The Art of Language

Hi everyone,

Read tonight or work on a rewrite of your Mokita essay if you got less than 80%.  I am trying to finish essay grading tonight. Please check googledocs for your grade.

Hi everyone,

No formal homework tonight, so please read in a book or magazine of your choice.

Hi everyone,

The screenplays are going very well.  Today was the last in class day for work on them.   They are due via googledocs in final copy form on Friday by midnight.

Hi everyone,

The character assignment was due on Tuesday, so today is the last day I am accepting it.  You should have handed in the postcards during class or have shared the Prezi with me by midnight tonight.  If I don’t have it and we haven’t made other arrangements, it will be a zero.
The essay was due yesterday (Thursday)  After Monday I wil not accept it.  You will have late points, but it is worth handing it in late, rather than taking a zero.

We are working on the screenplay (set design for Monster only) on Monday.

Hi all,

Character Work and blogs were due today. I am still missing quite a few character assignments.  Postcards should have been handed into the bin, prezis shared with me by email at vbitting@stoningtonschools.org

The Quote Essay is due on Thursday.  Please be sure to follow the directions on the website.  Share your document with a peer and get feedback. Make revisions and edit. Today was the last day for working on the essay in class.

Hi everyone,

This is one of those rare weekends where I do give homework.  Please finish the rough draft of your Mokita quote essay.  Quotes, directions and class notes are on the Mokita assignments page.  Please type your draft on googledocs.  Use 12 point simple font (Times New Roman, Arial – no bold no caps) and share it with me even if you are not done.   We will be working on conferencing, revising and editing on Tuesday in class.  The final copy will be due on Thursday 1/19.  There will be no more class time after the 17th however.

ALL OTHER WORK EXCEPT THE MOVIE SCRIPT IS ALSO DUE TUESDAY AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS.

Hi,

After consideration for the work involved in the essay and the fact that I won’t be giving the mini-lesson until tomorrow, i have decided that work will still be due at beginning of class on Tuesday 1/17,  but the essay should be shared in rough draft form on googledocs (rather than final form). We will have in class time to conference on Tuesday. Then you can revise for homework that night and Wednesday night.  The final copy will be due to me on Thursday, 1/19. (We will have no in class time on Wed 1/8 for work on the essay)

Please work at least 1/2 hour each night on Mokita workshop items.  Checklist and all information is on the page labeled ‘Mokita assignment page.’

If you have not finished reading your book and your 6-8 blogs, they are top priority.

If you have finished those two things, please work on your Character assignment (prezi or postcards)

and/or the quote essay. (Do quote essay on googledocs)
Remember there are explanation pages on the assignment page to help you do each assignment correctly.

Also blogging, essay and character assignment are all due on Tuesday 1/15/12 at the BEGINNING of class. (in other words you won’t have class time on Tuesday to work on anything. They should already be shared with me.)

Please do another blog post tonight. Be sure to read the directions and consult your notes from today’s mini-lesson.  Remember the formula – 25 – 30 % retelling blended with 70 – 75% explanation of your thoughts and opinions.

You should be finished reading your book by next Tuesday (1/10) at the beginning of class.

Also, please look over the ‘Mokita assignments page’ on the LA website.  It has everything you need to complete the workshop assignments.

Hi everyone,

We had some great blog posts last night on the website.  If you did not do one, please do 2 tonight.  Please read if you are not yet half way through the book.

If you have finished all of the above, now is a good time to get started on the quote essay. There is a new page – ‘Mokita Assignment Page’  – that gives you all the information you need to do the work -

list of quotes,

hints on sociogram and character to character postcards.

Even formatting the screenplay and a sample script

Hi everyone,

Please write a blog post on the appropriate page on my website.   Be sure to have a specific post (One scene or one line or one quote from the book) and use detail to widen your thinking.

There is a checklist coming tomorrow that gives details on other assignments.

Please be sure to read at least 30 minutes tonight in your ‘Mokita’ book. You will also need to read tomorrow night and over the vacation.

Please read in your ‘Mokita’ book for at least 30 minutes.

Hi everyone,

The only homework tonight is to finish Quick Write #1 and hand it in ASAP.  It was due last Friday and a few still haven’t handed it in.

For the rest of this week, you need to read for 30 minutes in your reading workshop book, which you will be choosing tomorrow.  You should also use some of that homework time to post at least one blog entry on a page on my website.

Please complete Letter C on the ‘What is Specific Development?”  You and your partner will have to each have your own document or each write in a different color.

Tonight’s homework:  Please write the last two body paragraphs for the ‘jobs for teens’ prompt.  If you lost it, you can download it from last nights homework post. Class notes are also available there.

Those of you, and there are many, who chose not to do last night’s homework you need to complete it and get it in tomorrow avoid any more late points.  I cannot stress enough how important it is to get homework done on time. It really gets in the way of YOUR forward progress.

I will be after school tomorrow (Wed) and the next day (Thurs.) for those that need help.

Hi everyone,

Please use the plan you created today in class to write and introduction and a first body paragraph for the prompt on curfews.

If you lost the prompt here it is: Prompt Practice #1

Today’s Class notes   Best planning for prompts:

use an effective plan

have 3 main ideas or reasons – if you can only think of two then need to elaborate highly the two reasons

OR you could counteract the opposing side

include details/evidence/support for each reason

should include:  quotes and statistics

specific examples and scenarios

personal experiences

cause and effect “If ________ happens, then_______ will happen.  etc

compare/contrast  “On one hand……..”   On the other hand……”

Small moment/big meaning piece – please don’t forget to complete editing of sentences.  It is easy to miss run-ons.  We will be concentrating on editing dialogue tomorrow. It is due by 3 PM.

Please use mini notes to edit your sentences.  Fix all fragments by making sure that sentences are complete.

Piece is due on Friday at 3PM

Hi everyone,

Please be sure that all of your revisions have been completed on your small moment piece. Complete all peer conferencing by Wednesday beginning of class.  We will be editing on Thursday and Friday, so editing is homework for Thursday eve. The final draft is due to me via googledocs by 3:00 PM on Friday the 2nd of Dec. (!)

Also you should be rehearsing/preparing for your team’s debate.  First round will finish up tomorrow and second round will also start tomorrow.  I hope to be finished by Wednesday.

Remember grades for trimester 1 will include small moment piece and the debate.  There are checklist/grade sheets for each of these on google docs so you should use them to be sure you have completed everything. 

I will be after school this week on Tuesday and Thursday.