Jennifer Holzhausen's Homework Blog

August 29, 2008 (Gold) SSR Day

G1 - Letters of advice DUE.  Showed students how to access the online textbook, this website, and the general directions for Webstorage.  Notes: Benjamin Franklin and his Virtues.  Journal: Character traits and/or virtues.  Assignment: Read the Speech in the Virginia Convention by Patrick Henry (p. 262ish?) and complete the one page assignment that was given to you in class.

G2/G3 - Vocabulary definitions for "A Sound of Thunder" DUE.  Reviewed the 5 parts of the plot diagram. (Parents, please quiz your children over these 5 parts. They may see a quiz or test over these 5 parts next week.)  Discussed as review the 2 types of conflict, internal and external, and the subtypes of conflicts within them.  Read and discussed together pages 25-27 (conflict, flashbacks, and foreshadowing).  At the end of the period, I asked students to pair up and read "Checkouts" together, and work through the 10 questions in the margin.  We will finish this activity at the beginning of the period on Monday.  Assignment:  None!

HAVE A GREAT LABOR DAY WEEKEND!  I MAY HAVE A TRIP TO TELL YOU ABOUT WHEN I RETURN ON TUESDAY!!  :)

August 28, 2008 (Blue) Homeroom Day

B2/B3 - Vocabulary definitions for "A Sound of Thunder" DUE.  Reviewed the 5 parts of the plot diagram. (Parents, please quiz your children over these 5 parts. They may see a quiz or test over these 5 parts next week.)  Discussed as review the 2 types of conflict, internal and external, and the subtypes of conflicts within them.  Read and discussed together pages 25-27 (conflict, flashbacks, and foreshadowing).  At the end of the period, I asked students to pair up and read "Checkouts" together and work through the 10 questions in the margin.  We will finish this activity at the beginning of the period on Monday.  Assignment:  None!

B4 - Zimbardo first draft summary DUE.  Guidance presentation all period.  Assignment:  Write a second draft of either the Milgram or Zimbardo articles.  If you choose to, you may go back and write a summary for the Asch article instead.  We will peer-edit these second drafts on Monday in class.

NOTE: I may review and add details to this entry if needed by 4:00pm today.

August 27, 2008 (Gold) Meet the Teacher Night

G1 - Checked Edwards one-page assignments.  Vocabulary Test: Unit 10.  This did not go well. Students are not verifying their assignments as posted on this website or on their calendars.  Most of the class did not remember to study, and they have had the words since Thursday, Aug. 21.  Discussion: Edwards' sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." Notes: Jonathan Edwards and the Great Awakening.  Assignment: Read "The Autobiography" by Benjamin Franklin and type up a one-page letter of advice to a freshman of your choice about how to succeed in high school.  Use the letter you were given from me as an example of the format to use.  I offered 5 points if students send their parents to Meet the Teacher Night.

G2/G3 - Students finished their posters on past, present, and future influences and were given the option to present for bonus points.  Notes:  Elements of Literature and the Plot Diagram.  Read p. 24 together in class.  Assignment:  Vocabulary definitions (10 words) for "A Sound of Thunder" starting on p. 34.  The vocabulary definitions may be found in the online textbook in the vocabulary activities section (in the form of flashcards).

August 26, 2008 (Blue)

B2/B3 - Students finished their posters on past, present, and future influences and were given the option to present for bonus points.  Notes:  Elements of Literature and the Plot Diagram.  Read p. 24 together in class.  Assignment:  Vocabulary definitions (10 words) for "A Sound of Thunder" starting on p. 34.  The vocabulary definitions may be found in the online textbook in the vocabulary activities section (in the form of flashcards).

B4 - Read aloud "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson and discussed the connections between the story and the article that was to be read for today.  Video Clip #2 from Dateline.  Discussion of the article.  Gave students a list of verbs which may be helpful when writing summaries.  Read through the guidelines for summary writing (handout) and gave students 15-20 minutes to peer-edit and comment on one another's papers.  Assignment:  Read the Zimbardo article and type up a one-page summary for that article for Thursday.  Continue reading the supplementary readings which were assigned last week.  Guidance will be here on Thursday to go through scheduling with you while I read and comment on your papers.

August 25, 2008 (Gold)

G1 - Checked Rowlandson one-page assignments and provided feedback immediately.  Students completed a journal related to a time when they felt as though they were held captive or against their will.  Immediately after, students shared some of their experiences and chose one to use in a skit.  Once the skits were completed, we discussed the emotions of being held captive and related it back to the piece written by Rowlandson.  Notes:  Mary Rowlandson and Olaudah Equiano.  Assignment:  Read the biographical sketch and the excerpt from Jonathan Edwards' sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" and complete the one-page assignment that was given to you in class.  There will be a Vocabulary Test over Unit #3 on Wednesday as well.

G2/G3 - Students completed a multiple choice reading comprehension pre-test during class today.  When they were finished, they were asked to read or work on the posters we began in class last time.  Assignment:  Bring textbook and binder to class on Wednesday.

August 22, 2008 (Blue)

B2/B3 - Students completed a multiple choice reading comprehension pre-test during class today.  When they were finished, they were asked to read or work on the posters we began in class last time.  Assignment:  Bring textbook and binder to class on Tuesday.

B4 - Checked 30 summarizing sentences from the Asch article.  Discussed the process, including its pros and cons.  Distributed a copy of my lecture notes for the Summary paper and discussed the criteria for writing an effective Summary.  Assignment:  Read supplementary materials in WRAC and WA for the Summary, read Milgram's "Perils of Obedience" in WRAC and complete a typed first draft summary for Tuesday.  Applications for the ACP program will be accepted no later than Tuesday.

