TEST TOMORROW!

Hopefully you remembered, but your Vocab Test 3 (lessons 4, 5, and 6) is TOMORROW.
Be prepared.

See you tomorrow.
-Mrs. Kristoff

Objectives: 26 January

Residents of Animal Planet,
Today in class and outside of class:

• Continue to work on your outlines (due tomorrow!). See yesterday's post for specific details.

Thought for the day:
Do you think you could lead people in this way?
Check out what 7-year-old Charlie Simpson has done to help others.

-Mrs. Kristoff

Objectives: 25 January

In class today:

• Some of you worked on your outlines diligently. Thank you.
  
• All of you: I expect you to work tomorrow and the rest of the week. Stay focused! Bring your materials!

Period 1: I will not see you tomorrow.

OUTLINES DUE WEDNESDAY.

• I should be able to learn everything about your paper from your outline.
• At least 4 body paragraphs.
• At least 2 quotes from sources per body paragraph.
• Quotes must be included on outline.
• Outline may be typed or neatly written.
• Due at the BEGINNING of class!
  

Thought for the Day: Making Mondays Matter (from Oprah.com)

How many e-mails or text messages have you sent in the past week? How many handwritten notes of appreciation? More to the point, when was the last time you handwrote anything to anyone? Handwrite a note of gratitude to somebody today…just because. They will appreciate the rarity of it.

See the article for more facts like these: 

• 175% more text messages are sent each month compared to phone calls..
• Every week, the average person receives 1.5 personal letters.
• Feeling appreciated is one of the strongest human desires.

See you tomorrow for Animal Planet!
-Mrs. Kristoff

SPIRIT WEEK!

Monday

• "Escape Clashing Patterns"--show up in all green!
  
• Banner needs to be ready at 8:30!
• Regular class schedule.

Tuesday

• "Escape Reality"--dress up as shows on Animal Planet (Crocodile Hunter, Dog Whisperer, Jungle Girl, Animal Diaries, Animal Cops)
  
• Parade with "commentary" during chapel in the morning.
• Wear College Gear the rest of the day (jeans and college t-shirts/sweatshirts).
  
• We skip periods 1 and 6 today.

Wednesday

• "Escape Loneliness"--Famous Pairs Day! Dress up with your partner(s); stay in these costumes all day.
• Picture/Parade in the morning during chapel.
• We skip periods 5 and 7 today.

Thursday

• "The Great Escape!"--Spiritual Emphasis Day demonstrating "The Great Escape"; dress up to represent your part in the skit.
• Chapel with skits at the end of the day. *Songs with approved lyrics allowed.
• You may wear Preppy clothes before the skits.
• We skip periods 3 and 4 today.

Friday

• Homecoming!--Dress in Blue and Gold/School Spirit Clothes. 
• Senior Boys Recognition, then cheers and spirit routines. *No song lyrics allowed.
  
• No classes meet today.
• Homecoming festivities begin in the afternoon!
  

Homework: Due 1/25

• Don't wait until the last minute to do your research and your outline (due Wednesday)!
• We'll spend more time in class Monday working on how to do your outline. Don't worry if you didn't get it today. We'll work on it more in class next week. HOWEVER, I will not do your work for you, so bring your materials and be ready to ask questions!
• REMINDER: You will have a Vocab Test on 2/2. Bring your vocab book all week, just in case we do some review.
  

Have a great weekend! See you Monday in all green :)
-Mrs. Kristoff

Thought for the weekend:

Objectives: 22 January

When you come into class:

• Take out Vocab 6A for me to check.
• Gather what you need to take to the Media Center for continued research!

Today's agenda:

1. Check HW.
2. Distribute handouts on how to make an outline.
3. Media Center. 

SPIRIT WEEK: The banner must be ready to be hung in the gym at 8:30 Monday morning!
I can't wait to see all of your hard work pay off next week.




Thought for the weekend: (can you spot the vocab word?)





 

Objectives: 21 January

What to do when class starts:

• Read the information you found yesterday and from your independent research at home. As you read, decide what is important information for your paper. Mark it clearly by underlining or highlighting (I will provide highlighters for you).
  

• If there are gaps in your information, start making a list of questions. These ideas will help guide your time in the Media Center tomorrow.

