November 5, 2009
Gameplan:
Homework:
Today, we jumped right into the movie so that we could finish it. She paused it somewhere towards the end to fix everybody’s misunderstandings. After the movie had finished, Mrs. Edwards asked us to see beyond the cheese, and to contemplate the deeper meaning and symbolism of the movie. That’s all for the week!
November 4, 2009
Gameplan:
Homework:
Mrs. Edwards returned the Midieval Times Study Guide to the people who had turned theirs in before, and the people who didn’t turned them in today. Everybody’s Writing Workshop papers are graded on turnitin.com. To access it, log into your account, and next to the document you submitted there should be an apple; click on it, and there’s your grade. If you want to discuss your grade and you think it’s negotiable, based on the rubric she handed us, make an appointment with her. You can meet with her either during fourth block or if you want to talk afterschool, you’ll have to give her an advance notice. Think about you paper and the rubric before you make an appointment.
For the entire class, we watched Excalibur; a movie made in the 1980s. We skipped SSR so that we could have enough time to finish it. Mrs. Edwards warned us it would be a bit cheesy. North house had decided our fate that we would continue watching the movie next block. There are two reasons we are watching this movie. First, Mr. Navaroli suggested it becasue he thought it was a “great flic”, and second, Mrs. Edwards wanted us to watch it as a precursor to this Midieval Times section. We will continue the second half of the movie next block!!
November 3, 2009
Hello West House!!!
Gameplan:
Homework:
First, we had with SSR. Then, Mrs. Edwards explained Blog Assignment #8; you have to create a coat of arms (you can draw it if you want to for a few extra points), and describe it. Try clicking on the links. It really explains things. After that, Mrs. Edwards expressed her concern, to the class, about all the late and unsubmitted Polished Pieces. Additionally, about 1/4 of the Junior class didn’t submit anything. We debated over it for a while and decided that the people who didn’t turn anything in will get a 0, and all the pieces turned in after 9:00 p.m. last Friday will be given an NC. Everybody else’s piece will be graded. After we agreed on this decision, we worked on the Midieval Times Study Guide for the rest of the class.
November 2, 2009
Nothing screams ‘medieval times’ like a coat of arms. Since we will begin our journey into this time period by reading Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, I thought it appropos for you to channel your inner knight/lady and create your own personal shield.
Traditionally, a coat of arms represents the core values and ideals of a family. Some of you may already have a family crest, but for this assignment, I need for you to design one that symbolizes YOU and your personal beliefs.
Because some of us might be limited by our ability to draw and/or upload images onto the blog, all I require is a written explanation forat least 3 symbols, and a Latin motto (with translation). Of course, you are free to upload an image of your shield for possible extra points, but an acceptable post would look something like this:
Motto:
Scientia sapientes juvat – Knowledge calls the wise ones
Symbols used:
Here are a couple of sites that may prove useful for this assignment:
The Meanings Behind the Symbols
Have fun! 
October 29, 2009
Game Plan:
-SSR
-Finish Medieval Times Study Guide pg. 74 (old text)
Hw:
-Work on Polished Draft
-Work on Magazine
Today, we had two choices. It was either to do SSR and finish the Medieval Times worksheet or to do the worksheet and get a Halloween “surprise” from Ms. Edwards! Of couse, we picked the surprise! So, we spent about 40 mins on the worksheet and whoever finished it got a Hw pass. :] After those 40 mins, we found out that the surprise was “movie time”. We saw an episode of the famous British show called Doctor Who. It was the “scary statue” episode. Haha. So many people got scared. It was pretty freaky, not too scary, but pretty freaky! I must say I cannot look at statues the same way ever again. Remember, polished draft of W.W. is due tomorrow at 8 p.m. sharp! Do it or else! :]
-Valerie :]
October 28, 2009
Game Plan:
-SSR + Welcome, Scribes! (me!)
-New W.W. dates + The Pohlman
-Medieval Times Study Guide pg. 74 (old text)
Hw:
-Work on polished draft (DUE THIS FRIDAY!)
-Work on Magazine (DUE ON MONDAY!)
