Wednesday, April 27th - All Periods

English Conventions: Day 12

Do Now: Collect your portfolio and take an “Error Sheet.”

Critical Thinking Questions: How is your publication a symbol of your power?

Content: Student Portfolios and writing

Objective: We will see the value in our own writing and be able to proofread our own writing in order to publish a piece.  

Class Activities: Reflection, Proofreading, Re-Writing

Homework: Write 1 paragraph examining how you have become a better writer in this class? Specifically, what have you improved on?

Tuesday, April 26th - All Periods

English Conventions: Day 11

Do Now: How would proofreading an essay be different from proofreading a poem?

Critical Thinking Questions: What is the similarity between poetry and art?  Can you proofread a piece of art?

Content: Student poetry,

Objective: We will be able to make intelligent decisions about proofreading poetry and story writing in intentional ways.  

Class Activities: Note taking, poem and story revision, sharing out new poems and stories.

Homework: Write 1 paragraph about a social or professional situation in which you will want to be articulate in the future.  (This could be a certain kind of job that you are interested in.  What kind of language abilities will you need to be successful in that job.)

Monday, April 25th - All Periods

English Conventions: Day 10

Do Now: Who is more powerful: Someone who is articulate and can express their mind or someone who cannot express their thoughts? Why? (3-4 sentences)

Critical Thinking Questions: What is the relationship between language and power? Why do we learn to punctuate, use grammar, and spell correctly?  

Content: Rhetorical Situation Notes, Error Sheets, Student essay,

Objective: We will be able to accurately proofread a student essay referencing our error sheet.

Class Activities: Week overview: Plan for publications at the end of the week, Discussion of language, publication, and power,

Homework: If you missed the grammar and punctuation test, complete it for homework.

Thursday, April 14th - Periods 3, 5, 6 & 7

English Conventions: Day 8 - Rough Draft

Do Now: How would you define the writing process?

Critical Thinking Questions: What is a writing process? How does a writing process help to improve your writing?

Content: Student writing, News articles to support essays, Error sheet

Objective: We will complete a rough draft our essays and know how to proofread it using the error sheet.

Class Activities: Student writing, Discussion of expectations with the Error Sheet,

Homework: 1) Type or write a clean final copy of your essay. Use the “error sheet” and your notes to write proper English.  Punctuation, grammar, and spelling must be perfect!
2) Study for vocabulary, spelling, and writing test.

Thursday, April 14th - Period 1

English Conventions: Day 6 - Focus and Organization

Do Now: Copy down today’s language information:

Vocabulary:
Omnipotent: Having unlimited power.
Omniscient: All knowing.

A synonym for omnipotent is _________________.

A synonym for omniscient is _________________.

Spelling: Fascism, Communism

Wednesday, April 13th - Periods 3, 5, 6 & 7

English Conventions: Day 7

Do Now: How does the time and place of you writing affect the type of writing that you do?

Critical Thinking Questions: How does context shape our writing? What is the purpose for our writing within a given context?

Content: Student writing, Error sheets

Objective: We will understand how to plan for our essays and make outlines for our essay with our essay topic, thesis, and support.

Class Activities: Do-now discussion, Discussion of the importance of context, Choosing topics, Reviewing Error Sheet, and completing outlines for the essay.

Homework: Complete the outline for your essay. (You must have your topic, thesis statement, supporting evidence, and quotes prepared.)

Wednesday, April 13th - Period 1

English Conventions: Day 5

Do Now: Copy today’s language information:

Vocabulary:
Imagery: Visually descriptive language in a piece of writing.

A synonym for imagery is __________________.

Spelling Words: Stereotype, Fascination

Critical Thinking Questions: Why is it important to recognize homophones? Does standard English language make you sound more intelligent?

Content: Newsweek, Homophone worksheet, Student writing

Objective: We will be able to recognize and correctly use appropriate homophones in our writing.

Class Activities: Note taking, Homophone exercise, Article reading and reflection.

Homework: Write 2 paragraphs about the importance of voting in our democracy.

Tuesday, April 12th - Periods 3, 5, 6 & 7

English Conventions: Day 6 - Focus and Organization

Do Now: Copy down today’s language information:

Vocabulary:
Omnipotent: Having unlimited power.
Omniscient: All knowing.

A synonym for omnipotent is _________________.

A synonym for omniscient is _________________.

Spelling: Fascism, Communism

Critical Thinking Questions: How does focus and organization improve our writing? What is the connection between thinking clearly and writing clearly?

Content: Notes and student writing, Philly.com article on school violence

Objective: We will be able to identify writing that is well organized and focused along with writing that lacks organization and focus. We will be able to begin to write our own well organized and focused writing.

Class Activities: Notes on organization and focus in writing, Organization and focus worksheet, Article reading and discussion.

Homework: Write 1 paragraph about how violence or danger affects our educative environment.