Reminder: Vocab Test on Lessons 4-6 Tuesday, February 2!

Thought for the day:
I was thinking of you, freshmen, when I saw the graphic at the top of this blog post about what makes cars have that "new car smell." This blog, Learn Something New Every Day, seems like an interesting one to follow, although the author makes no claims that every topic is completely accurate (especially since some of his posts use Wikipedia as a source). Maybe you can point out the gaps in this guy's knowledge, or at least impress your friends and parents with your seemingly endless supply of random facts.   :)

Objectives: 20 January

When you come into class:

• Make sure you have the materials you need to do research (paper, pencil, binder).

Today's Agenda:

1. Visit Media Center to conduct research. Keep in mind that tomorrow you will need to have material in class for you to work on, so print your source material here at school or save it in your Web Locker and print at home. Manage your time wisely--your outline is due one week from today!

Thought for the day:
Check out the SAT Question of the Day on the College Board site.  Did you get the right answer?

Objectives: 19 January

When you come into class:

• Take out your Vocab words to review. You have a quiz today!

Today's Agenda:

1. Review for Vocab Quiz.
2. Vocab Quiz. 
3. Preparation for Research:
1. Topics due
2. Notes/Organization
   
3. Web Lockers
4. Media Center tomorrow!

Homework: Due 1/19

1. Start thinking about the questions that will guide your research on your "fascinating person." You may want to return to some of the sources you've already discovered to find some information, or you may decide that you need to pursue a different path. Remember that you must have your topic finalized by Tuesday, so this is your chance to decide if there's enough relevant information available on your person. Try to find some sources and do some reading; at the very least, brainstorm a list of questions. You'll have next Wednesday to work on research in the Media Center, but that will likely be the only time you'll have in class to search. Devote some time to compiling some information so that you can jumpstart this project. Use your Web Locker!
2. Study for your Vocab Quiz!
   

See you Tuesday in your jeans and Local shirts!
-Mrs. Kristoff

Objectives: 15 January

When you come into class:

• Take out your Vocabulary sheets from yesterday and get ready for review.

Our agenda:

1. Vocabulary review--Quiz on Tuesday!
2. Research project assignment details.
3. "How to Write a Good Biography"
4. Web Lockers

Thought for the weekend: Take some time to be like this kid.

Objectives: 14 January

When you come into class:

1. Weekly Wonderful Writing Wizard (Katie, Sarah): pass out folders!
   
2. Take out your homework (Vocab 5 A-C, Crossword, Sources/Bias information).
3. Take out a clean sheet of paper for Take 10.

 In class today, we will:

1. Do our Take 10: SuperWordacious!
2. Research, Bias, and Organization.

Thought for the day: (from TIME Magazine)

Triage

An injured child receives medical treatment in Port-au-Prince. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and has in recent times suffered a number of disasters, including four hurricanes and storms in 2008 that killed hundreds. See More Images from TIME.com

Spotted again: Vocab!

Two English scholars, Katie and Ashley, spotted this vocabulary word while researching genetic disorders in the media center today:

"Albinism: This abnormality is the congenital absence of melanin."

This, of course, makes sense as genetic disorders are present at birth by nature (you have them in your genes).

Third period also spotted a current vocab word (odious) while playing on Free Rice.

Do you know what this means? This means that the challenge is on!
Don't you want to be the next English scholar? :) Send them to me...
-Mrs. Kristoff

Objectives: 13 January

When you come into class:

1. Be sure you have your Vocab book. You will need it today.
2. Review for your There/Their/They're Quiz.

In class, we will:

1. Take There/Their/They're Quiz.
2. Learn new vocab words--Lesson 5, exercise A.
3. Begin talking about bias and how to begin your research project. 
4. Homework: Lesson 5 exercises B-C and Lesson 5 Crossword.

Thought for the day:

Two questions that can change your life from Daniel Pink on Vimeo.

Spotted: Vocab!

In a story about the Dixie Chicks on The Island Packet website:

However, Lloyd Maines, Natalie's father, tells CMT.com that the three girls are "definitely still an entity." He says the sisters are "cutting some demos" and that Natalie recorded "a little something with them" about a year ago.

