Jennifer Holzhausen's Homework Blog

April 16, 2019 (Gold)

G2/G3/G4 - Outline Packets DUE. Students spent some time reading for pleasure while I checked outline packets and late work. For the rest of the block, the class moved in slow motion. Students were asked to get caught up on pieces they have not completed or turned in. I gave everyone a sample Works Cited page and walked them through the formatting and the importance of getting that page right. Assignment: Works Cited pages should be typed and submitted on Google Classroom for Thursday.

April 15, 2019 (Blue)

B1 - Article of the Week Response #5 DUE ("Old People"). Students shared journal responses from last week's prompt about Superhero Powers. Next, partner groups shared their Epic Hero Charts with the class. We then reviewed the Family Tree notes students were asked to copy last week. For the remainder of the block, small groups worked together to plan and work on Review Games for the notes over "The Epic" and the Family Tree. Assignment: Review Games are due on Wednesday. We will plan to play those games in class on Wednesday, so please come prepared to do that.

B2 - We finished the presentations for Greek List #8 in class today. Assignment: Study for the test over Greek List #8 for Wednesday.

B4 - In class today, we finished watching the movie for the Comparative Analysis paper. We discussed inquiry questions. Assignment: Come up with an Inquiry Question for your paper and be prepared to share that with me in class on Wednesday.

April 12, 2019 (Gold)

G2/G3/G4 - Source Packets for Day #3 were DUE at the beginning of the block today. Students were given an outline worksheet to fill out for their papers. I also distributed a bulleted outline for the paper itself so students know what they will be expected to do when we get to the drafting portion of the process. The entire block was given for students to work on their outlines in class. This really only required for students to copy information they already have at this point if they have kept up with the source packets and cards this week. Assignment: Outline worksheets are due at the beginning of the block on Tuesday.

April 11, 2019 (Blue)

B1 - This class was sent to Ms. Smith's room again while I proctored the ISTEP test in my class with sophomores. Students were asked to spend some time pleasure reading. They were given a journal prompt to write about. Prompt: "If you were a superhero, what would your superpowers be? What would your costume look like? Have fun, but be descriptive!" After sharing their journals with a partner, for the remainder of the time, students were asked to work with a partner on an Epic Hero Chart. We will go over those together in class on Monday. Assignment: If you completed everything you were assigned today, there is no additional assignment. AOW reflections are due on Monday.

B2 - Presentations and Review Materials for Greek List #8 were DUE today. In class, half of our people presented their roots, words, and definitions for Greek List #8. We will wrap up presentations on Monday. The test over Unit 8 will be on Wednesday of next week. No Assignment!

B4 - 

April 10, 2019 (Gold)

G2/G3/G4 - Day 2 research packets were DUE at the beginning of the block. I graded packets during class. Students were given 10-15 minutes of time for pleasure reading. The rest of the block was dedicated to Day 3 of research - Subtopic #3 worksheets and cards.  Assignment: Day 3 packets are due at the beginning of the block on Friday. PARENTS: Research Packets will be accepted late for partial credit only. I will not be giving kids feedback/grades on late cards.

April 9, 2019 (Blue)

B1 - This class was sent to Ms. Smith's room while I proctored the ISTEP test in my class with sophomores. Students were asked to spend some time pleasure reading. They were given the Article of the Week (about talking with Old People), and reflections on that article will be due on Monday. For the remainder of the time, students were asked to copy the Family Tree notes that we did not finish in class last time (posted on Google Classroom). We will go over those notes together in class on Monday. Assignment: If you completed everything you were assigned today, there is no additional assignment. AOW reflections are due on Monday.

B2 - Test: Greek List #7. After the test, we went over Greek List #8, and I assigned presentations and review materials for next time. Assignment: If you were assigned a root, prefix, or suffix for next time, please submit your presentation and review materials separately prior to class on Thursday.

