September 30, 2009

Homework: Pictionaries 11-20 and synonyms Unit 2
Students should have an idea of who they are going to write about for their essays.  The essay is due October 7.

Today:
Buzzword and extra credit questions (see below)
Listened to words 11-20 unit 2
I discussed how to choose a person for the prompt.  I will say that choosing the person is the hardest part, and I think some students are not willing to put in the thought required to find that person.  I gave them a suggestion today.  I asked them to list things they have learned, like responsibility.  Then tell who taught them that.  Then think of a clear moment when you learned that lesson.

I emphasized that I want them to stay away from Mom or Dad.  Rather, I would like them to think about someone who is not always in their lives, like a coach or a teacher, better yet, someone they met at camp or met briefly. 

I am doing mine on a student who wrote to me last May.  He had a rough time for the two times he was in seventh grade with me.  I thought he was going to lead a rough life.  In his e-mail, he let me know that he is a teacher.  He has his masters degree and is working on a business degree.   He did have a rough life after my class, but things turned around.  The moment I will discuss is reading the letter last May.  Even though I knew him for two years, he was someone who was in my life for a moment.

Daily Drill Discussion:
September 30, 2009
modulate (verb) \MAH-juh-layt\
What does it mean?
1 : to tune to a key or pitch
2 : to adjust or regulate to the proper proportion, especially : to tone down : soften
3 : to vary a quality (as frequency or amplitude) of an electromagnetic wave for the transmission of information (as by radio)
How do you use it?
Jake tries hard to remember that he must modulate his booming voice when he's in the library.

A. In an effort to be a considerate neighbor, Cassie carefully modulates the volume when she watches TV late at night.
B. Phil cracked one of his modulates when he bit down on a hard pizza crust.
C. The city is modulating the century-old school to insure that each classroom will have Internet access.
D. After its last owner died, the once grand mansion was allowed to modulate and was finally demolished.

Which month comes from the Latin word for ten? (deci)
Which answer best completes the word? (pre)
A weather forecaster’s job is to make _____dictions about weather coming to the area.