 

August 21, 2008 (Gold)

G1 - Checked and discussed the one-page assignments which were due today over Olaudah Equiano's Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano.  Viewed a video clip from Planet of the Apes and discussed ways in which the captivity of the humans was or was not similar to the captivity of the slaves in the narrative.  Assignment:  Read the biographical sketch for Mary Rowlandson as well as the excerpt from her Narrative of the Captivity (HANDOUT) and complete the one-page assignment given to you in class.

G2/G3 - Collected parent letters (if applicable, although too late for credit).  Students were given instructions and shown in class how to set up an account for accessing their textbooks online through McDougal Littel's website.  If you missed class or need instructions, please feel free to ask me or email me and I will walk you through the process.  You can start by going to activate.classzone.com.... You will need to contact me for the Activation Code.  We spent quite a bit of time looking at the book online and discussing what is available and what is not as well as addressing some potential problems that might be experienced when using an internet-dependent textbook.  I discussed the responsibilities involved and showed students multiple activities that can be accessed for each of the stories we read in class, including vocabulary flash cards, review games, and potential ways to earn some extra credit.  Students will be taking a comprehension pre-test on Monday and will have time to read for pleasure when they finish the test.  Assignment:  Be sure to bring a pleasure reading book, your binder, and a pencil to class on Monday.

 

August 20, 2008 (Blue)

B2/B3 - Collected parent letters (if applicable, although too late for credit).  Students were given instructions and shown in class how to set up an account for accessing their textbooks online through McDougal Littel's website.  If you missed class or need instructions, please feel free to ask me or email me and I will walk you through the process.  You can start by going to activate.classzone.com.... You will need to contact me for the Activation Code.  In B3, I remembered to show students my website and how to access the information posted here on a daily basis.   We spent quite a bit of time looking at the book online and discussing what is available and what is not as well as addressing some potential problems that might be experienced when using an internet-dependent textbook.  I discussed the responsibilities involved and showed students multiple activities that can be accessed for each of the stories we read in class, including vocabulary flash cards, review games, and potential ways to earn some extra credit.  Toward the end of the period, I notified students that I would not be here for B2 and may or may not be here for B3 on Friday.  Students will be taking a comprehension pre-test that day and will have time to read for pleasure when they finish the test.  Assignment:  Be sure to bring a pleasure reading book, your binder, and a pencil to class on Friday.

B4 - Viewed a 9-minute video clip from Dateline which focuses on the idea of succumbing to peer pressure and highlights a few of the experiments that we will be discussing in class, beginning today.  Discussed "Opinions and Social Pressure" by Solomon Asch.  Spent some time in class breaking the article into meaningful chunks or subtopics for purposes of creating an outline of the material as it is presented. Assignment:  Write one summarizing sentence for each of the 30 paragraphs in this article.  Be sure to use your own words and to leave enough details that will make the article clear to anyone reading your "summary" of each paragraph.  (So, for clarification, write 30 sentences - one per paragraph.)  NOTE:  I hope to be here on Friday to walk with you through the notes on writing a Summary paper.   APPLICATIONS FOR THE ACP COLLEGE CREDIT PROGRAM ARE DUE ON TUESDAY!  

August 19, 2008 (Gold)

G1 - Collected Letters of Introduction and checked notes for p. 15-31.  Students jigsaw'd the reading by visually presenting 1-3 sections as a group.  Discussed a very brief background of American History.  Assignment:  Read "Historical Narratives" (p. 66-67) and take some notes.  Then read the biographical sketch of Olaudah Equiano and the excerpt from his narrative entitled "The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano" and type up a one-pager following the instructions given on the yellow handout I gave you in class.  Use MLA format and textual support!  If you are unsure about where to find the Equiano materials, please look in the Table of Contents, Index, or the unit calendar you were given in class on 8/15.

G2/G3 - Students took a 60 minute Writing Benchmark Assessment for the corporation.  After the test was over, I gave students the opportunity to turn in the parent letter I asked them to turn in last time for partial credit.  I do need the letter to be signed, regardless of whether or not is counted for points... I am only making it worth one point in the gradebook since it is not an actual "assignment" per se.  Those students who turn the letter in after today will receive zero points, but a note will be made in PowerSchool about whether or not it has been turned in.  My gradebook is now up and running on Powerschool.  Assignment:  Find a pleasure reading book that you can bring to class on Monday.  Bring binders and textbooks to class on Thursday.  (G3 will receive books on Thursday.)  No additional assignment at this time.

August 18, 2008 (Blue)

B2/B3 - Students took a 60 minute Writing Benchmark Assessment for the corporation.  After the test was over, I gave students the opportunity to turn in the parent letter I asked them to turn in last time for partial credit.  I do need the letter to be signed, regardless of whether or not is counted for points... I am only making it worth one point in the gradebook since it is not an actual "assignment" per se.  Those students who turn the letter in after today will receive zero points, but a note will be made in PowerSchool about whether or not it has been turned in.  My gradebook isn't set up just yet, so please give me a couple of days to get everything up and running on Powerschool.  It should be up and ready to go by the end of the week at the very latest.  Assignment:  Find a pleasure reading book that you can bring to class on Friday.  No additional assignment at this time.

B4 - Checked 5 highlighted or underlined sentences in "The Difference Between High School and College."  Collected signature pages from the syllabus and any applications which were ready to be turned in and submitted.  Spent quite a bit of time looking at a selection of actual college writing assignments and compared and contrasted them for similarities and differences.  Discussed the article which was to be read for today.  Passed out a chart which lists and describes some additional differences between high school and college.  Assignment:  Read "Opinions and Social Pressure" by Solomon Asch (in the WRAC textbook) and begin reading the supplementary readings in WRAC about the Summary paper.  On Wednesday, we will have an in-depth discussion of the Asch article, so please come to class prepared for that discussion.