Tuesday, April 12th - Period 1

English Conventions: Day 4

Do Now: Copy today’s language information:

Vocabulary:
Capitalism: Political and economic system whereby a country’s trade and industry is controlled by private owners for profit.
Socialism: Political and economic system that advocates for a country’s trade and industry is owned and regulated by the community as a whole.

A synonym for capitalism is __________________.
A synonym for socialism is __________________.

Spelling: Although, Perspective, Coexist

Critical Thinking Questions: Why is it important to punctuate correctly? What is the importance of apostrophes?

Content: Apostrophe notes, Newsweek article.

Objective: We will be able to use apostrophes correctly and use them appropriately in our writing.

Class Activities: Take notes, Practice worksheet, and Readings

Homework: Complete SAT practice worksheet.

Monday, April 11th - Periods 3, 5, 6 & 7

English Conventions: Day 5

Do Now: Copy today’s language information:

Vocabulary:
Imagery: Visually descriptive language in a piece of writing.

A synonym for imagery is __________________.

Spelling Words: Stereotype, Fascination

Critical Thinking Questions: Why is it important to recognize homophones? Does standard English language make you sound more intelligent?

Content: Newsweek, Homophone worksheet, Student writing

Objective: We will be able to recognize and correctly use appropriate homophones in our writing.

Class Activities: Note taking, Homophone exercise, Article reading and reflection.

Homework: Write 2 paragraphs about the importance of voting in our democracy.

Monday, April 11th - Period 1

English Conventions: Day 3

Do Now: Copy today’s language information:

Vocabulary:
Abstract: Something that exists in thought and idea but does not have a concrete existence.

A synonym for abstract is: __________________.

Spelling:  General, Describe, Acting

Critical Thinking Questions: Why is it important to have subject and verb agreement?

Content: Union Rally against Corbett

Objective: We will be able to recognize subject-verb agreement and pronoun agreement and know be able to write accurately in our own writing.

Class Activities: Language in context discussion, Mini-Lesson for subject-verb agreement and pronoun agreement, Sentence practice

Homework: Write 10 sentences about whether or not you believe America should go to war in other countries.  Perfect Subject-Verb and Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement!

Friday, April 8th - Periods 3, 5, 6 & 7

English Conventions: Day 4

Do Now: Copy today’s language information:

Vocabulary:
Capitalism: Political and economic system whereby a country’s trade and industry is controlled by private owners for profit.
Socialism: Political and economic system that advocates for a country’s trade and industry is owned and regulated by the community as a whole.

A synonym for capitalism is __________________.
A synonym for socialism is __________________.

Spelling: Although, Perspective, Coexistant.

Critical Thinking Questions: Why is it important to punctuate correctly? What is the importance of apostrophes?

Content: Apostrophe notes, Newsweek article.

Objective: We will be able to use apostrophes correctly and use them appropriately in our writing.

Class Activities: Take notes, Practice worksheet, and Readings

Homework: Complete SAT practice worksheet.

Friday, April 8th - Period 1

English Conventions: Day 2

Do Now: Copy today’s language information:

Vocabulary:
Liberal: An attitude or perspective that is open to new behaviors, values, and opinions.
Conservative: A attitude or perspective that holds onto traditional behaviors and values and resists change.

A synonym for liberal is ______________________.

A synonym for conservative is ___________________.

Spelling:
Switch, Adjustment, Example

Thursday, April 7th - Periods 3, 5, 6 & 7

English Conventions: Day 3

Do Now: Copy today’s language information:

Vocabulary:
Abstract: Something that exists in thought and idea but does not have a concrete existence.

A synonym for abstract is: __________________.

Spelling:  General, Describe, Acting

Critical Thinking Questions: Why is it important to have subject and verb agreement?

Content: Union Rally against Corbett

Objective: We will be able to recognize subject-verb agreement and pronoun agreement and know be able to write accurately in our own writing.

Class Activities: Language in context discussion, Mini-Lesson for subject-verb agreement and pronoun agreement, Sentence practice

Homework: Write 10 sentences about whether or not you believe America should go to war in other countries.  Perfect Subject-Verb and Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement!

Thursday, April 7th - Period 1

English Conventions: Day 1

Do Now: Copy today’s language information:

Vocabulary: Colloquial: Language that is used in ordinary or familiar conversation.

A synonym for colloquial is __________________________.

Spelling words: Experience, Instance, Certain

Critical Thinking Questions: How do standard English conventions affect our experience in the world?  Do we need to know standard English to be respected in the world?

Content: Newsweek Article

Objective: We will be able identify and correct capitalization errors in our writing and other people’s writing and understand why it is important.

Class Activities: Introduction to unit, Language conversation, Capitalization mini-lesson, Correcting paragraph, Reading article, Reflection

Homework: Write 10 sentences about how women are treated in society with perfect capitalization throughout.