparent

   -perceive

   -overwhelm

   -excruciating

   -ominous (meaning threatening, or foreshadowing evil developments) 

   -implore (means to ask urgently, to beg) 

   -grotesque 

-Aren't grotesque and excruciating fun words to say?

-TRY AND USE THESE WORDS IN CONVERSATION!!!! IF YOU DO, SHARE WITH THE CLASS!!!!

-This week we also got our mini-project, "It's a Celebration!" 

Vocab Lessons

If you lose your vocab lesson for some inexplicable reason, here is the format:

Word ______________ (then write it out five times): ____________________________________________________________________

Important Information and Relationships:

   Define it in your own words (with help from a dictionary): ________________________

   Part of speech (noun? verb? adjective? adverb?): _______________________________

   Connect it/Make it personal (make it mean something to you so you'll remember it):

       _____________________________________________

Memory Clue: (draw a picture so you can visually remember what the word means)

Practice Using It: (In a complete sentence that demonstrates your understanding of the word)

Reading Records

If you misplace any Reading Record and you don't have time to get another one from me, here is what you do: Record your reading on a lined piece of paper (write the date you read, the title of your book, and how many minutes). Add up the minutes (you need to have at least 100 minutes over a minimum of three days). Answer the questions pertaining to the week's reading strategy. (You should be writing at least a few sentences). The reading strategies are Connections, Questioning/Big Idea, Sensory Images, Infer/Predict, Questions/Clarifying, Determining Importance, Synthesize, and React. These strategies are explained in detail below. After you write on one of those, put your signature at the bottom and get a parent/guardian to sign it too.

Connections Write down three things from this week’s reading that you could connect to personally, from your own experience, from other texts you’ve read, from things going on in the world right now, or from history. What would you have done in the same situations?

Questioning/Big Idea Write down five Big Idea questions (who, what, why, etc.) that came to you as you read this week. Use higher level thinking skills to develop these.

Sensory Images Describe three things that you could imagine as you read this week. What specific words (quote) in the text helped you imagine? How are these related to the five senses (touch, smell, sight, taste, sound)? Which senses did you experience through the book?

Infer / Predict Write down three predictions that you made as you read this week. What clues (foreshadowing) in your reading caused you to make these predictions? (Quote from the text.)

Questioning/Clarifying Write down five Clarifying questions (without a known answer in the text) that came to you as you read this week. Use higher level thinking skills to develop these. What confuses you? What do you want to know? Ask the author or main character 10 questions.

Determining Importance Write down five of the most important things in your reading this week. Think deeply - don’t look just for surface knowledge.

Synthesize What’s the theme or author’s message? Synthesize the message in what you read this week.

React Why do you love/hate this book? What do you like or not like about it? Why should someone else read it? What would make it better?

Another Week Bites the Dust

This week we:
-did 2 days of DOL (3A and 3B) and handed those in
-should have gotten through Ch. 1-3 of The Giver (unless you're in A3 -- we only got halfway through Chapter 2)
-after reading/listening to these chapters, we discussed major characters and the plot thus far
-you handed in another Reading Record
-you handed in Vocab Lesson 2
-you took Vocab Test 2
-you started Vocab Lesson 3

For homework you should be finishing your Reading Records and completing your Vocab Lesson 3. You should be constantly studying these new words.

The new vocab words are:

-aptitude (meaning a natural talent or ability)

-crescendo (usually used as a musical term, but it means to get louder in volume)

-acquisition (this one is a tricky one, but it is similar to the word acquire. Acquire means to get something, so acquisition means something we have acquired. Acquisition is a noun. An example in a sentence: If I bought a new cd, that would be my new acquisition.)

-solemn (meaning to be serious)

-exempt

-obsolete

-tentative (meaning subject to change)

-concentration

-deprive

-ignorant

Don't forget to call your grandparents on Sunday, it's Grandparents Day!
Have a great weekend.

Dictionaries!

You need to bring a dictionary next week (Sept. 11/12)!!! If you don't, you WILL LOSE POINTS! We use dictionaries every week so you need to have one in class.