Extra points if you still remember what that word means!
Also, notice how the writer embeds the quote from Natalie's dad into her own sentence. Pretty crafty, those associated press writers.
:)
-Mrs. Kristoff

Objectives: 12 January

When you come into class:

1. Take out your homework (list of sources and their potential biases).
2. Prepare for today's Take 10 by taking out a pencil--I will provide the paper. 

• Weekly Wonderful Writing Wizard (Period 1: Katie; Period 3: Sarah) You will be responsible for passing out the Take 10 folders/notebooks (located in the green bin) to the appropriate desks tomorrow!
  

Today's Agenda:

1. I will collect homework.
2. We will take a short quiz (gasp!).
   
3. Take 10! (extended)
   

• Organizing our Take 10 folders/notebooks
  
• Today's Take 10: Avoiding an adjective pile-up
• Personalizing our Take 10 folders

Thought for the day: Pepe?
Check out these crazy penguins! How would you describe them? Challenge yourself to use three unusual adjectives.

*Tomorrow is a Vocab day, so bring your book to class!

Homework: Due 1/12

Homework:
1. Review (or compile, for those of you who are behind) your list of sources for researching your fascinating person. Examine each source. What is its potential bias? Recall that when we looked at the Baltimore Ravens site for information on Michael Oher, we noted that the team would be unlikely to post negative information about one of its members because the goal of the site is to attract support. Is the information in your source swayed in one way or another? Why? Think about the source of the information (who is writing the information?) and the goal of the source (to inform? to convince?). Write down this information--you can even write it on the same sheet as your source list.

2. Be sure to have finished your "There, They're, and Their" worksheet.

3. I would review my rules for "its/it's" if I were you...

See you tomorrow!
-Mrs. Kristoff

Objectives: 11 January

When you come into class:

1. Study for your VOCABULARY QUIZ. You will have three minutes past the bell to review, but only if it is silent.

During class:

1. Take Vocabulary Quiz. 
2. When you are finished with your quiz, turn it in to me at the front of the room. I will give you a worksheet. Work on this until everyone is finished.
3. I'll ask you to turn in your homework (list of 3 sources for your "fascinating person") before class ends.

Thought for the day:
Rick Warren explains, "Physically, each of us has a unique heartbeat. Just as we each have unique thumbprints, eye prints, and voiceprints, our hearts beat in slightly different patterns. It's amazing that out of all the billions of people who've ever lived, no one has ever had a heartbeat exactly like yours." Pretty cool, right?

Homework: Due Monday 1/11

Your homework:
1. Study for your Vocab Quiz on Lesson 4 vocabulary words.
2. Begin to research your "fascinating person" and find at least 3 sources. You may either write down these sources on a sheet of paper or copy and paste the URLs into a Word document which you should then print and bring in to me. I want to see evidence of those 3 potential sources. Resist the urge to make these up, as I will check your work.

Have a great weekend!
-Mrs. Kristoff

Thought for the weekend: Schott's Vocab, hosted by The New York Times, invites readers to brainstorm creative, clever responses to linguistic (having to do with language) weekend challenges. This weekend's challenge: tell which word in the English language, when heard, gives you the "nails on a chalkboard" feeling. Think about it. Which word aggravates, annoys, or irritates you? I'll ask on Monday to see if you came up with anything. You already know a few of mine...

Objectives: 8 January

When you come into class:

1. Write down your chosen "person of fascination" (i.e. the person you'll be researching) on the index card on your desk. In a few complete sentences, explain why this person is fascinating to you and tell me a few things you think you'd like to learn about him or her. I will come around to check these while you're writing.
   
2. Take out a sheet of paper and prepare for today's Take 10: Spoonerisms!
   

Next, we'll do these things:

• Research How-To, part 2: How do we know what can be paraphrased and what should be quoted?
• Vocabulary Review. Quiz Monday on Lesson 4 words!

Thought of the day:
"Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established" (Proverbs 4:26).

Welcome to the blog!

Hello from the blog version of our class! Here I will post information about assignments, useful links, or food for thought (you know, brain snacks!). I will continue to post homework on NetClassroom (see the links at right), but I may also post it here as well.

I am excited about our new semester together! We are on quite the journey...we'll wallow in the rich language of Shakespeare, meet some mischievous British school boys, and learn from talking animals. Ready? I am. Remember...tomorrow starts now.
-Mrs. Kristoff