-No Blog Assignment :]
Vocab of the day:
onerous
superfluous
diligent
New W.W. dates:
Draft 1- November 6th
P.R. 1- November 9th
Draft 2- November 16th
P.R. 2- November 20th
Polished Piece- December 4th
Welcome back Ms. Edwards! We missed you! Anyways, today, after our usual routine of SSR and talking and asking questions, Ms. Edwards explained to us the new Writing Workshop dates, which is on the board and how some people got the Pohlman. Get your piece in on time and don’t forget to peer review people! Just kidding. She then told us that our final draft for our W.W. piece is due on Friday. She explained to us the format she wanted it in and to write a little blurb, which is a 2-3 sentence selling point of our piece, before our actual piece and to not give her a hard copy! Only turn it in to turnitin.com! After that, we did a worksheet that had questions on the Medieval Times or Middle Ages. The answers are all on the old textbook starting on pg. 74. She only stamped our work if we got up to “A Terrible Worm in an Iron Cocoon”. The worksheet pretty much took us the whole block to do.
-Valerie :]
October 28, 2009
Game Plan:
-nothing!
Ms. Edwards wasn’t here today :[ She didn't really have to come though. Mrs. Hunzeker was there instead and she told us we had to go to a Cal Poly computer lab to take online career tests. It was funny because she had us go there by ourselves and we all pretty much got lost. After looking for the lab for like 15 mins, we saw Hunzeker and she guided us there. When we were finally there, we were introduced to Ms. Parker, who was apparently our ROP career counselor. I honestly had no idea we had one of those. Anyways, we took our tests and then we went back down. :] It was a pretty chill block.
-Valerie :]
October 22, 2009
Gameplan
-SSR
-Minilesson
-Workshop
Homework
-Blog assignment #7
-Peer review by Friday
-Final draft Project Rev.
Frist we started with SSR, then we had a little semi-harkness about the assembly about them African kids. Some people were like… it was boring or i don’t really care if we have problems in our own land. Overall this was a good harkness as everyone really put it all out there and voiced their opinions. as for the minilesson it was pretty intresting as Edwards talked how the title itself can have a huge influence on the reader as the title can either help out or just lose the readers interest. Edwards also talked about blurbs as they are the little summary on the back of the books and how this is also important. Later we had a little activity were everyone shared a title and we (as a class) would give it a thumbs up or a thumbs down or sideways, as a result this took up our workshop time.
October 21, 2009
Gameplan:
-SSR+A word about books
-Minilesson=The grading Rubric
Workshop
Homework: Blog Assignment
Final Draft Project Rev. 10-25-09
Peer Review Due Friday
Today was a pretty much an average day meaning we started of class with SSR. Then from what I heard the class got into a little discussion about bad advertisements (I came like half an hour late to class so i missed it so sorry). Then Edwards passed out two papers out to each student and she talked about the grading rubric, she also talked a little bit about the project articles due on sunday night (12:00) instead of the original monday night. So by this time it was time for writing workshop and everybody either began to write or started to peer review.
October 19, 2009
Alright peoples imma be your new scribers so i’ll be typing in what goes down in class.
GAMEPLAN:
SSR
Minilesson/slice of pie (Yes another slice of pie, I think Edwards just likes pie)
Writing Workshop
Homework:
Get your second draft uploaded to turn it in.com
Blog Assignment
Alright so we walked in to class ready to learn like always because that’s how west house does it(Haha!). So we sit down and begin to read as it’s time for SSR, (well at least the people that don’t fall asleep). Then we begin our little minilesson done by Edwards talking about one of our writing requirements which is a reflective essay. Edwards goes on about how it should be something that we have experienced in our lives that we can now reflect on and therefore write about. This type of writing piece should include thought and feelings,a universal truth, and also why it played a role in our lives. This was a deep meaningful lesson that right when you thought you were learning and it was starting to sink in Steven(Yes You Steven C.) gets a cramp that causes all of us to laugh and reminds us we are still in west house.Then we each do our own thing by the time writing workshop rolles in.
Dictionary.com Word of the Day The Official SAT Question of the Day