B4 - DENs were due for the Schectman article today. After checking those assignments, I walked through the Comparative Analysis paper with everyone. Groups were then assigned topics for small group discussion from Schectman’s article, and they presented their ideas and "talking points" back to the class. We will finish that discussion in class next time. At the end of the block, I distributed copies of the Yolen article for homework.  Assignment: Read Jane Yolen's article, "America's 'Cinderella'" and do a DEN assignment for next time. This will be the last DEN of the semester for you, so please put some time and energy into it. Again, you may want to tailor your notes to the 14 variants as you read.  Start reading your supplementary assignments.

April 8, 2019 (Gold)

G2/G3/G4 - Day 1 research packets were DUE at the beginning of the block. I gave kids a "Tips Sheet" and 10 minutes to make sure everything was ready for me to grade. I graded packets during class. Students were given 10-15 minutes of time for pleasure reading. The rest of the block was dedicated to Day 2 of research - Subtopic #2 worksheets and cards.  Assignment: Day 2 packets are due at the beginning of the block on Tuesday. PARENTS: Research Packets will be accepted late for partial credit only. I will not be giving kids feedback/grades on late cards.

April 5, 2019 (Blue)

B1 - After Pleasure Reading, we wrapped up notes from last time over "The Epic." From there, students wrote a half-page journal about their family members as characters, complete with character traits, etc. OR about Family Drama. For the rest of the block, I shared a children's book about the Origin of the Greek gods and goddesses. We then started to map out the Family Tree with notes.  Assignment: None! On Tuesday and Thursday of next week, you will report to Ms. Smith's room, 2139, upstairs, while I am proctoring ISTEP. Your assignments will be posted on Google Classroom.

B2 - In class today, we wrapped up Greek List #7 notes. Assignment: Test over Greek List #7 on Tuesday.

B4 - Groups gave their Cinderella presentations in class today. When those were finished, I shared two additional versions of the story with everyone. Assignment: Read "'Cinderella' and the Loss of Father-Love," by Jacqueline Schectman, and do a DEN for that article for Tuesday. Be sure to read the advice given when taking notes over this article, which is posted in the assignment description on Google Classroom.

April 4, 2019 (Gold)

G2/G3/G4 - We started with 15 minutes of Pleasure Reading time. From there, we moved into the research paper. I went through a Sample worksheet with everyone, and I went through the specifics of what students needed to do for Monday. Students received the "Day 1" packet, which includes two source information sheets for their first subtopic. Students should use the worksheets for practice and then commit the information to notecards. All of that material will be collected and graded on Monday. This gives everyone "Extended Time." Assignment: Complete the Day 1 packet, including bibliography cards and three note cards for each source for Subtopic #1 of your paper.

April 3, 2019 (Blue)

B1 - Students were given some time at the beginning of the block to review/study prior to taking the quiz over "Homer's World." After the quiz, students had some Pleasure Reading time. Next, I asked them to write a half-page "Snapshot Journal" about their favorite hero (Fact or Fiction) and to describe their heroes as carefully as they could. A few students shared their responses. Due to the consistent lack of volunteering to share journals, I am going to ask that everyone share at least one time in the next month for participation points. Sharing one's writing with others is a state standard, and it is important that more people share what they are doing. After journals, we began going through a Google Slides presentation on "What is an Epic?," which was posted on Moodle. We will finish the notes over this presentation in class on Friday. Assignment: None!

B2 - Presentations and Review Materials for Greek List #7 were DUE today. In class, half of our people presented their roots, words, and definitions for Greek List #7. We will wrap up presentations on Friday. The test over Unit 7 will be on Tuesday of next week. No Assignment!

B4 - Today was a work day for Cinderella Presentations for Friday. Assignment: Handouts are due to me by 3:30 on Thursday if you want me to make copies for everyone. If I do not get your handout by that time, you will need to make sure you come to class with your handouts already copied and ready to go. All presentations should be given in class on Friday.